Training of a junior athlete in 1974 who did in 800m 1'47''9

I'm 71, have always been a fan of Gershler and Reindell, and appreciate to be seeing your training.

Are you still keeping fit?

Thank you & best regards.

in 2008 I made half marathon 1 '15 and in 5000 m 16' 02

Men M 50 - 54 :

http://www.mastersathletics.net/fileadmin/html/Rankings/Rankings_2008/20085000metres.htm

Different things work for different people, and if you ran faster than 1:48 as a junior it is evident to me that what you did worked for you! Some random thoughts:

*The high volume at ~13/100m pace would indeed train the muscles and nervous system in precisely the kind of form (movement pattern) that a 1:44/800m would call for. I believe that this was a major benefit of Igloi's training: volume *and* specificity. His athletes amassed *considerable* volume using movement patterns that closely mirrored how they would move in races. (NOTE that this kind of training can help to *prevent* injury during the major-race portion of the season.)

*Finding out exactly what kind of training and racing that you did during the winter ("January, February, March and April of 1974. Winter season training and cross competition.") would probably be very instructive. Note that, in Lydiard's first edition of "Run to the Top," after the distance buildup phase he switched focus almost exclusively to other work: the hills phase was six days a week, with a 20mi/32km run on Sunday for recovery(!); and then his track phase featured *many* days of track work and racing. I do not think your five days of "fast" work is necessarily excessive--obviously, your results were good!--but I'd be interested to know what went on in those winter months.

*2 x 2000m @ 5:45/4min recovery indicates some quality aerobic power--it's a session that many ~1:48 men would be hard-pressed to duplicate, especially as "just another day of training." This suggests that you were coming to the 800 from the aerobic side (rather than the speed side), and so you were probably well served by having only one day a week in which you actually hit your race pace. (Except for Monday, every day was at least a little bit slower than 54/400m pace.) A "speed" athlete might be better served by lower volume and faster pace, at least on some of the days.

*It's easy to forget that athletes who used primarily interval training achieved some outstanding results. Harbig ran 1:46.6 (a WR by 1.2secs!) and 46.0, almost 80 years ago. Coaches should always keep this kind of work available as one weapon in their armory--it is often neglected today. Among other benefits, a session like this may make it easier for a coach to analyze and correct the runner's form. Some discussion here:

http://www.newintervaltraining.com/old-interval-training.php

Thanks very much for posting this!

lease wrote:

Harbig ran 1:46.6 (a WR by 1.6secs!) and 46.0, almost 80 years ago.

Fixed. Imagine taking more than a second and a half off a record that was already less than two minutes' duration! Somebody today who cut the same chunk from the 3,000m or 5,000m record would be considered to have "smashed" it.

January, February, March and April of 1974. Winter season training and cross competition.

Monday: 40 x 100 m with a pace of 17’’ recovering 100 m running slow.

Friday: 14 x 400 m at 1'02'' recovering 1'15'' stopped.

Wednesday: 1 hour running slow for mountain circuit.

Thursday: 3 x 2000 m with a pace of 5'50'' recovering 4 minutes stopped

Friday: 1 hour running slow for mountain circuit.

Saturday: BREAK

Sunday: Cross competition of 7 km. (here almost every Sunday there is a cross competition).

When I was 27 years old I had a confidence of this training from a reliable source (I cannot reveal the name of the athlete because it was confidential). And it is true because, in part, I imitated that philosophy at my level and got good marks from 800 meters to 10,000 meters.

COMPLETE PROGRAM OF THE TRAINING FROM AN ATHLETE OF 1500 METERS WITH LESS THAN 3'30

Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May. Jun. Jul. Aug.

1 Fundamental 2 Pre-competition Competition

1st TRIMESTER - FUNDAMENTAL - WEEK -

Farlek: 1 Session

from 45 to 50 minutes.

Maximum aerobic power: 2 sessions

8 x 1000 with a pace of 2’40’’ and recovery of 1’30 or 20 x 400m recovering 40’’ to 58’’.

Active aerobic resistance: 1 session

Cross

Uphill: 1 or 2 sessions

From 15 to 20 repetitions of 180 to 200m with a 10% pendent.

Physical preparation: 2 o 3 sessiones

Every month make a test of 600m to 3000 m

Weekly volume: 50 km

2nd TRIMESTER .- FUNDAMENTAL - WEEK –

Farlek: 2 sessions

400m,300m,200m,100m with 100m of recovery between them, 10 km with a pace of 29’30’’ and 30’.

Rhythm: 1 session

10 x 400m with a pace of 53’’ recovering 1’30’’ or 12 x 300 with a pace of 38’’ recovering 1’30’’

Speed: 1 session

15 x 150m (50m maximum speed, 50m running slow, 50m maximum speed)

Uphill: 1 or 2 sessions

From 15 to 20 repetitions of 180 to 200m with a 10% pendent.

Bodybuilding (weights) and preparation circuits: 2 sessions

Weekly volume: 50 km

PRECOMPETITION – WEEK –

Volume endurance: 1 Session

2 x 500m with a pace of 1’13’’ recovering 30’’

6 x 200m with a pace of 27’’-28’’ recovering 20’’

1 x 1000m with a pace of 2’32’’ recovering 1’

4 x 300m with a pace of 43’’ recovering 30’’

1 x 800m with a pace of 1’58’’ recovering 1’

2 x 500m with a pace of 1’13’’ recovering 30’’

Rhythm: 1 Session

300m with a pace of 38’’-39’’ recovering 1’

600m with a pace of 1’21’’ recovering 1’30’’

200m with a pace of 23’’ recovering 1’30’’

400m with a pace of 51’’5 recovering 1’

200m with a pace of 23’’ recovering 30’’

800m with a pace of 1’54’’ recovering 2’

300m with a pace of 38’’-37’’

Farlek: 1 or 2 sessions

400m,300m,200m,100m with 100m running slow between them, 10 km with a pace of 29’30’’ y 30’

Speed: 1 or 2 sessions

15 x 150m (50m maximum speed, 50m running slow, 50m maximum speed)

Uphill: 1 or 2 sessions

From 15 to 20 repetitions of 180 with a pace of 200m with a 10% pendent.

Bodybuilding (weights) and preparation circuits: 2 sessions

I think it's awesome that you did all this while pregnant.

jk

Thanks for sharing, sir. But to LR, does this not sound like Jamins 800m Plan of totaling 10,000 meters @800 pace a week.

An athlete who make 3'29'' is 5x300m with a pace of 41''9 without recovery

Lopez de Egea wrote:

in 2008 I made half marathon 1 '15 and in 5000 m 16' 02

Men M 50 - 54 :

http://www.mastersathletics.net/fileadmin/html/Rankings/Rankings_2008/20085000metres.htm

How did your training then compare with what you've posted from 1974? And from the earlier years, what was your winter and cross training like?