Product Description
Exhilarating, all-new, kid-friendly rhymes capture the range of emotions, from winning to losing to the sheer joy of participating, that children experience as they discover the games of their choice. Jack Prelutsky, a virtuoso at making poetry fun for the elementary school crowd, includes in this inspired collection poems about baseball, soccer, football, skating, swimming, gymnastics, basketball, karate, and more. His signature lighthearted humor in verse that trips off the tongue is coupled here with the 2006 Caldecott Medal winner Chris Raschka's lickety-split, stylized (and stylish) watercolors. Every page is a blaze of color and motion. Whether Good Sports will create good sports remains to be seen, but it will prove to young boys (and girls) that reading poetry can be fun. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A teacher's idea
My grandson's first grade teacher wrote grandparents about her upcoming class instruction in poetry and asked if we would write a poem.While I did, I also went to Amazon to buy a book of appropriate poetry.This book more than fit my goal.Beautifully done.

Fun book!
This is a great book!It's got fun rhymes about all different kinds of sports and games.I would recommend it for kids that are 4 or 5 and older, though -- my 3 year old has a hard time focusing on the art and following the rhymes.I'm sure he'll love it when he's a bit older, though.

A fun series of rhymes
Jack Prelutsky and Chris Raschka's GOOD SPORTS is by the nation's first poet laureate and provides a fun series of rhymes about jumping, running, and other sports. From Frisbee to volleyball, first-person accounts pair with vivid watercolors to capture the joy of sports. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (16)

Get your running shoes on Girls
Very good read...thanks to K Switzer, Women can run with the best of them....inspried me to get my shoes on and go run.

Wonderfully written & very inspiring.
I recommend this book for any women looking for a role model.Or any runner looking for inspiration.Or any person looking for a great book.

A role model, to be sure!
This is the perfect book to give to a female running partner! Reading Kathrine's story of personal and athletic growth was most inspiring. As well as being an honest and insightful autobiography of her personal and athletic growth, the book really lets you in on the world of networking, marketing and how people influence each other. You see how things can get done with a person's determination and focus -- in the business world as well as through the rigors of athletic training. Kathrine tells pretty much her whole story; whatever she has left out was probably appropriate abridgement, because what we see of her seems pretty complete for the purposes of this book. What an adventure it was at the start of women's running! You get a step-by-step unfolding of what it took to get to that excellent moment in 1984, when Joan Benoit crossed the finish line of the first women's marathon in the Olympic Games. Runners will especially enjoy this book, but it will be interesting to anyone who enjoys reading about people who make a postive difference in the world.

A must read for all runners
Kathrine is famous as the first woman to officially run the Boston Marathon (under circumstances of some controversy, back in 1967).After that historic event, she continued a powerful running career, which included winning the 1974 New York City Marathon.Kathrine is furthermore credited as one of the main influencers of the development of competitive distance running for women internationally, including the establishment of the women's marathon as an Olympic event.
This book is Kathrine's story.While that story is a fascinating one for anyone involved in running, it is more than that - it is a source of inspiration for anyone fighting against the odds in similar situations.
However, it is not just the story that makes this book special.It is written in such a casual, enjoyable style that I, for one, could not put it down.Marathon Woman is a must read for anyone who calls himself or herself a runner.
Warwick Ford, Author of "Fun on Foot in New York"

My inspiration!
Katherine Switzer's story truly inspired me to give qualifying for Boston another shot, and this year i trained my heart out and improved my marathon time by over an hour, breaking 3:20 and qualifying for Boston for the first time.I thought of Katherine's story as I ran my marathon and used it to make me stronger all summer long.It is the best book I have ever read, it made me realize anything WAS possible if i trained hard and believed in myself.Thanks Katherine!! ... Read more

Product Description

Create the Perfect Blend of Passion and Profits!

Are you interested in being the toast of the town, the life of the party-and a successful entrepreneur? Do you dream of designing a fun-filled atmosphere to house friends, family, and other patrons?If so, then the bar/club industry may be for you!

Detailing today's hottest bar/club opportunities, including sports bars, night clubs, neighborhood bars, and more, our experts take you step by step, from scouting locations and licensing requirements to creating policies and attracting loyal customers. Use worksheets, checklists, and resource lists to streamline your startup, and efficiently manage day-to-day operations. Plus, gain priceless insight, advice, and tips from already successful bar/club entrepreneurs!

Learn how to:

• Research your target market
• Find the perfect location
• Hire a knowledgeable staff
• Navigate the red tape that accompanies serving alcohol and food
• Understand the logistics of inventory and equipping your bar
• Compete with other bars and nightlife venues
• Keep your clients entertained-and keep them coming back
• And much more!

