The training diary that gives you that extra push to hit your stride.

This new, spiral-bound journal is just the ticket to help runners track and monitor their training progres. It features a 52-week calendar that you can customize to your own schedule and needs, plus expert advice on many health-related issues.

It is 1946. World War II is over. As the rest of Europe struggles to rebuild itself, Greece--which had bitterly resisted Nazi occupation--is ripped apart by civil war. Thousands are dead or dying of starvation. In the face of such epic disaster, one Greek athlete takes valiant action. This is the true story of Stylianos Kyriakides, champion Greek runner who against all odds entered the 1946 Boston, Marathon, a race he had lost eight years before. Now Kyriakides ran not just to win, but to wake the world to the plight of his people. Although ravaged by hunger, Kyriakides pushed his wracked body to the limits. Boston doctors urged him to quit. "You will die in the streets," they warned. Fueled by dauntless devotion to his countrymen and bolstered by the love of his wife, the runner persevered and triumphed. But winning the marathon was only the first step. With characteristic grit, Kyriakides remained in the United States long enough to raise money, equipment, and medical supplies for his country. A grateful Greece proclaimed him a hero. Nearly one million welcomed him home. Drawing on interviews and unprecedented access to family photos and papers, the authors vividly chronicle the real-life drama of Kyriakides: a runner who raced not for gold or glory, but for the betterment of his people and the survival of his homeland. From the shadowy Berlin Olympics to the dark days of Nazi Greece and its aftermath, Running with Pheidippides speaks vividly of war and deprivation, of athletic competition and camaraderie, of genuine valor in a world bereft of heroes. "For those of us who were young and Greek-American," recalls former Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis, "his victory in the 1946 Boston Marathon and the response of so many Americans to his pleas for help for his people was one of the most searing experiences of our young lives."

In Finding Their Stride, Sally Pont, a runner, teacher, and second-generation coach, tells of her first year coaching a co-ed cross country team to victory, both on and off the course. A surprising story of triumph, as well as an endearing tale of driven athletes, Pont shares the highlights and heartbreak of her young runners at Moravian Academy, a small, independent school near Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Every page is infused with Pont's affection and respect for her runners, and as the season unfolds, we see the team beginning to find a new stride. While the boys struggle, the girls soar to new heights, going from last place to first. "Uplifting and engaging, Finding Their Stride is "about attaining and teaching excellence, whose metaphor happens to be a high school running team" (Kirkus Reviews).

In virtually every sport in which they are given opportunity to compete, people of African descent dominate. East Africans own every distance running record. Professional sports in the Americas are dominated by men and women of West African descent. Why have blacks come to dominate sports? Are they somehow physically better? And why are we so uncomfortable when we discuss this? Drawing on the latest scientific research, journalist Jon Entine makes an irrefutable case for black athletic superiority. We learn how scientists have used numerous, bogus "scientific" methods to prove that blacks were either more or less superior physically, and how racist scientists have often equated physical prowess with intellectual deficiency. Entine recalls the long, hard road to integration, both on the field and in society. And he shows why it isn't just being black that matters,it makes a huge difference as to where in Africa your ancestors are from.Equal parts sports, science and examination of why this topic is so sensitive, Taboo is a book that will spark national debate.

"The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start."

Take your first step toward fitness and a happier, healthier life.

Has the idea of running crossed your mind, but you haven't acted on it because you don't think you have the body of a runner? Have you thought about running but quit before you started because you knew that you would be breathless at the end of your driveway? Well, put aside those fears because you can do it. John Bingham, author of the popular Runner's World column "The Penguin Chronicles," transformed himself from an overweight couch potato who smoked into a runner who has completed eleven marathons and hundreds of road races.

Forget about the image of a perfect body in skintight clothes, and don't worry about how fast or how far you go. Bingham shows how anyone can embrace running as a life-enhancing activity -- rather than as a competition you will never win. In an entertaining blend of his own success story and practical advice, Bingham provides reasonable guidelines for establishing a program of achievable goals; offers tips on clothing, running shoes, and other equipment; and explains how anyone can prepare for and run distances ranging from a few miles to marathons.

After all, in running and in life, the difference between success and failure sometimes comes down to a single step. Waddle on, friends.

If you're a runner, or would like to be one, The Runner's Handbook will answer all your questions. Fitness expert Bob Glover-who has trained thousands of runners-shows you how to devise a training program and keep at the top of your form.

Many training programs increase performance by sacrificing personal health, ignoring the body's important physical and mental needs, and, finally, leading to injury. "Ultimate Training" shows how to heighten physical stamina while increasing the well-being of the whole body. Null's comprehensive regimen offers specific advice about physiology, nutrition, and how to avoid injuries. It is also designed to integrate emotional, spiritual, and intellectual energy with the tough physical demands of long-distance running and race walking.
This book includes:
* Information on how to develop a holistic workout, regardless of age or physical condition
* A 28-Day Running Plan that can be incorporated into any busy schedule
* A detailed list of common running injuries, plus stretches and exercises to prevent them
* Key steps to improving the immune system
* An extensive nutritional guide
The founder of the Natural Living, Walking, and Running Club, Gary Null has developed a holistic running regimen that has been used by over ten thousand runners, including Olympians and triathletes. This is the first book on his increasingly popular training philosophy and it is geared toward a general audience.

