Harry Wilson's training methods

Up to 140 mpw (purportedly even a few up to 160). Did not time a lot of fast sessions, but all running at a solid pace. One of his pet sessions was 6 x 1000m in Hyde Park. I recall him recounting how he was really focused for these things, but on one occasion, a dog raced after him in the middle of the workout and bit him (flesh wound) and he went bonkers on the owner (I certainly would have).

Tough as nails, incredible work ethic, and 45-point speed on a relay. What a runner.

Steve did a big distance base in the winter with a weekly 1k or 1 mile session at about LT to 10k pace and some moderate 10 milers (about 52 minutes) over hilly terrain. In the sprng he ran sand hills, interval, and plenty of distance (100 or more per week), still. Summer, he ran hard reps and short speed, plus moderate distance, time trials, and simulator sets of reps. Just go to Athletics Weekly archives and find the article about Steve Ovett and how he trained for the 1980 Olympic Games. Also, go to a UK used bookstore website and find Harry's book "Running My Way." A very good book!

And Running Dialogue....the best running book ever!!!

Lot's of fine details about Ovett training will never be addressed on this thread! It just wasn't well spelled out for mass consumption, nor will it ever be. We only know the general picture.

Harry was also an "individualist". The best coaches are: Runner A must NOT do exactly what runner B is doing.

Skuj wrote:

Lot's of fine details

"Lots"

tinman...IMHO it has got to be the best running book on training.....

Thanks, correction.

DENTON!!!

I was untalentedly fortunate to be able to work a bit with Harry Wilson as he put Oxford's Simon Muggelstone (Euro junior 5k champ) through his sessions. Lots of 1000s on cricket pitches. His Running My Way book suggests that these 1ks start at only 150-160 HR (for a person with max 190-200)with 60 seconds rest first month then dropping to 30 seconds: somewhat akin to Daniels' cruise reps. Later the 1000s got meaner.

At one point before Simon broke Bannister's Iffley Road mile record, Wilsonhad Muggs and Larry Matthews doing 4 (!!) hard sessions each weekend.

I never did find Running My Way. From reading Running Dialogue, I get the feeling that Harry and Steve were very close early on, then on and off in their closeness as the years passed. Steve seemed very independant.

I'd love to know details of Steve's training prior to 84 Olympics, "the best ever" according to both of them...a great shame that things went so wrong in LA. Harry was also convinced that Steve could break Aouita's 5000m record in 87, but bad luck intervened again. I'm always amazed that Steve came back from that awful 82 injury to run a 1500m WR in 83.

Falcon's hs coach told me once (early 90's) that he based much of Joe's training (early 90's, post Arkansas) on Wilson's book (I believe it was called Training My Way). He adapted it to fit Joes mileage, etc. When he ran 3:49 in 1990 it obviously was working nicely, but Joe had some major achilles problems that kept him from progressing.

van wrote:

I was untalentedly fortunate to be able to work a bit with Harry Wilson as he put Oxford's Simon Muggelstone (Euro junior 5k champ) through his sessions. Lots of 1000s on cricket pitches. His Running My Way book suggests that these 1ks start at only 150-160 HR (for a person with max 190-200)with 60 seconds rest first month then dropping to 30 seconds: somewhat akin to Daniels' cruise reps. Later the 1000s got meaner.

At one point before Simon broke Bannister's Iffley Road mile record, Wilsonhad Muggs and Larry Matthews doing 4 (!!) hard sessions each weekend.

The only problem with Harry Wilson's book is those heart rates. They are not correct, they should be higher. Those were the days before heart rate monitors.

Preston park in Brighton, not Hyde park.

Thanks for all of the posts!

What I was really looking for was the four week programme that Harry Wilson had, if I remember correctly, in "Run to the Top" where he outlined somthing like this: 1st week long distance, 2nd week short fast distance, 3rd week long reps, 4th short reps. Does any one remember this?

Perhaps you are referring to the four week CYCLE BETWEEN MAJOR RACES that Ovett was said to use one summer after some "illnes" problems resulted in a lower build up phase than preferable.I think that was what I read in a book by Mr Wilson.It was early in Mr Ovett's career,I believe.

In any case this was set out as:

Week 1 Monday 5miles easy

Tuesday 7 miles hard

Wednesday Rest

Thursday 4x1Km on hilly circuit

Friday 3 miles jog

Saturday 6 miles hard

Sunday 6x600m(1m30s aim) with 4 mins rest between

Week 2 M 4 mile run

T 300m(39s)/30s rest/200m(26s)--repeat four times with 8mins rest between each set.Then run one lap of 400m as 10s sprint/10s jog.

W easy 3 miles

T 2x200(25s)15s rest between each--repeat four times with one lap(400m) walk in 6 mins between each set.

F Rest

Sa 5 mile run

Su 6 mile run

Week 3 M 6x300m(39s)200m jog in 3mins between each.Then do six fast strides over 100m.

T 4 mile run

W 8x200m(25.5s)200m jog in 3 mins between each.

Th 4 mile run.Then 6x100m fast strides.

F Rest

Sa 2x600m(1m18s) with 15 mins rest between each.

Su 5 miles easy

Week 4 M 5 miles fartlek

T 4x200m(23s)400m of walk/jog in 4 mins between each.

W Rest

Th 4 miles fartlek followed by 6x100m sprints.

F Rest

Sa 800m Race

Just to complete the above reply,the information was contained in a British Amateur Athletic Board Instructional Booklet entitled "Middle and Long distance,Marathon and Steeplechase" by DCV Watts & Harry Wilson.A top booklet,probably now out of print.

The 4 week cycle mentioned was used by Steve Ovett and the first week described was the seventh week of training after a 10 week lay-off due to glandular fever.

The booklet detailed examples of training by Ian Stewart,Steve Ovett,Jim Ryun,Ian Thompson and is a great read.Not sure if BAAB still exists,probably now some dopey name like Athletics UK?

That's the one! What's the real word on those four weeks from the book?

If snyone has a copy of "Running My Way" by Harry Wilson I will pay MUCHO POR el book

You may enjoy reading an article about Steve Ovett in the September, 1999 issue of Athletics Weekly. His training partner details some of their training leading up the the 1980 Olympic Games. He said they ran at least 100 miles per week, up to 110-120 for 20 weeks straight.

Correction, the article about Mr. Ovett was in the Spring, 199 issue of Athletics Weekly, page 30, entitled "Running With Steve."

"The winter prior to the Moscow Olympics (1980) we ran an average of 100 miles/week (160km) for over 20 weeks, with some weeks at 110-120 miles/week. Steve wanted this winter to be the best possible he could manage - he wanted "to frighten the life out of people" with his fitness level. Brighton is a very hilly town and this made our training even harder as most of our runs included some very tough hill climbs. the winters in the south of England can be tough and occassionally we had snowfalls but usually they were cold and damp. As we trained together nearly every day (twice a day) it was easy to adjust to the training as we felt fit. Two or three times a month Steve would travel up to London to do a session with Bob Enn (800m runner) and see Harry Wilson. WE ran most of our winter sessions on the road because the grass in many of the parklands would be too wet or muddy to run a decent pace.At that period in my career, I was running 49 mins for 10 miles and 23/24 mins for 5 miles, so I was able to run 10 miles in training at a comfortable pace of 53/55 minutes." More later when I get a chance. Tinman