Start today, and cheers to your success tomorrow! ... Read more

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Product Description
Imagine achieving physical fitness and spiritual growth simultaneously. Roger Joslin's step-by-step program is an engaging exploration of the truth that spiritual well-being is as likely to happen while running, as it is within the more traditional settings of neighborhood churches, synagogues, or mosques. Through awareness, chants, and visualization, and through attention to the present moment--the weather, pain, or breathing---a simple run can become the basis for a profound spiritual practice.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

A Troubling Read
Let me qualify this by saying, there may be a context in which this book is not a waste of money and time. If you are new to running or have never considered the idea that there is a spiritual side to running or if you are new to the idea of meditation than this hackneyed over wrought phoney-boloney (he claims that the journal passages are actaully from his journal) book is for you. I found it to be fairly contrived. I found it impossible to buy into his journey. It read like an exercise manual for the soul with all the grace and diginity of a photo set explanation of the squat, cold and without life. I imagine if you enjoy things like that, it just wasn't good. I would recommend, Running and Being by Dr. George SHeehan. Thats personal, that invites you in to the good Doctor's life. Even Thomas Merton and then a good long distance run.

Great book to read before bed to create some inspiration for the am run!
I love reading this last thing at night. It calms my mind and gets me mentally prepared for a run the next day. Most running books help your technique or give you plans to prepare for a variety of races. This book helps focus your mind during a run to garner some of running's greatest benefits: clearing your mind, concentration, and being in touch with a deeper self. I highly recommend!

Creative blend of the physical with the metaphysical!
Runner and author (and Episcopal seminarian) Roger Joslin offers a creative, non-dogmatic approach to integrating one's spiritual life with running, blending the physical with the metaphysical in a convincing way.His commentary is interspersed with diary journal entries that lays bare some of his own personal demons.

"Running the Spiritual Path" is a thoughtful book that offers a different take on "multi-tasking."Joslin's aim here though is not to be "productive" or to save time, but to use physical activity as a phase of mindfulness that can put us in touch with God and help us connect with our Creator.

I literally had this book on my "To Be Read" shelf for years before finally getting around to reading it.It is an unpretentious gem.

A book that exhibits a humble approach and delivers unintentional profundities.

It changed my approach to running
The personal view into Roger Joslin's life added new life to my running. In this world of ego goals this book has the power to inject a positive new dimension to running and training.I thoroughly enjoyed savoring this book.

Incredible!!!!
Extremely interesting. Completely different than any other running book. For those who are interested into the spiritual side of running a must have. ... Read more

Product Description
Effective running requires fitness and harmony of the body, mind, and spirit. Running Within is your guide to developing each of those areas so that you can perform better, have more fun, and experience a deeper connection with running.

Sport psychologist, best-selling author, and runner Jerry Lynch and physician and elite triathlete Warren Scott provide insights and prescriptions throughout. Among the many useful tools offered in the book are

• goal-setting guidelines,

• relaxation and visualization exercises,

• affirmation-building tips,

• positive ways of dealing with setbacks,

• fatigue and injury-coping methods,

• motivation boosters, and

• prerace and race strategies.

Running Within will help you break through mental barriers, enjoy running more, reach higher levels of performance, and thrive in competition. Learn how to unleash the complete body-mind-spirit runner within you. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Greatest running book ever!
Too many running books focus on things you need to be doing, which granted are important, but this book's emphasis is about relaxing and running because you love it. My speed and enjoyment both increased notably thanks to this book. A must read for every runner!

Masters Runner
Don't let the Tolkien-ish font on the cover throw you.This book is nightly bedtime reading for the focused runner (doesn't hurt before every workout either).Endlessly inspiring, uplifting, focusing.You will become a better runner after reading this book.If you're not a runner, you will want to become one.Thank you, Lynch and Scott, for this work.

Sadly disappointed
If the authors had "Exhibited the Warrior Within", as outlined in the fifth chapter of their book, and engaged self-knowledge, persistence and integrity in writing this book, we may have gotten something worthwhile.They didn't and we didn't.It would seem that there is such a demand for books on running that half-baked scripts get published at the expense of obscuring more qualified efforts.

Two telling examples set the tone of this effort.The authors inaccurately recount a piece of running legend and mysteriously confuse the 1982 Boston Marathon "Duel in the Sun" between Salazar and Beardsley with some prior Bill Rodgers Boston Marathon victory.As I wasn't looking for a book on running history, I tried to ignore this error, but I was left wondering "are these guys really runners?" and whether there was a kernel of truth somewhere in their anecdote.Also: Breathing exercises, body sensing, and relaxation techniques offered by these authors do not appear to be consistent with or as well developed as other more qualified sources.While these are serious considerations and invaluable tools for runners who are interested in "mastering the body-mind-spirit connection", you may be better served by practicing yoga from a qualified source, rather than rely on the "knowledge" of these authors.

