Are you bored of just going on runs without a certain goal? Perhaps it is time to enter a race. Running races is a great way for runners to measure their condition, compare it to the past, and hopefully gauge a center amount of improvement. Being able to set goal times and eventually being able to hit them can be an extremely rewarding experience. However, you never want to enter a race without proper preparation for the pace you plan to run; you risk injuring yourself. The key is training.

If you had the chance to be coached by a man who was deemed “World’s Best Running Coach” by Runner’s World, would you take it? Of course. Unfortunately, said coach, Jack Daniels, does not have the time to coach every runner in the world. (Who would have thought of that?) However, he did take the time to write a book, Daniels’ Running Formula, which is well worth the $20 tab it typically runs. Daniels’ Running Formula includes proven programs to prepare for an 800m run, a marathon, and all the other races in between. This book can be useful for any skill level: beginners to accomplished runners. Daniels is concerned with all of the major questions relating to an athlete’s training needs:

• What is the runner’s current level of fitness?
• How many weeks the runner have before the race?
• How much time does the runner have per day?
• What are the runner’s strengths and weaknesses, regarding speed, endurance, aerobic capacity, economy, and reactions to different mileages?
• What is the length of the race?
• If multiple races are being run throughout the program, what is the typical interval between then?
• What other limiting conditions must be considered (weather, facilities, and opportunities)?

In Daniels’ Running Formula, he attempts (successfully) to provide a program that will address any runner’s specific needs. Thus, no matter what distance a runner is training for or what condition the runner starts in, Daniels’ Running Formula will be a useful tool for the runner’s training. It’s no wonder that coaches across the nation use his method, and you can too!