Mr. Renato Canova: Could You Please Answer a Question About Effective Ways to Improve the Lactate Threshold?

Renato, what of these questions? :

(From Tim Dalton):

Renato, thank you as always for this helpful writings.

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Renato Canova wrote:

Instead, regarding 4-6 km continuous run at 95-98% (of course, 95% is for 6 km, 98% for 4 km) I confirm what I wrote. In your example, 95% is a pace of (2:36 = 156 sec, 5% of the pace is 7.8 sec per km = 2:43.8) and for 6 km this is a final time of 16:22.8 passing at 5 km in 13:39, very normal for an athlete able running in 13:00. The same case for 4 km at 98% (that is 2:39.2 per km) : 4 km in 10:36.8 are absolutely normal for a top athlete, going at 3000m in 7:57.6.

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I speak about this then with respect to the top athlete and not a younger beginner since you talked about that later in this post. Even for a top athlete, though, I am surprised that there is work to improve the Max Lass so early in the season.

Maybe again I made a mistake in reading, because as yet we did not see the full year of Shaheen (or Kwalia, in this example; if it is possible can you show us? It is always informative to read the training of the best athletes, and for certain you coach and prepare the best), but I do not know when this training is used. I have not seen it in the programs of Shaheen you sent out by e-mail. Maybe it is new, like the circuits? It seems too stressful to do year-round. Even for a top athlete, I doubt a 13:00 5K runner is 365 days a year in 13:00 shape. If there is their lifetime best, the very fastest they have ever run on a perfect day with pacemakers, rested, at peak shape, then they are likely not in this condition at some point in the year far from competition. In this case, say in January, it may not be so easy for a 13:00 runner who has not raced for a while (and is not in Personal Record condition) to pass through 5K in 13:39 in training.

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Our goal is not to improve AnT, but to create a special MAX LASS (or OBLA, if you prefer) that is the key of the specific endurance at high intensity.

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Again this is my misunderstanding. I recognize the term Onset of Blood Lactate Accumulation (coined by Owen Anderson of Running Research News) but not the idea "the goal is not to improve AnT." I remember in another post you said that the Kenyans from their early years have naturally a high AnT. But of course, an American such as myself that trains reasonably well and hard (but I did not run to school as a child, not living in the same conditions as a Kenyan) I do not have a naturally high AnT and probably neither do many of these posters, even good college runners competing in the U.S. X-C championships.

So probably they need to work on improving their AnT, because it is not naturally high. Can I assume that, in the offseason when an athlete cannot do safely a stressful training for improving the MAX LASS, the base of AnT is the best aerobic work to progress with? For an American, then, what training is used to improve the AnT? This is I think is what the original poster was asking, who probably being young and imexperienced but a distance runner who wants to improve maximally needs to work on his AnT with tempo runs and work at the "conventional" threshold of 4 mmol blood lactate, another term you mentioned.

What is your thougt about this idea?

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You must not make the mistake to think of training for a young athlete like a miniaturization of the training of a top runner. The system for building your specific ability is something that has to change every year.

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I can understand this, but what can I or other athletes do who cannot unfortunately received personalized programs from a top coach like you or someone else but "miniaturize" the work of the best? I do not have your phsiological knowledge nor the means to create a long term training program taking into consideration my lifetime activity and all my training of the past years. I and I am sure everyone else wishes they could do this, but that is why you are a great coach and we ask you the questions, you having the knowledge everyone else does not (or Mr. Cabral, or John Kellogg, or Hadd, or Tinman). So maybe it is not always bad to look at least at the principles of the training of Shaheen or Kemboi but fit it to an athlete not yet so fast (and probably even with good effort never as fast, because they are the best in the world).

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So, with the beginner you must have a very big percentage of GENERAL TRAINING, using long aerobic run at low intensity but also technical exercises, exercises for cohordination, for elasticity, for reactivity. You must not only build the engine, but also TEACH TO THE ATHLETE ALL TECHNICAL THINGS THAT HE NEEDS FOR RUNNING FAST IN THE FUTURE. So, you must be a teacher more than a coach.

