Why the 800m event is not based on 60% aerobic and 40% anaerobic percentages

IT'S NOT TRUE THAT 800m ARE AN EVENT BASED ON 60% AEROBIC AND 40% ANAEROBIC.
One of the biggest mistakes of the past, that of course all the coaches looking at the past only continue to do, is TO
THINK THE PERCENTAGES OF AEROBIC/ANAEROBIC ARE CONNECTED WITH THE EVENT.
The percentages, instead, are connected with THE ATHLETE.
I want to gice you practical examples.
In Italy, we had 4 athletes running under 1:44 in their career : MARCELLO FIASCONARO (1'43"7, WR in 1973),
ANDREA LONGO (1'43"74), ANDREA BENVENUTI (European Champion 1994, 1'43"92) and GIUSEPPE D'URSO
(silver medal in WCH 1993, 1'43"95). So, practically the same performance (incidentally, all better than Peter Snell's
PB...).Fiasconaro came from 400m, he won silver medal in European Champs 1971 in Helsinki (45"49), with a
background as Rugby player. When he came Italy from South Africa, the head coach for 400m was Salvatore Morale
(WR holder of 400 hs with 49"2 in Belgrade 1962), and I was his assistant. Fiasconaro NEVER ran longer than 30' easy,
and started running 50' at easy pace only during his first training camp, before ECh, in Abetone, together with me. I told
him "you can be resistant, and if you increase your endurance you can become one of the top three 800m runners in the
world". He answered "I never will run 800m", but at the beginning of 1972 he ran his first 800 winning in Italy with
1'47"7. After, he had a stress fracture in one foot (staying in Formia, with a tartan track, because he was used to train on
grass tracks in RSA, or on cinder tracks in Torino), and had to stop training for 3 full months. He started again from
December 1972 to train in RSA, running a little bit more on golf fields, and moved to 800m, running immediately
1'45"8, and after one month 1'44"8. After he came Italy, and I followed his training in Torino. We organised for him 3
sessions per week with long run in the morning on the golf fields in La Mandria, one of warm-up + 30' fast, one of 1 hr
moderate, one of 45' with variations of speed. This was the support he had ALREADY IN FULL SEASON, and we used
this TOGETHER his basic lactic training. Also during the last two weeks before bettering the WR in Milan, we went for
this schedule of long run SUPPORTING his best specific workout, one week before the WR : 3 times 600m (recovery
12') in 1'18"7 / 1'19"1 / 1'18"6. Fiasconaro had the Lactic Threshold (LT) at a speed of 17,220 km/h in 1971, and of
18,250 before his WR. The speed of his WR was 27,772 km/h.
GIUDSEPPE D'URSO was the Italian Youth Champion in 2000m steeple. He was aerobically strong. In 1993, two
months before his silver medal, his LT was at 20,850 km/h.
The speed of his PB was 27,705 km/h.
ANDREA BENVENUTI has a PB in 400m of 46"7, was a really specialist from the beginning of his career. In 1994, his
LT was at 19,330, and the speed of his PB was 27,720 km/h.
ANDREA LONGO was a very heavy athlete, with great muscle power (when was young, somebody in Italian
Federation thought for him was better to try to become a javelin thrower...). He NEVER used long run, but specifically
he grew with his coach (Scapin) using interval training and intermittent training. At his best, he had a LT of 18,450
while the speed of his PB was, as Fiasconaro, 27,766 km/h.
Now, we can have a very simple calculation, LOOKING AT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SPEED OF LT
AND THE SPEED OF THEIR PERFORMANCES :
Fiasconaro 17,220 27,772 10,552

