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morgainlafeye's review against another edition
4.0
very short, inspiring read. I enjoyed the story telling and how he built the book. Haven't tried the routine yet, so we'll see
warriorwoman's review against another edition
4.0
The style was a little odd, I don't really like the make believe element where I get to pretend I've actually flown over to Jackson spend a week training with Eric but the content was excellent.
I've built my slant board and I'm ready to wobble and I can't wait to do the heart rate tests so I can start the full program.
I love the way the program is customised right the way through for the 4 minute miler to the 10 minute miler and to be honest it would be easy enough to adjust if you were even slower.
I'm convinced this will make me a stronger runner.
I've built my slant board and I'm ready to wobble and I can't wait to do the heart rate tests so I can start the full program.
I love the way the program is customised right the way through for the 4 minute miler to the 10 minute miler and to be honest it would be easy enough to adjust if you were even slower.
I'm convinced this will make me a stronger runner.
hmonkeyreads's review against another edition
3.0
This is interesting if unpractical advice! I find the style a bit irritating "picture yourself running up a hill in Jackson Hole..." but overall I think some of the exercises are interesting and worth thinking about adding into my life.
I looked into buying the slant board and other stability do-dad from the author's website and had a giant case of sticker shock! So...unless I can find something less than $89 to replicate a slant board, I think I will probably never do any of these exercises.
One other tidbit: I got the "deluxe version for Kindle" and I think it might be better than the print book because the videos of the exercises are more understandable to me than the still photos.
I looked into buying the slant board and other stability do-dad from the author's website and had a giant case of sticker shock! So...unless I can find something less than $89 to replicate a slant board, I think I will probably never do any of these exercises.
One other tidbit: I got the "deluxe version for Kindle" and I think it might be better than the print book because the videos of the exercises are more understandable to me than the still photos.
ericaceae's review against another edition
I'm not sure what I think of Eric's running plan yet- it's so dense with details and I don't know that they are all necessary- but I'm starting with his strength training, and I'll see where that takes me.
ashleymontulli1970's review against another edition
5.0
Eric Orton was Christopher McDougall's (author of Born to Run) running coach and inspiration behind the now famous book. Eric knows his stuff. Wow. I listened to this on audio book but now I wish I bought the book as he has training guides and strength programs/exercises that would be nice to reference. His passion is infectious and his knowledge will make you want to jump on a plane to Jackson Hole, WY to one of his training camps. Highly recommend for runners looking to up their game at a longer distance level - marathons/ultras. As more of a 5K/10K runner there is still a wealth of goods to be gained here.
4pawclover's review against another edition
3.0
Too wordy but good running advice and strength exercises.
missy_littell's review against another edition
4.0
This book has some great advice for new runners, and lots of good visuals regarding form. Eric Orton, running coach, covers everything from eating habits to strengthening exercises to a detailed running plan. He also talks about the importance of visualizing and the state of your mind: "Our thinking, when stuck in a bad story, becomes an obstacle. Our thinking, when playing a good story, becomes a tool of incredible use." A good book for aspiring runners.
kit_e's review against another edition
5.0
Words. Seriously. So many words. In some ways this was an easy book to review, in others it was very, very difficult. Why? Because I was all in from the first page. Frankly, I was all in before I even opened it up. Back in January I reviewed Born to Run by Chris McDougall and I was hooked. I had already started to look into minimalist running and was starting to transition over to Vibrams, so that book reinforced what I was already thinking. I was also already working on Good Form Running, which I'm now imparting to the No Boundries runners at Fleet Feet as a coach in their 5k program. This book takes it one step further. The author, Eric Orton, is the man who coached McDougall to his first Copper Canyon Ultra-Marathon and in this book he imparts his wisdom and techniques for getting you, the reader, the same type of results.
