I guess I will let his training tell the story. Here is something he posted a while back about he and Craig Virgin Training. Seems like a lot of tempo runs, time trials to round into shape and intervals to me.
LOL! I trained with Virgin for a full year and never noticed "unusually strong shoulders and arms."
When Virgin was in HS, I remember reading an article about him (paraphrased), "Virgin runs 85 miles a week, not much compared to other top HS runners." Obviously "not much" back then didn't mean the same as it does now.
The one thing about Virgin was that he trained with incredible consistency, not leaving it all on the training track, but not very easy either. He regularly ran 20k tempo runs in 61 minutes. The reason why I point it out is because, in my day I've trained with many "hangers-on", you know the type - the ones who show up to the workout to prove themselves. They end up running their Olympics during the workout, and end up shot, and nowhere to be seen for a week - until their next Olympics. That's not training hard - that's training stupid.
Virgin was there for every workout and did them pretty much "on pace." The link below is an example of the training we did (with the obvious exceptions being the steeplechase workouts.) Now I will admit that the training we did together didn't really suit him, he was much more successful coaching himself.
As far as his raw competitiveness goes, there are few, if any Americans, with more. He brought a real tenacity to the track, putting it all on the line. His 8:41 in high school on a melting track is legend, so is the 27:39 in the 1979 Nationals where, in spite of the heat, he nearly lapped the entire field. One of the rare few who been legends in HS, college and internationally.
Always approachable, it seems he has friends in every town in America.
Terminally fastidious, we called him "Felix" after Felix Unger, Tony Randall's charactor in the 60s TV sitcom "The Odd Couple." After his second World XC Championship in Madrid, he had a change of clothes ready at the finish line and was groomed and ready for the post-race interview in minutes.
1/1 - 1/7 1978 75 miles
1/1 S - PM 12 miles easy
1/2 M - PM 13 miles easy
1/3 T - PM 17 miles easy
1/4 W - PM 9 miles easy
1/5 T - PM 2 miles easy, 300 SC Trial 9:11.4, 1 mile jog, 6 x 300 (50,51,46,43,42,42)
1/6 F - PM 5 miles easy
1/7 S - AM 3 mile warm-up, 3 x 100 steep dune, 2 miles easy, 20 X 100 flat dune, 2 miles warm-down
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1/8 - 1/14 91 miles
1/8 S - AM 3 mile warm-up, 3 x steep dune, 8 miles on beach, 5 x flat dune, 2 mile warm-down
1/9 M - PM 9 miles easy plus barrier work
1/10 T - AM 5 miles easy PM 9 miles easy
1/11 W - PM 2 mile warm-up, 4 x 1 mile (4:50, 4:55, 4:38, 5:03), 6 x 300, 2 miles easy
1/12 T - PM 21 miles easy
1/13 F - PM 2 miles easy, 4 x 400 hill, 3 x 300 bounding, 9 x 200 hill, 7 miles warm-down
1/14 S - AM 6 miles easy PM 6 miles easy
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1/15 - 1/21 107 miles
1/15 S - AM 1 mile easy, 20k tempo run 64:11, 1 mile warm-down
1/16 M - AM 5 miles easy PM 4 miles easy
1/17 T - AM 3.5 miles easy, 9 x 100 (easy, medium, hard) PM 2 mile warm-up; 1200-100 (3:39,2:26,1:48,70,49,33,15); 5 miles easy; 4 x 600 over barriers alt 1:49/1:39, 2 x 40 (56.9,59.7), 1 mile easy
1/18 W - PM 22 miles easy
