gammoudi training

dude, the guy was dirty. you see him push Mill's in '64?

who cares what that terrorist did. freakin jerk.

but he was fast

bump

I'd like to know too. Maybe some knowledgeable people here can tell (like HRE --seems to know about everyone from that era).

bump again, come on please some one fill me in

google it!

Good question. I met the Man. He was in charge of a bunch of Tunisian Military people at various Military Games and Meets. Very kind gentleman. Smokes a cigar. Loves it when you ask him about the old days. Speaks French.

I have seen a record of a lot of training that he did prior to Munich. I just cannot remember where I saw it, or much about the details. But it is out there.

Cheers

Skuj

GoodQuestion wrote:

I'd like to know too. Maybe some knowledgeable people here can tell (like HRE --seems to know about everyone from that era).

This puts the pressure on. There's a profile of Gammoudiin Fred Wilt's "How They Train." Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find that book for a while. It's here someplace, but I don't know where.

What I recall from the profile, and I don't know how accurate this is, is that Gammoudi was not a huge volume guy, a number like 60mpw comes to mind. I recall that he did a short AM run and a more demanding afternoon run, usually with some fairly conventional interval stuff, 440s, etc, though there were other sorts of repeats, and he did this pretty frequently, maybe 3-4 times a week. The long run wasn't real long, I seem to think somewhere in the range of 90 minutes. But this is all a bit hazy.

There was a session he was doing at Mexico City that must have been a real killer. I'm not hazy about this one. Ron Clarke mentions it in an interview. Gammoudi would do 3,000 meters broken into three 1,000 sections. The first 1,000 would be run easily, about 80-82 seconds per lap, the next 1,000 would be run at about a 5,000 meter pace, maybe 67 per lap, and the last one would be run all out, maybe 60 seconds per lap. Then he'd have about a 15 minute break and do another. He'd typically do 3 or 4 of these 3,000s.

Now I'm thinking that I am a bit low on the total mileage and that counting the AM runs it might have been closer to 80 or thereabouts. With luck, someone else has Wilt's book and can find it.

I had the opportunity to coach in North Africa during the early 70s and had several occasions to be around Gammoudi in competitions as well as a social context, including the Olympics. He was revered throughout North Africa---all I ever heard was what a great guy he was, how kind and friendly he was. After meeting him, observing him in many contexts, it was absolutely true. He was a brilliant runner, tactician. I never viewed him as dirty competitor. International competition is often like a roller derby, not anything like our usual races. That's one of the main reasons for getting our athletes as much overseas experience as well. Liquori succeeded better than most because he could deal with the rough and tumble. Please don't stereotype Gammoudi because of 9/11, he is the consummate gentleman as well as a tough competitor. Unfortunately, I didn't get to see him train and can't speak to that.

I also have read or heard in more than one place about what a really good guy Gammoudi is. As you replied to my post, I just want to make it clear that I didn't make the 9/11 comment and personally think that comment was beneath responding to.

I know it's an old thread by now. But I've found the Fred Wilt book and looked at the Gammoudi profile. No way was he doing 80-90 miles a week. It adds up to much closer to 80-90 kilometers per week. Lots of interval stuff, maybe four times a week, but nothing really killing or mind boggling.

HRE:

Please share details of the profiled workouts that Gammoudi did according to Wilt.

Thanks.

bump

I will. It might take a day or two to get it all typed.

Ok, I got to typing this out sooner than I'd thought. But remember, you're looking at three weeks, two of which ended with major races. There's nothing about what he might have been doing three months out from any sort of serious races.

MARCH 10-16, 1968 Winter XC training

Sun. 6km xc run

Mon. AM 25 min jogging with 10x110 sprints (jog 100 ) en route 15x200 in 27.4 31.8. Jog 200 after each. Jog 1,000 PM 12km fastxc run on hilly course

Tu. 3km easy on asphalt. 7km continuous run alternating fast and slow 1400s. 3km easy run on asphalt.

W. AM 14km on asphalt at 3:15-3:25 km. PM 6 km on grass at 3:12 /km.

Th. track training 3 km jog 10x110m in 13 seconds 50m jog recovery. Jog 3km

Fr. 25 min easy joging on grass

Sat. Won 12 km Cross Des Nations xc race in 35:24 (forerunner to World XCs) Ron Hill second

Spring Track Training. April, 1968

Mon. AM Warm up.10x270 at speed of 15 seconds per 100m PM 60 minutes easy running on golf course

Tu. AM 3x500 in 73, 73.1 and 73.2 Jog 300 after each. Walk 10 minutes 300 in 38.9. 3x200 in 26.9, 27.2, 27.3.

W. 45 minutes of continuous easy running with numerous short sprints and accelerations on the way.

Th. 6km continuous running in the woods at 3:12/km, then 10x400in 72 with 400 jogs.

Fr. Won 800m race in 1:50.8

Sun 30 minutes of jogging on grass

Summer Track Training at Mexico City Sept/Oct, 1968

Mon. AM 5x2km in 5:22.5, 5:28.5, 5:38.6, 5:4.7, 5:41.8, 800 jog in 4:00-4:40 after each. PM 40 minutes of easy jogging.

Tu. AM 35 minutes of easy running. 10 minutes calisthenics. 25 minutes of easy running.

W AM 15x200 starting at 30 and working down to 27.0, but I'm not typing in all of the splits. Jog 100 after each. PM 40 minutes easy running on grass.

Th. 3,000 in 3:08, 2:59, 2:31.6=8:38.6 Walk 20 minutes. 3,000 in 3:10, 3:00.8, 2:33.7,=8:44.5

Fr. AM 65 minutes continuous, easy running

Sat. 5,000 meters in 14:02.8

Gammoudi chugged along at 5:30 pace or faster on his steady runs.

Ron Clarke saw Gammoudi's 3000's done at Mexico City, later tried them at sea level and found them quite difficult.

Just doing some research on Gammoudi and thought I'd bump this good thread about a great runner.

5k Gold vs Keino:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sfrx0TK7RzY

He actually still holds the Tunisian 10k record

It is a fact that French federation allowed Gammoudi to train at Font Romeu whenever he wanted. Which he did beginning after Tokyo '64. Gamm doubled at Mexico City Pre Olympic 1967.

He was the best prepared/took most seriously the altitude Olympics.

Prove me wrong.