Athletics Books

I love this book!!!! I have only had it for 1 week and I have felt motivated and read some great tips for just about anything you can think of. A great read for runners/joggers of any level.

This book is good for all runners: one who is just beginning or one ready to run a marathon. I am somewhere in between so this was perfect for me. I appreciate the women specific info. Good book to reference often during your training.

This is to much book for a lot of useless information. Most of the info is general info most people already know. Even if they haven't run before. I suggest you Pass on this one.

This book is great for getting you off the couch and out into the running world! The author includes her own personal stories of her running adventures and makes you feel like you can do anything. And best of all, it's written by a woman for women: young and old, fat and skinny, runners and non-runners alike. I started with the beginning running program and I can already run 5 minutes at a time! That might not sound like a lot to most people, but I have asthma and I never thought it would be possible. I'm hoping to try my first 5k next year!

I was so looking forward to getting this book. And I was disappointed. It is ok but not quite "a complete book of running" I had taken about 9 months off of running due to pregnancy and was hoping to get motivated again. This book just kind of fell short. I think a "complete book of running" should include some routines, that could help all levels of runners (not just the marathoners that are mentioned) and more specific diet advice. More advice on building endurance etc etc. I think this caters to marathoners and just the novice beginners. I have seen better articles written in fitness magazines!

Reviewed by Reina Santana for Reader Views (11/08)

Dean Karnazes will inspire anyone to get out and run. In this book, he shares how he completed fifty marathons in fifty days. His stories made me feel as if I was part of a ¡°running family.¡± Dean¡¯s writing style is friendly and informative; it made me feel confident about my running goals. Running a marathon no longer seems like a far-fetched dream, but a doable goal that I can reach if I don¡¯t give up and I¡¯m willing to work hard.

Dean shares valuable tips on how to become a better runnerþu the practical advice is perfect for anyone. He taught me that it was okay to adapt and change my workout routine to reach optimum performance, because what works for one person may not always work for me. I love the running, nutrition, and apparel tips that are sprinkled throughout the book, and was pleasantly surprised to find a ¡°Beginner¡¯s Marathon-Training Plan¡± and a ¡°Personal-Best Marathon Training Plan¡± at the end of the book. I was also impressed by the overall message to work hard and focus on running as an enjoyable activity. From now on, I will set goals, but will not forget to have fun as I work hard to achieve them.

¡°50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days þu and How You Too Can Achieve Super Endurance!¡± by Dean Karnazes will aid and inspire runners of all abilities.

Likely you saw Dean Karnazes on the news promoting his 50 marathons in 50 days. I remember watching him thinking "is this guy crazy?" For the majority of us, completing even one marathon would be a lifelong goal achieved. Here this guy is looking to do not one or two runs in a season but 50 without even a day of rest. Like many people, I wondered why this person would even trey such a feat. In fact, was it even possible?

So when I got a chance to review 50/50, I jumped at the chance. By some standards, Dean Karnazes is a little abnormal. I say so, mostly because of his ability to endure 50 days of traveling, running a marathon, being interviewed, and then traveling again before getting only a few hours sleep. Just keeping the body going at that pace would be difficult enough. Add in some jet lag, a cold, and a scary fall. It's pretty amazing.

What I liked most about this story is that this man seemed like a real person. He's definitely more athletic and driven than most people but all of us have the ability to make better choices and push ourselves just a bit more than we thought possible. Absolutely inspiring.

How this man is not a dull boring freak I don't know, but he's not. He writes in a light hearted, easy to take in way about an enterprize that is plainly incredibly tough. Like his earlier book about running at night, this is detailed enough if you are after info, but dramatic and enjoyable about his epic journey too. It just never tires-rather like him! He is like a Duracell bunny to those of you who watch adverts on English TV. Good Job, Deano!

Very interesting and entertaining book. Not as enthralling as UltraMarathonMan, but a solid second book from Karnazes.

I purchased Dean's book, having run #47 in Wilmington DE with Dean, I looked forward to this book and what I assumed would be some interesting detailed description of the 26.2 "events". Instead what you get is often just rambling about life, running etc - from Dean's perspective of course. Nothing new unless you are a novice runner.
The chapter that supposedly starts with the Deleware marathon contains ZERO details of the day - instead you get how busy everyone's life is and how you have to "find time" to exercise - not very enlightening stuff to say the least. Had I known the content/ format of this book I would have definitely passed on it.

