Not just for triathletes
919576
This is a great read for triathletes as well as anyone who is trying to better themselves at life. Many great takeaways to live by.
639687
Running an ultramarathon, and especially running 100 miles, is never an easy task but Gary presents a method and thought process of making it more bearable and even more enjoyable. The examples of both successes and failures are well told and well applied to what the Tao of Running is all about. A great read for those who run ultras and for those just interested in them. Highly recommended.
4347560
This book changed my approach to triathlon. Brings to light the most important thing in training....how to make triathlon sustainable in your life, and become something that fits into your life, as ultimatey, that's the best way for any athlete to be successful. It really does drown out the noise of our technology and data first approach....though all of that is in the book, it's just a part of it, and if you're staring at your power meter and tss you might be missing the bigger point. How to get better, and faster.
861231
As a triathlete, this book gets thrown into swim bags, gym bags and with a plastic covering on both sides it never gets wet from water or sweat! Enough space for all of my different exercises on the left side and on the right is a space for nutrition and goals... Amaze-Balls!
81147
Overall it's a good book but it's mostly for a beginning triathlete.  For an experienced swimmer, runner, or cyclist, the training plans aren't advanced enough.  I did like the chapter on nutrition which is a very important part of training.  On equipment, the book only describes the basics of what's needed.  To be better in this area the author should discuss the more important aspects of running shoes, bikes, and swim gear.  That way the reader could more easily understand what's important when buying the equipment to get the most benefit for the money spent.
535025
My dream is to be a tri-athlete and not a TRY athlete. Running is one of the major sports of being a tri-athlete and by the help and guidance of this book, I know entering my journey would not that be hard. It was a good read and informative.
4629116
I am a swim coach for Triathletes. This book certainly expanded my ability to refine my coaching and the program I have set up for them. Even though this book is not specifically for Triathletes, the information can me tailored to any swim program. Great asset to my swim books!
3879602
I am not the obvious person to read, (and to review), this book: male runner, veteran (master) 55-59 age group.  However, I race against women, I train with them, my wife is an occasional runner and my daughter runs to keep fit.  In short, you do not have to be of the female gender to appreciate this book's depth and value to the sport.  This book is written with women in mind but should be read by all of us with an interest in the sport and a wish to support our fellow female competitors and training companions.

The combination of Karp and Smith is perfect.  Karp is a physiologist and in 2011 was the Personal Trainer of the Year, voted by I.D.E.A.  He coaches at the highest level.  Smith is a renowned ultra-runner, having stepped up from shorter distances, and is a family diction and sports' medicine physician.

Their experience comes together in this readable, comprehensive book.  Written with all age groups and levels of performance in mind, "Running for Women" explains the physiology of women and gives clear guidance as to the types of training and racing which should be undertaken at each stage in the cycle.  The guidance is broken down in terms of age of the athlete, the number of "miles in the bank" and the impact on the runner of the athlete's menstrual cycle.

Throughout the book there are clear charts about training programmes, broken down into various categories.  There are paragraphs on balancing motherhood and training, running with a group and the several components of training.  The photographs add value too and feature in most chapters.

Of particular importance are the detailed sections on running when pregnant, and the importance of a balanced diet to maintain health and peak performance.  Quite frankly, it is vital that that older female runners note Karp's and Smith's recommendations on the prevention of bone loss; adequate estrogen is vital to bone health.  If you are female runner, read the book to find out more and to have the best chance of remaining fit and healthy whilst continuing to enjoy the sport.

I learnt a lot when reading this book.  Whether you are female or male, this is a really important addition to our library giving us clear guidance on how the female runners can remain fit and healthy at every stage of their running career.
4356086
Thanks for this Book. With some knowledge of sport, your will enjoy the WHY's  and HOW's of Tri. This book is not "3 step to do a Tri". If you are new to sport get this book for next year, and will get the most from it.
Thru the book You may understand what is going to happend in the process to become a better athlete. IF you are a serious athlete (PRO, AGE, CLYD) this is "CONSULTINg BOOK", to read time to time, and found that WOW!!... "now I got it!...that's Why!!!,
Personally I do not like "bible" title, but I may said that Joe is an authority in the SPOTS
638501
The fundamental principle of this book is that every triathlete has specific strengths and weaknesses that need to be addressed on an individual by individual basis with personalized exercise regimes.

