True or false: Al Sal: "You want muscle on you. In the long term, being skinny is a negative."

don't know about everyone else, but when i'm doing the same workouts faster than i did them in a previous training cycle, i usually have quite a bit of confidence that i will race better then before. so isn't the goal the run fast in training, as it translates to faster racing? you can't introduce new stimuli without doing things faster than before...seems taking 1-2 months every training cycle just to shed pounds is a waste of time. look at Renato's posts on this, he is not a big believer in "down time/time off" as you start the next training cycle behind where you were instead of adding to what you've built.

Doo wrote:

Yes, you can run faster in training if you are lighter, but the "goal" isn't to run faster in training. It's to run faster in races. At 5 lbs above race weight, a person can run a little bit slower to get the same workout, then drop the weight before the race and get the extra speed.

I agree. Hasay might time trial a nice 10k but she will not be competitive over the final 400 in the WC or Olympics. She is built for the marathon and seems durable enough to handle some volume.

denim dan wrote:

don't know about everyone else, but when i'm doing the same workouts faster than i did them in a previous training cycle, i usually have quite a bit of confidence that i will race better then before. so isn't the goal the run fast in training, as it translates to faster racing? you can't introduce new stimuli without doing things faster than before...seems taking 1-2 months every training cycle just to shed pounds is a waste of time. look at Renato's posts on this, he is not a big believer in "down time/time off" as you start the next training cycle behind where you were instead of adding to what you've built.

I think you're just thinking about it differently, and using speed as a metric to judge your training. I will say that I am primarily a cyclist, and cyclists have other metrics to judge fitness besides speed (in fact, speed is an awful metric for cycling), so it is extremely common for riders to put on a little weight in the offseason, and then drop it before important races. This shouldn't be thought of as taking "down time/time off" because full training intensity can still take place in this time, it is only "time off" from dieting.

Optimal speed can be attained by dropping to a weight that is below optimal for the rebuilding of muscles that occurs during earlier phases of training. By cycling weight, you insure that your body has sufficient nutrients when trying to build, but can still achieve maximal speed at race time via weight loss.

If you base your training around times, this isn't going to work for you, but that's you, not weight-cycling.

J.R. wrote:

800 dude wrote:

There's absolutely no basis to conclude that strength work or multisport backgrounds have anything to do with the success of current high school runners.

I agree with this, and Webb was way too bulky for a runner.

El G had a much better example of a good runner's build.

I love talking about male runner's bodies -- I feel like Keith Hernandez watching Mike Stanton stretch.

One thing I thought about when reading RWTB. How the hell did Goucher survive the heavy training and high mileage while starving himself at the same time? It was written in the book how he never ate lunch and would skimp on his dinners. How the hell did he meet the caloric requirements to handle the mileage he was doing?

I remember when AlSal first started coaching Mo, one of his first observations was how weak Mo was. I don't mean "strength" as often misused among distance runners as a sloppy synonym for endurance, I mean in terms of explosive power and ability to lift weight. Now Mo ain't exactly a tank, but he is much more jacked, and by AlSal's account, a whole lot stronger than he used to be. And look at Rupp - by no means large, but crazy ripped.

well he didn't disappear or anything right? so despite eating what others perceived as "not much" or "not enough", he was eating enough to run at a very high level. americans are programmed to think they need way more calories than they really need - food/macho culture where "big hearty meals" and "eating to be a big and strong guy" are pushed on unnecessarily on athletes all the time.

*stipe wrote:

it is a little ironical that Salazar is talking about muscle when Hasay seems to be excessively skinny. With her current build, she will probably not outkick anyone. Cain or Alexa would probably beat her at any distance to 5k. And with a couple years, they would beat her at 10k. Those two particular young runners are extremely strong.

Hasay looks fine to me, not skinny at all. I doubt the other two will ever beat her at a 10k, but she might beat them in a 1500.

There are certain young ladies who are making big news at the high school level mentioned in the article who spend a lot of time working on upper body strength.

There are some who use questionable supplements too, but I ain't naming names.

U R eating enough! wrote:

well he didn't disappear or anything right? so despite eating what others perceived as "not much" or "not enough", he was eating enough to run at a very high level. americans are programmed to think they need way more calories than they really need - food/macho culture where "big hearty meals" and "eating to be a big and strong guy" are pushed on unnecessarily on athletes all the time.

Not saying zomg gotta get a ton of calores cuz I runs so much.

Running 100 mpw and completely skipping lunch on a daily lunch is different than cutting back on desert and second helpings of pasta. You need fuel to burn ya know.

Maybe it's just my specific physiology but if I'm not eating enough by energy levels are crazy low and any training is near hard to get done.

Can ANYONE name ANY runner ALSal has coached who didn't look like the were starving? Seriously. Salazar's quote is 100% bullshit.

Has anyone seen Hasay race lately? Are you joking? This gal is pure muscle. Watch and witness her at Nationals please. She will be the most fit and muscular of any athletes in any of the competitions.

Obviously the NOP drugs are kicking in.

what is there 2 support this?! wrote:

but I would argue it allows you to train BETTER and FASTER, no matter what phase of a training cycle you are in.

Not to mention monitoring your multitude of rare diseases.