Benvenuti 19,330 27,720 8,490
D'Urso 20,850 27,705 6,855
Longo 18,450 27,766 9,316
It's clear that HIGHER IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LT AND SPEED OF THE COMPETITION, HIGHER IS
THE PERCENTAGE OF INTERVENTION OF THE LACTIC SYSTEM IN THE PERFORMANCE.
This because THE ATHLETES ARFE DIFFERENT. Somebody can remember the thread of Antonio Cabral and John
Hadd about the TWO DIFFERENT TYPOLOGIES OF ATHLETES FOR THE SAME EVENT (fast and resistant), and
this happens FOR ALL THE DISTANCES. In any case, FAST athletes have a higher percentage of Fast Fibers,
Resistant lower percentage.
This shows without any doubt that the idea to have a training for an event is something completely wrong. Of course, to
increase the personal aerobic ability is something very important for every kind of athletes : however, to decide that the
percentage of Aerobic in 800m is 60% IN DOGMATIC WAY shows clearly that who believes in this HOLY numbers
doesn't have any connection with the reality.
Apart Snell, the 95% of the best 800m runners in the world NEVER used Marathon Training. We can discuss about the
ability of Lydiard in training the athletes (without any doubt he was a great coach), but we cant think that this is the best
training system when we speak about 800m.
And personally I think that if Snell could have another type of training he had the talent for running 1'42", and
absolutely 3'26" in 1500m, where he never was really specifically prepared.
Once again, the answer depends on the typology of the athlete, not on the event.
Nixon was a type of athlete, such as Paul Ereng, Alberto Juantorena, Marcello Fiasconaro, Luciano Susanj, Tom
Courtney, Bill Crothers (the best competitor of Peter Snell), Billy Konchellah and many other, having the attitude of a
400m runner, with a high percentage of fast fibers. Of course, for this type of athletes, THE MOST IMPORTANT
THING IS TO ENHANCE THEIR LACTIC ABILITY, and only in a second time, maintaining the ability in producing
lactate, they can try to enhance their LT.
So, OPPOSITE TO WHAT LYDIARD SAID, ANAEROBIC FIRST (Because is their main quality), and AEROBIC
SECOND.
But, if we speak about other runners RESISTANT TYPE (like all the athletes running fast 1500m : Seb Coe, Cram,
Ovett, Asbel Kiprop, Andre Bucher and many others), ENHANCING THEIR LT IS THE FIRST GOAL THEY HAVE
TO HAVE.
Finally, there is a third type of athletes (the real SPECIALIST) that must work at the same time for increasing their LT
and for increasing the Anaerobic ability. Athletes as Rudisha, Wilfred Bungei, Borzakovskiy, Mulaudzi, Johnny Gray,
Barbosa, Doubell and many other belong to that category.
About Peter Snell, I think he was a RESISTANT type, so for him to enhance his LT was the primarly goal. But I cant
accept the idea that what worked for Peter is the best option for everybody. And I'm sure that Lydiard, with his personal
ability in understanding the real necessities in training of his athletes, if could be a coach in the athletics of today, could
change a lot his plan, speaking about AEROBIC MOST IMPORTANT QUALITY FOR SUPPORTING THE LACTIC
ABILITY THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT QUALITY FOR RUNNING FAST 800 and 1500m.
What you are not able to understand, looking at the classic "Lydiard marathon training", is that everything, during the
first training periods, depends on the "internal load". Of course the performances becomes better with training,
PRESERVING THE SAME INTERNAL LOAD. This is what happens when athletes follow their feeling only. Of
course an athlete is able to understand the level of his effort, BUT ALWAYS REMAINING INSIDE HIS CURRENT
LIMITS.
My phylosophy, under this point of view, is very different. Remember I work for producing top results, not for
increasing the fitness of the athletes : this is another job. When I said that currently I'm almost analphabet about training
young people, of course doesn't mean I cant do it, but I'm not interested at the moment, and, if and when I could be
interested again, I NEED TO RESET MY MIND, however using the same principles I use with top runners.
If you want to overtake your limits, YOU NEED TO OVERTAKE THEM IN TRAINING, too. Using the personal
feeling means to STAY INSIDE YOUR LIMITS, using always the same internal load. THIS IS THE REASON TO
REDUCE THE LEVEL OF STIMULI FOR THE BODY, CONSEQUENTELY TO STOP THE PROCESS OF
IMPROVEMENT.
Remember the ADAPTATION is the main enemy for the improvement of personal performances.
So, after a period (I call GENERAL, including TRANSITION and FUNDAMENTAL) when athletes use the same
internal load, WE NEED A SPECIAL/SPECIFIC PERIOD WHEN ATHLETES HAVE SOME SESSION WITH A
SUPERIOR QUALITY, taking care of the EXTERNAL LOAD.
External load is MATHEMATICS. Also Peter Snell, if wanted running 1:44 in 800m, NEEDED TO EXTEND HIS
ABILITY IN RUNNING AT THE PACE OF 13.0 every 100m (that is lactic), and in his last period looked at the
External load, overtaking his Internal load.
Increasing the level of training, if we don't want to kill the athletes we need to extend the recovery. This means your rule
of 48 hours is a "not-existing rule", because recovery times depends on the intensity and the quantity of training.
Your point is to put as FIXED REFEREMENT the period of recovery. This is something, I repeat, working very well
with amateurs, BUT COMPLETELY WRONG WHEN WE LOOK AT TOP PERFORMANCES.
Instead, there is one referement only when we speak about maximal performances : THE LEVEL OF TRAINING, both
in SPECIFIC INTENSITY and in SPECIFIC EXTENSION.
Under this point of view, it's clear that the SPECIFIC INTENSITY occurring for running 800m (12.8 / 14.0 every 100m
for athletes like Rudisha or a normal runner able to do 1:52) has nothing to do with the one occurring for 10000m (15.77
/ 18.0 for Bekele or a normal athlete able running 30:00) and the one occurring for Marathon (17.5 / 20.0 for Geoffrey
Mutai and Mosop or a normal athlete for 2:20:40).
This is one of the principles of INDIVIDUALIZATION.

f an athlete has a good coach and is able to understand WHERE he can have the best personal performance, HE MUST
USE DIFFERENT SYSTEM FROM OTHER ATHLETES BECAUSE HIS ATTITUDES ARE DIFFERENT AND
THE SPECIFICISM OF HIS BEST EVENT IS DIFFERENT.
I'm not interested in deciding where I'm similar to Lydiard and where I'm different. I'm interested in explaining MY
RULES : INDIVIDUALIZATION BECAUSE EVERYBODY IS DIFFERENT, AND GROWING OF SPECIFIC
INTENSITY DURING THE SPECIFIC PERIOD BECAUSE ATHLETES HAVE TO OVERTAKE THEIR CURRENT
LIMITS. And, of course, as final consequence of this process, more recovery, how everybody with normal brain can
understand after sessions very much more tough.
My behavior is very simple : when I speak with some athletes, of every level, I explain them which kind of qualities they
have, and which type of results they can achieve. I explain also what they have to do, according to my knowledge, for
reaching those results. Of course, this means a type of training with the following targets : continuity, graduality, full
focus, disciplin, motivation, loyalty with other people and with themselves. This means no shortcuts, no doping, no
excuses.
Nobody obliges to follow what I say with a gun : it must be their own choice, also because I never go to recruit some
athletes, but are the athletes coming to me.
3) After speaking in this way with everybody comes to me asking to be coached, I give two different options, depending
on the future value of the athletes, according my ideas :
a) if the athlete has, in my opinion, the possibility to become a real champion, I ask him to follow very strictly what I
plan for him, but...
b) if the athlete has the attitude for becoming a good athlete only, I try to convince him in having a more soft approach,
BECAUSE IN THIS CASE THE SACRIFICES (that are the same for a top champion or for an amateur) CANT
PRODUCE A FINAL RESULT ABLE TO JUSTIFY WHAT ELSE YOU DON'T DO IN YOUR LIFE.
4) This means that I'm the first knowing that my final system is not the right system for normal people. In my life, when
I was still in Italy till 2003, I prepared programs for amateurs that came to me for some advice (of course without asking
money, JimE), and they improved dramatically, the most part of times REDUCING their mileage, but of course
CHOSING the most important workouts to do.
Training is the answer of the body to some stimulus. Without stimulus there is no real training, and it's not possible to
improve : so, WE NEED TO GIVE SOME STIMULUS AT THE LEVEL OF THE ATHLETE IN ORDER TO HAVE
A REACTION PRODUCING IMPROVEMENT
b) Stimuli can be in two directions only :

