Top 3 running books of 2011

Nr. 1 Ironwar by Matt Fitzgerald

Yes, I know this is not a running book per se, but I think runners can get a lot out of it. Matt Fitzgerald is an amazing writer. He is able to combine the story of 2 of the greatest ironman triathletes Dave Scott and Mark Allen, with science on running form, running efficiency, mind-body connections as pertaining to running. I absolutely loved the conclusion of his book. Yes, the mind is important, but the ability to push through and suffer is somewhat determined by your genes. This is not to say that life experiences (e.g., childhood struggles) and training experiences (how much you practice suffering) are not important; they are, but not as much as what you are born with. It's a bit like the nature-nurture diathesis - we are born with a range of "suffering ability" and we can get to the top of that range by practicing, but we can't get further than that.

Nr.2 The Runner's Body, How the latest exercise science can help you run stronger, longer, and faster, but Tucker, PhD & Dugas, PhD, with Matt Fitzgerald.

This is a 2009 book, but I reread it during this past year. I love reading and understanding the science behind running. These guys present great info and clarify some of the misconceptions about running (e.g., cramps are caused by dehydration or lack of salt, we need a lot of fluids when running, etc). The book is much more than that, however, and I think it is an important one for all serious runners.

Nr. 3 Tapering and peaking for optimal performance, by Inigo Mujika, PhD

This is a great book about tapering, and provides research on the psychological and physiological effects of tapering.

Short recap and looking ahead at 2012

2011 was a breakthrough year for me. I PRed all but one of my running races, and I raced A LOT. My approach was simple. Run as much as you can, and run hard. I certainly surprised myself at the 5K and HM distances. I fought with the marathon, like I always do (hardest distance for me and one that I run slower than what the calculators say I could do) and won. I was injury free the entire year until my muscles said no more and forced me take it easy for a bit.

Most special races:

5K Ras Nah Hereim March 2011: 19:26

HM Quincy Half 2011: 1:28:46

Baystate Marathon 2011: 3:14:29

*****

Moving into 2012 my goals are a bit up in the air. My muscles are still not @ 100% so I am riding the Boston train(ing) and kinda playing the waiting game. I will take the next couple of weeks to see what happens before making any decisions here.

My main goal for 2012 is to focus on strength, diet and health. As I move closer and closer to the big 40, strength will be of utmost importance if I want to keep running. I eat a very healthy diet already, but I would like to eliminate some of the unnecessary eating that we are doing over here in the evenings. This is a common goal that Chris and I have, so we will close the kitchen doors @ 9pm every night. The "health" goal refers mostly to continuing to keep an eye on my sleep and doctor check-ups (really bad about scheduling those yearly visits).