Even if you are able to suspend judgement in the light of such failures, the guts of their effort was apparently devoted to the power of affirmations and visualizations.Here too, I was disappointed.For me, affirmations that endure through the battles of fatigue and self-doubt that plague us a some point during most every marathon must call upon the lessons of our personal running experience rather than rely upon borrowed examples of self-deceit (or self-direction as these authors suggest).I would be more satisfied with a process that helped to "conceptualize" those personal running lessons in the form of personally powerful affirmations.I'm sorry, but affirmations such as "I'm tired, yet I know I'm not alone" will be of little help in carrying me to the finish.

I was most intrigued, and by corollary, most disappointed with their effort to cultivate the idea of the "Warrior Within."We have all experienced those fleeting moments during good runs when the magic kicks in and we feel invincible.Any book that helps to achieve and sustain those feelings is worth its retail cover price.This one doesn't and isn't.

Great book
Book was great. Very informative into the relationship between the body and the mind. Must read for spiritual runners.

MUST HAVE !!!!!!!
I just completed my first marathon and don't think I would have finished had I not purchased and read this book. During training, we had "long runs". The night before each long run (in excess of 17 miles) I would read the sections of this book that addressed issues I was likely to face during the following days long run. That helped me tremendously. The book gave me a sense of calm.

There are virtually thousands of books on the market concerning running. Most of those books however don't spend nearly enough time on the most critical aspect which is mental preparedness and toughness. However, this book gives what most trainig books and groups do not..a way to deal with the mental aspects of running.

This book is wonderful because it gives the reader techniques on how to deal with stress, anxiety, pain, disappointments, setbacks injuries, fatigue etc., all from the MENTAL side. I like how the authors make the connection between mind and body. They focus on the mind first and how the mind can often control the body.

I found MANY useful mental exercises from "breathwatching", visualization, dealing with fatigue and disappointments, learning from mistakes etc., Most importantly, the book focuses on the process of running and self discovery and NOT the result. This book helps novice runners like myself enjoy the process, find our own tools that work for us and realize that it is often mind over matter. This book is a must have for those just starting out "marathoning" or for anyone who just wants to enjoy the mental benefits of running and the pleaseure it gives. ... Read more

Product Description
This title presnets dedicated mailing and e-mail campaign to targeted running interest media and organisations.In "Running to the Top", Arthur Lydiard - one of the most successful trainers of middle - and long-distance running - reveals the secrets and techniques that have taken him and his athletes to the top of their game.Based on a clearly defined concept of fitness, he presents readers with a detailed and systematic training program for runners of all levels.Expert advice and information on choosing the right equipment, nutrition and healthy eating, injury prevention, therapy and the relationship between the coach and the athlete is also included, as well as a test-system that allows athletes to determine the absorption of oxygen through the fatless body mass. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

great and on time!
it was in great conditions and was quickly delivered. all I expect when buying a book. thanks!

A great book from the best coach
To those who say his theories are outdated, show me the results where Americans pounding the intervals or following a Daniels type plan are beating those like the Kenyans and the Japanese marathoners and Paula Radcliffe who train much more like Lydiard suggests. It's not a coincidence that Deena Kastor and Meb Keflezighi became the first two Americans to win Olympic marathon medals in 20 years. They are also two of the few Americans who follow a Lydiard-based training philosophy. The Kenyans do not train at LT pace all the time. Anyone who knows how they train knows that they train much like Lydiard suggests.

Yes, his writings are hard to read. He has a great mind when it comes to running technique but not quite so great when it comes to writing style. However, the wealth of wisdom in his writings is worth working yourself through the less than spectacular writing style if you are interested in racing performance.

best distance coach ever
He's trained 18 olympians, has taken years of physiology, and has been perfecting his programs since the 60's.This is definitely the book to get.I was one of the people who didn't know what the training did, so I got fired up and hammered it every day.Thankfully, I was able to learn about Lydiard and find a real way to train.He explains all of the physiology behind running so you have a revamped knowledge and know what to do instead of training blindly.Definitely a must have.

Quaint
My first thoughts were - "This is a book?"This is the most unprofessional job I have ever seen.The forward is one the most laughable English translations I have ever seen printed.As for the body of the text, it is clearly a compilation of various things Lydiard wrote over the years.The editors took all this different stuff, threw it together, and called it a book.The end has some charts sitting around with absolutely no explanation.The book repeats itself a lot, and there is a long section written exclusively about rugby.Apparently Lydiard once adapted his training ideas to rugby, and the resulting article was thrown into the book as a "bonus" or something.

That aside, it is fun to read some old Lydiard stuff.This book takes me way back to the glory days of the running boom, to Frank Shorter and Bill Rodgers running in their heydays, which is funny since I was born in 1984.Always nice to hear that the reason "the negroid" is beating me is that he can lift his knees while leaning forward.Thousands of people have been trying for years to find out why the East Africans are so dominant, and here Lydiard had it all figured out years ago!