Let me go ahead and get this out of the way at the start. Part of what makes me buy into this program is that it make sense to me. I was already getting there on my own. Orton takes what I was thinking and gives me the means to do it. He's saying exactly what I need to hear. The other part of it is where Orton is when he says it. The man is based out of Jackson Hole, WY. If you know me, or even if you only kind of follow this blog and my other book blogs, then you know already. I love Jackson and the Tetons and Yellowstone. I may be born and bred Upstate NY (and still live there), but my heart has always been in Wyoming. (check here for my post on Running in WY)The first time I went there was when I was 6 months old and ever since it's just felt like home. There's a magic there. So when I opened the book and realized that this wasn't just going to be a simple "do this, do that" endeavor I got excited, and then homesick. In many ways it felt like Orton was describing my Cool Impossible, but we'll get to that later.
So if it's not a straightforward "do this, do that" what is it? Well those things are in there. Orton gives you very simple to follow directions for how to get the most out of his program and out of yourself. However, that isn't all he gives you. He laces the training program with personal stories, with connections to what he saw when he was in Mexico for the Copper Canyon race and the things he gleaned from watching the Tarahumara Indians run. He also describes, in great detail, what a week of training with him in Jackson Hole looks like and feels like. Not just the actual training, but what you see when you are there, where you'll eat, the trails you'll run and the animals you might encounter. He writes for the person who has never been there, but for me it was like getting a little mini-vacation in my mind. I miss Jackson Hole. I'm already planning for next years trip there, and based on this book I've added a few things to do, a few places to run. I've hiked Jenny Lake, but how fun would it be to run there? I've sat in the parking lot of Snow King and waited for the Barker Ewing bus to pick me up and take me white water rafting, but could I tackle the hill and run it? And Phleps Lake... I've fished near the dam, and I'm fairly certain I watched a Mama Grizzly and her cubs right near there the last few times I've been out, but I've never hiked in there (or run)- perhaps that Mama Grizzly had something to do with that. It's written to be a complete training program, and insight into the way it would work if you were, in fact, one of his students working on an in person training session. It certainly pulled me in.
As far as the actual training instructions they are spot on in terms of ease of use. I read through the entire book (as instructed by Orton) and then began to go back through to piece together what an Orton program might look like for me. Did it seem do able? Did I have the time, the money, the motivation? Some fitness books come across as very pie in the sky and are instantly demotivating. You get a feeling of "WOW! That's awesome!" followed soon after by the thoughts that say "Yeah, but you don't have 3 hours everyday" and "Where are you going to get the $$ to pay for all that equipment?". In fact I will honestly tell you that after reading Born to Run I looked into training with Orton and those are the type of thoughts that peppered my mind. Then I discovered that he had a book coming out and decided to read it first and then decide. What I found was that you still get those thoughts and have doubts, but that it's okay. Orton has a whole section on training your mind, and like in other sections, awareness is key. Those thoughts are there, and you can either bow to them or you can use them. In fact Orton seems to already know what thoughts are creeping in and designed his program to fit your life and your goals. Don't have 3 hours? Fine, how about 30 minutes (I have that!). 15 minutes in the morning to do the exercises? Perfect. After reading the entire book I know that I can do it. I might not be going to Jackson to train with the man himself, but he's given everything I need right in the book. The exercises, the techniques to fix my form, tips on fixing my (abysmal) diet, how to get stronger and faster and pain free, how to train my mind to help me succeed- it's all in here. Laid out in simple to follow steps.
When I was in college I had a professor (one of the best- Hi Prof. Oakleaf!) who looked at my writing and said "So what?" Totally threw me off my game. I had written a 90 page Management plan and she fixed up my grammar (also abysmal) and said "So what?" And it struck me that I'd been just going through the motions. I am a good writer, I'm an excellent researcher, I fancy myself pretty rocking at my job (school librarian), but I didn't have a point. Now when I'm reading a book, or writing a review at the end I try to remember "So What?" and wrap it all up with a point, or in this case a goal.
