Roger Bannister went sub-4, wearing THESE, on a DIRT track. Pretty sure he was a med student at the time as well. Amazing, the guy would have been incredible as a full-time T&F athlete today with modern technology and training.
I've gotta look up his training logs. Can anyone give a brief rundown of his training? How does it compare with modern practices.
Forgot to share the link: https://twitter.com/darrenrovell/status/601024080138084352
What size?
Bannister achieved his sub-4 by using high intensity workouts. He ate a clean diet composed of mostly protein and good fats. He lifted heavy with an emphasis on full body exercises and functional strength versus slow slogging running. He understood that pain is a sign of growth and that true power doesn't come from running long but rather from powerful exercises and a well built physique.
Were he doing his training mileage in Hokas?
The Legend of R.B. wrote:
he was a med student at the time as well
This is the key thing to focus on. Wake up people.
Basic training for Bannister:
10X400 twice a week. 2 min rest, but ran them faster than race pace, got down to 56
3X1.5 mile He didn't put this in his book because he felt it was too tough for people
1 time trial
Mileage? What mileage? He trained for his sub-4 at lunch time as a medical student at Oxford. Never went over 28 mpw and usually much less--he ran less "mileage" than Clyde Hart's people probably and his spikes don't look a whole lot different than the original public version of Michael Johnson's "gold shoes" that I have in my closet.
And if you want to talk about how much better Lydiard was, consider that Bannister's coach, Franz Stempfl, also coached Ralph Doubell, who was the guy that broke Snell's 800 record, and Doubell also used high intensity.
coach d wrote:
Basic training for Bannister:
10X400 twice a week. 2 min rest, but ran them faster than race pace, got down to 56
3X1.5 mile He didn't put this in his book because he felt it was too tough for people
1 time trial
Mileage? What mileage? He trained for his sub-4 at lunch time as a medical student at Oxford. Never went over 28 mpw and usually much less--he ran less "mileage" than Clyde Hart's people probably and his spikes don't look a whole lot different than the original public version of Michael Johnson's "gold shoes" that I have in my closet.
And if you want to talk about how much better Lydiard was, consider that Bannister's coach, Franz Stempfl, also coached Ralph Doubell, who was the guy that broke Snell's 800 record, and Doubell also used high intensity.
All race specific training (getting right down to the nitty gritty) vs building a background, then developing strength and later speed.
Both make sense but there are a few Lydiard deciples (not saying they are wrong) who will have a conniption fit here on reading this.
Marathons, 1/2 mar's., 10 km's? A different matter.
Barefoot is best.
The lighter the shoes, the better.
Bannister's shoes weighed only 5 ounces, and he sharpened the spikes before races.
High Intensity wrote:
Bannister achieved his sub-4 by using high intensity workouts. He ate a clean diet composed of mostly protein and good fats. He lifted heavy with an emphasis on full body exercises and functional strength versus slow slogging running. He understood that pain is a sign of growth and that true power doesn't come from running long but rather from powerful exercises and a well built physique.
He also used amphetamines.
Blah Blah Blah wrote:
High Intensity wrote:Bannister achieved his sub-4 by using high intensity workouts. He ate a clean diet composed of mostly protein and good fats. He lifted heavy with an emphasis on full body exercises and functional strength versus slow slogging running. He understood that pain is a sign of growth and that true power doesn't come from running long but rather from powerful exercises and a well built physique.
He also used amphetamines.
Citation requested. Not that I disbelieve the claim whatsoever.
coach d wrote:
And if you want to talk about how much better Lydiard was, consider that Bannister's coach, Franz Stempfl, also coached Ralph Doubell, who was the guy that broke Snell's 800 record, and Doubell also used high intensity.
Ralph Doubell's run was altitude aided on a synthetic track. Snell's was on grass.
Advantage Lydiard.
Ridderall wrote:
Blah Blah Blah wrote:He also used amphetamines.
Citation requested. Not that I disbelieve the claim whatsoever.
coach d wrote:
And if you want to talk about how much better Lydiard was, consider that Bannister's coach, Franz Stempfl, also coached Ralph Doubell, who was the guy that broke Snell's 800 record, and Doubell also used high intensity.
