Jim Harvey.
Here is a copy of an aticle written a while ago outlining his approach to improving at 5K.
Racing and Training for 5000m
By Jim Harvey
Over the course of the last few years I have observed from the other side of the Atlantic the ongoing debate about the demise of British male distance standards. A nation that once prided itself on producing what seemed an ever flowing stream of the world’s greatest middle and long distance runners, now faces a drought of previously unimaginable proportions. Not only is the problem great, it appears that the governing body despite its best intentions is devoid of solutions to substantially raise standards in the foreseeable future.
That standards have fallen is not at issue. The reasons for this decline are many and varied and analysts better qualified than I have already debated the pros and cons. What I would like to share with your readers is my own experience and that of my athletes that may stimulate a debate of substance.
Formerly a member of Tipton Harriers I have coached in the United States for the last nineteen years. It has been my good fortune to have worked with some seven sub four minute milers, a variety of runners sub 14 / 29 at 5&10k and for the last five years the uncommon talents of Irishman Mark Carroll. I also coach former US 5k record holder (14.56) and two time Olympian, Amy Rudolph, 2.05/ 4.06/ 8.39/15.07, in the time we have been together. The only British athlete I coach at present is Ben Noad of Bristol who was second in the recent British road championship at 10k & 10 mls.
The intent of this article is to use the example of Mark Carroll to maybe shed some light on what I believe to be the way forward for British endurance runners.
I believe that due to our cultures being so similar it is easier to relate to Mark’s achievements than those of the African athletes of similar calibre. We have been spoiled the past few years by the seemingly endless slew of Africans running sub 13 minutes. They have raised standards and have also raised our expectations. The media, commentators and the general public may have lost an appreciation that sub 13.20 is fine running and despite our great traditions we have only produced three athletes, Jack Buckner ( 7 times in 6 years ), Rob Denmark ( 6/5), Tim Hutchings ( 4/2 ) that could do it on a consistent basis. The UK has produced only two athletes under 13.10 (David Moorcroft and Ian Hamer ) and only five other athletes sub 13.15 ( Buckner, Denmark, Hutchings, Gary Staines and Brendan Foster ). The current UK top 10 is rounded out by Dave Bedford at 13.17.21 dating back to 1972. It should be noted that as accomplished an athlete as Ian Stuart never ran sub 13.20 in his whole career. As for sub 13 minutes we should bear in mind that it has eluded even such great African luminaries as Paul Bitok and Ismael Karui.
In light of this what then is the way forward to produce world class, i.e. sub 13 minute performances? That a change of approach is needed is beyond doubt, but what should it be?
First we must accept that only the most gifted of athletes can aspire to run 13 minutes and they must break from the norm to do so. The total focus must be on track, from September when the season ends, through the long winter months to the following spring. The only valid question to be asked is, will the training I am doing improve my track times?.
The first two years Mark and I worked together the emphasis was on spending the bulk of that time establishing an endurance base. The majority of African distance runners experienced a very active outdoor lifestyle early in life. This coupled with certain genetic differences and an enhanced endurance capacity from living at altitude, gives them a predisposition when coupled with modern training techniques, to become world class distance runners. We set out to counter this with a patient build up consisting of a diet of long runs, long controlled repetitions with short recovery, and fast sustained tempo runs of six to ten miles. This was coupled with appropriate speed and speed endurance workouts as the competitive season approached.
No magic formula, just patience and consistency. We do only two workouts per week, a workout and a tempo run, or a workout and a race. This way the workouts are of a high quality or volume with time allowed for recovery. This formula, I believe, works best for most athletes. Very few are capable of three workouts per week that would be of sufficient quality. Indeed, I suggest to British athletes who are doing three workouts per week and not progressing, that they are probably working too hard and not recovering. There are, of course, exceptions; but they are few and far between. The only time we break from this regime is during the track season when a light sprint drill session is added.
No individual workout assumes vital importance. Rather, the workout is in the context of the week and the week in the context of the month. You need to recover from the workout with no great carry over. Have confidence in the system you have chosen and give it time to produce results. When track afficionados look at the finishing speed, i.e. 25/26 seconds for the last 200m of a Haile Gebrselassie, Ben Limo or Charles Kamathie at the end of a distance race, they may view speed as the definitive answer to performance. We would beg to differ and infer what wonderful basic conditioning they have that allows them to utilize that speed at the end of a race. It is this level of conditioning the western athlete must seek to achieve.
The Western athletes must play catch up. To run a world class 5k you need to have the endurance of a marathon runner combined with the speed endurance of a 1500m runner. I will be more candid than most coaches with the specifics of Mark Carroll’s training which has produced a 1:48.20, 800m, 3.34.91, 1500m, 3.50.62 mile, 7.30.36, 3000m, 13.03.93, 5000m and 27: 46.82 10000m in the hope that it instigates a constructive dialog.
For the last two years Mark has raced a full indoor and outdoor season. We split the year in half with three distinct phases in each half.
