malmo wrote:
eojtlc wrote:It is amazing that someone can reach that level with that kind of a long run, I guarantee you that everyone else in that final ran many long runs longer than that.
I can guarantee you don't have much experience with world-class runners.
This is an incorrect statement. I am on a first name basis with several, and have trained with a few, recent World Champs and Olympic qualifiers from the US on the mens side, and to a man every one of them does long runs longer than this, (this includes runners down to 800 meters).
I do have less experience with elite level female athletes, and the ones I have been around have generally run less mileage than their male counterparts, but I know that they at least occasionally did 13-15 mile runs.
Now, I know that you have a long history of saying that of all elements in training, the long run is the least important, and I tend to agree. I also believe that you give some of the most sound training advice on here. However, for someone to reach that level with that kind of a long run is at least unusual.