Norwegian runner Sondre Moen 59:47 in Valencia half. 3rd best half by a non-african ever

it is very serious indeed. The Norwegian Athletics association is also to blame in the case Bakken case.

Nor-way wrote:

Norway has a strict testing system.

No way.

Therese Johaug (XC skier) trained 129 days between doping tests. She was not tested at all during the summer.

The last doping test last spring was made on May 10 2016. Subsequently, the next test was conducted on September 16, when Johaug gave a positive doping sample.

I want to explain something about Sondre.

I already knew Sondre (and Sindre Buraas) from long time, since they used to have periods lasting 4 weeks about, in the Kerio View Hotel in Iten, where I have my own house.

Last year, at the beginning of October, Sondre sent me an email, asking if I was interested to coach him, since his previous coach quitted the activity (we know the reason).

I accepted this task, making clear some points, for me fundamental :

a) Since I don't think the superiority of African runners is mainly genetic, but due to different ambience and training conditions (altitude, big groups, not mental limits, better felling with their body, etc...), I told him he needed to become more "Kenyan", with long periods in altitude, and better feeling with his body.

2) I wanted a full motivation, believing in a project. He already ran a Marathon in 2:12 and was not bad in Rio (19th in 2:14), but his PB in short distances were very old, and I put as basic goal the improvement in short distances, for having a different base of speed looking at a Marathon of top level.

3) To believe in training only. I don't want any kind of supplement for my best athletes, apart Maltodextrines when they go for long runs. I want that the athletes become mentally strong, believing in themselves as person, not looking at any external aid, something that creates mental limits.

4) To give me full feedback about his training, when I'm not with him. Under this point of view, a european athlete can have big advantage compared with African athletes (apart few exceptions like Eliud Kipchoge), because it's normal for him to use his computer for writing all his training, his feeling, and every situation we have to analyse (something African athletes normally don't do, so there is big difference when I'm personally with them, and when I work with my programs, also if they are followed by some my assistant coach).

We used October for knowing a little bit better his situation. At the end of the month he competed in Valencia HM, running 63:06 (13th position), with feeling of heavy legs, and not good shape at all.

After this, we planned the period in altitude, in the following way :

1 - From Oct 25 till Nob 25 : 31 days in Iten (I was also there and we worked together).

2 - From Jan 1 till Mar 17 : Period of 76 days in Iten (with the only break of 3 days from 9th till 11th Feb, when he went Ras Al-Khaima for RAK HM, where ran 62:21 practically alone).

3 – From Jun 5 till Jun 27 : Period of 22 days in Sestriere (2050m), before running 10000m in Ostrava on 28th Jun (PB of 28:15).

4 – From Jun 29 till Aug 7 : Period of 38 days in Saint Moritz (1800m), moving for some competition at sea level of 5000m.

5 – From Aug 30 till Oct 20 : Period of 50 days in Sestriere, with the only break of 3 days from 8th till 10th of Sep, when he went Prague for running 10 km (road) in 27’55” (PB)-

This means, before Valencia, in one year, 217 days of training in altitude, changing his physiological parameters (now his blood values are very similar the values of Kenyan always in altitude).

The plan was clear :

a) Great volume during Winter, for running a Spring Marathon (Hannover) looking at a performance under 2:10 (really, he ran 2:10.07 suffering for stomach problems)

b) Increasing speed, looking at the limit for WCh on track (primalry for 10000m, as second option for 5000m). In this case, at the end of June he was not still ready for 27’45”, and Ostrava was not the best race for the limit (but was also the only chance). We looked at the second option, and he reached the limit in Heusden, moving to 13’20”16 (22nd July), a performance he didn’t believe possible till one month before (he went Heusden paying himself travel and accommodation, because strongly believed possible running under 13’22” that was the standard for WCh).

c) After the experience in WCh, the idea was to start immediately to prepare a marathon for December, going through the HM of Valencia. This means he started something longer 20 days after WCh, having a short break during the second half of August, still competing in two different 5000m (the first in National Championships on 25th August, where he paced in front of Jakob Ingrebritgsen till last lap finishing 2nd in 13’39”92, and the second in Rovereto on 29th August, when ran his second personal performance in 13’30”47).

