Cabin Fever

Whether you are calling it “Snowpocalypse”, “Snowmageddon” or simply “a huge pain in the butt”, the Washington area has experienced the second major winter storm of the season. In fact, the second top 10 snowstorm of all time. When twenty to thirty inches of snow has fallen, there is really little else to do besides shovel and get back inside. Personally, I am fed up with shoveling. So, what to do with the extra time? Perhaps I have a short attention span, but I cannot watch 9 hours of “Big Game” coverage. Nor can I watch the Live StormTeam coverage from the networks. That leaves reading. Fortunately, I’ve got quite a library of running related books to get me through times like these.

Below are a few of my favorites, broken down by category.

Fiction: The classic “Once a Runner” by John L. Parker. If you’ve already read this several thousand times, try the follow up “Again to Carthage” to read of Cass’s venture into the marathon.

Non-Fiction: “Running with the Buffaloes” by Chris Lear chronicles the 1999 cross country season of the University of Colorado.
“Sub 4:00” by Chris Lear about Alan Webb and the Michigan team.
“Bowerman and the Men of Oregon” by Kenny Moore is an inside look at the man that co-founded Nike and basically brought interval training to the U.S.

Training Manuals: “Daniels Running Formula” by Dr. Jack Daniels, simply the best read if you want to learn more about training and don’t want to be bogged down by the technical terminology. Dr. Jack does a fantastic job of turning complex physiology into concepts than anyone can understand. He also includes a ton of tables to help you customize your training to your current fitness level.

“Better Training for Distance Runners” by Martin and Coe…If you enjoy all the Xs and Os of physiology and coaching.

“Run Fast” edited by Kevin Beck. This is a compilation of chapters by various elite coaches from around the country. Each person breaks down a particular topic related to training, from mileage to nutrition. A very solid read!

Have fun being snowbound. There is virtually no reason to be out driving around. Use it to your advantage and become a student of your sport. I will be doing the same...right after I finish the next round of shoveling!