Running is one of the most popular activities worldwide, and provides an incredible feeling of achievement as well as offering an enjoyable and accessible way to get fit. This superb book is an ideal reference guide for beginners, with easy-to-follow advice and guidance on getting started, staying motivated, and improving your performance. To help you begin to run, the first part of the book provides practical advice, including basic health checks, progressive walk/run programmes, a six-week plan of running for fitness, and exercises to build up strength. Appropriate clothing and equipment, stretching exercises and warm-up routines are described. Once you have achieved a certain standard you may want to try an event, and there is a special section devoted to explaining what kinds of events are suitable, from a 5K walk/run to a marathon. With over 300 photographs and illustrations, including step-by-step instruction, this expert book is essential reading for anyone who wants to begin and to improve their running. This title is the perfect introduction to one of today's fastest-growing and most popular activities, full of tips to help you stay motivated. It provides a fascinating insight into the world of running and its history, with a survey of the greatest runners and famous races. It includes start-up advice on basic health checks, running kit and footwear, core strength training and stretching exercises, and more. As you develop your distance and running skills there are progressive walk/run programmes and guidance on building up miles and hill running. It contains expert advice on pre-run and post-run nutrition, and entering and training for events. Clear and instructive step-by-step photographic sequences throughout make it easy to start and keep running.

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.