1/19 T - AM 4 miles easy PM 5 miles easy, 800-1200-600-400 over barriers (2:17,3:33,1:40,60.6), 6 miles easy
1/20 F - AM 4 miles easy PM 9 miles easy
1/21 S - AM 1 mile warm-up, 20k tempo run 65:21 with 2:36 control, 1 mile warm-down
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1/22 - 1/28 65 miles
1/22 S - PM 7miles easy
1/23 M - AM 4 miles moderate PM 14 miles easy
1/24 T - PM 2 miles easy, 3000m in 8:34, 6 x 300(50,47,45,45,44,41), 3 miles easy
1/25 W - PM 8 miles easy
1/26 T - PM 5 miles easy
1/27 F - PM 5 miles easy
1/28 S - 3 miles easy, 12k in 40:00, 2 miles easy
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1/29 - 2/4 48 miles
1/29 S - AM 6 miles hard
1/30 M - 0
1/31 T - 0
2/1 W - AM 5 miles easy PM 5 miles easy
2/2 T - AM 4 miles easy PM 2 miles easy, 3x2400 (75-70-65) 2 miles easy
2/3 F - PM 10 miles slow
2/4 S - AM 3 miles slow PM 8 miles slow
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2/5 - 2/11 97 miles
2/5 S - AM 1 mile easy, 8 mile tempo run
2/6 M - AM 8 miles easy PM 3 miles easy, waterjump work, 3 miles easy
2/7 T - PM 5 miles easy, 3 x 400-300-200 hill, 2 miles easy
2/8 W - AM 9 miles easy PM 14 miles easy
2/9 T - AM 6 miles easy PM 5 miles easy, 800-1200-600-400 over barriers (2:16,3:27,1:36,61) 5 miles easy
2/10 F - AM 5 miles easy PM 10 miles easy
2/11 S - PM 9 miles easy
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2/12 - 2/18 24 miles (flu)
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2/19 - 2/25 58 miles
2/19 S - PM 7 miles moderate
2/20 M - AM 4 miles easy PM 6 miles easy
2/21 T - PM 3 miles easy, 4 x 1600 (5:08,4:59,4:50,4:28), 6 x 300(53,50,49,45,44,40), 4 miles easy
2/22 W - PM 10 miles easy
2/23 T - PM 9 miles easy, 6x300
2/24 F - 0 2/25 S - 7 miles easy
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2/26 - 3/4 91 miles
2/26 S - 0
2/27 M - PM 14 easy
2/28 T - AM 3 easy PM 9 moderate
3/1 W - AM 7 easy PM 9 easy
3/2 T - AM 9 easy PM 4 easy, 800-1200-600-400 (2:16, 3:29, 1:41, 63); 4 easy
3/3 F - AM 9 easy PM 8 easy
3/4 S - AM 1 easy, 10 mile tempo 51:40, 2 warm-down
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3/5 - 3/11 131 miles
3/5 S - PM 13.5 easy
3/6 M - AM 8.5 easy PM 2 warm-up, 2 x 400-300-200 hill, 2.5 fasr, 2 x 400-300-200 hill, 5 easy
3/7 T - AM 8.5 moderate PM 2.5 easy, 20 x water jump, 9.5 easy
3/8 W - AM 9 easy PM 2 easy, 5000m time trial 14:22, 6 x 300 (50,48,45,44,43,42) 5 warmdown
3/9 T - AM 7.5 easy PM 3 easy, 2 miles of 30-40s, 6 easy
3/10 F -AM 9 easy PM 2.5 easy, barriers, 7 easy
3/11 S - AM 1 easy, 10 mile tempo 50:06, 2.5 easy
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3/12 - 3/18 135 miles
3/12 S - PM 13.5 easy
3/13 M - AM 9.5 easy PM 10 easy
3/14 T - AM 7.5 easy PM 2 easy, 3 x 1.5 mile (75-70-65), 6 x 300 (50-40), 3 easy
3/15 W - AM 5.5 easy PM 21 slow 3
3/16 T - AM 8 easy PM 3 easy, 4.5 Holmer fartlek, 3 easy
3/17 F - AM 9 easy PM 2 easy, 6 x 400 hill, 2.5 hard, 8 x 200, 7.5 easy
3/18 S - AM 6.5 easy PM 6.5 easy
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3/19 - 3/25 134 miles
3/19 S - AM 1 easy, 10 mile tempo 51:34 (w/ 3 x 1k "controls"), 2.5 easy
3/20 M - AM 7.5 fast PM 14 easy
3/21 T - AM 7.5 hard PM 4.5 easy, 800-1200-600-400 (2:16.3, 3:19.0, 1:37.0, 58.3) over barriers w/ 90, 2:00, 90 rest, 4.5 fartlek
3/22 W - AM 9 fast PM 12.5 easy
3/23 T - AM 7.5 slow PM 2 easy, 30 min Holmer fartlek, 7 slow
3/24 F - AM 9 easy PM 10 easy
