The Science of the Marathon and the Art of Variable Pace Running encourages you to rediscover running by gradually slowing down, running at your own pace, and learning to accelerate. This book is about Veronique Billat's 30 years of research, life studies, and practical experience. This research takes place in real life and extreme racing situations; it does not take place on treadmills, rather in marathon races and the high mountains. It's about adapting new technologies to the needs of training and understanding the possibilities for the improvement of human energy. The key to long term success without injury or overtraining is to train with quality and not quantity. It is no longer necessary to train by running long distances in preparation for specific types of running races. Performance is not just about a result, but rather a road to true happiness. We invite you to discover this new way of running as it is a realistic minimalist-based training using your running mind-body feelings sensations and your lifestyle. The practice of marathon running is, above all, a serious endeavor for anyone 10 to 100 years old, that will let you dream immense possibilities.

The Science of the Marathon and the Art of Variable Pace Running encourages you to rediscover running by gradually slowing down, running at your own pace, and learning to accelerate. In fact, it will take no longer than 30 - 40 minutes per session and 2 to 3 sessions per week. Integrating this type of training into your home or workplace is easy. This training method is equally applicable to other endurance sports like cycling, swimming, rowing, and cross-country skiing. We invite you to discover this new way of running as it is a realistic minimalist-based training using your running mind-body feelings sensations and your lifestyle.

The Science of the Marathon and the Art of Variable Pace Running is about Veronique Billat's life studies and is the result of 30 years of research and practical experience. After reaching the limits of classical training for running (which is still taught in schools 30 years later), Dr. Billat decided to train in the distant hills and mountains, based upon using her sensations and abandoning the never-ending 15 sets of 200-m or four sets of 1000-m at race pace. Discovering success in her first road (Marvejols-Mende) and cross-country (Sierre-Zinal) races, she never looked back and has dedicated her life to this way of variable paced running and living.

The key to long term success without injury or overtraining is to train with quality and not quantity. This is why Dr. Billat adopted a minimalist training approach. And above all, she increased her power reserves, giving her a margin of security in very long-distance races. It is no longer necessary to train by running long distances in preparation for specific types of running races. Performance is not just about a result, but rather a road to true happiness. The practice of marathon running is, above all, a serious endeavor for anyone 10 to 100 years old, that will let you dream immense possibilities.

Foreword

Introduction

Chapter 1: Finishing a Marathon Changes Your Life Forever - An Introduction to Variable Speed Running

Chapter 2: Dissecting a Marathon

Chapter 3: The Speed Variation of Non-Elite Marathoner Runners

Chapter 4: Breaking the 2-Hour Marathon and Speed Variation

Chapter 5: The Physiological Foundations of Classical Endurance Training

Chapter 6: Increasing Your Speed Reserve

Chapter 7: Variable Speed Acceleration Training

Chapter 8: Acceleration Based Training - Biochemistry, Enzymes, and Lactate

Chapter 9: Energy, Nutrition, and Human Performance

Chapter 10: Relationship between Speed, VO2 max, MAS and Performance

Chapter 11: Critical Speed Concept

Chapter 12: The Real Meaning and Purpose of Threshold Training

Chapter 13: Aging and Minimalistic Acceleration Training

Chapter 14: Listen to Your Body

Chapter 15: The BillaTraining Method

Chapter 16: Personalized Training Program with Key Workout Sessions

Chapter 17: Developing your Speed Signature for Marathon Day

Bibliography