Want to run a faster marathon? Commitment and hard work are essential but you also need to train smarter to run faster. "Advanced Marathoning" contains all the information you'll need to run faster, peak for multiple marathons without injury, and meet your marathon goal--whether it's running a personal best, qualifying for the Boston Marathon or winning your age division.

Extensive, day-to-day training schedules are targeted to your weekly mileage and length of training program (12, 18, or 24 weeks). These training schedules will have you racing at peak speed, whether you're targeting one race or several during the season.

The more you know about why and how the plan works, the more motivated you'll be to stick with the workouts. You'll also be better able to assess your progress as you get closer to the big race. You'll learn the scientific principles behind what makes you a faster marathoner and which workouts you need to improve.

Many factors can affect your marathon success. "Advanced Marathoning" gives you information on everything critical to your success, including- which types of training are most important for success and which are a waste of time, - eating and drinking for top performance in training and racing, - which types of nonrunning training have the biggest impact on your marathon times, - finding the time and energy to fit training into real life, - tracking your progress, and- planning and implementing your race-day strategy.

Author Pete Pfitzinger was the top American finisher in the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Marathons. He won the 1984 Olympic Trials by outkicking former world record holder Alberto Salazar. Pfitzinger, now an exercise physiologist, won the San Francisco Marathon twice and finished third in the 1987 New York City Marathon. Co-author Scott Douglas is a well-known writer on running, a former editor of "Running Times," and a competitive runner. The duo, co-authors of "Road Racing for Serious Runners" (Human Kinetics, 1999), have experience, credibility, and an ability to present scientific information in a readable manner.

Successful marathon running requires thorough, intelligent preparation. "Advanced Marathoning" is the only book you'll need to move beyond the basics and meet your goals--training smarter to run faster.