"I've learned so much from Richard about marathon running. If you want to run a marathon, or a faster one, you have to read his book!" Haile Gebrselassie, first athlete to run a sub-2:04 Marathon

"Richard's achievements as a world-class distance runner speak for themselves. His success came from a meticulous approach to training and from knowing how to get the best out of himself in his races." Paula Radcliffe, women's marathon world record holder (2:15:25, London 2003)

Written by Richard Nerurkar, Britain's most successful marathon runner of the 1990s, the fourth edition of this classic, invaluable guide will help you get the most from your distance training. From the complete beginner enchanted by the challenge of the London Marathon, to the experienced runner wishing to improve on racing strategy, its authoritative pages reveal a wealth of information on:

structuring an effective build-up and taper
training harder without doing too much
improving your endurance and pace judgement
producing your best on race-day.

This new edition has been fully updated to take account of the latest developments in running science and programme design. Also included are tips on how to choose a good marathon and the pitfalls of bad ones, as well as more insights from Richard and other leading runners.