Home › Sports & Recreation › A Practical Philosophy of 800 Metres Running: Festina Lente

A Practical Philosophy of 800 Metres Running: Festina Lente

by Peter Hoffmann

A compact training manifesto for the 800 metres

Regular price $13.46 USD
Regular price $17.95 USD Sale price $13.46 USD
Save 25%

Paperback New English

Delivery to your door
In stock·Dispatches in 1–2 business days
Standard shipping* from $4.35
Standard shipping transit* 5–8 business days after dispatch

Faster options are available.

Rates and delivery estimates depend on your destination and item quantity. Estimates are informational only; the final shipping method and rate are selected at checkout.

Secure checkout
American Express Apple Pay DiscoverGoogle Pay Mastercard PayPalVisa
30-day eligible returns Returns & refunds policy

AlbakiReads Editorial

A compact training manifesto for the 800 metres

Presented as a short essay rather than a comprehensive training manual, this 44-page volume distills Peter Hoffmann’s approach to the 800 metres into ten steps. The book frames the half mile as an event demanding a sprint-oriented perspective and positions its advice against more science-heavy training discourse. Its scope is practical: a concise set of principles for athletes working to improve their 800-metre running, drawn from the author’s long involvement in the sport. It also forms part of the author’s athletics-centered Hermes Pentalogy, though it stands as a focused guide rather than a narrative account of an athlete’s development.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • 800-metre runners seeking a brief, principle-led training guide
  • Track-and-field coaches working with two-lap specialists
  • Club runners interested in a sprint-oriented view of the half mile

Themes

800-metre trainingSprint versus endurance approachesAthletic coachingPractical training principles

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

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).
Shipping & returnsShipping options, delivery timing, and our return policy.

In-stock items normally dispatch within 1–2 business days. The ZIP-code estimator on this page is informational only; the final shipping method, price, and availability are confirmed at checkout for your full order.

For the initial delivery estimate we use these transit windows after dispatch: Standard 5–8 business days, Expedited 2–4 business days, and Priority 1–2 business days. Holiday delays are not included.

Eligible items can be returned within 30 days in accordance with our return policy.

Customer reviews