In-Rest Education

While taking my little sabbatical from running, I have decided to do a little research on my training to make sure I am on the right track and see if there were any other Marathon training plans that might work for me a little better. I came across Jack Daniels' Running Formula in an article in Runners World Magazine. Loved this book, I have a whole different view of my training after rreading it. Here's the breakdown:

Part 1: Training Essentials
This section of the book gets you preped for setting up your training and gives you some knowledge on the benefits of training.. It walks you through anylizing you current level of fitness, how much time you have available to train. Teaches you about the Physiological befefits of training and what effect they have on you. Explains the different levels of training, Easy, Marathon Pace, Threshold, Intervals and Repetitions. The best part of this Part of the book is the VDOT values. The VDOT value allows you to get an estimate of your race times for races between 1.5K and a Marathon based on a recent race. This will also give you your VDOT level of fitness. From this the book gives you a chart of the mile per minute pace you should run at for each of the above training levels. Finally it walks you though the 4 levels of training in this program.

Part 2: Training Levels
Details the different levels of training, Base Building, Marathon Pace Training, Threshold Training, Interval Training and Repetition Training

Part 3: Training for Fitness
Walks you through 4 different levels of training plans, Beginner, Intermediate, Experienced and Elite.

Part 4: Training for Races
Talks about pre-race preperation, food, clothing, warm-ups and what type of mental preperation is required for racing. It then details for you a training program for each of the following diistances, 800m, 1,500m - 3,000m, Cross Country, 5K - 15K, Half Marathon and Marathon. These are detailed plans for each week listing out what type of runs to perform as a percentage of your weekly total milage.

After reading this book I am going to make some changes in my training program to include some of the advice here. Hopefully I will have a positive post in a month or two about the results the additional training advice.

If anyone else has read this book, let me know what you thought.

Happy Training.