Runner's World Run Less, Run Faster: Become a Faster, Stronger Runner with the Revolutionary FIRST Training Program (Runners World) | 
 enlarge | Authors: Bill Pierce, Scott Murr, Ray Moss
Publisher: Rodale Books
Category: Book
List Price: $16.95
Buy New: $6.78
You Save: $10.17 (60%)
New (32) Used (10) from $6.77
Avg. Customer Rating:  27 reviews
Sales Rank: 3620
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 272
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 8.7 x 6 x 0.8
ISBN: 159486649X
Dewey Decimal Number: 796.42
EAN: 9781594866494
ASIN: 159486649X
Publication Date: May 15, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Condition: New - Has remainder mark. Fast shipping from trusted wholesaler with many exclusive publisher contracts.
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Finally, runners at all levels can improve their race times while training less, with the revolutionary Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training (FIRST) program.
Hailed by the Wall Street Journal and featured twice in six months in cover stories in Runner’s World magazine, FIRST’s unique training philosophy makes running easier and more accessible, limits overtraining and burnout, and substantially cuts the risk of injury, while producing faster race times.
The key feature is the "3 plus 2" program, which each week consists of:
-3 quality runs, including track repeats, the tempo run, and the long run, which are designed to work together to improve endurance, lactate-threshold running pace, and leg speed
-2 aerobic cross-training workouts, such as swimming, rowing, or pedaling a stationary bike, which are designed to improve endurance while helping to avoid burnout
With detailed training plans for 5K, 10K, half marathon, and marathon, plus tips for goal-setting, rest, recovery, injury rehab and prevention, strength training, and nutrition, this program will change the way runners think about and train for competitive races.
Amby Burfoot, Runner’s World executive editor and Boston Marathon winner, calls the FIRST training program "the most detailed, well-organized, and scientific training program for runners that I have ever seen."
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| Customer Reviews: Read 22 more reviews...
 EXCELLENT book on how to train for 10K to Marathon distance. Really Works! July 30, 2008
If you only buy one book on how to train, this is the one. I tell all my running friends that are looking to go longer distances or get their running to the next level that they need to buy this book and ChiRunning. This one to figure out how fast to run and how to train. ChiRunning to figure out how to run pain free and use gravity to run faster.
Buy this book. It has everything you need to figure out how fast you should be running in order to maximize your potential. It makes so much sense and it really works!
 good advice, loosely packaged July 1, 2008
The book describes a new approach to train long-distance running.
The key idea is to cut down to three days of intense running per week augmented by two days of cross training.
The authors provide complete instruction to execute their training approach along with scientific evidence that their approach actually works.
The approach sounds appealing as it can save busy people interested in running a lot of valuable time. The evidence presented sounds solid but I was not yet able to complete 16 weeks worth of training since buying the book.
The downside of the book is that it is a compilation of a series of articles that previously appeared in a magazine. Hence, it is full of repetitions and contains lots of testimonials from people that tried this approach. These testimonials are initially fun to read, but then they get boring.
Summary: the approach sounds cool and worth trying out (I will), but the book could be improved by compressing the essential information in about 40 pages and putting the rest on a website.
 Beware Slower Runners! June 25, 2008
4 out of 6 found this review helpful
A month ago I finished training for a marathon using the FIRST program from the internet (the one with a goal "to finish"). While I didn't finish in my desired pace (5:30), I did feel great while training and was ready to start training again sooner than I ever have been before (1 previous marathon, 10 half marathons). Now I'd like to train for a 2:30 half marathon, and I bought this book hoping it would illuminate the paces (such as ST, MT, and LT - short, mid and long tempo) that are not spelled out in the online half marathon training program.
Instead, I found the slowest marathon time included in the pace tables is 4:51:56 (2:19:03 half). And formulas to derive the paces are not included. The rest of the book has some explanation of why the key runs are set up the way they are (which I read on Runner's World), and TONS of success story letters (which I could have done without).
While I highly recommend the FIRST training program, just get the information from Runner's World or off the FIRST website, set your tempo paces at 5K pace - 15s (ST), -30s (MT), and -45s (LT), and save yourself the cost of the book.
Note: On second thought, I wish I had only given one star, but it doesn't look possible to change it.
Run And Have Time For Other Things May 20, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
I am enjoying this program so far. In a nutshell you run 3X a week. One run is a Long run, one a Tempo, and one Interval. This covers the three areas you want to improve on. My goals are to improve my personal bests this year in the 5 & 10K. I also plan on doing my first mini Triathlon. I like the idea of running 3X a week and having more time to train in other areas. Most other running programs have you logging a lot more miles. The proof will be in the pudding in a few months when I go for my PR's.
So Far So Good May 19, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I have been on the program three weeks and I am a huge fan. The way the book is structured makes the program a no brainer to try and as you go you can feel your legs "building" rather than just being sore from running too much. Three guys with large brains who have been running for twenty something years and studying fitness for a living for just as long offer up a nice "short cut" on working smarter not harder.
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