1- Extension
2- Intensity
This means that to repeat a lot of times the same training doesn't give any stimulus, and without stimulus we have
ADAPTATION.
Adaptation is the main ENEMY for every type of improvement. It's like a schoolboy who, because was good in the class
4, wants to repeat again all his life instead using what he learnt for going to class 5, and after, for example, to University.
So, amateurs are students finishing their education at the end of primary school or secondary school (depending on their
level), professionals are students finishing University, top champion are students with the specialization.
At the same time, teachers of primary school do one very important job, that is not the same of teachers of secondary, of
University, of Specialization. It's not one job is better than the other, but of sure IS DIFFERENT.
About Bordin, Gigliotti started to coach him, looking at marathon, in 1984. At that time, all the "Italian School" looked
at Lydiard, including myself. But really, you must understand that, when an athlete says "I follow Lydiard's principles",
this means ONLY high mileage, with the main usage of long and continue run. But the training of Bordin was really
very much different. For example, the system of long run with long tests alternated with 1 km of recovery at 90% of
Marathon Pace (MP) is something Gigliotti used, after discussing with me and Giampaolo Lenzi, and Lydiard didn't use.
Bordin started running, 4 months before the marathon, for example, 23 km alternating 8 x 2000m at MP (in this case 6')
with 1 km in 3'20", for arriving to run 3 x 7 km under 21' alternated with 1 km under 3'20". Stefano Baldini used these
kind of workouts more frequently than Bordin, and faster.
The real problem in this system, as in the system I explain for preparing marathon (long and fast) is that who wants to
use it needs to understand how much recovery has to do. The "law" of 48 hours for recovering is a complete bullshit.
Recovery time is totally different for different type of workouts, depending on several factors. The example is that, when
you run a full marathon at your best, you cant compete after 48 hours, but if you run the distance of a marathon at 60%
of your effort you can train very well also the day after.
I remember, the first time I was in Kenya, I saw a training of Moses Kiptanui and several other athletes, in Chepkoilel
track (the track of University, 12 km far from Eldoret). They went for 15 times 300m, all between 41" and 42", and
started with about 1' of recovery, for finishing with about 7' between the number 14 and number 15. At that time, I
considered this as a methodological mistake. Today, I use to do workouts of LACTIC RESISTANCE opening the
recovery, if I want to respect the speed.
At least, we fully agree that the "aerobic house" is the base for every specific type of training you can use. But what we
say is that you can build your house also with a lot of anaerobic efforts, mixed of course with something typically
aerobic, if you understand the alternance between effort and recovery, and this is the way African use to build their
house.
Ari and vederci, I confirm that the 48 hours are a complete bullshit. Also an idiot understands that, IF my goal is to have some session with
more intensity than in the past (in extension, or in intensity, or both together), BECAUSE I THINK THAT WITH THIS TYPE OF
SOLLECITATION (of course alternated with the right recovery) YOU CAN REACH YOUR BEST SHAPE WHEN YOU NEED, and this is
the only way for reaching the top of what you can do, automatically we need to open the recovery.
So, you consider the basic point of your training the same recovery and the continuity, I consider the intensity of the training and the
modulation. We have a exactly an opposite idea of training.
At the time of Lydiard, somebody said that not running one day brings an athlete to lose a small percentage of his shape. This is a typical
mentality for amateurs, because the truth is exactly the opposite : top champions NEVER have complete continuity, but use a very big
modulation were training of very high intensity and recovery have the same importance, because one is not possible if there is not the
other.
have for you a very easy question.
You have an athlete running with little training 33' in 10k. After 3 months of good training he becomes able running 31'. The question is :
WHY ?
This athlete was able running, before this training, in the same way used 3 months later. So,there was not a technical improvement. What
changed ?
With training he changed his physiology. So, physiology is not mathematics, where you can have a calculation and after you can apply the
calculation to some projet that you develop following rules (for example, you can calculate the parabol of a rocket for going around the
Moon, and after you can build everything exactly as your calculation, and you succeed). Physiology can only study what really happens in
the human body, and, till when something DOESN'T HAPPEN, physiology doesn't have any possibility to check the phenomen.
In this picture, normally physiologists NEVER are able to work with top athletes, and do the mistake to extend their experiences (done with
normal persons) to top Champions.
Top Champions : WHY ARE THEY TOP CHAMPIONS ? There are many reason, but one is that they HAVE SPECIFIC ATTITUDES
VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE RANGE OF NORMAL PEOPLE. Not only, but having more attitude, they can look for more important
results, so their training is more professional, there is more volume and more intensity, they can dedicate a period of their life full time to
their training, and this means THE BASIC GAP BETWEEN THEM AND NORMAL PEOPLE BECOMES BIGGER EVERY DAY.