I'm a big fan of this book, and I think it's excellent for a beginner. I've used lots of machine weights, but I'd never really used free weights before. The book has given me lots of confidence in working with free weights and pushing my workout boundaries. I like the variety in exercises provided, and I appreciate the 30 day plan that lays out a month of workouts that alternate between upper and lower body. The author makes sure every workout balances the weight exercises so that you're working a complete set of muscles.

The one downside to the book (and the reason for only four stars) is that the book does not have information for advancing further in the weight lifting. If you want to keep lifting dumbbells, it's fine, but I'd also like to move into bar weights. While I don't expect the book to cover these as well, I do wish the author had made some further recommendations for continued weight lifting.

I really thought this book pretty good for someone that was just looking to tone up and learn a few new excersises. It is noto for a workout buff that already has alot of knowledge though. It has alot of stuff in that most people would already know or do in the gym so you really wouldn't be learning anything. Overall, I did like it though becuase I was not very knowledgable on dumbell work outs and I really enjoy doing them.

I have many weight training books for women but this book is always in my gym bag and has gone with me to many gyms over the years. My copy is very loved and very used. The layout of this book is easy to follow. The first chapters concentrate on motivation and getting you prepared for weight training.

The stretching, ab and weight exercises have gray edges so you can reference them quickly and not fumble through the book. My favorite feature is her recipes. A workout recipe consists of your instructions for the day. It gives the number of the exercise and with that number you go to the gray pages to look up that exercise.

Each exercise has one to two pages dedicated to it to instruct you about how to do the exercises. The reader will be informed on form and technique. She also gives a chart of how many reps to do for beginner, intermediate and advanced.

The charts and other great features in the book are very easy to follow. Charts/features in the book include:

-Prices for different types of dumbbells (she tells you how to build your weight set for under $100)
-BMI chart
-Aerobic calorie burn
-body evaluation log (body measurements)
-daily dumbbell workout schedule
-exercise readiness questionnaire
-FAQ section.

I don't prefer machines when it comes to weight training. I want the resistance and the strength I get from the combination of me and the weights. The day by day plans are easy to follow and sometimes it doesn't even take me 30 minutes. I feel great and accomplished when I finish a recipe. I can do this at home or at the gym and don't need any fancy equipment.

I've fallen in love with the fantastic books (smart girls and muscle your way) and I've just discovered that judith has a health and fitness blog with a wealth of information. Not only that, but you can ask her questions about her books and fitness and she'll write you a personal response! Check it out at

[...]

Get started weight training and keep at it with this great workout guide for women. Learn various exercises and be inspired to stick with it.

You're serious about trying a triathlon. You've started collecting URLs, articles, books. You're getting a lay of the land.

"Breakthrough Triathlon Training" is a must-have for your library.

Yes, the repetitious messages may drive you a little nuts. But as with any successful advertising or propaganda message delivery, the signal gets through. Curse Brad Kearns for telling yet another story to make the same point. But after you've tossed the book onto the couch and you're out running, biking or swimming? You'll REMEMBER his points.

And his points are great.

Just yesterday...

I'm trail running with weights. Typically I run into the park, do two of my "standard loops," and run out. 75 minutes. Great aerobic workout.

Yesterday, per Kearns' philosophy I ran the 2nd loop with the mindset, "I'll go round, but in a way that if I choose to run a 3rd loop I'll be able to." And so I did.

At the end of loop 2? I felt great. I decided to run a 3rd loop which I only occasionally do. And -- I did loop 3 with the attitude, "Who knows, I may decide to do a 4th loop."

At the end of loop 3? I went for a 4th loop. I've never done this before. I've never run that distance, nor run for that length of time (2.5 hours).

And if felt great.

Brad Kearns' is onto something and I don't think it's coincidence that his triathlon book has an intro by Lance Armstrong while other books don't.

To repeat my message: this book needs to be part of your library. It'll give you the right mind-set for training. You can get all the OCD info you need elsewhere. But unlike those with only the OCD minutiae, you'll have a much better sense of how to apply it and apply it in a healthy manner.