Thanks, Renato! Great post! Could you give some specific examples of his training, that is, amount of kilometres Sondre did/is doing, what kind of workouts he is doing, and/or something else you have him do?

Really appreciate that you take the time to post here!

The total volume of km during the first 3 months of the year, before Hannover Marathon, is as follows :

January : 925 km

February : 772 km

March : 789 km

Days in altitude (Iten, Kenya, 2400m) : 73 (period of 76 days, with 3 days at sea level for RAK HM)

Some specific workout in January :

Sunday 15 : 27 km in 1 h 26'51" (average 3'13") with 7 times 3 km alternated with 1 km more slow, with the following times :

9'15" - 3'38" - 8'56" - 3'34" - 9'10" - 3'27" - 9'17" - 3'22" - 9'30" - 3'37" - 9'32" - 3'44" - 9'45"

Wednesday 18 (on track in Chepkoilel, 2200m altitude) : 2 x 3000m (recovery 3') + 3 x 2000m (recovery 2'30")+ 5 x 1000m (recovery 1'45") + 6 x 500m (recovery 1'30") in 8'59" - 8'54" - 5'54" - 5'59" - 6'03" - 3'01" - 2'58" - 3'00" - 3'01" - 3'02" - 1'26" - 1'27" - 1'26" - 1'27" - 1'25" - 1'25"

Wednesday 25 (Chepkoilel track) : 5 sets of [ 600m + 500m + 400m + 300m + 200m ] recovery among every test about 2', recovery among every set about 4'30", in (average times) 1'40" - 1'21" - 1'04" - 47"5 - 30"

Sunday 29 : 3 x 6 km (4 km at Marathon Pace + 1 km slow + 1 km fast) recovery 6' jogging in :

18'11" (12'05" + 3'15" + 2'51") - 18'25" (12'12" + 3'21" + 2'52") - 18'42" (12'16" + 3'20" + 3'06")

Some specific workouts in February :

Wednesday 1 : 45 km (Moiben Road, 2200m) in 2 h 34'49" (average : 3'26"4)

Saturday 4 : 12 km in 37'11" (average 3'06")

Friday 10 : RAK HM (competition) in 62:25

Friday 17 : Track (Chepkoilel) : 8 x 1600m in 4'48" recovery 2'50" - 3'

Thursday 23 : 30 km in 1 h 37'02" (average 3'14") with 6 times 4 km alternated with 1 km in :

12'30" - 3'31" - 12'11" - 4'01" - 12'17" - 3'49" - 12'19" - 3'50" - 12'15" - 3'44" - 13'04" - 3'31"

Some specific workouts in March :

Thursday 2 : 40 km (Nangili, from 2000m till 2180m for 20 km, then coming back) in 2 h 09'39" (3'14"5 average)

Monday 6 : 10 km in 30'24"

Wednesday 15 : 10 km in 32'44" + 15 km in 47'51"

Sunday 19 (at sea level) : DRESDEN 10 km Road Race in 28'40"

Wednesday 22 (in Nederland) : 1 h Fartlek (5 times 3' fast - 1' moderate + 5 x 2' - 1' + 5 x 1' - 1' + 15 x 30" - 30") (19.1 km)

Thursday 30 (Nederland) : 24 km alternating speed every km in 1 h 14'30" (average 3'06"2). Average km fast : 2'57"6, average km slow : 3'14"8

Thank you, Renato! This insight is awesome

After Hannover Marathon, April was a month for recovering. The first serious workout was on Sat 30 : 25 km in 1 h 32'51" (average 3'13")-.

In May, we started the preparations for track. Sondre had problems with the first workouts of specific speed, because didn't have the attitude to remove lactate oin short time, so we needed to push in that direction, knowing he could have one difficult month.

Here there are the main workouts in May (all on track at home in Norway) :

Monday 1 : 6 couples of 800m, the first slow, the second fast, with recovery among tests 1'30", and among every couple 4'.

