Alice Finot, France, 30 years young, improves indoor 3000 from 9:20 to 8:46. Silver medal Euro indoors in Toruń, 2021

Alice Finot. Beast lady. Abs galore! All strength and great flexibility. This lady is the real deal. Monster 2nd place this year’s Euro indoor 3000, 8:46!

Allez, allez, allez on vous aime Alice, allez la France on vous aime！

She is the rare athlete who can combine a demanding career as an engineer with top class Athletics kudos to her - this woman is a monster.

For those who understand Spanish, she outlines her training and general philosophy here.

Monster performance. This French lady is the real deal.

Isn't 30 years old a prime age for a distance runner?

Improves after moving to Spain and working under Spanish coach? Could be that letsrun has made my cynical, but raises guilt by association for me. Forgive me.

oldschoollrc wrote:

Improves after moving to Spain and working under Spanish coach? Could be that letsrun has made my cynical, but raises guilt by association for me. Forgive me.

She is probably as clean as a whistle. You know, she’s an engineer so she doesn’t need to run and she does running as a hobby. She’s a high IQ person and uses running as a derivative for her engineering work which she does remotely for different companies she is freelance. She probably has an IQ in the 130 to 140 range. The sky is the limit for this female beast.

1:13 half marathon on low mileage, 45 miles per week. La qualité est supérieur à la quantité pour cette athlète hors norme.

oldschoollrc wrote:

Improves after moving to Spain and working under Spanish coach? Could be that letsrun has made my cynical, but raises guilt by association for me. Forgive me.

Funny how these athletes moving and changing coaches mid career has such a prominent impact. Sounds like Mo Doorbell Farah esque to me.

How many drug tests has she missed? I remember some former athletes saying the loophole to the testing was to just miss the test if you thought you may test positive. These athletes with at least one or more missed tests are highly suspicious and likely doping. *rings Mo's doorbell*

She has not missed any drug tests. In France these days they are taking these things very seriously. In all likelihood she is as clean as a whistle. Like I said in a previous message, this runner (Finot), does not need to do running for her career. Running is just a hobby and she happens to do it quite well.

This is a very different case for most runners we don’t have a lot of other things to fall back on. She is an engineer and that is a top priority in life.

Very well-rounded woman in all senses of that word.

Alice Finot progression

Year Age Distance Performance Route

2004-2005-2006 13-14-15 1000 m 3’13’’—3-12’’- 3’10’’

2007-2008-2009 16-17-18 800 m 2’26’’—2’32’’-2’36’’ 10 km road 17 years old = 48’20’’

2010-2011 19-20 Cross country regionals 19 th in Créteil (2010 et 2011)

2012 21 400 m 69’’34

2013 22 nothing

2014 23 Cross Country 10th in Créteil

2015 24 Nothing 42’12’’

2016 25 1500 m 3000 m France Cross 4’44’’ 10’34’’ 260th 39’59’’ (2 races 10 km)

2017 26 1500 m 3000 m indoors 4’37’’ 10’11’’

2018 27 1500 m 3000 m steeple 4’22’’ 10’28’’ 35’35’’ – Houilles 1h15’27 – 20 km Paris

2019 28 1500 m 3000 m indoors 3000 m steeple 4’26’’ 9’20’’ 10’10’’ 1h15’11 – half marathon

2020 29 1500 m 3000 m indoors 3000 m steeple 4’11’’ 9’23’’ 9’45’’ 1h13’26 -half marathon

2021 to 11 mars 30 1500 m indoors 3000 m indoors 4’13’’ 8’46’’

3000 m : 9’02”-8’53”-9’12”-8’57”-8’46” 15’52’’ – 5 km

She had to take several years off for her engineering studies between the age of 20 to 27 and that is why she was concentrating on her career and her athletic results were a reflection of that. Only now in the last year and a half has she been able to train consistently at about 40 to 50 miles per week and she’s reaping the benefits that qualitative work right now. She’s 30 years old but basically she’s a new runner and she can keep on improving for the next 5 to 6 years. Also knowing that she has an engineering career behind her she does not have the stress to perform and this is a big advantage compared to many of her rivals to only have athletics in their lives. Athletics is just a hobby for her but she’s taking it to a rather high level.

Laura Muir managed to become world class while under a heavy class load as veterinarian student.

oldschoollrc wrote:

Laura Muir managed to become world class while under a heavy class load as veterinarian student.