The book provides a variety of tests that you perform to determine which muscle groups or areas of your body need strengthening as part of your core workouts and then gives specific exercises to improve the weaknesses.  About half the book is devoted to these tests and exercises to help you form a complete workout regime.

The book then focuses on additional specific tests and exercises to help improve in swimming, cycling and running technique.

While this is a book written by a famous triathlete coach for triathletes, I find this to be a extremely useful tool to help assess my weaknesses and exercises to improve my strengths even if I might never complete a full triathlete event.
2180104
I bought this book because my 10-year-old daughter is interested in becoming a triathlete (we are still working on the swimming part).  We both found it well-written, and easy for a novice (at races of any sort) to understand and enjoy.  My daughter, who currently plays judo and wrestles, was inspired by Sam's accounts of how hard he worked for each race and how he NEVER gave up, even when he was tired and hurt.  It is wonderful to see how Sam's entire family supports him through every race, and how he credits them often for his success.  This is a great book for anyone who is an athlete and needs support from his "teammates", as well as those who support their atheletes through thick and thin.  I would highly reccomend this book for anyone with a love of competition and family.
4160911
Tho a triathlon is not on my calendar any time soon, I was curious about the holistic approach to training - for any sport.  As a Personal Trainer, conditioning exercises have become more important to my workouts & client training method to prevent injury.  Exercises featured in this book is great for balance, coordination and correcting strength imbalances -
It's not a speedy reading material by far,  I've used several of the techniques & noticing improvements in strength/poundage at the gym.
773956
If you are nervous about setting up a workout for a triathlon, this book definitely helps with the organization of the workouts. It gives suggestions for endurance, speed and muscle building workouts so when you get in the race you are more comfortable with the swimming section. I plan on using it rigidly when I train for an Olympic distance race or further.
3992831
As a triathlete and a runner, I found this book very inspirational.  I've read loads of books on training, diet, and technique but it's great to hear about the stories behind some of the most successful athletes in the sport. It's also very easy to read as each chapter has its own distinct story.  Definitely will recommend to fellow triathlon teammates as a must read!
884384
If have ever thought about doing a triathlon or know someone who is involved in the sport this book provides valuable insight into the evolution of this popular activity. Of course now triathlons come in many flavors but at one time they were designed to be suffer fests in the spirit of the "Spartan" races you see today. I certainly enjoyed the book as someone who trained for and competed in these events in the 80's and 90's. I believe the book may be rather dated at this time  so the older in terms of your introduction to triathlons the better you'll like it.
4619341
I can't say enough good about this book.  I had done a couple of sprint triathlons but felt like I wasn't improving in the pool.  I am self-taught and didn't know how to structure my workouts or how to get better.  This book is wonderful.  It gives me tips on how to get a baseline for speed, workouts to improve that baseline, options for different distances (sprint, olympic, ironman), workouts for improving form and muscle, and I can take it to the pool with me because the pages are waterproof.  It even has open water workouts.  The only drawback is that every time I use it the person in the next lane stops me to ask about it.  :)  If you, like me, don't have a swimming background and just don't know what to do to improve, do yourself a favor and GET THIS BOOK.  You won't regret it!
3728212
I actually bought this a few years ago and read it and loved it.  Although I didn't end up doing a triathlon then, I did discover that I enjoy running, and I have done many races since then.

After a knee injury, I've had to rest from most exercise for a while, and I'm missing it.  Now, I am developing interest in training for a triathlon as a way to get back into shape and I've pulled my Slow Fat Triathlete book out again.

I love this book because it makes me feel like I don't have to be already really amazing in order to do a triathlon.  The author is funny, and down-to-earth, and as I read I feel like I'm reading something from a good friend.

The author shares a lot of her own experiences (which are often funny), but she also tells us what things we have to buy (no, really) and what is optional, plus she gives training suggestions, checklists for what to bring on race day, other versions of tris and similar sports, a chapter for our supporters, and a bit of info on diet changes and injury.  There's also a pretty good list of tri resources in the back of the book.  Slow Fat Triathlete is very well organized, and there are fun little drawings of a slow fat triathlete throughout the book (which I enjoyed).

This isn't an encyclopedia or a book for someone who has been doing triathlons for a while, but it IS a great overview and enough motivation for someone to feel like they can totally do it.

I really recommend this book to anyone thinking about doing a tri for the first time, especially if you don't think you're very athletic.  It is very motivational, and fun to read, and it gives a good overview of a lot of relevant topics.  I'm ready to get going again!