Times : 2'12"0 - 2'09"4 ; 2'16"1 - 2'09"1 ; 2'18"0 - 2'08"8 ; 2'17"2 - 2'09"8 ; 2'16"8 - 2'09"6 ; 2'16"8 - 2'08"9

Thursday 4 : 1 h Fartlek (5 times 1' fast - 1' moderate + 6' fast + 4' easy + 4 times 1'30" fast - 1' moderate + 6' fast + 4' easy + 5 times 2' fast - 1' moderate + 2' easy + 3' at max speed (1100m) (19.12 km)

Saturday 7 : 2 sets of 10 x 200m (recovery about every 200m : 200m jogging in 1') with recovery among the sets of 5'.

Times : 28"5 >< 29"

Thursday 11 : 8 couples of 800m - 400m, recovery among tests 1'30", among every couple 4', in :

2'07"7 - 60"1 ; 2'08"5 - 60"8 ; 2'07"3 - 62"2 ; 2'08"1 - 61"0 ;

2'09"3 - 61"2 ; 2'10"2 - 60"7 ; 2'08"5 - 61"5 ; 2'09"1 - 61"6

Saturday 13 : 10 triplets of 200m + 300m + 200m (recovery among tests 1'30", among sets 5') in

28"5 >< 29" - 42"5 >< 43"5 - 26"7 >< 27"4

Wednesday 17 : 4 triplets of 1000m + 500m + 200m (recovery among every test 3', among the sets 6'). Times :

2'40"2 - 1'15"4 - 27"4 ; 2'39"2 - 1'16"2 - 27"5 ; 2'39"8 - 1'15"9 - 27"8 ; 2'38"8 - 1'15"7 - 26"9

Saturday 20 :

3 x 1600m (rec. 5') in 4'22" - 4'20" - 4'20" (rec. 7') +

3 x 600m (rec. 4') in 1'29"8 - 1'29"7 - 1'31"0 (rec. 6') +

3 x 400m (rec. 3') in 57"4 - 57"3 - 57"4 (rec. 6') +

1 x 1000m in 2'37"8

The next week, Sondre had cough and flu, and had little training. The first new session was on

Wednesday 31 : 10 x 600m in 1'35" >< 1'37" (recovery 2')

2'09"1 - 61"6

Renato Canova wrote:

Some specific workouts in February :

Wednesday 1 : 45 km (Moiben Road, 2200m) in 2 h 34'49" (average : 3'26"4)

Saturday 4 : 12 km in 37'11" (average 3'06")

Friday 10 : RAK HM (competition) in 62:25

Friday 17 : Track (Chepkoilel) : 8 x 1600m in 4'48" recovery 2'50" - 3'

Thursday 23 : 30 km in 1 h 37'02" (average 3'14") with 6 times 4 km alternated with 1 km in :

12'30" - 3'31" - 12'11" - 4'01" - 12'17" - 3'49" - 12'19" - 3'50" - 12'15" - 3'44" - 13'04" - 3'31"

Thanks Renato for sharing! Nice training ..... 59: 47 of a guy running for example 8 x 1600m at 4:48 at high altitude with around 3 min rest. Interesting to see what a runner with LT- intervals 8 x 1600m at 4:20 ! ,same high altitude, can do in comparison.

I really appreciate you posting these details, Renato. Thank you!

June :

2 easy competitions in Italy (Gavardo) : 5000m in 13'45"66 (Saturday 3) and 1500m in 3'52"40 (Sunday 4). Sondre had still the aftereffects of his flu, and was very heavy in his action.

Immediately after Gavardo, from Monday 5 he went Sestriere together with Noah Kipkemboi, a new Kenyan with good future.

