The Non-Runner-s Marathon Trainer Description:

The Non-Runner's Marathon Trainer review:
5 stars (Essential training aid for first time Marathoners!) - I bought this book after deciding to run my first marathon (ran 3 miles runs casually prior to training) and just came across it while browsing. It's worth its weight in gold and then some. I am following a training program separate from the one in the book (mine is a 3 day a week) but the information in each chapter on mental and physical preparation (and expections for the week) has been right on the mark. I think that the book's best quality is the emphasis it places on mental preparation and techniques to use during runs. I've learned through doing that training to run a marathon is more mental than physical...and I assume that will hold for October 30th when I do the Marine Corps Marathon. I am not overstating it when I say I will owe my confidence and solid preparation in large part to this book. As some mentioned in other reviews, the actual layout of the book could use some work, but I just dog-ear the important pages so I can turn to them quickly.
5 stars (Invaluable) - This book lives up to its title. It truly outlines for the *average* person, how to prepare for a marathon. It includes how tos from the pros and testimonials and tips from novice runners who have used the book and class to run a marathon. I am currently using it to train and can't believe how well I am doing with its help! I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to do something memorable like run in a marathon but never thought they could do it because of age, weight, physical condition, or even not liking to run.
5 stars (This book changed my life!!) - I bought this book about a month ago, pretty much on a whim. I thought, "What the heck! I'm 26, I'm not getting younger, might as well try to do something huge while I still have health and youth." So I figured, why not a marathon? I am still in the first parts of the training, but already I have seen INCREDIBLE results! I never really ran at all before. But I went out and bought $100 shoes, some socks and workout clothes, and started in on the pretraining schedule. (NOTE: This training takes 16 weeks, IF you're already able to run 30 minutes non-stop. I couldn't. So I started out with the pretraining schedule in the Introduction). The first week was rough, but that weekend, I read ahead, and learned about a breathing technique. The NEXT DAY, I doubled the amount of time that I could run. I increased that by half again, a week later. Last night, I doubled what I ran two days ago. This book is amazing. Combined with the determination to run through the hard spots (and boy, have there been some of those. Already.), you will learn practical techniques that will change the way you look at running. I have never felt such an amazing sense of accomplishment as I did last night. I WILL be running a marathon. I can do it. And I never would have realized that, if I hadn't spent the $12 on this book.