Example of general preparation training sessions, last macro of the Olympic
Cycle - Montreal ‘76:
Monday 11/9/75
1. Warm up + gymnasium
2. Special cross (Fartlek with pre-programmed accelerations). Total: 13km.
Tuesday 11/10/75
1. Warm up. gymnasium. grass run game
2. Strength in apparatus. 15 tons.
3. Relative speed 3(5 x 200m). Medium speed 23.84 sec.
Wednesday 11/11/75 (Track)
1. Warm up. gymnasium
2. Progressive series, 3 x 100m.
3. Rhythm endurance 4 x 1000m. Medium speed 2:35.15
Thursday 11/12/75
1. Warm up, gymnasium on grass.
2. 2 km cross (3 series of 3 x 400m) + cross-2km.
Friday 11/13/75
1. Warm up, gymnasium on grass
2. Strength in apparatus, 15 tons
3. Relative speed 3(5 x 200m) mean speed - 23.63 sec.
Saturday 11/14/75 (Track)
1. Warm up, gymnasium
2. 3 x 100m progressive series
3. 1000m + 500m + 1000m + 500m.
• Mean speed 1000m = 2:41.35
• 500m = 1:04.35
To this we added a power task (skipping) carried out with consecutive jumps
uphill, on grass using the body weight only. This work made a total of 89km in
1976 and was very important for the technical performance of my runs and for
the stride length of 3 meters I was able to average after going beyond the 100m
following the start off the blocks. This resulted in my compensating for the
shortcoming I had at the start, which was always slow.
Another factor I believe contributed, to a large extent, to the shape I reached in
Montreal was the 4 week stay for training purposes in Mexico’s intermediate
altitude (2,400m above sea level) where the partial oxygen pressure decreased
by altitude mademy organic system develop compensating mechanisms to make
up for the deficit during work and recovery. My hemoglobin and themetabolic
capacity for oxygen consumption increased, as well as the possibilities of
assimilation of the toxin produced by the 200m interval work of which I did the
highest volumes in altitude.
Always with a view to gain in intensity, the volume in kilometers reached, during
the macrocycle of preparation for Montreal (including the competitive special
mesocycle of May-June and July) was rounded off in the figure 1,050 Km.
Following, I give you examples of one week of preparation in the special meso
and afterwards in the competitive one.
Special Preparation Mesocycle – 1976
Monday 03/15 - Special Training on grass
1. Warm up + gymnasium
2. 2 km cross + special endurance
3. 5 x 350m + speed endurance
4. 6 x 200m + skipping 5 x 200 + cross (uphill skipping) 2 km all very fast
runs
Tuesday 03/16 - Special training on track
1. Warm up + gymnasium
2. Progressive series - 3 x 100m.
3. Starts from blocks 3 x 30m.
4. Relative speed 10 x 200m. (mean speed 23.6 sec.)
Wednesday 03/17 - Track special training
1. Warm up + gymnasium
2. Progressive series - 3 x 100m
3. Special endurance 5 x 600m (mean speed 1:25.6)
Thursday 03/18
1. Warm up + gymnasium
2. 9 km cross
Friday 03/19
1. Warm up + gymnasium
2. Strength special exercises, jumps over hurdles
3. 3 x 100m progressive series
4. Starts off blocks –3 x 30m
5. Relative speed 8 x 200m (mean speed 23.18 sec)
Saturday 03/20
1. Warm up, gymnasium
2. 3 x 100m progressive series
3. Starts off blocks 3 x 100m
4. Special endurance 2 x 600m + 2 x 400m
a. Mean speed: 600m = 1:21.9
b. 400m = 48.25
Regarding what I said about one of my technical shortcomings, the start, It can
be seen in the structure of these examples the reiteration of these workouts and
the increase in the distance by the end of the microcycle.
Fulfillment of the Training Plan during the 19 last days of July which include the
Olympic participation:
Tuesday 07/13
1. 4 km cross
2. Interval 10 x 150m x 2.
3. 1km cross at the park on grass.
Wednesday 07/14
1. 1 km jogging
2. Series 4 x 100m, 3 x 500m (1:04.6, 1:03.5, 1:03.2)
3. 1 km jogging on tartan.
Friday 07/16
1. 3 km cross.
2. 2 series 10 x 150m.
3. 2 km cross at the park on grass.
Saturday 07/17
1. 1 Km cross.
2. 4 x 100m series.
3. 3x 600m (1:31.6, 1:21.5, 1:192).
4. 1 km jogging on tartan.
Sunday 07/18
• 4 Km cross at the park on grass
Monday 07/19
1. 1 km cross.
2. 1 x 200m (21.4sec), 1 x300m (34 sec) start from blocks with gun signal,
on tartan.
Tuesday 07/20
• Warm up like prior to the competition: 600m in 1:19.3, 15 min. pause;
600m in 1:15.9 with gun signal on tartan.
Wednesday 07/2
• 1.5 km. cross
Thursday 07/22
• Day off
Friday 07/23
• 800m competition in 1:47.14, first place in the qualifying rounds.
Saturday 07/24
• 800m competition in 1:45.8, first place in the semi-finals.
Sunday 07/25
• 800m competition in 1:43.5, first place in the finals.