Raamala Interview

pussy

dissapointing thing about that interview is ramaala clearly says the long runs is the most important session but the the interviewer decides to persue his 1km reps in detail instead of asking relevant questions about his long runs.

A classic case of interviewer bias.

Just like Carlos Lopes...he uses workouts as recovery, his easy days are probably real hardcore.

at the very end Ramaala mentions 50K long runs, which is very impressive, especially since it looks as if he follows that with light workouts on monday,tuesday, wednesday, and friday!

I have run with Raamala a couple of times and I can say that he runs during his recovery runs, very very slow, I would estimate 8 minute miling. No shit. BUT he's tempo runs are very very quick!

I think Raamala is a stud and I hope he rolls one in NY but, he has to be lying about those 1k workouts. I say that because that really isn't that great of a workout. I mean, I could never do that but, guys on his level "routinely" (sp?) do like 20+ 1ks faster than that. Remember Martin Lel a year or two ago? He claimed to hit 25 at 2:40 or better. I think Raamala is keeping his cards pretty close to he chest here.

-The Killer

....and or course he's keeping his cards close to his chest, 6 x 1km reps! Thats just warming up! I'd say more like 20!

He's a cool dude though, always joking and laughing. Do you really think a 2.06 marathoner only runs 6 x 1 km in training, he recently run 61 minutes for the half, 3 minutes recovery!! He was most probably winding the interviewer up and waiting for a response which he never got! Hope he has a flyer on Sunday. Good luck all of you who are running!

The most interesting part of the interview is the business about needing to believe that you'll win and convincing yourself that you'll win. This should be kept in mind when Americans, for example, Ritz, say they think that they can win.

Running 25 times 1k in 2.40 would be foolish for anyone, even for 2:06 marathoners.

Ramaala is being truthful. The core of his training is his tempo and long runs. The intervals are done to keep the speed...as he no longer has track ambitions, even though he ran a 27:40 10.000 a few years ago.

ghost

"who said he does 25 x 1 km in 2.40".

Sub 2.50 BUT NOT 2.40? You actually believe he would waste a session doing 6 x 1km OFF 3 minutes in under 2.50?

Thats right, the guy ran 27.40 a couple of years back, equates to 2.45ish....

I'm sure you are right that the bulk is done in long runs and tempo runs BUT he also does more than 6 x 1km off 3 minutes! 2.50's is only 4.30 miling - I doubt he would break into a sweat running six of these!

ramaala had an article about him in the november edition of running times. in the article, a typical week of marathon training is given. ramaala does all his training at 6k feet and does all of his running, except for his intervals, around a 2 mile rolling grass loop. he does his intervals on soft grass track and never runs on asphalt.

sunday:

2:30-2:45 (20 miles)

monday:

am- morning routine-easy 75-80 (10 miles)

pm-6x1k in 2:50

tuesday:

am-morning routine

pm-1 hour with last 7k at half marathon pace

wendesday:

am-morning routine

pm-3x2k in 5:45-50

thursday:

am-1:45-1:50 easy (14 miles)

friday:

am-morning routime

pm-1 hour, last 2 miles at 10k pace (race last lap of grass loop)

saturday:

am-morning routine

pm-off

with all of his training added up, he is easily doing 125 miles with some high intensity. its amazing he can go hard so often, but he has his fair share of very, very easy running mixed in.

no way wrote:

pussy

tuesday:

pm-1 hour with last 7k at half marathon pace

friday:

pm-1 hour, last 2 miles at 10k pace (race last lap of grass loop)

Champ, you let us know when you can run these progressions with Raamala, mm-kay?

It's these types of runs, along with plenty of high mileage, that form the meat of his training. The intervals are just sharpening.