"The Kenyan way"

In certain countries, a certain "approach" to running develops. The Australians were heavily influenced by guys like Chris Wardlaw and Pat Clohessey and a lot of their guys train along those lines. There is definitely a "Japanese Way," lots of miles, long tempo runs, ets. Are there Japanese runners who don't train like that? I'd guess so. But if you read profile after profile of what Japanese runners do, you'd start to recognize it as a Japanese approach even if you didn't have the names of the actual runners.

And so it is with the Kenyans. The training camps, three sessions a day, hill repeats are common to the way they train. Again, do all of them do that? Probably not. But enough do that the approach becomes identifiable with them.

I believe that high milage (at variable paces)has been a proven method of training for long distance and can be traced from one country who dominant over a period of time to another. At least that has appeared to be the case subsequent to the 50's. Dominant New Zealanders, dominant Finns, Dominant US, dominant Kenyans Morrocans etc. and of course the Japanese. Fortunately the Americans are coming back a bit. Of course exceptional individuals can always be singled out, but for the most part. Lots of miles and variable pace is rewarded with good times. I need to look into the Japanese a bit, I have heard they have legions of elite marathoners who have discovered the reward of high milage. I can't believe that they nationally tread along at a boringly slow pace all the time. The Kenyan way sure doesn't sound a whole lot different from that of the way of the legends who I have read about from American Running History, that is multiple runs per day, lots of miles and high quality stuff thrown in a couple of times a week.

I read Train Hard Win Easy and it says that the Kenyans ran hard...basically every day. Of course there's a variety of different runners, but there's enough consistency for generalizations to prove useful.

The book documented the training of mostly the national team type runners in the late 90's.

Most ran twice a day. Most took Sundays off. They didn't emphasize mileage but when you do 12-15 runs a week, you end up with a high mileage total. Most days the morning run was a 30-40 min stumble at 8-9 min miles. As was the first mile or so of the main workout. But then they would accelerate up to what the author described as competition intensity, with the total run lasting an hour or so. This schedule was repeated almost every day. Maybe some days they would run hills instead of a tempo run, but they ran hard almost every day. This is the most amazing part of their training, that they can recover overnight from going nearly all out and do it again and again for 5-6 days straight. Mileage figures for the distance (not MD) guys was usually about 120 mpw, but that's not the amazing part. The intensity of the training is what almost no one can match. It is possible that many of those Kenyans would be faster if they trained easier. But this refining fire typically got enough guys in killer shape for them to dominate.

This is also probably the reason why most of them had short careers. In the author's description of their workout, he noted that Tergat actually looked to be enjoying himself, in contrast to the others. Maybe this is why he didn't burn out, because he could keep up without wearing himself out as much as the others.

Yup the Americans are on their way back in the 5k/10k with their return to high mileage. Webb, Lagat, Hall, Fam...........all with lots of success off of high mileage programs. Oh wait........all of those guys succeeded off HALF the mileage many consider "high." Whoops....I guess we will have to look for another perfect training program that works for all top runners. Happy hunting!

Not to bash Tanser, but I've been to Kenya and talked with Komen, Kiptanui, Osoro and many other lesser lights. Thety laughed at Toby's book and said they never talked to the guy and never did those workouts. Their KIM workouts were hard but not insane.

oh well wrote:

all of those guys succeeded off HALF the mileage many consider "high."

Shows just how little you know, take that nonsense with you back to Jogger's Earth or dyestat.

I don't know about that, I've seen some KIM group workouts posted in the British Milers Club magazines and they were tough, Seb Coe/balls to the wall kind of tough.

van wrote:

Not to bash Tanser, but I've been to Kenya and talked with Komen, Kiptanui, Osoro and many other lesser lights. Thety laughed at Toby's book and said they never talked to the guy and never did those workouts. Their KIM workouts were hard but not insane.

Kenyans do not train 3 times a day. They do not run very high mileage. Shaheen runs as little as 100k/week and very few of them run more than 160-180k/week. Many kenyans run early 6am and an other run at 10am. They often start the run very slowly 6min/k, but picks up the pace as the run progresses. Many runs end very fast 3.30-3.15/k. Americans on the other hand are famous for runing all their runs semi-hard, maybe they are also only semi-hard because of that.

High milage is obviously a relative term. I have a hard time believing that anyone who is a sub 2:10 marathoner is not 120 plus. Most are at 140 and above. QAmericans have been willing to do that in the past and it did work. As for the 10K and 5K guys, certainly they can get by with less but definitely the intensity has got to be there (along with a solid base). I know Kennedy was typically in the 100 mpw range with a lot solid speedwork and tempo, at least that is what he has told me. There are few corners that can be cut and I do not think it is a national phemomena. Some countries have programs and people who are willing to do whatever it takes, and the US has had a few of them in the past. Some guys in the world are very gifted form a speed (muscle twitch/genetic) perspective and can do well off a heavily speed oriented schedule (ala Seb Coe), most cannot. It is kind of like the kid who prides himself in how little he can study and get good grades on an exams, perhaps he'll never know how smart he could possibly have been. If you can get by on less, great your fortunate, but the time has proven that the norm of the top end runners require 100+ mpw.

Kenyans definitely don't run hard all the time. Or always train three times a day.

I've spoken to lots of Kenyan athletes and shared a house with Evans Rutto & Tom Nyariki for a week.

