Introduction

Why am I writing this?

Perhaps this is not a complete answer to the above question, but simply stated: I love the sport of running. Originally, I hated running. My coach in high school was from the old school of "No Pain--No Gain". In locker room talk, he felt that every runner should train daily using the "puke factor". This was his measure of effort--if you didn't feel like tossing after each workout or race, then you weren't trying hard enough.

Fortunately, there have been some newer teachers to the sport such as the late Jim Fixx (who brought the sport to the masses), Jeff Galloway (who introduced us to world-class wisdom) and Roy Benson (who has become the leading guru for heart-based training). You may know a few others. It has been people such as these who have turned people like me around, or introduced them to a sport that has tremendous benefits--both physically and mentally.

What I appreciate most about the sport today is that it is very controllable. Unlike some sports that may depend quite heavily on talent and skill, this sport relies primarily on maximizing the development and utilization of one's cardiovascular system. Yes, I know that certain mechanical abilities are required; and I recognize that some people are born with more than others. But all else being equal, how a person has developed their cardiovascular system becomes the decisive issue. This is why I say the sport is very controllable. You largely control how good you can become at the sport, and the key to this is found in the proper development of your associated physiological processes. My personal experience and observation have shown: the more you learn about your body, the better you become at training; and consequently, the better you become at running.It is around this basic premise that I have written most of my material.

There is also a personal side to why I am so focused on physiology. My younger brother, Jim, died at the early age of 44, after living seven of those years with a heart transplant. Likewise, my father died at age 49 with a heart attack. Both deaths could have probably been prevented. Proper exercise and a respect for personal physiology is the key. As for myself, I have met both of these demands through running and the proper preparation required to become better at the sport. As for others, if I can lengthen someone's life through my advise, then the small effort and time that I have devoted to the text that follows has been well worthwhile.

I hope that each person reading these pages gains some benefit.