In Natural Running, Abshire explains how modern running shoes distort the efficient running technique that humans evolved over thousands of years. He reviews the history of running shoes and how changing technologies have influenced running form and the incidence of overuse injuries. Abshire makes the case for the barefoot running style but warns that barefoot running comes with its own dangers. By learning the natural running technique, runners can enjoy both worlds—comfortable feet, knees, and legs and an efficient running form that reduces impact and injuries.

Natural Running teaches runners to think about injuries as symptoms of poor running form. Abshire specifies the overuse injuries that are most commonly associated with particular body alignment problems, foot types, and form flaws. Runners will learn how to analyze and identify their own characteristics so they can start down the path to natural running.

Abshire explains the natural running technique, describing the posture, arm carriage, cadence, and land-lever-lift foot positioning that comprise the barefoot running style. Runners transition from heel striking to a midfoot or forefoot strike, which studies show is how the body evolved to run. So that runners can relearn this more natural running gait, Abshire offers an 8-week transition plan, complete with a tool kit of strength and form drills that build and maintain the musculature required for natural running.

Natural Running is the newest way to run and also the oldest. By discovering how they were meant to run, runners will become more efficient, stronger, and healthier runners.

“Abshire is one of the leading voices in the current natural running revolution.” — Danny Dreyer, author of ChiRunning

“Danny brings a simple, sensible approach to transforming your running. His knowledge of running form and biomechanics can help all runners become more efficient.” — Mark Allen, six-time Ironman® World Champion, and co-author of Fit Soul, Fit Body: 9 Keys to a Healthier, Happier You

Danny Abshire is a passionate lifelong runner and cofounder of Newton Running, where he has spent 10 years designing and refining Newton Running shoes. As a longtime running form coach and injury expert, he has worked closely with thousands of athletes, from beginners to Olympic elites, helping them improve their running form and technique. Brian Metzler is Senior Editor for Running Times and has written about endurance sports for Runner’s World, Triathlete, Inside Triathlon, Men’s Health, Men’s Journal, and Outside.

VeloPress is an endurance sports and fitness publisher with books on cycling, triathlon, running, nutrition and diet, and the histories and personalities of our sports. VeloPress is the book-publishing division of Competitor Group, Inc., which publishes Triathlete, Inside Triathlon, and Competitor magazines and produces the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon and Half-Marathon series.

Copyright 2011 VeloPress All rights reserved

This new book is now available in bookstores, running shops, and online. Please learn more and preview the contents at velopress.com/runningdoc.

 Racing the Boston Marathon: Your Race Day Plan

 The best way to have a good day at Boston is to stick to your training plan. Don’t do anything new! Instead, approach the marathon in the same way that you handled each training run. Of course, you may be nervous and excited, and that adrenaline may carry you to the finish line in record time. But don’t let your emotions get the best of you, and don’t let any doubts about your readiness lead you into rash, last-minute decisions. If you’ve trained and prepared well, then you’ve done everything right to get ready for this special day. Enjoy yourself, and keep the following guidelines in mind.

Race as you trained. On race day morning, eat and drink as you did during your training.

Take a baby aspirin. As long as your doctor approves, take one baby aspirin (81 mg) on race morning to help avoid cardiac problems.

Limit caffeine. Keep your caffeine intake below 200 mg; that’s about 2 cups of coffee.

Hit the port-o-potty. When you get to the race venue, immediately get in line for the port-o-potty! This may sound funny, but clearing your waste prior to the start makes good sense. The excitement and anticipation of the event will make you want to clear that waste at some point; doing it before you start may help you avoid looking for a place along the route. 

Do “the salt.” Lick one fast-food packet of salt right before you start and carry a second packet for consumption halfway through.

Obey your body’s signs of thirst. At fluid stations along the race route, drink no more than 1 cup (8 ounces) of fluid every 20 minutes while walking/running. Drink based on your thirst level. Although it’s okay to drink plain water in the early miles, you should consume sports beverages after 30 minutes of continuous exertion. During your training, you found out what works best for you. Stick to that plan unless race conditions are vastly different from your training  mileage. Gauge the distance between fluid stations, and decide beforehand whether or not you should bring and carry your own sports drink. Every race is different. Be prepared.

Water is usually offered at the first tables at a fluid station, with sports beverages usually served near the end of the station. If you choose to drink while moving through the stations, squeeze the top of the cup into a “V” shape to create a smooth delivery of fluid directly into your mouth. If you decide instead to stop and drink, please get out of the way of other participants. Drink only what quenches your thirst; do not over-drink!

