Matt Fitzgerald's New Runner's Diary Helps Runners Set Personal Records

Boulder, CO, USA - January 7, 2009 - Next to running shoes, a training diary is the most important piece of training equipment a runner owns. Running coach and fitness journalist Matt Fitzgerald has improved upon this critical training tool with his new book, The Runner's Diary: A Daily Training Log. Whether training to set a personal record in a 5K race or to complete a first marathon, runners of all abilities will improve their times and run injury-free with The Runner's Diary. The book includes Fitzgerald's Target Pace Level and Intensity Factor systems to make sure runners are gaining fitness from every workout. Also included is a daily nutrition log to easily monitor diet. The book is available in bookstores, running shops, and online.

The Runner's Diary helps runners plan and monitor their season. Using Fitzgerald's step-by-step guide, runners can design a customized, season-long training plan. Fitzgerald guides runners through selecting peak and tune-up races, designing a weekly training cycle, and planning peak training weeks, mileage targets, and key workout progressions.

The two-color diary pages offer plenty of space for key data such as resting heart rate, mileage, pace/splits, intensity, aches and pains, subjective workout ratings, and daily nutrition. With this detailed log, runners will gain insight into their fitness and performance.

Runners can use Fitzgerald's Target Pace Level and Intensity Factor systems to ensure that they are on track and gaining fitness from every run. The Target Pace Level system is a simplified, performance-based version of Jack Daniels' VDOT pacing system. The Runner's Diary includes pace charts and peak training weeks for 5K, 10K, half-marathon, and marathon events.

The Runner's Diary: A Daily Training Log by Matt Fitzgerald Paperback with semi-enclosed wire-o binding and two-color interior 6 1/2" x 9", 232 pp., VP-RDD, $15.95, ISBN: 978-1-934030-36-3

• 16 million Americans ran on 100 or more days per year in 2007. (Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association)
• There were 15,500 running events in 2007 including 630 half-marathons and 425 marathons. (Running USA)
• Fitzgerald is a regular contributor to leading health and fitness publications, including Runner's World, Running Times, Men's Health, Outside, Bicycling, and Her Sports.
• The Runner's Diary is based on the successful format of the VeloPress training diaries from Joe Friel.
• VeloPress is the book publishing unit of Competitor Group, Inc., which produces Elite Racing's Rock 'n' Roll marathon and half-marathon events.

Matt Fitzgerald is a prolific health and fitness journalist and author of 12 published and forthcoming books on fitness, nutrition, and weight loss, including Brain Training for Runners and Performance Nutrition for Runners. Fitzgerald is also a featured coach with Training Peaks, where he creates interactive training plans for runners and triathletes. More information on Matt is available at MattFitzgerald.org.

Media review copies, excerpts, author interviews and events:
Dave Trendler, Marketing and Publicity Manager, (303) 245-2138, dtrendler@competitorgroup.com

Distributors and specialty retailers please order through:
Jen Soulé, Sales Manager, (800) 811-4210 x169, wholesale@competitorgroup.com

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