The Big Book of Endurance Training and Racing Dr. Philip Maffetone Mark Allen Copyright © 2010 by Dr. Philip Maffetone Cover photo credits: Kelly Lear-Kaul (cyclist) and Andrew Yoder (swimmer) by Timothy Carlson; Dave Low (runner) by Rich Seow. All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without the express written consent of the publisher, except in the case of brief excerpts in critical reviews or articles. All inquiries should be addressed to Skyhorse Publishing, 555 Eighth Avenue, Suite 903, New York, NY 10018. Skyhorse Publishing books may be purchased in bulk at special discounts for sales promotion, corporate gifts, fund-raising, or educational purposes. Special editions can also be created to specifications. For details, contact the Special Sales Department, Skyhorse Publishing, 555 Eighth Avenue, Suite 903, New York, NY 10018 or [email protected]. www.skyhorsepublishing.com 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Maffetone, Philip. The big book of endurance training and racing / Philip Maffetone ; foreword by Mark Allen. p. cm. Includes index. 9781616080655 1. Physical education and training. 2. Physical fitness--Physiological aspects. 3. Muscle strength. 4. Running--Training. I. Allen, Mark, 1958-II. Title. GV711.5.M35 2010 613.7’1--dc22 2010017692 Printed in Canada Table of Contents Title Page Copyright Page FOREWORD PREFACE INTRODUCTION— - My Personal Journey on the Road to Endurance Section ONE - Building Your Endurance Foundation CHAPTER 1 - WHAT IS ENDURANCE? CHAPTER 2 - TRAINING YOUR BRAIN, MUSCLES, AND METABOLISM CHAPTER 3 - DEVELOPING MAXIMUM AEROBIC FUNCTION— CHAPTER 4 - THE MAXIMUM AEROBIC FUNCTION (MAF) TEST— CHAPTER 5 - WARMING UP AND COOLING DOWN— CHAPTER 6 - OTHER AEROBIC AND ANAEROBIC TRAINING METHODS CHAPTER 7 - TRAINING STRESS— CHAPTER 8 - THE OVERTRAINING SYNDROME CHAPTER 9 - “PERSONALIZE” YOUR TRAINING— CHAPTER 10 - COMPETITION— CHAPTER 11 - TRAINING AT ALTITUDE— Section TWO - Diet and Nutrition CHAPTER 12 - DIET, NUTRITION, AND ENERGY— CHAPTER 13 - THE GUT— CHAPTER 14 - CARBOHYDRATES AND TAKING THE TWO-WEEK TEST CHAPTER 15 - THE POWER OF PROTEIN— CHAPTER 16 - DIETARY FATS— CHAPTER 17 - WATER AND ELECTROLYTES— CHAPTER 18 - EATING AND DRINKING YOUR WAY TO BETTER ENDURANCE— CHAPTER 19 - PHYTONUTRIENTS AND GOING ORGANIC— CHAPTER 20 - DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS— CHAPTER 21 - TAKING GOOD CARE OF YOUR LIVER AND KIDNEYS— CHAPTER 22 - THE TRAINING TABLE— Section THREE - The Importance of Self-Care and Injury Prevention CHAPTER 23 - ANATOMY OF AN INJURY— CHAPTER 24 - REHABILITATING AND SELF-ASSESSING YOUR PHYSICAL INJURY CHAPTER 25 - MUSCLE BALANCE AND IMBALANCE CHAPTER 26 - THE PAIN GAME AND HOW TO CONTROL IT CHAPTER 27 - FIT BUT UNHEALTHY— CHAPTER 28 - BUILDING A BETTER ATHLETIC BRAIN CHAPTER 29 - BURNING OFF BODY FAT AND OTHER WEIGHTY ISSUES CHAPTER 30 - FEET FIRST— CHAPTER 31 - FIXING YOUR FEET STARTS WITH THE RIGHT SHOES CHAPTER 32 - THE SUN— CHAPTER 33 - MEASURING YOUR FITNESS AND HEALTH CHAPTER 34 - FINDING A HEALTH-CARE PROFESSIONAL AFTERWORD INDEX MARK ALLEN FOREWORD Welcome to The Big Book of Endurance Training and Racing. Hopefully, the information you find in these pages will change your life. It did for me when I began training under the guidance of Dr. Phil Maffetone. My athletic career started in 1968 when I answered an ad in the local paper announcing swim-team tryouts. At the time I literally couldn’t swim more than the length of a twenty-five-yard pool without having to stop and catch my breath. In the nearly thirty years since, I have tried almost every training theory and coaching style in the pursuit of personal athletic excellence. The evolution to my present program was not easy. The years of regimented swim coaching had ingrained in me a very narrow-minded training philosophy, which was to do things faster. If I could just train with more yardage, and train faster, then I would most certainly race faster. Or so I thought. My race results from this type of program were mediocre at best. “Do more, faster” really only works for those so talented that their genetics override the lunacy of their training and take them to greatness anyway. I ended my twelve- year swimming career completely burned out, physically and mentally. I also ended it feeling like I just hadn’t reached my potential. But at the time, I couldn’t put my finger on why. Fortunately, I was given a second chance to explore the limits of my athletic abilities. In 1982, I embarked on what has been a dream trip through the world of the triathlon. It wasn’t always smooth, though. My initiation years mirrored my swimming career. Due specifically to the swimming mentality, “Do more, faster,” a few great results were separated by injuries and sporadic improvement. But unlike swimming, which is not an impact sport, the price of unwise training in triathlons is not only mental decay, but physical as well. Something needed to change. Just about this time, I was introduced to Dr. Phil Maffetone, who had enjoyed a good deal of success training triathletes. I was warned that his methods were probably going to sound crazy at first, but assured that they really worked. That was 1984. And, yes, at the time his philosophy on training was almost completely opposite to my “do more, faster” approach. Now it’s a new millennium, and his training techniques that once seemed crazy are almost universally accepted as the only method that will allow you to reach your peak performance year after year. Using Phil’s training program and consulting with him over the years, I have been able to rack up a long list of international triathlon victories, including six Ironman Hawaii titles, the last of which came at age thirty-seven! In The Big Book of Endurance Training and Racing, Dr. Maffetone details the training philosophy that I have used throughout my triathlon career. If you have used these tools and techniques, you know they work. If you haven’t, welcome to what will undoubtedly be a whole new level of athletic performance. Take the time to follow his program. Leave your ego at the door, because in the short term it might seem like you aren’t going anywhere. But long term, I guarantee you will see the results you know your body is capable of. Mark Allen is a six-time Ironman Hawaii champion and was named by Outside magazine the fittest man in the world.