"The Runners' Repair Manual" is the resource every runner needs to prevent and treat running-related injuries. Podiatrist Murray F. Weisenfeld offers crucial advice on injury prevention, explains the nature of common injuries, and provides clear, detailed advice for treating injuries. Easy to read and full of information, "The Runners' Repair Manual" will quickly become your go-to resource.

On April 23, 1929, the second annual Transcontinental Foot Race across America, known as the Bunion Derby, was in its twenty-fifth day. Eddie "the Sheik" Gardner, an African American runner from Seattle, was leading the race across the Free Bridge over the Mississippi River. Along with the signature outfit that earned him his nickname-a white towel tied around his head, white shorts, and a white shirt-Gardner wore an American flag, a reminder to all who saw him run through the Jim Crow South that he was an American and the leader of the greatest footrace in the world. Kastner traces Gardner's remarkable journey from his birth in 1897 in Birmingham, Alabama, to his success in Seattle, Washington, as one of the top long-distance runners in the region, and finally to his participation in two transcontinental footraces where he risked his life, facing a barrage of harassment for having the audacity to compete with white runners. Kastner shows how Gardner's participation became a way to protest the endemic racism he faced, heralding the future of nonviolent efforts that would be instrumental to the civil rights movement. Shining a bright light on his extraordinary athletic accomplishments and his heroism on the dusty roads of America in the 1920s, Kastner gives Gardner and other black bunioneers the attention they so richly deserve.

In RUN FOREVER, Boston Marathon winner and former Runner's World editor-in-chief Amby Burfoot shares practical advice and wisdom on how to run with greater joy and health for an entire lifetime.

Everyone learns how to run at an early age. It's naturally wired into your body. Yet in recent years, running has become complicated by trendy gadgets and doctrine. With a Boston Marathon win and over 100,000 miles run on his resume, Amby Burfoot steers the sport back to its simple roots in RUN FOREVER. From a warm and welcoming perspective, Burfoot provides clear, actionable guidance to runners of every age and ability level.

Whether you are a beginner runner or experienced marathoner, RUN FOREVER will show you how to motivate yourself, avoid injuries, increase speed and endurance, and reach your goals. Best of all, you'll enjoy optimal health throughout your life.

Any runner can tell you that the sport isn't just about churning out miles day in and day out. Runners have a passion, dedication, and desire to go faster, longer, and farther. Now, "The Art of Running Faster" provides you with a new approach to running, achieving your goals and setting your personal best.

Whether you're old or young, new to the sport or an experienced marathoner, this guide will change how you run and the results you achieve. "The Art of Running Faster" challenges the stereotypes, removes the doubts and erases the self-imposed limitations by prescribing not only what to do but also how to do it. Inside, you will learn how to

-overcome the obstacles that prevent you from running faster, more comfortably, and with greater focus;

-rethink conventional training methods, listen to your body, and challenge traditional running 'norms';

-customize your training program to emphasize the development of speed, strength, and stamina;

-shift gears, reach that next level of performance, and blow past the competition.

In this one-of-a-kind guide, former world-class runner Julian Goater shares his experiences, insights and advice for better, more efficient and faster running.

Much more than training tips and motivational stories, "The Art of Running Faster" is your guide to improved technique and optimal performance. Let Julian Goater show you a new way to run faster, farther and longer.

The word 'athletics' is derived from the Greek verb 'to struggle for a prize'. After reading this book, no one will see the Olympics as a graceful display of Greek beauty again, but as war by other means. Nigel Spivey paints a portrait of the Greek Olympics as they really were - fierce contests between bitter rivals, in which victors won kudos and rewards, and losers faced scorn and even assault. Victory was almost worth dying for, and a number of athletes did just that. Many more resorted to cheating and bribery. Contested always bitterly and often bloodily, the ancient Olympics were not an idealistic celebration of unity, but a clash of military powers in an arena not far removed from the battlefield.

Athletics plays a role in the lives of many throughout the world. Some people compete in organized athletic competition while others take part in more recreational forms of athletics. Maintaining an active lifestyle seems to be even more important today with all of the stresses of everyday life. Therefore, research related to athletics and sport has an important place in our society. This book seeks to add to this body of knowledge by providing sixteen chapters that deal with different components of athletics and sport. The first seven chapters provide research on business related aspects of athletics while the final 9 chapters revolve around psycho-social aspects of athletics.

This title includes information on training for both sport and competition, including individual running plans, advanced schedules and expert advice, that are shown in over 280 photographs. It also includes information on how to improve your running performance for events from 5K and 10K races to advanced and elite marathons. It includes strength exercise sequences, skills and drills, together with advice on how to improve your form and endurance levels. It contains expert advice on pre-run and post-run nutrition, high protein diets, sports-specific fuels, race recovery and improving your mental attitude. It offers guidance on extending your running experience, with sections on cross-country and trail running, mountain running, adventure racing and ultrarunning. It provides a special section on triathlons that introduces training sessions and Olympic distance training, and individual schedules for different events. With step-by-step instruction and over 280 photographs, this is the complete practical guide to optimizing your skills and maximizing your performance. This book offers a complete guide to joining the elite, featuring advanced running from 5K and 10K races, progressing to marathon and triathlon. Among the topics covered are speedwork, strength training and hydration. Practical information on competition running is given, with training programmes and guidance on the appropriate food and exercise. All of the most popular events are covered, from sprint and middle-distance racing, to fast long-distance racing, marathons, off-road and ultrarunning, triathlons and adventure racing. This expert manual is essential reading for anyone who wants to run successfully at a higher level.