1. A ten to twelve week conditioning phase.
2. A six week transition phase
3. An eight week racing phase, followed by seven to ten days’ rest period.
The work done in the conditioning phase consists on a weekly basis of: (1) a long run 18 to 21 miles on Sunday; (2) a medium long run 12 to 15 miles mid week; (3) two workouts per week such as 6 x 1 mile avg. 4.32 (2 mins. recovery,. 10 x 3 mins. (1 min recovery ), 8/10 x 800m. uphill repeat avg. 2.38 (2 mins. recovery, drive down in my stationwagon); (4) tempo runs of 6 to10 miles at lactate threshold pace using heart rate monitor. In the final weeks of this period 20 x 400m avg. 61/62 (1 min recovery) or 16 x 500m will be added as a lead in to the transition phase. Total weekly mileage in this period averages between 100/110, most of which is run at a moderate to easy pace. Only one race is scheduled at around the ninth week to check on progression. In Fall it’s the Manchester Connecticut 4.7 mile road race, in Spring possibly a track 10,000m at Stanford University.
The transition phase is where the really hard gut wrenching track workouts for speed endurance are done. The long run is tapered to 14 to 15 miles, medium long to 12 miles and total weekly mileage to 85/90. The workouts are hard and demanding. Often during this period other athletes I coach will act as pacemakers. Key workouts are 5 x 1000 avg. 2.27 (3 min rec.), 3 x 1 mile avg. 4.06 (3 min rec) 6 x 600m avg. 1.26 (3 min rec), 3 sets 4 x 400m avg. 56.0 (1min rec 3 min between sets), 3sets 3 x 800m avg. 2.02 (1 min rec –3min between sets) We also add the session of sprint drills at this point. Mark will run several low key races during this period, a couple at 1500 and probably a 3000m to check progression.
In Spring at the end of the transition period we ease down for a couple of days and then do a very demanding key session before Mark heads over to Europe to race on the Grand Prix circuit. This session highlights Mark’s state of preparation, boosts his confidence and gives us feedback as to what areas may need attention. Over the last three years this workout was as follows: 1999, 1 mile 3.59, 2 x 800 1.52 & 1.53, 1 x 600 in 1.22.(all off 5/7 mins rec). In 2000, 1 mile 3.57, 800 1.51, 600 1.22, 400 55.0, 400 55.1 (off 5/7 mins rec). This year on June 20, 2001 we changed the format a little and with the aid of four pacemakers on a deserted track at Rhode Island College, Mark ran a 3000m time trial in 7.38.78 which I believe to be the third fastest run in the USA!! We knew then that the work had been done. It was time to go race.
The third period is the racing phase. Training is geared around the racing schedule and is aimed at Championships or specific events with the aim of being as fresh and sharp as possible. The workouts are shorter and sharper and here we closely monitor the feedback from races and adjust the workouts for those areas we feel a need to improve. A key sharpener eight to ten days before a big event has been 2 x 600 1.20, 1.21, 2 x 300 38.7, 38.8 (6mins rec). The 3 sets of 4 x 400 avg. 56 is also frequently used in this period.
As for racing, the scene has changed dramatically the past few years and a time of 13.15 will hardly get you into a Grand Prix race. Not only have the standards risen but the way the races are run makes it very difficult for an aspiring Western athlete to make a break through. If we analyze the break down of most 5000m races on the Grand Prix circuit we see a pattern of a very fast first and second kilometer, with a solid third kilometer. Then we usually see a much slower fourth kilometer, often as much as 12 to 15 seconds slower than the first. The last kilometer sees a big lift and is, as we would expect, the fastest of the race. Split times would be around 2:31, 5:06(2:35), 7:44(2:38), 10:29(2:45), 12:56(2:27). So we have races where the 3k is reached in around 7:44 with each kilometer being run progressively more slowly, a recovery in the fourth kilometer and then a big lift at the end.
The Africans with their great endurance background are the only athletes who can operate somewhat efficiently in this kind of race. Their managers/agents are fully aware of this and with the agreement of race directors pace the race accordingly. If you place a British athlete who has run around 13:20 in this kind of race he has very little chance of improving. It is also difficult for athletes like Mark Carroll, Bob Kennedy and Adam Goucher to race against these tactics. The way forward may be to provide a second pacemaker running at even 13:00 min pace with the intention of catching the lead group in the fourth kilometer. For developing British athletes maybe a third pacemaker running 13:15 pace would be the way to go. This tiered pacing strategy is increasingly used in major marathons and could well be employed to raise Western track standards.
There has been success and failure for us in the past five years. A win at 3k at the European Indoor Championships, a bronze at the European outdoors, wins and fast times on the outdoor circuit and wins at the Milrose Games. Failure to make the final of the Olympic Games in Sydney was particularly hard as it was the kind of race in which Mark excels.
I believe that the standards at 5000m are at such a level that distance runners must break with tradition and focus totally on track. We can produce athletes to compete with the Africans but it’s going to take time and it’s only going to be the most talented who will be able to do so.
Jim Harvey
1 Hill Ave
Lincoln RI. 02865 USA.
Tel & fax 401-726-0686.