RENATO, can you comment on the 2011 World Championships preparation

And why does Merga push people in every race?

Yeah wtf do yall practice mma twice a week or what nurga?

With WCh over, I can share the programs of the athletes I had in Daegu for their last period of training. For the most part of them Championships were good, for some other unlucky. Anyway, you can see the programs I gave.

I need to thank the head coach of Kenya, Peter Mathu, because he was able to create a very good atmosphere in the training camp. He worked with me in Iten till the period of the clash (December 2007), is my personal friend, and a very sweet person, able to speak with everybody without ORDERING the training (like in the past). He authorized all the athletes to go to the camp following their own program, and only tried to coodinate every session in the best way for the athletes.

Looking at the results, Peter must be confirmed as Head Coach for Olympic immediately.

I want to start introducing the plan of SYLVIA KIBET, silver medal in 5000m. Sylvia was sick during all winter, with problems in her lungs. Only from the beginning of June she felt better. So, we didn't have time enough for doing the big basic training we need in the Fundamental Period.

I spoke with her, and I told : "We have only the chance to grow in speed, supposing the two important competitions you have (Kenyan Trials in the middle of July and WCh) can be tactic with a very slow first part. So, we try to prepare a top 1500m, introducing step by step something longer, with particular attention in the balance of these two kinds of training".

At the beginning of June, Sylvia was not able to develop high volume (both in long run, struggling for 15 km in 54', and in short intervals, running 400m not faster than 68"), but step by step improved. During the Nationals the race was very slow (9'50" at 3000m !), but the last 2000m were about 5'47" and her last 200m were 28"8. She beated Lineth Masai, and the result was a good injection of confidence for the last period.

The following was her plan in the training camp :

PROGRAM FOR SYLVIA KIBET TILL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Mon, 1

a) 1 hr progressive run

b) 50’ easy

Tue, 2

a) 1 hr 10’ moderate

b) 50’ easy

Wed, 3

a) Track : 3000 in 9’15”8(rec.5')+ 1x2000 in 5’56"6 (rec. 5’) + 2 sets of 6x400m (1st in 67” rec. 1’ – 2nd in 63” rec. 3’) rec. in between 5’

b) 45’ easy regeneration

Thu, 4 :

a) 1 hr moderate

b) 1 hr moderate

Fri, 5

a) 1 hr 10’ with short variations of speed (30” / 45”) every 2’

b) 50’ easy

Sat, 6

a) Track : 4 sets of (600 + 500 + 400 + 300 + 200) in 1’42” / 1’24” / 66” / 48” / 30”, rec. 2’ between tests, 5’ between sets

b) 45’ easy regeneration

Sun, 7

1 hr moderate

Mon, 8

a) 1 hr moderate

b) 40’ easy + 10 x 80m sprint uphill

Tue, 9

a) 20’ warm-up + 8 km in 39’20”

b) 45’ easy + stretching and diagonals

Wed, 10

a) 50’ easy

b) 50’ easy

Thu, 11 (special block) :

a) 40’ moderate + 6 km in 18'44" 18'44"

b) 40’ moderate + (Track) 10x300m in 46” (rec. 4’)

Fri, 12

a) 50’ easy

b) 50’ easy

Sat, 13

a) 1 hr moderate

b) 1 hr with short easy variations

Sun, 14

50’ easy regeneration

Mon, 15

a) 1 hr moderate

b) 50’ easy + stretching and diagonals

Tue, 16

a) Track : 2000m in 5’50” + 1600m in 4’36” + 1200m in 3’26” + 800m in 2’11” + 400m in 59" (rec. 6’)

b) 45’ easy regeneration

Wed, 17

a) 1 hr easy

b) 1 hr easy

Thu, 18

a) 1 hr 10’ moderate

b) 50’ easy

Fri, 19

a) Track : 6x500m in 1’22” (rec. 3’) – (rest 5’) – 1500m in 4’20” – (rest 5’) – 10 x 200m in 29” (rec. 2’ / 2’30”)(the last 27"7)

b) 45’ easy regeneration

Sat, 20

a) 1 hr easy

b) 50’ easy

Sun, 21

Track : 4 couples of (1000m in 2’55”, rec. 2’, 300m in 44” / 45”), rec. 5’

From Mon, 22 : Easy run. In Daegu, on 27.08 : 10x200m easy in 32” (recovery at personal sensation)

Sylvia in Daegu had the best possible result, since Vivian at the moment is unbeatable. Her last lap was 58"84, repeating the same situation of Berlin 2009.

