The thing about the peak is that some people seem to run their best when they're in the middle of a huge training block. Other people turn super human by cutting mileage in half or something like that.
And some guys don't have a consistent response one way or another. you see it on teams where one guy runs amazing while following coach's plans, while the next guy has his worst race of the year.
Hocker seems to have that thing where he responds beautifully to a sharp peak. It's part of the talent checklist.
yeah, I'm the one who can't cut mileage or will feel flat but need to keep the intensity in check; I also have a friend who needs to constantly flog himself with intense stuff; Another friend of mine though, needs to take things easy leading up to races. Training and peaking are as much an art as science.
THings you learn, not just coaching championship meets, but those weeks where you say "okay guys, we're gonna train hard through this meet, so let's not get caught up in the times." and then they go out and smash PRs