Lessons from Joe Henderson’s book Long Slow Distance: The Humane Way to Train

John running at one of his favorite spots in Clough State Park, NH.

If you enjoy running like so many millions of American’s do, or even if you hate running and don’t understand those wacko’s who actually derive pleasure from miles upon miles of road and trail work, then you’ll probably love reading Joe Henderson’s book Long Slow Distance. Joe has been running and racing since the 1950′s and has completed over 700 races. He was formerly the chief editor for Runners World magazine and wrote articles for it for over 30 years, along with authoring over two dozen books on the subject of running. Since 1982, Joe has also maintained a Running Commentary, providing valuable nuggets of advice he’s picked up along his journey. This guy is a runner through and through – the real deal.

Joe still runs today, which is remarkable because most people Joe’s age couldn’t run year-round if they wanted to. Running is one of the highest injury-producing sports, but people like Joe are proving to the world that it doesn’t have to be this way. Running injuries don’t need to be the norm, and I think Joe’s training philosophy can go a long way towards this end. I like to call it the philosophy of gentle running, which you’re going to get a taste of in the next few minutes.
Continue reading The Little-Known Philosophy of Gentle Running