Dr. Kirtland C Peterson

I agree with one of the previous reviewers who summed up the book -- the basic advice is to listen to your body, but other than that, it really doesn't offer that much. Worth reading if you're tired and plateauing (i.e., overtraining), but other than that, doesn't offer much.

After reading many so so books on training for triathlons this book spoke to me. Being a beta type personality I loved the macro, kicked back approach he took to training. It was just what I'd been looking for. Keeping it fun. Thanks, Brad

This book is easy reading, chock full of anecdotal evidence from the arena of ultra-competitive triathletes. And while it acknowledges that the reader is probably more of a casual athlete, the book offers little concrete advice. Rather, Kearns prefers to let you go your own way, using overarching (vague) advice streams.

The main ideas in the book can be summed up rather neatly:
1) Train only for the enjoyment of reaching "peak performance." The author calls this "pure motivation".
2) Aerobic training is the indispensible base for triathletes - anaerobic training must come second and be built upon the long-distance training you accumulate and maintain over time.
3) Rest adequately between "key workouts," the workouts that push your limits, are planned fluidly around your life, etc.
4) Gradually intensify workouts as you become more fit. Do the workout that benefits you most. One suggestion: the 100/10 "brick" (ie 50 miles biking followed by a 5 mile run).

There, I saved you $10. This book is a GREAT mental guide for pursuing an enjoyable triathlon career but should be regarded as a companion to other books that can offer you more concrete information about training, especially if you're new to the sport.

I highly recommend this book to anyone participating in triathlon. Brad gives an interesting perspective that provides a contrasting view to the more is always better attitude prevalent in the sport. This book is particularly useful for newcomers, time challenged athletes or anyone stuck in a performance rut. Additionally, I found the Attitude and Philosophy section to contain some very helpful ideas on motivation that can be applied to both triathlon and life in general.

A great book, even if you're not a Duke fan! A perfect choice for busy people because it can be read a few minutes a day (or in one sitting if you're so inclined). Each short chapter describes a word which is important to success, not just on the basketball court, but in any endeavor. What elevates the book above the ordinary are the real-life situations and examples Coach K uses to illustrate each point. Makes a great choice as a gift with a personal touch for high school or college graduates.

Beyond Basketball is a collaborative effort by 2008 USA Basketball and current Duke University Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski and one of his three daughters, Jamie Krzyzewski Spatola. The National Bestseller is Coach Kzyzewski's third book and first after his successful "Leading with the Heart: Coach K's Successful Strategies for Basketball, Business, and Life (2001).

In 171 pages, Coach K shares his personal experiences and learning's as a coach, husband, father, friend, teacher, and leader through forty solitary words--Adaptability, Adversity, Balance, Belief, Care, Challenges, Collective Responsibility, Commitment, Communication, Courage, Crisis Management, Culture, Dependability, Empathy, Enthusiasm, Excellence, Failure, Family, Friendship, Fundamentals, Giving Back, Guidance, Imagination, Integrity, Learning, Love, Motivation, Next Play, Ownership, Passion, Poise, Pressure, Pride, Respect, Selflessness, Standards, Talent, Trust, Will, and Work.

Overall, the beauty of this book is that Coach Krzyzewski invites his readers to embark on a journey to write their own book using these forty words as a baseline. Coach K adds that by writing one's own personal experiences and learning's through these and other solitary words, these words would then hold a special meaning to that person.

So don't delay. Read Coach K, and start one today!

Coach Krzyzewski and his Daughter write a wonderfully inspiring book that is so true. Write-on Krzyzewski's!

As much as I loved this gem, Coach Krzyzewski's Leading with the Heart: Coach K's Successful Strategies for Basketball, Business, and Life is my all-time favorite motivational and taking responsibility book - ever written!

Coach K scores a 3 pointer with this book. Words indeed have power to lift up or to tear down. The coach lifts us up to new levels with his short chapters on important words to anyone who aspires to greatness. This is a well written and inspirational book that encourages us all to look at the words that shape a well lived life.

Coach K is a great leader and coach, he thinks beyond the apparent and tries to reach to the need, which many leaders do not ever seek to see. His insight is valuable.

