Book Review: RUN FOREVER – Your Complete Guide to Healthy Lifetime Running
I’ve read a lot of books about running and triathlons, but I think this may be one of the most comprehensive books on running that I’ve read in a long time. It’s a perfect book for a beginner or novice runner. Written by Amby Burfoot, the book, Run Forever, starts with the section – “Getting Started.” It talks about trying to be persistent and organized. The author writes: “runners tend to succeed in all areas of life, not just in running, because they are organized committed, consistent, disciplined and goal oriented.”
Burfoot, a Boston Marathon winner, explains to the beginner or novice runner that he/she should focus on time not mileage. He also writes that you should “admire the sounds and sights of nature.”
Interestingly, the book takes a lot of the same philosophies that Jeff Galloway teaches in his running programs. He believes that during long runs, you “run as slow as you can,” with no huffing and puffing.
He outlines a beginner program that is a run/walk program, but it differs from the Galloway method. In the Galloway Method, Jeff has runners taking a 15 – 30 second walk break. Jeff feels that 30 seconds is the maximum a runner should take. Burfoot has runners walking up to 1 minute.
He says to create a running habit, you need to go out at the same time every day, establish a routine and then reward yourself.
When it comes to a post run snacking, he seems to feel that it should be avoided. He suggests a cold glass of water or a fruit. He says “water is the perfect runner’s drink.”
Burfoot has a whole section on nutrition for runners that suggests that runners should eat protein with every meal. He talks about running with partners, long runs and even should I carb load before a race?
Following that, there is a whole section on running injuries, what to do and how to prevent. He says, if you run, “you will get injured.” Injuries are often caused by training errors like, doing too much too soon, taking too many hills, pushing the body beyond what you can do. His biggest suggestion, “listen to your body” and “cross train.”
One of the suggestions for speed training that I thought was interesting was the 30, 20, 10 method. That is, going very easy for 30 minutes, slightly harder for 20 and very hard for 10.
He tells the reader that the lighter you are the faster you will go. For example, every extra pound will make you go 2 seconds per mile slower.
Run Forever is a fast, easy-to-read book that motivates you to get out there and run forever! You can pick it up on Amazon for $25.
