Product Description

Now revised, expanded and updated, 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.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6793 in Books
• Published on: 2002-12-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 944 pages

About the Author
Dr. Timothy Noakes is Discovery health professor of exercise and sports science at the University of Cape Town and director of the medical research council/UCT research unit for exercise science and sports medicine at the Sports Science Institute of South Africa in Newlands. Noakes received his MD from the University of Cape Town. He is a veteran of more than 70 marathons and ultramarathons. He is an editorial board member for many international sport science journals and a former president of the South African Sports Medicine Association. In 1999, he was elected as one of 22 founding members of the International Olympic Committee s Olympic Science Academy. Noakes is also a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine

Customer Reviews

Extremely detailed running data.
This in a very comprehensive look at running from a scientific view. There has obviously been a huge amount of research behind this book, as it includes information and data from over a century of runners. Almost every topic imaginable to a runner is included, from detailed biological information (blood, oxygen and muscle systems), to training techniques, ideas on mental attitudes etc. It also includes some interesting research on the training ideas of past elite runners, which can be usefull to compare to modern ideas.

Most chapters are organised into three distinct sections; the chapter starts with quotations from varied runners, then goes on to examine the theories and ideas behind the quotes, both for and against, and finaly finishes with conclusions drawn by Tim Noakes based on his personal ideas from years of running and research.

Whilst this book is extremely detailed and very thorough, for myself it has been more of a reference book for specific problems, rather than an general training manual. The entire book is rather like a scientific analysis of running, and not the type of general training guideline you could read from cover to cover. The 'Lore of Running' will defenitely be a usefull reference for future running problems, but there are easier to read running books for basic training and racing (possibly the running handbooks by Bob Glover, Jack Daniel's running formula etc.). In other words, it is an excellent reference manual for experience runners and coaches, but probably not the first choice for an all-round runners guide.

Challenges and overturns fundamental beliefs
For over 25 years as a runner my training has been based on 'aerobic' and 'anaerobic' principles. I believed that my speed was limited by the amount of oxygen I could deliver to my running muscles, and when I ran too fast, or 'anaerobically', the build-up of lactic acid in these muscles slowed me. I also believed that the depletion of muscle glycogen caused me to 'hit the wall' when I ran too far. With the 4th Edition of this classic book, Tim Noakes has convinced me that these beliefs were all obsolete, and were similar to believing that the earth is flat. The book is full of similar gems, for example:
Is altitude training really as beneficial as is so widely believed?
The current 'news' in the press of the dangers of over-drinking in endurance races is, in fact, old news if you've read this book.
Did you know that a 45kg distance runner will have a huge advantage over a 65kg distance runner of similar ability when race conditions are hot and humid? Bad news for a 75kg runner like me.
This book took me some effort to read and understand (and not just because my hardback edition weighs so much), but I found it absolutely fascinating.

The only running book you'll ever need
There are countless books on running out there. Not only has this author clearly read them all, he has his own enormous experience in running science.
This book has it all - the physiology of running and training, how to approach training, some sample training plans from top coaches, training histories from some of the running 'greats', a detailed section on injuries, nutrition ...
This is not a book you'll read cover to cover, but one that you will dip into and refer back to time and time again.