I know there are not many followers of Daniels here, but the ideals and training principles found in his second edition helped guide me to a breakout year last season.
I just received the new, third edition in the mail today and this bad boy has been revised and updated and I cannot wait to go through it all.
If your race times are stuck in a rut and in need of a boot in the ass, get this book!
Would Daniels be a good choice for a newer runner?
Looking to put some actual thought into training this year instead of just winging it.
Trail and Ultra Running User Group
I ran with it in my third year so I do not see why not. It can come across as complicated though so it takes a bit of time before you can actually go out and run and even then, you are constantly referring to it. That said, it is worth the time in my opinion.
Labrat
I'm a Daniel's fan, but will wait out on this new edition for now.
For a newer runner his programs are definitely on the intense side, but they really provide results.
5K 20:23 (Vdot 48.7) 9/9/17
10K 44:06 (Vdot 46.3) 3/11/17
HM 1:33:48 (Vdot 48.6) 11/11/17
FM 4:13:43 (Vdot 35.4) 3/4/18
Yes, a solid base is imperative.
Smaller By The Day
Second edition worked for me, but I'm less than 2 years into running.
Improvements
Weight 100 pounds lost
5K 31:02 Sept. 2012 / 23:36 Sept. 2013 (Same Course)
10K 48:59 April 2013
HM 2:03:56 Nov. 2012 / 1:46:50 March 2013
MARATHON 3:57:33 Nov. 2013
Chasing Muses
Would Daniels be a good choice for a newer runner? Looking to put some actual thought into training this year instead of just winging it.
Even if you're not ready to execute the running plans, understanding the principles can be very beneficial.
Well you paid something like half what I paid for my copy, and I've barely touched it so far! I'm pretty sure the local track workouts are based on Daniels' paces, so I wanted to get his book, so for me it made sense to get the new edition. I wanted to get it because I was thinking about using it for my HM training, but it is certainly not a "grab and go" type of book. So I think I will read through it for this training cycle and then consider it down the road.
Wickedly Average
I've got the second edition - great, informative book that can be referenced over and over.
When I followed (loosely) the Daniels' system during my first year and a half of running, I made great gains. When I slacked off on my discipline, I got injured.
I recommend it.
Tom (formerly known as PhotogTom)
5K - 25:16, 10K - 55:31, 15K - 1:20:55, HM - 1:54:54
Yes, agreed.
When I said I followed it loosely, I mean that I tailored the program to match my 'less-than-stellar' condition at the time. Seriously, as Catwhoorg said, the workouts are intense for those of us that are not at a higher level. But the information is still very valuable.
The workouts are only "intense" if you don't read the book. Indeed, he has four plans for runners that start with the "white" plan that contains no speed work at all. That's about as unintense as it gets. Other programs are more challenging but you have to know how to modify them to fit your level of fitness. For example, he might prescribe a 6 mile tempo run but he also says that your tempo mileage should be no more than 10% of your week's total mileage. So, if you are only running 40 miles per week, you should know to cut that to 4 miles. I think people's fear of Daniels stems from a few things.
First, they don't read the book. The jump straight to the workouts and think, "oh, no way in hell I can do that." Second, rather than look at his less intense white, red, blue, and gold plans, they jump straight to the plans designed to work on a specific race distance which are by far the most intense plans he has. Third, even if they read the book, they don't pay attention to it and they don't modify the workouts as they should based on their weekly mileage.
Daniels is really the only book I have ever used consistently. I have pulled in some principles from others (medium long runs from Pfitzinger during marathon training and hill sprints from Hudson) but I go to Daniels to really train for races. Yeah, some of the workouts are hard but a race isn't easy either. That mental toughness you develop during those hard workouts is something you can call on when you hit a brutal headwind at Mile 14 of a marathon. Trust me on that.
Short term goal: 17:59 5K
Mid term goal: 2:54:59 marathon
Long term goal: To say I've been a runner half my life. (I started running at age 45).
Yeah, some of the workouts are hard but a race isn't easy either. That mental toughness you develop during those hard workouts is something you can call on when you hit a brutal headwind at Mile 14 of a marathon. Trust me on that.
As my peeps in the dailies can attest, I routinely got my ass kicked all year at the track last season. But when it came down to crunch time during a race, I was able kick back because of it....
...sometimes.
I have always talked about the why in regards to training and to that end it is one thing to go run 4 x 1000's at the track, it is an entirely different thing though to know why you are running them and at what pace you should be running them at.
You have to read the book to learn why, which yes burns the hell out of your noodle (especially if you have a hard time paying attention as I do). But if you want to race your absolute best, the clarity will come if you digest it over a period of weeks, and not try to cram it all in in one sitting, which with Daniels is practically impossible.
Of course if you have been running for years or ran in high school or college then you likely know all of this stuff.
Village people
Yes. it is a great reference book. The more I ran, the more I went back and read some sections. There are great workouts for base building as well as racing.
And here I finally got around to reading the second edition.