Training Essentials for Ultrarunning- Second Edition Paperback – December 2, 2021

This is an excellent book! I have been running ultras for a number of years and I also purchased the first edition of the book which I have read numerous times. The second edition includes some great new sections and content, including an expanded section on nutrition and a great section on mental preparation. I enjoy the fact that Jason Koop bases all of his recommendations in science and the fact that he is completely free of the influence of sponsors.I recently completed the Tor des Géants and used this book in combination with my professional coach to prepare for the race. The coaching guide to this race included in the book proved invaluable and gave me a huge amount of confidence that I was doing the right preparation for the race. I also used the chapter on creating a personal race strategy to prepare my race goal and plans. This paid off and I achieved my plan. Things don't always go smoothly during such a long race and I also got to deploy his ADAPT system for problem solving on 2 occasions during the race. The one situation included a complete failure of my sports watch, a situation I had not envisaged and one which compromised the potential achievement of my goal. However, using the ADAPT system I was able to plan and take action and still achieve my goal.I keep reading sections of the book because each time it refreshes some aspect of the preparation process for me.Whether you are planning your first ultra or you are preparing for another, I believe this book is worth getting. After purchasing the paper copy I also purchased the Kindle version so that I can re-read sections anywhere without carrying the fairly large paper copy around.

I've run one ultramarathon in my life, the Run Rabbit Run 50 miler in Steamboat Springs, CO. Previously, I ran a marathon, a few half-marathons and some shorter distance trail and road races. I'd say I'm a fairly experienced runner/hiker.I wish this book had been around when I was preparing for my 50 miler back in 2018. I certainly would have taken my training, and the actual race more seriously, and would have likely felt and performed much better than I did. This book is an excellent resource for anyone planning to do a long distance running race, or even a long hike. I spend over a hundred hours hiking in Alaska every summer, and this book has already helped me change my fueling and hydration approach for the better.Do yourself a favor and learn as much as you can while preparing for your first ultramarathon. This book is an invaluable addition to any runner's home library. I'm happy to have it.

I have enjoyed Jason Koops Insta stories and podcast and was really looking forward to diving into this book. One of the main reasons is, I have mad respect for him as a human, runner, and coach. No, I don't know him personally, but this is my opinion from afar. His dry humor, research based practice, and to the point demeanor were nicely represented within these pages. He is the reason I began to train for ultras by time, rather than stress about checking off set numbers of miles. This was game changing for me. However, I digress. Let's return to the specific book review. Outstanding. I am very impressed at the time, research, and talent that went into writing such an in depth look at ultra training. This book covers everything, including a female specific section. I have always been someone who sticks to a specific training schedule and rarely steers away from what is already planned. Using the information in this book, I wrote my 50k training plan for the first time. I have a race this weekend and have never felt stronger, more confident, or ready at the end of a training block. I put in a lot of time running - more than I ever have before, but feel great! I have book marked multiple pages - sorry to those who feel this is a disrespect to books, but....I have read and re-read certain sections many many times. I highly recommend this book to any runner, or anyone who loves to grow through PD opportunities to gain more knowledge.

Have read it several times. Very helpful.

Great guide for training for long distance trail running and racing. I especially appreciate the scientific approach. My only wish was that it included several sample training programs; it currently talks about training in general terms but this book alone wouldn’t be enough to completely prepare for an ultra.

I used coaches for ultra in the past but wasn’t ever really happy with the personalization or even with the plan or understanding. I’d started reading and trying to figure out how to do it all myself but had a hard time finding solid science backed methods for training for ultrarunning. I found the first edition and finally started to understand and tailor my training in an efficient, personalized, simplified, and science backed way. I saw some really good improvements and great results. Even after an unfortunate set of injuries I used Koops methods and practices to get a 100k finish after just 6 weeks of actual training. Not to say this is the method, but knowing what workouts to use when and how your body will adapt and what to train really helped me get on the right track for a very short training block. The second edition answers all the questions I ever asked myself about while reading the first edition. This is more of a bible to training for ultrarunning. Very sensible, and quite literally one of the best books on Ultrarunning training I’ve ever gone through. Must Read!