Beginner's Half-Marathon Trainer: Reviewed

Since 2000, the number of people finishing marathons has increased by 100,000 topping out at over 400,000 in 2007, 60% of those running are men, and their average age is 40 years old (the average age for women is 36)*. This doesn't account for all of those runners who attempted but didn't finish the marathon or are running shorter 5K and 10K races.

The idea of running a half marathon is a daunting idea for most people, however opening the Beginner's Half Marathon Trainer: The 14 Week Program to Completing a Half-Marathon in Your Best Time, reader is able to rest a bit more easily. It is not solely a book of workout routines and training, it covers all aspects of preparing for and completing a marathon from the idea to crossing the finish line and beyond.

Before discussing training, the book covers why to do a marathon, basic fitness preparation, how to read your heart rate (and the importance of this), buying the right clothing, sneaker fitting and nutrition. It goes on to discuss running posture, breathing and mental training.

The workouts are broken up by week (thus the sub-title "14 Week Program"). You're given information on how to train, and how not to train. The book provides not only the routines, but why you're doing certain types of training during particular weeks. Explaining it in clear language an experienced athlete or novice runner would understand. It covers the training aspects, but also how your body might be responding during certain periods of the training, whether its energetic and not to over do it or sluggish and to push yourself to get out and train. It addresses issues of mental fitness, and how it impacts the training and racing and stresses the importance of staying on track with the scheduled routines whether you're feeling strong or tired or sore. It also talks about the importance of rest days, and allowing yourself the time off, and not beating yourself up for a missed training day.

Beginner's Half-Marathon Trainer: The 14 Week Program to Completing a Half-Marathon in Your Best Time is a straight forward approach to running. It gives clear information without masking it in jargon or being elitist. It's good for the absolute beginner getting into running for the first time, as well as the runner with a few marathons under their belt. More experienced runners may find much of the information to be too basic, though could fill in some gaps and help even them refine their training.

Beginner's Half-Marathon Trainer: The 14 Week Program to Completing a Half-Marathon in Your Best Time (Ulysses Press, 2008) By Jon Ackland

*Source: http://www.marathonguide.com/features/Articles/2007RecapOverview.cfm