sounds like he realized proper fueling aids in recovery and performance. I coach and noticed the younger adult males don't prioritize their nutrition/hydration and think it doesn't matter...
I’m surprised this isn’t getting more attention. I’ve never heard of an athlete at Hobbs’ level training like this. I know some guys like Brazier may only do 30 mpw and focus on speed. But I’ve never heard of someone running 75-90 per week without at least a 10 mile run, instead doubling every day.
I’m actually curious if this style could work for hobbyjoggers like myself. I think it’s a lot easier to find time for two short runs - before work and after work - than trying to block out 70-90 min sessions a few times a week. Plus, coming off the couch with little fitness you can get all the runs in without having to work up to handling 10+ mile long runs.
Steve Ovett trained somewhat like this, though he would go up to 10 in one run, and would run 10mi x 2 one or two days a week.
100% correct, Hobbs read Bakken's blog and is working with Ronnie to adapt it to suit himself. Really shows how great of a coach Ronnie is to take athlete feedback and be willing to change even with so many years of coaching.
Isn't that a bit of an oxymoron though?
The athlete approaches their coach with another training model after doing their own research, then the coach incorporates it with minor tweaks with feedback from again, their own athlete? That just makes Ronnie a consultant.
Taking new ideas and feedback into your training plan shows Ronnie is willing to try new things, he could be using the same training as in the 90's but has instead has continues to evolve as a coach.
Hobbs is far from self-coached, and is just suggesting ideas for Ronnie, he is not writing the plan
I’m surprised this isn’t getting more attention. I’ve never heard of an athlete at Hobbs’ level training like this. I know some guys like Brazier may only do 30 mpw and focus on speed. But I’ve never heard of someone running 75-90 per week without at least a 10 mile run, instead doubling every day.
I’m actually curious if this style could work for hobbyjoggers like myself. I think it’s a lot easier to find time for two short runs - before work and after work - than trying to block out 70-90 min sessions a few times a week. Plus, coming off the couch with little fitness you can get all the runs in without having to work up to handling 10+ mile long runs.
In 1976 and '77 Chris Stewart was third at the New York Marathon both years in 2:13 something. In one of those years he did no runs longer than eight miles but was doing 120-130 miles a week. If you dig around here long enough there is a thread with a description of Karl Lismont's training. He usually ran six miles three times a day through the week and ran for about an hour on Sundays. He rarely did runs longer than that because they bored him.
This post was edited 3 minutes after it was posted.
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Why not?
The athlete approaches their coach with another training model after doing their own research, then the coach incorporates it with minor tweaks with feedback from again, their own athlete? That just makes Ronnie a consultant.
Taking new ideas and feedback into your training plan shows Ronnie is willing to try new things, he could be using the same training as in the 90's but has instead has continues to evolve as a coach.
Hobbs is far from self-coached, and is just suggesting ideas for Ronnie, he is not writing the plan
This post has the most accurate take on this. Ron, has a pretty good idea of what works and much of that is relatively the same over decades..modified of course for distance specialty. There are certain components of Ron's training that are staple so to speak, but he is not so inflexible as to not integrate new stuff.. But, a representation that Hobbs is self coached and Ron is a consultant, would not be accurate in my opinion, as the other posted mentioned.
Taking new ideas and feedback into your training plan shows Ronnie is willing to try new things, he could be using the same training as in the 90's but has instead has continues to evolve as a coach.
Hobbs is far from self-coached, and is just suggesting ideas for Ronnie, he is not writing the plan
This post has the most accurate take on this. Ron, has a pretty good idea of what works and much of that is relatively the same over decades..modified of course for distance specialty. There are certain components of Ron's training that are staple so to speak, but he is not so inflexible as to not integrate new stuff.. But, a representation that Hobbs is self coached and Ron is a consultant, would not be accurate in my opinion, as the other posted mentioned.
Nick Willis has spoken about this. Nick used to insist on an 18 mile easy long run something that Ron never proscribed. Ron listened to Nick and adapted his plan to the requirements of the athlete.
Seems to be taking a similarly flexible approach with Hobbs.
Until further notice I'm ranking him as a cartoon player in the chess table of the worldwide middle distances. Let's hope there are positive sign that change my mind about him.
Umm... what kind of "positive change" are you looking to see? Is placing first and second, ahead of a world champion and just behind the AR holder too weak for you?
This training is working well for Hobbs but I don't understand why he would be bonking after 8 miles. That's well under an hour of running for him.
There really is just no need for him to be running more than that . Ron knows what he is doing , you would think even the disbelievers would concede that at this juncture?
This training is working well for Hobbs but I don't understand why he would be bonking after 8 miles. That's well under an hour of running for him.
There really is just no need for him to be running more than that . Ron knows what he is doing , you would think even the disbelievers would concede that at this juncture?
Yes obviously Ron is very knowledge. But because something is working well doesn't mean it's optimal, so I think that's what's worth discussing.
(And by the way I'm not saying one way or the other is optimal for Hobbs, just that even with such great success we could talk about trying to squeeze out another 0.5% by adjusting X, Y, or Z in his training).
As malmo always says, long runs are overrated (for track distances) if you get in good mileage. Kessler has one of the best mile coaches in the world and has learned a lot of training wisdom.
(Imagine if Alan Webb stayed at Michigan.)
I agree...somewhat. I believe long runs can and do serve a purpose, but NOT every week. Also, depending on the type of athlete, the length of the "long run" should be adjusted. It could be an hour up to two hours. No matter, it does need to be treated as a quality workout done at a specific time during the training block.
Kessler has a bright future in the sport. He's much more than a "cartoon hero."
He talked about "bonking" on long runs. This suggests that Hobbs is going too hard on easy days and/or long runs. Even young runners need recovery days. You can't beat yourself up every day. Injury and burn out follow.
This training is working well for Hobbs but I don't understand why he would be bonking after 8 miles. That's well under an hour of running for him.
He's got a huge engine but he's a fast twitch athlete. 14 mile days aren't necessary for him (and might nick his top end speed actually). Doubling two sub-hour runs are obviously working.
...and supposedly Walhurst hasn't even started speed work yet
This training is working well for Hobbs but I don't understand why he would be bonking after 8 miles. That's well under an hour of running for him.
If he was "bonking" on runs of under an hour, it would most likely indicate that he was carbohydrate depleted at the start of runs. Hobbs did mention that he was now paying more attention to fueling better.
I would assume Kessler has the best 800m potential of the current US 1500m scene. Hocker and Yared have both shown 13:0x 5k where Kessler is probably in the 13:1x's. Kessler could make up for this by being in 1:44 fitness if Hocker and Yared are in 1:45 fitness
Until further notice I'm ranking him as a cartoon player in the chess table of the worldwide middle distances. Let's hope there are positive sign that change my mind about him.
Canova takes talented athletes with years of training behind them, and when he puts them into his system, where they rarely run as much as 10 miles in a workout (non-marathoners). Warhurst apparently does the same.
Could it be that catering to talent is what really works?
Sorry old-timers, but Hobbs didn't put in 100 mile weeks with no results for years before putting up good times. Maybe keeping to arbitrary metrics is what really holds talent down...
Kessler looks to have excellent speed for an 800/1500m guy, so I would expect to see 1:44 from him this year and better in the future, but he might get a run for his money from Yared Nuguse, given his comments on his 800m ability.
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