Never there was a scientist creating something new in training. Instead, there were coaches without any knowledge of physiology (one of
them was ecatly Lydiard) but with the idea to explore some new area, able to create a psychological feeling with some athlete, that tried
something new, and in some case the supposed human barrier were overtaken. And after, only after, their system became a general
method, used in all the World.
Try to understand that there are not physiological laws, about recovery, training, aerobic, thresholds, specific endurance, strength,
biomechanics, etc., because EVERY person is different from another person, and EVERY IDENTICAL RESULT is produced, by different
athletes, using different percentages of the same qualities.
At the end, coaching is not a science : is an art. And artists need to know science, but scientists don't need to know art.
We have two different engines : the bioenergetic, providing for giving energy and duration for every action we do, and the biomechanical,
which works on the power of the action.
Every short action depends on the biomechanical engine : there are not energetic problems when we look at actions lasting 5" / 8" (under
the energetic point of view, these kinds of efforts are callend "alactic"). For that reason, to work for increasing the "specific resistance" in a
thrower, for example, is something not only useless, but also damageous. Different, instead, is to work for increasing the "general
resistance", that we can find as base of every type of training.
For better understanding, I give some exmple, always referred to a thrower, that is the most distant type of athletes from a middle distance
runner.
In his case, "specific resistance" means the ability to perform a higher number of throws at your max effort. In a competition there is a
maximum of 6 throws, so the ability to throw 30 times around his best doesn't have any value for his results. It's very much more important
to try to increase specific strength and technique, in order to be able to throw longer, one time only, during the competition.
So, in his training, a thrower, when look at a technical session, tries to fix some technical particular, executing many attempts close to the
maximal intensity, but maintaining a margin for having the full focus on one particular. Therefore, it's clear that, if he's able to do 50
attempts instead 30, he can have a more productive training, and for being able to do this he must work for increasing his "general
resistance".
How can we improve our general resistance ? Increasing the volume of the exercises we use, with the goal to give more resistance to
every muscular district. This is "general resistance" for the biomechanical engine.
But, when we speak about some physical action lasting more long time, we need to build the "specific resistance", and this fact is
connected, in different percentages depending on the duration of the effort, with both the Aerobic and Anaerobic System.
I give an example speaking about different types of 800m runners.
We can have athletes very strong aerobically. This category had, especially in the past, many champions, as Sebastian Coe, Steve Ovett,
Steve Cram, Peter Snell and a lot of other specialists.
All these athletes started their career FROM an aerobic point of view. Britons had in the school cross competitions very long, and ran in
their first championships, while juniores, longer distances (In European Junior Championships, Cram 3000m in 1979 and Coe 1500m in
1975, the Swiss Andre Bucher, WCh 2001, from Cross Country, etc.)
For all these kind of athletes, the goal is clear : THEY ARE AEROBIC ANIMALS, with a very high Aerobic Power, and for developing their
events (they are athletes that can run longer distances, too) THEY NEED TO MAINTAIN WHAT THEY ALREADY HAVE, TRYING TO
REDUCE THE GAP THEY HAVE ON THE BIOMECHANICAL POINT OF VIEW.
When we speak about the full career of these athletes, the idea of "Aerobic First" can be correct, also if they did a lot of activity in other
directions (for example, playing football or rugby) for building the base of their biomechanical engine without a real specific goal.
But there are a lot of other runners starting the event in spite of very low aerobic qualities, able to reach good results in short time because
their biomechanical engine is really very strong. This is the case of David Rudisha today, but in the past we had Rudolf Harbig, Tom
Courtney, Mel Whitfield, Bill Crothers, Alberto Juantorena and many Kenyans, as for instead Billy Konchellah and Paul Ereng.
In this case, they had a very strong biomechanical engine and a morphology like long sprinters : tall between 1.85 and 1.90, with strong
muscle masses and very high natural speed.
In this case, we have to continue in the direction of speed, trying to improve in the aerobic direction step by step, BUT NEVER WE CAN
FORGET TO TRAIN THE MAIN QUALITIES THEY HAVE.
I give you two examples, with Kenyans, of the current days.
OB KINYOR came to me for starting his training because his father, Barnabas Kinyor, 48"7 in 400 hs and 1'44"7 in 800m many years ago,
introduced him to me (Barnabas is the husband of Selina Kosgei, my athlete winning Boston Marathon in 2009). Job was n. 3 in the
National Championships for secondary school in 2006 in Decathlon. When he arrived in the camp, I saw very good attitudes of explosivity
and coordination, but completely empty black board for every aerobic activity. After 5 months of training, he was not able running 5 km
under 20' (and in LR everybody thinks Kenyans have years of Aerobic activity and are very strong under this point of view....).
In 2007, he ran 1'47" having a best in 5 km of 18'22".

