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Run Well: Essential health questions and answers for runners
The handbook that every runner will want to have on their shelf. Run Well answers the common health questions that every runner asks. Packed with practical, realistic and sound advice on topics from head to toe, for anyone who runs.
Running-related health questions crop up all the time, often at inconvenient moments. It can be hard to access the advice you need because health care professionals are often unavailable at short notice and without an interest in running, may not have the expertise to give adequate answers. Information from the internet is often dubious, anecdotal, and not evidence-based. Dr. Juliet McGrattan has been answering health questions from runners since 2012 and has worked as a family doctor and a health journalist. A keen runner herself, this experience and passion combines to create a helpful, accessible handbook for runner regardless of gender, fitness level, or training program.
Running-related health questions crop up all the time, often at inconvenient moments. It can be hard to access the advice you need because health care professionals are often unavailable at short notice and without an interest in running, may not have the expertise to give adequate answers. Information from the internet is often dubious, anecdotal, and not evidence-based. Dr. Juliet McGrattan has been answering health questions from runners since 2012 and has worked as a family doctor and a health journalist. A keen runner herself, this experience and passion combines to create a helpful, accessible handbook for runner regardless of gender, fitness level, or training program.
- GenresNonfiction
256 pages, Paperback
Published May 18, 2021
19 people are currently reading
87 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
August 1, 2023
The info in here is all sound; I'm just not sure who the right audience is. It's like an encyclopedia in breadth, but it doesn't go into the depth of a textbook or reference book.
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October 2, 2021Helpful running guide with lots of everyday health tips. Organized generally by bodily system (e.g., cardiovascular), it provided a lot of useful things to keep in mind across the wide variety of ways that running impacts the body. Some key passages:
“Running is a journey of discovery. Not just of running routes and new places but of your own human body.”
“Aside from the chemistry of physical exercise, running can help you develop a positive sense of self. Setting targets and reaching goals can help build self-esteem and confidence. It can make you appreciate the power that your body has and what it can actually achieve, which is usually way beyond what you thought your capabilities were.”
“Whether you’re deficient in iron or not, as a runner it’s a good idea to make sure your diet is packed with iron. Here are some simple things you can do to boost your dietary iron:
• Drink a glass of orange juice with your iron-rich foods–the Vitamin C it contains helps with iron absorption.
• Snack on dried apricots, nuts and seeds.
• Remember eggs! Hard-boiled eggs can be left in their shell in the fridge for around a week–perfect for a snack or a packed lunch.
• Eat lots of leafy green vegetables. Throw a handful of spinach leaves into your salad, omelette or pasta or serve broccoli or kale with your main meal.
• Don’t forget seafood and fish. We know that red meat contains lots of iron, but so do shellfish such as mussels, clams and oysters. Tinned sardines or tuna are an easy option.
• Chickpeas are your friend. Full of iron and used straight from the tin, you can throw them in salads, soups, curries and casseroles.
• Garnish excessively! Topping your meal with a large pile of fresh coriander, parsley or watercress adds flavour and also iron.
• Look for breakfast cereals fortified with iron.”
“There are plenty of experienced runners doing ten-mile weekend runs without drinking while they’re on the move. We can sometimes get too hung up on the whole water issue. It’s sensible to take water with you on longer runs and drink to thirst.”
“A recreational runner of a healthy weight, who trains sensibly, allows adequate recovery, runs with good biomechanics and isn’t pre-disposed to osteoarthritis does not need to worry about damaging their knees.”
“If you could design the ultimate running kit it would be comfortable, waterproof, breathable, both warm and cool, fit snuggly and stretch when you need it to. Skin is perfectly designed for use during running, given it meets all of these criteria and has many more functions too!”
“A moderate alcohol intake is unlikely to have a significant negative influence on your general running, but you’d be hard pushed to claim it could have a positive one, apart from perhaps a glass of something to help you relax the night before a race.”
“• Always increase the volume and intensity of training gradually.
• Allow enough recovery days.
• Use strength and conditioning to give you a strong and balanced body.”
