daniels vs. pftiz

daniels

Pfitz

Daneils

pfitz

It depends how you respond to their approaches

Daniels - more LT-Vo2 work (e.g. 8x1k @ 10k pace).

Pfitz - more work @ LT - sub-MP pace.

I am older (42) and so have a dwindling fast-twich fibre count, and Pfitz is therefore more productive for me.

I have tried Daniel's type approaches 3x5k @ HMP, 8x1k @ 10k pace etc., and crashed and burned at the end of every marathon.

I used the Pfitz plan (e.g. 2xweek of 70-90 minutes @ 90% of MP) and finished reasonably strong w/ a 9 minute PR.

Daniels is more targeted to higher level athletes.

His concept is also similar to Dr Rosa's method.

First work on speed to be capable run "easier" at target pace, then on endurance to "extend" your acquired base

Pfiz is more "broad" apprach, suited for mid-level runners. Build endurance and aerobic threshold at the same time.

But personally I do not like too much the Pfitz approach, too many Vo2max intervals also during the specific endurance preparation...

Also interesting is the program from Brad Hudson (similar also to what proposed by Tinman)

bump. i follow daniels and found it ez to understand and apply. im super out of shape so i would probably see results with anything but i went from 18 5k to 17:20 in a couple months. i skipped the 4-6 weeks of base building though.

Everyone know who Pfitz was?

I'd trust Pfitz more as he has actually RUN elite times plus he also has the education to go along with this real world experience. '84/'88 Olympian.

I would also trust his actual training first before I'd trust what he has written. Nobody wants to see 100-140 miles a week with a couple track workouts because that's boring and hard. Confuse people with ex. phys. lingo and it makes it sound like your program is better than the other guy.

Next thing you know Malmo writes a book titled "The Long Run is the Single Best Run You Should do Every Week!" and makes a couple hundred Gs. "The Summer of Malmo" is a great simple training plan but it's too short to sell. You can't sell common sense.

Alan

Runningart, your thoughts on training are always respected, but you must know that Pfitz didn't train the way he wrote his book. This has been mentioned many times. Yes he was a monster of a runner, but he did things differently than what is in the book. So, his own running success is probably not the best reason to use his book. That being said, it is quite good.

I do not want to make any advertisement but I've bought both but I recently bought Run Faster of Brad Hudson and this by far the best book I ever see about training. (I've got also the book Take the lead of Scott Simmons, Lore of running and many more) but once again, the book of brad hudson is better on many points notably because is very adaptative to anyone and above all brad hudson explains why he adapts this way or this way a training plan and how alters according to your fitness or your response to the previous workt-outs.

In short, I vote Brad Hudson not that I don't like Pftiz or Daniels (the latter is really good too) but Run Faster is simply better !

Runningart2004 wrote:

Everyone know who Pfitz was?

I'd trust Pfitz more as he has actually RUN elite times plus he also has the education to go along with this real world experience. '84/'88 Olympian.

Granted he competed in a weird niche sport, but Daniels was a '56/'60 Olympian with a couple of team medals to prove it. He's also proven himself as a real world coach. Being able to perform at the highest level a sport does not automatically make one a better coach of the sport.

I think the poster above who commented that some runners will respond better to one approach and others will respond better to the other has it right.

audioperformanceteam.com

Jack Daniels audio training program w/music @180

I've training with Pete Pfitzinger when we were both members of the Greater Boston Track Club well before he became an Olympian or studied exercise science. I worked with Jack Daniels at Nike well before he wrote his book. I know them both well an consider them friends. I've had long conversations with them about training for long distance racing.

As scientists and coaches and athletes I know what they would say about this question about which book is better.

Read and study both books and all others you can get your hands on. Take notes. Compare them with your experience as recorded in your training logs.

Talk with training partners, competitors, and coaches about your racing.

Then think. Think a lot about what you have learned.

After research and thinking you devise your own training from what you have learned. You are unique.

Neither man would want you to mindlessly follow any training program.

Thinking is a large part of anyone's training. A runner is not a universal machine waiting for a program.

Tom