Joking aside, this is a decent book about training.Lydiard is not a proponent of Long Slow Distance.He supports Long Steady Distance.His focus on high mileage and basic speed is key.Many well-informed people believe that if Americans would spend more time developing their aerobic bases and less time on the track doing hard intervals, they would run much faster.I have found this to be true in my own running.

One thing I would have liked is a better description of the hill-bounding exercises.Lydiard mentions that you should do bounding exercises up a hill, but he doesn't go into the detail of exactly what this bounding should look like.That's my only true complaint.

Oh please!
If Lydiard is "outdated" as you sugest, then how do you explain this:

Mark Wetmore(Colorado @ Boulder - Buffaloes) uses a slightly modified version of Ludiard's training (so that his athletes are able to peak three times a year).They obviously have had much success. ... Read more

Product Description
Since the success of his New Zealand athletes Snell, Halberg and Magee at the 1960 Rome Olympics, Arthur Lydiard's name has been synonymous with the best training methods used by the world's top middle and long-distance runners. Instructing runners in Finland, Mexico, Venezuela, Denmark, Japan, the USA and New Zealand, Lydiard has continued to refine his methods, and this manual contains information on exercise physiology, diet, injury prevention and cure, discussion of Lydiard's methods and revised training schedules. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Essential Reading From The Distance Guru
The theories of Arthur Lydiard are essential reading for runners at all age levels and abilities.

His use of base (endurance) training, followed by phase work of strength, anaerobic and anaerobic-taper is geared to peaking a runner for maximum performance in a major event.

But it's through the endurance training phase where he may be most famous on the roads and trails; it set a foundation which created the running "boom" in the 1970s in the United States and popularized the sport in other nations as a means to achieve fitness.

Lydiard is a coaching icon and his theories will live on as long as a runner is tying the shoe laces and getting ready for a distance jaunt.

A Coach
Quintessential Lydiard.A must have for any serious runner or coach.Great principles that are the backbone to many running programs. ... Read more

Product Description
Thereexists a common set of principles underlying all athletic performance, andthese principles, if observed in unison over time, enable any athlete to matureinto an accomplished athlete capable of achieving a lifetime of enjoymentthrough participation in sports. Thisbook is all about improving athletic performance. Learn how each of the ten athleticprinciples common to all sports assist top athletes in achieving superior athleticperformance. Fivespecial sections provide insight into Swimming, Running, Tennis, Cycling andSkiing. ¿Skills mastered by topperforming athletes are presented and explained in accordance with the tenathletic principles underlying The Unified Theory of Sports. Any athletewishing to improve their own performance will benefit from advice provided.Readthis book and you will gain valuable insight required to achieve a lifetime ofenjoyment through participation in sports. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (7)

Runner's delight
Written in a series of short chapters, some of Rachel Toor's prose is extremely fine: evocative, inviting, transmitting of the joys of running. A great read, and a great gift!

Narcissus in track shoes
If you want to read an unapologetic paean of self love, have I got just the book for you.This isn't about a love affair with running, this is about an author so specialthat one runner in the NYC Marathon "told her husband that she had imagined that an angel had come down from heaven to run the last 6 miles with her." The blessed runner's husband corrected her with photographic evidence that although Ms. Toor might be an angel, only the two of them could see the wings , a rebuttal that perhaps the author found a bit unnecessary.

Pick a random page, say p. 137, and count the number of I's you see, in this case no less than sixteen on a single page.From the cover, which shows just a few of the dozens of medals she's won, to the author's picture in which she's --nope, I'm not making this up -- giving herself a hug, our Rachel easily and quickly moves to the front of the pack.Not a mere jogger, she, but a serious runner.She's a "type A cliché" who wanted to be good.Not only that, she quickly became enough of an expert to write about running.And the best part of writing about running for her is when she goes to a race and someone recognizes her --"That never gets old."

In her very first marathon at Camp Lejeune, she's afraid to tell her pals her time.But why be afraid if one is stacked to the max with talent and speed?She placed in her age group and qualified for Boston, a goal that many (most?) serious runners never do.As the Angel Toor wrote, who qualifies for Boston?"The fast and the old."She ain't old, but she's fast! In the Ride and Tie, she's done six championships.She's taken showers under stands of redwoods, eaten pounds of abalone, and shaken her booty to free it from lactic acid. This is a woman who has crapped in the woods.She's a "snob who values excellence" (but one who evidently doesn't too often turn her eyes inward lest the result be something less than deserving of a medal).