— Run Well: Essential health questions and answers for runners by Juliet McGrattan
https://a.co/2QJ7Ird
“Running is a journey of discovery. Not just of running routes and new places but of your own human body.”
“Aside from the chemistry of physical exercise, running can help you develop a positive sense of self. Setting targets and reaching goals can help build self-esteem and confidence. It can make you appreciate the power that your body has and what it can actually achieve, which is usually way beyond what you thought your capabilities were.”
“Whether you’re deficient in iron or not, as a runner it’s a good idea to make sure your diet is packed with iron. Here are some simple things you can do to boost your dietary iron:
• Drink a glass of orange juice with your iron-rich foods–the Vitamin C it contains helps with iron absorption.
• Snack on dried apricots, nuts and seeds.
• Remember eggs! Hard-boiled eggs can be left in their shell in the fridge for around a week–perfect for a snack or a packed lunch.
• Eat lots of leafy green vegetables. Throw a handful of spinach leaves into your salad, omelette or pasta or serve broccoli or kale with your main meal.
• Don’t forget seafood and fish. We know that red meat contains lots of iron, but so do shellfish such as mussels, clams and oysters. Tinned sardines or tuna are an easy option.
• Chickpeas are your friend. Full of iron and used straight from the tin, you can throw them in salads, soups, curries and casseroles.
• Garnish excessively! Topping your meal with a large pile of fresh coriander, parsley or watercress adds flavour and also iron.
• Look for breakfast cereals fortified with iron.”
“There are plenty of experienced runners doing ten-mile weekend runs without drinking while they’re on the move. We can sometimes get too hung up on the whole water issue. It’s sensible to take water with you on longer runs and drink to thirst.”
“A recreational runner of a healthy weight, who trains sensibly, allows adequate recovery, runs with good biomechanics and isn’t pre-disposed to osteoarthritis does not need to worry about damaging their knees.”
“If you could design the ultimate running kit it would be comfortable, waterproof, breathable, both warm and cool, fit snuggly and stretch when you need it to. Skin is perfectly designed for use during running, given it meets all of these criteria and has many more functions too!”
“A moderate alcohol intake is unlikely to have a significant negative influence on your general running, but you’d be hard pushed to claim it could have a positive one, apart from perhaps a glass of something to help you relax the night before a race.”
“• Always increase the volume and intensity of training gradually.
• Allow enough recovery days.
• Use strength and conditioning to give you a strong and balanced body.”
— Run Well: Essential health questions and answers for runners by Juliet McGrattan
https://a.co/2QJ7Ird
November 16, 2024
A practical FAQ styled book for runners. It covered all the questions I was curious about
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February 27, 2025interesting and practical!
August 10, 2021
Very interesting, it is a really informative book. You may find a lot of answers to your questions related to running.
March 22, 2021
I pre-ordered Run Well as soon as I could and was so excited when it finally arrived! I already own Juliet's excellent first book (Sorted) and knew I enjoyed her writing style; I have also just started training for my first marathon and need all the help and advice I can get!
Run Well does not disappoint. To start with, I love the cover design (I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but I can't help it!). The layout is clear, and I really like the Q&A format, which makes it accessible whether you want to read the book from cover to cover or just dip in as and when. It is divided up into sections relating to each body system e.g. the cardiovascular system, and the head.
In addition to answering relevant running related questions, Juliet also draws on her considerable experience as a GP and uses the opportunity to impart preventative and public health information e.g. how to do pelvic floor exercises, and, for men, how to check your testicles. The book is peppered with "top tips", medical facts and comments from "real-life runners". Juliet has managed to pack in so much valuable information, without it being overwhelming, and she is not afraid to tackle subjects often deemed taboo e.g. from running during your period or after miscarriage, to burping and farting, and the runner's trots.
I am a fellow GP and have already learnt so much, which will help not only me but also my patients who also enjoy pounding the streets and trails. I can see Run Well being my health bible as I embark on my marathon journey over the next few months, and have already bought a couple of copies as gifts for friends.
I can thoroughly recommend it. Well done on another brilliant book, Juliet, and thank you!