Going on in your career, the percentage of General Training decreases, and the area of Specific increases.

So, your example regarding Kwalia, for example, isn't pertinent, because you are speaking of an athlete coming from 15 years of training, and our beginners are really beginners. So, they have to do WHAT KENYANS DID FOR 10 OR MORE YEARS, without knowing the final effect, like normal activity connected with their type of life (also playing, for example, for 1 hr running and pushing a big tyre of a tractor when they are 8 years old), and that in our society nobody does (but in the past, at the time of Prefontaine and Lindgren, for example, I think that also in US was the same). So, what is able to do in training a 20 years old like Kwalia or Kipchoge, may be possible for an American or a European when is 28 years old, after having built the base that he doesn't have.

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This is maybe the most discouraging thing about competitive distance running, that talent is such a big factor. OF course, no one can choose their parents, and no one can choose to live 10 miles from school so that they can build their base, knowing they want to be a great distance runner at age 5! But hopefully, everyone can improve as you said, but at a later date than age 20 if American or European.

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One thing is sure : if you want running fast in competition, you must run fast in training. The problem is WHEN and HOW, not IF. A workouts like running 6 km at 95% of your pace in 5 km is something that you can carry out once every two weeks, for example. I never used microcycles, thinking that in the modern methodology for top runners this is not possible. For example, during the last 41 days before winning World Championships 99 in Seville in 3000 SC, Christopher Koskei (elder brother of Shaheen) had to compete 14 times in races of steeple (one every 3 days !). So, I had to manage this situation, and at the end he won, reaching his top shape for the Championships. How is possible to think of a microcycle ? May be that we use something similar during the Fundamental period, but in any case we have so many type of workouts to do that is not possible to put every thing in a short period. Another reason is that I prefer to adjust training following the effects of the previous training. My schedules are outlines lastings normally 2 months, but at the end of the period the training effectively carried out is like the program only for 50%, the other 50% is the product of a change that I do looking at the effects in short time of training already made.

If you want to follow a training like what (not only me) we use with top runners with a young runner, you make a big mistake. Remember always the 3 most important points of a good training : CONTINUITY, GRADUALNESS and MODULATION. You must have patience in building the body and the mind of an athlete, doing some hard training only when is possible.

Last thing regarding who tried to use the scheme for circuits that I wrote. Not refuse circuits, but try to adapt them to your current situation. Where I write 200m running go, for example, for 50m, where I put 40m bounding go for 20m only, reduce the length, don't use too high intensity, and START TO PREPARE YOUR BODY FOR BECOMING ABLE TO DO THIS WORK NEXT YEAR. Remember that the most important part of training is TRAINING FOR BEING ABLE TO TRAIN : 80-85% of your training has to have this goal, 15-20% the goal to prepare the competition.

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I will keep this in mind. Thanks.

From Racer1 and others:

This is a really fantastic discussion.

Renato has answered already most of those questions assembled but these are the remaining:

2. Can you post the full programs of Shaheen, Kemboi, and Kwalia?

3. In reference to the Specific Strength: Endurance Circuits Renato said: "Being a very hard training we can use it only few times during the final part of the Special Period and during the period of main competitions. "

Specifically, how many time per season would these specific strength circuits (the extremely hard ones) be used?

7. you said that you spend the first 3 months for developing the AnT of your runners.

can you explain more about the base training that the runners are doing when home in Kenya?

8. How do you improve a runner's anaerobic threshold if they do not have one naturally high like the Kenyans?

10. I am most interested in how Renato sequences the workouts and fits them into the weekly program. It would be great if he has time to show Shaheen and Kemboi's program over several months to get an idea, particularly during the off-season where many runners need some idea of speficity.

Especially that circuit he uses for the competitive season looks nearly impossible. It goes 300 fast, 200 fast, 100 fast, then back up again (100-200-300) and in between are mixed squat jumps (and 10 of those at max effort is quite strenuous) and 100m bounding and skiping, twice each.

