The definitive, fully authorised story of the record-breaking rivalry between London Olympics organiser Sebastian Coe and Steve Ovett. Steve Ovett and Sebastian Coe presided over the golden era of British athletics. Between them they won three Olympic gold medals, two silvers, one bronze and broke a total of twelve middle-distance records. They were part of the landscape of the late seventies and early eighties -- both household names, their exploits were watched by millions. As far apart as possible in terms of class and upbringing -- Ovett is the art student, the long-haired son of a market-trader from Brighton, a natural athlete; Coe's formative years were spent under the rigorous training routine of Peter Coe, a self-taught trainer who referred to his son as 'my athlete' -- their rivalry burned as intense on the track as away from it. The pendulum swung between the pair of them -- each breaking the other's records, and, memorably, triumphing in each other's events in Moscow in 1980 -- for the best part of a decade, until the final showdown at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984 . . . The Perfect Distance is both a detailed re-creation and a fitting celebration of the greatest era of British athletics.

After decades of domination on campus, college sports' supremacy has begun to weaken. "Enough, already!" detractors cry. College is about learning, not chasing a ball around to the whir of TV cameras.
In Intercollegiate Athletics and the American University James Duderstadt agrees, taking the view that the increased commercialization of intercollegiate athletics endangers our universities and their primary goal, academics. Calling it a "corrosive example of entertainment culture" during an interview with ESPN's Bob Ley, Duderstadt suggested that college basketball, for example, "imposes on the university an alien set of values, a culture that really is not conducive to the educational mission of university."
Duderstadt is part of a growing controversy. Recently, as reported in "The New York Times," an alliance between university professors and college boards of trustees formed in reaction to the growth of college sports; it's the first organization with enough clout to challenge the culture of big-time university athletics.
This book is certainly part of that challenge, and is sure to influence this debate today and in the years to come.
James J. Duderstadt is President Emeritus and University Professor of Science and Engineering, University of Michigan.

Every runner's story is part of a great tradition of running stories. Running Throughout Time tells the best and most important of them. From Atalanta, the heroic woman runner of ancient Greece-when goddesses advised on race tactics-to the new legends of Billy Mills, Joan Benoit Samuelson, and Allison Roe (the modern Atalanta), this book brings the greatest runners back to life. It's the perfect runner's bedside storybook. Colorful, dramatic, alive with human insight and period detail, these stories are also full of new discoveries. Within these pages, readers will find the true story of Pheidippides and the Battle of Marathon; they will read text from the world's first newspaper report of a footrace (1719). The book uncovers important evidence of the first road races, the origins of cross-country running, and the earliest marathons, telling the true story of the origins of the marathon and just why racers must run exactly 26 miles, 385 yards (42.2 km). Further, it tells more modern stories, like those of women's marathon activist, Kathrine Switzer. Roger Robinson is a vivid storyteller and a lifelong elite runner who knows the sport deeply and passionately, yet he is also a meticulous scholar who digs and digs until he gets the story right. He shares his findings here, such as those from his investigation of the tragedy during the 1928 Olympics when most of the women running the 800 meters collapsed in distress. Roger has been everywhere in running: elite runner, masters champion, stadium announcer, TV commentator, researcher, and journalist. The stories in this book are selected because each is significant in the greater story of running and because Roger can bring something new and exciting to their telling. From variant translations of ancient poems, dusty stacks of old newspapers, crackly handwritten notebooks, and carefully studied film footage, Roger has done every kind of homework to get these unforgettable stories right. All runners should read this book to really know whose footsteps they run in and why running is worthy of the effort they give to it.

Designed specifically for young people, this manual contains a wide range of progressive practice drills to help them develop their fitness. Fun, educational and challenging, all drills are illustrated and cover the essential technical skills, including: agility speed peripheral vision body awareness strength and general fitness As well as easy-to-follow instructions, each drill contains information on the equipment needed, the space required, how to construct a safe and effective training session and how to organise the athletes.

