doesn't Dean Karnazes prove that LSD is ineffective

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"Does anyone doubt that if the guy cut down to 40mpw and did 2 workouts a week he'd be much much faster?"

I do. He's 45. He's never been built for speed. I bet if you look at his training he doesn't run that much mileage, just longer single runs over the weekend. An ultra runner's training is no different than any other runner's training except he goes 30, 40, 50 miles for a long run or runs extremely long over a two day weekend.

You train specifically for the task at hand. Scott Jurek isn't going to run a 100mile race faster by doing 40 miles a week and intense speedwork. You train the systems you use in the race.

I doubt this is a serious post but I thought I'd go ahead and give a serious answer.

Alan

Most people who advocate high mileage do not advocate running all slow high mileage like Karnazes does. Lydiard didn't.

If Karnazes cut down his mileage and ran it all slowly he would still be slow.

fair enough, I don't really know anything about that kind of training and just assumed it was well over 100mpw, If not then my arguments don't really make sense.

Also. Running a higher amount of mileage may or may not make you fast, but it may make you faster. Everything is relative.

Alan

I think he proves that running nothing but long, slow distance doesn't make you a fast runner. Anyone could tell you that.

I think if dean cut his mileage a little and did 2 workouts a week he could definitely run faster for two miles or any distance. Like people have said why would a guy running ultras need to do 400's or 200's. Theres no reason, and thats why hes not fast at two miles or at shorter distances.I still think its a pretty good two mile time off of just lsd's.

You're putting the cart before the horse. He's not fast at shorter distances BECAUSE HE DOES NOT RUN THEM. Training for them would then be useless. I love the game of basketball. I'm sure if I practiced I'd get good at basketball. I don't therefore I suck. Dean has no desire to run a fast mile or 2mile or 5k or 10k or even a fast marathon. Therefore training to run fast as these races would be pointless.

Also, it should be common sense that if you do nothing but easy runs then you won't run fast at shorter distances. He's not training for shorter distances. He's training for mostly 100 mile races, 50 mile races, adventure races, weird crap like that. Doing 400s on a track won't help him run a fast trail marathon or a trail 50k or scale up Mt Whitney or run across the world or whatever scheme he's got planned next. Yes, running more workouts will make him faster at shorter distances. And standing on someone's shoulders will make me taller, the sky is blue, and the grass is green...well kinda brown now (damn drought).

Alan

well, you'd have to be on acid to think he's a good runner, take that as you will.

The 37,900 people that he finished ahead of in NYC may disagree w/ you.

Are you DK bashers that f#cking retarded that you don't think the guy's a good runner? Top 1% in his AG and o'all. Is he the best? No. Has HE ever said he's the best - again, No.

Is a 17min 5K runner good, absolutely. Are they the best - no.

If you say this is not so, than what is your standard of good? I would personally quantify anyone as being in the top 5% of their respective field whether it be athletics or otherwise to be 'good'. To say DK isn't good is ridiculous.

I am always baffled that Dean K is ever even a topic

mmhmm wrote:

OK so I'm seeing this other post about how Karnazes couldn't run a 10min 2 miles, a lot of the same people on this website are exponents of high mileage and yet are really anti-Karnazes.

The guy runs high mileage, lots of LSD. Now before I start getting bashed about how high-mileage fans still don't ignore speedwork let me just point out that we're not talking about the guy not running 9:00 or something but 10:00...an extremely slow time for such extraordinary mileage.

Doesn't this in a sense show that slow high mileage is ineffective? Does anyone doubt that if the guy cut down to 40mpw and did 2 workouts a week he'd be much much faster?

okay but there's a difference between typical high mileage and Dean Karnazes mileage

relax, it was an LSD joke.

Has HE ever said he's the best - again, No.

that is an incorrect statement.

Please direct me to where he has stated, 'I am the best runner.' That has been bestowed on him by mags catering to the general population, but never by Dean that I am aware of. If I am incorrect, please point me in the direction that you have seen this.

If it's simply heresay, then maybe I'd suggest to stop spreading it.

Yanqui wrote: I am always baffled that Dean K is ever even a topic

Imagine if he married that Zeigle chick! (Plus, she'd then be a Karnazi...)