BOOK REVIEW: KARA GOUCHER'S RUNNING FOR WOMEN

I got this book for Christmas.  Since I'm still fairly new to running, I wanted a guide to the sport that was easy to follow and I am a fan of Kara Goucher.  I like that she tries to be an ambassador for running and seems to be so approachable and friendly.  The book is written very much in this style.

The book will take you through various aspects of the sport, from the very beginning (what do you need? Shoes, clothes, gear, etc.) all the way through marathons (including training plans) and tips for a lifetime of healthy running.  There's even a chapter on running while pregnant and running after children.  Other topics covered are: nutrition, strength training, racing, fartlek and tempo runs, etc. 

The book, while thorough and packed with information, is written in a bullet-point style and is split up into lots of chapters and mini-chapters.  It was great for me, because I took this book to work and read snippets whenever I had the chance.  The writing style really lends itself to this type of reading.  If you're looking to sit down and read something intensely, novel-style, the stop and start style of this writing may get to you.  But seeing as how it's really more of an informational guide-book, I expected this type of writing.

You can tell that Kara tried to write this book (with her co-author) in a way that was friendly, as if she were talking directly to you.  As a new runner, I appreciated this approach; more seasoned runners may a) not find as much new or exciting material in this book and b) be put-off by her approach to various topics.  As a female runner, she talks about things like looking cute while she runs, sex before races (!) and whether or not guys in your running group may be attracted to you.  I personally wasn't bothered by any of this, as I just don't take things like that too seriously.  You want to talk about running in a skirt?  Cool!  I love running skirts.  Wearing mascara during a workout?  Sure, why not look good whenever you can, if you feel the urge?  It doesn't mean you're any less hardcore.  Kara Goucher's an elite, world class athlete, for crap's sake.

I would recommend this book, for sure.  I bookmarked the pages with the training plans as I thought they were particularly helpful (straightforward, simple, and for multiple race lengths).  Kara also stays away from too much complicated jargon so this is a great book for beginners.  Pick this book up at your local bookstore, or check it out on Amazon!