Renato's posts to Malmo

Renato,

Looking at Paul Kosgei's 7 week schedule pre-Brussels WC Half, it strikes me that the Kenyans are always stressing different muscles, at many various paces and different angles (hills, exercises, plyo's).

The muscle stress seems to work in conjunction with the energy system stressed.

The total workout time seems relatively short, therefore not draining the natural sugars and the intensity of course always way up there. I realize this is 7 weeks before a major meet with no racing.

Here's a summary that may help show what I mean:

Of this type: commen to endurance runners- generally draining at any speed if above 90'.

150' moderate

150' mod

140'-120' mod

120' moderate to harder

90' easy

90' easy

80' easy

70' easy

70' easy

6 of 60' easy- reg

12 of 50' easy- reg

12 of 30-40' easy -regenerate

of this type: change of pace and intensity and recruiting dif. muscle groups above just distance.

90' progressive

70' prog

3 or 60' prog

12K fast

15K fast

of this type: stressing the muscles way differently- this usually feels really good afterwards.

3 of 30'-40'+ exercises

3 of 50'-60'+ plyo's

of this type: lets call it, short interval- which I don't care what the energy system says- it feels like a different affect.

10 * 200M

many sets of 600-500-400-300M

1000-800-600-400-200M

4*(4*600M)

4*(5*400M)

6-8 *400M

of this type: lets go with long interval- often high intensity draining- I'm quite certain Paul uses his internal intensity gage- not to overdo it.

10*1000M

10*1000M

4*1000M

2*2000M+ 8*400M combo s.int and long interval, lets call it

5*3000M

4Km progressive

of this type hill work: I understand different energy systems, but I'm especially singling out the stress on the leg muscles and the "feeling- during/ after" on the body/ muscles.

3 of 6KM tempo uphill

2Km uphill

8* 1:30" uphill

12*15" climb~ roughly 100M as below

12*100M climb

8*100M climb

8*100M climb

3*1' rest 8-10' can you say major lactate flood

So, to recap. The leg muscles are always being stressed at different angles and intensities and durations VS standard daily 12 mile run on flat roads (for which I'm not knocking, but contrasting because it is has been shown to be the method to work the most- but I'm looking at especially 7 weeks out). There is not only a lot of modulation but actual differing stresses on the leg muscle. Further, most of the workouts are not too long in terms of total workout time (7 weeks out).

That's what strikes me the most in differences between Kenyan training and many other running nations. Also the different surfaces used- rolling forest, x-country, long hills, steep sprinting hills, grass for some- that in itself is a different stress on the leg muscles.

Renato, do you think there is a complimentary effect of the energy system and leg muscle stress that may have benefits?

And does this enables fresh legs/ bodies, ready for many short intensity bouts (at certain times in a season)?

Thank you.

Renato,

Can you also link my above message with a few lines from the Lore of Running.

Emperical observation of the running stride and the anatomical structure of the lower limbs of African athletes, especially Kenyan runners, suggests that an evaluation of the evaluation of the elastic elements of the legs of elite Kenyan runners should be very rewarding.

And also, with regards to their sringy stride interpreted as evidence that stretch-shortening fatigue develops more slowly in African runners, indicating a different pattern of neural recruitment during fatiguing exercise.

It would appear to me that they purposely work very hard on that springy/ snappy stride.

Thank you.

and can you hum a few bars of "oh how i love to run down the railroad tracks".

bump