With condemning, yet humorous, comments, Holly Zimmermann, mother of four young children, endeavors to take on some of the world's most difficult and dangerous foot races. A grueling 257-kilometer ultramarathon through the Sahara Desert, written in a daily journal-style format, is the core of the story. Interspersed between the adventures in the Sahara, Holly recalls other races, including when two bombs went off before her eyes at the Boston Marathon. After the Sahara Desert, the setting for her next challenge shifted to the opposite extreme: Greenland, for the Polar Circle Marathon. What makes this book distinctive are the Forrest-Gump-like happenstances which occur throughout, brought in as flashbacks. A colorful cast of characters as training partners include the world champion of ultradistance cycling as well as the grandson of Italian fashion icon Salvatore Ferragamo. Training, planning, and gear for ultramarathons as well as nutritional tips for fueling the body are also described, always with a touch of sarcastic humor. Ultramarathon Mom: From the Sahara to the Arctic tells a unique story and delivers an impactful message: Live your dreams.

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.

Great athletes make difficult moves look effortless with a combination of skill, strength, and balance. Traditional conditioning builds a fitness base, but modern sports training takes into account athletic movement patterns. The Athletic Body in Balance book and DVD first of its kind to show you how to train for smooth, fluid movement and prevent muscle imbalances, mobility restrictions, stability problems, and injuries. Physical therapist and sports conditioning expert Gray Cook has proven the effectiveness of his approach through the performances of athletes in the NFL, NBA, NHL, WNBA, and Reebok (R) University's sports training system. Whereas other books concentrate on maximizing your strengths, the Athletic Body in Balance book focuses on exposing and overcoming your weaknesses to form a foundation for long-term training gains. Cook will help you identify functional weaknesses; correct imbalances; explore your potential; and refine sport-specific movement skills such as jumping, kicking, cutting, and turning. You will see where conditioning is breaking down and how to get your body back on track. The Athletic Body in Balance DVD then covers five assessment tests to help you find the imbalances in movement patterns, sample corrective exercises to improve mobility and stability, and ways to integrate these exercises into a regular training program. The tests include -deep squat-assessing the mobility and stability of the hips, knees, and ankles -hurdle steps-evaluating bilateral mobility and stability of the hips, knees, and ankles -in-line lunge-determining hip mobility and stability, quadriceps flexibility, and ankle and knee stability on both sides of the body -straight leg raise-gauging hamstring flexibility -seated rotation-measuring uppertrunk stability during a combined upper- and lower-body movement Move more efficiently and achieve real gains in performance with the Athletic Body in Balance book and DVD. Human Kinetics DVDs are coded for universal playback and can be played in all regions of the world.

"Off-Road Running" explains the basics of training so that every runner can design a program unique to them. Practical explanations of nutrition and physiology complement advice on every aspect of training, from taking a compass bearing to preparing for a race. Topics covered include trail running, cross country, fell running, mountain running, orienteering, and mountain marathons.

Triathletes spend a lot of time and money making sure they have the right gear, optimizing their training plans, and selecting their races. And part of that preparation for big race days is taking care of diet to be sure the body is properly fed to maximize athletic performance. Enter "The Complete Nutrition Guide for Triathletes, a" thorough nutritional guidebook tailored specifically for the three-sport athlete to reach his triathlon goals and to cross the finish line with the best nutrition plan possible. Dr. Jamie A. Cooper brings to the book her expert knowledge about nutrition and exercise combined with her extensive experience as an active triathlete. The book covers each essential nutrient, offers up tailored nutritional plans for Sprint, Olympic, and Ironman races, and troubleshoots nutrition-related issues specifically concerning the triathlete.

