Seppo Kaitenen wrote:
Look at all the runners who do workouts with Kipchoge. How come they haven't run 2:01? Clearly, many of them are training over their heads.
We have a training group of East Africans in my city. I see them working out at the park and on the track. All in Air Zoom Victorys, Alphaflys, and/or Next percents. There is no such as a tempo run to them, it is a 5-6 mile race every time. The gloom in their eyes tells the story. A fartlek is a 60 second quarter on dirt followed by a hard "float" repeated anywhere from 10-30 times. I watched them do a track session a few weeks ago; the coach told them to do 15x600 at 10k pace. First 200: 30. No reps were slower than 1:36. The coach chuckled and told a 27:0x guy "I hope you're in 26 minute shape"
I do not fault them in any way for this approach, and it obviously works for them. But most people would break down if they tried to train this way. Additionally, many of the runners in the group do workouts that would indicate faster race times than they actually put up, which makes them workout heroes in my book.
I see your points, Seppo. Sounds like they are wearing themselves down, dancing to the beat of someone else’s drummer.
In a sense, I am perhaps the biggest workout hero here, and yet I have no desire to train or race in a carbon shoe. I say save the better shoe for race day, and get a slight edge that way (though for me it would be a non-carbon shoe).