I can't make this up.Really, you have to read it for yourself. If you're expecting even a modicum of self criticism or modesty at the close of the book, you'll instead be greeted by her description of the "Shrine to Me."You see, she's kept all of her medals until they grew so numerous that she "needed to share [the collection] with the world."Thus the shrine to herself, which is the first thing you see when you enter her house.So numerous became the medals that she had to cull through the collection and keep "only the biggest and most rare" of which there are enough "to make a thick ornamental drape."But it's unfinished, of course, for as the author frequently gazes upon the Shrine to Me, so knows there's lots more glory ahead.

I've read of Olympians who kept their gold medals tucked away and were so quiet about their accomplishments that even their neighbors had no idea what they'd done and Super Bowl MVPs who never wore the ring.If you're expecting even a hint of modesty, you won't find it here.This is Narcissus in track shoes.

honest, direct, revealing, insightful
As a runner and writer, I really appreciate the common sense and depth of Rachel Toor's observations.As we search for meaning in life, Personal Record makes a genuine contribution to why we're here and what we're doing.This is not just a book for dedicated or would-be runners--there's wisdom there for anyone curious about how life works.
The real strength of Toor's writing is her willingness to be unguardedly honest.There is none of that self-protection editing that makes less effective books so predictable.Reading Toor you constantly find yourself nodding and saying to yourself, "yes, that's so true, I knew that, but never saw it put it into words so clearly."
As an added bonus, Toor's writing is concise, direct, fluid, and alternatly serious and light-hearted, so reading Personal Record is a real delight.

well-written and easy to read.
Rachel Toor is one of those over-achievers that the rest of us have a hard time relating to sometimes.This seems to be a common theme in the many personal narratives that are so popular now.Sometimes it gets difficult to read yet again about how some one takes up running, and after a few months of training, they win their first short race and then go on to qualify in their first marathon for Boston and win the most difficult ultramarathon.Don't get me wrong; Toor is a beautiful writer.Her work in the Chronicle is top-notch.I guess I wanted running to be more difficult for her.But I would certainly recommend this book to a seasoned runner who can relate but not for a beginner.Instead read works by John Bingham, whose experiences as a runner are much more common.

Running for Fun
I'll be honest; I don't understand people who run for fun. I guess my body just doesn't feel like it's built to do that. But Rachel Toor makes me want to be a runner.

Toor admits that she started running not to lose weight or get healthy, but so that she wouldn't be left behind. She enjoyed being part of a running club because she recognized herself in others and she was welcomed by strangers as a comrade. Through running she learned to be herself.

One of the first things Toor did when she decided to run was to get a coach. This man sounds like someone you'd like to have as a friend and mentor, who takes from people the best of what they have to give and ignores everything else. In addition, she bought a watch--a big watch with large numbers so she can see her time when she's racing. Even though it might look silly on her slight wrist, she knows it makes her look like a runner.

When Toor shows up at the starting line, she expects to race, but not to win. And then the gun goes off and she starts caring about how many women are in front of her and she picks up the pace. She likes being the first woman to finish. She has participated in many different kinds and lengths of races, even one that involved teams with two people and a horse. Toor says that runners would like to keep running for their entire mortal lives. But age is a great foe. So she's joined a Pace Team. She leads groups at marathons and answers questions about training, marathoning, nutrition, and hydration. As a volunteer, she gives her time and energy to pace at about thirty minutes slower than her typical marathon time. She knows her speedy times are behind her, but pacing sustains her as a runner.

We can all find something inspiring in this book of stories about her running experiences. What might motivate me is that you get to eat pretty much what you want and the running will take care of the calories.

by Doris Anne Roop-Benner
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

QUITE AN INSPIRATIONAL WORK
I read this one when it was first published in 1981.I had been a runner for over twenty years at that time and found the book and Dr. Sheehan's message quite lifting and a true inspiration.Like another reviewer pointed out, it is the type of book that makes you want to grab your shoes and hit the road.Over twenty years have past since that first reading.Yes, I am still running and ever so often, return to this work just to get my battries charged.It is well written, easy to read and a true joy.It should be in ever runner's library.Recommend this one highly.

A Great Book On "Why" to Run!
This is not a book on running tips.This book does not tell you how to pick out shoes, or how to train for the marathon.This book will not give you a running schedule or suggest what time of day is better to run.Butwhat this book will do is make you want to jump up from your easy chair,slap on a pair of sneakers, and run, run, run! This book gets to thespirit of running, the heart of the sport, the joy and the play.Itreveals the soul of a runner whose life is empty without the time spent,dripping with sweat, heart racing, pounding mile after pleasant mile.Ifyou want to see the heart of a runner, if you want to catch a glimpse atwhat the run is all about, read this book.A gem. ... Read more

Product Description
A unique anthology of essays exploring the philosophical wisdom runners contemplate when out for a run. It features writings from some of America’s leading philosophers, including Martha Nussbaum, Charles Taliaferro, and J.P. Moreland.

