Renato,
From my understanding of Rop's former training is that he is very, very good at high intensity long runs. Last season he looked a little more cooked off the high RPM mileage. (tired from fast long runs)
A few people mentioned such, including himself I think?
I think it would be great to see Rodgers(and others if possible!) training information on a website(Hodge's or otherwise). I know a lot of visitors on this site are interested to hear as many details about Renato's training for not only HM and Marathoners, but the 800m, steeple, 5k and 10k athletes he coaches.
It's very rare you see ACTUAL logs of what the best are doing. It can only benefit the sport to spread information about what the best do in training.
I once saw that Bill logged over 200 miles in one week three months before winning Boston in '75 in 2:09:55.
He averaged over 130/week for the year leading up to Boston.
I too would love to see Roger's training, though admittedly I'm more interested in Cherono's steeple training, which you've touched on a little bit.
please include me on your mail list for Rodger's training.
Senor Canova, I am interested in Rodgers Rop's training schedule. My e-mail is: gaby2004oly@hotmail.com
Why don't you let the guy post the training schedule on here. Instead of you giving out your email address what about the rest of us. dont be greedy. I am sure a lot of people would like to see that schedule.
geeeeeeeee
I'm interested in the schedule as well.
Renato, I would greatly appreciate Rodgers Rop's training journal.
My e-mail is
Thank you for the e-mail and your contributions to the board.
has anyone received an e-mail from Renato yet?
He is the sample PROGRAM OF RODGERS ROP (Till Boston Marathon): Sorry i cant offer any more details, i will let Renato to post the whole program.
Beginning from Monday, 16th of February
Km of the week : 210 km
Longer run : 30 km
Day with more volume : 34 km
Session for Aerobic Power : 1
Session of Long Run : 1
Session of sprints uphill : 2
Km of the week : 223 km
Longer run : 35 km
Day with more volume : 42 km (special block)
Special blocks : 1
Session of Long Run : 1
Session of sprints uphill : 1
Km of the week : 219 km
Longer run : 38 km
Day with more volume : 43.5 km (special block)
Special blocks : 1
Session of long run : 1
Session of sprints uphill : 1
Km of the week : 219 km
Longer run : 40 km
Day with more volume : 40 km
Session of long run : 1 + 1 (1 specific + 1 general)
Session of hilly fast run : 1
Session of sprints uphill : 1
Is this great or is this great?
Thanks Mr. Canova.
I think what would interest me more (and I have even seen the schedule, only the bare number posted above) are some answers to the following questions:
1. Is this schedule only suitable for a Kenyan?
2. Would Renato give this schedule to a good European / Italian and expect it to suit them as well as it has Rop?
3. If not, why not?
4. What is / are the prime difference(s) between this Rop schedule and the schedules he used to use to win Boston?
In Italy now are 2 p.m, I finished the training with Rop, Makori, Frederick Cherono and Daniel Kirwa Too (4 times 5 km in La Mandria Park on hilly course, recovering 4 min jogging, in 15:06 - 14:37 - 14:45 - 14:50, not for Daniel that ran slower), and, having sent thru e-mail the full training to some friend, I switched on my computer for reading letsrun. So, I saw the poster of the training (probably after your message), that you can see for having more details. But now I want to answer to your questions :
1) This schedule is not only good for a Kenyan, but, you can think it or not, Italian runners train harder. For example, with Italians I use to give big importance to recovery, that preparing marathon is always running, and running fast. My athlete Fabio Rinaldi, winner on 14th of march in Treviso with 2:11:48, ran for example 5 times 5 km recovering 1 km in 15:26 / 3:18 - 15:22 / 3:17 - 15:19 / 3:19 - 15:24 / 3:21 - 15:08 (29 km in 1:29:56). When he trains with my Kenyans in Italy, no Kenyan is able to follow the same training. He kills them DURING RECOVERY. For an African, recovery is recovery. When I gave them my first programs for Kenya, writing for example 4 times 15 min at Marathon Pace recovering 4 min moderate speed, I realized that in 4 min they could run 500m : jogging was jogging. So, Kenyans have always more quality, and training must be different.
