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Books > Sport & Leisure > Sports & outdoor recreation > Track & field sports, athletics
Since the outstanding success of his New Zealand athletes Snell,
Halberg, and Magee at the 1960 Rome Olympics, Arthur Lydiard's name
has been synonymous with the best training methods used by the
world's top middle- and long-distance runners. His training plans
precipitated an athletic revolution, stressing physiological
conditioning as a prerequisite to sporting effort and
long-duration, even-pace running at a strong speed as the means of
achieving success. Arthur Lydiard instructed runners and coaches in
Finland, Mexico, Venezuela, Denmark, Japan, the United States, and
New Zealand for more than 50 years and had continued to experiment
and refine his methods.Running with Lydiard contains expanded
information on exercise physiology, diet, injury prevention and
cure, discussion of Lydiard's methods, and revised training
schedules.
On the 21st January 2012, after a long and very brave battle, my
brother lost his fight against cancer and passed away peacefully
during the evening with his family around him. Having been
diagnosed with a rare spinal cancer and given less than a year to
live he set about raising money for Cancer Research UK. Despite the
very aggressive nature of the disease he displayed an amazing
spirit throughout his illness which he fought with absolute
dignity. The day he died I decided to carry on his fund-raising
activities and determined to run the London Marathon in his memory.
This book tells the story of quite possibly the biggest challenge
of my life whilst highlighting the incredible determination that he
displayed throughout his illness.
The Jungle Marathon is arguably the world's toughest endurance
race. The 254km multi-stage, unsupported ultra endurance race
through the heart of the Amazon Jungle has unique challenges that
no other race can provide, and testimonials from athletes who have
completed it leave no doubt that the unforgiving and hostile
environment of the Amazon Jungle is the ultimate endurance athletes
challenge. The route consists of river and swamp crossings in
primary jungle, very steep climbs and descents, tracks through deep
jungle areas where jaguars roam freely, and beautiful fluvial
beaches that separate the Amazonian waters from the dense jungle
canopy. The terrain is both stunningly beautiful and
soul-destroying in its extremeness. The extreme heat and humidity
can have devastating effects on un-acclimatized athletes and many
fall victim to this every year. It's impossible to tell who may be
affected but the sure thing is that every year someone will be
affected Amanda Barlow describes the agony and the ecstasy of her
experience, as she becomes the first Australian female to have
competed in The Jungle Marathon. Along with 76 competitors, from 22
different countries around the world, she leaves the comforts of
home behind to spend a week racing through the deep Amazon Jungle
with just a hammock and a backpack. Every day provides new
challenges, unpredictable obstacles and formidable weather that
will test her physical and mental resolve to their limits. The
ninth running of The Jungle Marathon would prove to be a race like
no other, with a controversial finish to Stage 4 igniting a
cascading sequence of events that no-one saw coming. The race
director faces some tough decisions that would see her and her team
working tirelessly through the night to re-route Stage 5 in an
effort to protect the competitors from unpredictable dangers that
were never meant to be a part of this race. The future of The
Jungle Marathon hinges on the outcome of the final stages of the
race and the revelations of what has transpired behind the scenes
stuns the physically drained competitors, and in the next 24 hours
will divide the loyalties of competitors and organizers alike. One
thing is for sure - the runners who still remain in the race and
cross the finish line of the 6th and final stage, will surely
deserve their medal
When blind runner Simon Webb was training for his first marathon in
London 2011, aware that he wouldn't be able to pass the time during
the race by admiring the sights of the city, he researched a few
facts about some of the points of interest around the 26.2 mile
course. Using the route which has changed little since its first
running in 1981 and which has been completed by over 800,000
people, this book focuses on London's history, culture and sport,
famous and not so famous landmarks, people and pubs - lots of pubs.
From climbing the Elizabeth Tower at the Palace of Westminster,
which houses Big Ben, to going underground into what the Victorians
branded the 8th Wonder of the World, better known as the former
entry hall to the Brunel Tunnel in Rotherhithe, this book is as
much an alternative tour guide to London as a sport book. During
every mile there are stories to tell and reflect on: the location
for England's first home rugby international on Blackheath, the
restoration of the Cutty Sark after a devastating fire, the
Deptford pub which hosted early gigs for Squeeze and Dire Straits
and how the Chinese in Limehouse gained literary notoriety. When it
does focus on running, we learn how it feels to run when you can't
see, what the guide runner experience is like and are left in no
doubt that 'hitting the wall' is no fun at all. "What Simon has
achieved is incredible. His story is truly compelling." Michael
Dobbs, author of House of Cards
This is the story of Jarlath Fitzgerald, a Loughrea man who ran one
hundred marathons, all around the world
Take a journey with Brian Baleno as he runs a half marathon in
every state. Experience an inside view of preparing, traveling,
running, and recovering as this three year endeavor vividly
recreates the imagery of the vast American landscape. This
adventure is less of a story of personal accomplishment and more of
a celebration of an often unseen American beauty; a story that
encourages exploration, imagination, and self reflection.