For next year, I hope there is the possibility to work on long endurance from October (with also 2 half-marathon), to start speed from January for being ready for 3000m for World Indoor Champs, and after to have time to recover before starting the special training period.

Thanks for the post renato. Would you mind defining what a "special block" is? I think I have an idea but I would like to know exactly how you think of it.

Who does Renato Canova coach? Renato look at Tilburg 10 miles results. Joyce Chepkirui ran 30:38 in Tilburg. I also like Filomena Chepchirchir. She beated Hilda Kibet in Glasgow.

Vivian doesn't care about road running. She pulled out of World's best 10k because of cross country and new orleans.

Renato Canova wrote:

Tue, 9

a) 20’ warm-up + 8 km in 39’20”

This doesn't seem right... Would hardly be worth noting the time of an 8km run at that pace.

Caroline Kilel (68.16). A primeira é a actual recordista mundial dos 25 quilómetros e foi a última vencedora da prestigiada Maratona de Londres, embora a sua participação não deva ser vista de forma isolada, porque segundo Carlos Móia “a Mary Keitany voltará em Março preparada para bater o recorde do Mundo em Lisboa”. A segunda venceu este ano a Maratona de Boston e pode ser uma forte dor de cabeça para Keitany. Estarão ainda outras oito atletas abaixo da 1:10 hora : as quenianas Salina Kosgei (67.52), Alice Timbilili (68.56), Rita Jeptoo (67.08), Helena Kirop (69.37), Irene Kipchumba (69.27), Hellen Kimutai (69.28), Magdalene Mukunzi (68.48) e a etíope Ababel Brihane (69.54).

Mary Keitany planning to run Portugal half marathon. I thinks she'll run a low key marathon. I think it's either Lisbon Marathon, Berlin, Chicago, and Dubai.

Now I speak about Silas Kiplagat.

I share the programs of Silas with Moses Kiptanui. Moses gave him the program for all the basic season, and I had only some specific training with Silas till the end of June. From Eugene (4th of June) he started a specific program with my plan. During winter Silas always runs a lot of mileage, together with Sammy Kitwara and Ezekiel Kemboi and, sometimes, Silas Kipruto (59'39" in HM). Of course, when we go in the specific season, he needs to change his training, and the teammates become Collins Cheboi (3'32") and some other athlete of 800m.

He started to increase his speed during a period of about one month without any competition (I explained this in another thread). We looked for peaking during Kenyan Trials, since we couldn't be sure about his qualification (there were Asbel, Haron Keitany, Nixon Chepseba e Daniel Komen).

He won very well, and soon after ran the seasonal best with 3'30"47.

However, I explained him that, in case of a tactical race, he had a difficult situation, because his speed is not really very high (I explained he can run about 49" in 400m, may be 48"8, not better, at the moment). So, because it's difficult to change his attitude in short time, he needed a fast race, and in WCh this didn't happened (don't forget he can run 10000m under 28' also now).

His plan in the camp was the following :

PROGRAM FOR SILAS KIPLAGAT TILL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Mon, 1

1 hr easy

Tue, 2

a) Track : 2000 in 5’22” (rec. 5’) + 1600 in 4’09” (rec. 5’) + 2 sets of 6x400m (1st in 60” rec. 1’ – 2nd in 57” rec. 3’) rec. in between 5’

b) 45’ easy regeneration

Wed, 3

a) 1 hr moderate

b) 1 hr moderate

Thu, 4

a) 1 hr 10’ with short variations of speed (30” / 45”) every 2’

b) 50’ easy

Fri, 5

a) Track : 4 sets of (600 + 500 + 400 + 300 + 200) in 1’32” / 1’16” / 60” / 44” / 27”, rec. 2’ between tests, 5’ between sets

b) 45’ easy regeneration

Sat, 6

a) 1 hr moderate

b) 45’ easy

Sun, 7

1 hr moderate

Mon, 8

a) 20’ warm-up + 6 km in 17'30" (in the forrest)

b) 45’ easy + stretching and diagonals

Tue, 9

a) Track : 5 couples of (1200 in 3’03” , rec. 3’, 300 in 39”) - Rec. in between : 5’

b) 50’ easy

Wed, 10

a) 50’ easy

b) 50’ easy

Thu, 11

a) 1 hr moderate

b) 50’ easy + diagonals

Fri, 12

a) Track : 4 sets of 3x300m - 1st set : 3x300m in 42” (rec. 30”) - 2nd set : 3x300m in 40” (rec. 60”)