Doubell tied the WR. He didn't break it.
I have the Roger Bannister entry from How They Train saved on my phone. Someone with one of Bannister's books might have more accurate info.
-----------------------
Dr. Roger Gilbert Bannister, Great Britain
Best marks: mile, 3:58.8; 1500m, 3:43.8; 3/4 mile, 2:52.9t; 880, 1:50.7; 660, 1:20.2; 440, 51.0.
Personal statistics: Born March, 1929 in England. 6'2", 154 lbs. Started formal racing in 1946 at age 17 and retired in 1954 at age 25. Training in the fall 1946 at Exeter College, Oxford consisted of running once during the week and racing on Saturday. In the spring, track training was started.
1948 training: Run for 3/4 hour, 3-4 days per week
1949-1950 training: Alternating slow runs of 1 1/4 miles with faster runs of 1/2-3/4 mile, 4 days per week. Lader this was modified along the lines of a fartlek.
1950-1952 training: Stepped up training program in the fall. In the spring trained 5 days a week with interval method.
1951-1952 training: Ran on grass for never longer than 1/2 hour after work, 3-4 days per week. Track training was begun in February.
1952-1953 training: Interval method was used as training was increased. In February and March track training was started, sometimes running as many as 10x440 in 63 seconds with 2-3 minutes rest after each.
1953-1954 training: Starting in December, ran 5 times a week during noon hour. Several days consisted of 10x440 in 66 seconds with a 2 minute rest after each. During the following months they were gradually sped up till by the end of April the average had dropped to 59 seconds per 440. Following are some highlights of Bannister's training 3 weeks before his 3:59.4 world record:
April 12 - 7 x 880 in 2:06
April 14 - 3/4 mile in 3:02
April 15 - 1/2 mile in 1:53.0
April 22 - 10 x 440 in 58.9
April 24 - 3/4 mile in 3:00.0
April 28 - 3/4 mile in 2:59.9
April 30 - 1/2 mile in 1:54.0
[Mile WR on May 6]
Duration of workout: 1 hour 5-6 PM, 3-5 times a week. Raced not more than twice a month. It was his custom to run a 3/4 mile time trial a few days before an important race. He preferred to follow in a race until he unleashed his kick in the final lap.
Bannister gained immportality on May 6, 1954 when he became the first man to crack the much sought after 4-minute mile (3:59.4). Another memorable race came on August 7, 1954 at Vancouver during the British Empire Games when he outkicked John Landy in a personal record, 3:58.8.
He was self-coached throughout his career. Because he kept experimenting with different training and racing methods, Bannister felt that only he could determine what training was best suited for him. However he did have guidance from Franz Stampfl during his final year. Bannister always kept running, which gave him a deep feeling of satisfaction even from his childhood, but never let it affect his academic life. Because of this he never subscribed to the 7-day-a-week training regimen, and rarely trained 5 days a week till the last years of his career.
He was Oxford-Cambridge mile champion 1947-1950. He was also AAA champion in the mile in 1951, 1953, 1954, and half mile in 1952. In 1954 he became the British Empire Games mile and 1500m European champion. He finished 4th in the 1952 Olympic 1500m and was a member of the British 1953 world record 4-mile relay team.
Jenny and the Bets wrote:
http://www.researchgate.net/publication/233359223_Amphetamine_and_the_Four-Minute_MileRidderall wrote:Citation requested. Not that I disbelieve the claim whatsoever.
Academia/Corporate block. The abstract doesn't mention anyone by name. "Could" have contributed .. well no shit.
Has anyone ran sub 4 without shoes on?!
Hingle McCringleberry wrote:
The Legend of R.B. wrote:he was a med student at the time as well
This is the key thing to focus on. Wake up people.
What's the key thing to focus on? What are we waking up...wait...what? What are you talking about!?
"In June 1957 an American public health physician told his audience at a medical conference in New York that a stimulant drug such as amphetamine (‘Benzedrine’) might have enabled athletes to run the mile in less than four minutes"
Might have is the same as shoulda coulda woulda