Training For Ultra Running by Andy Milroy

Training For Ultra Running is a new publication by Andy Milroy which covers many aspects of preparing for ultramarathons and multiday races. Based on Training For Ultras published in 1987, this is a much updated and comprehensive look at the ultrarunning world from the point of view of experienced ultrarunners over the last 40-50 years.
Whereas the sport is new to many people, ultras have always taken place in the UK although not as many today. In the 70’s and 80’s the ultrarunning community was a tiny proportion of  runners who themselves were a small group of athletes before the running boom began and these runners produced awesome performances that are still found today in the ultradistance record pages. Their experience is less dependent on the fashions of the time and as such, this is experience every ultrarunner can relate to as ultrarunning is much the same now as it was 100 years ago.
The books chapters are no-nonsense titles – a theme found throughout the book and include:

• Getting Started
• Strategies
• 100 Km Training
• 24 Hour Training
• Multiday Events
• Trail Running
• Ultra Training For Women

The book features articles from the top top British Ultrarunners in recent history including Don Ritchie, Don Turner, Cavin Woodward and Eleanor Robinson.

The multiday Events section includes articles by record setters at 6 day and 1000 mile distances including Sandra Barwick, her coach Dick Tout who was an outstanding ultrarunner, Mike Newton, Tom O’Reilly, Dan Coffey and an account of Don Ritchie’s John O’ Groats to Lands End.

The final chapter, More Ideas, contains more recent thinking about the sport and has a bibliography of some of the major works on the sport.

At 252 pages, this book is packed with tips and insights into how top runners learned to master their sport and have shared that experience in these pages.