This book certainly does not follow the KISS formula. I gave up trying to figure it all out and put it up where I don't have to be reminded I wasted my money. If you're an experienced runner then this book might work for you. If you're pushing 50 and just want to get in better shape via jogging there has to be better. This book is like geared towards olympic hopefuls I think.

This book is fantastic! Gets into why you do certain workouts without getting so technical you can't understand it.

Also has training plans for a variety of experience levels and distances.

A must read for runners!

The results talk by themselves, my PR before following Jack Daniel's training plans: 3:24 for the marathon, achieved after years of running. Followed the "Marathon Training Plan A (pg. 260) for 2008 Boston Marathon and got a new PR of 3:17:11, followed the Elite Training Plan (pg. 264) and a new PR of 3:01:45 in last September's 2008 Berlin Marathon. This book is great, full of smart tips and science. The plans are no play, this is serious training but the rewards are great, specially when you are 48!

I wish I would of had a book like this when I was running in high school and college. Loaded with valuable info, covering just about everything.

After being dissapointed and wasting money on many of todays running/training books, i found Daniels to be almost a bible for runners and coaches....Jack daniels is a genious in the way he has put together such a complete easy to understand book....it covers all aspect of training, no stone is left unturned and i can honestly say that anyone who follows his training tables and intensity charts will get faster!!!!
all the guess work is taken out of training...it even has several great training programms for most distances..and they work...i have read this book cover to cover several times and still learn something new each time....all the athletes i coach are making faster and safer progress due to his training guidlines...well done Jack Daniels

As a multi events coach in "the old days", I have more or less had distance coaching thrust upon me by some new athletes. Jack's book was suggested by a coaching collegue and I am not disappointed. It has lots of information that I imperfectly understood. Most impressed with the idea of working EASIER/SMARTER when running too fast is actually harmful to your training goals. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Scott Glaspey, Powell River, BC Canada

Daniels does a good job explaining all of his different ideas: the 4 (sometimes 5) phases in a training cycle, his different intensities (easy, moderate/marathon pace, interval, rep, f pace), and includes some very detailed training programs. He has general training programs, as well as programs for the 800, 800/1500, 1500/3000, cross, 5k-15k, and three marathon programs. Throughout the book he does a good job explaining everything and though at some points it can be "scientific", nothing is over the top and can be understood by probably just about anyone. He also includes helpful sections on topics such as overtraining, supplemental training, what to do during unplanned and planned breaks from running, and race preparation. Overall this is a very thoughtful, well laid out book. However, as Daniels himself says, this is just one approach to training and while he does include detailed programs, it is best to pull ideas out of the book that work for you- you cant just superimpose all of his training ideas onto your own running plan.

I think Dr. Daniels does a fine job of explaining the purpose of each of the exercises. His explanations of the physiological and metabolic changes that each specific run and intensity is trying to accomplish is helpful for people without a medical backround. However, he definitely slants the book towards collegiate and elite level athletes. As a novice runner, I found a lot of this irrelevant. I won't be running 6-7 days a week with a wife, two small children, and a busy career. I think for the bulk of Americans who run, we run for health and fun rather than to win titles and prizes. I think there are probably 300-500 people in the USA who can really follow his top training plan. For a book with less science explanation and a more realistic training schedule, try Run Less, Run Faster by Pierce , Murr and Moss. It does touch on some of the science but nearly as in depth but I found that it was more applicable to the average American's schedule.

I'm an old, but fairly serious competitive runner. Book was great set of routines to get faster without getting injured. Not as encyclopedic as Noakes', Lore of Running, but this is the book I will use to set my training schedule.

Every now and again I get back in the running habit. And what with it being so long since I've done any formal training and not being able to afford an actual coach, I usually call on my Brooklyn Road Runners Club buddies to recommend a decent training book.