In 2011, he ran 1'45"07 having a best of 15'07".
This year, he ran 1'43"74 at the beginning of the season, when was more ready aerobically.
But, along all these years, we NEVER forgot the training of speed, that was the main dish of his preparation, in every period of the year.
The second example is LEONARD KOSENCHA, the World Youth Champion of last year.
He won, in fron from the first meter like Rudisha in London, defeating Aman, Kitum and Amos, running 1'44"06, WITHOUT HAVING ANY
TRACK SESSION TILL THE LAST PERIOD IN THE OFFICIAL CAMP. This because where he lived there was no track. So, I provided for
a program where the most important training was RUNNING SHORT AND FAST, using some Fartlek with max extension 20', and a lot of
different distances uphill, from short (60m at max speed) till "specific" (4 times 1'30", about 500m, at a gradient of 12%). In this case, I
never gave him any info about recovery. Being so new and so young (last year it was his first year of activity), I told him "go for the next
when you are ready, but try to push near your max possibility".
So, this was a training of "Lactic Capacity", and this is a quality we have to develop from the beginning of the career. Like in every
situation, we need to know the "dosage" of these workouts : normally, I use with young athletes one session every two weeks, and other
two sessions with 85% of intensity, shorter recovery and more volume.
This was also the way Brother Colm followed with David Rudisha. He started with the idea of 400m, and already was able running 1'45"
before going in training for something longer than 30' very easy.
So, of course for these athletes "aerobic first" is a big mistake.
I explained several times that every person is different from another person, and that's the reason because general training tables and
general principles can't exist in middle distances. This is also the reason because the classic periodisation, studied by methodologists of
Soviet Union in the period of 60-70, NEVER produced good results in middle distance, without the support of doping.
The fact is that 5 throwers in the same event, also if having different percentages of the same qualities (one can be a little bit faster,
another more explosive, another can have more mass, etc...), are very much more similar than 5 runners. When we speak about runners,
top or not top, we have a very wide range of possibility for reaching the same result. In this case, the first step is to analyse their quality,
and only after we have to create their "training cloth", different from the cloth of another athlete of the same level.
At the end, what coaches have to do is to try to understand the quality of an athlete. There is no training for one event in middle distances,
but training for an athlete who can run also different events.
Use your brain, your passion, your feeling. Don't use tables prepared from somebody else. This is one of the reasons because for many
it's very dufficult to understand my training phylosophy : because I post the reality, I cant post the feeling I have looking at one training
session, that is the reason because some times I go to change the next workouts. Coaching is something connected with the daily life, not
with a theoric program.
PROGRAM FOR STEPHEN CHERONO (From 31st of March, 4 weeks)
Morning Afternoon
Mon 1 hr 10 min fartlek with 10 x 2 min fast / 1 min moderate 50 min easy
Tue 45 min 45 min
Wed 45 min 45 min + 10 x 1 min very fast uphill (rec. 3?)
Thu 45 min 1 hr 20 min progressive (3?50? > 3?10?)
Fri 20 min warm - up - (Track) : 4 sets (recovery 5 min) of 600 / 500 / 400 / 300m recovery 2 min between every test in : 1'34" - 1'16" - 60"
- 43" 40 min easy
Sat 45 min easy 1 hr easy
Sun Rest
Mon 50 min easy 40 min easy + 20 times 100m climbing sprinting at max. speed (recovery 3 min)
Tue 1 hr moderate 40 min progressive (from 3'40" > 3'20")
Wed 1 hr moderate 45 min easy
Thu 20' warm-up - (Track) : 3 times 2000m alternating 1 lap fast (62" / 63") and 1 lap medium (75") (example : 63" / 75" / 63" / 75" / 62" =
5'38") recovery 5 min 45 min easy
Fri 50 min easy 50 min easy + diagonals
Sat 1 hr 10 min with short variations (10 x 1' fast recovery 2' easy) 40 min + 10 times 100m uphill sprinting
Sun Rest
Mon 40 min easy + 10 x 400m in 61? rec. 200m in 50 secs / 1 min 40 min easy + 3 x 2000m in 5?40? recovery 4 min jogging (2?50?
p/Km)
Tue 45 min 45 min
Wed 45 min + 10 x 20? very fast uphill 1 hr easy
Thu 20 min w.up - (Track) : 7 x 1000m in 2'42" rec. 4 min
Fri 1 hr easy 1 hr with short variations
Sat 20 min warm-up + 5 km continuous run climbing (about 8 % of gradient) 40 min easy
Sun Rest
Mon 1 hr 10 min with short variations (10 x 30" fast rec. 1 min easy + 10 x 1 min fast rec. 2' easy) 50 min easy + diagonals
Tue 20 min warm - up (track) 5 couples of (1200m + 300m, recovery 2 min between tests), recovery 6 min among the couples, in 3'09"
(63" per lap) - 42" 30 min easy
Wed 1 hr moderate 40 min easy + 10 times 100m sprint climbing
Thu 1 hr moderate 30 min easy + 2 sets of 6 x 100m (track) in 13" recovery 15" between every test, and 5 min between sets (this one is
called "intermittent training", and is the best way of training for improving the threshold before some lactacid training)
Fri 50 min moderate 50 min easy diagonals
Sat 20 min warm - up (track) 4 x 600m (rec. 2') in 1'33" / 1'33" / 1'33" / 1'28" 4 x 200m (rec. 2') in 28" / 28" / 28" / 25" 4 x 500m (rec. 2') in
1'16" / 1'16" / 1'16" / 1'12" 4 x 300m (rec. 2') in 45" / 45" / 45" / 41" 4 x 400m (rec. 2') in 60" / 60" / 60" / 56" (Recovery among sets : 5 / 6
min)
Sun Rest
-------------------------
-------------------------
PROGRAM FOR STEPHEN CHERONO (From 8th of May, till Ostrava (12th of June)
Morning Afternoon
Thu, 8 45 min + 12 times 150m hard climbing 1 hr 10 min progressive (3?50? > 3?10?)
Fri 20 min warm - up - (Track) : 4 sets (recovery 5 min) of 1000 / 600 / 300m recovery 2 min between every test in : 2'34" - 1'30" - 43" 40
min easy
Sat 45 min easy 1 hr easy
Sun Rest
Mon, 12 50 min easy 40 min easy + 20 times 100m climbing sprinting at max. speed (recovery 3 min)
Tue 1 hr moderate 40 min progressive (from 3'40" > 3'20")
Wed 20' warm-up - (Track) : 5 times 1200m with last lap very fast (66" + 66" + 56" = 3'08") recovery 5 min 45 min easy
Thu 1 hr moderate 45 min easy
Fri 50 min easy 50 min easy + diagonals
Sat 20' warm-up - (Track) 5 x 400m in 58" rec. 1 min - (rec. 5'/6') 1 x 1600m in 64" per lap (4'16") - (rec. 5'/6') 5 x 300m in 42" rec. 1 min -
(rec. 5'/6') 1 x 1200m in 64" per lap (3'12") - (rec. 5'/6') 5 x 200m in 26" rec. 2 min 40 min easy + diagonals
Sun Rest
Mon, 19 1 hr easy 45 min moderate

