If you ask anyone who exercises regularly whether they like to run, a majority, like me, will greet you with an overwhelming no. We all know that running is a necessary evil if you’re keen to lose weight, get trim and improve your cardio fitness. The very idea, however, of throwing on your trainers and pounding the streets for hours on end is usually enough for you to find some excuse not to do it. I know it is with me.
This is why Jennifer Jolan’s book, Running Sucks, is such a great find.
Unlike other books on running, Jolan’s book is not filled with page after page of useless training routines that make outlandish claims, in terms of their effectiveness, but it is instead based entirely on changing everything about the way that one runs.
How does Running Sucks work?
Running Sucks isn’t your run of the mill fitness training guide and it’s certainly not for everyone, and nor does it claim to be.
The book is targeted specifically at women who detest the very thought of running and are short on time. Its target audience is those women who begrudgingly make running a regular part of their fitness regime, but would rather not, if only there was another way of losing weight.
Jennifer Jolan’s book claims that by changing some of the fundamentals about your running style, it is possible to lose up to five pounds in as little as two weeks, by running for less than five minutes each day. It’s billed as a book that is perfect for busy women who want to lose weight, fast.
The secrets of the book are, understandably, not fully revealed in the book description, but one of the fundamental principles that Jolan stands by is that her training methods do not involve gruelling, long distance runs. The author asserts that it is possible to speed up your metabolism, so that you burn fat at almost twice the rate that you currently do, thus making fat loss gains while you rest.
By giving readers an insight into some of the lesser known secrets of the fitness industry and sporting world, Running Sucks teaches students to change the way that they breathe, their diet, the makeup of their workout and their technique, as a means of making rapid strides towards their weight loss targets. Jolan’s book, in short, turns the traditional theories of weight loss on their head, offering advice to women that could be transformational to their lifestyle.
Does Running Sucks really deliver?
There seems to be an overwhelmingly positive consensus regarding the effectiveness of the training methods and diet tips outlined in Running Sucks.
One reviewer, Chris Lockwood, asserts that the book “gives some clever and efficient ways to burn fat, lose weight, and get in better shape through running.” Chris continues that Running Sucks is not like other traditional running guides. The book does not focus on running for hours, but instead it looks through the lens of using “running as a tool to boost your fat loss.”
One of the biggest positives about the methods outlined in this book is the emphasis on being able to enjoy rapid weight loss in a short amount of time, without the need for hours of running. Healthy Chic highlights that one weight loss technique in the book “takes only 5 minutes per day.”
A further overwhelming trend from the reviews for Running Sucks seems to be that its no-nonsense approach is proving refreshing amongst readers. One reviewer, Kris McPeak, for example, purports that the readability and simplicity of the book has revitalised her passion for running, causing her to exclaim that “I’m motivated again!”
Will Running Sucks help me lose weight?
Running Sucks is geared towards helping busy women lose weight, fast. And in this regard, it seems not to disappoint our reviewers.
Julie Mango, one of the book’s reviewers, who has struggled with weight loss her whole life, reports that, after just a few minutes of HIIT training, in between commercial television breaks each day, she lost two pounds in the first week.
One reviewer, runningrox, was ecstatic with the results she gleaned from following the advice in Running Sucks. Runningrox waxed lyrical about the book, exclaiming that “I loved the energy I had all day, and the ten pounds I lost.”
Linda Pierce is perhaps one of the biggest success stories of the Jennifer Jolan’s approach to weight loss. Linda asserts that, by following the methods outlined in Running Sucks, “I have lost 20 lbs and 3 inches, and still going!”
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Simple, yet effective. A common theme amongst reviewers, Running Sucks is frequently being cited as a book which is no-nonsense, straight talking and straight to the point. With reviewers, such as Karla, surprised that “it is an easy read”, but one that delivers real results.
- You will really lose weight. There are a plethora of reviews of Running Sucks where the reviewer claims to have experienced dramatic weight loss in an extremely short period of time. One reviewer, Jana Gallagher, for example, states that after following the book’s advice, she lost three pounds in just five days. And this trend seems to be the norm and not a freak occurrence.
- A real time saver. The book successfully fulfils one of its major basic premises, it offers busy women a quick and easy way of losing weight. Hilary Silver extols the virtues of the advice contained in the book by saying that, “I have a hectic work and life schedule so anything that allows you to maximize your efforts is a great thing.”
Cons:
- It’s a short report. Some reviewers were disappointed by the lack of depth that the book had. Unlike some books, it is perhaps guilty of not being too information rich, with the focus on short, sharp and useful information. If you’re looking for an in-depth book on running, then perhaps your money may be better spent elsewhere. Indeed, Kerri claims that it is “only a very short report with limited information.”
- Nothing too groundbreaking. The focus of Running Sucks is primarily on the benefits of interval training. If you already know an extensive amount about interval training, then this may not be the book for you. In this regard, Ho Hum claims that “the title is a little misleading.”
Problems and complaints
While the reviews for Running Sucks are overwhelmingly positive, there are a small number of reviewers who claim that the book oversells itself, with several reviewers also making quips about the conversational tone of the author, citing it as a poor style of writing. Smeehle, for example, claims that it contains “Good basic running advice that you can get from any running web site.”
Is Running Sucks better than other running books on the market?
It’s hard to be definitively clear about whether Running Sucks is better than other running books on the market because it is so starkly different from other books of its type.
It’s certainly a book that is not for everyone and divides opinions. Reviewers such as drunringill “Reg” are enamoured by the book, claiming that it “is a quick and easy read, plenty of content with minimal fluff.” Other reviewers, however, such as Jessica Croghan, claim that you should “Google a few decent articles on running/exercising and keep your money.” It seems that reviewers disagree over the style and content of the book, but that overwhelmingly it is viewed in a more positive than negative light by reviewers.
How does it rate overall?
With 218 reviews, Running Sucks receives an overall Amazon rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars. While the book seems to have its fair share of detractors, the advice in the book seems sound overall, with interval training a proven technique of inducing rapid weight loss.
Where can I buy it and where can I read more reviews?
Running Sucks, by Jennifer Jolan, can be purchased on the Kindle, through Amazon, for the fantastic price of cup of coffee. If, however, you would like to read a few more reviews before you decide to purchase the book, then you can read them here.