3/25 S - AM 1 easy, 10 mile tempo 48:55, 2.5 easy PM 4.5 moderate
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3/26 - 4/1 126 miles
3/26 S - PM 14 easy
3/27 M - AM 9 easy PM 2.5 easy, 4 x 300 hill (58,56,56,53), 2.5 moderate, 6 x 300 hill (60,56,55,56,56,53), 7.5 easy
3/28 T - AM 6.5 easy PM 22 easy
3/29 W - AM 10.5 easy PM 2.5 easy, 6 x 400 (65,64,63,62,61,55), 1 easy, 2 miles of 30-40s, 2 miles
3/30 T - AM 7.5 easy PM 13.5 slow
3/31 F - PM 6 easy
4/1 S - AM 2 warm-up; 10k in 29:28; 3 slow
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4/2 - 4/8 118 miles
4/2 S - PM 13 easy
4/3 M - AM 6 easy PM 19 easy
4/4 T - PM 3 easy, 5 x hill circuit (7.5 miles), 2 easy, 6 x 200 hill, 2 easy
4/5 W - AM 7.5 easy PM 5 easy
4/6 T - AM 7 slow PM 3 easy, 10 x hill circuit (13.5 miles), 2.5 easy
4/7 F - PM 5.5 easy
4/8 S - AM 4 easy, 3 x steep dune, 10 miles on beach, 15 x 100m flat dune, 2 easy PM 9 easy
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4/9 - 4/15 112 miles
4/9 S - PM 4 easy, 3 x steep dune, 10 on beach, 5 x flat dune, 2.5 easy
4/10 M - PM 9 easy
4/11 T - AM 4.5 easy PM 3 easy, 4 x hill circuit (5.5 miles), 2 easy, 2 x 800 (2:11) w/:90 rest, 8 x 300 (48 w/45 rest), 4 easy
4/12 W - AM 6 easy PM 10 easy
4/13 T - AM 4.5 easy PM 3 easy, 8 x hill circuit (11 miles), 3 easy
4/14 F - AM 9.5 easy PM 3 easy, 1 x 200-300-200 hill, 3 easy
4/15 S - Am 6 easy PM 5 easy
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4/16 - 4/22 106 miles
4/16 S - AM 1 easy, 20k Tempo 62:51 (with 4th, 10th, 17th km in 2:49, 2:34, 2:40), 1 easy
4/17 M - AM 4.5 easy PM 10 easy
4/18 T - AM 6 easy PM 3 easy, 4 x hill circuit (5.5 miles), 2.5 easy, 6 x 200 hill, 3 easy
4/19 W - PM 3 easy, barriers, 1 mile of 30-40s, 3 easy
4/20 T - AM 7 easy PM 3 easy, 8 x hill circuit (11 miles), 3 easy
4/21 F - PM 7 easy
4/22 S - AM 5 easy, 3 x steep dune, 1 mile easy, 15 x flat dune, 2 easy
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4/23 - 4/29 99 miles
4/23 S - AM 12.5 easy on beach
4/24 M - AM 4.5 easy PM 9.5 easy
4/25 T - PM 3 easy, 2 x hill circuit, 4 x 400 hill (bounding), 3k easy, 1200 (3:05), 800 jog, 4 x 600 (1:35, 1:33, 1:38, 1:29), 6 x 300 (50,48,45,43,43,40), 2 easy
4/26 W - AM 4.5 easy PM 2 easy, barriers, 6.5 easy
4/27 T - AM 4.5 easy PM 3 east, 2 x hill circuit, 4 x 400 hill (bounding), 2.5 easy, 9 x 400 (66,62,58), 600 (1:35), 400-300-200-100 (62,43,29,13), 9 x 200 (32,30,28), 1 mile easy
4/28 F - PM 9 easy
4/29 S - AM 1 easy, 10 mile tempo 50:33, 2.5 easy
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4/30 - 5/6 92 miles
4/30 S - PM 15 easy
5/1 M - PM 4.5 easy, 800-1200-600-400 (2:14.9, 3:16.3, 1:38.9, 60.0)over barriers w/ rest of :75, 1:45, :75; 5 easy
5/2 T - AM 5 easy PM 4.5 easy, 1000 (2:42), 4 x 400 (66,65,64,54) w/:60 rest, 3 miles easy, 4 x 400 (59,57,57,54) w/2:00 rest, 4 x 300 (44,43.5,44,42.5) w/:60 rest, 1 mile easy
5/3 W - AM 6 easy PM 10 easy
5/4 T - AM 4.5 moderate PM 3 easy, 2 x 300 (40,41), 800 jog, 4 mile of 30-40s, 800 jog, 2 x 200 (28,27), 2.5 easy
5/5 F - AM 3 easy PM 4.5 easy strides
5/6 S - PM 3 easy, 5000 in 14:05, 3 easy
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5/7 - 5/13 101 miles
5/7 S - PM 14 moderate
5/8 M - AM 6 moderate PM 5 easy, 1.5 miles of 30-40s, 20 minutes Holmer fartlek, 3 x 200, 1.5 easy
5/9 T - AM 9 easy PM 4.5 easy, 1200 (3:12), 2 x 800 (2:08, 2:07), 4 x 400 hurdles (66,65,65,65) w/:60 rest, 2 x 200, 3 easy
