Improving Sports Performance in Middle and Long-Distance Running: A Scientific Approach to Race Preparation

Addresses the physiological demands of middle and long-distancerunning presenting contemporary research on running and sportingperformance which will be invaluable for athletes, coaches andsports science students. Rather than laying down another trainingdoctrine for athletes and coaches to follow rigidly, it aims toprovide prescriptive, sports-specific advice as far as is presentlypossible to enable all athletes to optimise their sportingperformance. It addresses the physiological demands of middle andlong distance running, presenting contemporary research on running.It also covers the limitations to running performance; theapplication of this knowledge to training and preparation forperformance; methods by which the runner, coach and sportsscientist can assess and monitor running performance; and specialconsiderations for optimising performance including nutritional andenvironmental issues.

This is the first book in the 'Improving Sports Performance'series. It draws on the expertise of applied exercise physiologistswho have direct experience of working with elite performers andcoaches. The book is aimed at three groups of people. First, sportsparticipants aspiring to improve their personal performance througha more complete understanding of the application of science.Second, coaches of such athletes who wish to complement the art ofcoaching by basing their training programmes upon rationalscientific principles. Third, sports science and physical educationstudents with an interest in implementing the theoreticalbackground of their course in an applied sporting context.