So I'm done with The Cool Impossible. So what? What now? Remember back in the beginning I said this was both an easy and a hard review to write? Here's why. The book is fantastic. If you are interested in getting faster, getting stronger, being more efficient, running pain free or learning more about minimalist running. If you are a beginner, if you are a recreational runner, if you are a super athlete, but in a rut. It you want to go on an adventure and do impossible things. Get this book when it comes out next month. You'll find something in the pages to inspire you. Maybe you aren't already halfway finished with your cup of Kool Aid like I was when I started reading, but I guarantee if you read the book with an open mind you will find something between the covers. Easy. The hard part? What does it mean for me?
For me I found a goal. Well, not a goal exactly. The goal was already there. It's been on my cover page for months. The Grand Teton 10k- it's a bucket list race. It's just a 10k but distance for me has never been a goal. It's my favorite kind of run (in the woods), in my favorite place. Could I do the marathon? Maybe. Orton talks about seeing yourself fail before you even try. That's where I am right now on anything longer then a half-marathon. I don't trust that my body could hold out for a marathon- especially a mountain one. So that goal might sit on the back burner for a while. But the 10k. I'm not sure I even need to run the actual race for it to feel like a success. I could see myself doing a 10k in Jackson. I can see myself LOVING that. So there's my Cool Impossible. Run in Jackson Hole.
So here is what you can expect from me. Starting as soon as I can get myself organized I'm going to train with Eric Orton (the book form at least). I've already enlisted my Dad to help out, and if I haven't already asked you, don't be surprised when I want you to help me stay on track. I'm probably one of the least self motivated people I know, so I'm going to need help. I'll be posting my progress over on my blog page, I'll be keeping journals and trying new things and when I'm done I hope I'll be a whole new runner, and maybe a whole new person.
Which I guess is about the best endorsement I can give a book. This book inspired me to take action. Between his technical advice and his ability to make you feel as though you are a part of the conversation, Orton has managed to write a training book that makes you want to dive right in, and it's laid out in a way that makes you feel like you can succeed. Reading it will only take you so far, so here is where the reading ends and the challenge begins. Time to go catch my Cool Impossible.
Let me go ahead and get this out of the way at the start. Part of what makes me buy into this program is that it make sense to me. I was already getting there on my own. Orton takes what I was thinking and gives me the means to do it. He's saying exactly what I need to hear. The other part of it is where Orton is when he says it. The man is based out of Jackson Hole, WY. If you know me, or even if you only kind of follow this blog and my other book blogs, then you know already. I love Jackson and the Tetons and Yellowstone. I may be born and bred Upstate NY (and still live there), but my heart has always been in Wyoming. (check here for my post on Running in WY)The first time I went there was when I was 6 months old and ever since it's just felt like home. There's a magic there. So when I opened the book and realized that this wasn't just going to be a simple "do this, do that" endeavor I got excited, and then homesick. In many ways it felt like Orton was describing my Cool Impossible, but we'll get to that later.
So if it's not a straightforward "do this, do that" what is it? Well those things are in there. Orton gives you very simple to follow directions for how to get the most out of his program and out of yourself. However, that isn't all he gives you. He laces the training program with personal stories, with connections to what he saw when he was in Mexico for the Copper Canyon race and the things he gleaned from watching the Tarahumara Indians run. He also describes, in great detail, what a week of training with him in Jackson Hole looks like and feels like. Not just the actual training, but what you see when you are there, where you'll eat, the trails you'll run and the animals you might encounter. He writes for the person who has never been there, but for me it was like getting a little mini-vacation in my mind. I miss Jackson Hole. I'm already planning for next years trip there, and based on this book I've added a few things to do, a few places to run. I've hiked Jenny Lake, but how fun would it be to run there? I've sat in the parking lot of Snow King and waited for the Barker Ewing bus to pick me up and take me white water rafting, but could I tackle the hill and run it? And Phleps Lake... I've fished near the dam, and I'm fairly certain I watched a Mama Grizzly and her cubs right near there the last few times I've been out, but I've never hiked in there (or run)- perhaps that Mama Grizzly had something to do with that. It's written to be a complete training program, and insight into the way it would work if you were, in fact, one of his students working on an in person training session. It certainly pulled me in.