Tue 40 min easy + 10 x 400m in 58? rec. 1 min 40 min easy + 3 x 2000m in 5?30? recovery 4 min
Wed 45 min + diagonals 1 hr easy
Thu 1 hr progressive running (3'50" > 3'10") 40 min easy + exercises for rapidity (skip, heels to buttocks, run with very high knees and
short strides)
Fri 20 min w.up - (Track) : 7 x 1000m in 2'38" rec. 4 min
Sat 1 hr easy 1 hr with short variations
Sun Rest
Mon, 26 20 min warm - up (track) 4 couples of (1600m + 400m, recovery 2 min between tests), recovery 6 min among the couples, in
4'16" (64" per lap) - 57" 30 min easy
Tue 1 hr moderate 40 min easy + 10 times 100m sprint climbing
Wed 1 hr moderate 30 min easy + 2 sets of 6 x 150m (track) in 20"5 recovery 20" between every test, and 5 min between sets
("intermittent training")
Thu 50 min moderate 50 min easy + diagonals
Fri 40 min + 12 x 100m climbing sprint 50 min easy + diagonals + exercises for rapidity (like last Thursday)
Sat 20 min warm - up (track) 4 x 600m (rec. 2') in 1'31" / 1'31" / 1'31" / 1'27" 4 x 200m (rec. 2') in 28" / 28" / 28" / 25" 4 x 500m (rec. 2') in
1'15" / 1'15" / 1'15" / 1'11" 4 x 300m (rec. 2') in 45" / 45" / 45" / 41" 4 x 400m (rec. 2') in 58" / 58" / 58" / 54" (Recovery among sets : 5 / 6
min)
Sun Rest
Mon, 2 1 hr progressive (last 15 min hard) 40 min easy + 10 times 100m climbing sprint
Tue 20' warm-up - (Track) 3000m in 8'20" + 2000m in 5'30" + 1500m in 3'58" + 1000m in 2'32" + 500m fast (recovery 6 min between every
test) 30 min easy regeneration
Wed 1 hr with short and easy variations of speed 40 min moderate
Thu 30 min easy + 20 min very hard competitive 50 min easy + diagonals
Fri 20' warm-up - (Track) 2 sets of (800 / 800 / 800 / 200m) rec. 6 min among sets, 2 min among tests, in : 2'04" / 25" 40 min easy
Sat 1 hr 20min moderate with some variations (personale sensation) 40 min easy + rapidity (like last Friday)
Sun Rest
Mon, 9 40 min + 10 x 200m in 27" / 28" rec. 1'30" 40 min easy