2) You can see my answer above. May be that if I find a talented Kenyan able to follow the schedule of an Italian he can run 2:03, not the contrary.
3) In any case, there are many personal differences between one and another athlete, not between a Kenyan and a European athlete. For example, I saw, in December, January and February, during the most important workouts in my different camps, always two athletes in front, in every type of work : Noah Serem and Thomas Kipkosgei. They were the best in 6-8 km tempo run climbing, in 35/38 km, in specific marathon endurance (8 times 8 min. at Mar. Pace recovering 3 min jogging, or 4 times 20 min at MP with the same recovery). So, I told to the manager Gianni Demadonna to find a marathon for them. Serem ran in Vigarano, with another my athlete ALWAYS 4-5 min behind, Pius Maritim. After a split in HM of 68:04, Maritim was able running under 65:00 the second half, winning with 2:13:02, while Serem took 3 min (2:16:06).
The same in Rome with Thomas Kipkosgei. His shape was good for 2:08, and I thought that he could win. Instead, after 33 km his fuel finished, and he run in 2:17:57 (n. 11).
On the contrary, I had athletes never good in training (like the new Joseph Kadon, 34 years old, 2:11:30 in Seville and never fast in training), like already in the past Elijah Korir (2:08:59 at 35 years, with training of poor quality).
What happens ? Some athlete is not sensitive about the energies that he spend in training. Rodgers, for example, is aggressive only some time, when we use a training like test, but normally trains at 90% of his possibilities. He is mentally relaxed, and doesn't use nervous energies in training. He is like Stefano Baldini, never very good in training (never good like Fabio Rinaldi, for example), or Alberico Di Cecco, that are able in training preserving nervous energies. This is an important characteristic, that can bring a good athlete to become a champion.
4) The big difference is in more modulation, with less long run, more recovery and more quality without destroying himself. Of course, before to say that the work of today is better than the work of the past, we must await the results of Boston, that he already won 2 years ago. Last year his problem was of overtraining. This year I want to control the last period, expecially under the nervous point of view. Every comment can be precise after Boston
Thanks for the very informative answers, Renato.
Seems like it might be a good idea for Rinaldi to learn to jog the recoveries, instead of hammering so much. Training harder than a Kenyan doesn't really seem to be a good idea. Training as hard AS them, yeah. But harder?
Good point re Serem and Kipkosgei never to race the training. Gotta learn to save that final 10% for race day.
Continuing good luck in all you do. Thanks for taking the time to reply.
Renato,
tell me why Kenyan athletes have difficulties running in cold conditions. Have you by any chance look into that.
The next question is how much do you know about these guys training (Hendrick Ramaala, Ian syester,Gert Tys, Josia Thugwane OLY CHAMP 96 and the Russian women marathoners) What is their method. Do they have any track/cross country background. What is the difference between these African athlete compared to their fellow African (kenyan/Ethopian/Morocan)
thanks in advance
Renato Canova wrote:
When he trains with my Kenyans in Italy, no Kenyan is able to follow the same training. He kills them DURING RECOVERY. For an African, recovery is recovery. .... So, Kenyans have always more quality, and training must be different.
Renato:
I find the above quote very surprising.
Q: Do you believe then that for two athletes of similar ability, one Kenyan, one Italian, that there are physical differences that are reflected in this training example? Or is the difference mental/social?
I don't believe that (generally) physiology can explain this difference. So to be me it implies that teh Italians do not have teh real ability of teh kenyan but makes up for it with a better mental toughness. Thoughts?
Of course, in the session described athletes can cheat in teh sense of running teh hard 5ks a little easy and the recovery a little hard. The quick way to get from A to B is to run even paced.
can you post the training scedule of your junior runners?