Which was another canuck's point - there is no context here. If this was his base period (Fundamental period is a Canova term and he is not coached by Canova), then that might be appropriate - Whitlock style long easy runs - but we don't know that (anything else is just supposition).
This is the problem with snippets of training in that they don't necessarily tell you much - for all we know he does six 20mile tempo runs the next week at sub-5.00/mile.
I can't imagine he'd have that 4 hour day later on in the season, so this has to be pretty early.
I'm with you Captian.it is interesting but you do need the context. Reading this and assuming it is bread and butter stuff may do more harm than good.
captain and me wrote:
Which was another canuck's point - there is no context here. If this was his base period (Fundamental period is a Canova term and he is not coached by Canova), then that might be appropriate - Whitlock style long easy runs - but we don't know that (anything else is just supposition).
This is the problem with snippets of training in that they don't necessarily tell you much - for all we know he does six 20mile tempo runs the next week at sub-5.00/mile.
I just read it
the implication is that he does it for 45 weeks per year
i assume leading up to 7 weeks prior to his marathon
Thank you for the link, Hodge! I've written elsewhere how I got better by slowing down. Two interesting points for me are
1. He takes off a day a week. The Djiboutians did this too (running a relatively slow) 50 k/day on the days they didn't take off. For them it was for religious reasons. It sounds like Mutai takes Sunday off so he can spend it fully with his family. Regardless, maybe that day off is important. Ryan Hall is, I think, taking a day per week off too, and he hasn't lost anything (although the rumor is he's injured now...) Anyway..
2. I slowed down to 8 minute pace, but ran around 25 minutes slower in the marathon. Maybe I should have run even slower! On the other hand, I remember running for a week on the North Rim, which is at about the same altitude. I was in 2:35 shape or so at the time. As long as I was running on the flat, 8 minute pace was an easy effort (as measured by HR). When I took runs down into the canyon, though, I had to walk most of the way back up. Hills just killed me at that altitude. And I can't imagine doing anything fast - even marathon pace. I would say that Mutai's training is sufficiently intense aerobically. But it's easy on his muscles and bones. This is probably the great advantage of altitude. One can improve by stimulating change at the cellular level (mitochondria etc.) without stressing the musco-skeletal system too much.
And this guy is going to run 2:02 before he's done. Whatever he's selling, I'm buying.
I recently went to Kenya for a few weeks and this is pretty standard training for them. Lots of easy mileage, one long run, one fartlek, one "field" session of intervals and one day off.
Bare in mind also that very few Kenyans have any idea (or interest) what pace they are running on their standard runs. I've no idea if Mutai does or does not but there is a strongly likelyhood that he guessed the pace of his runs to satisfy the journalists the questions. They also work in Kilmometres not miles in Kenya so he almost certainly wouldn't know an accurate min per mile.
More likely it went something like:
-What pace do you run those miles at?
- I don't know
- Around 8minutes per mile?
- Yes
In my experience (vast) of running in Kenya of the 2 runs a day 1 is quite fast (even on 'easy' days) and one is very slow. Lots and lots of moderately paced (sub 6min pace) miles in the AM and shorter very slow 8+ miles in the afternoon.
Again I have no specific knowledge of Mutai and have never run with him but this is the pattern you usually see of the majority of runners in Iten/Eldoret.
Something to keep in mind - higher altitudes also can have consistently heavier winds than at sea level. It's a fact of life that anyone who has ever lived at altitude knows. It also adversely affects daily pace.
This person gets it.
ur right wrote:
I just read it
http://articles.boston.com/2012-04-13/boston-marathon/31334819_1_geoffrey-mutai-8-minute-mile-pace-boston-marathonthe implication is that he does it for 45 weeks per year
i assume leading up to 7 weeks prior to his marathon
Right 45 weeks a year. Sounds like "bread & butter" to me. As some of you have pointed out this may not be exactly what he does each & every week but is it really so difficult to believe that this routine in this location for this athlete would NOT be sufficient to yield great results?
