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

FYI -- Holmes is half British half Jamaican, so likely W. African ancestry. Not that it matters.

Renato,

You say your book is available on the IAAF site. I am interested in purchasing it, but i am curious about some of the particulars of the book. Does it include sample workouts or programs from general to specific training? Does it go over how you change from more general work in your beginning years to more specific work in later years? Does it go over more than just marathon training...and i am sure there are other questions? But if you could answer these i would be very interested in trying to get away from do this always or this always. Thanks.

Obviously I'm not Renato but i can answer some of your questions because I have the book.Firstly, just buy the thing. Its cheap and is bursting with imformation. Its short (which is a good thing, IMO). It contains scientific explanations and pratical reasons/solutions. Its very readable. Its an excellent reference book. It has loads of specific examples of training for his (others) athletes.Your Q, My A:Does it include sample workouts or programs from general to specific training? Yes & YesDoes it go over how you change from more general work in your beginning years to more specific work in later years? Not really. It does discuss a seasons breakdown into different trainnig periods but not a lot on how an athletes training should evolve from yr to yr.Does it go over more than just marathon training...and i am sure there are other questions? It is geared towards marathon training BUT there is certainly worthwhile information for 3k-10k runners.

murunner wrote:

Renato,

You say your book is available on the IAAF site. I am interested in purchasing it, but i am curious about some of the particulars of the book. Does it include sample workouts or programs from general to specific training? Does it go over how you change from more general work in your beginning years to more specific work in later years? Does it go over more than just marathon training...and i am sure there are other questions? But if you could answer these i would be very interested in trying to get away from do this always or this always. Thanks.

thank you. it does seem a very worthwhile source.

[quote]Renato Canova wrote:

I have some doubt seeing the weight (67,6 kg seem to me too many for a runner 1.74 tall), so I suppose that he can be a "muscular" type of runner. But probably this is due also to the lack of long run. I think that, if this guy goes to long run (for example, twice a week 1 hr 20:00 progressive with last 20-30 min fast) he can lose 3 kg becoming about 64 kg heavy.

____________________________________________________________

First of all, I appreciate very very much your quick response. I understand how busy you must be with the planning, analizing and the direct coaching of your elite athletes, besides all the administrative tasks.

Yes, this athlete is a "muscular" type his % of fat currently is 10.6, soft lean mass is 55.9 kg and lean body mass is 59.7 kg. I work with him since 8 years ago, so I know he is talented for long distances. But I was waiting to improve the 800-1500 m before moving him up. But you just gave me several ideas that can fit in our program. And of course we won't wait any longer.

5) And use full speed with very long recovery, for example 5 x 400 in 53 rec. 8:00, or 3 x 600 in 1:22 rec. 8:00, for increasing the LACTIC POWER, that is a very important part of training.

He has done this particular session in the last 2 years with an average of 52 segs and same rest as you have suggested. Besides has done 2 x 800 in 1:52 wtih 2 laps jogging in 6 min.

We will train during the next 5 weeks in Toluca City, altitude 2700m with some forests at 3000 m, just 50 km west of Mexico City and then will move to train for 3 weeks at lower altitude of 1600 m, just before making his debut at 5000 m in early June in Victoria, Canada.

Thank you again,

Marco Velediaz

Mexico City

Racer1 wrote:

Marco Velediaz--

Are you the guy who went to Morocco and wrote up the Hicham El Guerrouj training piece?

Yes, I am the one who wrote that article long time ago, but never have been in Morocco. My sources were written from articles by the Spanish coaches and their Athletics Federation. Talks with Said Aouita who has been here in Mexico several times. in 1999 I met coach Abdelakder Kada (El Guerrouj coach) in Spain and made me some corrections like the rest interval between the 400's. and other things. He gave a lecture for the Spanish coaches in Caceres, Spain which I attended of course. After the sessions were over, we had a long conversation with other Spanish coach about his methodology and the Moroccan system.

