Praise for Matt Fitzgerald:
“To be a great athlete, you need more than natural ability; you need mental strength to keep going when your body wants to quit. In his new book, writer Matt Fitzgerald dives into the research behind these coping skills and highlights the top athletes who use them. Anyone, whether pro or everyday exercisers, can use these tactics to push further.”
—Men’s Journal
“Fitzgerald has been writing about the psychology of endurance performance for more than a decade now and is really one of the pioneers in terms of trying to take this body of research out of the laboratory and into the field for everyone to try. His latest book examines a series of notable races through the lens of Samuele Marcora’s ‘psychobiological’ theory of endurance. The races make it a fun read, and the psychology is thought-provoking.”
—Runner’s World magazine
“At the highest level of sport, it’s often not physiology but psychology that separates the best from the rest. Matt goes well beyond just telling stories of great athletes (though he’s really good at doing that, too) and delves deep into cutting-edge brain science to show us all how we can strengthen our own mental muscle.”
—Huffington Post, Best Health and Fitness Books in 2015
“This book teaches you how to avoid the many pitfalls of fueling for endurance running and how to use nutrition to improve your performance. I wouldn’t marathon without it.”
—Jenny Hadfield, author of Marathoning for Mortals
“From training day 1 through mile 26.2, Fitzgerald has laid out a nutritional game plan to get you through the wall and to your best marathon yet.”
—Desiree Davila, American long-distance runner
“Most nutrition books for athletes are complete garbage. The New Rules of Marathon and Half-Marathon Nutrition presents relevant information in a way that is interesting and practical—a fantastic source.”
—Brad Hudson, founder and owner of Performance Training Group, coauthor of Run Faster from the 5K to the Marathon
“Nutrition is a proven key to success in endurance sports yet the correct approach is often neglected or misunderstood. . . . It is extremely refreshing to see the applications of years of sound sports nutrition spelled out in a precise, comprehensive, and easy-to-read fashion. The New Rules of Marathon and Half-Marathon Nutrition is a must-read for beginner and elite-level runners.”
—Kimberly Mueller, MS, RD, CSSD, sports dietitian, owner of Fuel Factor Nutrition Coaching, and elite marathoner
“A crucial resource for anyone who wants to run their best marathon. I highly recommend it!”
—Ryan Hall, American record-holder, half marathon and 20K, and Olympian
“Extremely well done. . . . A must for marathoners!”
—Library Journal
“You will gain valuable information and insight about how to fuel your body from this book.”
—Portland Book Review
“Written in a friendly and approachable manner and colored with many anecdotal stories from elite running history, this book is an easy and informative read that can help propel your runs to the next level.”
—San Francisco/Sacramento Book Review
“I highly recommend reading Racing Weight even if you don’t need to lose any excess poundage. You’ll come away with a better understanding of your physiology and also of food.”
—Joe Friel, founder of TrainingBible Coaching and author of The Triathlete’s Training Bible and The Cyclist’s Training Bible
“In his latest book, Matt Fitzgerald successfully explains the mind–body method of running. . . . Anyone trying to improve and realize their true running potential should read Run.”
—Kara Goucher, 2008 Olympian and world championship medalist
“Racing Weight answers the difficult questions athletes often have about dieting, including how to handle the off-season. The book gives readers a scientifically backed system to discover your optimum race weight, as well as five steps to achieve it.”
—Triathlete magazine
“Reaching an ideal weight for endurance sports is important, but doing it the right way is even more important. Matt Fitzgerald provides scientific and sound advice for anyone trying to achieve their racing weight.”
—Scott Jurek, seven-time winner of the Western States Endurance Run and two-time winner of the Badwater Ultramarathon
“Fitzgerald is a fountain of information on current research studies and findings from the sciences of healthy nutrition and exercise performance.”
—Ultrarunning magazine
“Even if you are already a lean machine, you’ll likely still learn something from Racing Weight. From how to determine your optimum weight, to improving your diet and training around it, to controlling your appetite and making your own fuel—it’s all in this book.”
—BikeRadar
“The mysteries of weight and its relationship to performance are unlocked in Matt Fitzgerald’s Racing Weight. If you’ve got a basic handle on both training and nutrition, this book offers the means to improve both your diet and athletic performance.”
“Captivating, animated, uniquely readable and downright thrilling. [Iron War] is a truly great read—and an ode to our sport with all its quirky characters and epic venues. . . . It is absolutely comparable to Krakauer, Bowden (Blackhawk Down), or Sebastian Junger (The Perfect Storm). . . . Iron War is what we buy books for: Excitement, entertainment, information and inspiration.”
“For any triathlete or endurance athlete, or anyone who wonders what it takes to be the best in sport, Iron War is an excellent read. . . . Readers will come away with a very strong understanding and appreciation for two of the true legends of our sport . . . as well as a very clear look at the greatest race ever run.”
“Iron War by Matt Fitzgerald recounts the fabled Ironman world championship battle between triathlete legends Dave Scott and Mark Allen. By the end of the story, [triathletes] will feel like [they] personally know the athletes, raced side-by-side with them, and understand the amazing contribution they made to the sport.”
“The mind is the next frontier for significant performance gains. . . . Mental fitness, says Fitzgerald, means becoming your own sports psychologist and developing coping mechanisms to help you suffer better. Which, while not entirely satisfying, is a good start.”
—Outside Magazine
“Imagine you could get into the mind of an elite athlete and use their skills to improve your sporting potential. That’s the premise of Matt Fitzgerald’s How Bad Do You Want It?”
—Triathlon Magazine Canada
“Fitzgerald is a skilled writer and the drama and excitement of the various races really jump off the pages. If you are feeling a bit unmotivated about running, this would be a great book to pick up, as you are likely to be inspired by all of the thrilling stories.”
—Run Oregon
“What better way to reach your goal than with delicious meals designed for weight loss? Racing Weight Cookbook delivers 100 recipes targeted for athletes looking to manage their weight.”
—Women’s Running magazine
“If you’re looking to get to your peak performance weight or explore the mind–body connection of running, writer Matt Fitzgerald has some advice for you. . . . Fitzgerald, an expert in endurance training and nutrition, explores a wide range of topics and cutting-edge developments from the world of running and endurance sports.”
“Being a three-time Olympian, I thought I knew all there was to know about diet and training, but Matt blew me away. I can’t wait to start implementing all his knowledge into my running.”
—Shalane Flanagan, Olympic bronze medalist and American record-holder