The All New MY BEST RACE: A Training Manual for Runners

Running success isn’t built on talent alone—it comes from understanding how the body responds to effort, how heart rate guides performance, and how to train with clarity instead of guesswork. My Best Race was written to give runners at every level a reliable roadmap for preparing, training, and racing with purpose.

Drawing on decades of coaching and physiological testing, Richard Diaz explains how to use heart rate as a practical and accurate tool for developing endurance, pacing, and race-day strategy. Long before wearable technology became common, Diaz was helping athletes discover the advantages of training to effort rather than to arbitrary speeds. This book distills those lessons into a simple, accessible system that runners can apply immediately.

More than a training manual, My Best Race also teaches how to run. Diaz explains proper mechanics, posture, cadence, and form—fundamentals that reduce injury risk and improve efficiency whether you’re preparing for a 5K or a marathon. These concepts remain as valuable today as when the book was first written, which is why it continues to resonate with new and experienced runners alike.

Inside, you’ll find:

• A complete breakdown of heart-rate–based training

• Clear explanations of aerobic versus anaerobic effort

• Proven training plans for beginners through advanced marathoners

• Guidance on form, mechanics, and efficient running technique

• Practical tools for race preparation, pacing, and execution

While Diaz would later expand his work into broader performance models and Flow-based training, My Best Race remains the foundation—a traditional, trusted entry point for runners who want a straightforward, science-informed approach to training and racing well.

Whether you’re preparing for your first 5K or aiming for a personal best in the marathon, this book will help you train smarter, race with confidence, and discover what your best race truly feels like.

Richard Diaz, is founder of diaz human performance, a California based sports performance business, The Natural Running Network and creator of the Natural Running Coaches Certification Program. Mr. Diaz has extensive experience in clinical diagnostics (VO2 max and resting metabolic assessments), running mechanics video analysis and gait correction and of course coaching. He also hosts a weekly podcast for runners titled “The Natural Running Network Live” where he interviews some of the greatest athletes of our time along with a Q&A show dedicated to the recreational runner with a focus on marathon training and injury prevention.