"Will get any runner across the finish line of a marathon. I highly recommend it." --Olympic-marathon gold medalist Frank Shorte "'There's plenty of sound training advice here for runners of all levels,' said Ken Sparks, PhD, who achieved a marathon personal record of 2:28 at age 46." --Ken Sparks, PhD "According to Runner's World magazine, a first-time marathoner should train at least five days a week, posting weekly mileage of up to 42 miles. Hal Higdon, an 82-year-old fitness guru-he finished fifth in the 1964 Boston Marathon - says it's all about finding the right program. Twenty years ago, he designed one for his son, Kevin, an accountant at Peat Marwick International (now KPMG) who wanted to train 'while working for a demanding firm.' Higdon's corporate-worker-friendly program became a best-selling book, Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide. It's still used by many professionals, including Illinois Bank of America President Tim Maloney, who Higdon says followed the program while training for this year's race in Chicago.

The guide schedules every mile, right down to the walking breaks, without much wiggle room. 'I've had people ask, 'Can I do 5 miles in the morning and 5 during lunch?' Higdon says. 'My response is always, 'well sure, if you can find a marathon that lets you run 13 miles in the morning and 13 in the afternoon.'" -- BUSINESSWEEK.