Together, Heiden and Testa have toned down their expertise so the average person can benefit from their knowledge and experience.

"With straight talk, no gimmicks and a unique insight into exercise and health," the book proclaims, "Heiden and Testa have created a modern fitness program for those who want to learn the scientific truth about staying in excellent health."

With testimonials from Apolo Anton Ohno, Dave Zabriskie, Chad Hedrick and even John McEnroe, "Faster Better Stronger' certainly has its share of celebrity endorsers. But the book was written with people like you and me in mind.

"We will give you step-by-step instructions on how to make the most of your body through exercise — physically, mentally, biomechanically and nutritionally," the authors write in the book's introduction.

Heiden, a man blessed with the genetics and mental makeup to be the best in the world at his sport, has learned through experience and through classroom settings how to transform a weekend-warrior athlete into a lean, mean workout machine.

Heiden's expertise comes not only from hours of training, but also from hours of training in ways different than his competitors did. While most cycling teams in Europe were logging massive amounts of miles in the saddle, Testa joined the 7-Eleven team and introduced science to the training equation — shifting the focus from shear volume to training in intervals with high-intensity work breaking up the endurance.

The results came quickly for the young American cycling team, and stage wins at the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France followed.

Through proper nutrition, proper training schedules and proper biomechanic assessments, "Faster Better Stronger' may be as good a nuts-and-bolts manual for athletes as you can hope for. Finding better people to glean that information from than Heiden and Testa might be as big a challenge as you can sign up for. After all, USA Speedskating and USA Cycling are frequent clients.

Most of us will never compete in the Olympics. And we'll never ride in the Tour de France. But we might feel the urge to climb over the Mirror Lake Highway or run a marathon one weekend, and being properly trained is the best way to approach such a goal.

Having the likes of Heiden and Testa on hand — or on the bookshelf — might be the best way to start that training.

'Faster, Better, Stronger' book signing

Who: Eric Heiden, M.D., Massimo Testa, M.D. and Bob Roll

When: Today, 6-7:30 p.m.

Where: Contender Bicycles, 875 E. 900 South

Info: 801-364-0344 or contenderbicycles.com.

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E-mail: jeborn@desnews.com