Turns out Jack Daniels, the author of the book they recommended, lives less than an hour from where I spent my summer in 2006, in upstate New York. Not that it did me any good, as he's almost 80 years old and not taking in new athletes. Too busy taking in new wives, I guess - the newest one is as young as I am and has borne him a child that probably can't remember when her father wasn't farting dust.

But I digress. Geriatric standing aside, he's written the running book I've always wanted to find - very little of the confessional, running-as-spiritual-quest crap or Runner's World-style product mongering of the newest insoles or energy gels - just distance-specific training plans, time conversation tables, and scientific (as far as I know) reasoning for all of his advice.

There is some padding throughout - the "Training Essentials" unit is kind of general and not very useful, he puts runner's profiles at the end of each section that are uniformly dry and uninspiring ("Sara's ability to graciously accept both success and disappointment, her resolve to take one day at a time, and the faith we both share make me a fan of hers," "It's amazing how favorably his lab tests results compare to those of Jim Ryun"), and the "Training for Fitness" seems to have been added after the rest of the book was written just to get people who've never run before started. Come to think of it, some people may get something out of that section; I didn't even read it.

Overall though, a great textbook - easy to read, what's useful is easy to pick out, and the inevitable padding is easy to page through. So, like all good textbooks, the key word is "easy."

Comprehensive, clearly written explanation of the physiology and psychology of training and competing at all levels. For all serious, even if not elite, runners. Encouraging and inspiring.

This is a great book. It addresses the basic problem that most runners have when looking for workouts. All runners are different and have varied abilities. Strength of the book is learning how to target your workouts so that you can get the most out of them. The science is a bit wordy, but the concepts are great.

I previously owned this book and my dog literally ate it, but it was so good that I am buying it again. I competed in corss country and track all four years in college and I was tremendously successful for the mileage that I ran. My coach's approach was based on the Jack Daniels' approach. In my opinion, this book is a good written summary of an intuitive system. It is also a system that let's you get the most out of every mile run - without running hard every mile. Finally, the tables in back that help you figure out the various paces at which you should train are invaluable. They would also be tremendously helpful for anyone coaching an athlete.

I have raced for more than 30 years. This book is great for both the beginner and seasoned runner. It explains the different types of training and explains when each training type should be incorporated into your season (or schedule).

This book has more for the beginning runner as well as experienced runners. Great approach with thoughts on all aspects of training and a data-driven 'by the numbers' approach that is just great.

I read some books on trainnig, but I had never felt I could make my own trainning plans or make modifications to standard plans. This book gives you the elements to adapt plans to your own goals, no matter you are a new runner or an elite one.
If you want to understand what, when, why and how fast to train, this book will help you.

Just got this book and read it cover to cover. It is a great book for those who want to take marathoning to a new level. Recommended for those who have completed at least one marathon and are striving for a Boston Qualifier or beyond. The training plans in the book accomodate runners who are running around 40 miles per week up to and beyond 70 miles per week. I beleive anyone (fast or slow) who is serious about improving their marathon performance could benefit from the suggestions and research provided in this book.

If you're a running nerd, or into exercise physiology, or are just wanting to know more about how to effectively train, then this should be in your library. It's a bit technical without putting you to sleep and it's full of great training ideas as well as lots of charts and data to help figure out what pace and how you should train. It has three plans(red, blue and gold) if you want to skip ahead and start training and then figure out why you're doing strides one day and actually resting during the week. Definately worth every penny.

I would recommend this book to those who are ready to take the next step in training and get more serious about running. As noted in other reviews, this is not the book for a beginner or those seeking motivation. The good news is that you don't have to be a fast runner, just someone who is willing to improve and work hard at it. The book teaches you how to design a training program taylored to your ability and also gives you some scientific background to suport the author's formula. It is not an easy read, particularly the discussions on the science, but it is structured in a very logical and concise manner. It is meant to provide the blue print for a runner to design his or her own running program. I think it is well settled in the running community that JD's training methods work. Go to any running website, and discussions of JD's formula or similar formulas abound. Of course, JD's running formula may not be the best training method for you, but the principles discussed in the book are a must read for any serious runner.