Racing Weight is a proven weight-management program designed specifically for endurance athletes. Revealing new research and drawing from the best practices of elite athletes, coach and nutritionist Matt Fitzgerald lays out six easy steps to help cyclists, triathletes, and runners lose weight without harming their training. This comprehensive and science-based program shows athletes the best ways to lose weight and avoid the common lifestyle and training hang-ups that keep new PRs out of reach. The updated Racing Weight program helps athletes: Improve diet qualityManage appetiteBalance energy sourcesEasily monitor weight and performanceTime nutrition throughout the dayTrain to get-and stay-lean Racing Weight offers practical tools to make weight management easy. Fitzgerald's no-nonsense Diet Quality Score improves diet without counting calories. Racing Weight superfoods are diet foods high in the nutrients athletes need for training. Supplemental strength training workouts can accelerate changes in body composition. Daily food diaries from 18 pro athletes reveal how the elites maintain an athletic diet while managing appetite. Athletes know that every extra pound wastes energy and hurts performance. With Racing Weight, cyclists, triathletes, and runners have a simple program and practical tools to hit their target numbers on both the race course and the scale.

An electrifying look inside the wild world of extreme distance running.

Once the reserve of only the most hardcore enthusiasts, ultra running is now a thriving global industry, with hundreds of thousands of competitors each year. But is the rise of this most brutal and challenging sport—with races that extend into hundreds of miles, often in extreme environments—an antidote to modern life, or a symptom of a modern illness?

In The Rise of the Ultra Runners, award-winning author Adharanand Finn travels to the heart of the sport to investigate the reasons behind its rise and discover what it takes to join the ranks of these ultra athletes. Through encounters with the extreme and colorful characters of the ultramarathon world, and his own experiences of running ultras everywhere from the deserts of Oman to the Rocky Mountains, Finn offers a fascinating account of people testing the boundaries of human endeavor.

With his sixtieth birthday looming, Colin Renton decides that it’s time to escape office life and focus on achieving some of his unfulfilled goals.  He embarks on a year-long adventure that takes him from the busy streets of Edinburgh to the traffic-free roads, sodden fields and dusty paths of Europe’s winemaking regions. He laces up his running shoes and joins thousands of fellow athletes in races that test him over various distances, degrees of difficulty and levels of seriousness. His schedule, which culminates with a marathon debut, takes him to places he would otherwise not have visited. On his travels, he seeks out local wines that deserve a place in a carefully chosen twelve-bottle case, a process that throws up some fascinating insights and introduces him to a vintage crop of engaging characters. The crossover between running and wine uncorks a tale of endurance, curiosity and discovery, told in an accessible style and served up with a splash of local colour and a drop of wry humour.

Lake District Trail Running is a comprehensive guide to off-road running in the Lake District National Park. With 20 runs, from 5.1km to 17km in length, this book is suitable for runners of all abilities. The fells and valleys of the Lakes are a playground for the adventurous runner - this is the home of many classic fell races, and of course the legendary Bob Graham Round. In this book, author Helen Mort has collected together many of her favourite Lakeland runs, from low-lying and scenic lakeside cruises, to steep mountain climbs and remote and wild enchainments. Discover Grasmere, pick your way along the Haystacks ridge, explore Grisedale or run around Lakeland icons, such as Buttermere and Ennerdale Water. More experienced runners can challenge themselves on bigger and longer excursions to Fairfield and above Troutbeck. Features clear and easy-to-use Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 maps, easy-to-follow directions, details of distance and timings, refreshment stops and local knowledge, and a detailed appendix.

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.

"Core Concepts in Athletic Training and Therapy" provides a balanced introduction to the knowledge, skills, and clinical abilities that span the profession of athletic training. Students in athletic training, coaching, or other health care fields will find current information covering the breadth of theory and application of athletic training, including evidence-based practice, prevention and health promotion, clinical examination and diagnosis, acute and emergency care, therapeutic interventions, and health care administration. It also presents advanced topics of pathophysiology and psychological response to sport injury to better prepare students for continued study.