Yes you’re right but Anglo-Saxons have a very different concept of studying and combining athletics to a high-level compared with French people who think that both those activities cannot be mutually combined to a good level. That’s why there’s no provision in French universities for high-level athletics. People like Jimmy Gressier train and run full-time at The National sports Institute in Paris.

An article about Finot's improvement in a French media (which is known to target suspicious athletes) :

https://www.spe15.fr/alice-finot-analyse-dune-progression-fulgurante/

I've put it through the translator, hope there are not major mistakes (I just put the main article and the first itw with her coach):

ALICE FINOT, ANALYSIS OF A FULGURING PROGRESS March 12, 2021

Alice Finot's silver medal at the European Indoor Championships was a huge surprise. It completes an exceptional winter season which saw the young woman rise to 2nd place in the French rankings of all times in the 3000 m. An explosion of times that did not fail to raise questions, especially from middle-distance coaches. On the FFA side, Patricia Djaté, middle-distance referent, considers this progression logical. And it's not over yet, since Alice Finot's Spanish coach predicts a time of 9'10'' in the steeplechase this summer...

Can we wonder about a dazzling chronometric progression? Or should we refrain from analyzing the performance of a French athlete? The answer obviously varies according to one's feelings. The exceptional success of Alice Finot during this winter season has not failed to elicit various reactions to this six-week campaign, in which she set personal bests in each race, culminating in the silver medal at the European Indoor Championships over 3000 m.

Several French middle-distance coaches have expressed their doubts about her progress, asking for discretion. As for Jean-Claude Vollmer, he asserts his questions: "I always analyze the progression of performances, as I do systematically for many other athletes who appear suddenly. If it was a Russian, Chinese or Kenyan athlete, we would ask ourselves questions. "

And indeed, Alice Finot reached the highest level at the age of 30, and after a break of several years of practice to devote himself to his studies of engineering. An atypical path that few athletes have experienced, with the exception of Blandine Bitzner Ducret, who also stopped athletics before returning to the national elite.

However, in contrast to Blandine Bitzner Ducret, it is noteworthy that Alice Finot's references in the period preceding her stop appear very insignificant. She only won a regional champion title in the 1000m, and her mark in the 1000m is around 3'10''-3'12'' in the minors, with a record of 2'26'' for the 800m in the cadets.

Another point that questions the purists of athletics, followers of linear progressions: the comeback of Alice Finot, started in 2016 at 26 years old, was first timid, and it is only in 2020, that the times become really significant. First on the half, with 1h13'26'', in February, then especially at the end of the summer, on 1500 m and on steeplechase. This was the beginning of the explosion that was to be completed in February-March.

But it's not over yet, says his Spanish coach, Manuel Martinez Ageito, who gives me a frightening figure: That of 9'10'' on steeplechase, as early as this summer... The coach, who accompanies Alice Finot in her comeback, since 2016, and her installation in Vigo, to integrate a subcontracting factory for PSA Peugeot, communicated to me in writing via Whatsapp some information aimed at explaining the training method that allowed his protégée to reach this podium and these times, thanks to a gradual increase in load over time, without the precise details being formulated.

And this former athlete, still active at a good level, welcomed this question without blinking: "Several French coaches are surprised by this evolution and told me they would like to know your secret to bring an athlete to a European medal so quickly at the age of 30", he simply retorts: "Well the truth is that there is no secret. My working method is quite simple, I appreciate the quality of the work more than the volume. In fact, Alice doesn't drive very far. I also value strength and speed work. "

It is therefore this cocktail of quality - strength - speed that he claims to have achieved a time of 9'10'' that only 22 women in the world have achieved...

Text : Odile Baudrier

Photos : D.R.

Manuel Martinez Ageitos, Spanish coach: "she has many qualities"

- Were you surprised by Alice's medal?

- The medal was a joy. I knew she could get a good result and fight for the podium.

- Since January, Alice has improved her performance a lot. Does this correspond to the expected times based on the winter training?

- It was a great winter work, we reached the objectives.

- How do you organize her training?

- During the winter months we worked on a good base of mileage volume. We also did some really good gym sessions to build strength. We combine sets on the track and in the park.

- What are the quality sessions? How much per week?

- We work on speed and competition paces in different sessions. It also depends on the time of the season. In the volume period, we work less intensely, 3 sessions per week.

