New book: Run Yourself Fit

Any running book that has an endorsement on the cover from Kathrine Switzer has to be worth a look. And the lovely yellow and green cover and nice, pocket-sized format is sure to draw you in. Once you open it you realise that it doesn’t just look good; beneath the outer loveliness lies a wealth of useful information for those embarking on their running journey. 

 

Starting with reasons to run and answering those questions that we all want to know the answer to but don’t necessarily like to ask, it progresses to getting the right kit and right mindset, before getting going on to the running bit. It has sensible training plans for getting going, good advice on common injuries, nutrition and losing weight. It then moves on to what to do when you start getting the hang of it, with more testing training plans and suggestions for how to develop your running and go faster and further. 

 

The author, Christina MacDonald, has great credentials to write this book. A runner for 20 years, she edited Women’s Fitness magazine before launching Women’s Running and is now a freelance health and fitness writer and personal trainer. 

 

What I really love about this book is the amount of care and attention that’s gone into making it helpful, accessible, concise and practical. There are boxes throughout the text which give helpful tips, summaries of the key takeaway points from that chapter and feature real runners giving their own personal stories. Runners who are starting out and want a bit of guidance could get so much from this book and the beautiful design makes it a perfect gift for any new runners in your life.