I CAN RUN is not a running book for 'runners' - it's the must-have running book for anyone who has ever experienced a moment of defeatism and had the little voice in their head make the excuse, 'I can't run'. In 12 chapters, you will discover that you can. You will dig deep to find your inner athlete. You'll learn how to train smart, recover well, sync your runs to your menstrual cycle and fuel right. I CAN RUN will ensure you never again wait until you're thin enough, fast enough, athletic enough, whatever-next enough to call yourself a runner, because if you put one foot in front of the other, repeatedly, you are a runner. Getting outside, surrounding yourself in nature and moving your body is more important than ever in these anxiety-inducing times, and Amy's debut will give you the encouragement and know-how that you need to do this. I CAN RUN recognises that this is hard and that committing to consistent training is often more of an accomplishment than the 10K, half marathon or marathon race itself. You will find comfort and encouragement in Amy's experience of cramps, chafing and the occasional little sick, while learning from leading experts about how to set yourself up for success and get the very best from your runs both physically and mentally. This book is real talk about the keys to going well far. We're all in it for the long run, together. We CAN do this!

This conference book includes contemporary reports and corresponding studies on swim starts conducted by young scientists from around the world. The various topics relate to individual starts from the block, backstroke starts, and relay starts, highlighting different aspects and phases of the corresponding movement behavior. Most of the reports published in this book have been presented during the 2015 Young Experts Workshop of Swim Start Research supported by the Federal Institute of Sport Science in Germany.

Following the success of original Wild Running this new, completely rewritten edition provides the ultimate guide to the best wild trails in Britain. 50 of the original list have been retained with 150 new routes, picked for their fantastic terrain, sensational views and ease of navigation. Stunning photography and engaging writing chart the history of each run, route and landscape, making this a must-have guide for runners and explorers alike. The ultimate guide for the runner looking to break free from the gym and city. Includes sections on training, getting started, staying safe & racing.Graded from easy to challenging, including directions, terrain data and safety advice, with Ordnance Survey 1:250,000 route maps and downloadable 1:50,000 maps and GPX routes.

Spiritual wisdom from a stroke survivor who discovered a deeper connection with God through running. Austen Hardwick suffered three strokes in his forties. Running had always been part of his life, but now he was running to get his brain functioning again. As he started to regain fitness he realised that running created the space to process what had happened to him, and that it gave him space to be with God. Weaving together personal testimony and biblical teaching, Austen shows how running is a metaphor for the Christian life, and how we can learn to live life in all its fullness. Through suffering and trials, we have an ever present God who wants to know us and love us. In a culture when we are urged to do more exercise, this is a timely reminder that running can actually be both good for the heart and the soul.

Ever been tempted to try a marathon? Maybe you've just started running, perhaps you're gaining confidence, or are you already well on your way to conquering the iconic distance? Whatever stage you're at on your journey, join marathon man Vassos Alexander as he shows us why we shouldn't be afraid of the big 26.2. Every marathon runner's journey is different. You might have caught the bug after experiencing that adrenaline rush of completing your first 5k; it might be a desire to finally cross something off your bucket list; or, perhaps it was a bit of an absentminded afterthought while watching TV, crisps in hand, and a niggling voice saying 'maybe I could do that' - it was for Vassos, at least. However far along you are in your journey, How to Run A Marathon shows us that absolutely anyone can take those first steps to defeating the distance. In fact, you'll probably end up enjoying it a lot more than you think. Including inspiring interviews with runners from all walks of life, delightful tales of remarkable marathons all over the world, crucial training and nutrition tips and so much more, Vassos shares all the lessons he's learnt - from start line to finisher's medal. Funny, candid and motivating, this book will not only help you succeed in your marathon quest but empower you to complete the distance any way you want. Whether that's achieving a particular time or simply finishing in one piece, How to Run a Marathon will guide you through.

"Running for My Life" is not a story about Africa or track and field athletics. It is about outrunning the devil and achieving the impossible faith, diligence, and the desire to give back. It is the American dream come true and a stark reminder that saving one can help to save thousands more.

