Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
The greatest athletes in the world today are not the Olympic champions or the stars of professional sports, but the "marathon monks" of Japan's sacred Mount Hiei. Over a seven-year training period, these "running buddhas" figuratively circle the globe on foot. During one incredible 100-day stretch, they cover 52.5 miles daily--twice the length of an Olympic marathon. And the prize they seek to capture is the greatest thing a human being can achieve: enlightenment in the here and now.
This book is about these amazing men, the magic mountain on which they train, and the philosophy of Tendai Buddhism, which inspires them in their quest for the supreme. The reader will learn about the monks' death-defying fasts, their vegetarian training diet, their handmade straw running shoes, and feats of endurance such as their ceremonial leap into a waterfall. Illustrated with superb photographs, the book also contains the first full-length study in English of Mount Hiei and Tendai Buddhism.
John Stevens lived in Japan for thirty-five years, where he was a professor of Buddhist studies at Tohoku Fukushi University in Sendai. Stevens is a widely respected translator, an ordained Buddhist priest, a curator of several major exhibitions of Zen art, and an aikido instructor. He has authored more than thirty books and is one of the foremost Western experts on aikido, holding a ranking of 7th dan Aikikai. Stevens has also studied calligraphy for decades, authoring the classic Sacred Calligraphy of the East. Other John Stevens titles that are likely to be of interest include Extraordinary Zen Masters, and The Philosophy of Aikido.
Synopsis
If you've ever considered participating in a marathon but worried that you weren't quite up to the task, it's time to put your fears to rest. With endurance expert Dave McGovern's supportive and insightful coaching you'll be on your way to completing a marathon in no time
Dave has been a racewalking guru for the better part of 35 years. With over 14 US championships under his belt and years of experience as a private coach to several Olympic athletes, he has the know-how and expertise to help you achieve your fitness goals.
This book is focused on the training and conditioning required to walk a marathon. Studded with colorful anecdotes and witty insights, it covers everything from training regimens to stretching, nutrition, hydration, gear selection, and proper walking form. Coach McGovern's program is highly adaptable and is well suited for people across a wide spectrum of physical fitness-from couch-potato to daily jogger. Whether you're an experienced runner recovering from an injury or a weekend warrior trying to improve your fitness, walking a marathon is a satisfying and healthy way to exercise.
Dave McGovern is the most experienced and productive racewalking coach and clinician in the US and perhaps the world. A 30-year veteran of the US National Racewalk Team with a master's degree in sport science, Dave has conducted some 20 clinics and camps per year throughout North America, Europe, and Africa since 1991. In addition to coaching racewalking, Dave has been a writer for Walking Magazine and Walk Magazine, and is the author of The Complete Guide to Racewalking and Training and Precision Walking.
Readers interested in related titles from Dave McGovern will also want to see: The Complete Guide to Racewalking (ISBN: 1626545030).