On 4 August 2012 Jessica Ennis kicked off what some described as the greatest night in British sporting history. For her it was the end of a long, winding, and sometimes harrowing road. Hers is an inspiring tale of following your dreams no matter what life throws at you. Unbelievable is a refreshingly candid account of her rise to fame in a highly charged world in which body image issues and drug abuses lurk. From the unique pressures facing her, to behind-the-scenes glimpses into the greatest show on earth, and a revealing account of her love-hate relationship with her long-term coach, Jessica reveals the truth behind the smiles for the first time. Unbelievable includes exclusive behind-the-scenes photos. This is the story of how the girl next door became London's poster girl, and how an ordinary woman used an extraordinary talent to claim the title of the world's greatest all-round female sports star.

A practical, illustrated, and scientifically grounded guide to improving your running technique and preventing injury, written by a kinesiologist In North America alone, thirty-seven million people run regularly, and most suffer at least one running-related injury a year. Run Better sets out to help runners of all abilities run smarter and injury-free by reviewing the proper mechanics of running and the role of shoes; providing training programs (from 5K to marathon distances) that promote rest and cross-training for adequate recovery; offering 90 running-specific exercises and technical drills to build strength, reinforce proper posture, encourage flexibility, improve mobility, and optimize breathing; and explaining 42 common running injuries and the ways to prevent and alleviate them. Illustrated with more than 150 color photographs, 50 black-and-white line drawings, and 20 charts and tables, Run Better is an easy to use and authoritative running handbook for anyone who wants to improve their running efficiency and decrease their risk of injury.

There is a looming existential crisis for competitive sport. We are witnessing a waning trust in the integrity of sport at all levels that stems from the win-at-all-costs culture that has become so pervasive, worldwide. Doping, fraud, corruption and inhumane high-performance systems as well as worrying levels of dropout, burnout and mental health problems among athletes, all points to the fact that sport has lost track of its true meaning and is increasingly out of touch with its core values. What is needed is a powerful counterpoint to this results-focussed culture, one which goes far deeper than the superficial realm of wins, losses, medals and fame, and that provides a roadmap for athletes to discover deeper meaning and achieve more in their sporting lives. The True Athlete Philosophy is that counterpoint. This is an approach that harnesses the best of sport - the persistent drive for excellence, constant innovation, unmatched opportunities for personal development - and puts it firmly in service of the participants and society as a whole. Sport can be a tremendous tool for unlocking potential and thriving in life, but currently it is not coming close to delivering on that promise. Drawing on a combination of ancient wisdom and modern psychology, The True Athlete Philosophy explores how athletes can harness their lived experience of sport to contribute to a healthy, meaningful and fulfilled life and be of greater benefit to their community.

A comprehensive insight into how to develop the Horizontal Jumper. Detailing every aspect of long term preparation, training periodization, technical guidelines, and much more. Chapter breakdowns include: 1) Introduction to the horizontal jumps, a look at past, present, and future jumpers and details of all the major jumps in history. 2) Detailed breakdown of all technical components related to the long and triple jump. Step by step picture guides, common errors and corrections, and strongly contested topics all included. 3) A look at every physical component needed for success in the horizontal jumps. You will learn exactly what is required and where the training focus should lie. The chapter concludes with descriptions of specific testing protocols and detailed evaluation tables for both the men's and women's event standards. 4) Discusses many training methods and principles related to the development of event specific physical abilities. Concludes with information on recovery methods, the prevention of overtraining and more. 5) How the individual training components are periodized throughout the training year. Detailed information on exercise progressions, periodization styles, load manipulation and exercise choice included. 6) The recipe for success. How everything fits together into a comprehensive structured training program. Breakdown of the training phases and how to structure your short and long term planning. Including the USA and European training set up and philosophies, various methods of periodization, tapering and peaking guidelines, detailed graphs, tables, charts and more. 7) Fully periodized coach/athlete ready training programs in 3 different training styles. Includes each phase of preparation, competition guidelines and peak competition set ups. 8) Event specific exercise pictures and detailed description. Includes plyometric, special weight training, and ballistic training exercises along with a secondary exercise training inventory and description guide. Final Thoughts: Includes 101 tips for horizontal jumpers and closing words. Overall the book is packed full of information, thoughts and opinions, pictures, graphs, tables and charts, tips and tidbits on every facet of jumps training, and is a guaranteed interesting read. From the serious professional to the high school coach, if you are interested in the jumps or in track and field training in general this is a must have addition to your library.

