Frank Horwill's 4-min mile program

Generally recognized as clinically insane, unless inserting at least one easy recovery day between each session, and even then a real stretch for anyone not on some pretty serious "stuff".

He took a decent concept (multi-pace training) and created a Frankenstein monster that no one uses.

This training cycle would involve me running a significant PR in both the half and the 10k. Of course I'd have an anaerobic day in between for recovery!

Is it possible that he meant 64s over half marathon pace? That would put most people in their easy aerobic zone.For example, a 1:10 half marathoner would do this day at 6:24 pace.

Same thing with the 10k. If he meant 48s over 10k pace, that equates to a hard run pace for a lot of people- a "run to the barn" day. A 30 minute 10k guy would do this day at 5:38 pace.

Those at least seem beneficial and doable. The way it's written is just crazy because it's not physically possible for most people.

Day 1 workout basically calls for tempo pace, which if you max out you can sustain for an hour, but not a half marathon.

Right. Just ignore the paces. Anybody can put cool-looking numbers on paper, and that's exactly what Horwill did here.

Like everyone else posted the longer efforts seem unrealistic but given recovery days between every workout (which he list instances of on the site) and adjustment of paces it is a solid training plan. Granted, I have heard countless times on here that a sub4 miler should be able to run a 10 mile threshold in 50 mins so 10k at that pace or 21k at 15secs per mile slow does not seem unreasonable.

Marius, 13:06, bogged for a couple of years doing long "tempo" at 4:45-4:50 a mile.

Redlining is a fine line.

It's not just a crazy schedule, Horwill is implying that the runner just keeps repeating the schedule, which is beyond crazy.

I think he was just an attention seeking fool. However, Athletics weekly magazine here in the UK would publish his articles regularly as though he was some kind of super guru.

Sports magazines print so much crap, they just don't seem to care about the quality of the writing.

fred wrote:

Marius, 13:06, bogged for a couple of years doing long "tempo" at 4:45-4:50 a mile.

Redlining is a fine line.

So what? That´s marathon pace for world class runners.

People are entitled to think that Frank Horwill's schedules were over the top, however Horwill's record of coaching over 50 international athletes speaks for itself. His funeral was attended by Seb Coe, Dave Bedford, Daley Thompson, Tim Hutchings and Chrissie Wellington, and messages of condolence were received from Steve Ovett and David Moorcroft.

The Day 1: half marathon and the Day 3: 10 km run are too fast. Just run these at 3:50 - 4:20 per km and everything will ok. Research has shown that polarized workouts, high intensity days followed by a low intensity days are the best way to not overtrain and to improve.

Take a few months to build up to this stuff below.

The 80% low intensity and 20% high intensity split is what many experienced runners and coaches would suggest.

Run some easy 5 km - 10 km runs in the am for each day at pulse rate of 180 - age ( example 180 -25= 155 bpm for 25 year old) except day 6, stay in bed a little longer

Day 1 - (Aerobic, 60% VO2 max). Half Marathon. Example: best 1500m 3:50, run 3:50--4:20 per km. That is take your best 1500m time and make that your per km pace for the run.

Day 2 - (Anaerobic, 110% VO2max). 2 x 1 x 400 + 1 x 800 + 1 x 300, at 15 secs per 100m throughout. Take 30 secs rest after 400m, 60secs rest after 800m and a lap walk after 300m before repeating.

Day 3 - (Aerobic, 60% VO2 max).10Km . Example: 1500m 3:50-4:20, run 3:50 per km. That is take your best 1500m time and make that your per km pace for the run.

Day 4 - (Anaerobic, 130% VO2 max). 4 x 400, 4 secs per 400m faster than per 400m for best mile time. Example: best mile 4:08 (62/400), run 400ms in 58 secs, 3 mins rest.

Day 5 - (Aerobic, 95% VO2max). Run 5 x 1K at 8 secs per 400m slower than for best mile time. Example: Best mile 4:04 (61 / 400), run at 69 / 400 = 2:52, with 60 secs rest.

Day 6 - 10km at 3:50- 4:20 per km (Aerobic, 60% VO2)

Day 7 - (Anaerobic). 1 x 350, 1 x 300, 1 x 250, 1 x 200, 1 x 150. All full out, with 400m walk after each. N.B. Race every other seventh day instead of this session.

On Day 5, alternate this session each week with an aerobic 100% VO2 max session of 4 by 1,500m, 4 secs per 400m slower than for one's best mile time. Example: best mile time 4:02 (60.5 / 400m), run 64.5 / 400, with 3mins rest after each.

He does say in the articles that these are examples and that people would require 1, 2 or 3 days easy jogging inbetween workout days.

so these could be a 7 to 21 day cycle on his 7 day example.

And your not a 4 minute miler

Frank was known as a bit of a hard task master! I think here he is trying to emphasise the point that aerobic running doesn't necessarily imply slow mileage;in trying to get that point across he possibly "over egged the pudding" a little. In Horwill's defense it should be pointed out that in his book Peter coe argues that since world class marathoners race 26 miles well below 5 min mile pace is it unreasonable to expect top class 1500 men to approach that sort of pace on a 5 to 10 mile training run?

I have fond memories ofracing against many of Horwill's athletes as a youngster in the mid/late1970s. Whatever else may be said about the man he engendered fierce loyalty from his athletes who warmed up in sweats with "Frank's Squad" printed in large letters on their back. The UK's dominance at 1500/mile in the late 1970s/early80s has something to do with Horwill and the attitude he tried to inculcate in all athletes. Since he lost influence and then sadly died where have the top class British middle distance runners gone?