Fifteen-year-old Anita could find so much to run from. A broken
town, responsibilities with her little brother, an insane work
schedule. As her journey continues, she learns that these rocks in
her path could turn into stepping stones to her future. After
discovering a secret along the way, she finds out she has so much
more to run for.
Marathoning encompasses far more than running 26.2 miles between
the Start and Finish lines. It is an art, a science, a way of life.
Start to Finish discusses the marathon from long term planning to
post race recovery. It combines years of trial and error experience
with up to date exercise physiology research. Since running the
marathon is as much mental as physical, both psychological and
physiological aspects of training and racing are integrated into a
program for beginners through advanced runners. Included are 5
detailed training progressions and background information on
physiology, psychology, nutrition and supplemental training.
In Motivational Moments in Women's Track and Field, read
inspirational stories of female athletes who overcame adversity to
achieve success. Sixty female track and field athletes from all
over the world and multiple generations are featured in this book.
Stories are of well-known athletes like Wilma Rudolph, who overcame
polio as a child to become an Olympic champion, or unknown athletes
who never made it to the Olympics, such as Gretel Bergmann, who
faced discrimination because she was Jewish, or Doris Brown
Heritage, who faced gender discrimination when women were not
allowed to run distance events. Some, such as Alice Coachmen, faced
racial discrimination, but overcame the adversity to become
successful. Many won multiple medals at the greatest athletic stage
in the world. However, some had their dreams crushed when they were
not allowed to compete in the Olympic Games due to war, boycotts,
or injuries. Motivational Moments in Women's Track and Field is
written for those who are currently competing, coaching, have
participated in track and field or are simply a track and field or
sports fan. The stories convey the history of track and field and
are designed to inspire, encourage, motivate, and teach valuable
life lessons. Each story is accompanied by questions designed to
invoke thought as to how one can apply the lessons learned to
athletics and to the bigger game of life. The stories are rich in
history and are designed to be read in a few minutes. The stories
pay honor to all the young women who compete, and make the attempt
and pursue excellence. These stories of great athletes teach us how
to think positive, to focus our attention on what is important, and
how to overcome obstacles to reach our goals.
In Triathlon the Hard Way, Erik Seedhouse reveals what it took to
win the toughest triathlons on the planet. In 1995, Erik won Le
Defi, the de facto world ultra endurance triathlon championships
over the triple Ironman distance. The next day he turned
professional. He followed his Le Defi performance with a win in the
inaugural Double Ironman World Championships before traveling to
Mexico to win the infamous Decatriathlon, an almost
incomprehensible ten-times Ironman race requiring athletes to swim
38 kilometers, bike 1800 kilometers and run 422 kilometers. In
addition to winning over the multiple Ironman format, Erik also won
stage race triathlons, including Ultraman Hawai'i and Ultraman
Europe. He finished his career as a professional ultra-distance
triathlete by racing Race Across America. Beginning his athletic
career as a ultra-distance runner, Erik also performed at the very
highest level in the world of 100 kilometer racing. In 1992 he
placed 3rd in the World 100 Kilometer Championships, breaking the
North American record. Here is a story of an athlete who dedicated
his time as a professional athlete to winning some of the most
demanding ultra-endurance competitions on the planet. Triathlon the
Hard Way is a riveting sports narrative and a fascinating,
behind-the-scenes look at what makes ultra endurance athletes keep
going. Erik shares the details of what it took to train for these
impossible events - the highs and the lows - along with the
psychological strategies needed to survive life beyond the Ironman
distance.
Paul Hassett loves running. Running, as in running up a mountain
and back down. Running, as in running 100 miles in a single day.
Running is Paul's way of coping with depression, and the way that
he has found to really let go of the past. Many times in his life,
he has pulled the pain of the events in his life inside of him and
held tight. But he finally found something that helped him release
it all. Running long distances has helped Paul heal, forgive, and
grow. Beginning with a 5K race, and ultimately arriving at a
100-mile race, Paul's progression through the distances follows a
direct line along his journey of learning to positively deal with
his depression. Running has saved Paul's life. Join Paul in his
cathartic journey through the pain, the healing, and his first year
of ultrarunning.
At the age of 50, mother of three, Molly Sheridan, puts on a pair
of running shoes, soul searching for a way to transition into the
second half of her life. Within a few weeks and a trip to the
doctor, Molly is told she is too old, too tall, and too un-athletic
to begin running. Following her own council and heart's desire, she
embarks on her secret dream, to run long distances. This thought
provoking, sometimes humorous account follows Molly's journey,
beyond motherhood and age barriers, to novice runner, onward to
extreme adventure tackling the toughest footraces on the planet and
becoming the first American woman to attempt and complete 138 miles
in the Himalayas. Molly's message is simple: life begins at 50.
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