THE BEAUTY OF RUNNING

by Gayle with Kim Chapin Barron ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 19, 1980

Written by the 1978 Boston Marathon women's division winner, this has one big attraction: a graduated and specific training schedule for beginning runners of either sex. There is some description of Barron's own races and problems; there are the usual pointers on shoes, clothing, general diet and nutrition, plus how to find one's own running style. Barton pays particular attention to how the body works, especially under stress, but most valuable is her careful plan for beginning runners, which over the course of nine months or so works up to greater and greater distances and harder and harder workouts. And though she is not writing especially for women, she does cover some women's issues in running: no one knows, for one thing, why women in training have a high incidence of menstrual dysfunction, but since they eventually return to normal, the condition is probably not harmful. As to the contention that female runners are prone to prolapsed uteri or stress incontinence, most running experts agree this is unlikely because runners generally have tighter pelvic musculature. Chapin, who collaborated with Billy Jean King on two books, puts across Barron's points in a personable, easy-going style--making this a good bet for beginners all around.

Pub Date: May 19, 1980

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1980

Categories: NONFICTION