Runner's World The Cutting-Edge Runner

Book excerpt: A state-of-the-science resource for runners--with the latest information on training, nutrition, injury prevention, and gear and gadgets that improve performance. The science and technology of running have evolved dramatically in the past 20 years. This all-inclusive resource--based on the author's own high-level running and coaching experience and his interviews with dozens of other top runners and coaches--is an indispensable tool for runners who hope to perform at the very best of their ability. Runner's World The Cutting-Edge Runner provides: • A comprehensive overview of how the best competitive runners train today--covering such topics as periodization, physiological testing, group training, technique work, cross-training, recovery techniques, and individual customization • In-depth discussions of equipment and other technologies that can benefit the runner, including shoes, orthotics, heart rate monitors, altitude tents, training software, and more • A complete "menu" of workouts for milers to marathoners Whether he is explaining how to use hypoxic conditioning to increase oxygen consumption capacity, telling how to prepare for the mental challenge of racing, or detailing what the latest science has to say about the pros, cons, and proper usage of more than 15 nutritional supplements and drugs, Matt Fitzgerald goes straight to the most authoritative sources and provides practical ways for the average runner to adapt methods and tools used by top runners to their own running programs.