Compared to other introductory athletic training texts, "Core Concepts in Athletic Training and Therapy" is the only text that aligns with the newest athletic training education competencies from the National Athletic Trainers' Association (2011). Written by a team of respected athletic training educators with experience at the professional and collegiate levels, the text breaks new ground by condensing key concepts to a comprehensive level while not overwhelming students with content that will be addressed in depth in advanced courses. Numerous features assist students in learning the fundamentals:

- Each of the six parts opens with a discussion of the competencies that are covered in that part and concludes with a reference list of those competencies by description and number, making it easy to monitor the knowledge required.

- A companion web resource contains 41 clinical proficiency exercises, carefully chosen to complement the introductory level of the text and align with required educational objectives. The modules may be completed online or printed, and cross-references at the end of each chapter guide students to the appropriate modules to apply the chapter content.

- Case studies sprinkled throughout the text demonstrate real-world situations and include critical thinking questions that underscore principles of rehabilitation and exercise.

- Full-color photographs depict specific conditions and techniques, giving students an accurate picture of real practice.

- For instructors, a complete set of ancillaries assists in preparing and presenting lectures, leading class discussion, and planning assignments and assessments.

In addition, "Core Concepts in Athletic Training and Therapy" is the first text to offer a complete chapter on evidence-based practice, the newest educational competency required of entry-level athletic trainers by the NATA. The rest of the text introduces general information about life as an athletic trainer, such as training, education, licensure, certification, employment opportunities, and the roles in a sports medicine team. The core of the text then focuses on required knowledge and skills related to injury prevention, injury recognition and classification (including region-specific examination strategies, basic objective tests, physical exam strategies, and injury mechanisms), acute care, therapeutic interventions, and the role of pharmaceuticals in the healing process. To round out the text, it addresses health care administration and discusses strategies for the management of athletic training programs.

With learning features and a web resource that integrate clinical learning into an introductory course, "Core Concepts in Athletic Training and Therapy" is the essential resource for current and future athletic trainers. Long after its first use, it will prove a valuable reference for athletic training students as they progress through the curriculum, prepare for certificiation, and begin careers in the profession.

"Core Concepts in Athletic Training and Therapy" is part of Human Kinetics' Athletic Training Education Series. Featuring the work of respected authorities in athletic training, this collection of outstanding textbooks, each with its own supporting instructional resources, parallels and expounds on the content areas in the accreditation standards of the NATA Education Council.

"Lore of Running" gives you incomparable detail on physiology, training, racing, injuries, world-class athletes, and races.

Author Tim Noakes blends the expertise of a physician and research scientist with the passion of a dedicated runner to answer the most pressing questions for those who are serious about the sport:

-How your body systems respond to training, the effects of different training methods, how to detect and avoid overtraining, and genetic versus trainable potential

-How to train for the 10K up through ultramarathon with detailed programs from Noakes and several leading running experts

-How to prevent and treat injuries, increase your strength and flexibility, and use proper nutrition for weight control and maximum performance

You'll also find a candid analysis of supplements and ergogenic effects and training aids. The book includes new interviews with 10 world-class runners who share their secrets to success and longevity in the sport. Features on legendary figures and events in running history provide fascinating insights.

And that's just scratching the surface. "Lore of Running" is not only the biggest and best running publication on the planet. It's the one book every runner should own.

This daring volume combines the best of writing on running with the appeal of the best literary writing, essays that take in the sights and sounds and smells of real life, of real risk, of real pain and of real elation. Emphasizing female voices, this collection of eleven personal essays set in different countries around the world offers a deep but accessible look at the power of running in our lives to make us feel more and to see ourselves in a new light. From acclaimed novelist Emily Mitchell and Portland attorney Anne Milligan to author Vanessa Runs and ESPN reporter Bonnie Ford, a diverse lineup of writers captures a variety of perspectives on running at night. These are stories that can inspire people of all ages and backgrounds to take on a thrilling new challenge. The contributors all have distinct tales to tell, but each brings a freshness and depth to their experiences that make Night Running a necessary part of every runner's library - and a valuable addition to the reading lists of all thoughtful readers.

