Four Months to a Four-Hour Marathon: Everything a Runner Needs to Know About Gear, Diet, Training, Pace, Mind-set, Burnout, Shoes, Fluids, Schedules, Goals, & Race Day, Revised

by Dave Kuehls

Let Four Months to a Four-Hour Marathon be your personal trainer. Whether you’re a competitive veteran or a recreational beginner, this essential guide will tell you exactly what to eat, what to wear, what to expect, and how to train. When race day arrives, author Dave Kuehls, contributing editor at Runner’s World and a marathoner himself, will have you in the best shape of your life—physically and mentally. All you have to do is take the first step. Four Months to a Four-Hour Marathon • Day-by-day training schedules for 4-hour and 5-hour marathoners
• Detailed diet plans
• The marathoner’s mind-set
• Right and wrong things to wear
• How to pick the right sneakers
• Pain vs. performance—how far to go
• Common pitfalls to avoid—in training and during the race
• A list of the 36 marathons in North America where you can run the fastest times

Genres: Health, Sports, Nonfiction, Fitness

128 pages, Paperback

First published June 27, 2006

Reviews

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was way too gentle and supportive for me. I think need a more abusive and challenging tone than the one generally found in running books. And yet, I continue to read them compulsively....

This book starts out by announcing that Oprah Winfrey managed to run her very first marathon in four hours. I found this fact totally inspiring -- "If Oprah can do it, so can I!" -- until I remembered that in addition to running a four-hour marathon, she has also managed to build a towering entertainment empire and become one of the most successful and wealthy women on the planet, proving that Oprah doing something is certainly no indication that I can do it too.... This realization helped me understand the appealing fallacy at the heart of Oprah's mass appeal, which is probably the biggest insight I obtained from reading this book.

The other thing this book did was make me feel like I was setting my sights way too low just trying to break four hours. This book just made that sound so boringly easy! Now my new goal is to run in under 3:45, so if I do somehow wind up successfully doing that, well maybe I'll come back and toss this thing another star.

[Nicoal · Rating 1 out of 5]

Since when does your dad running a marathon make you an expert on marathon training? Pfft.

[Simon Howard · Rating 1 out of 5]

Absolute garbage. Don't waste your time reading it.

[Robyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was extremely disappointed in this book. I thought this book was going to give me some great insight into training for my first marathon. I received it in the mail and was surprised to find it's about 86 pages long. After about 5 pages I realized it's one of those books that could be condensed into a 3-fold pamphlet. It doesn't say anything new. In fact, it's pretty outdated, especially the section on clothing where he recommends 100% cotton socks and actually addresses the option of wearing "tube socks". Seriously?!

All of the information in this book can easily be found on RunnersWorld.com. The training schedule is nothing new. The RW site has a running manager where you can print out a 16 week training plan for a marathon based on your previous race times. This book doesn't allow for any customized training schedule. The so-called diet plan is also pathetic. Most runners I know can't live on a bagel and banana for breakfast, a chicken sandwich for lunch, and some chinese food for dinner. Again, the RW site has all kinds of diet info readily available. Even though I paid less than $10 on Ebay for this book, it was a waste of money.

The only good things about this book are: the fact that I could read it in 45 minutes and the premise that even a beginning runner can achieve this goal.

[Thuan Le · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author might point out the base of a training program: training phase, kind of workout (tempo run, interval and long run) and target pace (for a 4h marathon and your daily workout).
But it's too simple for a real marathon, such as: strength training, mindset practition, or nutrition.
If you are a beginer to a marathon, I should highly recommend "Non-runner's marathon trainer" for a beginner from which you can learn a lot.

[Kristina Sánchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not following the precisely but I like the schedules it provided and the condensed nature of the book. The paces are a little slow, but everyone (hopefully) has free will to change the paces to meet their needs. I don’t think I would choose this for my first marathon training book but I liked it for the guides and ideas.

[Ari · Rating 2 out of 5]

this has some good basic tips for beginning running, but the comment about stereotypical “pitbulls drooling in an alley over a picked clean corpse” was so unnecessary and not funny to a pittie mom 😐 the book was okay, but if you want better tips, go for something more reputable that isn’t about someone’s dad deciding he’s a runner and therefore, the be all end all of running.

[Daryl Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very practical with lots of running tips. Even if you don't intend to follow this plan, it is filled with great ideas.

[Jaime · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good guidance for training and completing my first marathon.