The whole thing is 1600m and to do that 4-6 times would be totally appalling. After even 1 of those I think I would be so locked up that the next circuit would be completed at a stumbling pace and I would be barely moving up the hill.

I can understand the benefit in the very last part of the season in placing the muscles under the most acidic conditions possible, but I imagine that it might be counterproductive towards running economy and the ability to even complete the next circuit due to such a strong muscle seizure from the flooding with lactic acid.

11. Renato, how can you determine whether or not someone has talent? Is it not always possible to improve? The athlete can always manage a race a little bit faster if they train a little bit harder, and a little faster the next time?

If it is all about what you are born with, how can anyone ever be among the best but the Africans? The 6 year old child who will one day become a runner cannot possbily know he must begin training by running quickly to school.

Additionally, a random query; I was watching earlier a tape of track races, one of which was Daniel Komen's 7:20.67 3,000 meter world best, easily one of the most incredible performanced I have ever seen.

Perhaps Renato, living among the Kenyans, knows, or to anyone who knows; what happened to Komen?

He was only 20 at his best, broke the records indoors and out for 3K, outdoors for the 2 mile and the 5K, and not only broke them, but put them so far out of reach in the 3K and the 2 mile that no one, not even Gebrselassie or El Guerrouj or Bekele has been able to touch them.

I saw him in October as a pacemaker at the Chicago Marathon but it is strange at age 28, still young, that he lost his ability so much.

Today I have the last opportunity to reply, because tomorrow I go to Qatar then to Kenya. I'm happy about yesterday, because for the first time I had athletes winning in the same day 2 different marathons, men and women (Milano with Cheribo 2:08:38 and Jeptoo 2:28:11, both PB, and Firenze with Kiprotich Korir 2:11:43 and Florence Barsosio 2:29:11, after 2 years without competing for a baby), but also busy, because also the athletes will leave with me tomorrow during the night. I had in my house the two ladies for the last 5 weeks (Florence went home one week after running Dublin in 2:33:58 on 25th of October, then came back), while the guys were in Kapsabet for following specific programs with Amos Korir, one of the best Kenyan coaches working with me.

Coming to the questions, these are my replies :

1) The modern system of preparation is based on the specific intensity. You must use many years for reaching your best, but during all this time you must increase the intensity of EASY TRAINING. For example, if during the first year of career we have an athlete able to run 14:30 at 17 (2:54 pace), during winter he can use, for improving his Endurance, workouts for Aerobic Power like 5 x 2000 in 6:10 (3:05 pace = 93% of intensity). During the next season, supposing that he can now run 14:10 (2:50 pace), he can use 5 x 2000 in 5:50 (2:55 pace = 97% of intensity), and intervals at 90% of the race intensity have no meaning, except for increasing volume (for example, 5 x 3000 in 9:15 if the athlete can move to longer distances. I think that also for you is normal to think of 5 x 2000 in 5:50 rec. 3:00 for an athlete running 14:10. So, tell me what is the difference, in percentage, with a top runner running 13:00 when he goes for a continuous run at 95% of the pace. I want to remind that the jump of quality in long distances happened with Ron Clarke, that was the first athlete running "long and fast" in training, near the race speed (for example, 15 km in 45:00, that 40 years ago was absolutely out of the mind of coaches and athletes). I remember that in France, for example, Michel Jazy (3:36 and 13:24) every year started his training running till 3 hours at 4:30 / 5:00 per km, following Van Aaken system (the coach was Frassinelli), for improving his capillarity. Really, he could not improve his capillarity, simply he lost time. This is a type of training good for the first 2-4 years of activity, not for a top runner. His problem is to improve his enzymatic system, and this is possible only putting in crisis the system going at high (but not max) intensity.

