Bill Rodgers Training Log

in his book he outlines his training routine. in summary, high mileage, 2 runs a day peppered with light speed work a couple times per week and very frequent races. trained through most races as he prepared for his marathons. 130 mpw was normal, week after week, year after year. 90 was a very light week and he hit 200 at least once. consistency, consistency, consistency. great book.

A week of his training leading up to 1975 boston was outlined in Run With the Champions. I don't have the book in front of me right now, but I think I remember it.

Mon: Am: 3 by mile: 4:54, 4:48, 4:54 Pm. 13 miles

Tues: Am: 16 miles Pm: 14 miles

Wed: Am: 20 miles Pm: 10 miles

Thur Am: 17 miles Pm: 13 miles

Fri Am: 16 miles Pm: 14 miles

Sat: Am: 17 miles Pm: 13 miles

Sun: Am: 23 miles over Boston course

Total: 202 miles

I'm not sure whether this adds up, but it was very close to this.

Not bad for a 9:00 two-miler in college.

Shorter was taller wrote:

Wow, and he could never run faster than an aided 2:09:27.

If I remember it correctly, and if Hodgie-san or Derderian or malmo lurking, they could tell you more accurately; 200 miles a week was something Rodgers did before he made that 1975 break-through. I don't think he was doing that all the time--I believe his "usual" weekly mileage was more like 150 or 160.

There are some people who have been pressing the idea that, if you're not genetically talented, you can't run above certain mileage or you'll break down. Back in the olden days, people were taking the approach that, if you don't have "talent", you'll run more to compensate. I'm not necessarily saying that "the more the better"; but certainly they didn't take the excuse approach of "I can't beat so-and-so because I'm not naturally gifted and I can't, and shouldn't, run more than 70 miles a week because of that." In a sense, Rodgers did what Japanese are doing today. You may laugh at Okutani for "only" running 2:08:40 by running 1200km a month. But I'd take that any day.

somewhatfast wrote:

A week of his training leading up to 1975 boston was outlined in Run With the Champions. I don't have the book in front of me right now, but I think I remember it.

Mon: Am: 3 by mile: 4:54, 4:48, 4:54 Pm. 13 miles

Tues: Am: 16 miles Pm: 14 miles

Wed: Am: 20 miles Pm: 10 miles

Thur Am: 17 miles Pm: 13 miles

Fri Am: 16 miles Pm: 14 miles

Sat: Am: 17 miles Pm: 13 miles

Sun: Am: 23 miles over Boston course

Total: 202 miles

I'm not sure whether this adds up, but it was very close to this.

I do have the book right in front of me and it went like this:

Roger's program was based on year round high mileage, usually 20 to 25 miles a day. He rarely did speedwork, except for some long repititions. Here's a run down on his highest week ever-202miles-done in Jan 1975, prior to his first boston marathon victory. Rogers had extra time to train because he was on a semester break from grad school at boston college, where he recieved a master's degree in special ed.

Sat:am-14miles, including 3 miles at the boston college indoor track in 4:48,4:54,4:48, with a half mile jog between runs; pm-16miles

sun:am-20 miles on hills;pm-10 miles easy

mon:am-17 miles;pm-13 miles

tues:am-16miles;pm-13miles

wed:am-16miles;pm-13miles

thurs:am-16 miles;pm-15miles

fri:am-23miles on the boston marathon course

Fours years later,before his fourth boston title, Rogers did less mileage,120 to 130 a week, but at a faster pace,often 5:40 per mile. During this period, Rogers also set world track records for 25-k and 30-k in the same race. He actually went for the 25-k,running 1:14:12, then jogged the last 5-k in 17:37 for 1:31:49, a record 30-k.

Mon:am (bad weather)-3 miles on an indoor track

Tues:am-9miles;Pm-9miles

Wed:am-6miles;pm-10 miles

Thurs:am-10miles;pm-10 miles

Fri:am-10miles;10miles

Sat:am-10 miles,plus 6x800 in 2:20 on a dirt path with 2 minute recovery jogs

Sun:am-12miles;pm-10miles

All this taken from running with the champions

I wouldn't cite one 200m week as proof that all or even many weeks of his training weeks were anywhere near that.

Hodgie-san has trained with BR a lot more times than I have. What follows are the two sessions (1982) I was involved in. In both sessions Rodgers ran well within himself -- just as one would expect from a seasoned pro.

Session 1

4 mile warn-up

1200 (3:17), 4 x 800 (2:09, 2:09, 2:09, 2:07), 1200 (3:12), 400 job between each.

4 mile warm-down

Session 2

4 mile warm-up

4 x 1200 (3:19, 3:15, 3:15, 3:09) 400 jog between each.

4 mile warm-down

I ran in the IC4A College Division frosh race with BR in 1966 at VCP (in those days frosh could not run varsity). He placed third in a sparkling 15:30-something for three miles. Sebsibe Mamo of Colby ('64 and '68 Olympian for Ethiopia) won in a CR of I believe low 14's... and Art Dulong of Holy Cross also broke the CR the same day in the Univ. division frosh race...believe Mamo's was the second and faster, but not positive. BR certainly did come a long way in the ensuing years. Fellow named Amby Burfoot won the College varsity race that year.