I have run a few half marathons and decided to read this book as I began to consider running a full marathon. Regardless of what type of runner you are (beginner or agro athlete) this book contains inspirational stories ranging from everyday runners to elite runners. There is truly something for everyone in this book whether you want inspiration to run around your neighborhood block, a local 5K, or train for a full marathon. Highly recommended.

My running buddy told me about this book. We are both running our first marathons this year. This book made me laugh and cry and yet continued that "fear of the unknown" for my first marathon. The short narratives made it an easy read and a quick one, too.

The different stories show how common people took up running. There is wide range of marathon finishers and therefore it is easy to find somebody in the book you can relate too.
What this book does best is inspire those who contemplate running a marathon. I took up running a few months ago, slowly building up my mileage. The incredible stories in the book show me that indeed it is possible to run 26.2 miles, or even more for ultramarathons. At one point it becomes a matter of mind over matter. Beyong running, this book is about the incredible abilities that lie within each one of us if we give ourselves the right training and believe we can achieve what we've decided to do.

Interesting book for the first time reader. Not something that you will pick up and read over and over. As you get through several stories they actually get a little monotonous but it is still an interesting read. If you don't have to spend the money and can get it at the library, I would recommend that first.
Also, the dates of some of these runners stories are quite aged. Much of the book is like a history lesson where marathon running has come from over the past 70 years. Again interesting, but didn't do much for me.

I can only read one story every few days or else I start entertaining thoughts of running a marathon! Read one story at night before bed and you're sure to get up and run in the morning. It reminds you of all the good things about running- clearing your head, planning your day, getting away. It temps you with the pride and success you feel when you've accomplished something great- a marathon a hill or a problem in life.

After reading Joe Friel's Triathlete's Bible, this book looks like a puzzle. The information in it is very good, but is given in a so unstructured way, that the reader have to go back and forth to put the pieces together. It's a book that one who is getting prepared for Ironman should read, but not really needed if you have read the Bible from Friel.

This book is very informative and helpful to those making the transition to Half and Ironman distance tri's. I would have given this book a five star if I didn't already have Gale Bernhardt's training plans for multisport athletes. All the info in Going long is in Gale's book. They obviously consulted one another when writing their respective books. I recommend Gale's book if you plan on doing different distance Tri's. Joe's book is more specific to the Ironman distance athlete. Good luck and always ride with a tailwind.

Going Long: Training for Ironman-Distance Triathlons (Ultrafit Multisport Training Series)
is a superb book for any athlete (beginner or pro)! Specially I liked the chapter about the mental training for the Ironman competition. I only can recommend it! Happy training!

Is agood book to reed and ,you can extract many positive advise,good review on diet.

The problem when you start training for a long endurance event like the Ironman is that every second athlete has his or her own opinion and way of training. This confused me a lot.

I decided to seek some professional help and use this book to train for my first Ironman and I can honestly say this book is remarkable. The level of detail is intense, so you have to be patient and read some sections several times to really grasp and remember all the advice given in the chapters, i.e. nutrition, discipline-specific training techniques, etc.

You also need to apply the knowledge with some common sense, because it has been written with advice for every athlete from novice to elite. So make sure you know where you fall on the scale and what you want to achieve and use the advice that is applicable to you.

But, in general, I found the training principles in this book to be accurate and now that I have completed an Ironman I can say that they work. Lately I have discovered that many of the Ironman athletes I meet also used this book to train from.

So you can buy and use it with confidence. Good luck!

A thoroughly enjoyable and motivating read. This is a remarkable collection of exclusive interviews with the best American sports coaches of the last 40 years. The author has packed a voluminous amount of wisdom, inspiration and facts into what amounts to a road map to a good life. "How to Succeed in the Game of Life" is a brilliant compilation of advice that offers inspiration at every turn.

Game of Life is an insightful book on the thoughts of many of the world's best known coaches. It provides a biography on each of the 34 coaches (which I recommend reading first to gain a better appreciation of the field and achievements of each coach) and asks them a number of questions that can relate to both on the field and life in general. I have gathered a number of relavant quotes that I will use both personally and professionally. A highly recommended read for sporting buffs and managers.

