How to Run a Marathon: The Go-to Guide for Anyone and Everyone Paperback – May 3, 2022

This book is excellent for people who like running but not quite at marathon level (like me). Some brilliant stories by Vassos about difficulties he's faced within races which makes you feel like you're not the only one who's had a bad race! Also, the mantras and inspiring quotes stay with you. I took this book on holiday and definitely did more running as a result and I'm also inspired to run a marathon. Training plan at the back of the book is helpful with explanations of key terms. Recommended- easy read- funny and heartwarming.

So after 13 consecutive years of trying, I finally made the ballot entry for the 2024 London Marathon. Initial excitement soon turned to abject terror. How am I going to do it?! I bought this book for some tips. It’s written in 2 halves. The first half consists of chapters featuring the stories of several different people who have run marathons, from interviews with the author. They are interesting reads and give different perspectives on why they took up marathon running, the hurdles they faced and the adversity they overcame. Interspersed in all this are a few tips and pointers that you can pick out and store away to use yourself.The second half of the book is more practical. It talks about some specifics such as nutrition, hydration, injuries, stretching etc. For anyone who can already call themselves a ‘runner’ these are all fairly basic. It doesn’t go into great detail. You’ll probably already be aware of them. I still found it interesting to hear what the experts recommend though. It kind of put my mind at ease that I was already doing the right things.Finally, there are training plans for your actual marathon. Again, not in any great detail but good enough to put you on course to reach your marathon goal.This book is certainly not the be all and end all of marathon running. It won’t teach you everything you need to know about ‘how to run a marathon’. But it’s an enjoyable read, well written and presented. What it will do is inspire you, motivate you and encourage you to find out more. It’s a tool to help you on your marathon journey.

:-)

Inspiring, Must read book for running enthusiasts and anyone running their first marathon. Informative with some wonderful stories and top tips

I am training for the London Marathon in Oct 2022. This is a great book, from someone who comes from a similar background as me. It’s informed, factual with great stories and humour from a man who took up running later in his life and really relates to the experiences we plodders have. An extremely good read. Thanks Vassos.