Run Well does not disappoint. To start with, I love the cover design (I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but I can't help it!). The layout is clear, and I really like the Q&A format, which makes it accessible whether you want to read the book from cover to cover or just dip in as and when. It is divided up into sections relating to each body system e.g. the cardiovascular system, and the head.
In addition to answering relevant running related questions, Juliet also draws on her considerable experience as a GP and uses the opportunity to impart preventative and public health information e.g. how to do pelvic floor exercises, and, for men, how to check your testicles. The book is peppered with "top tips", medical facts and comments from "real-life runners". Juliet has managed to pack in so much valuable information, without it being overwhelming, and she is not afraid to tackle subjects often deemed taboo e.g. from running during your period or after miscarriage, to burping and farting, and the runner's trots.
I am a fellow GP and have already learnt so much, which will help not only me but also my patients who also enjoy pounding the streets and trails. I can see Run Well being my health bible as I embark on my marathon journey over the next few months, and have already bought a couple of copies as gifts for friends.
I can thoroughly recommend it. Well done on another brilliant book, Juliet, and thank you!
September 11, 2021
A good mix of running advice: some common sense, some medical advice. A lot to think about in terms of causes of running ailments and injuries, and some outside the box advice on how to address them. Appreciate how she took it from head to toe and addressed all the different pieces that make up runners' bodies.
July 19, 2021
Interesting read for people wanting to know what is going on with their body when running daily. Some paragraphs felt like the disclaimer portion of prescription drug commercials, but overall the book is extremely informative and I found it helpful.
September 30, 2021
A simple and easy read, where you can go over the questions that interests you and skip over those that don't.
The author has made it nicely into neat sections relating to key topics.
Overall a lot of common sense stuff, a good reference for all runners.
The author has made it nicely into neat sections relating to key topics.
Overall a lot of common sense stuff, a good reference for all runners.
May 29, 2021
I like how this book has diagrams and explains every aspect of running.
November 27, 2022
It’s a book written by former GP, health journalist and running coach Dr Juliet McGrattan and is badged as ‘the handbook that every runner needs on their shelf’!
I dip into this regularly for help with niggles or other running questions but this is the first time I’ve read it page to page. The book is written in the form of questions and answers interspersed with ‘Did you know?’, ‘Try this at home’, and’ Real life runner’ sections.
I would highly recommend this to any runner as a great source of information.
I dip into this regularly for help with niggles or other running questions but this is the first time I’ve read it page to page. The book is written in the form of questions and answers interspersed with ‘Did you know?’, ‘Try this at home’, and’ Real life runner’ sections.
I would highly recommend this to any runner as a great source of information.
January 4, 2023
A book that you can flip through easily with some helpful tips for runners new and old. Her advice and style is no-nonsense and accessible. I like that her philosophy is essentially back to basics. Any running that gets you off the couch is good and everything else comes down to what works for you.
March 2, 2022
Lots of questions answered! The title sure sums it up. It would probably be best for new runners. But as a person that has run marathons for well over 25 years, there was still a few questions I had that were answered.
January 27, 2024
So it was an informative book however it was more a book full of Q&A and an over all education of what your body does while running. However it didn’t give training to how education on how to run, what to notice. But it wasn’t what I was looking for. So I would give with a 3.2.
July 15, 2021
A very informative book. It has a lot of British references cited.
June 26, 2023
A solid Q&A coffee table book, focused on questions related to running and the human body. As a recreational runner, I think this would be a good gift!
September 24, 2023
good overview
The book is written by a physician and explains the different systems in the body. There wasn’t much that I learned, but I am in the medical field.
The book is written by a physician and explains the different systems in the body. There wasn’t much that I learned, but I am in the medical field.
October 11, 2023
Narrator in audiobook puts on a fake English accent when reading the "real runners" quotations.
January 14, 2025
Rounded up from 3.5 stars— I loved the question and answer format, but was a little underwhelmed with the tl;dr’s each chapter, especially when half of them included some comment on weight.
January 18, 2024
Practical, helpful tips for all runners!
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews