Renato Canova update on Caleb Nduki

Caleb had 2 goals for the outdoor season : Commonwealth Games, and Intercontinental Cup.

After winning Eugene (we prepared that race thinking about the possibility of a pace around 12'55"), he discovered to have the opportunity to compete for winning the event in DL.

But he had to go back Kenya, to run two times 5000m in Kenyan Trials for qualifying for CG, and immediately after had to go Oslo for the next 5000 in DL. So, he had a very tough period, travelling a lot, practically without training.

Here are competitions and travels of the period :

27 May : Flight Nairobi - Portland

31 May : 13:01.71 (1) Eugene DL

1 Jun : Flight Portland - Nairobi

5 Jun : 13:42.4 (2)heat Nairobi NC

7 Jun : 13:30.45 (2) Nairobi NC

8 Jun : Flight Nairobi - Oslo

11 Jun : 13:02.15 (2) Oslo DL

14 Jun : Flight to Ostrava

17 Jun : 7:31.66 (1) Ostrava Golden Spike Meet

In Ostrava, we decided he needed a long and hard period of training, based on the development of long endurance, for supporting the final period before CG.

You have to think we supposed Mo Farah was in the race, so Caleb's shape had to be at the top.

But, looking at the situation of points in DL, we decided to try Paris, without reducing his training. For that reason, his race was not good :

5 Jul : 13:08.47 (7) Paris DL

In any case, it was right to try, since nobody can know what can happen in one race (but everything went according the value of the athletes, with Alamirew in really good shape taking several point of advantage).

Immediately after going back Kenya, Caleb started his last period, for being ready to fight with Mo Farah.

Fri, 11.07 :

a) 1 hr 10' progressive (21 km, the last 20' at 3'10"/km)

b) 45' easy (10 km) + technical exercises

Sat, 12.07 :

a) 1 hr 10' with short variations of speed (30" / 45") every 3' (19 km)

b) 40' easy (9 km)

Sun, 13.07 :

1 hr easy (15 km)

Mon, 14.07 :

a) 30' easy (7 km) + 10 km in 29'57" (rough road)

b) 30' easy (7 km) + 2 sets of 10 x 300 (recovery 6') :

1st set : 10 x 45" (44"4 >`` 45"2) rec. 100m jog in 30"

2nd set : 9 x 42" (41"6 %%`` 42"3) rec. 100m walk in 1'30" + the last in 37"8

Tue, 15.07 :

a) 1 hr 10' moderate (19 km)

b) 40' easy (9 km) + 12 x 80m sprint uphill (max speed)

Wed, 16.07 :

a) 1 hr with short variations of speed (30" / 45") every 3'

b) 40' easy (9 km) + technical exercises

Thu, 17.07 :

a) 4 couples of (1600m, recovery 2', 400m) recovery among couples 6', in :

4'16"0/58"2 - 4'15"6/58"6 - 4'14"8/57"8 - 4'11"0/54"8

b) 40' easy regeneration

Fri, 18.07 :

a) 1 hr easy (14 km)

b) 40' easy (9 km) + technical exercises

Sat, 19.07 :

a) 1 hr 20' moderate (22 km)

b) 40' easy (9 km)

Sun, 20.07 :

600/800/1000/1200/1200/1000/800/600m (rec. 3') alternating speed (one fast, one slow). Times :

1'32"2 (s) - 1'58"3 (f) - 2'40"6 (s) - 3'04"8 (f)

3'18"8 (s) - 2'31"8 (f) - 2'09"2 (s) - 1'23"4 (f)

Mon, 21.07 :

1 hr 30' at personal sensation (24 km)

Tue, 22.07 :

a) 1 hr 10' easy with short variations of speed

b) 40' easy + 10 x 60m sprint uphill (max speed)

Wed, 23.07 :

40' easy + 10 x 200m in 27" (26"4 %%< 27"2) rec. 2'/3'

The days immediately before the race were free, and Caleb used his personal feeling (I don't know how much he ran).

In my opinion, Caleb was ready for a time of 12'52", and also for closing the last km in 2'23". But, without Mo, he didn't need to use all the fuel he had at the end.

Next step : African Championships (only for qualifying for the Intercontinental Cup). I remind that every Team can select 2 athletes per event from different nations (so for Caleb is important to defeat the other Kenyan only, not Ethiopians...), and the winner of 5000m will compete in the Cup in 3000m (the winner of 10000m in 5000m).

Thank you for posting, coach. The Sunday 20.07 workout looks like great preparation for a championship 5000m.

Thanks, Coach!

Thank you very muchas.

A question at witch speed si thé recouveretour on sunday for the pyramide?

Renato Canova wrote:

Next step : African Championships (only for qualifying for the Intercontinental Cup). I remind that every Team can select 2 athletes per event from different nations (so for Caleb is important to defeat the other Kenyan only, not Ethiopians...), and the winner of 5000m will compete in the Cup in 3000m (the winner of 10000m in 5000m).

Thank you for posting Ndiku's training.

Odd qualifying procedure, I would think that the qualifying event would be modified to have the same events as the championship.

Is Ndiku going the 5,000/ 3,000 route?

Thanks coach . Brilliant !

No speed, recovery is walking a little. Normally we never use, with this kind of tests of high intensity, recovery running (which are, instead, one of the main secrets for Marathon runners).

Faster you go, slower (or standing) recovery is.

Renato Canova wrote:

No speed, recovery is walking a little. Normally we never use, with this kind of tests of high intensity, recovery running (which are, instead, one of the main secrets for Marathon runners).

Faster you go, slower (or standing) recovery is.

A different question, I know your answer will be somewhat based on speculation, but I am interested in your thoughts anyway. How do you think Mary Cain would have done had she raced the 800, 1500 or the 5000. Personally, I think she could have placed in any of those 3 races, but she probably would not have won. - Again, I accept the fact that your answer is perhaps speculation.

TrackCoach wrote:

Renato Canova wrote:

No speed, recovery is walking a little. Normally we never use, with this kind of tests of high intensity, recovery running (which are, instead, one of the main secrets for Marathon runners).

Faster you go, slower (or standing) recovery is.

A different question, I know your answer will be somewhat based on speculation, but I am interested in your thoughts anyway. How do you think Mary Cain would have done had she raced the 800, 1500 or the 5000. Personally, I think she could have placed in any of those 3 races, but she probably would not have won. - Again, I accept the fact that your answer is perhaps speculation.

That was like jumping into an ice bath after being in a hot tub. You should change the subject faster next time.

Coach, given the crazy race schedule that Ndiku and many other Kenyan athletes had in May/June this year, I wonder how much control you have over keeping them from overracing. Kiprop was way overraced and then with a few weeks of training and no racing, except one 800 prep, he ran 3:28. I would think that Ndiku would race far better with more training and much less travel and racing. Is it the agents or the athletes that want to compete so often?

Renato Canova wrote:Thu, 17.07 :

a) 4 couples of (1600m, recovery 2', 400m) recovery among couples 6', in :

4'16"0/58"2 - 4'15"6/58"6 - 4'14"8/57"8 - 4'11"0/54"8

Thanks for posting Coach. May I ask what times you would have liked to see Caleb to run for this workout before and after it happened?

The real goal for this year was, for Caleb, to reach a better knowledge of 5000m, both in training and competition, since this is the event where he can hope to win medals in next WCh and OG.

Las year, he ran 5000m only once (13'03"), this year the plan was to run several times, in both tactical and fast races.

He was forced by AK to have a first part of season with many competitions, looking at the WCh of 4x1500 relay.

At the end, I don't understand why he was forced to run, since for Kenya to have in the Team Caleb, or not to have him, was exactly the same thing (easy to win and to better the WR with any type of team). I advised him to run their trials for relays out of top 6, and he did, running in 3'38" for the 7th place.

So, already before Eugene we had problem to organise his training. In Eugene he won with the last 100m very fast, and Oslo was the second step. We hoped he could have a Wild Card for Commonwealth from AK, after Eugene, but it was not possible, so between Eugene and Oslo he had to go back Kenya for heats and final of Trials (where he only looked to qualify, not to win).

About Ostrava, this was a contract already signed by his manager time ago, and was my choice, together with Caleb.

At the beginning, Oslo was not part of the plan, became part of it only after Eugene. At that point, the best solution had to be to cancel Ostrava, but of course this was not possible for respect of the organizers and of the signed Agreement (but technically this was something wrong).

The fact is that, with top Kenyan athletes, is not possible to have very precise plans (as, for example, I had with Shaheen after he went Qatar), because there are too many strong athletes in any event, and AK needs to give max importance to National Championships and Trials (wild cards for Rudisha and Ezekiel Kemboi, only, and this is totally correct looking at their career).

I hope next year can be possible to have some Agreement with AK, in order to have time for developing a full training plan, looking at WCh and, after, at OG.

In my opinion, Caleb is the only Kenyan who can compete with Mo Farah and Alamirew for Gold medal, looking at his speed in 1500m (which can still be improved).

I'm the coach of Thomas Longosiwa and Edwin Soi, too, but honestly I have to say the category of Caleb is different, looking at his age and his talent.

I was quite surprised how slow some of the recovery runs were for a guy of Nduki's ability:

40 min 9k or 45 mins for 10k

That is a little bit slower than a lot of distance runners run on slow days. I know Salazar's guys rarely go that slow.

How I already wrote, the plan was for reaching a shape of 12'52" and the ability to finish fast, looking at a challenge with Mo Farah.

The given plan for that session was 4'16" / 58", with the last test free (I Always use to do it). What Caleb did, didn't change the idea he could run in 12'52", and finish fast.

Can you share what "technical exercises" are? Do your athletes do form drills as well?

For me, Renato Canova posting on LRC with specific workout details, tactics, training, .... is by far the best thing about letsrun. Thank you very much Mr. Canova.

Thanks for the post coach, very interesting..

I don't agree with the title "Renato Canova shares the secret....".

Why ? Because, when there is a good performance, the real, only secret is the talent, the motivation, the determination of the athlete.

Somebody could follow the training of Shaheen ? Nobody, because everybody is different, and Shaheen was one category apart. My only task was to find the best solution for him.

Some thing with Florence Kiplagat, Moses Mosop or other.

Some thing with Caleb Ndiku. Caleb is Caleb. What I prepare for him, is not the same I prepare for Longosiwa and/or Soi. Not necessarily better, of sure different.

That's the reason because I don't have any problem to share the training I use with my athletes. The same training, with the same athlete, can be wron in another period of the season, or in another year.

Try to use your knowledge and your imagination when you prepare a training plan for some athlete, this is my advice for all the coaches.

Renato Canova wrote:

Caleb is Caleb.

At CW he revealed some antics, with his dyed hair and gestures and dancing. Kind of like a mix of Bolt, Kemboi and Dennis Rodman.

Can we expect more antics? His dance moves need a bit of work and he shouldn't imitate Blake's stupid beast thing. But the bodybuilder front-double pose was funny.