Running Fast and Injury Free
By
Woody Green
of
RUNNERS NICHE
Gordon Pirie, a top British distance runner and coach, wrote this book
before his death in 1991, but it has only recently been available. It
is published privately by the editor, Dr John S Gilbody.
Pirie was never one to avoid controversy, and this is part of the
reason the book is privately published. For instance, Pirie believed
that shoe companies design and develop shoes that actually inhibit
correct running technique, and contribute to what he called an "injury
epidemic." This is not a position that many publishers would be anxious
to promote.
The book outlines his fundamentals for running form, correct shoe style
and fit, race strategy, interval training, weight training, diet and
vitamins. Some of his advice runs contrary to popular opinion, such as
his insistence that all runners should be forefoot strikers, and not
allow their heel to land first with each stride. His feeling was that
static stretching, the mainstay of most modern flexibility programs,
could cause injuries rather than prevent them. He also was a huge
proponent of interval training, with example workouts from his own
training such as: 54 x 400 meters in 64 seconds with 45 seconds jog
rest. Hardly mainstream, but he did win a silver medal in the 1956
Olympic 5,000 and set five world records in his career.
This book may not replace "Gallway's Book on Running" for basic running
advice, especially for the novice runner, but it is an interesting and
thought provoking piece of work. If you value looking at things from
differing perspectives and feel that it is good to occasionally test
your beliefs against other points of view, this book is definitely for
you. I highly recommend this for serious runners, especially those with
an interest in the history of training technique.
Runner's Niche Book Rating: 5 out of 5 possible winged feet.
Ordering information:
Dr John S Gilbody
One Rookswood Close
Hook
Hampshire RG27 9EU
ENGLAND
For delivery of the book airmail to the US enclose $25.00 (i.e.
all-inclusive price; US cash, check or IMO accepted, but not credit
card). For orders within the UK and Europe the all-in cost is UKŁ13.00.
For Australia/New Zealand the all-in airmail cost is Aus$40.00
(Australian checks are okay).
