Getting Real About Running by Gordon Bakoulis, paperback, 432 pages, Ballantine Books (2002), ISBN: 0345447271
In more than 20 years as a runner and a coach, world-class marathoner Gordon Bakoulis has tackled almost every problem a runner can face. Now in her accessible, inspiring new book, Bakoulis becomes your personal coach and mentor, preparing you to meet the exhilarating challenges of running. She discusses everything a runner must know, including setting up a progam (three-month, six-month, and one-year training cycles; the importance of rest and downtime), choosing equipment (foot types and finding shoes that meet your unique biomedical needs; the latest apparel for hot-and-cold-weather running), common injuries and how to avoid them (runner's knee, heel spurs, shin splints; the benefits of stretches, massage, and yoga), fueling your body (diets for different lifestyles and fitness levels; easy, nutritious recipes), the science of running (the "hard-easy" approach to training), running with and for your head (how running can make you feel more sane and alive, with mantras used by champions), children who run (an illustrated discussion of the special concerns of runners from 6 to 18), running and aging (advice for runners over 50, with profiles of senior runners), plus pace charts, mile/kilometer conversion, and running resources and organizations. "Getting real about running" gets down to the real nitty-gritty of this most satisfying of sports. Here is a book that is worth its weight in gold medals! Gordon Bakoulis is the author of "Cross-Training: The complete training guide for all sports" and "How to train for and run your best marathon". She competed in the U.S. Olympic marathon trials in 1988, 1992, 1996, and 2000, represented the United States in the 1991 World Championship Marathon, and has twice placed among the top 10 finishers in the New York City Marathon.