Coach, Run, Win creates a roadmap for coaches and runners to navigate an entire high school cross country season. The first half of Coach, Run, Win focuses on how to run fast and provides details of training methods and workout details that produced teams and individuals with nationwide success. Any runner (high school or not) can improve by following the workout and training techniques covered. The second part of Coach, Run, Win takes coaches through the details of organizing and implementing a championship program from working with parents and administrators through setting up a summer program, designing courses and managing races and conducting end of year awards banquets. Coach, Run, Win takes the guess work and experimentation out of designing individual and team programs to achieve running success. It is laid out in a clear and concise way that avoids overly scientific explanations and instead talks about what worked and works from the experience of Ken Sayles.

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.

This book tells the story of two of Great Britain's finest Olympic athletes, Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams. Their achievements at the 1924 Paris Olympics, immortalised in the Oscar-winning film Chariots of Fire, are the stuff of legend. They both won Olympic gold medals and became heroes of the day. But they also went on to lead fascinating lives after they retired from running. This beautiful book tells their remarkable stories with great charm and confirms the view that, as men, they shall always rank as among the finest this great sport of athletics has ever produced.

In Games Colleges Play John Thelin chronicles the history of intercollegiate athletics from 1910 to 1990 from the early, glory days of Knute Rockne and the "Gipper" to the modern era of big budgets, powerful coaches, and pampered players. He describes how "extracurricular" sports programs seldom accorded equal prominence with teaching and research in mission statements or annual reports have become central to the life of many universities. As administrators search for a proper balance between athletics and academics, Thelin observes, this "peculiar institution" in American higher education grows increasingly powerful and controversial. Looking past the playing fields and lavish facilities into board rooms and administrative suites, Thelin finds disturbing patterns of abuse and limited reform and explores the implications of these patterns for today's college presidents, faculty, and students. He examines the 1929 Carnegie Foundation Report, the formation of major athletic conferences, the national college basketball scandals after World War II, the dissolution of the Pacific Coast Conference in the 1950s, and the Knight Foundation Report of 1991. Games Colleges Play provides historical background that will inform current policy discussions about the proper place of intercollegiate athletics within the American university. "Intercollegiate athletics has been a perennial source of opportunity and temptation", concludes Thelin, "as the American campus has worked and re-worked its relations with American culture".

Kicksology is your all-access pass into the fascinating, colorful world of running shoes-and what makes up a perfect pair of kicks. Sports journalist and veteran shoe tester Brian Metzler takes runners and kicksologists deep inside the $10 billion dollar running shoe industry with a behind-the-curtain look at what makes iconic running shoe brands tick. Kicksology follows a shoe from inspiration to store shelf to show how innovative ideas evolve into industry-wide trends and fads. Metzler tours shoe labs where scientists advance our understanding of shoes and running mechanics as well as the domestic and overseas shoe factories where the world's favorite kicks are assembled. A dedicated shoe nerd and running junkie, Metzler shares his love of great shoes in this fascinating look at the intersections of shoe culture and history, science and storytelling, intel from the innovators with on-the-ground insight from top runners. Kicksology is filled with information as entertaining as it is surprising, tapping into the passion runners have for their kicks and feeding their curiosity about what makes a great shoe.

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.

This is the book that will take any woman, at any fitness level, into the running lifestyle. Jeff Galloway, a US Olympian in 1972, has helped over 150,000 people make this journey while reducing or eliminating aches, pains, and injuries suffered during most training programs. Jeff developed the Run Walk Run (R) method of training, and together with his wife Barbara, he offers a step-by-step program specifically designed for the needs and concerns of women. Included are lots of tips on staying motivated, building endurance, selecting shoes, stretching, and strengthening, as well as making smart nutrition choices, and much more.