Tue 40 min (Travel to Ostrava)
Wed 40 min
Thu, 12 RACE 5000m (Ostrava) (goal : 12'52")
---------------
---------------
PROGRAM FOR STEPHEN CHERONO (From 23rd July till Zurich)
Morning Afternoon
Wed 23 40 min moderate + 6 times 2 min hard competitive climbing (recovery 4/5 min) 1 hr easy
Thu 24 1 hr 10 min progressive running 1 hr with short variations of speed
Fri 25 30 min easy + 40 min fartlek with 3 min / 2 min / 1 min hard rec. 2 min easy for 3 times 50 min easy + exercises for technique of
hurdles
Sat 26 (Track) 10 x 600m in 1'32" rec. 2 min (not very hard after the workout of yesterday) 1 hr easy
Sun 27 Rest
Mon 28 1 hr 20 min (30 min easy + 20 min with 1 min fast / 1 min moderate + 20 min easy + 10 min hard competitive) 40 min regeneration
Tue 29 50 min + 10 x 80m sprint climbing 40 min
Wed 30 40 min easy (Track) 2000m / 400m (rec. 2') in : 5'25" (65" per lap) - 57" - (rec. 6 min) - 1600m / 400m (rec. 2') in : 4'16" (64" per
lap) - 56" - (rec. 6 min) - 1200m / 400m (rec. 2') in : 3'09" (63" per lap) - 55" - (rec. 6 min) - 800m / 400m (rec. 2') in : 2'04" (62" per lap) -
54"
Thu 31 50 min easy 50 min easy
Fri 1 1 hr moderate 50 min easy + exercises for technique of hurdles
Sat 2 (Track) 4 sets of 3 x 400m (rec. 1 min between every test - 4 min between sets) improving speed : 62" - 59" - 56" 40 min easy
Sun 3 Rest
Mon 4 1 hr moderate 1 hr with short variations
Tue 5 50 min easy + diagonals 30 min + 30 min hard
Wed 6 1 hr moderate 40 min moderate + exercises for techinique of hurdles
Thu 7 (Track) 4 x 1000m in 2'32" rec. 4'/5' - (Rec. 8') - 6 x 500m in 1'12" rec. 4'/5' - (Rec. 8') - 800m in 1'54" 40 min regeneration
Fri 8 50 min easy 1 hr with short and easy variations
Sat 9 1 hr progressive running (from moderate to hard) 40 min + 10 times 80m sprint climbing
Sun 10 Rest
Mon 11 (Track) 1000 / 600 / 300 rec. 2 min in 2'36" / 1'30" / 43" - (Rest 6 min) - 800 / 600 / 300 rec. 2' in 2'02" / 1'30" / 43" - (Rest 6 min) -
600 / 400 / 300 rec. 2' in 1'30" / 57" / 43" - (Rest 6 min) - 500 / 300 / 200 rec. 2' in 1'13" / 43" / 26" - (Rest 6 min) - 800m in 1'56" 40 min
regeneration
Tue 12 40 min (Travel to Zurich)
Wed 13 (Arrival to Zurich) 40 min
Thu 14 40 min
Fri 15 RACE 3000 m SC in Zurich
I want to be more precise about the training of Stephen Cherono.
In my schedules (what I send by e-mail to some coach that provided to post them later), when you see a training type "5 x 600m in 1:33",
this is the PROGRAM THAT I GAVE TO THE ATHLETE. If you see "5 x 600 in 1:31.8 - 1:32.2 - 1:29.5 etc", very precise, THIS IS WHAT
THE ATHLETE REALLY DID. So, regarding for example the lack of Stockholm before Zurich, what is posted at the beginning of this post
is the PROJECT OF TRAINING. Later, we decided together that could be good to run one more race, and we changed the program,
depending on the best choices for reaching the best shape for World Championships.
Regarding the consideration that the training of Stephen is designed for him, ALL TRAININGS OF TOP RUNNERS MUST BE DESIGNED
FOR THEM. Don't think that, following the training of a champion, another athlete can improve very much. This happens also if the other
runner is a champion himself. For example, when I train together Stephen, Nicholas Kemboi, James Kwalia (12:54), Mark Bett (12:55),
Albert Chepkurui (26:38), really their work has only a part in common, but there is always an individual part.
Example : all together can go for 3 x 2000m in 5:30 rec. 3 min, then the work can change in this way :
Shaheen - Kwalia - Bett : 6 x 500 in 1:12 rec. 1:30 + 10 x 300 in 43.0 rec. 45 sec.
Kemboi - Hassan - John Korir : 6 x 1000 in 2:42 rec. 2 min + 10 times 100m sprint uphill
Mosop - Paul Kosgei : 2 laps of the lake in St. Moritz (8.7 km) at 3:00 pace
At the end of different workouts, athletes going (for example) to Bruxelles, ran 26:30 (Kemboi), 26:38 (Hassan), 27:13 (Mosop), 27:17
(Korir), 27:21 (Kosgei), while Shaheen ran steeple and Kwalia 7:35 in 3000.
So, training together athletes with some similar characteristic, but of course not identical, we can use a part of work together but with
different means. In the case of before (that is not true, but hypothetical), 3 x 2000 are endurance at low level for Shaheen, Kwalia and Bett
(2:45 pace, when they have to run at 2:30 pace), are endurance at the level of threshold for Kemboi, Hassan and John Korir, and are
speed for Kosgei moving to marathon.
After this, the other part of training regards the specific preparation : for Shaheen, Kwalia and Bett moving to speed, for Kemboi, Hassan
and Korir to specific pace, for Kosgei and Mosop to more long endurance.
What is possible to see, trying to follow if you want, is THE PHYLOSOPHY of training : modulation, recovery, intensity, mix of strength
endurance and specific endurance, basic training ALWAYS and not only during winter, speed ALWAYS and not only during track season.
With this phylosophy, everybody can find his best program. Remember that not always TRAINING HARD is TRAINING WELL.
I read the posts, finding a lot of people that want to have Shaheen's training of 2004. I want only to explain one thing : the type of training
of Shaheen is in continue evolution. Now, his training is very much different. What can seem incredible for an athlete running steeple, is
the improvement in LONG FAST RUN. Every week Stephen goes for one session of 25 km at 3:10 pace (2300m of altitude), but once a
month the session is long from 35 and 39 km. One example : last year Stephen ran, 5 days after winning Golden Gala in 7:56, 37 km in
2:02 (less than 4 weeks before World Championships in Helsinki). This winter, he went for 39 km in 2:07. He doesn't prepare marathon,
because his long training is only a "cherry" on the cake, and the cake is something else, while, for marathon, long training "is the cake".
I'm sure that a strong aerobic support can help him in fast work of intensity. For example, 2 days ago he went for 2 x 1 mile, rec. 5:00, in
3:57 and 3:58. His training was planned as 4 x 1 mile in 4:04 rec. 5:00, but after the first 2 I preferred to stop him, because I don't want
that his shape can be at the top now : we need top shape for the period between Zurich (18 August) and World Cup. For who is interested,
I'll send again his training of this season, of course after his World Cup.
I write the REAL training that Shaheen did from 15th of June. I want to explain that, for this season, we have 3 goals : a) to beat his WR of
steeple b) to win 5000 and steeple in World Cup
c) to win steeple and 5000 in Asian Games in December.
Regarding the first goal, we are disappointed that the conditions around the event didn't allowed Shaheen in bettering his record. He was
in the best shape of his life in Zurich, and it's frustrating to waste it without fault, after running in Athens on 3rd July the same time having
80% of the shape. The problem is that, at the moment, there is one athlete only (Paul Koech) able to push Shaheen, and of course this
athlete cannot help him for trying a record. If we organize a race of 2000 steeple with all the best specialists, the winner is not able to
finish with a time useful like passage for beating the WR. This is the reason because he has to look for flat events, going to steeple for
winning titles only.
MONDAY, 12-06
a) 1 hr 10:00 progressive run (from 3:40 to 3:00, last 15:00) (21k)