3rd set : 3x300m in 38” (rec. 2’)

4th set : 3x300m in 36”5 (rec. 4’)

Recovery between sets : 5’

b) 50’ easy

Sat, 13

a) 1 hr moderate

b) 1 hr with short easy variations

Sun, 14

50’ easy regeneration

Mon, 15

a) 1 hr moderate

b) 50’ easy + stretching and diagonals

Tue, 16

a) Track : 2000m in 5’15” + 1600m in 4’07” + 1200m in 2’58” + 800m in 1’55” + 400m in 52"2 (rec. 6’)

b) 45’ easy regeneration

Wed, 17

a) 1 hr easy

b) 1 hr easy

Thu, 18

a) 1 hr 10’ moderate

b) 50’ easy

Fri, 19

a) Track : 10x400m in 55" > 55"3 (rec. 1’30")

b) 45’ easy regeneration

Sat, 20

a) 1 hr easy

b) 50’ easy

Sun, 21

Track : 4 couples of (1000m in 2’28”, rec. 3’, 300m in 39” / 40”), rec. 6’

From Tue, 23 : Easy run. In Daegu, on 27.08 : 10x200m easy in 27” (recovery at personal sensation)

During the final, I advised him to go directly in front with 700m to go, in case of slow pace. He didn't do this, so the last 800m were in 1'49" with a distribution as 57"5 + 51"5. In this case, of course he could not beat an athlete having 1'43" in 800m like Asbel Kiprop (that has an incredible talent, and now starts also to run in more clever way).

I plan for Silas, before the end of the season, one competition on 800m, because I want to know his real potentiality in the short distance. This can be a very good point for deciding the preparation for the next year.

Now I speak about Imane Merga.

I explained him several times he could risk to be DQ for his way of running. His big mistake is that he tries to stay always in the first lane, and, if the race is not very fast, he can be boxed. When he tries to go out of the box, he runs like a tank, only concentrated in his speed, and this can provoke problems not only to the other competitors, but also to himself (the case of yesterday is clear : he NEEDED to put his foot out of the track for not falling down, but this happened because his position was too much inside the pack, and he had no room to go).

Imane is a very sweet and quite person, the opposite of what people looking at his running style can think.

Our problem is that I can send him programs, and sometime I'm with him during the competitions, but really (this is the difference between Kenyans and Ethiopians) never I can stay with him long time in training, in order to try to change his attitude (I'm sure that he can understand, if I can stay moe long time with him).

The problem during his preparation (but this was the common problem for ALL the Ethiopians this year) is that in Addis there was continue rain for about 45 days. This fact didn't allow the athletes in following their programs, and I know Imane couldn't do some specific workout, replacing with some fartlek on tarmac that couldn't have the same effect.

The program I prepared for him was the following :

PROGRAM FOR IMANE MERGA TILL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Mon, 1

a) 1 hr 20’ progressive run

b) 50’ easy

Tue, 2

a) Track : 2x3000 in 8’30” (rec. 3’) + 2x2000 in 5’32” (rec. 3’) + 8x500m in 1’16” (rec. 2’)

b) 45’ easy regeneration

Wed, 3

a) 1 hr moderate

b) 1 hr moderate

Thu, 4

a) 1 hr 10’ with short variations of speed (30” / 45”) every 2’

b) 50’ easy

Fri, 5

a) Track : 5 sets of (600 + 500 + 400 + 300 + 200) in 1’32” / 1’16” / 60” / 44” / 28”, rec. 1’30” between tests, 5’ between sets

b) 45’ easy regeneration

Sat, 6

a) 1 hr moderate

b) 1 hr moderate

Sun, 7

1 hr moderate

Mon, 8

a) 20’ warm-up + 16 km at 3’ pace (48’)

b) 45’ easy + stretching and diagonals

Tue, 9

a) 50’ easy

b) 50’ easy

Wed, 10

a) 50’ easy

b) 50’ easy

Thu, 11 (Special Block)

a) 40' moderate + 10 km in 30'

b) 40’ moderate + (Track) 10x1000m in 2’45” > 2’42” (rec. 2’)

