Running for Women

As best-selling author John Gray pointed out, men are from Mars and women are from Venus. There are obvious differences between women and men in anatomy, physiology, hormones, and metabolism. So why do most running books take a one-size-fits-all approach to training? Finally, here’s one that doesn’t.

Running for Women provides comprehensive information on training female runners based on their cardiovascular, hormonal, metabolic, muscular, and anatomical characteristics. In this authoritative guide, authors Jason Karp and Carolyn Smith answer the questions and tackle the topics women need to know:

• The impact of the menstrual cycle on hydration, body temperature, metabolism, and muscle function

• The most effective workouts for endurance, speed and strength, lactate threshold, and VO2max

• How and when to train during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause

• Preventing knee injuries, stress fractures, and other common running-related injuries

• Avoiding the risks of the female athlete triad—disordered eating, osteoporosis, and menstrual irregularities

• How to use sex differences to your advantage

Based on the latest research on estrogen, metabolism, and other sex-specific performance factors, Running for Women will change the way you fuel, train, and compete. If you are serious about running, this is one guide you must own.

 Dr. Jason Karp is one of America’s foremost running experts and owner of Run-Fit. He is the 2011 IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year, 2014 recipient of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports, & Nutrition Community Leadership Award, and creator of the Run-Fit Specialist certification. Jason has given dozens of international lectures and is a featured speaker at the world’s top fitness and coaching conferences. He has taught USA Track & Field’s highest level coaching certification and has led coaching camps at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. He has written six books and more than 200 articles in international coaching, running, and fitness magazines. He is the senior editor for Active Network.

A competitive runner since sixth grade, he is a nationally-certified running coach through USA Track & Field, has coached high school and college track and cross country, and was a member of the silver-medal winning U.S. masters team at the 2013 World Maccabiah Games in Israel.

Jason received his PhD in exercise physiology with a physiology minor from Indiana University in 2007, his master’s degree in kinesiology from the University of Calgary in 1997, and his bachelor’s degree in exercise and sport science with an English minor from Penn State University in 1995. His research has been published in a number of scientific journals.

Carolyn Smith, MD, is a family practice and sports medicine physician who serves as director of the student health service at Marquette University and head medical team physician for the department of intercollegiate athletics. She also maintains her teaching interests in her role as medical director for the athletic training education program.

Smith is a versatile runner with a career that has spanned more than three decades. After a postcollegiate career running shorter distances, Smith embraced ultrarunning in 2002 and has enjoyed success in distances ranging from the 50-mile run to the 24-hour run. She is a former 24-hour and 100K national champion. She has had the privilege of representing the United States on two 24-hour national teams (2005, 2007) and is a 100K national team member (2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012). 

She is a national age-group record holder. In 2009, she held the fastest time in the world for the 50-mile ultramarathon and was ranked No. 1 in that event in the United States. In 2011 she set a national age-group record for the 12-hour run, finishing first among all participants in the FANS 12-hour ultramarathon in Minnesota, running 83 miles in 12 hours - more than 12 miles ahead of the second place finisher. She represented the United States for the seventh time in the 100-Kilometer World Championship, which was held in Italy in 2012. In 2012 the U.S. women’s team won the gold medal, an accomplishment Smith was also a part of in 2009.

In addition to a medical degree from the University of Illinois, Smith holds a master’s degree from Northern Illinois University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin, both in exercise physiology. Following a faculty position with the St. Michael Hospital Residency Program in Milwaukee, and the Medical College of Wisconsin, Smith joined the Marquette University student health service in 2002.

"Using meticulous research, Karp and Smith have created a practical and intriguing masterpiece for female runners of all ages and abilities. Highly recommended!"

Lorraine Moller-- Boston Marathon Winner, Olympic Marathon Medalist, Cofounder of the Lydiard Foundation, Author of On the Wings of Mercury

“In Running for Women, Carolyn Smith and Jason Karp combine scientific research with realistic guidelines that all women can follow to combat the effects of aging.”

Meghan Arbogast-- Four-Time Qualifier to the Olympic Marathon Trials, Team USA Leader at World 100K Championships, World-Record Holder for 50+ Age Group in the 100K

“In Running for Women, Dr. Karp and Dr. Smith provide women and their coaches a clear path to success and enjoyment in training and racing."

Joe Compagni-- Director and Head Coach, Men's and Women's Track and Field and Cross Country Monmouth University