So, if for example for a runner able running 28:00 that never ran longer than 1 hr can be SPECIFIC FOR THE MARATHON running 2 hr 20 at 3:45 pace (because in any case this training is something new that can stimulate his body in direction of improving Resistance), for a marathoner "full time" already expert a long at 80/85% of Marathon Pace is only general training (also if are 3 hours) and the effect on performance is practically nothing. We cannot use intensity too low in relation with the race pace, and expecially we cannot leave this type of stimuli for long time (all winter, for example). Of course, this type of work is planned not frequently, and the intensity is not like during the competition season. In other terms, if you want running 800m in 1:43 during summer, also if you don't prepare indoor season, in every moment you must be able to run 1:47, not 1:50. In this case, the percentage of your intensity is (1:47 - 1:43 = 4.0 = 96% of intensity). The same for longer distances.

2) About Shaheen and Kwalia (but also Abdullah Hassan, previously Chepkurui), you don't find this type of work in my programs because are programs of two years ago, but, because training is a continue development of system according to development of the athlete, now they use circuits and higher intensity already during winter. Every 2 years, I take a long period (may be 4-5 months) during which the athletes train only for increasing volume and efficiency, without nothing specific. This is the case of next year 2006, when the Qatari have like main goal Asian Games in Doha in December.

3) Regarding relations among AnT and OBLA, OBLA depends on the level of AnT, but for 5-7 years you can only work for increasing AnT, not yet for creating specific MAX LASS. When you become able to run at 9 mmol for 6-7 min, for example, your AnT is not different from the Threshold that you had the previous year, when you were not able to LAST long time at the same intensity. You become more resistant at the same speed not because are able to increase your Threshold, but because are more able to use a part of lactate like energy. SO, THIS IS A PROBLEM OF SHUTTLE LACTATE THRU THE FIBERS, that is a different problem from that of lactate elimination. See what I sent to Michael Bautista, regarding tests with top athletes (it was the theme of the Congress of European Coaches in Abano Terme from 4 to 7th of November, where Peter Thompson and myself were the speakers).

4) Regarding the importance of changing every year the training, increasing the percentage of SPECIAL TRAINING and reducing the percentage of GENERAL TRAINING, this is one of the principles of methodology, irrimessible if you want to develop yourself lasting long time. You cannot build a house without basis. I always make the example of a house : Gebre can have a skyscraper of 60 floors, a normal athlete a house of 10 flours and and Amateur of 3 floors, but in any case that spend 10 years for building everything, increasing both volume and intensity during this period. After this, your aerobic attitude is consolidated, and you have no more margin in that direction. You must think of SPECIFICITY of training, reducing the basic training because, with or without, nothing change in your body. You already have your house, with the top. What you can do is to make the house more comfortable, inside, for living better. So, there is a specific goal for every age and for every period of your career. When you look for training of a champion, you look for a LAST PART OF A PROJECT, that is not yet your situation. YOU MUST LOOK FOR THE ROAD that the champion ran during his career, not for the final step.

5) You must know very well that, without long basic preparation (in your life) you cannot become a top level runner. If you think to have mental and physical attitude for running fast, you must have patience, but cannot skip the most important step for a runner : BUILDING YOUR BODY AND YOUR MIND FOR IMPORTANT GOALS. Why, when you are not treained, you run (for example) 33:00 for 10 km, and after 6 months of training you run 30:30 ? Because training changes your physiology, and you are no more the same person. But is also important to know that you cannot build everything. Like in a car, the final quality depends on the quality of material, not only on the time used for making the car. So, you can dream, but step by step : a good advice is to dream what you can reach, not what is beyond your possibility.

6) Regarding how many times I use some circuit : I already explained that, in my training, programs are something personal. So, I use the elements of preparation in different percentage, according to what I think that the athlete needs. If I have an athlete needing more strength, I use more times ; if I have an athlete needing more agility, I use another type of circuit. Everything I show you is an example, because you can work on this with your fantasy, making a cloth on the measure of your athletes. I cannot give a schedule good for everybody, because this is possible if we suppose that everybody has same attitudes and same motivation. We know that this is not the reality. I USE WHAT I NEED BETTER AT THE MOMENT.