Fri, 12

a) 50’ easy

b) 50’ easy

Sat, 13

a) 1 hr moderate

b) 1 hr with short easy variations

Sun, 14

50’ easy regeneration

Mon, 15

a) 1 hr moderate

b) 50’ easy + stretching and diagonals

Tue, 16

a) Track : 4x2000m in 5’25” + 1x1000m in 2’30” (rec. 4’)

b) 45’ easy regeneration

Wed, 17

a) 1 hr easy

b) 1 hr easy

Thu, 18

a) 1 hr 10’ moderate

b) 50’ easy

Fri, 19

a) Track : 6x600m in 1’32” (rec. 2’) – (rest 5’) – 3000m in 8’15” – (rest 5’) – 10 x 300m in 42” (rec. 1’ / 1’30”)

b) 45’ easy regeneration

From Sat, 20 : Easy run. In Daegu, on 25.08 : 10x200m easy in 28” / 27” (recovery at personal sensation)

His training of 5.08, because of the rain, became a fartlek with 15 times 1'30" fast / 1' moderate + 15 times 45" fast / 30" easy + 10 times 30" fast / 30" easy.

The 16 km of 8.08 were in 47'42" (tarmac under the rain).

I don't know what he did on 19.08, just before leaving to Daegu.

Imane is fast, but not so fast as Mo Farah and Bernard Lagat. I continue to think his best event are 10000m, but (DQ apart) he was better, in the last lap, in 5000m (53"1) that in 10000m (58"). May be he relaxed when saw not possible to challenge with Mo and Jeylan, I don't know.

Of course, before planning next season, I need to analyse with him all these points, and to understand his feeling.

And now, the biggest regret I had in these WCh. This is about Thomas Longosiwa.

He is training partner of Silas Kiplagat and Ezekiel Kemboi for the most part of the season. Last year he was very sick, and spent a lot of time for becoming competitive again. From Doha meeting, at the beginning of May, he finally had good sensations again (he ran 7'33" in 3000m).

After Doha, we started a plan for building up his endurance, since I thought his lack of speed during the last lap was connected with a lack of endurance.

He was able to improve, running again under 13', and kicked very well at National Trials.

His shape was growing continously during the training camp. His workouts were good, but especially his recovery was fast and the feeling with his body grew a lot.

He was not lucky during the race. He fell down with about 550m to go, lost time and concentration, sprinted immediately for going back to the pack, and was still able to finish 7th (he became 6th after the DQ of Merga) overtaking Rupp and Kipchoge, finishing only 3" behind Mo. I don't think I'm wrong if I suppose he could win a medal without this problem.

This guy started with me in 2004, as pacer of his wife... and only after one month, looking at his talent, I went for a test one day (it was Sunday afternoon) in the Kamarin track, asking him to run 10x500m in 1'20" with 1'30" recovery. Thomas started with 1'15", I didn't tell him anything, and he continued with 1'15" / 1'16" till the last, when he finished in 1'10". So, I told you "It's better you look for becoming a runner yourself, because you can be really strong".

Thomas was involved in a wrong situation about his real age. In 2006, he won the selection for going in World Junior Champs in 10000m, but AK discovered he was not junior, and his passport had a wrong date of birth. He was DQ for soma time, there was an investigation about his age, and now officially he has a date of birth of 1982, that is again wrong. Really, he's born in 1986, so now he is 25 years old. In our Countries, we can't understand how is possible to change date of birth so easy, but from his original place (that is West Pokot) there is no care about any document, and also the Federation had problems in determining his real age (that infact is not the official one).

However, the guy can be a real good runner, and now he's mature for something important.

His training was as follows :

PROGRAM FOR THOMAS LONGOSIWA TILL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Mon, 1

a) 1 hr progressive run

b) 50’ easy

Tue, 2

a) Track : 3000 in 8’18”6 (rec. 5’) + 1x2000 in 5’25"4 (rec. 5’) + 2 sets of 6x400m (1st in 60” rec. 1’ – 2nd in 57” rec. 3’) rec. in between 5’

b) 45’ easy regeneration

Wed, 3

a) 1 hr moderate

b) 1 hr moderate

Thu, 4

a) 1 hr 10’ with short variations of speed (30”/45”) every 2’

