Running Times Book Review

…a man obsessed.

Programmed to Run
by Thomas S. Miller, Ph.D. (Human Kinetics, 2002)

Perhaps the most revealing story in Thomas Miller’s book is when he tells that his now 38-year-old son remembers him sitting in the bathtub making G.I. Joe run like the elites. This is a man obsessed.

In Programmed to Run, Miller, a marathoner and coach with a doctorate in exercise and sports science, lays out the results of this lifelong obsession with learning how to run faster by running smarter. He begins with a discussion of how elites run more efficiently, and how we can emulate them, then bridges seamlessly to the mental skills needed to feel and control these efficient mechanics. This leads him to discussions of a wide range of psychological factors and tactics that affect peak performance.

Miller’s book is one of the most accessible and practical books we’ve seen on those minute and intangible elements that make the difference between good and great performances. For those who believe, as Miller quotes Frank Shorter, that “Running fast is more fun than running slow,” Programmed to Run is both an enjoyable read and leaves you with a wealth of ideas to apply to your running and racing.