7) Regarding Komen, two answers : 1) Don't think that his real date of birth is 1976 : Komen is 3 years older, like many Kenyans. 2) He was one of the greatest talent all time, but his activity during 1996-1998 was devastating : I think that he tried to beat a World Record more than 20-25 times in 3 years ! So, the main problem for a talented athlete is HOW IS POSSIBLE TO LAST AT TOP LEVEL LONG TIME. This depends on training and on technical choices, that are the base for the motivation. When you are burnt, also your motivations finish, and you become a normal runner, using your name and what you did in the past for earning some money, without big future goals.

If you haven’t left already, I have one more question.

About the program for 1500m runner during track season, there was little work at 1500m race pace (57-58s per 400m)for that athlete. Why?

Is it important during track sessions to run mostly of your track workouts at race pace? To become comfortable at that pace.

Example for a 1500m runner is 10x400m 1 min rec at race pace.

In your program there wasn’t really any race pace training,

but lot of mix speeds during the track sessions.

sub 13

Steeper Hills,

Unless you are world class you will still find plenty of runners to train with. Remember that for every sub 13 5k guy in europe there are another 10 sub 13:30 guys trying to make the grade back in kenya ! And that converts to 50 sub 14 guys. The depth is frightening. All through the summer there is a comprehensive race program - track and road. You will not be short of people to run with.

Your biggest issue is likely to be the long rains which fall from May to July but can start early or late. If they get particularly heavy, tracks and roads flood making fast running very difficult. Last summer the rains were late and we had a couple of weeks where we couldnt get on the track at all (most of them are dirt). You just have to be a flexible with your training. Flexibility with everything is the key to having a rewarding trip in africa !

Do they have Internet cafes in Qatar?

Renato, how can you know an athlete's potential? You cannot know what is possible until they do it. There may be many sub-13 potentials that you cannot determine their talent into they train for years.

Can you show us the full programs of Shaheen and Kemboi?

Have a good time in Qatar.

I'm yet in Italy till tomorrow (I leave at 12.00 from Milano). So, I can answer to your question.

I don't think that we must use a big number of specific speed training. I am used to analyze training during a full period, taking from my sensations (regarding ALL TRAINING, not only specific workouts) the idea of the shape of the athlete, and what he needs. For example, if you run 50 miles per week, using like max mileage in one session 10 miles at medium but not very hard pace, and are able to run on track 10 x 1000m in 3:00 recovering 200m in 1:30, may be that you run 10000m in 30:30. Next year, you increase the volume to 80 miles per week, you run a longer run of 15 miles, and run 10 miles a little bit faster, but you go on track using the same speed and recovery of before (10 x 1000m in 3:00). After this, you are able running in 29:30. And still, the SPECIFIC SPEED ENDURANCE TRAINING WAS THE SAME ! What did happen ? That your specific work of quality had the opportunity to be recovered better and to become more stimulating for your physiology.

This is the reason because I NEVER USE TWO TIMES THE SAME TRAINING, also if I use trainings having the same goal.

I want to avoid that the athlete becomes slave on his times and his tests, putting every time in relations his current training with the past training, and drawing a conclusion that is wrong BECAUSE HE DOESN'T ANALYZE THE GLOBAL ASPECT OF TRAINING.

I prefer to work around the speed of the race : a mix of speed and endurance (the first one little faster than the race speed, the second one little slower, but in any case very close the speed of the event) normally can produce best results, preparing some SPECIFIC WORKOUT that I use with attention and thriftiness.

Personally, I don't use more workouts like 10 x 400 in 60.0 recovery 1 min for a specialist of 1500m (that I use instead normally with runners of 5000m). In my personal experience, I remember that was able running 10 x 200m in 27.0 (with the last in 24.9) recovering 1 min, and at that time my personal best in 800m was 1:59.8 ! And Giorgio Gandini, coach of Francesco Panetta, was able running in 1957 in training 30 x 400 in 64 rec. 60m jogging in 40.0, with PB of 3:47 / 14:42 / 31:34 (the Italian National Record for Women is of my athlete Maura Viceconte, 31:05.54, that has 4:26 in 1500m) !