Since then I have met him several times in Europe, we were at the same race in Zaragoza, Spain (June 2004) where my athlete won the 1500 m "B" race and Hicham El G won the "A" race, their splits:

El Guerrouj 3:36.11 (almost beaten at the finish line)

57.2, 1:56.64, 2:55.37 and 40.74

Mexican athlete 3:40.68

56.9, 1:56.32, 2:56.0, 44.10

I will share with you some experiences with the Chinese coaches that are working right now in Mexico.

very interesting insight Marco, thank you

Marco--

Muchas Gracias. Esta informacion es muy interesante. Este entrenador chino suena loco!

Marco,

Thank you for sharing.

Do you have more info of the speed, strength and hill training from Ma Junren, specifically training for the track 3000 to 10000 meters?

Interesting stuff, thanks.

But its funny how the Chinese "system", so systematic, and so disciplined, and so good at indentifying talent (all according to what their coaches told you), when applied to the apparently HUGE Chinese talent pool................has produced ZERO superstar MALE distance runners. But when applied to the women's side, it produced (TEMPORARILY) the greatest contingent of runners and swimmers the world has ever seen.......but then after many drug accusations and busts, even the great woman performers suddenly disappered too (besides a couple here and there). Funny how that works.

Sort of reminds me of the "Great East German system", so technical, so intense, so precise, so.........DIRTY.

(and this is why I DON'T think the East Africans are dirty. BECAUSE......they have had REALLY great performers for 1/2 a century now, and have been unbelievable dominant for 15-20 years without any letup, and now their women ALSO are becoming dominant. The East Africans are no flash in the pan. When countries have sudden flashes of greatness, and then those flashes quickly die out, or countries produce superb perfomers VERY DISPROPORTIONATELY in the female gender [the males don't do nearly as well], then a red flag goes up concerning drug use. It went up with the East Germans and Chinese, and they both got busted big time. People have tried to raise this "red flag" with the East Africans, but pretty soon people will instead need to raise a WHITE FLAG, and give up their drug accusations, because they ain't sticking)

Lancelot, be careful.

You don't want to confuse the lowlifes with logic. Then we will miss out on all those inventive drug accusations.

Yes, Racer1, I hear you there.

Also, I am sure someone will say: "how dare you accuse the Chinese, when you so staunchly defend the East Africans." Well, I have already laid out my logic (as you put it) for justifiably doing just that.

The Chinese have a need to show how good their political and social system is, their athletes are state property and we won't see them popping up at the Grand Prix meetings, but I'm certain that there'll be some big suprises in store when the games are run in Peking, they'll shine there all right.

It's funny how Renato describes how passionate he is about the sport, and how everyone says he is a good coach, but he will only help super elite African or Italian runners (or Lebid, I suppose). A bunch of 15-17:30 5K guys have asked him for some advice and he patently ignores their multiple questions, but as soon as that 1:48 guy's coach asks or that guy a few pages back running 14-something for 5K..boom, Renato replies.

A great coach works with all abilities, not just top elites.

he's offred adivce to me and I am far, far, far from elite.

That post reminds me of a story my friend told me about Kim McDonald. He was at a party somewhere and got introduced to Kim. When asked about his 10k PR, he said 29:50. McDonald gave him a rude response, something to the effect of "that is not very good", and went back to talking to the elites in the room.

As for Renato, I think he has expressed that he regrets not having the time to respond to all questions. We should be grateful that he is giving any insight at all. Also, it is difficult to help 1 individual he has never seen run.

I would also disagree with your final statement. I suspect there are not many coaches that handle both elites(Grand Prix types) and 15:00-17:30 5k types.

It is all good fun to read about some 12:48 5K runner and his repeat mile workouts in 4:05 each, but do you think that's going to help you PR in the 5K? My point is it is obvious that any elite runner who chimes in on this thread (Several sub-1:50 800 runners, a 14:00+ 5K guy, and a 3:40-something 1500 runner) have extracted immediate replies whereas a bunch of guys running slower have asked and no reply for them.

True, there are not many coaches with the range of abilities, but Renato's the one who posts. He should expect questions from everyone, and I am merely curious why he answers the fast people and not the slower ones who still wish to improve and work hard. Trackhead, you are pretty fast--26 something for 8K, no? I didn't see any advice he offered you on this thread.