Henry Rono training for masters mile record. PART II

"Then when happens after the long slow period?

Nolan Shaheed:

I start running long intervals. Repeat miles. But then I drop the rest of my mileage. I might run 3 repeat miles, or maybe 4, depending. If it's a good year I'll start with 4, if it's not I'll start with 3. I'll run them at 5-minute pace, with 3 minutes in between. I'll eventually work up to 6 or 7 of these in a session. But on the day after I might only run 4 miles slow, depending on how I'm feeling. And on the day after that I might run 8."

How manu Americans over 50 can run 7 times a mile in 5

minutes with a 3 minute recovery?

I will be 52 next month, 140lbs, average 70+ a week, run under 17:00k when fit. I have coached runners for 20 years. Most of the runners I have coached I have had to help them with desire, vision, work ethic, determination, and sacrifices. This is part of coaching not just coaching runners that are on top already.

I have followed this thread since the beginning. I follow it because I can relate to it as a 51 year old competitive runner. These are some of my thoughts on this thread.

In the beginning the facts were.

1. Henry’s weight was 210lb.

2. Henry had not trained in years, and certainly not at an elite level

3. Henry up front said he would train to break the 1 mile record

4. Right off the bat he posted how many minutes a day he was running like runs up to 144 min.

5. He post what he doing at the risk of what people are going to say

As a 51 runner who trains as hard as I can with out getting hurt I though that running that many minutes a day was just incredible. Having coached runners that have gained weight after long lay offs, I founded it very interesting that Henry could run that many minutes a day with out a lot of problems.

As I have followed this thread I was thinking why and how can Henry do this. I believe that when Henry was world class he trained at high volumes with out the fear of pace and how many miles he was running. Most of the posters on this board think that his mileage is like 100 week or more. At a very slow pace it is probably a lot less. I think most runners are too insecure or impatient to go that slow all the time. I would have told Henry to cross train to make up the mileage to loose the weight. I think because Henry believes what he is doing will work he has the patients to grid it out day after day. Only runners with that kind of vision would have the patients to train like that. That’s why most of us do not understand.

Early on I though that if Henry ever gets his times down it would be scary competing against a guy that has been building this huge base. I am no Henry F’n Reno but I do have first hand knowledge how hard it is to be competitive even at 140lb let alone at 170+lbs. When Henry ran 17:4? at Carlsbad, I thought what an accomplishment.

Some people on this board do not realize that it takes years even if you are gifted to be world class.

Henry himself said he is in base phase #2. Until he says he has moved to his phase 3 I do not expect him to drop much more in speed or weight.

I know it will be even more difficalt for Henry because he has not learned the lessons of what a runner learns at his age. Each year I have learned what I have to do to adapt to my ageing. Henry just started at this age it will be hard for him to know like when to drop out of workouts when things are not right. This is just one thing us older runners learn.

Henry is a new kid on the block even if he is Henry Rono.

Up to this point I think his training is very good considering these facts. I could write a lot more but I just had to come on here and make a few points. I just don’t think some posters here have any idea how hard it is to train at the elite level when your goal is to be the best, or how long it takes even if you are Henry F’n Reno and you do get your weight down to 140lbs.!

There is a lot of great things that Henry is doing that all runners should learn from.

I hope I have nailed the hammer on the head.

To Coach BD

This is well and good.I'm a new kid in the block.You did hit right on it. I am learning new Henry Rono II forget the old 29 years Henry Rono I,so I get to know myself through all of these trials.I love it! I own it!I'm trying to keep up with the new body. I 'm noticing how much my body had changed in the years when I was not in training.

Someone told me it will take two years to get to where I am going which is masters mile record. I do agree with him.My problem is what I have in my mind it turns out it is not in my physical body(the action). But it is a good thing I have it in the head.

I dont know how much damages I have done in my physical body during all these years drinking in the street(alcoholism).It is hard to tell the only way to exam is to hit hard training for the whole body revalution.But the body sometimes do say no!However,I do convince to do it,when the other ear can take anything from the world to acheive this success.

I like my journey because I know where I am going and where I have been and also I'm on the right age to walk on this journey.Not too late or not too early either, right on the money.My past experiences is the negator on this journey plus yours adds up to make this journey worth while.I hear all the suggestions and the wild execitements.

As we speak my body recovery now is so great,however,I'm still sitting on phase II.Why because the body can not take phase III.I can not do that, it is impossible,when the body say no you can not force it.This is my human being body guys!!Let us all go to the lab and study it. I'm doing my own lab here of exercise physiology.The world masters mile record will come,but I dont know when.You have to wait that is all.

Can you wait for another year?

