Faster Road Racing: 5K to Half Marathon

I've read quite a few books on running and this one is an instant favorite. Easy to read and well thought out. Everything from nutrition, to stretching, to core, to weight training, to running intensities, is covered. I also really liked how the authors broke the book up so if you just want the running plans you only need read a chapter or two to get the information you need, but if you want to dive in deeper all the information is right there. Also really liked how the book has a glossary, not all running books take the extra step to do this and it sure saves time if I need to look something up.Armed with the knowledge in this book I have created my own personal heart rate zones (they also offer the option to go by time per race performance, but I think the heart rate provides a more customized workout) and began creating customized workouts in Garmin Connect based off of the plans in this book.I will follow up after the season and relate my experiences.

This book is by far the most informative book I’ve read. It is well written and gives the reader the knowledge of why running in certain zones is important to the body. It touches on things such heart rate zones, pace, recovery, nutrition, base training programs, and training programs. Highly recommended. You won’t be disappointed.

The photos seem old and the original copyright date says 1957! A lot has changed since then. Has it been updated to reflect changes in thought?

I've run a couple of half marathons using Hal Higdon's programs available online. The consensus seemed to be that Higdon's programs were good for getting you to the finish line but not for maximizing your performance. Pfitzinger was most commonly recommended as a guy whose programs would get your times down considerably, and when I tried to find his programs online, I instead found this book. I bought it almost entirely for the program, but the rest of the book was actually very good. I read it cover-to-cover in a single sitting and found helpful advice on diet, strength training, and recovery. As such, I got a lot more out of it than I really expected, making me a very satisfied customer. The real test, of course, will be seeing what I run in my next half.

This book is a very easy read. It does well to break down the various systems and how you might target them specifically for a particular distance. I have already found myself using this as a bit of a reference guide as I establish new goals for different distances.Something of particular note is the book's reference to downhill running. While the book doesn't dig very deep on running downhill, it does well to caution runners about dowhill running and injuries. This helped me to connect the dots on why some of my more downhill runs turned into a slugfest of exhaustion and at times, pain.

Loving this book. Self-coaching myself in return to running after over a decade of doing nothing physical. Eased back in with a Galloway plan, then stalled. Over the years I’ve read Daniel’s, Magnass, Noakes, the Glovers works. Faster Road Racing and the plans fit my physiology and psychology better than any of the others. My times are dropping across the board and, critically, I’ve had no injuries or setbacks. YMMV, but for me this has been ideal.

While this book is intended for "serious" runners, it's also an excellent resource for those of us who might be a little less serious about the sport. Although I've only done a couple of 5K races, I found a lot of the information very relevant: the chapter on nutrition was enlightening and all the pictures in the supplementary training section were very helpful. And finally, I loved all the write-ups on the different runners--they were a nice personal touch, well-written, and inspiring. Thanks to Pete Pfitzinger and Philip Latter for getting me motivated

Great training plans to set a PR!

En mi opinión, es un libro fundamental si eres aficionado, apasionado más bien, de esto de correr.La cultura general de muchos aspectos así como los planes de entrenamiento valen mucho más de lo que cuesta el libro. No está traducido al español pero la pena.

Ce livre est génial ! Le contenu est non seulement super intéressant mais aussi très utile pour améliorer sa technique et éviter les blessures. Le livre couvre tout, de l'alimentation à un entraînement détaillé en passant par une séries d'exercices supplémentaires. Cela fait 2 mois que je suis scrupuleusement les conseils du livre et les résultats sont là. J'ai gagné en VO2max 5[ml/kg/min] et mon temps au semi est passé de 1h30 à 1h22 !! Hier soir j'ai eu l'occasion de faire un 5K en 18'31 durant un entraînement, je pensais même pas savoir passer en dessous des 20 minutes.Si vous souhaitez réellement progresser est atteindre un bon niveau, je ne peux que vous le recommander. Et surtout lisez bien tout du début à la fin car aucune page n'est gaspillée ;)

Sto usando questo libro per preparare la prossima mezza maratona cercando di valutare meglio la frequenza cardiaca. Il libro da molte spiegazioni sul perché bisogna affrontare certi tipi di allenamenti e spiega il loro scopo a livello muscolare e fisico.

Pfitzinger is one of the best coaches around and this book has fantastic training advice and some great plans for anyone looking to improve their 5k to Half Marathon times

I bought this after completing 2hr 45 first marathon following Petes marathon plan book and recently took 30 secs off my 16:30 5K time. What I love about it is that earlier chapters equip you with why you do certain workouts whilst maintaining a strict recovery schedule which you easily adapt around normal life. The training plans are manageable with adjustable mileage to suit your current training level. I feel the benefits of these plans deep into races when things start to get hard and can clearly see the difference they've made.