So, clearly, is not this type of work that can produce the best performance. You become specialized in recovering very quickly, but during the race this is not possible. So, is better to try to increase the Threshold and the Speed, going for workouts of Lactic Endurance only few times, at high intensity.

Renato,

You may arrive in Kenya after i have left. I will be around until 19th Dec mainly for business. I hope to get to Kaptagat and Iten for a few days before i leave. If you have a safaricom line you can text me 0721 212516 and i will come and say hello.

Safari kizuri

Renato, sorry to repeat the question but sometimes it gets lost; before you leave (or when you come back) can you post the full programs of Shaheen and Kemboi like you said after the Olympics?

Thanks.

Renato, sorry to repeat the question but sometimes it gets lost; before you leave (or when you come back) can you post the full programs of Shaheen and Kemboi like you said after the Olympics?

Thanks.

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stud800runner152 wrote:

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another

renato, can you explain intermittent training?

Now I'm in my Hotel in Doha, fortunately with Internet, awaiting one day before meeting the President of Qatari Federation. I'll stay here for about 10 days, after I'll go to Iten, starting to follow the group with Shaheen, Hassan (Albert Chepkurui), Kwalia, Nicholas Kemboi, Mosop, Paul Kosgei, John Korir, the Ugandians, and many others (also a group of ladies for cross and marathon).

I cannot post at the moment the full training of Shaheen and Kemboi last year, because these training are in a computer that a thief robbed me on 31st of January at Nairobi Airport, and from that time I never had time to write from my diaries the training of the athletes (I used only those periods useful for some Congress, when I had to speak about specific training). Anyway, I have everything, and during the period in Kenya I think to order this material in a correct way.

From when I am in Kenya, I write in my computer the full training of my athletes, day by day. I think that can be possible to post, every 2 weeks, the real training that they used, with some comment regarding the reasons and the problems that we can meet.

Regarding the "intermittent training", this is a type of training derived from Interval-training, that in any case can be interpretated in many different ways.

The first using this type of training in systematic way was Gilles Cometti, a French coach specialized in the preparation of soccer players. They used to increase the specific speed endurance for a player, thru a big number of repetitions on very short distance (for example, 10 x 20-30m at max speed, controlling time with photocells, running ahead and coming back with a very little interval, about 10 seconds). But, for example, the type of training that I saw many years ago used by American 400m runners (may be one full lap with 10 steps in max acceleration followed by 10 steps without pushing, called, if I remember, "killer" with another word), is a type of intermittent training too.

This type of training is very much used by swimmers. They swim fast for 50m (in a long pool), then use only the time for turning (may be 5-10 sec.), and go again, for many times.

My friend Bonifazi, a physiologist that is also a researcher with Italian swimmers, told me that, using this training, you can keep the level of cortisol very low, having the same result of continue activity (without rest) under the point of view of the "shuttle" of lactate.

The classic type of intermittent that we use, for example, with some specialist of 800m (like Italian Andrea Longo) is 4 sets of 10x150m in 21.0 recovery 30.0, with 5/6 min among sets. The speed (about 14.0 every 100m) is about 92/93 % of the speed of the race (1:44.0 is 13.0 every 100m, so 1 sec is 7% of the time), and this fact is very good under biomechanical point of view. If you take blood at the end of every set, for checking the lactate level, you can see a very low level (may be about 7-9 mmol), SO THIS TRAINING HAS AN AEROBIC EFFECT. With Longo, for example, if we go for 6 km at 3:20 (with very low relation under biomechanical point of view : 20.0 is a speed of 18 km/h, 13.0 of 27.7, so the percentage is 65%), at the end we find a higher level of lactate (may be 12-13 mmol).