This book has something for everyone. It has advanced and beginner topics that had me reading every evening until it was done. I got several tips that will help me in my training.

This book has something for everyone. It has advanced and beginner topics that had me reading every evening until it was done. I got several tips that will help me in my training.

Daniel's running formula is for the serious runner. Whether you are a beginner or an elite, Daniel's scientific approach to running will help you to run better. Daniel' book is a map - you will know where you are, where you need to go and how to get there.

If you don't have access to a coach, this is the book!

If you are a beginner: don't expect info on shoes, injuries, apparel etc. For that you can refer to other books.

Go ahead..

Plan your workouts for specific upcoming events. You'll be able to create your own programs, and you'll learn exactly how to run.

For the more technically minded runner or coach this is a great read. It goes beyond the usual vague explanations to provide exact details on what to do when to do it and how to do it. For creating effective programs Daniel's Formula is a must.

For the more technically minded runner or coach this is a great read. It goes beyond the usual vague explanations to provide exact details on what to do when to do it and how to do it. For creating effective programs Daniel's Formula is a must.

Every runner must read this book. It includes sound experience and information. It's not a huge book but surprisingly you can find huge information in it. After reading this book I started to plan my training (pace, weekly mileage and intensity). It is very important for a runner to understand what he/she is doing and which type of workout does what in his/her body. By this way you can keep away from overtraining and injuries.

Maybe the best running book of all the time,only one minus - there's no plan for half marathon.

Very informative, great work outs for each specific events. Very organized. highly recommend if you want to get faster.

I love to read about running. I love to run and just finished my first marathon. This is one of the best book ever written on the subject. This book will enhance your running performance. Buy the book if you love running and while you are at it buy 'Explosive Running' by Michael Yessis.

This book has kept me motivated and raised my Running to levels I never thought possible to personally achieve. Simplistic and straightfoward.

I'm not a very good runner, so I can't say that this is all you need. This book explains the fundamentals of training, the "why" behind your workouts. It also has useful tables for finding the right intensity for yourself. It has training plans for several distances in the back. It covers how to take planned breaks, and how to return from those breaks and get back into training. I'm trying to think of what else I'm forgetting, but I have very few questions about my training after reading this book. It's mostly running. If you're looking for information on strength training, stretching, or nurtrition, you might get a smudge of it in this book, but not much more.

The 2nd edition added some point system that I haven't tried using. It just looked more complicated than I needed. I'd rather just understand the different workout intensities and their purposed and then follow the Daniels' phase layout of a training plan.

I think the 2nd edition also has updated tables for doing tempo runs of different lengths. I think the 1st edition only had tempos of 20 minutes.

The other thing that I've recently noticed was missing was a good description of strides. There are a lot of different opinions on strides out there, and since I'm incorporating them more into my workouts lately, it would be good to see Daniels cover them in the depth that he covers other workouts. Especially since his training plans include them.

Oh well, I think this is the best distance running book I've read. Unlike Martin and Coe, I think this presents the material in a way that it is easier to read and use as a reference. In fact, I couldn't even wade very far into Martin and Coe, so if you found their book to be a little too much, this might be the perfect book for you.

I recommend this book as THE first book for every running to read. It has it's shortcomings, but if you just know what's in this book, you probably know 90% of everything you'll ever need.

This book is not a running schedule "take one and call me in the morning". In fact, he takes a very flexible approach. E.g., in the weekly planners which are geared towards racing, he merely indicates the "quality" days one should and may do, to fit in with the current phase of the chosen training program. It is important to read through the book to gain an understanding of the different aspects of the training, and how it achieves what you want to do [even if you gloss over the numbers during the aerobic profile section]. With most people's schedules, it is good to know how to chose priorities. And for people who are just trying to achieve a fitness level, he has chapters devoted to that.

