Elite Performances on Low Mileage

There are many! We can start with Doug Padilla and Jim Spivey and of course the great Bernard Lagat.

everyone who runs an elite performance is obviously not counting 10-15 miles per day of warmup and cooldown.

also, you can only lie about doing less mileage than you're doing - it's not possible to lie that you're doing more mileage than you're doing.

every time you see an 800 runner post a workout where they're doing like, sub-40 300s, pay no attention. they're trying to distract you from the fact that they're doing 2 hour long runs every day.

Yes. I heard a story about Padilla once going to the track to do a session and running one 58 sec 400m and then calling it a day.

snowdays wrote:

everyone who runs an elite performance is obviously not counting 10-15 miles per day of warmup and cooldown.

also, you can only lie about doing less mileage than you're doing - it's not possible to lie that you're doing more mileage than you're doing.

every time you see an 800 runner post a workout where they're doing like, sub-40 300s, pay no attention. they're trying to distract you from the fact that they're doing 2 hour long runs every day.

Most 800 runners are not doing 2 hour runs every day.

i was hoping my post was bleeding sarcasm but i guess not

snowdays wrote:

everyone who runs an elite performance is obviously not counting 10-15 miles per day of warmup and cooldown.

also, you can only lie about doing less mileage than you're doing - it's not possible to lie that you're doing more mileage than you're doing.

every time you see an 800 runner post a workout where they're doing like, sub-40 300s, pay no attention. they're trying to distract you from the fact that they're doing 2 hour long runs every day.

Moran.

yes i do hope anyone who earnestly believes that would be called a moran

101701 wrote:

The Natalie Cook thread made me think of this. Any elite distance runners, past or present, running fast on crazy low mileage?

Henry Marsh FTW.

didn't brazier do his first run over 10km last year? I know Hocker barely ran in highschool. Like 25-35 mile weeks?

If you're insanely talented it's probably worth running less so you can stay healthy.

Colby Alexander…3:33 for 1500…very rarely hits 60. Usually 45-55.

Said Aouita may have been a doper, not sure, but he claimed he only ran 50 a week. Medaled in the 800 and 1500 in the Olympics. Crazy range. Ran sub-13 for 5000.

Hocker only ran six days a week last year. 60 mph or less. Ran 3:31.

The key with low mileage is, you need to have great leg speed and sick genetics to pull it off.

Brazier - 3:35 on 35mpw

Said. wrote:

Colby Alexander…3:33 for 1500…very rarely hits 60. Usually 45-55.

Said Aouita may have been a doper, not sure, but he claimed he only ran 50 a week. Medaled in the 800 and 1500 in the Olympics. Crazy range. Ran sub-13 for 5000.

Hocker only ran six days a week last year. 60 mph or less. Ran 3:31.

The key with low mileage is, you need to have great leg speed and sick genetics to pull it off.

If Hocker ran 60 mph then surely his best event would be the 100? Dude would dominate

I guess people are finally realizing what has been obvious for quite a while... good coaching and decent genetics trump mileage.... less wear and tear and more adaptation to specific work

Said. wrote:

Colby Alexander…3:33 for 1500…very rarely hits 60. Usually 45-55.

Said Aouita may have been a doper, not sure, but he claimed he only ran 50 a week. Medaled in the 800 and 1500 in the Olympics. Crazy range. Ran sub-13 for 5000.

Hocker only ran six days a week last year. 60 mph or less. Ran 3:31.

The key with low mileage is, you need to have great leg speed and sick genetics to pull it off.

There was an article, in the 1970's, about Filbert Bayi. The writer went to Tanzania and spent time with him. Bayi claimed to run only 50 mpw.

Turns out, at the time, he ran about 7 miles to school, whatever it was but didn't count it in his weekly total because it was how he got to school. So, he ran 100 mpw.

He would do his workout after school and get a ride home.

I believe a good high school runner can run 25-30 a week of real quality and succeed. Not 10. No way. Unless she's swimming and cycling and in the gym tons of hours.

Cole Hocker allegedly does only 30MPW

Funny that the vast majority of Americans who went onto become world class were doing very low mileage in HS. Some examples are Schweizer, Houlihan, Purrier, Coburn. Hocker, and Brazier.

It depends on what you call "elite". I broke 31:00 for 10K (PR) and rarely ran more than 50-55 per week. All of my close competitors were doing 80-100+ per week. My training was low mileage but high intensity. No two people have the same internal engine or drive. This is a good point... I never got the use of doing 15-20 mile runs at conversation pace. It didn't fit my personality and need to train harder. However, I have lots of friends who stay away from the track or do lower intensity and are successful. Your workouts need to fit with your engine and mental make-up. Find the right mix, and you find your real PRs.

Woodbury wrote:

It depends on what you call "elite". I broke 31:00 for 10K (PR) and rarely ran more than 50-55 per week. All of my close competitors were doing 80-100+ per week. My training was low mileage but high intensity.

You're right, It depends. But 31:00 is only elite if you ran it while wearing Depends:

Yeah! The magic 'troll' JS here on the boards teach us a lesson most are too blind to see. Less is more!