Ryan Hall Pre-Boston Workout

I guess we all know enough to not make an assessment of his fitness based on one workout which didn't seem to tax him very much and that has no context with regard to his overall training approach. We will see what he has on race day!

As for posting this video. I think this is all to make sure his name continues to have market influence. His sponsors or his agent want to maintain some buzz around him after a poor New York showing and his earlier withdrawl from Chicago. This is the new world of distance running. Market driven, consumer oriented, hype sustaining.

I made no assessment of his fitness.

I was just commenting on his running form.

Is Hall blaming this 10th place Beijing performance on soy sauce?

Yep. We have seen these before, when he was training with a coach. He seems to do "ok" at Boston. But, the predictable happens time and time again. the Kenyans wait until the race starts ( about 14-15 miles) and then they begin to push.

The question is, are you ready to go with them?

So far, no Americans have really been able to go with them in Boston.

Americans really don't remember who came in 2nd.

In order for Ryan to gain credibility in the general population like Rodgers, he will need to win at Boston or NYC or the the Olympics.

It might seem unfair, but it is reality.

As we know from ourselves and from the constant analysis on this board of higher level runners, mentality plays a huge role.What Hall needs is a good race in Boston to prove to himself that he is doing the right thing. If he is successful in Boston, either by winning or running a PR split somewhere along the way or participating in a grueling battle, it will be what he needs mentally to continue his solo training and carry on into the trials and olympics.I am a Hall fan and am hoping for a win.Mentally, a lot of the board's favorite runners are not in the correct state, and this is a bad time for that so close to the next trials/olympics.Obviously Rupp and Lady Goucher are mentally and physically dialed in. All of the others, not so sure.

Mick Lovin wrote:

Yep. We have seen these before, when he was training with a coach. He seems to do "ok" at Boston. But, the predictable happens time and time again. the Kenyans wait until the race starts ( about 14-15 miles) and then they begin to push.

The question is, are you ready to go with them?

So far, no Americans have really been able to go with them in Boston.

Americans really don't remember who came in 2nd.

In order for Ryan to gain credibility in the general population like Rodgers, he will need to win at Boston or NYC or the the Olympics.

It might seem unfair, but it is reality.

Yeah, Ryan needs to be able to handle some 4:30 mile surges. I do not understand marathon vs half marathon fitness, but it seems like he should be able to run a fast half if he's ready to handle those surges.

He will never come close to 2:06 again.

But he could run 26:45

He's started taking a day off every 8th day, just like Paula. Seems to work for her...

I really want Ryan to do great at Boston.

However, it will be really tough watching if he doesn't. I feel that he is doing some things right with his training, but I just don't see it working. I don't know, and neither does anyone here. We can all guess, and someone will be able to say they are right in the end, but as of right now, no one knows how Ryan will do.

A better question is. Will he run with the lead pack and race, or will he be running his own race?

Beijing wrote:

Is Hall blaming this 10th place Beijing performance on soy sauce?

Yeah seriously. It seemed like he really hated soy sauce.

The commentary was awkward/cheesy.

The run was not really "solo". He basically had a pacer, despite it not being another runner.

I think we all know that doing zero miles even when you have time to train and are feeling fine is not anything close to optimal training. It's a shame that he has to do it "to appease the gods".

Nice to have videos like this though, still, to keep us connected.

Thks for the posting the video.

Seeing this video, I'm more impressed with Ryan than ever before. He has considered all the key factors to running well: key marathon workouts, nutritian, resting, ancilary exercises, spirtuality.

He's thinking about every aspect: wearing supportive training shoes, then on key workouts running the flats.

Years ago, I trained with a coaches. But, like Ryan, I was always interested in learning how to run faster. When coaching myself, I started consider everything: periodization, the key workouts, the paces of the workouts, the sequence of the workouts, rest, recoveries etc.....

Through trial and error, through books and the internet, I went from 4:51 to a 4:39 mile.

The interviewer also noted that Ryan's form for this marathon simulation was much better than how he looked at the NYC half marathon. Based on this video, I think Ryan will have a solid race at Boston.

He'll learn some new things from hi Boston race and then tweek his training and approach, perhaps training under a coach, which he says is still an option. Regarless, Ryan is mastering life.

Sorry but I just had to laugh when looking back at Bill Rodgers diet after watching this. "large amounts of milk, soda and fruit juice, plus such junk foods as chocolate-chip cookies, olives, pickles, Fritos, ketchup, horseradish, tartar sauce, potato chips and various dips involving quarts of mayonnaise". http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20070638,00.html

my name is whaaa? wrote:

Good on him for eating raw, though. That's the best stuff you can eat, especially organic. It doesn't sound like a bad plan to me. I wonder if he's a vegetarian, or even a vegan? I didn't get the sense that he consumed any milk or animal products. Interesting...

Muscle Milk is definitely not Vegan. Cytomax has too many chemically defined ingredients but my guess would be that it, too, is not vegan.

Allistair Cragg could upset on his debut. Hes in good spirit

http://www.runningmanathletics.com/nationalnews.htm

Mattew wrote:

He's started taking a day off every 8th day, just like Paula. Seems to work for her...

I'm pretty sure she cross trains on her off day.

Ryan takes off every Sunday. That is every 7 days (not 8). Actually it is 6 days on, 1 day off.

lilly dipper wrote:

Ryan takes off every Sunday. That is every 7 days (not 8). Actually it is 6 days on, 1 day off.

That means that in a 14 week schedule, he takes 2 weeks off. That doesn't sound very smart to me.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm wrote:

15 miles at 5:07 isn't super impressive for him, even at Flagstaff's elevation...

This is a smart workout and he did the right thing.

I am a sub 2:20 marathoner who has "shot his wad" too many times with hard workouts before a thon. I recently destroyed my own marathon with a 19 miler on a hilly course in 5:08 average.

Assuming that the workout was relatively easy for Mr. Hall, I see him going sub 2:10 (assuming good weather in Boston).