Did Benji Durden train like he advocates in this article?

similar to how Aouita trained..

benji was very prudent in his training. he didn't cut corners and he maximized the effort during the time he spent running, whether it was a long run, speed training or recovery.

I'm not sure what you're reading. Benji ran lower mileage than a lot of guys did back in those days, but it was still up near 100 mpw.

I should add that he was very much in the hard-easy camp, and there were a number of days on which he didn't do much mileage.

I think dobiblon is reading the training program that he has others do, which is different than what he did himself.

What I have written for runners to do is basically what I did. The problem you are having is the fact I use time not distance as my basis for given workouts. I ran 85-95 for most of my good years with three days per week of doubles. The mornings were 1:45-3:00 with one day of repeats (mostly 800's at 10K pace), one day that was threshold (though most often this was a 10K or 15K that I trained through) and one day of just running 2:30-3:00 at about 6:40 pace. My afternoons were 45-60 minute runs at whatever I felt like running. My easy days were normally 45 minute runs at 7:00 pace. Frequently the easy days would be 30 easy, weights for 90 minute and then 15 minutes easy. All my runs (including the repeats but not the races) were in at least one set of sweats (I went so far as 2 sets of sweats sandwiched with 3 rainsuits were PO2 tanks).

I tried longer miles. I spent 5 weeks at 140-150 but didn't see the point since I got slower. I spent a year at 110-120. My best before that period was 2:10:41. My best during that period was 2:12:12. It took a year of running 85-95 before I got back to sub 2:12.

It can be argued that the periods of higher mileage made me stronger later. Whie that maybe true, I ran pretty fasta before I tried the higher milege and didn't improve dramatically after those periods.

thanks bengi

Thanks Benji!! Awesome details. Interesting point about the higher mileage periods.

Great details straight from an accomplished athlete, instead of second hand rumors and hearsay. Thanks. Question: how many days per week would you go over 2 hours and how many close to 3 hours on those morning runs? As the Kenyans pile on the sweats like you did, do you think the overheating has a training effect above and beyond heat acclimation?

I would have 1 long day per week of 2:30-3:00 in the am and frequently the repeats day and the threshold/training race day would be 2:00+ as well. I generall ran 2:30-2:45 most of the year with maybe 6-8 2:45-3:00 runs. I also ran 4-6 marathons/year since that was what we did back then. We weren't afraid running marathons would make us slower.

Heat training can also be considered strength training since you are hauling all those heavey wet sweats around as you run. (;-)

Additionally you can look at haet training as a way to get altitude effects at sea level. The oxygen uptake system is effected by the partial pressure (i.e altitude) and temperature. The lower the partial pressure or the higher the temperature, the less oxygen the cardivascular system carries. By adapting to the stress of higher body temperature, the body becomes more effective at oxygen uptake in a manner similar to the adaptation to altitude.

I'm sure there are other things that improve as well. I know that when I fisrt tried heat training it was simply for a race in Puerto Rico. I trained in long sleeves and sweat pants for 2 months and won the race. I raced better during the prep period as well. After the race I went back to shirtless running like my training buddies and soon my racing slowed down. I can see patterns and went back to long sleeves and sweat pants

When those got to be comfortable, I added layers. Over several months I adapted to gradual increases in layers to where I normally ran in at least 1 set of sweats and 1 rainsuit.

Hi, Benji! I had a hunch that you might chime in on this thread!

thanx, exactly what i was looking for, letsrun works..

Benji,

Greetings, would you be willing to provide a copy of your running log for some selected periods in your career for my website? or maybe just post something here as well.

Hope all is well.

Hodgie

Hodgie,

I'll dig around for one of my actually logs.I'll let you know when I find them. They are in the garage somewhere. I only kept logs sporatically so I don't have them for some of the really hot times in my running like the months leadsing up to Bosotn in 1983. I remember some of the workouts, but...

How are things with you these days? Are you racing any?

Hodgie!

Good to hear from you hows your running going do you want my log from 1976 when I ran 2:25?

Tom the O

Benji Durden wrote:

Additionally you can look at haet training as a way to get altitude effects at sea level. The oxygen uptake system is effected by the partial pressure (i.e altitude) and temperature. The lower the partial pressure or the higher the temperature, the less oxygen the cardivascular system carries. By adapting to the stress of higher body temperature, the body becomes more effective at oxygen uptake in a manner similar to the adaptation to altitude.

.

It would have to get awfully hot at sea level to get PO2 down to that at 6000 feet. PO2 at SL is about 148 mm Hg; at 6000 feet it is about 122 mm Hg. I am sure someone can find a site that will adjust PO2 based on temperature. How hot does it need to be at sea level to drop the PO2 17%? I doubt Atlanta on the hottest day in history gets the barometric pressure down to 610 mm Hg or reduces the PO2 by 17%.

Dude what are you talking about?

luv2run wrote:

It would have to get awfully hot at sea level to get PO2 down to that at 6000 feet. PO2 at SL is about 148 mm Hg; at 6000 feet it is about 122 mm Hg. I am sure someone can find a site that will adjust PO2 based on temperature. How hot does it need to be at sea level to drop the PO2 17%? I doubt Atlanta on the hottest day in history gets the barometric pressure down to 610 mm Hg or reduces the PO2 by 17%.

Benji isn't a scientist. Cut him some slack. It's a good story, and I'm sure they'll go for it at Dyestat.

O say:

>Good to hear from you hows your running going do you want my log from 1976 when I ran 2:25?<

Was that the SWIP program?