• A first-of-its-kind collection of essays exploring those gems of philosophical wisdom runners contemplate when out for a run
• Topics considered include running and the philosophy of friendship; the freedom of the long distance runner; running as aesthetic experience, and “Could a Zombie Run a Marathon?”
• Contributing essayists include philosophers with athletic experience at the collegiate level, philosophers whose pasttime is running, and one philosopher who began running to test the ideas in his essay

Customer Reviews (5)

Great book
Very inspiring and thought provoking. Not only gets your foot out the door but your mind is no longer lazy either! Must read for all thinker/runners.

Two different activities that complement each other greatly!
Though I have read very few pop culture & philosophy books all the way through, this is one of the best ones I have read. Not only do many of the essays connect to well known philosophers and ideas, but many other essays seem very original in their thesis and their conclusions. The best part about this book, though, is that nearly all of essays are easily relatable as anyone who has ever done even a short mile or 5K race can instantly understand what the author is talking about when they mention something about running. It doesn't hurt that many of the best authors seem to be runners themselves and imbue their essays with their own personal experiences. However, at times the book suffers from what many pop culture & philosophy books suffer from: essays and ideas that are not explained very well and go way over the heads of the readers. One essay in particular started talking about "zombies" without explaining what he was talking about. It took me half of the essay to figure out what he meant. Overall, while this book won't make you a better runner or be as necessary as a good pair of running shoes, but the topics discussed will keep you thinking on those long runs.

Food for thought
Philosophy is the key word in the title. I'm not a philosophic guy generally speaking. The book is made up of many different philosophical view points and then they are equated to running. I think it would be an outstanding resource if I find myself taking Philosophy 101 and have to show how philosophy can effect my daily life.
That being said, I did find many of the essays thought provoking, and I was able to really think about them on my runs. Some of the subject matter and tag lines even became part of my blog posts about running.
It you are looking for something deeper to think about while you are running, or need something to help your motivation, it is an excellent choice.

Thought provoking, time well spent
I picked up this book at the perfect time and that is why I am giving it 5 stars.I originally got into running like a lot of people in high school as part of the cross country team.I only ran cross country as a way to get in shape for basketball season.After high school I stopped running and did not pick up the sport again until after my Step-father was diagnosed with cancer.He was a big time runner and had a 10 year streak of competing in a local 13.1 mile race.So I stepped in to run in his place to keep the streak alive.After his passing, I ran my first marathon in his memory and in the process found out a lot about myself.I have been running ever since, taking on 5K, 5 milers, halfs and marathons, all the while becoming more engrossed in the sport of running as well as the psychology behind it.As a child running is as natural as breathing, then at some point it became a chore and now it gives me the time and space I need to think in our modern world.This book simply shares the thoughts of others who have found similar insights from running.Happy trails.

Fun, Challenging, Motivating
This is one of the best books in the whole philosophy and pop culture genre.

For philosophers, the essays feel like they come very naturally out of the topic. They are wide-ranging but all grounded in running--no stretches to get the philosophy in. It's as effortless as a comfortable pace can be.

For runners, there is an informative development of ideas that you've probably started to have in your own running, but haven't seen through this far.

Fun, challenging, motivating. ... Read more

Product Description
Now in paperback, "Running as Therapy: An Integrated Approach" examines both the psychology of running and the use of running as a mode of psychotherapy. Sixteen authors, including psychologists, psychiatrists and professors of physical education, provide research and clinical examples to show what can and cannot be expected of running as therapy. This book addresses running as therapy in an organized, systematic and thorough fashion. The authors outline specific programmes that can be prescribed and discuss how different approaches can be applied to different groups (such as women or children) and different problems (like depression and anxiety). The book is directed to practitioners who want to know why, how and when to use this therapeutic technique and to researchers who want to know how the effectiveness of the therapy has been measured and what results have been obtained. It is written so as to be accessible to the many men and women who run for health and pleasure.The authors also explore important topics in the psychology of running, of interest to runners and therapists alike: addiction to running, the personality of the runner, the "runner's high", and cognitive strategies used during running. The book is a state-of-the-art presentation of what running can do to alleviate psychological distress and remove troublesome symptoms such as headaches and fatigue. It presents a form of therapy that, if guided by professional help, can be an effective and inexpensive alternative to analysis or drugs. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Unimpressive
Outside of a new track coach, few will find value in "Track: Championship Running." Sports Illustrated has demonstrated it knows little about track and field.

Hurumph and grumble.

I had hoped to findsome in-depth, seasoned veteran type of information. SP is generally awareof what makes an athlete tick, and good training is where it starts.Instead, I feel like I was reading encylopedia entries: A little info,enough to let me know a given event requires good form... but they tried topack too much into too few pages. Good pictures (though they look dated),indicating proper form, but not much else.

What could be that one bookcovering all track events resulted in being that book which sounds like ahigh school student's senior report.

