deek

His training was very consistent; it varied little during the year. Deek didn't believe in "periodization" or anything like that.

He ran twice a day six days per week, and his mileage totaled about 130 to 150 per week. He included one long run of 2 to 3 hours. Most of his running was done at about 6-minute pace, and much of it was done over hilly courses. He would typically do just one short speed workout a week (like eight 400s); otherwise, there would be no structured workouts.

That is pretty much how he trained week to week and year to year, with only slight variations over the course of his career.

He didn't believe in stretching either.

Well, I wouldn't say the workouts were unstructured. In addition to the once-a-week track session, which was typically a series of eight 400s with 200m fast float recoveries, there was a once-a-week hill workout -- short, hard hill repeats following a couple of miles of tempo (threshold) running. The long run was typically about 22 miles, with a 30 miler about five weeks before a marathon. I believe that the second-longest run of the week was typically about 18 miles.

Plus on Saturday he ran either a club race or a hard tempo run. This makes 3 structured workouts a week, which is plenty if you ran over 120 miles/week regularly.

The track workout had 2 variations- either 8x400m with 200m fast flow (5k in 14min-15:40, depending on the season and the shape he was in- he ran track workouts always in spikes)- where 400s were run is 63-64s, or 16x200m with 200m fast flow for 'recovery'.

Pretty much spot on

The 400s - named the 'quarters session' is now a rather famous Australian session, used by Aussie greats such as Monaghetti, Troop, Mottram in his young days.

Basically comprised of 8 X 400 with a fast 200m float. The reps would be around 60-61-62 with the floats in about 38-39. .

Including a 200 float to start, the session would total 4.8km and give a very good 5km prediction. Ie what you did for the session was approx. to what you could run a 5km in at that time.

Pat Clohessy was Deek's coach - a true great of Australian athletics. Winner of NCAA titles back in the early 60s, running for U of Houston.

Where is Deek now? Despite the shit people give him, I feel like he was really a talented runner (and clearly capable of handling a tremendous training load, an important talent to have as well). I think that he could still run fast if he could get his head in the game. Ie he just a head case?

UUUmmmm Deek? As in Robert De Castella? He is in a business/management type position in Australia and probably he is not a head case, the reason he can't match it with todays runners is because he retired in his 30's about 20 years ago!

DontariusPeachVonErickson wrote:

Where is Deek now? Despite the shit people give him, I feel like he was really a talented runner (and clearly capable of handling a tremendous training load, an important talent to have as well). I think that he could still run fast if he could get his head in the game. Ie he just a head case?

He thinks you are talking about Ryan Deak.....reminds me of the other thread about "Bobby Kennedy crying after seeing Gerry L. win the USA vs USSR".....some people thought the reference was to Bob Kennedy as opposed to the former Senator.

If not for Sirhan Sirhan, Bob Kennedy would have taken the 5000 gold in Athens

A great read is Running with the Legends, by Michael Sandrock. A very detailed chapter on Deek and his training.

He called it "complex" training.