Book Review "Relentless Forward Progress"

So you have not had enough of my rambling this month, huh???

I don't do a lot of book reviews, but its the topic of the day (#NHBPM) and I have been using this book to get ready for the R2R2R.

So here goes my best shot.

"Relentless Forward Progress: A Guide to Running Ultra Marathons", by Bryon Powell is a great guide for runners and coaches.

I don't write in technical terms and I hate reading books that are too technical.  I pretty much think that stuff should be in research journals that someone else reads and then writes an article that I can read (or someone just tells me about it during a really long run)...

This book is written so that even I can understand it (and that's saying something).

I love how Bryon (I've read this book enough times that I think I can call him by his first name) has enlisted the help of other ultra runners to discuss different topics.  He even has two top runners debate the pros and cons of speed work during training for ultras.

Even Beacon likes this book!

The cool stories from other ultra runners as well as several training plans really makes this a perfect book for someone that is getting started or someone that has been running a while and needs to tune up their training.

There are some really good training plans included in the book.  I'm a running coach and I work with a running coach, so it helps that I can take the plans and rework them for my goals and my abilities.  Bryon even talks about working with a coach in the book.

As much as I like the training plans, I find myself rereading the basic stuff even more.

Bryon covers nutrition, injury prevention, night running, altitude, cold weather and running in the heat.  It just helps to have a guide to some of the small details you have to know and have before taking on some of these huge races.

The book is funny too (in that ultra runner kind of sick way).  I mean really, there's no way I could stay focused long enough if he didn't put some humor in the book.

The book is available on Amazon.com (that's where I bought it) or on his very cool web site www.IRunFar.com .

Check it out or let me know what you think about this book or any other book you think I should read.

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