Training for the Uphill Athlete: A Manual for Mountain Runners and Ski Mountaineers

This book is so fascinating: I read it like a novel. I’ve been trail running for 5 years and I need to increase my distance and endurance for an upcoming event in July 2024. This book explains the physiological mechanisms involved in trail running, helps identify your strengths and weaknesses and provides the tools to help you build a custom training plan.A truly helpful book for trail running, skimo and ski mountaineering. I highly recommend.

"Training for the Uphill Athlete" was my first deep dive into structured training. Having already completed three marathons before buying this book, I felt my old training methods weren’t giving me the results I wanted, especially as I transitioned into trail running. This book was an absolute eye-opener and will save you a lot of time and frustration by teaching you how to train effectively and avoid burnout.The key takeaways for me:Building an aerobic base: The book emphasizes the importance of dedicating months to low-intensity Zone 1 and 2 training, with maybe one uphill sprint session per week. This foundation is crucial for long-term endurance.Holistic training cycles: Instead of focusing on individual sessions, the book teaches you to think in larger cycles, such as 3-4 week blocks (e.g., 2-3 weeks of intensive training followed by a recovery week). This approach allows your body time to adapt and avoids the dangers of overtraining.Energy systems explained: The book gives a fantastic explanation of how aerobic (fat-based) and anaerobic (glycogen-based) ATP production works, and why relying on fat for energy is more sustainable for endurance athletes that go for hours on end.I highly recommend this book to anyone involved in endurance sports, particularly runners. It’s filled with practical advice and scientific explanations that will make a huge difference in your training. A must-read for anyone looking to take their performance to the next level!

Muy buen libro de teoría para poder entender bien el rendimiento del cuerpo

The book "Training for the New Alpinism" by Scott Johnston and Steve House set new standards for thorough, science and coaching-based training advice for alpinists and endurance athletes alike. Although focused on fast and light alpinism (aka "new" alpinism), Johnston's background as a coach in cross country skiing permeated the book and, as a result, much of the book could be easily applied to other endeavors- like cross country skiing, mountain running, and ski mountaineering (SkiMo). With support from Patagonia as publisher, a large emphasis was placed on clear, high quality, information-dense graphics that were far superior to anything else available at the time. I highly recommended this book when it was published and continue to do so today.Enter this new volume from Johnston and co-authors Steve House and Kilian Jornet that is focused on mountain running, ultra running, and  SkiMo. Along with the same science and coaching-based guidance, similarly superior graphics, a unique focus on strength development, and an excellent handbook to developing your own training plan, "Training for the Uphill Athlete" represents a new milestone in quality and thoroughness in a training guide for the endurance athlete.In this book one will find a nicely presented approach to training for "uphill" endurance sports such as mountain running and SkiMo. Throughout, the authors provide a scientific and/or coaching-based foundation for the specific training programs being described. Of particular note are the sections on ATP production and lactate metabolism- the best presentation of this material that I have been exposed to. All of this gives the reader the basis for (or a starting point for) development of a personal training "philosophy"- something that is critical to the success of any training regimen. As is pointed out frequently in the book, each individual presents a unique combination of physiology, biomechanics, life situation, and personality. Provided with a basic foundational approach and the specific tools needed to enable successful, progressive training , the reader is well positioned to be able to design and execute upon a training program that is aligned with his or her abilities, time, commitment, and goals.The overarching mantras laced through the material are:aerobic base development, "progression, progression, progression", and the critical importance of substantial integrated strength training elementsToo many athletes and recreationalists ramp training up too quickly, incorporate intensity too soon, suffer injury, and, potentially, burnout. By properly progressing training load and intensity and integrating strength sessions into the program such "training errors" can be largely avoided. These themes are regularly brought forward and discussed throughout the book and recommendations are provided to help the reader incorporate appropriate progressions and strength programs.Although of limited value, the book is punctuated by sidebar stories and opinions from representative uphill athletes- both elite level and some well-known sub-elite athletes. I find these individual essays to be more of a hinderance to the authors otherwise successful goal to provide clear guidance but I know that many find such stories inspirational.Also included are "Kilian's Notes"- short sections where Kilian describes his training history, training methods, and some specific workouts. Again, I find these of limited value as they are coming from an athlete who has been in intensive endurance training since he was 13 years old, with a 90+ VO2max, mental fortitude that is similarly off the charts, and has raced thousands of times. Having trained with athletes with some of these attributes, I can say that what they do is not particularly relevant even to those with relatively high VO2max and long histories with training for endurance sport. If you have ever competed against or trained with someone with a 90+ VO2max you will know what I mean. I suggest that one take these Kilian missives as just that- an entertaining peak into what such an extraordinary and accomplished athlete does and not a prescription for anyone else. Unfortunately there is no warning to this effect in the book.I have found little to disagree with in this book with the exception of the science fiction provided on "fat adaptation" and a "hook-line-and-sinker" devotion to the persistent hunting theory as a basis for understanding human endurance abilities. But these are minor items and thankfully nutrition is not a focus of the book so it is easy to let these go and concentrate on all of the truly valuable information and presentation in the book.I highly recommend this book for anyone who is interested in understanding fundamental endurance training concepts, evolving a personal approach based on these concepts, and developing a reliable, flexible training plan that will, with consistency and commitment, lead to success and goal achievement in endurance sport.

Très bien