Art Dulong, now there's a name from the past. One of the first really fast high school milers.

malmo wrote:

Art Dulong, now there's a name from the past. One of the first really fast high school milers.

Art made a bit of a "comeback" in the mid 1970's after a very successful HS-College career.

He ran some road races including Falmouth in 1975. Shorter who was running at Falmouth for the first time that year saw Dulong and "took notice" remembering well those college races.

I spoke with BR last week and asked him about his running logs. He told me that he has them from 1973 onward.

I am hoping that he will be willing to share them, it is just working out how to transcribe them and publish them and where.

I'm not sure that he realizes how interested people would be to view them.

The 200 week was his highest ever and was more or less an experiment. I believe we passed around a copy of Dave Bedfords biography around that time and he had done some very high mileage. Clayton, Hill etc.

I believe what you will see in BR's logs will be some very consistent weeks over the years. The influence of Bill Sqires as well, in the amounts and variety of track sessions.

malmo wrote:

I wouldn't cite one 200m week as proof that all or even many weeks of his training weeks were anywhere near that.

Hodgie-san has trained with BR a lot more times than I have. What follows are the two sessions (1982) I was involved in. In both sessions Rodgers ran well within himself -- just as one would expect from a seasoned pro.

Session 1

4 mile warn-up

1200 (3:17), 4 x 800 (2:09, 2:09, 2:09, 2:07), 1200 (3:12), 400 job between each.

4 mile warm-down

Session 2

4 mile warm-up

4 x 1200 (3:19, 3:15, 3:15, 3:09) 400 jog between each.

4 mile warm-down

Malmo,

what period in the training schedule were these workouts done?

appear to be around 5k pace, correct?, I would have thought they would include more volume, i.e. 6 x 1200m instead of 4, please explain

the 400m jog between, on average what was the duration of the rest

thanks

One memorable session on April 8th 1980 less than 2 weeks before the Boston Marathon. (Both BR & myself opted out of the Olympic Trial race to be held in May)

8x1 mile average 4:38 per mile. 400m recovery which was well under 2 minutes.

A group started the session but most stopped at 5 or 6 probably what I should have done.

Bill looked like he could have done a dozen more at that pace, no problem. Almost always smooth and relaxed while running.

Hodgie, Has Bill ever regretted not making an actual attempt at the marathon WR? Seems fairly obvious that he was capable of it from 1977 through 1979.

skylon wrote:

Hodgie, Has Bill ever regretted not making an actual attempt at the marathon WR? Seems fairly obvious that he was capable of it from 1977 through 1979.

He did take a shot at it. He ran a 2:09:27 personal best at Boston in '79 in favorable conditions.

8x1 mile

average 4:38

400m recovery

probably could have done a dozen more...

Shows how volume was the name of the game for Bill. IOW the quantity WAS the quality.

Marathons

1. 1973 Boston (DNF)

2. 1973 Bay State (2:28:12) 1st CR

3. 1974 Boston (2:19:34) 14th

4. 1974 NYC (2:36:00) 5th

5. 1974 Philadelphia (2:21:57) 1st CR

6. 1975 Boston (2:09:55) 1st AR

7. 1975 Enschede, Holland (DNF)

8. 1975 Fukuoka (2:11:26) 3rd

9. 1976 Olympic Trials (2:11:58) 2nd

10. 1976 Montreal Olympics (2:25:14) 40th

11. 1976 NYC (2:10:10) 1st CR

12. 1976 Sedo Island, Japan (2:08:23) 1st CR (200 meters short)

13. 1976 Baltimore (2:14:28) 1st CR

14. 1977 Kyoto, Japan (2:14:25) 1st

15. 1977 Boston (DNF)

16. 1977 Amsterdam, Holland (2:12:46) 1st CR

17. 1977 NYC (2:11:28) 1st

18. 1977 Fukuoka (2:10:55) 1st

19. 1978 Boston (2:10:13) 1st

20. 1978 NYC (2:11:28) 1st

21. 1978 Fukuoka (2:12:53) 6th

22. 1979 Boston (2:09:27) 1st AR

23. 1979 Montreal (2:22:12) 15th

24. 1979 NYC (2:12:12) 1st

25. 1980 Boston (2:12:11) 1st

26. 1980 Toronto (2:14:47) 1st

27. 1980 NYC (2:13:20) 5th

28. 1981 Houston-Tennaco (2:12:10) 1st CR

29. 1981 Boston (2:10:34) 3rd

30. 1981 Atlantica-Boavista, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2:14:13) 1st CR

31. 1981 Stockholm, Sweden (2:13:28) 1st

32. 1981 Bank One, Columbus, OH (2:17:34) 7th

33. 1982 Houston (2:14:51) 5th

34. 1982 Tokyo (2:24) 301st

35. 1982 Boston (2:12:38) 4th

36. 1982 Atlantica-Boavista, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (DNF)