Use gels only if you are used to them. If you’ve used gels during your training, continue to use them as part of your normal routine. Do not consume more than usual on race day. Again, do not try anything new!

Finish “the salt.” Halfway through the event, lick the second fast-food packet of salt.

Don’t be afraid to seek aid. If you feel sick or are having pain that causes you to change your running/walking style, stop at a medical aid station. At these stations, volunteer physicians and medical personnel are there to help you. Take advantage of these free services to ensure a healthy and successful finish. 

After You Finish

After the race, make sure to do the following:

Walk to cool down. After crossing the finish line, walk, walk, and walk some more. It is important that your blood flow goes back from your legs to the rest of your body. The blood that has been naturally directed to your legs during the event now needs to get back to your stomach before you eat and drink.

Drink after you have cooled down. After walking for about 10–15 minutes, get something to drink (water, sports drink). Although it may be tempting, hold off on consuming alcoholic beverages until later in the evening if you feel so inclined (if you are over the age of 21).

Eat after drinking. After you can keep fluid down normally, grab something to eat. Try bananas, tomato juice, peanut butter and jelly  sandwiches, orange juice, chocolate milk, or the scientific recovery drink you practiced with during training.

Take care of any medical concerns. If you have any medical concerns or questions, go to a medical aid station and inquire before leaving the venue. There are volunteer physicians and medical personnel available to help you. Take advantage of this free service.

Steer clear of the massage table for at least two hours. Do not have a post-event massage within the first two hours of finishing the race. Research has shown that the lactic acid built up in muscles needs that time to “buffer” back to a neutral pH so as not to cause further damage and post-event soreness. Having a light massage between two and eight hours after event completion has proven to be beneficial in preventing post-event soreness, so book an appointment with a local therapist during that window of time. Do not have deep tissue work for at least three to five days after an endurance event, for the same reasons.

No new stretches. Your post-race muscles are fragile. If you put them through a stretch they’re not used to, you can easily injure them. 

Avoid a hot shower right after the race. At home (or at the hotel) avoid taking a hot shower. A hot shower will only increase inflammation of stressed muscles and joints. Most sports physicians recommend a cool shower or iced bath (add ice cubes to your bath) or an ice massage to cool down muscles and reduce inflammation.

Eat a balanced meal. After you return home (or to the hotel), have a nice lunch. This should be a well-balanced meal in which the majority of the total calories are carbohydrates. However, don’t forget to consume at least 20 percent of the total calories from protein sources in order to give you the amino acids that you need to repair your muscles.

Restart NSAIDs after six hours. Six hours after you have finished, and once you are able to drink without nausea or vomiting, have urinated once, and feel physically and mentally back to normal, you can use your favorite headache, anti-inflammatory, or pain reliever that your doctor has recommended.

Congratulations! And now it’s time to think about your next event.

 In Natural Running, Abshire explains how modern running shoes distort the efficient running technique that humans evolved over thousands of years. He reviews the history of running shoes and how changing technologies have influenced running form and the incidence of overuse injuries. Abshire makes the case for the barefoot running style but warns that barefoot running comes with its own dangers. By learning the natural running technique, runners can enjoy both worlds-comfortable feet, knees, and legs and an efficient running form that reduces impact and injuries.

 Natural Running teaches runners to think about injuries as symptoms of poor running form. Abshire specifies the overuse injuries that are most commonly associated with particular body alignment problems, foot types, and form flaws. Runners will learn how to analyze and identify their own characteristics so they can start down the path to natural running.

Abshire explains the natural running technique, describing the posture, arm carriage, cadence, and land-lever-lift foot positioning that mimic the barefoot running style. Runners transition from heel striking to a midfoot or forefoot strike, which studies show is how the body evolved to run. So that runners can relearn this more natural running gait, Abshire offers an 8-week transition plan, complete with a tool kit of strength and form drills that build and maintain the musculature required for natural running.

Natural Running is the newest way to run and also the oldest. By discovering how they were meant to run, runners will become more efficient, stronger, and healthier runners.

“Abshire is one of the leading voices in the current natural running revolution.” – Danny Dreyer, author of ChiRunning

“Danny brings a simple, sensible approach to transforming your running. His knowledge of running form and biomechanics can help all runners become more efficient.” – Mark Allen, six-time Ironman® World Champion, and co-author of Fit Soul, Fit Body: 9 Keys to a Healthier, Happier You

Natural Running: The Simple Path to Stronger, Healthier Running by Danny Abshire with Brian Metzler Paperback, 6″ x 9″, 200 pp., $18.95, 978-1-934030-65-3

Danny Abshire is a passionate lifelong runner and cofounder of Newton Running, where he has spent 10 years designing and refining Newton Running shoes. As a longtime running form coach and injury expert, he has worked closely with thousands of athletes, from beginners to Olympic elites, helping them improve their running form and technique. Brian Metzler is Senior Editor for Running Times and has written about endurance sports for Runner’s World, Triathlete, Inside Triathlon, Men’s Health, Men’s Journal, and Outside.

