For over five decades, Hal Higdon, Senior Writer for Runner's World, has been fielding countless questions and dispensing valuable advice to millions of runners at all levels. Now, for the first time, Marathoning A to Z distills these years of knowledge into one handy volume that gives readers the inside scoop on training and racing better and more enjoyably.Marathoning A to Z takes every commonly (and not-so-commonly) asked question about the marathon and organizes them alphabetically by keyword. The topic, which is easy to find, is then thoroughly addressed in a few information-packed paragraphs. From "Aid Station Strategy" and "Altitude" to "Bad Weather," and "Black Toes," to "Carbohydrates" and "Cross-Training," topics fall into dozens of general categories including training, nutrition, rest and recovery, race strategies, equipment, weather, injuries, keeping mentally strong, traveling to and from the event, and much more. Always concise, eminently readable, and often humorous, Higdon's advice puts any runner's mind at ease no matter what the concern. Like having a personal coach with you every step of the way, Marathoning A to Z is the reliable training resource that can help any runner-from beginner to elite-achieve his or her marathon goals. (5 1/2 x 7 1/2, 240 pages, b&w photos)Hal Higdon is Senior Writer for Runner's World, author of many bestselling books on running, including Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide, and an elite masters runner.

One of the founding members of the Road Runners Club of America he serves as a training consultant for The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon and operates a successful training Web site, Virtual Training, that serves tens of thousands of runners every day. He lives in Long Beach, Indiana.