Nebraska Kid wrote:
3 main workouts each week:
Long 15-18 miles, 2nd half hard
10 miles hard
11 mile fartlek, typically 4x5min hard
Other days easy distance, occasional track workout.
Thanks. How hard? Race often? Total mileage? What were easy days?
Nebraska Kid wrote:
3 main workouts each week:
Long 15-18 miles, 2nd half hard
10 miles hard
11 mile fartlek, typically 4x5min hard
Other days easy distance, occasional track workout.
Thanks. How hard? Race often? Total mileage? What were easy days?
1985 Philly HM Mark Curp 1:00:55 World Record.
http://www.bigriverrunning.com/Mark_Curp.htmGlycerin Runner wrote:
Happened across some old Falmouth pics, one with Curp hammering away from Murphy and Leek. With minimal leg speed, he certainly had a stellar road career with 28 flat track credentials, while holding the AR half marathon record til RHall broke it.
Any information on his training (self coached I believe) is much appreciated.
Thanks. How hard? Race often? Total mileage? What were easy days?[/quote]
Mark would race anyone. He did not see a competitor as a Kenyan or British, just another competitor.
In 84 10k OLY trials, he knew he had to run a 4:20 last mile to get away for Cummings finishing speed. Only closed in 4:28ish and was a sitting duck with 400m to go. 5th in 10k in 84 and then moved up to marathon in 88 and also was either 4th or 5th, can't remember.
He was built physically and mentally for 10m to 25km range, kind of like Lindsey and Sinclair. If marathon was only 22 Mark would have blasted one that day in chicago where Steve Jones went balls to the wall from the start.
Mark faded last 4 miles and ran around 2:17 that day with last 2 miles in 7:40 and 9:20. Ouch!
True Competitor
and Malmo too
1985 Philadelphia Half Marathon. Curp sets world record.
Thanks George
Some (i.e., the ones I know) of Curp's marathon performances:
1987
2:11:45 Twin Cities (3rd, behind Martin Froelick & Paul Gompers)
1988
2:14:40 OT (5th, behind Mark Conover, Ed Eyestone, Pete Pfitzinger & Gompers)
1990
2:12:38 Columbus (2nd, behind Steve Spence)
1995
2:15:23 Grandma's (1st)
Interesting interview with Curp, on the occasion of Ryan Hall breaking his half-marathon record:
Also, per all-athletics.com, Curp's 5k & 10k PBs:
13:40.65 (4th; Knoxville, May 1984)
28:01.02 (4th; Eugene, April 1984)
Curp ran for Jesus before Hall was born.
When Hall talks, Curp says "been there, done that.."
Why was Curp so much better at the half than marathon? Was it just not getting in the long runs? Or was there more to it like he deliberately focused on shorter distances. Seems like a guy who wanted to be a marathoner could slow down and lengthen those long runs he was doing every couple weeks or so.
Was never going to make it as a marathoner due to his training and racing style. I called him "One Gear" because he did not know what it was like to run conservatively.
edward teach wrote:
Why was Curp so much better at the half than marathon?
Everyone is suited for as specific distance range. Curp was suited for 15k-25k.
mo money mo problems wrote:
Was never going to make it as a marathoner due to his training and racing style. I called him "One Gear" because he did not know what it was like to run conservatively.
Mark loved the competition, fast times will be follow if you give your all no matter what the day. He never thought of any of his competitiors as being better than him so he would not back off from competing.
I think at Chicago he was at around 2:07+ at 20 miles before slowing but he was not afraid to give the 2:07 a go since Steve Jones was doing the same.