Paula Radcliffe's Training System

If you are able to pull up pdf files, one of these attachments have info on her training from a few years ago. I don't know if it has changed. I don't know how this will work when you click on it, so if you don't see anything that says past issues, click on the part of the black bar that says BMC news, and you'll find the info. Peter Elliot used to have a description of her training on his website, and it agrees with the below.

http://www.rankinglists.com/bmcnews/

I tried it and it works. It is one of the issues that is currently available.

which one?

Somehow Marius Bakken was able to get some information on her training, so visit his site (mariusbakken.com) and try to get him to share it with you. This is the only thing I was able to gather from it:

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"I had a very nice talk with her coach Alex Stanton over the phone this last October and got some great insight into the way they are doing the training. I already had quite detailed copies of her workouts, intensity levels and periodization but I still needed some clear answers to some specifics. He was very helpful to me in doing so. They have perfected a system of training I believe very much in.

High mileage, high intensity (and lots of it), clever periodization and loads of altitude training. I believe this is the best way to good performances but also the most difficult one. It can (and will) break you down sometimes but in the long run when you manage to balance it this is the way to go."

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I also have a couple of bits of information on file about her training. Hope this helps:

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she is not afraid of hard work and will gladly run herself to collapse if it brings the desired result.

endures a tough hill session three times each week at the hardest part of her winter schedule. This is always done in the evening following a brisk 30 minute run in the morning.

runs 150m reps as almost a third session on Monday evenings.

She always trains twice each day, the base being steady-state runs, but attributes a lot of her success to gruelling six and a half minute reps, usually done on a Friday evening.

she backs-up her training with 45 minute cross country skiing sessions which she is sure acts as a good aerobic and conditioning session.

planning to introduce a plyometrics session before the summer campaign

Her whole life is based around her training and preparation for the big races

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Heres a session she did about 2 weeks ago here in Limerick after having to take a few days off dure to banging her shin...

400 in 66s, 400 in 80sec,300 in 48 sec, 300 in 60sec, 200 in 32s, 200 in

40sec, 100in 15 sec, 100 in 20 sec

400 in 66s, 400 in 80sec,300 in 48 sec, 300 in 60sec, 200 in 32s, 200 in

40sec, 100in 15 sec, 100 in 20 sec

400 in 66s, 400 in 80sec,300 in 48 sec, 300 in 60sec, 200 in 32s, 200 in

40sec, 100in 15 sec, 100 in 20 sec

5min jog recovery

400 in 66s, 400 in 80sec,300 in 48 sec, 300 in 60sec, 200 in 32s, 200 in

40sec, 100in 15 sec, 100 in 20 sec

400 in 66s, 400 in 80sec,300 in 48 sec, 300 in 60sec, 200 in 32s, 200 in

40sec, 100in 15 sec, 100 in 20 sec

5min jog recovery

400 in 66s, 400 in 80sec,300 in 48 sec, 300 in 60sec, 200 in 32s, 200 in

40sec, 100in 15 sec, 100 in 20 sec

That is 12km of running including recoveries faster than the irish 12km

record I'm told.

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Well...from a few interviews. She gets a lot of beauty sleep. 11+2 hrs.

What is different that I can remember is the weights done 45 minutes after the am run. I can't see why she'd wait 45 minutes, it wouldn't have any affect on muscle length or anything I can think of? Maybe just to get some sugar in her and a little break?

From one of Sandrock's? books. There was a really good program with a high recovery speed, if I recall. A fartlek type run with a fast float.

about 140 mpw

Interestingly this workout was devised by Viktor Bondarenko, husband and trainer of Olga Bondarenko, Olympic 10000m champion in 1988 (see Bondarenko, V. (1991): How to win olympic gold medal in women's 10000m. XVIth E.A.C.A. Congress. Endurance running 17. - 21.01.1991. Finnish Sports Institute, Vierumaki, Finland.)

she takes every 8th day off, so it's 122.5mpw.

from 99'

all distance runs(except the recovery runs) are done at under 6min/mile pace

S:am:90-100min

pm:10min jog + 60m speed-drills + 6x150m(at 60sec pace)

M:am:45min at a "decent" pace(not treshold but 175-180bpm

-her max.hr is in the high 190s) + 10min wu+10m cd

pm:35min easy

T:am:30min easy

pm:Intervals, total volume 10km at 3k-10k pace or shorter

reps(3x900m with the last 300m as hard as possible)

W:same as monday

T:am:45min easy

pm:hills(16x45 secs)

F:same as monday and wednesday

S:am:Fartlek(3x6min)

pm:30min easy

8th day:off

I think looking at it on a seasonal basis, from the little I know.

She doesn't race too much. Her periodization varies enormously, which is a brit way of doing it from the 80's. McCheesy's sample of her program looks like what I would of imagined it, not knowing of course. The basic philosophy of trying to get every inch out of the workouts. The workouts are setup to maximize the main programs. short recovery, speed to setup threshold (175-180 has to be damn close to threshold if top is high 190). Maybe just below and pickup to right on LT for 15-20 minutes?

NMexico altitude then early season racing, x-c WC.

France altitude (is it a change of scenery or actual altitude dif?) Then track races GLeague/ WC/ OG.

Road race at the end of the season.

I think the mileage totals is just by default of getting the best setup for her main workouts? Not the main priority, but of course important and probably much more so during the marathon.

It looks like a great plan to my eyes? Seems to be working o.k.

Mcheesy's posting misses a few of the details that can be found at the BMC News site.

OBN,

Which of the 4 dates is the program on specifically. Thanks.