As far as the actual training instructions they are spot on in terms of ease of use. I read through the entire book (as instructed by Orton) and then began to go back through to piece together what an Orton program might look like for me. Did it seem do able? Did I have the time, the money, the motivation? Some fitness books come across as very pie in the sky and are instantly demotivating. You get a feeling of "WOW! That's awesome!" followed soon after by the thoughts that say "Yeah, but you don't have 3 hours everyday" and "Where are you going to get the $$ to pay for all that equipment?". In fact I will honestly tell you that after reading Born to Run I looked into training with Orton and those are the type of thoughts that peppered my mind. Then I discovered that he had a book coming out and decided to read it first and then decide. What I found was that you still get those thoughts and have doubts, but that it's okay. Orton has a whole section on training your mind, and like in other sections, awareness is key. Those thoughts are there, and you can either bow to them or you can use them. In fact Orton seems to already know what thoughts are creeping in and designed his program to fit your life and your goals. Don't have 3 hours? Fine, how about 30 minutes (I have that!). 15 minutes in the morning to do the exercises? Perfect. After reading the entire book I know that I can do it. I might not be going to Jackson to train with the man himself, but he's given everything I need right in the book. The exercises, the techniques to fix my form, tips on fixing my (abysmal) diet, how to get stronger and faster and pain free, how to train my mind to help me succeed- it's all in here. Laid out in simple to follow steps.
When I was in college I had a professor (one of the best- Hi Prof. Oakleaf!) who looked at my writing and said "So what?" Totally threw me off my game. I had written a 90 page Management plan and she fixed up my grammar (also abysmal) and said "So what?" And it struck me that I'd been just going through the motions. I am a good writer, I'm an excellent researcher, I fancy myself pretty rocking at my job (school librarian), but I didn't have a point. Now when I'm reading a book, or writing a review at the end I try to remember "So What?" and wrap it all up with a point, or in this case a goal.
So I'm done with The Cool Impossible. So what? What now? Remember back in the beginning I said this was both an easy and a hard review to write? Here's why. The book is fantastic. If you are interested in getting faster, getting stronger, being more efficient, running pain free or learning more about minimalist running. If you are a beginner, if you are a recreational runner, if you are a super athlete, but in a rut. It you want to go on an adventure and do impossible things. Get this book when it comes out next month. You'll find something in the pages to inspire you. Maybe you aren't already halfway finished with your cup of Kool Aid like I was when I started reading, but I guarantee if you read the book with an open mind you will find something between the covers. Easy. The hard part? What does it mean for me?
For me I found a goal. Well, not a goal exactly. The goal was already there. It's been on my cover page for months. The Grand Teton 10k- it's a bucket list race. It's just a 10k but distance for me has never been a goal. It's my favorite kind of run (in the woods), in my favorite place. Could I do the marathon? Maybe. Orton talks about seeing yourself fail before you even try. That's where I am right now on anything longer then a half-marathon. I don't trust that my body could hold out for a marathon- especially a mountain one. So that goal might sit on the back burner for a while. But the 10k. I'm not sure I even need to run the actual race for it to feel like a success. I could see myself doing a 10k in Jackson. I can see myself LOVING that. So there's my Cool Impossible. Run in Jackson Hole.
So here is what you can expect from me. Starting as soon as I can get myself organized I'm going to train with Eric Orton (the book form at least). I've already enlisted my Dad to help out, and if I haven't already asked you, don't be surprised when I want you to help me stay on track. I'm probably one of the least self motivated people I know, so I'm going to need help. I'll be posting my progress over on my blog page, I'll be keeping journals and trying new things and when I'm done I hope I'll be a whole new runner, and maybe a whole new person.
Which I guess is about the best endorsement I can give a book. This book inspired me to take action. Between his technical advice and his ability to make you feel as though you are a part of the conversation, Orton has managed to write a training book that makes you want to dive right in, and it's laid out in a way that makes you feel like you can succeed. Reading it will only take you so far, so here is where the reading ends and the challenge begins. Time to go catch my Cool Impossible.