Customer Rating: 
Summary: A comprehensive introduction to running.
Comment: This is THE book that I would recommend to anyone who is getting serious about running, and are not intimated by the 600 plus pages. The book may be bulky. But it is comprehensive, covering every running topic imaginable: preparing 5K to Marathon, speed, mental training, strength, injuries and etc. The authors are incredible writers. The book is never dry. It is a fast read. They explain jargons as well as any 5th grade science teacher.
The best part is that the authors are agnostics. Running has become increasingly scientific and technical (especially at the elite level). Coaches have diverse training methodologies. Some are based on heart rates, others lactate threshold. Some believe in high mileages, others in speed/quality. It is intimating for recreational runners to sort thru them. This book covers some of those training methods without siding with any one, thus being agnostic.
One minor concern: the second edition came out in 1988, and third edition 1999. A new edition may soon come out if you are considering purchasing it today.
To sum it up: this is a great comprehensive intro for any runners who do not have access to coaches, and are not subscribed to any particular training style.
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Charts too small in kindle
Comment: Kindle Version only: I ended up buying this book in print after I found that many of the charts were impossible to read on the Kindle. This is just one of the reasons I have been disappointed with the Kindle.
Customer Rating:
Summary: excellent
Comment: I have read some running books. This one provides more general information. If you are a novice trying to improve, this book is highly recommended. It also includes the official NYC marathon guide.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Excellent Reference
Comment: This book has an extensive amount of information, race charts, pacing charts, training guides for runners of various levels and for various events (5K, 10K, half-marathon and marathon). Special chapters on marathon recovery, mental aspects of running, racing strategy, and so on. I've had this book for over a year and find myself turning back to it again and again. Well organized and easy to flip through and find the information that I need (sometimes with the use of the very handy index).
Customer Rating:
Summary: Very thorough but a little dated
Comment: When I bought this book I was just starting to run longer distances and hadn't been in any races, so I wasn't the target audience. If you are like me. you'll be a little unsure what your 10K pace is, for example, because you may never have run one. But if you think you're going to be in races and care about your time, I would suggest that this book is worth buying and reading even if those are still in your future.
The book is also kind of old-fashioned, based on what I've picked up elsewhere. It focuses on total weekly mileage more than seems to be in fashion these days, for example, and that approach may not work for those like me who are getting into this at an older age (I'm 46). It also talks about calling race organizers on the phone rather than looking at the race's website, which seems kind of quaint in 2007.
What's really good about it is that it covers so much. It gave me a lot of good tips for little things to remember before my first race (the San Francisco Half Marathon). It gives guidance for many different lengths of races. It talks about injuries and other issues that may come up. It even talks about balancing running with the rest of your life.
With a good update this would be a 5 star book, and even as it is, it's well worth your time.
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