I have put this off for a while, but now it is time
to bite the bullet. The reason I have been lackadaisical reading fiction is that
most my time is submerged in running books.
I can probably count on one hand the number of
people I know who want to improve marathon times or actually run one, yet I
have more than 10 books on the subject. If I have that many different books it
must mean someone else out there reads them. I doubt people are writing books
just for me.
Any who, I thought sharing some really good titles
might help inspire Mississippians to get out and run or walk. Anytime I say
run, you may change it to walk if that is your preference.
First, I offer Run Your Butt Off! by Sarah Lorge
Butler. Title aside, I bought this book a couple of weeks ago because I needed
a food log. It is for beginning runners. The first workout is walking 30
minutes 3 to 4 times a week. A month later, participants walk 4 minutes and run
1 minute ending with a 4 minute walk for a total of 30 minutes.
Run Your Butt Off! is also a workbook. Readers can record date and time of workout
along with how it felt. Space is provided for height, weight and measurements;
plus, readers can cipher basal metabolic rate (calories needed to maintain
weight) and make meal plans based on the results. The Food Log requires one to
write down everything eaten in a day. I am amazed at what I am not eating just
to look all superior on my log.
Sidebars in the book include insight from Budd
Coates, “Runner’s World” running coach, and Leslie Bonci, University of
Pittsburg sports nutritionist. Each chapter contains a full page of a
participant in the program. Real people with real weight issues, not these
models you see on running magazine covers who only harbor brain fat.
Two great books for marathon dreamers are The Non
Runner’s Marathon Guide for Women by Dawn Dais and Marathon: You Can Do It! by
Jeff Galloway. Both authors talk you through the whole process and provide training
schedules. Galloway’s 10 different scenarios are based on either losing weight
while training, crossing the finish line no matter what, or finishing by a
certain time.
Advance runners can benefit from Smart Marathon
Training by Jeff Horowitz. Out of all my books, he is the one author to
explain how other activities like cycling can help one run more efficient. Efficiency
is a big word in this community since being inefficient for 26.2 miles can be
uncomfortable. Happy reading and running.
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