His best workouts in Sestriere (altitude 2050m) in June are the following :

Wednesday 7 : 1 h Fartlek (the classic fartlek we normally use, with 20 times 2' fast and 1' moderate) (18.65 km)

Friday 9 : On Track : 10 x 1000m (rec. 1'50" >< 1'55") in : 2'52"4 - 2'53"8 - 2'53"0 - 2'52"9 - 2'52"3 - 2'51"9 - 2'52"2 - 2'52"1 - 2'50"2 - 2'49"1 (very windy)

Sunday 11 : 1 h Fartlek (another classic fartlek of my Group, 20 times 1' fast - 1' moderate + 20 times 30" fast - 30" easy) running 19.15 km

Tuesday 13 : Special Block on track, morning and afternoon :

Morning : 10 x 600m in 1'37" >< 1'39" (recovery 1'40" >< 1'45")

Afternoon : 15 x 400m in 63" >< 64" (recovery 1'15" >< 1'20")

Saturday 17 : 12 km in 36'27" (average 3'02") in Valle Argentera (1800m)

Wednesday 21 : 4 x 2000m + 1 x 1000m (rec. 3'45" >< 3'55") in 5'46"4 - 5'46"8 - 5'44"3 - 5'44"2 - 2'38"7

This is the typical workout we used in Italy with Antibo, before the competition of 10000m, and is also the same workout Kenenisa Bekele used in St. Moritz before his last WR of 10000m (in that case, averages of 5'12" and 2'27").

Saturday 24 : 6 km in 17'40" in Val Troncea (1700m)

Wednesday 28 : 10000m in Ostrava (28'15"12, PB). This race was not satisfatory, because of the hot and humidity, and was the only opportunity for running the standard for WCh on that distance. Not having other chances in that distance, we started to look at some possibility in 5000m.

This is a great insight, thank you Renato. I was training on the track at the same time as Sondre in St. Moritz, on, I think, August 5th, will be interesting to see what his session was that day. Looked like 400m or 200m reps if I remember correctly.

July :

From Sestriere to Nembro for the meeting, running 3000m (Friday 7). Sondre paced all the race, finishing second with his PB of 7'52"55. This time gave him more confidence about his improvement in specific speed, looking at 5000m.

From Nembro, Sondre went directly St. Moritz (1800m altitude), where there were the athletes of Norway (the Ingebrigtsen team and Wahrol).

In St. Moritz :

Tuesday 11 :

5 x 600m (recovery 1'50" >< 2') in 1'35" >< 1'36" (recovery 6') +

5 x 600m (recovery 2'45" >< 2'50") in 1'31" >< 1'32" (recovery 6'30") +

10 x 300m (recovery 45") in 43" >< 44"

Friday 14 :

2 x 1600m (recovery 3') in 4'22" - 4'19" (recovery 5'30") +

2 x 1200m (recovery 2'45") in 3'14" - 3'11" (recovery 6'10") +

2 x 800m (recovery 2'55") in 2'05"2 - 2'02"8

Tuesday 18 : Race (5000m) in Bellinzona (13'31"71). This was a training before Heusden, since we knew the pace was not fast enough for running under 13'22" (WCh standard).

Saturday 22 : Race (5000m) in Heusden (13'20"16, PB and limit for WCh).

From Sunday 23 till the end of the month, only regeneration, long runs with variations of speed, and strides.

August :

Thursday 3 (Track in St. Moritz) :

4 x 1200m (recovery 2'50") in 3'17"0 - 3'17"2 - 3'17"6 - 3'18"2 (recovery 4'50") +

5 x 600m (recovery 1'50") in 1'36"0 - 1'35"6 - 1'36"5 - 1'35"4 - 1'35"6 (recovery 4'46") +

6 x 300m (recovery 1'25" >< 1'30") in 43" - 44"

Saturday 5 :

10 x 400m (rec. 43" >< 46") in 62" - 63" (recovery 4'52") +

10 x 200m (rec. 26" >< 28") in 28"0 - 29"3

Wednesday 9 : Heats in WCh in London (5000m in 13'31"71). Sondre had some flu during the last days, and couldn't finish at the same speed of some of the other athletes. According to his feeling, he supposes could reach the final, if in perfect health.

Immediately London, he went Oslo.