Lopez Lomong chronicles his inspiring ascent from a barefoot lost boy of the Sudanese Civil War to a Nike sponsored athlete on the US Olympic Team. Though most of us fall somewhere between the catastrophic lows and dizzying highs of Lomong's incredible life, every reader will find in his story the human spark to pursue dreams that might seem unthinkable, even from circumstances that might appear hopeless.

"Lopez Lomong's story is one of true inspiration. His life is a story of courage, hard work, never giving up, and having hope where there is hopelessness all around. Lopez is a true role model." ―M ICHAEL JOHNSON, Olympic Gold Medalist

"This true story of a Sudanese child refugee who became an Olympic star is powerful proof that God gives hope to the hopeless and shines a light in the darkest places. Don't be surprised if after reading this incredible tale, you find yourself mysteriously drawn to run alongside him." ―RICHARD STEARNS, president, World Vision US and author of "THe Hole in Our Gospel"

Every triathlete wants to be leaner, faster, and more successful. But for most athletes, training is not enough. You need to focus on diet as well as training volume to achieve your optimal weight. Weight Management for Triathletes provides detailed and practical information and the tools that can help frustrated triathletes to improve their body composition for performance and aesthetics. This book is aimed to help triathletes competing on every level and distance from sprint to Olympic and longer distances. Well researched and insightful, this book offers easy-to-follow strategies for various diets, describes the importance of low body fat, and shows how to use body fat data in order to implement a weight control program for the long haul. You will find the motivation and encouragement to lose weight, and with a leaner and fitter body, and an understanding of proper nutrition you will quickly perform better in races.

'The last descent and I can't let myself think it's in the bag. Anything could happen, take it easy, take no risks. Just get to the finish and win.' 'The challenge and anticipation that pushes me to try harder. The obsessive urge to achieve. It's not all about winning. Why do I do it?' Growing up in Bristol, Heather Dawe was 17 when she started running. Having fallen in to the teenage trap of smoking and drinking she resolved to do something about it, not knowing then where it would take her. A climber since her youth, an obsession with wild places and the mountains was engrained in her DNA. Moving to Leeds to study, she began to compete in fell races and mountain marathons, joking in the pub one night that she could race at the highest level. Being hit by a car doing over 40mph while cycling would have ended many athletes' dreams, but Dawe's drive pushed her even harder. Hard enough to make her pub joke a reality, hard enough to win Elite Mountain Marathons, to win the Three Peaks Cyclo-cross race and to complete the Bob Graham Round. Pushing harder still, she entered the Tour Divide - racing the 2745-mile route of the Continental Divide in North America as she to sought to discover her physical - and emotional - limits. Dawe writes of what it takes to compete in adventure races; the training, the sacrifice, the mistakes that must be made in order to learn and develop. An intensely deep and personal book, Adventures in Mind explores what drives a woman - living with her partner and their child, working 9-5 - to push so hard and so far; into herself, and into the wild.

In 1986, the legendary fell runner Joss Naylor completed a continuous circuit of all 214 Wainwright fells in the Lake District, covering a staggering distance of over 300 miles - plus many thousands of metres of ascent - in only seven days and one hour. Those in the know thought that this record would never be beaten. It is the ultimate British ultramarathon. The person taking on this superhuman challenge would have to be willing to push harder and suffer more than ever before. There is no Map in Hell tells the story of a man willing to do just that. In 2014, Steve Birkinshaw made an attempt at setting a new record. With a background of nearly forty years of running elite orienteering races and extreme-distance fell running over the toughest terrain, if he couldn't do it, surely no one could. But the Wainwrights challenge is in a different league: aspirants need to complete two marathons and over 5,000 metres of ascent every day for a week. With a foreword by Joss Naylor, There is no Map in Hell recounts Birkinshaw's preparation, training and mile-by-mile experience of the extraordinary and sometimes hellish demands he made of his mind and body, and the physiological aftermath of such a feat. His deep love of the fells, phenomenal strength and tenacity are awe inspiring, and testimony to athletes and onlookers alike that 'in order to attain the impossible, one must attempt the absurd'.

