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.
Foreword
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Part I Physiology
Chapter 1 Performance Factors and Gender 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 Strength and Speed 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
Index
About the Authors
Jason Karp, PhD, is an exercise physiologist, a running and fitness expert, and the 2011 IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year. He offers science-based coaching to runners of all levels and consulting to coaches through his company, RunCoachJason. He is in demand as a presenter at numerous coaching, fitness, and academic conferences, including U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, American College of Sports Medicine, American Society of Exercise Physiologists, and IDEA World Fitness Convention. Karp is also 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.
Karp has enjoyed success coaching at high school, college, and club levels. He has taught USA Track & Field’s highest level of coaching certification and was an instructor at the USATF/U.S. Olympic Committee’s Emerging Elite Coaches Camp at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. The founder and coach of REVO2LT running team and a competitive runner himself, Dr. Karp is a USA Track & Field-certified coach and is sponsored by PowerBar as a member of PowerBar Team Elite.
Karp received his PhD in exercise physiology with a physiology minor from Indiana University in 2007, his master’s degree in kinesiology from the University of Calgary in 1997, and his bachelor’s degree in exercise and sport science with an English minor from Pennsylvania State University in 1995. Dr. Karp has taught exercise physiology and biomechanics at several universities and taught in the fitness certificate program at the University of California at Berkeley. He is currently an adjunct faculty member at Miramar College in San Diego, where he teaches applied exercise physiology.
Carolyn Smith, MD, 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. She also maintains her teaching interests in her role as medical director for the athletic training education program.
Smith is a versatile runner with a career that has spanned more than three decades. After a postcollegiate career running shorter distances, Smith embraced ultrarunning in 2002 and has enjoyed success in distances ranging from the 50-mile run to the 24-hour run. She is a former 24-hour and 100K national champion. She has had the privilege of representing the United States on two 24-hour national teams (2005, 2007) and is a 100K national team member (2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012).
She is a national age-group record holder. In 2009, she held the fastest time in the world for the 50-mile ultramarathon and was ranked No. 1 in that event in the United States. In 2011 she set a national age-group record for the 12-hour run, finishing first among all participants in the FANS 12-hour ultramarathon in Minnesota, running 83 miles in 12 hours - more than 12 miles ahead of the second place finisher. She represented the United States for the seventh time in the 100-Kilometer World Championship, which was held in Italy in 2012. In 2012 the U.S. women’s team won the gold medal, an accomplishment Smith was also a part of in 2009.
In addition to a medical degree from the University of Illinois, Smith holds a master’s degree from Northern Illinois University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin, both in exercise physiology. Following a faculty position with the St. Michael Hospital Residency Program in Milwaukee, and the Medical College of Wisconsin, Smith joined the Marquette University student health service in 2002.
"Using meticulous research, Karp and Smith have created a practical and intriguing masterpiece for female runners of all ages and abilities. Highly recommended!"
Lorraine Moller-- Boston Marathon Winner, Olympic Marathon Medalist, Cofounder of the Lydiard Foundation, Author of On the Wings of Mercury
“In Running for Women, Carolyn Smith and Jason Karp combine scientific research with realistic guidelines that all women can follow to combat the effects of aging.”
Meghan Arbogast-- Four-Time Qualifier to the Olympic Marathon Trials, Team USA Leader at World 100K Championships, World-Record Holder for 50+ Age Group in the 100K
“In Running for Women, Dr. Karp and Dr. Smith provide women and their coaches a clear path to success and enjoyment in training and racing."
Joe Compagni-- Director and Head Coach, Men's and Women's Track and Field and Cross Country Monmouth University
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