Running: The Complete Guide to Building Your Running Program

by John Stanton

Running, the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other, is truly a life-changing experience. It starts with those basic steps and soon becomes the adventure of a lifetime. Now, in the Running Room's Book on Running, veteran runner/author John Stanton offers expert advice to help you get the most from your running. This wonderfully illustrated book answers all your questions about running, including:

- Getting started and keeping it fun
- Building a program that works with your lifestyle
- Picking the right gear
- Running form, posture and breathing
- Heart rate training made clear
- Types of running—what to do and how to do it
- Nutrition for the runner
- Strength and cross-training—easy to manage exercise routines
- Women's issues related to running and running during pregnancy
- Avoiding and dealing with injuries
- Mental preperation and the psychology of running
- Tips for race day

Genres: Nonfiction, Fitness, Health, Sports, Reference

451 pages, Paperback

First published April 9, 2010

Reviews

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is definitely the first book I would hand someone who wanted to start running. Very comprehensive. It's written by the founder of the Running Room stores. Here are the chapter headings:

Getting Started
Building Your Program
Shoes and Clothing
Weather
Stretching
Running or Walking Intelligently
Running Form
Heart Rate Training
Types of Running
Nutrition
Strenth Training
Cross Training & Core Strengthening
Women's Running
Injuries
5K & 10K Events
"The Full" Half Marathon
Marathon
Race Tips
Mental Preparation
Testimonials

I think this would be a great book for any level of runner. I love that near the end he has numerous training schedules depending on the races you want to enter and your goal (he has schedules from everything from wanting just to complete a race to wanting to beat certain finish times.)

I have nothing but good things to say about this book.

[Brent · Rating 4 out of 5]

I consult this book every day. I've been centering my workouts around my heart rate, thanks to this book, which is making a world of difference.

The Penguin edition is slightly better than the one prior (the 1st edition): it's better-edited.

The run-walk-run approach to distance running is also a winning formula for me.

I'm beginning to feel I can do a 10km in the spring of 2011.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent book on how to run. The most valuable part is the running programs and heart rate training.

[Zen · Rating 4 out of 5]

As training manuals go this is a good one. It’s the 4th one that I’ve read & they all basically say the same thing. Consistency is obviously key to creating a manageable & successful running program. Stanton, the founder of The Running Room, gives down to earth, realistic & yet positive advice, written in a friendly, easy to read style. A good manual to keep & refer back to if you eventually want to go longer or faster.

[Cara · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s fine for what it is, and if you need somewhere to start then it’s a good resource. The training plans are helpful.
But it feels a little dated and a lot of the same information is available on good quality running blogs.
Also I have a harder time trusting a source when the book is riddled with typos.

[Jamie Gewurz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not really something you read from start to finish, and there’s probably lots you can skip. The flow of the book isn’t great but there are some parts that make up for it.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent resource even if you already run recreationally.

[Sarah Perron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most complete book on running, a must have!

[Josh Fisher]

Significantly better than the last book in the series, “Walking.” And don’t even get me started on “Crawling.” (Though I did find “Being a Helpless Infant” utterly fascinating)

[Karnav · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite comprehensive and well written! The love of running really seeps through the pages :) Will def refer back to many of the sections throughout my marathon training, starting next week (!)

[Dylan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book to cover all the basics and lots of good tips and strategies to go back on

[Heather Carter · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am not impressed with this book. It is poorly written and even more poorly edited. I can understand the occasional printing error, but this book was so full of typos I'm not sure it even went through an editing process. In many places the information is repetitive (multiple times, I counted the exact same sentence being repeated within a paragraph or two) and in many others it seems preachy.
On the bright side, the actual data in the book seems solid, so following John's advice and training tips won't do you harm as a runner.
This book's one redeeming quality is the collection of training programs that are included. There are pre-made programs for 5k, 10k, half-marathon and marathon distances, which allow you you to set a time and distance goal and then prepare to actually meet them. For people like myself who have difficulty setting realistic goals and then sticking to a training schedule that only exists in my head, these pages will be helpful.
As far as I'm concerned the rest of the book is garbage.

[Michèle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Le Guide de la course du Coin des coureurs

par John Stanton

Un guide que j'ai acheté quand j,ai commencé à courir. Ce que j'apprécie, c'est la notion de plaisir. Avec cet auteur, qui lui meme était une "patate de divan" jadis, pas d'orthodoxie: on peut allegrement entrecouper sa course avec la marche, et courir lentement, pas de problème!

Quelques demi-marathons plus tard, j'en ai moins besoin mais je le consulte.

Il y a un chapitre pour les femmes. Il ne manque qu'un chapitre pour les coureurs plus âgés (âgées).

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful for a beginner runner. I've been reading a lot about running, most of it online, and this book takes a sensible and fun approach -- not a hardcore, athletic, faster-faster-faster approach. The focus is on enjoying running for the fun of it and staying healthy and injury-free.

I teared up reading some of the testimonials -- something about the strength that people manage to find within themselves to run and the unconditional support of the crowd and other runners gets me all emotional. Planning to run my first race in a week, and I'll be surprised if I don't cry.

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recommended to me by a friend after she learned I was doing the Couch to 5K program to try to turn myself into a runner.

There's a lot of info here, and I didn't read all of it - some of the sections, like the one on running a marathon, don't apply to me (for now, at least), and some of them, like women's issues when running, never will. But what I read was really informative, really helpful, and really encouraging. Definitely recommended for anyone who wants to run.

[Née · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book you don't really read cover to cover. You skim through it and find the salient parts, and then go back to it time and again. What I really like is Stanton's simplistic way of explaining running. I've just started on my 10K to complete training and find this book incredibly worth the 21 bucks it cost me - so many tips, tricks, suggestions that it really got me motivated to run more.

I can't wait to see how well this training goes.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book gives an overview of just about anything a beginning runner might want or need to know. I would have liked to see a more detailed discussion of posture and biomechanics, as that is what I bought the book for, but otherwise it seemed reasonably comprehensive.

[Jeff Xu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a amateur runner. Really thanks John's book because I can get everything I want to know about running from it. Especially how to deal with injury, how to prepare for running day, and how to build running body are really helpful.

[Laurie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Doesn't render correctly

Can't read the book since the font is running all over the page on top of other text. Pictures are the only items rendering correctly. Tried to change font size and all sorts of other settings but couldn't get it to work. Total waste of money.

[Natasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just getting back into running so I grabbed this to browse through. Super informative.

[Bronwyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great beginner's guide to running, inspirational as well as informative. I'm using the half-marathon training guide and it's worked thus far.

[Marina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great beginner's running book. Helpful training tips for the newbie and a great variety of training schedules provided.

[Erika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for any runner.

[Susanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, I have been using it quite regularly. I love it!!!

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book, there is so much to learn.

[Lee-Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent handbook on all things running. A book I refer to regularly.

[Karri-Mae LaJeunesse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for those that want to try running or those that want to take their running to the next level.

[Jay Snyder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read it twice. Will continue to refer to it as I train.

[Holly C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great reference book, but best for beginners.