Daniels´ Running Formula
By
Woody Green
of
RUNNERS NICHE
Jack Daniels has long been recognized as a leader in the
areas of physiological research and coaching. His teams at
State University of New York at Cortland have won 7 NCAA
Division III titles, and he has advised top runners such as
Penny Werthner, Jim Ryun, Alberto Salazar, Joan Samuelson,
Doug Padilla and Ken Martin.
His new book outlines what he believes to be the four basic
foundations of a strong training program. He lays out a
general plan that will bring the runner into the best
possible race condition when he or she wishes to peak for a
special race. He advises that the "training season" be
broken into four periods, ideally of six weeks each, but
variable according to the runners needs and yearly schedule
of competition.
If this all sounds somewhat geared to a scholastic runner
preparing for the league championships or an elite runner
training to peak at the national meet, you would be right.
Daniels works with elite runners on the college, national
and international level, and that bias is definitely
evident in his book. While not a book for the beginning
runner, the advice is sound and could help the average
runner to plan a workout program that will truly maximize
their racing potential.
Throughout the book it is emphasized that each runner is an
individual, and each must have a separate, unique training
plan. I found this a fresh break from training books that
simply lay out a one-size-fits-all program for every
runner. Advice is given at the end of the book for
specialized training according to a runner's preferred
racing distance, which should be helpful in individualizing
a runner's program and taking advantage of specific
strengths.
Particular strong points of this work are the detailed
scientific explanation of running physiology and the theory
behind specific training schemes and workout types.
Extensive tables and graphs present this information in a
clear manner that does not require a particularly
scientific mind to understand. The writing is generally
plain English and easy to digest. Only very occasionally
did I find the book to become bogged down in scientific
discourse.
Some people may find Daniels to be a bit of an elitist. He
refers to an entire classification of runners as those who
are less talented and who will always be frustrated by
their inability to achieve at the level they desire to.
Some may find his tone a bit opinionated, as well. I found
this to be a mild annoyance, but the information in the 286
pages of this book is valuable to any and all serious
runners, especially those looking to be as competitive as
possible.
RUNNER'S NICHE BOOK RATING: 4 1/2 out of a possible 5
winged feet.
