Frank Shorter is my hero. I started running watching him winning Fukuoka marathon in 1972. I collected all the data I could get on him. One comment in it was something like "I didn't just jump out one day and started running 20 miles. I've had adequate interval training behind me..." That line probably set me back for several years.
Particularly young ambitious runners tend to read elite runners' training and try to emulate. If Bekele has very fast 800 or 1500m time, then you'll automatically think you need to work on "speed" and jump into some killer interval training. After you vomit on the track, you feel proud that you pushed your body to the limit and beyond... I'm not mocking it; I've done it myself before. Japanese didn't used to hydrate themselves, thinking that suffering is good for you! But that's totally illogical approach to training. And here, seriously folks, the Lydiard Way is a totally logical and "scientific" approach to me. It may not apply as much numbers but it's physiologically and mechanically sound. It makes sense!
By the way, I said something like "Lydiard and Daniels as two ends of spectrum (if you want to look at it that way)..." Actually I really don't think it's the two ends of spectrum. I still think they are basically the same approach and there are more similarities than opposing principles.
Congratulations to Mike Salkouski who, 20 weeks into the Lydiard program, following it quite closely, ran almost 2:30 PR in the half marathon this weekend!