Rest Day, Peak Performance Book Review Wed, 1/17/2018

I ran 6.25 recovery miles, yesterday.  It took a while to get out of the house. I really did not want to run, but I’m on schedule for a 50 mile week, and I didn’t want to blow it.  There’d be no way to make up 6 miles.  I felt terrible, at the beginning.  I had side stitches, but they went away after about a mile.  I ended up enjoying a few of the miles, but I was ready to be done by the time I got home.

Today is a scheduled rest day, but I intend to do my hip exercises.  My toes are hurting a little.

I finished a book about training recently.  The reviews is as follows.

Peak Performance: Elevate Your Game, Avoid Burnout, and Thrive with the New Science of Success by Brad Stulberg
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I purchased Peak Performance as an audiobook. I like to listen to audiobooks when I run. I couldn’t get into it while I ran, so I listened to it during my commute. The book is worth the $2 or $3 dollars I paid, but it was disappointing. I didn’t learn much. Half of the book seemed to be trying to convince athletes to train hard and then rest. I think all serious athletes know the value of rest. I even named the blog Run, Rest, Repeat.  The value of rest is well documented. Another theme was that athletes should find a goal that transcends self. People can can push their bodies past perceived limits if they have a goal other than themselves.  Again, most people know that Momma Bear can lift a car if her babies are trapped underneath. The authors actually told a car lifting story.  On this topic though, the authors offered some practical advice on helping athletes figure out their goal.  They even included worksheets (I think).  I have the audio version, so I may have to go back and listen more carefully with a pen and paper handy.

Most of the book was a compilation of information that serious athletes already know, but I learned two new things. The first was that taking a walk break during intellectual activity is more effective than a sitting break. The second was that your brain treats looking at pictures of nature for six minutes almost the same as it treats actually sitting in a park for the same amount of time. Those two facts alone were worth three stars to me. If you haven’t read a lot of other training books, this book could be 4 or 5 stars.

View all my reviews