- What speeds did you work on in January?

- In January, we started working more on quality. She did her best workout in the 300 series at a 43 pace. She got really fast so she could also run the 1500.

- You have been coaching Alice since 2016. Have you made any significant changes to her training since last year?

- Yes, each year we have corrected various parameters, increased mileage, improved running technique and increased strength levels. In addition, the training in sessions has also evolved as she has become better adapted to the acute paces.

- The half marathon performance in Barcelona already marks a strong progression. Then, in one year, she went down the times on all distances, from 1500 m to the half, passing through the steeple. How do you explain this versatility which is very rare?

- She is a very complete athlete, she is very strong, very fast, and has great endurance. For all this, she is able to get good marks on any distance. When she wants to move on to the marathon, it will be very easy, and she will do it very well.

- This winter progression seems huge compared to her performances in previous years. How do you explain it?

- She had more time to train. In her work, they gave her more facilities, and that allowed her to rest more. She also focused more on training.

- In France, many coaches are surprised by this progress. They would like to know your secret to bring an athlete to a European medal so quickly at the age of 30. What can you tell them?

- Well, the truth is that there is no secret. My working method is quite simple, I appreciate the quality of the work more than the volume. In fact Alice doesn't do a lot of mileage. I also attach great importance to strength and speed work.

- Do you think that part of Alice's progress comes from her shoe? What is the gain in time over 3000 meters?

- It is clear that the shoes help. The percentage, I can't say, but there is no doubt that they are a great advance.

- You are a coach and still an athlete. How long have you been coaching? How many athletes? What are their results?

- I started coaching young kids at my local club when I was 18. Later I trained seniors. At the moment I have a group where I train 15 athletes, with Alice. In this group I have athletes with national medals, and also internationals in the minor categories.

- What time do you expect Alice to run in the steeplechase this summer?

- I am sure she can run 9 minutes and 10 seconds. That would mean reaching the national record.

- Oh boy, that time will be huge! The record is 9'25'. Alice ran 45 last year. How do you get that kind of progress in one year and at 30 years old?

- The progress she made in the indoor 3000m gives her a large margin in the 3000m steeplechase.

- But why did she stay at the same level for so long without really progressing?

- Each year she has progressively improved her time. In the last two years, she has managed to "reach her full potential". And I think she still has room for improvement. She has many qualities.

- How do you explain that these qualities were not more visible when she was younger and come so late?

- Surely they were visible, but she decided to ride. During this period, she had almost stopped athletics. That's what surprises some people too. Yes, but who knows, maybe if she had continued, she wouldn't be here now.

- Physically, Alice looks very different in one year. Thinner but also much more muscular. How do you explain that?

- She has grown as an athlete, and the strength work is noticeable.

-Did Alice have any doping tests during the winter in Spain?

- She passed the tests in the meetings where she ran, and also at her national championship. Here in Spain, still nothing.

That`s great Ghost 1 ! Another fast runner on low mileage!

This screams PEDs. Rapid progression at 30 years old? That’s suspicious for anyone, especially a runner who recently moved to Spain and is supposedly on low mileage. Also, the time missed out on accumulating mileage between 20-27 really puts a cap on her potential. I studied engineering as well but did run through college. I did not run the mileage that I needed to be a good road racer now in my 30s. There’s no way this woman did either. Love her abs though.

She's doping,and its very obvious.The increased muscles,the abs,and her jaw,not to mention mammoth improvements all scream drug use.Someone mentioned france taking very seriously their drug testing.Well they need to do more testing on their chemically enhanced hurculean looking sprinters .Their mens 100 meters final,plus other events looks more like a freak show,than a sprint race.

Yes that French journalist makes it her life duty to write articles about people that she has suspicions about. But that is where it ends because there’s absolutely nothing to connect FINOT to doping as of yet, so we should take her improvement in good faith in that she only really started training seriously in the last one and a half years and just maintainEd fitness up till then.

According to her Spanish coach, it is all about quality work, calisthenics, lifting weights, flexibility work, and every other little detail which helps people achieve their athletic potential.

These past few months she has been tested numerous times in Spain and also at the European championships in Poland. But the key for me, is that she does not need to do this. She is an engineer and she runs as a hobby so it would be doubtful that she would take the immense risk of ruining her whole career by engaging in doping. She is a marvelously balanced woman with rock hard abs. The naysayers should look at the big picture.