You can use this book in two ways.
Simply follow one of the training programmes, and watch your marathon timeimprove.
Alternatively, read about exactly what physiological changes marathontraining is designed to produce, what training sessions effect whatchanges, and how to go about training and marathon preparation in the mosteffective way.
Whichever you choose to do, you will benefit from a book which is clearand very readable. Do not kid yourself that this is a short-cut tomarathon success though - it sets out the hard work that you need to do,and why you need to do it, but it can't do the work for you.
I followed the "up to 70 miles per week" training programme and reduced mymarathon personal best from 3 hours 8 minutes to 2 hours 49 minutes, so itdoes work!