SP: Go back, add 300 more pages,equally divided among the track events, and publish it. Otherwise, don'twaste the paper. ... Read more

Product Description
See what it takes to maximize running strength, speed, and endurance! Running Anatomy will show you how to improve your performance by increasing muscular strength, optimizing the efficiency of your running motion, and minimizing your risk for injury.

It features 50 of the most effective strength exercises for runners, each with clear, step-by-step descriptions and full-color anatomical illustrations highlighting the muscles in action. But you'll find much more than exercises--you'll also see their results.

Running Anatomy places you in the action, fundamentally linking each exercise to running performance. You'll see how to strengthen muscles, reduce injury, and improve gait efficiency for faster times and more fluid runs.

This book will prepare you for any challenge that comes your way. You'll find exercises for varying terrains and speeds, from hill running to off-road running and from sprints to marathons. Plus you'll learn how to evaluate and rehabilitate the most common injuries that runners face, including lower-back pain, knee aches and strains, and torn muscles and tendons.

Whether you're a fitness runner looking to conquer hills with more speed or strength or a competitive runner looking for that extra bit of performance and a finishing kick, Running Anatomy will ensure that you're ready to deliver your personal best. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

An excellent book!
This is an excellent book for any runner who wants to design strength exercise for injury prevention and performance improvement. It explains how each muscle group works in our running, how they can be trained, and how that training improves our running. Exercises also explained with illustrations so that you can visualize how you are supposed to perform them. Most exercises also have alternatives that work on the same muscle group so that if you don't like a particular exercise, you can substitute it with another one that has similar benefits.

A Bit Too Technical For Me
I was super excited to get this one. I've been a somewhat serious runner since 1994, running moderate distances (anywhere from three to seven miles at a clip) and have recently returned to a regular running schedule after a six month hiatus. I figured a more technical text would give me the edge to improve my speed and distances.

Unfortunately, this one is a bit too technical for my taste.

While it does include a lot of weight training routines designed to build the muscles needed for strength, speed and general good running form, I feel as if I've seen all this information elsewhere - like Runner's World or Women's Fitness magazines. It's nice to have it all in one place, I suppose, but it feels a bit redundant to me. As far as the opening chapters of the book, this was where I kind of zoned out. I imagine a coach or seriously competitive runner might find a lot of really great stuff here, but I was having a difficult time concentrating on sections with titles like, "Results of the Training Progression Model," and "Event Specific Body Characteristics."

I think this is a great resource for dedicated athletes interested in serious training, but I'm not really qualified to review it from that perspective. For a casual runner like myself, I'd recommend skipping the first third of the book, which is a bit intimidating, and focusing on the weight training information in the back, particularly the butt-kicking core and lower body workouts, which I've begun to incorporate into my new, tougher, regimen. Hopefully, this will be just the thing to get me back in top form.

The title says it all!
An excellent presentation of anatomy and how your muscles affect your running (and vice-versa).The muscle specific strength exercises are the key to this book w/good illustrations, step-by-step instructions, pointers on technique, and explanations of how the affected muscles impact your running.Highly recommended for anyone interested in running-specific strength training either for performance or rehabilitation.

Any sports or general library catering to runners needs this approach
RUNNING ANATOMY offers a fine illustrated guide to running strength and building endurance that focuses on improving such performance by increasing strength and optimizing running efficiency. Fifty of the most effective strength exercises for runners accompany step-by-step directions and anatomical illustrations showing these muscles in action. Any sports or general library catering to runners needs this approach.

Informative
I think that is an excellent book for people who have a good base of knowledge about the human body and its anatomy.It is a must for anyone who runs and especially for those with minor injuries and aggravations such a patellar tendonitis,patellar femoral syndrome;aka "runners knee" and shin splints.
There are no suggested running programs in this book, just solid information and advice on how to avoid injuries, how your body moves in the gait cycle and different exercises you can do to build the strength and flexibility you need to be a successful runner. ... Read more

Product Description
This book is the one-stop source for all you need to knowabout the science of running.Acclaimed experts share nutritional andtraining strategies for improved performance, as well as medicaladvice for injury prevention, diagnosis, and management.Thephysiology, biochemistry and biomechanics of running are alsodiscussed in detail.Charts, pictures and illustrations areintegrated throughout to clarify important concepts.Current andcomprehensive, it is essential reading for athletes, physicians,coaches and physical therapists.

The latest in the acclaimed Handbook of Sports Medicine series,Handbook on Running is endorsed by the International Amateur AthleticFederation and published in conjuction with the International OlympicMedical Committee.Handbook on Running will help you train like anOlympian. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good Overview
Good overview of running biomechanics.A good place to start to dive into the details of running ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Honestly, one of the best running books out there!
I humbly submit my review: I've continued running for a few years but not until recently have I logged some serious mileage. I've had this book for a few years and read maybe 20 running books and quite a few of the running magazines. Now, that I am devoting more time to it; I've got to say this is one of the best books out there, my copy dated 1976 is an absolute classic.