After buying a copy of this book for both myself and my father I was thoroughly impressed. The book was both an easy read yet very informative. I gave a copy of the book to my father, who is not one to read a book, and he was so taken back by how interesting he felt the content was. He picked up the book in the morning and had it finished by mid afternoon. He must have called me 15 times to tell me how inspiring he felt it was and how he was amazed at "all the tricks it taught an old dog"...He thought he had heard all there was to hear about inspirational quotes. We were both pleasantly surprised with how well written the book was. Both my dad and I would highly recommend this book with two thumbs up.

Having read only excerpts, I was shocked to read that Tony Dungy was hired as head coach by the Indianapolis Colts in 2002 by owner Robert Irsay. Irsay had been dead for five years (longer than that mentally). Hopefully the rest of the book does not contain such shoddy information.

This book went through various questions about succeeding in life and listed all the responses from each coach. It was interesting but somewhat repetitive in that many said basically the same thing. I enjoyed reading this book because it had a lot of good advice from a lot of successful coaches. The advice I remember most is to work harder than anyone else, never quit, always be honest, do your best, failure is opportunity for a comeback, and be passionate about what you do. All of them agreed that making a lot of money does not mean you are successful, but money can be a by-product of being successful. The last chapter included short summaries about each coach. My favorite chapter was the one of their favorite quotes.

I recommend this book to anyone interested in philosophy, or who is looking for some advice or inspiration about success.

Karen Arelttaz Zemek, author of "My Funny Dad, Harry"

I am so glad that Kingsbury decided to continue the saga of the Reynolds family. Although I didn't enjoy this as much as A Time to Dance, I thought it was a great book. The one negative that I will say is that it was predictable. Overall it is another great by Kingsbury.

A Time to Embrace was a wonderful sequel to A Time to Dance. In this book Kingsbury shows us the importance of trusting in God through all of the seasons of life. A Time to Embrace stresses the concept that God's ways are not our ways. We need to trust Him no matter how devastating our situations are.

I found this book very real to life and inspiring. Although the average person doesn't often find themselves in such extreme circumstances as John and Abby in this book, individuals can relate to such situations in their own ways. I would recommend A Time to Embrace to anyone who might be doubting their faith in God or having difficulty understanding uncertain circumstances in their life. It will help uplift and refresh your spirits.

While I thought this was a good book, I felt that it was just another Kingsbury predictable story. There's always some grand tragedy in all of her books (I've read 90% of them), things always resolve themselves in a good way. A character is given a 1% chance of living and always does. I'm a huge believer in trusting in God and following his plan, but most things in her novels are wrapped up in pretty little packages.

I was also bothered by the times where she practically rewrites A Time to Dance since I already read it. I skipped over those parts (and there were too many of them to count). The plot lines are typical, someone is struck by tragedy, someone loses their faith, someone reconciles with someone else, and faith is gained again. It has happened in all of her novels that I've read so far. I, like most others, thought the Kade story line was irrelevant. No need to cram in every moral lesson in one story.

My husband said, "If it's so predictable, why read them? Haven't all of her stories been this way?" I'm the type that just can't stop reading a book and will push myself to get through it. I just read these because my mom bought them for me, and I didn't want to look ungrateful. I'm taking a break now!

The book is ok, but definetly not the best. Try the first couple of books on the Redemption series. No need to finish the series, though. It's just like all of the other books.

This book is a classic Karen Kingsbury. It is a tale of life today and how God can overcome anything. It is very faith inspiring.

I am a huge fan of Karen Kingsbury. As with all of her books, I found this one a real heart warming story, strong on faith. I have read many, many of her books and loved them all.

I guess I would be a bit bias, but this amazingly discriptive narrative really pulls you in to the book. My older Brother Thom DeZenzo was one the the captains of the Methuen Hockey team in 2000 and I recall the author very vividly. It was at my house that the team dyed their hair bleach blonde. The author truly captured all aspects of a team I knew personally.