I had one of my best racing seasons after a steady dose of 8 minute miles on my "just go out and run" days. I was running 65-70 mpw. One hard day a week ( race or time trial ). Maybe two 7 minute pace days but everything rose was slow.
32:30's for 10k that year. My fastest.
Lagat also takes a day off per week, and he just won the world championship in his late 30's. Coincidence? I don't think so. I believe Kip Keino did the same. I think that day off is very key for your body, and your mind. Not to mention the extra time with family, as noted above.
The area is so hilly and this is the main factor that we need to consider. You cannot run a sub 6 min mile everyday , you will not last long. Hills, hills and more hills, a lot of people do not understand the impact. Kenyans have one secret they do not disclose easily,( Hills people).
This is the correct answer. There is obviously no way that he just goes out and runs a steady 8:00 pace for two hours twice in a day. Like basically all Kenyan runners, the morning run probably starts slow and progresses a bit, while the afternoon run probably starts quicker and progresses a fair bit more.Clearly the writer wanted to put together a schedule to show readers how much Mutai runs - cool idea. But for letsrunners to take every pace literally and not just as Mutai's lowball guess is naive. The structure of the week is the only thing I'd really take to heart here.And you're right that he probably NEVER think in pace per mile - Americans just don't realize how weird that is to the rest of the world. Everyone running in Africa goes on per kilometer pace, which is why Kenyan runners and their coaches talk about marathon splits by 5k, not by mile. Good luck finding a 19-mile marker on the Rotterdam course, but you will damn sure see a 30-km one.
Garmin??? wrote:
Bare in mind also that very few Kenyans have any idea (or interest) what pace they are running on their standard runs. I've no idea if Mutai does or does not but there is a strongly likelyhood that he guessed the pace of his runs to satisfy the journalists the questions. They also work in Kilmometres not miles in Kenya so he almost certainly wouldn't know an accurate min per mile.
More likely it went something like:
-What pace do you run those miles at?
- I don't know
- Around 8minutes per mile?
- Yes
Garmin??? wrote:
Bare in mind also that very few Kenyans have any idea (or interest) what pace they are running on their standard runs. I've no idea if Mutai does or does not but there is a strongly likelyhood that he guessed the pace of his runs to satisfy the journalists the questions. They also work in Kilmometres not miles in Kenya so he almost certainly wouldn't know an accurate min per mile.
He probably gave him rough paces in min/km and the reporter translated.
4-5 min/km = 6:30 - 8:00 min/mile pace
4.5 min/km = 7:15 min/mile
3 min/km = 4:50
3.5 min/km = 5:35
Total mileage looks like it would add up to just about 140 in 6 days every week. Not too shabby. :)
The article says he does it for 45 weeks per year, and you write that you "deduce" it is his bread and butter training. Thanks Einstein.
Why not just say he does it for 45 weeks per year as the article says, and we can "deduce" it ourselves.
Well, running distance is an aerobic activity training aerobically seems like a good idea, especially at High Volumes.
To me, it seems most americans are too obsessed with the pace that they run instead of just running by feel. (like we did back in the day)
It is funny how people argue and doubt somebody's program. Mutai pointed to the reporter how his schedule looks like and you guys cannot wait to give your 2 cents of advice. Eamon Coghlan documentary in Iten shows that you do not need to strained yourself in practice http://www.behance.net/gallery/Man-on-a-Mission/2857985( watch the 1st clip). Training programs varies with each individual, Mosop might need a lot of millage and a high tempo runs to get in a top form, Mutai might need moderate millage, less tempo with a lot of speed workouts to get in top form. How are you going to compete with these guys if you don't even understand the basics. We Kenyans will tell the World what we do but they still doubt us, say thank you to Mutai and go do the training.
no sh#t sherlock wrote:
The article says he does it for 45 weeks per year, and you write that you "deduce" it is his bread and butter training. Thanks Einstein.
Why not just say he does it for 45 weeks per year as the article says, and we can "deduce" it ourselves.
Because someone responded to Hodgie and said that anyone assuming that was the bread and butter stuff was probably making a mistake. Obviously not everyone was able to deduce what you did.