The ultimate stretching guide, designed to help runners of all abilities run further, avoid injuries and achieve better times.

Stretching is an incredibly important aspect of running and yet it is frequently overlooked or poorly executed. This book details and explains all the stretches that can ease pain, build strength and enhance running performance.

Written by the globally respected physiotherapist, Paul Hobrough, who works with Olympic and World Champion athletes, The Runner's Expert Guide to Stretching will help runners to understand their bodies, identify weaknesses and develop a natural defence against injury.

With easy-to-understand explanations of anatomy and physiology, and a comprehensive directory of running stretches, runners of any age or ability will find an ideal range of stretches, clearly organised by body part, as well as a detailed strength and conditioning programme. With more than 2 million of us running at least once a week in the UK alone, this is the go-to guide for every runner.

Part sport and part exercise, running boosts health, longevity and mental well-being. However, running is a demanding activity that can potentially tax the runner's body and mind. Therefore, possessing durability for running-a fusion of toughness and flexibility-is desirable to enhance a runner's physical and mental experience. This book-the first of its kind to combine corrective exercise, self-myofascial release, and yoga-empowers runners with measures to avoid unnecessary pain, injury and burnout. It is a comprehensive guide to creating a simple and efficient system of personalized supplemental training in which runners learn to identify and address areas of imbalance and overuse. These training methods increase strength, stability, mobility, and resiliency, and require as little as 15 minutes per day to implement. Runners can decrease the risk of injury, improve running performance, and maintain joint health. The result: a more durable body and mind that will support your running-and your life-for years to come.

In September 1972, Rodney Milburn of Opelousas, LA won the Olympic gold medal in the men's 110 meter high hurdles. Raised amidst segregation and poverty in the 1950's and 60's, Milburn honed his skills on a grass track over wooden hurdles - the most improbable of settings for a future Olympic champion. In a career that spanned more than a decade, Milburn established himself as the greatest hurdler of his era, and one of the greatest athletes in track history. In November 1997, while working at a paper mill near Baton Rouge, LA, Milburn passed away in a tragic accident. He was 47. This biography chronicles his rise from poverty to international athletic stardom, and the impact that he had on many lives. Included are insights from those who knew him well - from old coaches and teammates to competitive rivals. All those he encountered loved him, and marveled that such a successful athlete could be so humble. Track legends Renaldo Nehemiah, Dwight Stones, Tonie Campbell, Brian Oldfield, Bill Collins, and many others give their take on Milburn's remarkable achievements, and on the even more remarkable human being who inspired an entire generation of athletes who came after him.

At the turn of the century, Track and Field was the bastion of the rich and privileged. While baseball and prize-fighting attracted the top sportsmen from the lower orders of society, athletic clubs generally filled themselves with the America's top sporting graduates from private colleges and the sons of the rich. Except one! The Irish-American Athletic Club was a New York organization that bucked the trend. Founded by immigrants and their sons, it was populated by immigrants, the sons of immigrants, and not necessarily the sons of Irish immigrants. Jews, African-Americans, Scandinavians, Italians, even a handful of Englishmen joined the club. It would dominate New York and American athletics for over a decade, forcing the renowned New York Athletic Club into perennial second place. It would lay claim to the title of best athletic club in the world following the 1908 Olympic Games. It would break the "color-line". It would bend the rules on amateurism. It would challenge the ban on Sunday entertainments and succumb to the fallout from the First World War, Prohibition and a growing city swallowing up real estate for urban housing, yet endow us some of the greatest myths and legends in American athletics. This is its story.