b) 50’ easy

Fri, 5

a) Track : 4 sets of (600 + 500 + 400 + 300 + 200) in 1’32” / 1’16” / 60” / 44” / 27”, rec. 2’ between tests, 5’ between sets

b) 45’ easy regeneration

Sat, 6

a) 1 hr moderate

b) 45’ easy

Sun, 7

1 hr moderate

Mon, 8

a) 20’ warm-up + 10 km (forrest) in 30’03”

b 45’ easy + stretching and diagonals

Tue, 9

a) 50’ easy

b) 50’ easy

Wed, 10

a) 50’ easy

b) 50’ easy

Thu, 11 (Special Block)

a) 30’ moderate + 6 km 17’20”

b) 30’ moderate + (Track) 10x600m in 1’28”5 >< 1’30”2 (rec. 3’)

Fri, 12

a) 50’ easy

b) 50’ easy

Sat, 13

a) 1 hr moderate

b) 1 hr with short easy variations

Sun, 14

50’ easy regeneration

Mon, 15

a) 1 hr moderate

b) 50’ easy + stretching and diagonals

Tue, 16

a) Track : 2000m in 5’16”4 + 1600m in 4’08”6 + 1200m in 3’03”4 + 800m in 1’56”2 + 400m in 52”8 (rec. 6’)

b) 45’ easy regeneration

Wed, 17

a) 1 hr easy

b) 1 hr easy

Thu, 18

a) 1 hr 10’ moderate

b) 50’ easy

Fri, 19

a) Track : 6x500m in 1’13” (rec. 3’) – (rest 6’) – 1500m in 3’50” – (rest 6’) – 10 x 200m in 26” (rec. 2’ / 2’30”)

b) 45’ easy regeneration

Sat, 20

a) 1 hr easy

b) 50’ easy

Sun, 21

Track : 6 couples of (1000m in 2’35”, rec. 2’, 300m in 39” / 40”), rec. 5’

From Tue, 23 : Easy run. In Daegu, on 28.08 : 10x200m easy in 32” (recovery at personal sensation)

Cheers, Mr. Canova. Absolutely fascinating insight. Thanks so much.

I have a couple of questions for you Mr. Renato. I notice that there is a lot of variation between each day in what your runners do, (I like that idea) is this regular in their schedules or just during their team camps and specific training phases?

I also notice that there is not much symmetry in your schedules, (ex. Sunday is always the long day, tues. is always track day etc.) I'm just wondering whether this is to accommodate their team camps or was it to sharpen them for wc's?

I really like the complexity of the track days(and the rest of the schedule and I can imagine the build up periods before this), they are not just 20x400, etc. There is definitely an emphasis, it seems, on the ability to change gears within the same workout (this would make sense since your in specific season and trying to mimic racing, I suppose)

You obviously know what your doing, I'm not questioning your philosophies at all just interested.

I don't believe in "symmetric schedules", for the following reasons :

a) If we use, for example, 3 sessions per week (this is the old and classic Kenyan system : track on Tuesday, fartlek on Thursday and long run on Saturday), the recovery time is always the same. This means that ALSO THE INTENSITY OF WORKOUTS MUST BE THE SAME, BECAUSE IF THE ATHLETE GOES FOR A SESSION VERY HARD, AND WANTS TO TRAIN AGAIN AFTER 2 DAYS, OR THERE IS AN ACCUMULATION OF FATIGUE THAT CAN KILL THE ATHLETE IN LONG TERM, OR THERE IS NO SPECIFIC INTENSITY IN THE WORKOUTS, AND DURING THE SPECIFIC PERIOD THIS IS A MISTAKE.

b) If you go to investigate what happens inside the body, you can see that little difference in speed (for example, 2'55" vs 2'50" in 1000m) means A DIFFERENT TYPE OF TRAINING, since the lactate level can be very different. Because I want to use many different speeds (for example, for an athlete running 26'30" in 10000m I need to use from speed of 56" in 400m till speed of 3'20" in 1000m, and this means a difference of 6" every 100m), and I consider every speed as a SPECIFIC TYPE OF TRAINING, giving different stimula to the body and consequentely requiring different levels of supercompensation), I can't use classic microcycles, and I can't have fixed days for the same type of wokouts.

