Cool interview w/Lydiard

the biggest question mark with Lydiard's training that I have is the hill and speed sessions. This to me represents a drastic reduction in the milege built up in the base training phase. Anyone today that looks at Kenyan training realizes that quantity and quality is actually remain quite high and has a tendency to go up they don't have periods just training that go by weeks like Mon: Recovery, Tue:Hill as opposed to Lydiard's huge time frame dedicated to a single factor development. What gives? JK give us you advice if you are reading this.

Lydiard's hill training is done in a close to 2 mile circuit. A top caliber runner would do 4 complete cycles, or about 10 miles. Add to that a normal warm-up and cool down and you are at about 13 miles for these workouts. You do that 3 times per week. Add in the ubequitous 20 miler one day per week, and that get you close to 60 mpw on 4 days. The usual to do between the hill work is leg speed. That is about 6 miles of drills and speed, between a 2-3 mile warm-up and cool down, or right close to 12 miles a day, making for about 95 miles on one workout per day for the week. When most folks do the these workouts, the extra strengthening leaves the legs dead for at least the first 2 to 3 weeks, no matter how good of shape you are in. Most runners see a 40 to 60 second improvement in their 10 km time after a full cycle of hills/leg speed, before doing the anaerobic work that prepares the Lydiard athlete for racing. It all makes sense. When I worked with Arthur in Venezuela, he took a 2:36 marathoner and in 4 weeks had him running 3:40 for the 1,500 and 22.7 for the 200. Ah but Arthur has perfected the art of coaching as well as the science. Get out and run.

arthur lydiard is my hero

when i read you peoples posts talking about his coaching, it brings a tear to my eye. RUNNING IS GREAT!!!!!!!!!

I'm still confused with the hill running. What exactly is the hill session that he describes? And is it the same session 3 times a weeks or is it 3 different workouts?

Great interview. I enjoy reading the fact that "marathon" type training helps improve track performances. That's really good to know for all those mid-distance guys worried about doing the mileage.

I am going to go run like you said Lydiard follower. 30 to 60 sec improvement in 10K Lydiard for president!! Noo make that president of the world. Heard that he's method are the basis for Kenyan and Japanese marathon programs. However they are modified versions. YO Lydiard Follower tell me more.

The Kenyans, Arthur mentions in the interview, stumbled onto a method of preparation that's like his on their own. He predicted their success back in the 70s but doesn't claim credit for it.

Nakamura, Seko's coach, was a big Lydiard guy. He used to bring his athletes to New Zealand for winter training because Arthur was there. A lot of South Koreans also have trained along Lydiard's lines as Barry Magee was their national coach for a time.

I assume that the 800-meter hill is on grass, since I'd think that doing that kind of a workout on pavement would beat the unholy crap out of one's legs, especially the downhill strides.

Is anyone else having a real hard time finding an an 800-meter grass hill nearby?

In case anyone starts believing that Lydiard's runners were training wayyyyy hard, (note they ran 22 miles in 2.10 and 10m in 55.00).

For a 2.11 marathon guy (5.00m/m pace), these training runs equate to M+55 secs for the long run and M+30 for the 10m-miler. Relate these paces to your own marathon best and (if you are well-trained for a marathon) you should find that these paces are not that hard (for you) and in fact, are right where they should be.

O.K. so Lydiard agrees that there is a place for speed development(not anaerobic intervals) with full recovery and what not but I wonder where this would fit. How many weeks and during what phase?

One day a week devoted to this type of training for an 800 runner I would think is important for several weeks.

free Lydiard online book enjoy

Fredo wrote:

O.K. so Lydiard agrees that there is a place for speed development(not anaerobic intervals) with full recovery and what not but I wonder where this would fit. How many weeks and during what phase?

One day a week devoted to this type of training for an 800 runner I would think is important for several weeks.

It's important 50 weeks a year -- and it's more than safe.

Hey, thanks to all the Letsrun.com readers. I never thought that the Lydiard story would take off like it did.

