A Practical Philosophy of 800 Metres Running: Festina Lente

A new and radical approach to training for one of athletics' toughest events, the half mile. In contrast to A Life In A Day In A Year, which over 500 pages details the journey of a young athlete from beginner to international level at 800 metres, the author presents in this essay or small monograph in less than 45 pages the distilled lessons garnered from a lifetime in the sport. Whether you are world class, an aspiring international or a just a club runner, by applying the ten steps outlined in this radical approach, it will provide you with a practical, no nonsense guide which cuts through the science to help you run a super fast half mile. 'Excellent read! I agree wholeheartedly with everything you advocate. This needs to be out there for all aspirants to read.' Paul Forbes, 8 Nations 800 metres Champion 'This is "the bible" for two lap specialists and coaches who understand the truth that 800m is a sprint not an endurance event!' Paul Baxter This is the third volume of five athletics based books by the author, The Hermes Pentalogy (The God of Speed) which encapsulate the social culture of the Edinburgh era of the 1970s; the series is made up of - A Life In A Day In A Year: A Postcard From Meadowbank, 1973-1978 (2017); Festina Lente - A Practical Philosophy of 800 Metres Running (2018); The True Confessions Of Retep Nnamffoh: School's Out For Ever, A 1973 Edinburgh Young Athlete's Diary (2018);You Can Run But You Can't Outrun Yourself: A 1950s Edinburgh Love Story (2021) and Audacity and Idiocy - A Scottish Athlete's 1978 Commonwealth Games Journal (2022).