An example of training for 10000m :

Monday : Long and easy run + short sprint uphill

Tuesday : Long fast run till 30 km at 85% of the PB in 10k

Wednesday : General volume (30 km) in two sessions at easy speed (regeneration)

Thursday : General volume (30 km) in two sessions at moderate speed (basic endurance)

Friday : 10 - 15 km at 90 / 95% of the PB in 10k

Saturday : Like Wednesday

Sunday : Long run at moderate pace

Monday : Long intervals on track for increasing Aerobic Power (3000 / 2000 / 1000 with a total volume of 16/20 km) at 95/98% of the PB of 10000m

Tuesday : Regeneration

Wednesday : General volume at moderate pace + short sprint uphill

Thursday : Short interval on track (from 400 till 1000m) for a total volume of 12 km at speed 102/105% of the PB in 10000m

Friday : regeneration

Saturday : Increasing volume (30/35 km) at moderate intensity

Sunday : Long basic run (30 km) at 80% of the PB

Monday : Fartlek with great volume with short distances (for example, 20 times 1' fast / 1' moderate + 20 times 30" fast / 30" easy) as introduction to short intervals for speed endurance

Tuesday : Regeneration

Wednesday : General high volume at moderate intensity

Thursday : 6/8 km continuous run very fast

Friday : Regeneration

Saturday : General high volume at moderate intensity

Monday : Regeneration

Tuesday : Regeneration

Wednesday : Special block (for example, 10 km at 85% of PB plus 10 km at 96% of PB in the morning, 10 km at 85% of PB plus 6/8 km on track with medium intervals (600/1000m) at 100/105% of PB in 10000m)

Thursday : Regeneration

Friday : Regeneration

Saturday : Long progressive run from moderate to fast

As you can see, since we use sessions with more intensity approaching the most important competition, we need to use more recovery in between, and this fact is not possible if we want to use a "symmetric" schedule.

c) Training is something attacking the body, and needs to stimulate the reaction of the body itself. This is called "supercompensation". When there is no stimula, there is adaptation, that is the most important enemy of the performance. In order to give always new stimula to the body, we need to do something new, or in intensity, or in extension, but at the end of the process the top shape is connected with the EXTENSION OF THE INTENSITY.

What I do, for example (especially for marathon) is to extend the ability in running near the pace of the competition. So, I don't use many long runs, during the last 3 months that represent the SPECIAL PERIOD, because for me useless. Which is the reason to run 40 km at 3'30" per km for athletes able running the full marathon under 3' ? It's the best way for wasting time.

So, I put in the program something like 40 km very fast (Mosop before Boston ran at 2300m, up and down, with training shoes, on rough roads, in 2:07:15, that means a full marathon in 2:14. If you cut 6" per km for altitude, racing shoes and tarmac this means a marathon under 2:10 in training. Of course you need about one week for recovering. Abel Kirui ran in 2:09:46 on the mud before WCh, and in all the period had only 2 sessions of long run, but this is the best way for improving the specific endurance).

At least, approaching the specific period of competitions, we need to move to more modulation : high intensity, with the goal to EXTEND it, not to run faster every time with the same volume ; and consequently long recovery, for allowing the body to absorbe the attack of training, and to answer in the right way.

So, we can say that TRAINING WELL IS TRAINING HARD, BUT TRAINING HARD NOT ALWAYS IS TRAINING WELL.

I want to change the "Train hard, win easy" of Kenyan in "Training wellm win easy". The two concepts are not exactly the same thing.

Hi Renato:

The Special Block for Merga on day 11 is interesting. Sometimes your special blocks have very different AM and PM sessions, like Shaheen 4 x 1600 in 4 minutes AM, 10 x 300 in PM at 800 pace or faster.

The one for Merga seems to stress similar qualities in the AM and PM. Also, 10k in 30 minutes does not seem like it would be very hard for Merga, unless he was at altitude. Could you talk more about how you decide on the special blocks? Thanks.

PS I am very much looking forward to your book (described as "coming soon" on the American Distance Project website) on training.

Renato, as always thank you. And we are so lucky to have responses like this. Letsun.com at its best.

Sorry, I see you partially answered my question, in other words 72 second pace (10k in 30 minutes) IS very different physiologically vs 66 second pace or 2:45 per 1000.

Renato, I'd be curious to hear your commentary on this thread:

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=4206061&page=0

That is, how do you feel about the strategy of a mandatory day off each week? I notice none of your programs include this.

"TRAINING WELL IS TRAINING HARD, BUT TRAINING HARD NOT ALWAYS IS TRAINING WELL."

Grazie tanto!