I can tell you something about my experience with Kenyan runners.

a) Young Kenyans, the most part of times, join in their village some strong runner, trying to use his same training. Of course, training for a top athlete is already something hard and with a strategy. Young runners join top athletes without any personal strategy. Their only goal is to try to stay with top runners till when is possible.

b) Due to what I told before, it's obvious that young runners already having a good background and big talent can use training of top seniores for some short period, becoming able to run very fast in short time. But, after this, if they don't use a personal strategy for building their base at high level, they destroy themselves in very short time. That's the reason because many athletes can run fast and after this can disappear the next season.

c) During the first 5-6 years of activity, all kenyans runners increase the volume of km, reaching a very high level (with exclusion of the specialists of 800m coming from sprint events). After this period, their "aerobic house" is finished, and they can look for improving quality of training, reducing a little the volume. For example, with Shaheen the weekly average (during winter) of volume was 140 in 2001, 170 in 2002, 200 in 2003, 180 in 2004, 150 in 2005, 140 this year. But, at the some time, his SINGLE long fast run raised from 15k at 3:15 pace in 2001 till the current 25k at 3:10 pace (once per week), with one session every 4 weeks of 37-39km so fast. Last year, one week after winning Golden Gala with 7:56 in July (4 weeks before World Championships in Helsinki) he ran 37 km in 2:02. This winter he ran 39 km in 2:07 giving 4:00 to marathon runners like Cheboiboch and Frederink Cherono. I use the same methodology with Dorcus Inzikuru, that this winter ran 2 hours once every week.

d) Nobody trains really 3 times per day. When this happens, the first training is a session of warm-up lasting about 40 min, at very slow pace, very early in the morning, having only the goal to prepare the body for the session of 10 o'clock, that normally is more tough (may be track or hills). Normally, long run (progressive or even fast) and fartlek are very early in the morning. When we go with top athletes, we prefer to extend one session (for example, running till 1 hour of full fartlek, like this : 3 times 5:00 fast rec. 2:00 easy (21:00) + 4 times 3:00 rec. 1:30 (18:00) + 5 times 2:00 rec. 1:00 (15:00) + 5 times 1:00 rec. 30.0 (7:00) for a total duration of 61:00). Every athlete can chose if wants to run very easy 30-40min in the afternoon or not.

f) Very few athletes use, on track, distances longer than 1000m. Personally, I think that this is the reason because specialists of 10000m are not good like Ethiopians. With my athletes (Nicholas Kemboi 26:30, Ahmed Hassan 26:38, John Korir and Mark Bett 26:52, Moses Mosop bronze medal in WCh last year) I use 3000m and 2000m on track too, but many times they are the only one preparing 10000m. The reason is that 10000m never are in some meeting, apart Bruxelles, so the most important runners prefer to train speed for 3000 and 5000m.

g) Regarding the system, Kenyans use a very simple way of training, with 2 track sessions per week, one long run on Monday, the most part one rest on Sunday, plus some difference due to different coaches. The Coach that had more influence was Brother Colm for Track, and dr. Rosa for Marathon. When I find some athlete coming to me, already they have correct idea about training. I try to give them something more (for example, hill circuits, or special workouts with barriers for steeple runners, or specific speed-endurance workouts for marathon), but already they have a good level of preparation. Naturally, the "Kenyan School" can bring the athletes till 90% of their ability. A good coach can bring who wants to follow a more modern system very close 100%, but expecially can teach them how they can last longer time in their career.

Was this thread title inspired by the team from Houston led by Sean Wade?

I spent a little time speaking with a young Kenyan runner at the SECs in a coffee shop. His 5K best is just under 14:00. I asked him about training in Kenya. He smiled and said, "We ran to school. 2 miles in the morning, 2 miles home for lunch. 2 miles back to school. 2 miles home for dinner." Eight miles a day.

He was surprised that American collegiate runners didn't run long hard runs. "Either they run 40-50 minutes, hard," he said. "Or they run long, but as a joke, just joking around." Kenyans, he said, pushed harder on long runs, although they started slow.

bump

Renato,

It is good to see you post again and interesting that you say Shaheen does weekly 25km at 3:10/km. At 2400m altitude this must be close to marathon effort for him ? Also the 37-39km long run. Very much marathon type training. Is this progressive ?

Can you explain to us why you give this type of training to a 3/5k specialist and what benefit it has later in the season for his specific training ?

The other things you write about the three times a day training and the interval length are the same as I observe training in different parts of Kenya from where you are based.

Are you saying that the kenyan runners only need to improve their specific preparation for the 10,000m to match Ethiopia ? This implies that their aerobic base is good enough to compete yet they have been beaten consistenly over cross country these last 5 years. Have I missed something ? Of course I could also suggest that ethiopians can improve their specific preparation for the marathon and then give kenyans a run for their money over 42km. Perhaps Dr Kostre and Dr Rosa should exchange jobs for a year !

Thanks

Only the Kenyans train hard and the "right way" along with a few Morrocans and Ethiopians, maybe one algerian and one Aussie.

In basketball only American blacks train correctly plus one or two Canadians and a few lithuanians.

Only blacks train correctly for sprinting also.

Its funny though because I used to train with a guy and harder than a guy, who eventually won several world cross titles and briefly held the 10k world record. I should have been faster because I trained harder?

?????

Kinda early to be drunk isn't it?

Im in South Africa so its not early but....I used to live and train in NY

Salah Hissou lived and trained in NY and so did Mohammed Mourhit

Impossible for Americans to do things the Kenyan way. We have many other outlets and things to do. We'd have to move to Kenya at an early age and grow up with them and then hope we had some genetic gifts.