Contents page for Running for fitness

Chapter 1: Why run?

• The evolution of runners
• Fitness
• Health
• Weight loss
• The mental benefits of running
• Conclusion

Chapter 2: First steps

• Getting started
• Seeking medical advice
• Starting out
• Where to run
• Goals and motivation
• Training logs
• Joining a running club
• Entering races
• A training programme for beginners
• Conclusion

Chapter 3: Shoes and kit

• What shoes to buy
• Clothing
• Timing and distance measurement
• Other kit
• Conclusion

Chapter 4: Women runners

• Biomechanical differences
• Running & periods
• Running & pregnancy
• Nutrition for women runners
• Eating disorders
• Personal safety
• Conclusion

Chapter 5: Older and younger runners

• Young people
• Veteran runners
• Conclusion

Chapter 6: Food and drink

• The main nutrients
• Calculating your daily calorie requirement
• Vitamins and minerals
• Water
• What is your ideal weight?
• Losing weight
• Conclusion

Chapter 7: Eating and drinking before, during and after running

• Water and dehydration
• Sports drinks
• Energy for running
• Conclusion

Chapter 8: Injuries

• Overuse injuries
• Avoiding injury
• Core stability
• Treating minor injuries
• Stretching
• Massage
• Physiotherapy, podiatry & orthotics
• Infections
• Overtraining
• Conclusion

Chapter 9: Training cookbook: the ingredients

• Track & interval training
• Hills
• Fartlek
• Threshold runs
• Long runs (LSD)
• Rehearsal runs
• Cross training
• Easy runs and recovery runs
• Rest
• Conclusion

Chapter 10: Training cookbook: putting it together

• Why it is important to run at different speeds
• Training zones
• Using VO2 max
• Training with heart rate information
• Comparing different measures of intensity
• The aerobic and anaerobic thresholds
• Components of the training week
• Training for fitness
• How many miles should I run?
• The length of the long run
• Training phases
• Easy weeks
• Putting it together
• Varying your training over the year
• Conclusion

Chapter 11: Racing

• Choosing your first race
• General racing tips
• Warming up and warming down
• Predicting race times
• Racing 5km
• Racing 10km
• Racing half marathons
• Conclusion

Training schedules for 5km, 10km and half marathon

Chapter 12: Twenty six point two miles

• Why run a marathon?
• Training for the marathon
• Quality training
• Rest
• Training programmes for the marathon
• Tapering
• The day before the marathon
• Race day
• After the marathon
• Training schedules for the marathon

Chapter 13: Further reading

Chapter 14: Resources

• Websites
• By post

Chapter 15: References