This is a terrific memoir connecting three threads: the author's youth playing hockey, his work as a volunteer coach for his old high school hockey team, and his efforts to introduce his young son to hockey. The focus rarely leaves these three threads, making this one of the most well-structured memoirs I've read in years. In addition, the prose is lyrical and poetic, often in sharp contrast to the rough-and-tumble sport and the gritty neighborhood settings. (The reviewer who gave this book one star totally misses the point that a memoir *must* include the author as a major character. This is memoir, not journalism.) Highly recommended for everyone, not just hockey enthusiast, because of the great writing, sharp descriptions, connections between past/present/future, and wise reflections.

I don't really know what the Conn Smythe Trophy is- only hear them mention it during hockey highlights on TV. I never played hockey and I'm not a huge fan of the sport. But I am big fan of this book.

What 40-ish guy hasn't thought that he could go out and still compete with high school athletes? One could say Ice Time is a nostalgic look at the past (Atkinson's HS memories), or a hopeful look into the future (his son's), but I say it is about being present. That is appreciating who and where you are at the moment. Slowing life down an focusing on the present. There's lots of references to memories and how things come back to us, how much happens that seems significant at the time, but we never get the satisfaction of remembering it because it gets wiped from our brains.

Chapter 25 where J.A. describes a Xmas eve jog around his childhood neighborhood is a great example. This whole chapter is masterful writing. Most of the book is. He slips into vain self-indulgence as he describes all the goals he scores and cheerleaders he dates but the good parts make it well worth it. In many of the hockey game descriptions, I had to skip ahead because I couldn't wait to see if the Rangers won or lost the game. 4 3/4 stars.

When I first learned about this book, I was more than excited that someone had finally written book about high school hockey. I had already read the great accounts of high school sports in Friday Night Lights, and In These Girls, Hope Is A Muscle. Thirty pages into the book, I was more than impressed with the author's beautiful descriptions of Methuen, hockey, and his growing up in this area of New England.

Suddenly, things began to change, as I was now embedded in the author's autobiography of his past hockey and athletic exploits! He makes a very clear statement in the beginning that he doesn't want to be back in his high school years, but simply remember them. Oh, he does remember everthing and anything, and certainly lets the reader know of his dauntless exploits. Who really cares how many goals he scored on a frozen pond playing against a bunch of kids, or popping in nine goals in a pickup game with a senior group pretty much out of shape, or being one of the three stars in the annual JV intersquad scrimmage! Give me a break.

Atkinson managed to work his way into his old high school with the pretense of collecting background for his book. What he did was to live vicariously through this new Ranger team and maybe better his own team record of 5-15-1. He committed the inexcusable error of a writer; allowing your own life to intermingle and become part of what you were trying to write about.

As for the team, too bad Atkinson created an almost Neanderthal mentality and impression of these boys. The naive reader might think this is what hockey is all about, but what a terrible injustice to a group of athletes. As for the coaches, between the locker room expletives, bench outbursts during games, and the pre-game talks about "mating sperm whales" with your female goalie standing in the doorway, I feel this is a reasonable estimate of inappropiate juvenile behavior and thinking with some of the Methuen coaching staff.

At the end, as I struggled to finish his "memoirs," I had to laugh at his mention that he didn't feel quite the same and welcomed going back to Methuen High School after his year. They were probably happy he was finally gone. Typical of "volunteer" coaches or staff, their impression of what they are doing and accomplishing is usually far from reality. The author may have felt he was imparting "words of wisdom," and valuable pieces of experience to members of the team, but Mr. Bobb you really missed the target here. A sixteen, seventeen year-old boy barely hears the words of his parents, much less his teachers, and certainly nothing from a 42 year-old "want-to-be."

If you know anything about high school sports, and/or hockey, save yourself from this self-indulging book. Oh, by the way, why can I be so critical? I have just finished my 34th season coaching high school hockey, ninety-percent of it as a head varsity coach. Along with this, twenty-five years as a head varsity coach in two female sports, and thirty-six years as a high school classroom teacher have all allowed me to see just about everything. In my career, the players and teams of the past are in the books. Next season, all the pages start to be written again.

The author is constantly searching for emotional resonance and relevance, using events and information from the players', coaches and parents' lives, without ever really revealing much about his own life except in relation to his hockey playing. Yes, the absence of mention of Liam's mother is a very big gap and a weakness of the book, because the question is always there for the reader.