VeloPress is an endurance sports and fitness publisher with books on cycling, triathlon, running, nutrition and diet, and the histories and personalities of our sports. VeloPress is the book-publishing division of Competitor Group, Inc., which publishes Triathlete, Inside Triathlon, and Competitor magazines and produces the Rock ‘N’ Roll Marathon and Half-Marathon series.

Women make up the fastest-growing demographic in endurance sports, especially in the red-hot sport of triathlon. According to USA Triathlon, women now comprise nearly 40% of participants in the sport. Sally Edwards’s inspiring career and tireless work have been major forces bringing women into triathlon. “Sally Edwards is women’s triathlon!”, says Maggie Sullivan, director of the two largest women’s triathlon series.

In Triathlons for Women, Sally shares her experiences to prepare women physically and mentally for their first triathlon. Sally guides women from the first day of training to race day, with plenty of personal encouragement along the way. Triathlons for Women leaves no question unanswered, from workouts to the transition zone to the most common question of all-what to wear.

Triathlons for Women has everything women need to get started. With this book, women can:
* Begin training with a comprehensive 8-week training plan
* Keep training fun with a wide variety of workouts
* Improve technique with simple drills for swimming, cycling, and running
* Follow Sally’s commonsense advice for better nutrition

Sally Edwards has seen hundreds of thousands of women launch a happier, healthier life by finishing their first triathlon. Triathlons for Women will help women realize their goals, whether they include getting fit, getting fast, or taking on a longer race.

Triathlons for Women, 4th Ed. by Sally Edwards with forewords by Karen Smyers and Maggie Sullivan Paperback with 2-color interior. Charts, tables and illustrations throughout.
6″ x 9″, 296 pp., $19.95, 978-1-934030-40-0

Sally Edwards is a celebrated figure in the sport of triathlon. She was one of the first women to race the Ironman(r) and finished 16 Ironman races. She held the Ironman world masters record, helped to found USA Triathlon, and was inducted into the Triathlon Hall of Fame. Sally holds two MBAs, has written over 20 books, and founded the internationally franchised Heart Zones(r) fitness coaching company. Sally was for 20 years the spokesperson and final finisher of the Danskin Women’s Triathlon Series and is now the Chief Inspiration Officer of the Trek Women Triathlon Series. For more information, please visit www.TheSallyEdwardsCompany.com.

VeloPress is an endurance sports and fitness publisher with books on cycling, triathlon, running, swimming, nutrition and diet, yoga, and the histories and personalities of our sports. VeloPress authors are highly qualified, trusted experts. Our training books help both serious athletes and beginners to build skills and fitness while our human interest books inspire greater appreciation of our sports. For more information, please visit www.VeloPress.com

Living the active lifestyle doesn’t always leave time to shop for and prepare great meals. But for fuel-starved endurance athletes, there is no substitute for real food.

In The Athlete’s Plate, professional chef and endurance athlete Adam Kelinson makes preparing great meals a pleasure. Kelinson guides readers through the grocery store and farmer’s market, teaching how to shop locally and in season. In the kitchen, he supplies 85 delicious recipes designed for quick and easy preparation.

The Athlete’s Plate offers a no-nonsense approach to food, making it easy to eat well. Kelinson explains the principles of sports nutrition and how a seasonal, whole-foods shopping strategy meshes with the endurance sports lifestyle.

The Athlete’s Plate offers a worry-free way to balanced nutrition, incorporating all the nutrients athletes need to fuel and recover for training and racing.
Paperback. Photographs, charts, and tables throughout.

Visit www.velopress.com for more

About Adam Kelinson

Adam Kelinson is an athlete, a three-time Ironman, and the creator of Organic Performance, a multi-dimensional consulting company for a lifestyle of optimal nutrition and fitness, as well as SunPower Organics, its companion product line. He is a private chef and nutrition consultant for athletes, business executives, and celebrities. He has written on diet and nutrition for TrailRunner, Inside Triathlon, xtri.com, Dietwatch.com, and is the Nutritional Director for the Silverman Full Distance Triathlon.