Henry

mr. rono.....

that is a great post. i have quietly watched this thread with great interest and admired the way you have, with great openness and honesty, pursued this great goal of yours. we are all human, we all have limits, but few of us set high goals and do all we can to achieve them. you have inspired so many of us, both with your running 30 years ago, and with your running now. it is a new ballgame for you now, and i'm sure you discover new challenges every day that you did not expect to find, but please know that so many of us are pulling for you to succeed. we all fight our battles too, and to read of the daily trials of one of the greatest runners of all time helps us all in our smaller battles. i was never a world class runner.... never even close, but even today, well past my prime, i still have goals i want to achieve. to know that you are out there... attacking the hiiiiillllllllssssss, helps me to sweat through my daily workouts.

you know YOU better than anyone else, and i thank you for your words here. i wish you the best as you fight through phase 2....... i know phase 3 will come when your body is ready, and we'll be there to cheer you on, my friend.

battle on!

??,

I apologize for not explaining what compelled me into quoting you and not making a more clear point.

I mostly coach younger athletes that are new to running. I feel they need the help in learning thing like desire, vision, work ethic, determination, and sacrifices. I agree with you if you think these are some of the things that separate champions from everyone else. After a while to be champion if an athlete does not have or does not learn these things there is not much else as a coaches we can do for them. I just think we coaches should still encourage them to never give up in trying. There just had been lot of post here that have not been very encouraging. All the negative posts were just hit a nerve. If I miss read your post as being negative I really do apologize. I just wish those other post could just understand a little more why us older runners enjoy competing and try to relate a little bit more to the struggle.

Another point of my post was to say why as a coach and an athlete I have been following this thread.

When an athlete makes a goal and his path in trying to achieving it is displayed for all to see every day and the fact that its Henry Rono makes it very interesting. As I pointed out Henry is learning like all of us older runners what our bodies can do after 50. As a coach ask yourself if a runner came to you at 210lb and was 56 years old and had not been training would you think he could possible accomplish a goal that Henry has set. I have never heard of anyone that has done it.

As I have followed his training, and how consistent he has been I have been impressed. Then when he ran 17:40 something and I thought that was just unbelievable. I had to check the results to see for myself.

There is a lot of stuff you learn the hard way about running and ageing. Every year you have to keep adjusting. Henry has not had that time to lean those things. That is what make it frustrating and interesting to see his struggle.

If everyone that had talent had the desire, vision, work ethic, determination, and could make the sacrifices it would not be so unbelievable. Its one of the barriers that all runners face. It is great to see how a runner like Henry deals with it. I think most runners can relate.

If Henry never finds all the right stuff it takes to do it so what.as long as he never gives up trying. Isn't that what live is all about?

Coach BD

Hey Henry, how is it going?

the point could be wrote:

Hey Henry, how is it going?

I am fine. I dont have anything to say.I just let everybody else do the talking.I am resting my fingers typing and the mouth.

Henry

Hi Henry,

I check in from time to time on this thread, and, like so many runners around the world, you were my hero when I was first running 30 years ago.

Now, as a 43 year old, making my own "comeback", you inspire me with your humility and dignity as you persevere.

It is your PURSUIT of your dream that inspires us.....

As we speak my body recovery now is so great,however,I'm still sitting on phase II.Why because the body can not take phase III.I can not do that, it is impossible,when the body say no you can not force it.This is my human being body guys!!Let us all go to the lab and study it. I'm doing my own lab here of exercise physiology.The world masters mile record will come,but I dont know when.You have to wait that is all.

Can you wait for another year?

Henry

I know that it is 'easier to say it, than it is to do it', but if you can somehow convince yourself to lose 25 lbs, I think you will see yourself progressing to phase III, very soon. However, it won't happen carrying so much extra weight. Not even the great Henry Rono can succeed carrying the equivilant of 2 big cement blocks on his shoulders without breaking down with injuries or becoming frustrated.

Henry

We haven't heard from you in a while. How's the training going? I hope you're still pounding away on Copper Hill! Let us know how the training's going, and your weight. We're still pulling for you!!!

Henry's in Oslo. He'll post when he gets back (Monday).

If he has time and energy, would be great to hear some of Henry's views on Osaka. Thank u for update.

Check out picture of Henry running the 5km in Knarvik, Norway.

Scroll to the bottom of this link:

http://www.kondis.no/default/index.php?aid=65718&k=sjef%2Fforsiden&mid=

Looks like he went 20:03 for 5K....

28 Rono,Henry Alversund 20:03 + 04:24

http://www.mamut.no/knarvikmila

Thankyou!!

Henry, nice photo, nice time! Way to go!

Skoal!

Henry was still stiff from the mile he ran before that 5k:

5:21 <<<<<<<<<<<<

Malmo, did Henry do the mile in 5:21? That's not too bad in my opinion.

Yes, he asked me to post it and he will recap when he gets home.