Anerobic and speed development are two different phases.

Here is a great site to better understand the Lydiard System:

http://www.fitnesssports.com/lyd_clinic_guide/lydpg2.html

Also, a great Lydiard book for all ages with detailed pictures of hill springing and with workouts is: Distance Training for Young Athletes.

Chase your dreams

everyone who laughs about him, should think about the progression of these two guys in the last 2 years:

Anti-Lydiard Webb

By a Lydiard-Fan coached Ritzenhein

Another interview for those interested:

http://www.twincitytc.org/Resources/Lydiard.asp

It is exactly the same workout 3 times per week for 4 to 6 weeks. You should do this period of work so that you end these workouts 10 weeks before your first major race. Find a hill that raise one foot for every 3 feet of length, so not real steep. You need to be able to run down the hill at full gait without breaking or loosing control. Run a typical 10-15 minute warmup so you end the warmup at the base of the hill. The hill does not have to be 800 meters, but it needs to be long enough so that using the form I describe that it takes you at least 3 minutes to get to the top. It can actually be as short at 300 meters, if your forward progress is slow enough. Start up the hill lifting your knees high and staying on your toes. Your forward progress should be slow, using short forward steps. You are using your body weight for the resistance. Try to prevent your heels from touching the ground. This works your knees, hips, calves and shins. I have the folks I work with continue their uphills for as long as 4 minutes, but never any longer. At the top there should be an area where you can jog comfortably for 3 full minutes. The white muscle fibers you are working in this session become exhausted and quit contributing after 3 minutes. These same fibers need the 3 minutes of jogging to recover for the next exercise. That is the downhill run. On this exercise, again think of lifting your knees high and driving off your toes. Run relaxed, do not strain, allow the downhill to contribute to your speed. At the base, again jog 3 minutes. Then you run some sprints. I prefer 50 to 80 yard windsprints with just a jog turn around back to where you stopped and run back to the start. Usually 5 or 6 of those is enough. You are starting your anaerobic training here. Follow these with another 3 minute jog. That is one complete cycle. Runners not cover at least 40 miles per week do 2 complete cycles, 100 mpw runners complete 4 cycles. As there are no timed runs, I find most runners add more time to their uphills, and end up running all the faster stuff much faster with no additional effort.

These are done say Monday, Wednesday, Friday. On Tues, Thursday and Saturday you would do leg speed workouts. Which are again specific drills and sprints. Sunday is the long run, which stays at 2 hours, 20 miles or whatever you do for you longest runs.

This does not have to be done on a grass hill. You can do this on pavement, making sure to not kill yourself on the downhills. This is where Lydiards' "train, don't strain" comes into play. In Venezuela, we were at Maracaibo, which is at sea level and pancake flat. Arthur had the runners use the main stadium for the "uphills", running up the seat areas, not the steps, but coming down the steps to keep the 3 minutes of activity going. He had us use the bank of the velodrome (banked bike track) to get some of the down hill training. The 2:36 marathoner I mentioned, started track workouts running 27.5 for 200 and 2:12 for an 800. Arthur kept him doing extra stadium runs. This runner had been told he was to slow for the 5 and 10. After 4 weeks he did the same time trials in 22.7 and 1:51 (the National record for the 800 was just over 1:48 at the time). Two weeks later in the Central American Championships he ran 3:40 for 1500 and then set PRs at 10 km and the 1/2 marathon in the same meet.

Now go run.

Oh yeah! Nobby Hashizume, who is quoted as having helped with the interview, lives in Minnesota. He is putting together a what is likely to be last Lydiard tour of the states this fall. So for sure he will be in Minnesota, and Colorado. There are likely to be 8 to 10 other weekend "mini-camps".

Nobby is also working with Allison Roe in New Zealand to put together videos of the whole Lydiard system. So keep you ears and eyes open about the tour, video and more.

bump this awesome thread

How come real discussion about training slips out of the headlines, but discussion about RW covers gets attention?