Reviews of The Science of Running: "The Science of Running sets the new standard for training theory and physiological data. Every veteran and beginner distance coach needs to have this on their book shelf." -Alan Webb American Record Holder-Mile 3:46.91 "For anyone serious about running, The Science of Running offers the latest information and research for optimizing not only your understanding of training but also your performance. If you want to delve deeper into the world of running and training, this book is for you. You will never look at running the same." -Jackie Areson, 15th at the 2013 World Championships in the 5k. 15:12 5,000m best If you are looking for how to finish your first 5k, this book isn't for you. The Science of Running is written for those of us looking to maximize our performance, get as close to our limits as possible, and more than anything find out how good we can be, or how good our athletes can be. In The Science of Running, elite coach and exercise physiologist Steve Magness integrates the latest research with the training processes of the world's best runners, to deliver an in depth look at how to maximize your performance. It is a unique book that conquers both the scientific and practical points of running in two different sections. The first is aimed at identifying what limits running performance from a scientific standpoint. You will take a tour through the inside of the body, learning what causes fatigue, how we produce energy to run, and how the brain functions to hold you back from super-human performance. In section two, we turn to the practical application of this information and focus on the process of training to achieve your goals. You will learn how to develop training plans and to look at training in a completely different way. The Science of Running does not hold back information and is sure to challenge you to become a better athlete, coach, or exercise scientist in covering such topics as: . What is fatigue? The latest research on looking at fatigue from a brain centered view. . Why VO2max is the most overrated and misunderstood concept in both the lab and on the track . Why "zone" training leads to suboptimal performance. . How to properly individualize training for your own unique physiology. . How to look at the training process in a unique way in terms of stimulus and adaptation. . Full sample training programs from 800m to the marathon."

Guardian's Best Sports Books of 2014 SHORTLISTED FOR THE CROSS BRITISH SPORTS BOOK AWARDS 2015 LONGLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD 2015 In Chase Your Shadow, journalist and author John Carlin tells the gripping story of Oscar Pistorius's tragic journey from sporting icon to accused murderer. Before Valentine's Day of 2013, Pistorius was best known as an extraordinary athlete, the 'Blade Runner' who became the first amputee in history to compete in the Olympics. Everything changed after he shot his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp dead in the early hours of 14 February. Overnight, the Olympian's status as a role model was replaced by tales of erratic behaviour and a violent dark side. With unique access to Pistorius himself, as well as to his friends and family, Carlin paints a portrait of a complex personality, a man whose heroic rise and even more dramatic fall is one of the most remarkable sports stories ever told.

Do you want to run faster? Are you trying to peak for a particular race? Would you like to find your true running potential? Brad Hudson, former Olympic Trials marathoner and current coach to Olympians like Dathan Ritzenhein, will show you the way in this practical, reader-friendly guide. Hudson is the most innovative running coach to come along in a generation. Until now, only a handful of elite athletes have been able to benefit from his methods. Now "Run Faster from the 5K to the Marathon" shows all runners how to coach themselves as confidently and effectively as Brad coaches his world-class athletes. Becoming your own best coach is the ticket to running faster at any distance.
First you will learn to assess your abilities. Then you'll learn how to devise a training program specifically geared to you. Filled with easy-to-follow sample training programs for distances ranging from the 5K to the marathon and abilities ranging from novice to advanced, "Run Faster" is "the" cutting-edge guide for optimal performance.
With Hudson's guidance, you can train smarter and more effectively--and avoid injury. And you'll soon be running faster than you ever thought possible!

At the age of thirty-one, Lucy Fry was pretty certain she knew her limits. And here's how she felt about the component parts of triathlon: swimming - fairly terrifying, especially in open water. Cycling - brilliant when done on a stationary bike, indoors. Running - sometimes fantastic, sometimes hideous. But as increasing numbers of her female friends continued to sign up to tri, Lucy couldn't help wondering: what was it about this exhausting pursuit that women seemed to find so magical, so transformative? The time had come to find out. Over one year, five triathlons and hundreds of training hours, Lucy uncovers the ins and outs of women's triathlon: how to wear a sports bra under a wetsuit, the competition and camaraderie, whether getting over 'jelly legs' makes you a more resilient human being - and finds that maybe she doesn't know her limits after all... Funny, warm and engaging, Run, Ride, Sink or Swim is for both the tri-curious and the dedicated tri-hard, and for any woman looking for inspiration to make the transition from sofa to start line.