Hal Higdon's Smart Running

by Hal Higdon

Your running questions answered. As the expert on Runner's World magazine's Web site, Hal Higdon receives nearly 1,000 questions a month from runners around he world. Questions from how to heal shinsplints to how to use running to safely shed pounds. Hal taps into 40 years of running experience and a wide network of exercise scientists and doctors to bring readers sound advice. And in Hal Higdon's Smart Running , he brings this same experience and knowledge to new and veteran runners. You'll * How to fit running into a busy lifestyle
* What the best program is to lose weight
* How to run a faster 5-K
* How to motivate yourself to exercise consistently
* If you are ready to run a marathon
* What the best types of running shoes are
* What the difference is between muscle soreness and an injury
* What to eat before a race
* How to run safely at night
* How much cross-training should be in your running program
* If you should run less as you get older
* How to train for a marathon
* If your diet should be high in carbohydrates
* How much speedwork should be in your workouts
* What the newest fabrics in running clothes are

Genres: Nonfiction

246 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1998

About the author

Hal Higdon is an American writer and runner. He has contributed to Runner's World magazine longer than any other writer. He is the author of 34 books, including the best-selling Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide. He has worked as a freelance writer since 1959, and has written a variety of subjects including a children's book that was made into an animated feature. He ran eight times in the United States Olympic Trials and won four World Masters Championships. He is one of the founders of the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA).

Reviews

[C · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is all Q&A, and many of them are questions I hadn't thought to ask. It's great.

A few pertinent points I pulled from it:
YOU are the only one who knows you - and YOU need to be aware of what is going on with your body and adjust your training and plans accordingly.

There are some great exercises, training plans and strategies in the answers to questions in this book.

Train for the conditions you will race - hilly? run hills. flat? run flat. humid? cold? hot? Train in those conditions or simulate them if you can. Training hilly for a flat race is just as unproductive as training flat for a hilly race. When I thought that over, it made good sense.

The plantar fasciitis exercises he gives are something you get naturally with the barefoot shoes...and he recommends running a small portion (i.e. in moderation) of training during the week barefoot (on grass, rubber track, etc.) I'd switched away from Vibrams (which I'd been wearing for 4 years) a couple months ago to solely running in shoes. Prior to running shoes, I had some minor knee issues once and a while and sore feet after long runs. I knew I'd have to wear shoes at some point to do my longer runs, but I phased out the barefoot shoes completely. That was a mistake. I'd initially kept them in my routine for a couple days a week. Now I have to start all over -and I will definitely start all over, because, for me, it is absolutely worth it. Running solely in running shoes, my knees are worse, I'm feeling the beginnings of PF pain on and off, I've been flirting with shin splints, and something is definitely off in such a way that suggests I'm off balance. The BF shoes (introduced slowly and carefully!!) help a couple things - they force you to land lightly and evenly (or you'll really suffer!), and they help build foot flexibility (on dirt/gravel paths/trails)... this seems to stretch and strengthen the plantar fascia in the same way the recommended exercises do. So to me, this teaches me that when something is working 80% of the time, tweak the 20% instead of changing everything completely.

Overdoing it with long runs too soon in training for a race increases risk for injury and lack of strength/stamina for the race itself.

Pace yourself, pace yourself, pace yourself. Embrace the process instead of pushing mindlessly hard for a goal or you will get to that goal and not know what to do next, or be too burnt out/injured/hating running to even want to set another.

Great book, lots of questions addressed and it's well worth borrowing from the library or buying and passing around to running friends.

[Alison · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was not what I expected. While the chapters were topical, all the content was in Q&A format which made the all the running advice seem somewhat short and lacking in full comprehension. I think Hal Higdon took his running advice column from Runner's World and just organized it into a book. I was hoping for more of a training guide with schedules and recommended exercises.

[Jacob Cruzan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is only questions and answers, not any training regimens. The book had good advice, but I was looking for training regimens.

[Mandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had some good practical advice, I liked the question and answer format, I would recommend it for those mainly just starting to run it has some easy to find information.

[Sarahjane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was looking on some better guidance on how to run "right" and faster. His training schedules have been helpful. Learned some interesting things here, some I can use.

[Russell · Rating 2 out of 5]

All Q&A and it feels old - 1998 or so. I've found much better stuff on running blogs.