37. 1982 Big M, Melbourne, Austrialia (2:11:08) 1st

38. 1983 Orange Bowl, FL (2:15:08) 1st

39. 1983 Boston (2:11:58) 10th

40. 1983 Beijing, China (DNF)

41. 1983 Chicago (2:21:40)

42. 1984 U.S. Olympic Trials (2:13:31) 8th

43. 1985 New Jersey Waterfront (2:14:46) 2nd

44. 1985 NYC (2:15:31) 7th

45. 1986 Boston (2:13:35) 4th

46. 1986 Chicago (2:15:31) 11th

47. 1987 Phoenix (DNF)

48. 1987 Boston (2:18:18) 15th

49. 1987 NYC (2:25:01) 54th

50. 1988 Phoenix (DNF)

51. 1988 Los Angeles ( 2:20:27) 2nd masters

52. 1988 Boston (2:18:17) 2nd masters

53. 1988 NYC (DNF)

54. 1989 Los Angeles (2:22:24)

55. 1990 Boston (2:20:46) 5th masters

56. 1992 Vietnam International 19th

57. 1996 Boston (2:53)

58. 1999 Boston (DNF)

Awards and distinctions

* 1973 AAU All-American Long Distance Team (20K)

* 1975 National AAU- DI Benadato Award - Best Athletic Performance

* 1975 Nominated Sullivan Award (placed second)

* 1975 Ranked #1 in the World in the Marathon by Track & Field News

* 1976 Ranked #6 in the World in the Marathon by Track & Field News

* 1976 Member U.S. Olympic Team - Montreal, Canada

* 1976 AAU All-American Track & Field Team (10K)

* 1977 Ranked #1 in the World in the Marathon by Track & Field News

* 1978 Ranked #2 in the World in the Marathon by Track & Field News

* 1979 Ranked #1 in the World in the Marathon by Track & Field News

* 1981 Ranked #7 in the World in the Marathon by Track & Field News

Personal track records

* 1/2 mile - 1 48

* 1 mile - 4:18.8

* 2 miles - 8:48 (indoor practice); 8:53.6 (1975)

* 3 miles - 13:25.4 (1976)

* 5 kilometers - 13:42.00 (1978)

* 10 kilometers - 28:04.4 (1976)

* 15 kilometers - 43:39.8 (1977 - American Record)

* 10 miles - 46:35

* 20 kilometers - 58:15 (1977 - American Record)

* 1 hour - 12 mi 1351 yd (20.556 km) (1977 - American Record)

* 25 kilometers - 1:14:12 (1979 - World and American Record)

* 30 kilometers - 1:31:50 (1979 - American Record)

Personal road records

* 10 kilometers: 28:16 (1983)

* 15 kilometers: 43:25 (1981)

* 20 kilometers: 58:43 (1982)

* 25 kilometers: 1:17:23

* 30 kilometers: 1:29:04 (1976 - Unofficial World Road Record)

* Marathon (42.195 kilometers): 2:09:27 (1979 - American Record)

Major road race wins

* Boston Marathon: 4 wins

* New York City Marathon: 4 wins

* Fukuoka Marathon: 1 win

* Houston Marathon: 1 win

* Falmouth Road Race: 3 wins

* Lynchburg 10 miler: 5 wins

* Cherry Blossom 10-Mile Run: 4 wins

* Beverly Hills 10 km: 4 wins

* Azalea Trail 10 km: 4 wins

* Bloomsday 12 km: 1 win

* Gasparilla 15 km: 1 win (first yr.)

* Jacksonville 15 km: 1 win

* BIX 7: 2 wins (incl. first yr.)

* Big Boy 20 km: 3 wins

* 1/2 mile - 1 48

I think it was agreed on another thread that this was not accurate and the record was more like 1:58.

One thing I'm always curious about, and maybe Hodgie-San can help me out with this, is the speed of these runs. I know from Hodgie's logs, which I look at from time to time, I'm often amazed at how fast he did his mileage, but at other times how slow.

PS I would love to see full logs from Rodgers, even if only those for a couple of months.

Hey Bob Hodge. I ran part of that workout with you guys. I drove down from Keene,Nh and you had already started so i only did 4. Still remember it because it was my only track workout during an 18 month stretch. I was 4:43, 4:39, 4:36 (i led)4:38.

Saw you in Harvard yesterday, good to see you still running. I was helping out with my HS team.

I actually ran past Bill yesterday morning during a 12 mile run over in Lincoln, he was going in the opposite direction, still looks good.

somebody publish the logs, please. I'll buy a set. I'm talking just Xerox them as you need them, put a price on them, and sell them. Go to Staples and run 'em. Who cares? they're vintage - they'll sell.

skylon wrote:

Hodgie, Has Bill ever regretted not making an actual attempt at the marathon WR? Seems fairly obvious that he was capable of it from 1977 through 1979.

I would say no. Capable of a world best, yes certainly.