Kudos to Cam Levins for running as well as he did in the 5,000m and 10,000m at the London Olympics in 2012. But how likely is he or maybe most runners who undertake such a high-mileage training program to survive it for more than four years?
Kudos to Cam Levins for running as well as he did in the 5,000m and 10,000m at the London Olympics in 2012. But how likely is he or maybe most runners who undertake such a high-mileage training program to survive it for more than four years?
His mechanics are sound, he seems to have a cool head about him regarding injury signs, and we already know he's a genetic freak whose body can take a lot of volume. So that gives him a 10% chance? Who knows, he's got as good a chance as anyone. A higher chance of survival than making it to the Olympics in the first place, anyways.
And I for one hope he does, not only survive but continue to excel.
I give him 50%. Anything parabolic tends to collapse on itself.
Diminished Returner wrote:
Kudos to Cam Levins for running as well as he did in the 5,000m and 10,000m at the London Olympics in 2012. But how likely is he or maybe most runners who undertake such a high-mileage training program to survive it for more than four years?
1) Distance running at the world-class level carries with it a very, very high risk of injury. Cam is a world-class distance runner.
2) Cam's mileage is exaggerated on this board. One very high mileage week does not a Gerry Lindgren make.
3) So far, he seems to be training very intelligently.
4) Aside from the inherent risk of the sport, any problems with injury/illness/burnout are likely to come from combining high volume with high intensity and insufficient rest, not from high volume per se. See
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberto_Salazarand
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Bedford_%28athlete%29and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_Clayton.
Probably just as likely as his chances of making it this far.
His tendons are made of a newly formulated compound developed by the Canadian government
if he really is doing that kind of monster mileage there is no way he will survive or be in good shape by 2016
I guess the question is can he maintain 200+mpw from now until Rio? But then, who really wants to go to Rio...yuck.
I don't see a problem with the high mileage. Cam can get a lot done during that time.
He will have a great looking training log, but thats it
Provided Levins maintains the mileage he's at until Rio, he will run a couple hundred miles over 25K (like 25,600 miles) in 3 years...
I'm afraid this is Cam's future:
http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=1644998
There are reasons why people do not run those kind of mileages. My 2016, Cam might not even be able to run at all.
He's not going to consistently run 250! He said experiment with the 250 range. He's not there yet, and I'm sure when he gets there it'll just be for a week or two. will he run lots in the 200 a week range? maybe, but I doubt it. I would imagine that by experiment, he means he's gonna work on building his milage beyond what he's getting positive results from now and see how it goes.
The term experiment means that he's gonna try it out and see the effects. it does not mean that this will be his strict new training plan.
Do you people REALLY believe he runs 200+ miles a week? The 250 referred to kilometers. He was talking to a Canadian, using the metric system. Yes, he runs high volume, but not THAT high.
Also, his new coach/mentor has proven to be one of the most meticulous, detail oriented, calculated planners available. And Coolsaet and Gillis will be invaluable resources that Levins will learn from.
Best of luck to him.
Cam Levins won't be running the same volume in two years that he's running right now.
He's building a supreme base that will easily carry him from 2014-2016.
I think the odds of him surviving high mileage are good.
I think it's the racing and workouts he'll do in spikes to prepare for competition that will injure him.
you cant really be that dumb wrote:
Do you people REALLY believe he runs 200+ miles a week? The 250 referred to kilometers. He was talking to a Canadian, using the metric system. Yes, he runs high volume, but not THAT high.
Not true, Canadians, British, other Commonwealth countries, etc still use miles frequently for things like running. It is pretty clear that he talks about 190 MILES per week and mentioned the idea of increasing to 250 but that was just a thought, not a sure thing. But he is certainly talking miles and not kilometers.
His Mileage wrote:
Cam Levins won't be running the same volume in two years that he's running right now.
He's building a supreme base that will easily carry him from 2014-2016.
Imagine if he could translate this volume into a Ritz like peak when he first joined AlSal.
Man, this guy is crazy. Too many miles
SMNRunner wrote:
Provided Levins maintains the mileage he's at until Rio, he will run a couple hundred miles over 25K (like 25,600 miles) in 3 years...
He should run all the way around the world and plan to arrive in Rio just in time for the 10k