How did Norman Green train?

From memory, I think he just ran an even fast pace every day, nothing else.

Having met him on more than a few occasions over the years, I think that's pretty much correct. All of his runs were pretty quick, not to much that would be considered easy. Loved the beard.

I have 2 examples from his training log somewhere (courtesy of RW). It was all listed as fast steady running, mostly 7-10miles at 5.40-6.00 pace from memory. Long run of 17 fast miles in one example. The other example was a 10k race week. I think the race week was 50ish miles and the other week around the 70miles.

Cool, so as a 48 year-old all I need to do to run a 32:00 10k and a 2:21 marathon is to run 70 miles a week at 5:50 pace. Piece of cake.

Actually I probably could run 70 miles a week at 5:50 pace as long as I did it 800 meters at a time with a ton of rest between each 800, might eat into my work and family time though.

Mopak -- if you could dig those articles up and post the info I'd appreciate it.

I copied his training as a high-schooler in the late 80's and ran several 10Ks under 33 minutes, and 5Ks in the 15:30 range. I ran two years of college XC and track but never improved on my HS times.

Unfortunately I've lost my logs and his program, but would like to duplicate it as it worked for me.

He had an entry in "How road Racers Train"

All his mileage was fast, in part because, "...I'm too busy to do more..."

Far out....

mon -10 miles 58.09.

tue -10 miles 58.31.

wed -7 miles 41.28.

thu -10 miles 59.29.

fri -10 miles 59.44.

sat -8 miles 45.04.

sun -17 miles 1h.41.26.

mon -7 miles 39.56.

tue -travel.

wed -10 miles 55.47.

thu -7 miles 39.12.

fri -7 miles 40.46.

sat -5 miles 29.41.

sun - 10km race 32.09

He was 52 at the time, 50+ bests were 32.09 10k, 52.53 10ml, 1.05.50 20k, 1.21.44 25k, 1.46.42 30k, 2.29.53 mar.

Norm Green had a remarkable training schedule. Here is one week, a month before running 2:27:42 at Twin Cities when he was 55:

Sunday: 5m @ 5:53

Monday: 10m @ 5:40

Tuesday: 5m @ 5:47 plus weight circuit

Wednesday: 7m @ 5:42

Thursday: 5m @ 5:24 plus weight circuit

Friday: 5m @ 5:35

Saturday: 20m @ 5:51

I've never been sure what lessons to take from his training program. If a 25-year-old trained like that, I'd suggest easing off the pace and ramping up the mileage. But for a 55-year-old, it's just jaw-droppingly impressive.

It might be jaw-droppingly impressive, but a part of me wonders whether his prostate cancer had anything to do with his incessant intense training. I know, correlation is not causation, and anecdote is not proof of anything. And, assuming arguendo, that it did, this is not necessarily a reason to not train hard. Of course, the odds are that the two are not cause and effect, but one never knows, does one? I agree that Norm Green was one hell of a runner, and although his pbs are not anywhere near as fast as mine, he has my utmost respect.

MAPIV wrote:

although his pbs are not anywhere near as fast as mine, he has my utmost respect.

Well, his PBs are not anywhere near as fast as mine, either, but they're far beyond what I'm ever going to run in my 50s. And that training program, for a 55-year-old, may be even more off-the-charts than his race times. (He said that, because his training pace was generally very close to his racing pace, his body sometimes seemed to forget whether he was on a training run or in a race.)

Avocados Number wrote:

MAPIV wrote:

although his pbs are not anywhere near as fast as mine, he has my utmost respect.

Well, his PBs are not anywhere near as fast as mine, either, but they're far beyond what I'm ever going to run in my 50s.

Yes, and I would guess Norm Green could have run 28xx for 10,000 meters in his prime. It appears he had to have the basic machinery to do that and probably 2:10ish also.

Mopak and Avocados -- thank you for posting those examples. That's exactly what I was looking for.

I tend to wake up at 4:30AM and leave the house around 5AM. I can't imagine how Norman (or anyone) can quickly get down to sub 6-minute pace. I usually need 2 miles of warmup before I can get down to my cruising pace of 6:00-6:30.

I guess that's why I'll never be a record-holder.

Amazing times. What years was Norm most active and is he still alive?

There was a brief piece on him in the back of a Running Times magazine about three years ago. He was still running quite fast, especially for a 70+ year old.

Very much alive and living somewhere in PA. His best years were in the 1980s and he was a youthful 50-something.

I pulled out my copy of How Road Racers Train, copyright 1980, and did not see an entry on Norm Green. Was a more recent edition printed? A 2:21 at age 50+ is just amazing.

Avocasdo's Number posted a week of training that either came directly from Road Racers and their Training, 1995,

or Joe Henderson got it from AN's source.

That may have been the year at Twin Cities (1984?) when I got passed by Norm at about Mile 20. I was 37 and just got "smoked" by what I thought was an OLD MAN with his gray beard, etc. He was very focused and moving along quite well. We were impressed!! (Funny, though, 55 NOW seems young.)

MAPIV wrote:

a part of me wonders whether his prostate cancer had anything to do with his incessant intense training. I know, correlation is not causation

Probably no other person with prostrate cancer has that training schedule, so there is zero correlation. It was probably caused by the food that he ate, and sitting too much.