Perhaps more than any other two colleges, Harvard and Yale gave form to American intercollegiate athletics--a form that was inspired by the Oxford-Cambridge rivalry overseas, and that was imitated by colleges and universities throughout the United States. Focusing on the influence of these prestigious eastern institutions, this fascinating study traces the origins and development of intercollegiate athletics in America from the mid-nineteenth century to the early twentieth century. Smith begins with an historical overview of intercollegiate athletics and details the evolution of individual sports--crew, baseball, track and field, and especially football. Then, skillfully setting various sports events in their broader social and cultural contexts, Smith goes on to discuss many important issues that are still relevant today: student-faculty competition for institutional athletic control; the impact of the professional coach on big-time athletics; the false concept of amateurism in college athletics; and controversies over eligibility rules. He also reveals how the debates over brutality and ethics created the need for a central organizing body, the National Collegiate Athletic Association, which still runs college sports today. Sprinkled throughout with spicy sports anecdotes, from the Thanksgiving Day Princeton-Yale football game that drew record crowds in the 1890s to a meeting with President Theodore Roosevelt on football violence, this lively, in-depth investigation will appeal to serious sports buffs as well as to anyone interested in American social and cultural history.

Destined to be a cult classic.
As the first running boom was sprouting in the early 1970's, a group of Kentucky teenagers were brought together by a young coach who was ahead of his time. Cross country was regarded as a sport for the slightly odd and unathletic, a means of "getting an easy varsity letter." Among this group of runners was a particularly odd (though strangely athletic) teenager who was taken in by the joy of running over the grass, hills, and mud of cross country courses. The coach and seasonally growing team rose to dominance of Kentucky cross country in the span of four short years. Along the way, they "learned the lessons every runner has to learn, mostly the hard way, many of them twice." From humble backgrounds and with guidance from a ground breaking coach, the Lloyd Memorial High School Juggernauts led the way for high schools in Northern Kentucky to win State Championships for over thirty consecutive years. This is that story.

The RunnersWorld.com article "How to Make Yourself Poop," was one of the most popular web pieces on the site with more than 5M page views too date. Inspired by the article's success, this book is a fun, humorous reference guide for runners written by the magazine's senior editor Meghan Kita. In contrast to more serious advice on running, the tone is lighthearted and ideal for quick reference for runners on-the-go, with quirky design and illustrations that make it a perfect gift for runners of all levels. Sections of reliable facts are delivered with humour and clarity and include different hacks, such as 'The 2 Best Ways to Lace Your Shoes" and, of course, "3 Ways to Make Yourself Poop" (one tip: warm up near a toilet - the motion can help bring on a bowel movement). The hacks will cover the full spectrum of runners' needs, including training, nutrition, gear, motivation, recovery, injury prevention, and racing.

Athletic contests in running, walking, jumping and throwing are among the oldest of all sports and their roots are prehistoric. Athletics events were depicted in the Ancient Egyptian tombs in Saqqara, with illustrations of running at the Heb Sed festival and high jumping appearing in tombs from as early as 2250 BC. The original and only event at the first Olympics in 776 BC was the stadion, a stadium-length running event. The turn of the century was a time of renewed interest in the sport, with the foundation of the Amateur Athletics Association in 1880, the first modern Summer Olympics in 1896 and the International Amateur Athletics Federation in 1912. In this classic guide, Montague Shearman traces the evolution of athletics and shares his expertise in training and discipline.

It's normal for a daily run to become somewhat of a chore. Finding out how to get out of the rut can be a challenge. Luckily, The Happy Runner has the answers for you. Authors David and Megan Roche believe you can't reach your running potential without consistency and joyful daily adventures. These can lead to long-term health and happiness. Guided by their personal experiences and coaching expertise, they help you learn exactly how to become a happier runner and achieve your personal best. The text uses proven coaching methods to teach you how to run faster, run longer and stay healthy. There are also real stories from successful athletes who have had personal breakthroughs as they learn to love the process of running. You will also learn how to adapt your running based on personal lifestyle and goals. As well as how to avoid setbacks from injury. Whether you're battling burnout, returning after injury or simply just new to running and want to enjoy it, the science-based guidance in The Happy Runner helps you get faster, go longer and live stronger.

Originally published: Livermore, CA: Bittersweet Pub. Co., 1994.