With long runners, I use also some time this training. For example, during winter, I use normal workouts of long intervals for increasing Aerobic Power (5-6 x 2000m in 5:40 for an athlete able running, in full season, 5 x 2000m in 5:20), with 3 > 2 min recovery, alternating with sessions where I use "long intermittent training", where I already use the speed of summer with short recoveries (for example, 5 sets of 5 x 400m in 63/64 with 20.0 of rest between tests, and 4/5 min between sets). In this way, I always have in my programs the "specific speed" that I want to train. In other terms, I use the final volume of training at lower percentage (may be 92 > 95 %, in the example of 2000m, 5:40 is 94% of 5:20 like intensity), and the final intensity that I want to build with many intervals, reducing step by step the duration of recovery.

The difference among the modern system and the old, is that now we BUILD the final performance, using the SPEED like key of the training.

For example, If I want to build a performance of 27:00 for 10 km (2:42 per km), having time I use essentially two type of Special Training :

1) Long continue run on track, at two different speeds : RACE SPEED (16.2 every 100m) and AEROBIC THRESHOLD SPEED, 20% slower (19.5 every 100m). The developing system is the following, using always 14 km :

a) 10 x 400m at 16.2 (64.8) alternated with 1000m in 3:15 (19.5 pace) for a final time of 4:19.8 every 1400m = 43:18

b) 10 x 500m at 16.2 (1:21.0) alternated with 900m in 2:55.5 (19.5 pace) for 4:16.5 every 1400m = 42:45.0

c) 10 x 600m at 16.2 (1:37.2) alternated with 800m in 2:36 for 4:13.2 every 1400m = 42:12

d) 10 x 700m at 16.2 (1:53.4) alternated with 700m in 2:16.5 for 4:09.9 = 41:39

e) 10 x 800m in 2:09.6 alternated with 600m in 1:57 for 4:06.6 = 41:06

Normally I never was able to continue (the final goal is 10x1000 in 2:42 rec. 400m in 1:18 = 14 km in 40:00), because there are competitions and we need to arrange some workout, but the idea of develop is that one.

2) Intervals at 2% of speed higher (in this case, about 15.8 every 100m = 63.2 or 1:19.0 or 1:34.8 or 2:06.4 or 2:38.0) till 1000m, starting from 12 km with more tests, then reducing number of tests, increasing their length, using a modulation in recovery times :

a) 6 sets of 5 x 400m in 63.2 rec. 30.0 among tests, 4:00 among sets

b) 6 sets of 4 x 500m in 1:19.0 rec. 30.0 among tests, 4:00 among sets

c) 6 sets of 4 x 500m in 1:19 in couples (rec. 15.0 among the first 2, 45.0 among the 2nd and the 3rd, 15.0 among the last 2)

d) 6 sets of 2 x 1000m in 2:38, rec. 1 min among tests, 4 min among sets

e) 6 sets of 2 x 1000m in 2:38, rec. 1 min among tests, 3 min among sets

f) 6 sets of 2 x 1000m in 2:38, rec. 30 sec among tests, 4 min among sets

At this point, you can go for 6 x 2000 in 5:20 rec. 3 min, or for something mix like couples of 1500m in 4:00 and 500m in 1:18 rec. 1 min and 4 min among sets. You can use your fantasy, but the phylosophy is the same : to keep the same volume, increasing the length of SOME TEST (not all), reducing recovery among SOME TEST (npt all), using more modulation regarding recovery times and length of tests.

How you can see, starting from a mathematical point of view (at vthe end of every thing, if you want to run in 27:00 the speed is always 16.2 every 100m, you can be kenyan or american, tall or small, black or white, fast or resistant, but the final speed is OBJECTIVE, not SUBJECTIVE), you can develop your SPECIFIC ENDURANCE building your specific attitude to last at that speed. In this way, you can build your specific OBLA or MAX LASS.

Of course, this is possible always when the athletes are already READY in their body after many years of training, at the beginning BASIC and FUNDAMENTAL, before becoming so specific. That's the reason because, without patience, is not possible to build a top runner in short time.

