Feet Don't Fail Me Now

In Feet Don't Fail Me Now, running and music columnist Ben Kaplan describes how to train for a marathon in one year, even if you have never run before. Based on his own experience transforming himself from an "average guy" into a dedicated runner who qualified for the Boston Marathon, the book provides a week-by-week training program, split into four three-month sections -- each concluding with a race from 5 kilometres to the Boston Marathon -- along with critical information about such topics as nutrition and hydration, how to select shoes, race strategy, pacing, proper form, and whether or not it is important to stretch, with input from experts from around the world.

Kaplan also draws from his music writing and connections and includes recommendations for songs to run to by musicians such as Jack White, Paul Simon, Norah Jones, Feist, and Pearl Jam. He presents serious information, but his humor and infectious enthusiasm make it a hell of a lot of fun. Feet Don't Fail Me Now will inspire the most recalcitrant runners to lace up their shoes and hit the pavement.