The casual scanner skipping to the "important parts" can miss some important points. With all the discussions on tempos, max oxygen consumption [VO2], and speed reps, you could be oblivious to his premise that easy aerobic running is the all-important base of your training. Also some of his tenets such as "specificity of training" are tempered later by his encouragement of cross-training.

All-in-all, an excellent book for fitness, competition, and coaches [who may and do adapt his principles according to their preferences].

This was great. So good to get back to the basics of true athletic performance. Daniels does a great job at taking this as far as many professional even care to go. He spells out all the physical and mental preparations necessary for a great outcome. The areas of science are good to understand why it is necessary to do more than just run constantly and he makes that very evident.

This is a very good book, I'm probably going to buy it.

John Blakely

Jack Daniel's writes a good book. Good to read, even better to use ongoing as a reference. Technical enough but still readable by the novice.

Inspirational. I prefer to borrow books rather than own them but this is one you want to own.

This is by far one of the best books on running in print. It is written technically enough so the reader can understand the physiology of running, but written in such a way so that a person familiar with fitness doesn't need a degree in physiology to understand it. This simply must be on the bookshelf of any runner who wants to not only improve their running but also understand how they are improving.

While the target reader of this book is for competitive runners, I find the content very beneficial for someone like me who just want to finish a marathon.

It books helps me greatly in structuring my own training plan based on science and own personal fitness and commitment level. It doesn't pretend to a a book with the right training program that fits all.

The only that I find missing in this book is about motivation. This book assumes that motivation to run and intrisic and anyone who pick up this book would already be a motivated runner. Then again, this book is not meant for a total beginner.

This is a great book for runners who are serious about their training. Daniels' training principles are based on solid research, and his presentation of them makes them easy to apply for runners of practically any level and ability. He answers one of the most common questions about training, namely "how fast should I run for this session?" Based on your own race performances, you can use the VDOT tables to find the proper pace for intervals, treshold/tempo runs, long runs etc. Training at the proper intensity is important to get maximum benefits from your efforts. For instance, running intervals too hard (as some runners tend to do) is detrimental to recovery and heightens the risk of injuries.

No running book is perfect, but Daniels' Running Formula is the best in this genre that I've read so far.

i really have enjoyed this book.. i think that it has helped not on my running, but my attitude towards running and injuries.. this book is great for anyone that wishes to greatly improve there running no matter what the distance and it gives a lot of great ideas for dealing with the "down time".

this book has helped me to better formulate my training schedule. jack goes into great detail to explain his reasoning behind certain training techniques. he also does a really good job of explaining how to set up a personalized weekly/monthly/seasonal plan.

ive gained a lot of knowledge from this book alone and have noticed a significant improvement in the quality of my training and in my race results.

i highly recommend this book for anyone looking to learn more about the specifics of training technique.

This is the best book about training runners ever. My (college) coach uses this program and the program took me from being a 10:00 2-miler to a 15-minute 5k runner in about 8 months or so. Compared to the other training guides I've read, i.e. Coe and Martin's Beter Training for Distance Runners and Lydiard's Running to the Top, this is definitely the best. The physiology details are easy to understand, unlike Coe's book which is more of a physiology textbook, or Lydiard, which contains nearly no physiology at all.

This is a must-have for anyone who runs seriously or coaches.

this is a good book for any runner to have. it was required by our coach for our cross country team to buy this book and read selected topics. this book is what our basic training methods are based on.

This book is packed with good information. I have read, re-read, and referenced it so many times that it's getting warn out. I got back online to order another copy and found out that there was a second edition, so I ordered it instead. Buy it, read it cover to cover, do what it says and watch your times drop. Mine did. I'm 32 years old and am back to running under 17 minutes for a 5k.

To start off with, I would like to say that I have had a lot of experience with this training system. My high school distance coach based the workouts for the distance team on Daniel's training method. I am very impressed with how the system works, when used correctly. It is important to know what physiological level you are at, then to train appropriately. Daniels uses a system of tables so that the athlete can determine his/her fitness level based on race performances, and then train at appropriate times for the given distance. While our distance team used this program for track & field, it also could be adapted to a cross country program.