Renato,

I have some questions about strength endurance workouts.

Can you give some examples on specific workouts for STRENGTH ENDURANCE, mixing short hills and intervals that is good for 1500m runners during the special period and competition period?

You mentioned some examples for Shaheen and Kwalia on the congress of European Coaches.

Is this kind of training also good for 1500m runners?

Or is it only good for 3000/5000/10000m runners that need a special MAX LASS?

I have never heard about this type of training before you mentioned it.

Renato, it is good to see you are back. doha in Qatar I last heard of when Gebrselassie ran 27:02.

Speaking of the Ethiopians, do you have any among your group? You also seem to have spoken before with Jos Hermens. Have you read recently the book that has arrived about Gebrselassie ("the Greatest").

I think really it is a fntastic book so I will give some examples of the content:

1. His training is of course unbelievable. Jim Dension, the author, gave one example of his track sessions, that he does 3 times per week AT ALTITUDE, in the ground up track at Ethiiopia's stadium, so poor for training that Gebrselassie was injured for Athens with a very bad Achilles and Bekele too had problems, who is young and limber still.

Regardless of the poor surface, he led them through

4 x 1200m 2:55

4 x 800m 1:59 or faster

4 x 400m 55

This at altitude, and later in the day he drove his car high into the mountains in the Entoto forest and ran gain for 2 hours. Now we can see where 12:39.36 and 26:22.75 comes from.

Speaking of Doha, another training right before he broke the WR on the roads: Dr. Woldemeskel watched him do 2 x 5000m on a HILLY road

The first he ran in 13:20

"Doctor" asked him what he would do now that he ran the first so fast and was supposed to do it in progressive fashion. Gebrselassie went and di the second faster (sub-13:20, on a hilly road at altitude unpaced in training aftern already doing one in 13:20). the he was sure about the WR.

2. His pain tolerance. Before Atlanta Gebrselassie went to train on the practice track in Atlanta with spikes to do some faster speed. He returned to the village with a blister which he popped and went to sleep. the next day it was infected so badly he could barely walk. Nevertheless he ran his heats and then the final, "running o fire" as it was called.

Again in Sydney he injured his Achilles tendon right after Seville WC and made the whole year (summer 1999 to summer 2000) injured with a torn up tendon. He injured it so badly in Zurich that after winning in 12:57 he waited until every Kenyan left so they did not see him limp out of the stadium. In sydney he stayed in bed always except to compete. All this and an 11.8 last 100 to win.

Again in Athens the same with an injured Achilles (the other side) but he could not win with Bekele there.

Still a remarkable athlete and a great look at his life and training, really a great person.

Intermitten training with 400's?

In the schedule you showed for Shaheen he did 100's and 150's. Should not even distance runners use short (100-150m) distances for interrmitent training?

And that Longo session is incredible. 40 150's in 21. I did a 150 flat-out yesterday on the track in 21. Just 1. to do 40 seems incredible.

Racer 1

Please tell us more from the book it is so great to hear about Haile.

What was his daily Schedule like?

3 track a week does not look like the scedule we heard from earlier.

And what did he run in those 1500 and 3000m youth races in Assela

I'm not Racer1, but I have to say that I think the most lyrical part is when Haile is describing the homestretch of the Sydney 10,000m, it was incredibly moving. I can't remember it verbatim, so I'll have to wait until somebody else posts it or I get home tonight.

Sometimes the book got a little formulaic; I think Denison could have varied his sentence construction a little more, but overall a good read and a great insight into Geb's life and training.

After reading it, I am beginnning to think that if Geb hadn't run so hard this summer in training and strained his Achilles again, he'd have at least had a medal, and possibly gold, in Athens. His 56 coming on the end of a 26:29 at the end of last summer seemed to show that he was at least close to his best shape. Sometimes even the best make the most elementary mistakes, I suppose. Hopefully he'll be able to stay healthy in the marathon and do something amazing there.