[Justin Dittburner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some outdated advice but mostly decent. Easy to read and easy to follow. Guess I need to start hitting the road instead of the books :)

[Remo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vuelvo a meterme con libros de maratón en la semana 1 de 17 de mi preparación para mi segunda maratón. Éste en concreto es muy sencillo y simple, tal vez simplista incluso, pero te pone en marcha para que veas cómo un entrenamiento constante puede hacerte correr a distancias y velocidades que al principio parecían imposibles. Divide los entrenamientos en carrera larga, series, tempo runs (carreras más cortas a ritmo más rápido que el de maratón) y las imprescindibles carreras de recuperación. Para mi gusto mete un poco de kilómetros basurilla porque todos los lunes y viernes hay que salir a correr 40 minutos, sin un propósito claro. Bueno para tener una vista de pájaro de lo que es una preparación amateur al maratón.

[Jenny · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is poorly written and redundant. I couldn't finish reading it because the author's voice was juvenile, inexperienced and annoying. A more comprehensive and capable read on training for a marathon is Smart Marathon Training by Jeff Horowitz. This book educates and the author knows a thing or two about strength training and how to train the muscles and the energy systems of the human body. It's not just about running...it's about building the body that can survive and thrive through 26.2 miles of repeated resistance from terrain!

[Meggen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good little book with some good tips for marathon running. I wish it had been longer and a little more in-depth. One thing that I struggled with in completing the suggested training is that I felt like it made me a slower runner. With all the slow stamina runs that the schedule has you do, I felt like my body got used to running at a slower pace. I have struggled to get it back to where I used to be ever since. But, still there are some tips worth reading the book for.

[Malina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I first read this book several years ago and may actually own the earlier edition. However I like his program for several reasons and am currently following it while I train for a marathon. I like that it doesn't emphasize total miles run each week as much as getting in various types of workouts. I like that it involves some interval/speed work at the beginning and that cross training is essential as well. Hopefully I will be finishing successfully in the fall!

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 Months to a 4-Hour Marathon is a great book for beginning runners, as well as a good reminder for experienced runners. It is a great motivator. For beginners, the author offers clarification of some runners' lingo but you won't find yourself feeling babied if you are more experienced. Dave Kuehls offers meal ideas and also some marathon preparation plans. The book is a concise read for those that appreciate brevity.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Offers really helpful advice for every aspect of marathon training, from what to wear in different weather to the best types of energy replacement food/fluids to actual training schedules for different time goals. I plan to modify the schedules to train for a half marathon, so hopefully the advice will be as good as it sounds in theory.

[HaleakalaBound · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny, simple, short and SUPER INFORMATIVE. When he took me through the play by play narration of race day, I went there in my minds eye and could, for the first time, ACTUALLY envision myself running my marathon. I REALLY needed the tempo and speed training exercises that he teaches. Can't wait to alter my training program and get started what he taught me.

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really don't have any desire to run a marathon, but I would like to improve my running endurance overall, so I checked out this book for the Kindle at the library. It took me less than an hour to read. It is a little dated, but good basic information. I'm not sure what I will be able to apply, though the section on common injuries was helpful.

[Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was short, concise, and gives really easy to understand descriptions for how (and why) to add track and tempo runs - very helpful for a new runner. It's just a bit too outdated and perhaps a little too one-size-fits-all. Still, good information if you're looking to create a week-by-week training plan.

[Riana Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not great for seasoned long-distance runners, but some helpful tips to work in to your training schedule. For newbie long-distancers, covers some of the glossary & training technique you ~have~ to know to safely accomplish long runs.

[Denver · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you glean nothing else from this book, know this: "Oprah Winfrey ran her first marathon in 4 hours.". This book is really for those who are trying to get a decent time, but not for competitive athletes trying to qualify for Boston.

[Hung Tra · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cuốn sách được viết bởi 1 marathoner nghiệp dư chứ không phải của 1 certified coach. Không có nhiều thông tin có giá trị và có 1 sô thông tin không chính xác lắm (vi dụ tác giả khẳng định khi chạy thì đáp gót)

[Justin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excellent as a training guide and plan. But needs updating to address current thinking around diet, long runs etc. It's also quite Americanised and makes some generalisation about procedures at runs. The fastest runs listed are all in the USA.

[Bethany]

this is the year...

[Laura Mitchell · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was a short read, i bought it when i decided to run my first marathon and i hang onto it. it reiterated what i already knew about running a marathon.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little dated but still good. Not going to follow the recommended program but there was some good stuff about speedwork.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gearing up for a first time maratahon in November! This is giving my great tips!

[Mecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

training plan is good, but I have a hard time with the advice "wear cotton socks"

[Misty Lambert · Rating 4 out of 5]

We'll see what I think in a year after I complete my first marathon!

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a helpful and practical guide! Although I read this book cover to cover prior to race training, I'm looking forward to re-reading as a train for the race.