Taken from Lydiard’s training diaries just after the Games ended.
A lot doesn’t make sense to me, 22 miles on an injured leg for instance - but Lydiard certainly got him in peak condition for the Olympics and one wonders how fast he could really have gone as he was never really tested.
At the end of March and early April, Snell was becoming jaded and feeling his races.
It meant a complete conditioning period was necessary, so starting from April 18th, he averaged 100 miles weekly until June 28th
He then did the hill work schedule which I advocate, from June 29th until August 9th, averaging
near 90 miles weekly.
On August 10th, he started track training which was very difficult without an all-weather track in winter.
The schedule as carried out is as follows:
Each morning he jogged about 5 miles on a golf course and road.
August
10th - 20 times 220 Av 27.45
11th - 3 miles - 14.47.6
12th - 660 - 1m27s 100yds 11s times 2
13th - 3mile - (50yd dashes)
14th - 6 times 220 - Av 26.5
15th - 20 times 440 Av 61
16th - 22 miles Waiatarua -2 hours 22 min
17th - 20 times 220 - Av 27.8
18th - 3 miles - 14.35
19th - 5 times 880 Av 2.13
20-22nd - injured leg, hard track - no training.
23rd - 22 miles - 2h 33 min
24th - 5 mile jog
25th - 27th leg still sore - no training.
28th 4 times 440 stride-outs
29th - 6 mile jog
30th - 22 miles - 2hr 23 min
31st 220 stride-outs.
September
1st - 6 times 880 Av 2m10s
2nd - 6 times 440 - 58s
3rd - 1 mile - half effort - 1 mile three quarter effort
4th - 3 times 220 fast
5th 880 - cold wet conditions - 2m2s
6th - 22 miles easy
7th - 1 mile (50y dashes)
8th - three quarter mile - 880 in 1.56 and final 440 as he felt
9th - 440 - 55s - 4 times 100yds - full
10th - 2 times 1 mile - half effort.
11th - 3 times 220 - full effort
12th - 10 times 440 - av 58.5
13th - Long run
14th - 10 miles morning - 4 times 150yds - 6 times 50yds
15th - 2 times 880 - windy and wet - 2m2s and 2m 1.7
16th - 10 miles morning - 3 miles - 14m 12s
17th - 6 times 440 - 58s
18th - 3 times 220 all out.
19th - three quarter mile - 3m 0.5s
20th - 20 mile - half effort
21st - One hour jog
22nd - 6 times 220 stride outs
23rd - One hour jog
24th - Flew to Sydney - 6 times 220 stride outs
25th - 660 - 1m19s
26th - Flew Japan
(jogged most mornings in Japan for 1 hour)
17th - the hour jog
28th - 20 times 220 stride outs
29th - 1 mile of 50yd dashes.
30th - three quarter mile - 2m.56s
October
1st - 2 hour run - strong and even
2nd - 4 times 440
3rd - 6 times 880 - half effort - av 2m5s
4th - 1 mile - 4m2s
5th - 10 times 220 stride outs
6th - Sprint training over 150yds
7th - 800mts fast - 1.47.1
8th - 1 hour jog
9th - 880 in 50yd dashes
10th - 1 hour jog
11th - 3 times 220 full
12th - 1 hour jog
13th - half an hour jog
14th - 800mt heat - 1m49s
15th - 800mt semi - 1m46.9
16th - 800mt final - 1m45.1
17th - 1500mt heat - 3m46.6
18th - 1 hour jog
19th - 1500mt semi - 3.38.8
20th - 1 hour jog
21st - 1500mt final - 3.38.1