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Sometimes picking up the pace in a race feels better than staying with the same pace; always try speeding up before you drop back from a tough pace

Coach Jack Daniels

In the mid-90s, editor-in-chief of Runner’s World magazine Amby Burfoot called coach Jack Daniels the “world’s best running coach.” Burfoot, an accomplished marathoner from the late-60s and early-70s, believed so strongly that he “plastered” the phrase on the cover of the magazine.

In 2009, Burfoot posted on the Runner World blog a point-by-point account of why he believes so strongly in Daniels‘ coaching abilities. If you are not familiar with Daniels, take a moment to read the post.

As I mentioned in the post on Fast but Not Hard drills, Daniels’ Running Formula was the first full-length running book I read when I first started. I implemented his program for several seasons. And I enjoyed it tremendously.

The way Daniels lays out the principles of training and simplifies the concepts down to specific pace ranges and workouts is impressive. If you’re interested in learning more about the nuts-and-bolts of running, Daniels’ Running Formula is a great place to start.

What we are going to focus on today is Phase II of Daniels training programs.

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