The best thing that I found in this book was the tip of putting brewer's yeast into my diet. There are so many "health foods" out there, miso, algaes like spirulina, bee pollen etcetera but brewer's yeast is one of the best energizers around. Sure I'd heard about it but was not informed on it's benefits. That is just one example of the many helpful ideas this book has.

As far as "How to" books, it is up there with "The complete book of running" and "New York Runners Club Marathon Book."

I wrote it
I wrote The Joy of Running which was published by Lippincott in 1976. Since then I have pursued the concept of Paleoanalysis which I mentioned in TJOR. I notce that many people still run.I wonder of anyone is interestedin my later discoveries.

Thaddeus Kostrubala tells the reader how running can better
The Joy of Running is a product of the 1970's that is as relevant today as in the mid-70's. Dr. Kostrubala shows the reader--most convincingly, I feel--how running and general exercise can not only bolster one'scardiovascular system, but can also help lift such burdens as clinicaldepression. Dr. Kostrubala's writing is clear,and his enthusisasm isevident on every page. ... Read more

Product Description
This is the best-selling basic book on the physiology of sports for avid athletes, runners, swimmers, & bikers.Covers the basics of body composition,nutrition & energy, training, peaking, and gender and age.Written by Dr. David Costill, Ph.D. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great little book on the physiology of running
Lots of useful information for any athlete who wants to know the ins and outs of exercise physiology, especially as it relates to endurance training.

Great book--unfortunately, it's not available from Amazon
This book was supposed to have been published in October 2001. Inexplicably, it is still not available from Amazon.com or anywhere else. ...

This is the finest book on physiology for runners. It is truly a shame that the announced second edition apparently was not published. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (42)

Helpful!
This book covers EVERYTHING. I'm a beginning runner. Just starting out, I was looking for something to give tips and explain different aspects of running. Everything about it is motivational. It gives a can-do approach to running. It even talks about running if you are pregnant or older, it covers it all. I am so thankful I ordered this book. I would recommend this book to any and every woman looking to start running and making a lifestyle out of it. It's that good!

Great book for beginners!
Out of the blue I decided that I wanted to run a half marathon, but I knew nothing about running. After hours and hours reading reviews I picked this book, and all the reviews were right. This book has EVERYTHING!!!! Everything from how to pick out the perfect pair of running sunglasses to running when you're pregnant. It has great stretches and exercises to keep you balanced. While avid runners may find some of this information common knowledge, I think it has great tips that every woman needs to be reminded of, like how to be safe while running. I feel that I now have a great basic knowledge of the sport now, and I'm on my way to finishing my first half marathon.

Very Helpful and Complete
This book was exactly what I needed.

I have run off and on for years for "fun", but have never had any real "training" on how to run. I've recently set the goal to run a 5K and I was looking for a book that could teach me both at a beginner level and at an intermediate level.[Just in case I go crazy and decide to do a marathon at some point. :) ].

This book was exactly what I needed. The author starts with the very basic things [like picking a good running shoe].She gives great training advice and training schedules for beginning runners.Then she proceeds to give advice and help to more advanced runners.The book is very thorough and complete and I think even a very experienced runner could learn some things from reading this book.

I also thought this book was very motivating - it really made me feel empowered to strive for my goal [despite being a somewhat "old" runner at age 40].

This is an excellent, helpful, well written, and easy to read "all purpose" guide for women who want to run.

informative book, arrived in poor condition
So far I have nothing bad to say about the contents of the book, but I was under the impression I was receiving a new book. The cover was creased and had black stuff smeared on it. The pages were dogeared in the top corner. I was very surprised to receive a book straight from Amazon, not a private dealer, in such poor condition.

Good encouragement for women runners!
I became a runner later in life and started running because it is inexpensive and convenient.I have been an intermediate runner for the last 4 years and have completed 2 half-marathons.Last year I hit a rut and lost my motivation to run.I enjoy the feeling of running consistently and needed something to help me get back into running again.This book provides a good background on women and running, and has helped me understand that we all go through our peaks and valleys with our training.The chapters that cover walking to jogging and jogging to running has reminded me of the fundamentals that I need to get back into a consistent running schedule. ... Read more

Product Description
When Matt is too late to register for his new school's hockey team, he decides to join the cross-country running club instead.

At first it's every one for themselves--no one runs with the pack, until finally a new coach demonstrates that tough competitors know the value of teamwork. When the championship finals arrive pouring rain makes the course a slippery mess, and forces the runners to make some hard choices.

Mud Run is a fast-paced, humorous story about team spirit and taking life one step at a time. ... Read more