5/10 W - AM 6 moderate PM 9 moderate
5/11 T - PM 4.5 easy, 4 x 1 mile (4:49, 4:38, 4:28, 4:10), 800 jog, 6 x 300 (60,47,47,43,42,39.8), 3 easy
5/12 F - PM 9 moderate
5/13 S - AM 7 easy PM 4 easy
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5/14 - 5/20 76 miles
5/14 S - AM 3 easy PM 3 easy, 3000m steeple 8:44.8, 3 easy
5/15 M - PM 3 easy, 800 (2:13), 400 (62), 4 miles fartlek, 3 x 400 (61,61,60) 2 easy
5/16 T - AM 3 easy PM 8 moderate
5/17 W - PM 7.5 easy, 4 x 200 (28,27,26,25), 2 easy
5/18 T - AM 5.5 easy PM 7.5 easy
5/19 F - AM 6 easy PM 5 easy
5/20 S - PM 2.5 easy, 3000m steeple 8:32.1, 4.5 easy
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5/21 - 5/27 96 miles
5/21 S - PM 11 moderate
5/22 M - AM 7.5 moderate PM 8.5 moderate
5/23 T - AM 7 moderate PM 4.5 easy, 20 x barriers, 2 x 800, 4 x 400 (over barriers), 4 x 400 (62), 1.5 easy
5/24 W - PM 8.5 slow
5/25 T - PM 3 easy, 1500 (3:45.8), 20 minute jog, 3000 (8:07.7), 4 easy
5/26 F - AM 6 moderate PM 3 easy, 4 x 600 (1:39,1:37,1:34,1:32), 3 easy
5/27 S - AM 14 easy, 5.5 easy
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5/28 - 6/3 79 miles
5/28 S - PM 3 easy, 2 x 400 barriers (66,65), 4 x 400 (62,61,60,52.2), 3 x 200 (30), 6 easy
5/29 M - AM 3 easy, 2 x 300 (42,42), 4 x 150 (strained soleus), 2 miles easy PM 5 easy
5/30 T - AM 3 easy PM 4.5 easy
5/31 W - AM 6 easy PM 3 easy, 5000m in 14:06.7, 1 mile easy
6/1 T - rest
6/2 F - AM 6 easy PM 3 easy, 2 x 1.5 miles, 6 x 300 cut-downs, 5 easy
6/3 S - AM 4.5 easy PM 13.5 easy
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6/4 - 6/10 86 miles
6/4 S - AM 5 miles PM 13 miles
6/5 M - AM 7.5 miles PM 10.5 miles
6/6 T - AM 6 easy PM 3 easy, 1x600 (1:25), 3 easy
6/7 W - PM 6 easy
6/8 T - AM 4 easy PM 3 easy, 3000 SC in 8:52, 2 easy
6/9 F - AM 3 easy PM 5 easy
6/10 S - AM 3 easy PM 2.5 easy, 3000 SC in 8:30.4, 5 easy
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6/11 - 6/17 64 miles
6/11 S - PM 3 easy
6/12 M - AM 3 easy PM 9 easy
6/13 T - AM 4 hard PM 3 easy, 800 (2:02), 600(1:32), 400(58), 2x200(27,26), 2 easy
6/14 W - AM 4.5 hard PM 6.5 easy
6/15 T - PM 3 easy, 1500 in 3:44.9, 5 easu
6/16 F - AM 5.5 easy PM 3 easy, 800 (2:00.4), 1.5 easy, 800(1:59.7), 3.5 easy
6/17 S - PM 3 easy
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6/18 - 6/24 86 miles
6/18 S - AM 4 fast PM 4 easy
6/19 M - AM 2 easy PM 4 easy, 5000m in 14:07, 3 easy
6/20 T - AM 6.5 easy PM 10.5 fast
6/21 W - AM 4.5 easy PM 3.5 easy, 2 x 1 mile(4:13.5, 4:08.0), 2 easy, 2x200(27.4, 26.0), 2x150(18.4, 17.6) 1 mile easy
6/22 T - AM 3 easy PM 7 easy
6/23 F - AM 3.5 easy PM 3.5 easy, 3000m in 7:59.8, 3.5 easy
6/24 S - AM 2 easy PM 4 easy, 1500 in 3:46.4, 3.5 easy
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6/25 - 7/1 84 miles
6/25 S - AM 7 easy PM 8 easy
6/26 M - AM 4.5 easy PM 9.5 easy
6/27 T - AM 4.5 easy PM 5.5 moderate
6/28 W - PM 3 easy, 3000m SC in 8:26.8, 2 easy
6/29 T - AM 5 easy PM 17 easy
6/30 F - PM 5 easy, 2x400(62,61), 2x400(56,60), 3x300(40.9,43.9), 2x200(28,27) 2 easy
7/1 S - PM 6 easy
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7/2 7/8 66 miles
7/2 S - AM 5 easy PM 5 easy
7/3 M - PM 5 easy
7/4 T - PM 3 easy, 3000SC in 8:21.72, 3 easy
7/5 W - AM 8 easy PM 3 easy
7/6 T - AM 4 easy PM 3 easy, 1500m in 3:40.21, 3 easy
7/7 F - AM 6 easy PM 5 easy
7/8 S - PM 7 easy
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