by Joe Wrobleski
I just finished Bryon Powell’s Relentless Forward Progress. It was a good read – well written with interesting blurbs from other ultra runners. It is unusual for ultra running books in that it is a comprehensive guide to training and racing ultras, and, as such, it is an excellent source for those new to ultras. There were good presentations on heat and altitude acclimation, as well as a small section on fast packing and stage races, both of which I am interested in.
I thought the schedules were somewhat simplistic and a little light on the training mileage, but they can be adjusted to suit your tastes. There were schedules for 50K to 100 mile races, with a maximum mileage of 70 miles per week. It was useful to see how the author worked shorter ultra races into his schedule, and get his approach to back-to-back long runs.
There were also some interesting tid bits, such as the author showers and shaves the night before an ultra (why shave?) and that he sometimes uses NSAIDs during races.
I thought it lacked detail on information about running and the science of running, which detail I think important as you develop your own style of training, and for this reason, I would recommend reading classics such as Jack Daniel’s Running Formula or Pfitzinger’s Advanced Marathoning.I thought the book lacked detail on information about running and the science of running, which detail I think important to learn so you can generalize and develop your own style of training; for this reason, I would recommend reading classics such as Jack Daniel’s Running Formula or Pfitzinger’s Advanced Marathoning as well as Powell’s book.
For more information on the book visit irunfar.com
About Relentless Forward Progress: A Guide to Running Ultramarathons
from irunfar.com
Marathons have become too easy for some runners. What was once the pinnacle of achievement in a runner’s life is now a stepping stone for extraordinary adventures in ultramarathoning. The number of ultrarunners—those running distances of 50k (31 miles), 50 miles, 100k (62 miles), or 100 miles—is growing astronomically each year.
Dean Karnazes’ Ultramarathon Man and Chris McDougall’s Born to Run have inspired tens of thousands to try these seemingly superhuman distances. But to date, there has been no practical guide to ultramarathoning. Now, Bryon Powell has written Relentless Forward Progress, the first how-to manual for aspiring ultrarunners. Powell covers every aspect of training for and racing ultra distances. This encyclopedic volume prepares runners for going farther than they have ever gone before and, in the process, shows them that they are capable of the “impossible.”