Monday 14 (Track in Oslo) :

2000m in 5'31"8 (rec. 3'55") +

5 x 300m (rec. 30") in 46" >< 47" (rec. 3'54") +

1600m in 4'19"3 (rec. 3'55") +

5 x 300m (rec. 30") in 45" >< 46"5 (rec. 3'48") +

1200m in 3'12"6 (rec. 3'56") +

5 x 300m (rec. 30") in 44"8 >< 46"1 (rec. 7'52") +

800m in 1'57"2 (this is his unofficial PB !).

Thursday 17 :

6 x 1000m (rec. 2'52" >< 2'58") in : 2'48"4 - 2'46"9 - 2'43"3 - 2'40"6 - 2'37"3 - 2'34"5 (rec. 6'10") +

6 x 500m (rec. 2'52" >< 2'57") in : 1'18"9 - 1'16"5 - 1'16"9 - 1'15"6 - 1'13"3 - 1'11"7

Saturday 19 :

17 km at 3'20" + 5 km in 14'35"

Sunday 20 :

1 h fartlek with 4 sets of 4' + 3' + 2' + 1' fast recovery 1' moderate, with 2' easy of recovery among every set (19.5 km at 3'04"5 average)

Tuesday 22 :

3 sets of 10 x 400m (average 63"1, the fastest in 61"8 the slower in 64"5) recovering 1' among every test, and 6' among every set

Friday 25 : National Championships in Sandnes (5000m in 13'39"92 leading all the race till last lap)

Tuesday 29 : 5000m in the Rovereto meeting (13'30"47).

Immediately after Rovereto, he went on Sestriere on 30.

jakegs wrote:

This is a great insight, thank you Renato. I was training on the track at the same time as Sondre in St. Moritz, on, I think, August 5th, will be interesting to see what his session was that day. Looked like 400m or 200m reps if I remember correctly.

Yes....it was 20 x 400m , lol Just kidding......

September (in Sestriere) :

Sunday 3 :

17 km (on track) in 53'51" (average 3'10") with 3 x 5000m alternating the speed every km, recovering 1 km easy :

14'59"4 (2'53"3 - 3'12"6 - 2'54"9 - 3'08"0 - 2'50"7) + 1000m in 4'14" +

15'08"4 (2'54"8 - 3'14"3 - 2'54"6 - 3'14"0 - 2'50"7) + 1000m in 4'19" +

15'10"3 (2'54"7 - 3'16"9 - 2'54"6 - 3'13"5 - 2'50"6)

Saturday 9 : Competition on the Road in Prague (10 km in 27'55", PB)

Friday 15 (Sestriere, track) :

2 x 3000m (rec. 2'55") in 8'58"1 - 8'58"3 (rec. 2'54") +

3 x 2000m (rec. 2'55" >< 2'57") in 5'56"0 - 5'57"3 - 5'56"2 (rec. 2'55") +

5 x 1000m (rec. 1'54" >< 1'56") in 2'51"3 - 2'54"4 - 2'54"1 - 2'53"9 - 2'54"6 (rec. 1'58") +

6 x 500m (rec. 1'25" >< 1'30") in 1'22"1 - 1'22"5 - 1'20"4 - 1'19"4 - 1'19"5 - 1'20"4

Monday 18 :

12 km climbing (Cesana - Sestriere, from 1350m till 2050m with 700m of difference) in 44'23"

Thursday 21 : 45 km in Valle Argentera (1700 < 1800m) in 2:41'08" (average 3'35")

Saturday 23 : 50' Fartlek (15 times 1' fast - 1' moderate + 20 times 30" fast - 30" moderate) (15.9 km, average 3'08"4)

Tuesday 26 (Special Block) :

Morning : (Valle Argentera) : 10 km in 33'16" + 12 km in 36'35" (average 3'03")

Afternoon : 10 km in 37'10" + (Track) 15 km with 6 x 1000m in 2'48"2 >< 2'55" recovering 200m easy in 61" >< 66" +

10 x 600m in 1'42"8 >< 1'45"1 recovering 200m easy in 64" >< 70" (total of the day : 47 km)

Friday 29 : 20 x 200m in 30"0 >< 30"3 recovering 200m in 48" >< 52" (the last in 28"5)

The total volume of the month is 798 km, with the week in the middle of 241 km.