This book is probably most valuable for someone who has a decent background with distance/middle distance running already, although I have found that the system is flexible enough so that the workouts can be incorporated into an individual's own training regimine. My track coach used an adapted version of Daniel's training plan, and it was very sucessful overall. During my senior year of high school I was able to take about 20 seconds off my 1600m time during the course of the season, and my teammates had similar results.

Why is Daniels so effective? Because he bases his method off of principals of exercise physiology. When the body undergoes stress, it will react accordingly, and adapt over time. This system make it possible to train intelligently and effectively without stressing the body excessively, thus causing injury or negative results. Daniels focuses on both aerobic and anaerobic training, as well as running economy, so that all the systems of the body will be prepared for peak race performance.

I recommend this book to anyone who desire to improve his/her race times while maximizing the effectiveness of their training sessions.

If you're considering buying this book, you're probably either a runner/coach, or hoping to become one. In either case, I definitely suggest getting this book. It goes from covering the most basic information about training philosophies and how to train efficiently to more complex training schedules, for people running any distance from a mile to a marathon. I have used it to create a training schedule for both my first two marathons, and I will continue to use it as the backbone to any future marathon training.

The method represented is the most straightforward, tried and true way to become a better running. Seriously, if you wanna learn how to run faster for any distance event, get this book!

Alhough there are some printing errors that I found and have been confirmed by the editors; this is an excellent book. As a runner the errors are easily recognized and aren't of any big concern. Reprinting of the book I was told will not happen in the immediate future.

This book will simply improve your race times. It is well written and clear, yet with enough leeway in it's presentation as to be suitable for all runners. If you buy one book on running, this one is it.

I consider Jack Daniels' Running Formula my running bible. I have read it 5 times and will likely read it again a couple more times. In addition, I refer to it on a weekly basis (VDOT's, time charts).

The good:

* He describes the types of running, the frequencies, the intensity that they should be ran at "immaculately".

* I love the pace charts and the predicted racing times, they are "dead-on".

* Book is packed with his extensive experience and knowledge (definitely not one of those books to make a quick buck !!!).

The bad:

* He is not the best writer (but the information is great)

Caveats:

* I would say his book is for serious runners (40++ miles a week)

* I would highly recommend using a heart rate monitor. Basing the
VDOT on easy, tempo and race pace can easily lead to injury since your intensity may creep up (the HR monitor does not lie !!!).

* I take his long run rule with a grain of salt (max 25% of weekly mileage). Maybe this applies to 80 mile+ runners, but if you are like me and train 50-60 miles a week and run marathons this seams not helpful.

Coach Daniels presents a clear guide to training with stated reasons for each type of run that I have not seen else where. He definately has a good track record as a coach. He allows the reader to prepare running schedules with a definate purpose for each week and each run. Not as simplistic as most books on running. Highly recommended among running books.

It is amazing how many bad books on running are out there. This book is one of the better ones I have read. It defines various types of training speeds and their purposes. They are E(easy), T(Tempo), I(Interval) and R(Repetition). It goes on to tell you exactly how fast and how long to train at your current fitness level. The premise behind this is that you should try to get the most for your training, and you can do this by training at the correct intensity and duration. This is useful for training efficiently and preventing overtraining. Even casual runners like myself can benefit from this book.

My running library contains more than 20 books and I rate this one the best. It offers a truly scientific way of training. Each and every point is thoroughly explained. A book like this is an absolute delight for the thinking runner who not only wants to know what to do, but also why. The book is very practical too, as the instructions are distilled into just a few tables - all easy to use. You will learn Daniels' proven methods to improve endurance, lactate threshold, VO2Max and mechanical running speed. The real beauty of this book is that it can be used by elite runners and slow beginners alike; the tables accommodate all runners and tell us exactly what to do based on our recent race times. If I could choose only two books on running, it would be this one and The Lore of Running by Dr Tim Noakes.