Editorial Review:

Finally, runners at all levels can improve their race times while training less, with the revolutionary Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training (FIRST) program.
Hailed by the Wall Street Journal and featured twice in six months in cover stories in Runner's World magazine, FIRST's unique training philosophy makes running easier and more accessible, limits overtraining and burnout, and substantially cuts the risk of injury, while producing faster race times.
The key feature is the "3 plus 2" program, which each week consists of:
-3 quality runs, including track repeats, the tempo run, and the long run, which are designed to work together to improve endurance, lactate-threshold running pace, and leg speed
-2 aerobic cross-training workouts, such as swimming, rowing, or pedaling a stationary bike, which are designed to improve endurance while helping to avoid burnout
With detailed training plans for 5K, 10K, half marathon, and marathon, plus tips for goal-setting, rest, recovery, injury rehab and prevention, strength training, and nutrition, this program will change the way runners think about and train for competitive races.
Amby Burfoot, Runner's World executive editor and Boston Marathon winner, calls the FIRST training program "the most detailed, well-organized, and scientific training program for runners that I have ever seen."

Customer Reviews:

Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0

run less run faster:

A real good reference material that's rigth on the money if you really want to improve your running times

FIRST Training Really works!:

Just completed my 1st marathon last May 2008 and was very happy to have a 3:48:38 time (8:44 per mile) and viewed the experience as a tremendous "natural high" due to my age (43) and limited running experience. The only problem was the 18 weeks of training left and the marathon race itself left me burned out in the two months after the race.
Minor injuries were getting in the way of my training for a 1/2 marathon race on October 12, 2008. Needed to find a different training program that involved more... more info

FIRST worked for me and the book is great information:

I'll start by saying most of the information in this book is available online for free. You can read about the theory and the success stories at various running websites and figure out the custom paces you will need to execute the plan on your own. I did exactly this and ran a successful marathon (3:45). I decided I wanted to ramp up the training for my next marathon and dropping the minimal ($10) on the book, helped. It reinforces the theory and gives you all the details and success stories to make you... more info

GREAT !:

great book for beginners to advanced runners. It will let you go from short distance to long in a short period of time, but remember no magical formula without discipline !

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