BONO
Let made myself more clear in my concepts. If I say train for the “physiologic requirement” that´s according my Space and Time training method, eventually some Americans when they hear me say “train for the physiology” they understand train in in max.VO2 zone or m.MaxVO2 zone (the pace when they say that max.VO2” occurs) or that I advise to train in AnT physiology (the pace that they say that you ru in anaerobic threshold). No I don´t use that nothing and I think that paces are is quite irrelevant – not to say that don´t mean nothing to the training schedule - as training pace definitions.
When I say “training for the physiology” I want to say basically for the training paces that large pace zone discrimination requires – speed, resistance, lactate management and steady state or aerobic or endurance as some calls that . That´s better to say “train for Absolut Speed” – each individual absolute speed, speed here that´s defined as each individual full pace in high intensity for a short limited run period/distance. As you may call Absolut Resistance – your best pace that you can delay that pace for a extend distance, and Absolut Lactate management – that´s the best pace you can run in a sub-maximal pace, and Absolut steady state. Of course that we are commenstimg and discuss here what are consider the workouts – a training format that´s focus in that one large pace zones. Absolut doesn´t exist in a space concept, since time and distance are infinite, but we aren´t discussing philosophy !
For me VO2 that´s or any other estimate zone by some test analysis, that´s simply a data and nothing more, quite irrelevant in the training process, because what´s the real focus of training analysis for a training direction that´s whe you run a certain distance (or several sets) and that pace result that´s gives me the training direction and not that now have a better VO2. Consequently VO2 means nothing or too little to the training direction.
As I think I said to you once BONO, In my opinion the substance/the issue of the training issue that´s in quite permanent change and no coach can have the pretension (or naivety) of wanting to train or the paradigm of “the fashion according to that”. The process of training, the concepts and their turn on to a training method, that needs stability and steady ideas in the coach mind, test by the experience and that are something that needs time and stability, cannot go behind fashions or of the last tests made with rats, or with humans with machines in runner´s or whatever. That Includes top class runners.
It is truth that Italian, Finland, Spain and Britain or American athletes they had been successfully supported by the Physiology a lot. But it is also truth that the Portuguese (years 70 and 80) had a quite similar success and that had not been supported by "thresholds” or that kind of modern ideas and concepts – that we respect – but that are inconclusive - for the good or bad of the physiologists. Most of that Portuguese performances rarely were surpass by a non African.
Actually Africans they take the lead in almost all running distance events. The reason of their larger success that´s not in physiology field for sure, or that his training have more scientific accuracy than the rest of the world. We need to take in consideration that the reason for African supremacy that´s not in the fact that they have a powerful physiology support than us – the non- Africans. That´s not in the fact we have more facilities to train that them, or any other scientific or whatever reason, including that they have best coaches – most of their coaches that train them they are Europeans ! Simply that´s not hard to understand that for the moment the distance is on the fact they run faster than us – run faster means basically to cover a certain distance in les time duration. Once again we get back to the basics – time over matters.
But coming back to my original idea about both need the training for the physiology and the training for the specifics – I would say that this defines the 2 basic phases. The introductory phase and the late phase the specific phase.
If you are training speed strength (that´s what we are discussing in that hill format) and you are in a “physiologic training phase” you train ex: 8-10X40m uphill/full pace-max.intensity rec=full recover (ex:2:30 walk back). This is valid for everyone, from an 800m runner to a marathon runner, that is suppose to promote absolute/speed for all. Thata workout model works for all, simply some do that faster and some do that slower, and some need more rest and some need less rest, and some feel plenty, and some are able to do 12 sets without get back the workout target. Some need to cutt-off the set distance, some work find with 50m or some 20seconds, some are able to extend that distance/duration. Now think that you are running for ex: 30min in a intense but submaximal pace – that´s lacatate management pace. That Absolut LTM for everybody, what changes that´s once again individual capacity, but the workout design that´s smilar to everybody in that physiologic training requirement. This is the reason why durimg the winter, in a building-non competitive season the training schedule that´s quite similar for runners that are training for different training distance events, and you see some training units that are quite similar for a 1500m as for a 5000m or 10000m runner a marathon runner. Why? Because each one and all they are training for the the same physiology requirements or absolute workouts, what changes are just the capacity they have. Eventually a marathon runner end that 8X50m hills in 24sec average pace and a 800m runner ends that same workouts with a 20sec average range pace. This is the fact why we see El Guerrouj training during the winter season similar to the rest of the runners of that group.
Now, the summer comes, and a different concept arrives. Now, each runner needs to train more and more individualised workouts. Now, the workouts are not according absolute paces, but according specific paces for the each run event needs. In the same example, the 800m runner now he does 10-12X80m hills up/98% pace with 3min rest but the cross runner do 15-18X200m hills/90% pace with 2min jog back (incomplete and active recover). Now, in the specific phase/period we need to train more and more according the Space (distance event) and Time (estimate Race Pace) and then
Sometimes people ask me “But now that you are training him and that he is close to the peak competition the paces are slower than in an earlier phase?” Yes, because, now they are training for the specificity of the distance event, and previous he did training for the physiology mainly.
In my opinion both absolute paces and specific paces both are needed.
We need to train in our maximum potentials – ex: absolute pace in speed – that will help further up our Race Pace speed, and also Absolut LT pace will help specific Lactate Management for the specific event – that some calls MassLass.
We know that each “subsidiary” pace – subsidiary means the ones that are closer (a bit faster or bit slower) than each one you consider – they help each other, so that´sthe reason you need to consider and to train both – absolute pace and distance event pace.
Thus, if you are in an introductory period, or out of the “specific training for an event distance” for each runner you have only one physiologic pace intensity for speed, one physiologic pace intensity for resistance, and one LTM pace intensity for each single runner independently of what is the runner event speciality. Now, for that same runner, if he decide to train for a cross run, or a 5000m track run, you have at least one pace intensity for each distance event and for each training direction, thus a speed pace for 800m a different speed pace for 1500m etc, and also a different Race Pace for each different event – in the specific phase – while training for the specific distance event - to train for the Race Pace event that´s to train for Resistance (what some call strength endurance if that´s in sets).