Running for Women

As best-selling author John Gray pointed out, men are from Mars and women are from Venus. There are obvious differences between women and men in anatomy, physiology, hormones, and metabolism. So why do most running books take a one-size-fits-all approach to training? Finally, here’s one that doesn’t.

Running for Women provides comprehensive information on training female runners based on their cardiovascular, hormonal, metabolic, muscular, and anatomical characteristics. In this authoritative guide, authors Jason Karp and Carolyn Smith answer the questions and tackle the topics women need to know:

• The impact of the menstrual cycle on hydration, body temperature, metabolism, and muscle function
• The most effective workouts for endurance, speed and strength, lactate threshold, and VO2max
• How and when to train during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause
• Preventing knee injuries, stress fractures, and other common running-related injuries
• Avoiding the risks of the female athlete triad—disordered eating, osteoporosis, and menstrual irregularities
• How to use sex differences to your advantage

Based on the latest research on estrogen, metabolism, and other sex-specific performance factors, Running for Women will change the way you fuel, train, and compete. If you are serious about running, this is one guide you must own.

About the Author:
Jason Karp is an exercise physiologist, a running and fitness expert and the 2011 IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year. He is a prolific writer, with four books and more than 200 articles published in magazines, including Runner s World, Running Times, Shape, Oxygen, Self and Ultra-Fit. Carolyn Smith, is a family practice and sports medicine physician who serves as director of the student health service at Marquette University and head medical team physician for the department of intercollegiate athletics.

Part I Physiology

Chapter 1 Performance Factors and Sex Differences
Chapter 2 Menstrual Cycle, Hormones, and Performance
Chapter 3 Pregnancy
Chapter 4 Menopause
Chapter 5 Older Runners

Part II Training

Chapter 6 Training Components
Chapter 7 Base Building
Chapter 8 Acidosis (Lactate) Threshold Training
Chapter 9 Aerobic Power Training for VO2max
Chapter 10 Speed and Strength Training
Chapter 11 Building Your Training Program

Part III Health and Wellness

Chapter 12 Female Athlete Triad
Chapter 13 Injuries and Female Runners
Chapter 14 Performance Nutrition and Female Runners