b) 45:00 moderate + 15 times 80m sprint uphill (13k)
TUESDAY, 13/06
a) Track in Chepkoilel : 3 couples of 1200 + 400m (rec. among tests 1:45, among couples 4:00) in :
3:05.3 / 56.9 - 3:03.6 / 57.1 - 3:00.9 / 56.1 (9k)
b) 45:00 easy regeneration (12k)
WEDNESDAY, 14/06
a) 1 hr 15:00 with short variations of speed (22k)

b) 1 hr moderate (16k)
THURSDAY, 15/06
a) 1 hr 03:00 with last 6:00 max speed (18k)

b) 30:00 easy + 5 x 100m sprint uphill + 15:00 hard (12k)
FRIDAY, 16/06
a) 20:00 easy warm-up + Fartlek (5 times 6:00 fast, 1:30 recovery, 1:00 fast, 3:00 recovery - totally 54:30) (21k)
b) 45:00 moderate (12k)
SATURDAY, 17/06 (Rain)
a) 1 hr on the mud (15k)

b) 45:00 very slow (10k)
SUNDAY, 18/06 (Rain)
Rest
Total mileage of the week : 181 km (1 resting day)
MONDAY, 19/06
25 km in 1 hr 19:44 in Iten (2300m of altitude) at 3:11 of average
TUESDAY, 20/06
a) Track in Chepkoilel : 4 couples of 600m (first test slow, 1:00 recovery, second test fast), rec. 4:00, in :
1:35.9 / 1:25.3 - 1:33.9 / 1:23.2 - 1:35.3 / 1:23.8 - 1:34.0 / 1:24.4 (9k)
b) 40:00 slow (muddy) (10k)
WEDNESDAY, 21/06
a) 23,7 km very muddy in 1:21:40 (average 3:26, 5 km between 15,3 and 20,3 in 14:36)
b) 1 hr moderate + 15 x 80m sprint uphill (16,3k)
THURSDAY, 22/06
a) 25:00 warm-up + (track) 2 x 400m in 63.8 / 61.0 rec. 30.0 + 2 x 200 in 26.9 / 25.3 rec. 3:00. I stopped training because his legs were
very heavy due to the mud of the previous day. After this, we went for 2 sets of 10 sprints of 60m climbing for recruiting the ability of
rapidity, lost because heavy legs. (7k)
FRIDAY, 23/06
a) 1 hr moderate (16k)
b) 1 hr with short variations of speed (17k)
SATURDAY, 24/06
25:00 warm-up + Fartlek : 4 sets of 4:00 + 3:00 + 2:00 fast, rec. 2:00 between 4:00 and 3:00, and 1:30 between 3:00 and 2:00, and 2:30
among sets (totally 57:30, 23k)
SUNDAY, 25/06
Rest
Total mileage of the week : 159 km (1 resting day)
MONDAY, 26/06
35 km in 1:51:36 in Iten (average 3:11 per km)
TUESDAY, 27/06
a) 1 hr 13:00 from moderate to fast (22k)

b) 37:00 moderate + 15 x 80m sprint uphill (11k)
WEDNESDAY, 28/06
a) Track in Chepkoilel : 2 x 1600, rec. 6:00, in 3:57.3 and 3:58.0 (note : this training was planned as 4 x 1600 in 4:06, I changed after
seeing the first in 3:57)
THURSDAY, 29/06
1 hr 15:00 progressive run (22k)

In the afternoon, travel by car from Eldoret to Nairobi.
FRIDAY, 30/06
Travel Nairobi - Athens + 30:00 jogging (6k)
SATURDAY, 1/07
30:00 jogging in Athens (6k)
SUNDAY, 2/07
30:00 jogging (6k)
Total mileage of the week : 125 km
MONDAY, 3/07 : ATHENS SUPERGP : 3000 st. in 7:56.32

(splits for 400m : 61.5 - 2:06.3 (64.8) - 3:11.8 (65.5) - 4:15.2 (63.4) - 5:17.7 (62.5) - 6:21.8 (64.1) - 7:24.9 (63.1) + 31.4)
TUESDAY, 4/07 :
Travel to St. Moritz (37:00 jogging, 8k)
WEDNESDAY, 5/07 :
a) 1 hr 15:00 progressive run (21k)

THURSDAY, 6/07 :
a) Track in St. Moritz : 7 x 600m increasing time and opening recovery : 1:33.3 (1:00) + 1:30.4 (2:00) + 1:29.1 (3:00) + 1:27.2 (4:00) +
1:24.0 (5:00) + 1:23.3 (6:00) + 1:24.3 (cold weather)
FRIDAY, 7/07 :
a) 1 hr 15:00 moderate (20k)

b) 20:00 easy + 30:00 fast (average 3:00 per km) (14k)
SATURDAY, 8/07 :
Track : 25:00 warm-up + 800 in 1:59.6 (rec. 3:30) + 1200 in 2:56.7 (4:30) + 1600 in 4:01.4 (8:20) + 800 in 1:58.7 (training stopped for
stomach pain, due to cold temperature)
SUNDAY, 9/07
1 hr moderate (16k)
Total mileage of the week : 136 km (1 competition)
MONDAY, 10/07 :
Track in St. Moritz, nice day, 18 degrees :

2000m in 4:54.7 (rec. 10:00) + 2 x 600m (rec. 1:30) in 1:25.2 / 1:23.2 (rec. 8:00) + 3 x 400m (rec. 40.0) in 57.2 / 59.4 / 54.8
After this training we decided to go to Rome for running 5000m in Golden Gala.
TUESDAY, 11/07 :
WEDNESDAY, 12/07 :
Travel St. Moritz - Milan by car, Milan - Rome by plane.

In Rome, 33:00 jogging
THURSDAY, 13/07 :
a) 25:00 jogging
b) 31:00 with final progression (last km in 2:50)
FRIDAY, 14/07 : ROME (Golden League), 5000m : 2nd in 12:51.98

Splits : 29.4 (200) / 1:30.3 (600 - 60.9) / 2:31.3 (1000 - 61.0) / 3:33.7 (1400 - 62.4) / 4:34.8 (1800 - 61.1) / 5:05.3 (2000) / 5:35.1 ( 2200 -
60.3) / 6:36.6 (2600 - 61.5) / 7:36.8 (3000 - 60.2) / 8:43.2 (3400 - 66.4) / 9:52.0 (3800 - 68.8) / 10:24.8 (4000) / 10:56.4 (4200 - 64.4) /
11:58.6 (4600 - 62.2). Last lap in 53.38.
Last lap of Bekele and Shaheen, every 100m :
Bekele : 12.6 + 13.8 (26.4) + 13.7 (40.1) + 13.0 (53.1)
Shaheen : 14.0 + 13.2 (27.2) + 13.4 (40.6) + 12.78 (53.38)
Shaheen made a big tactical mistake, remaining inside the group at the beginning of the last lap, prisoner in the first lane. Bekele
increased suddenly his speed from behind, going in 3rd lane with already 4 meters of gap on the finish line, with one lap to go. All the
difference was in the first turn of last lap. My personal impression is that Shaheen was stronger, but wasted his chances using 150m
before being free to follow Bekele and Songok. Last 300m in 40.5 for Bekele, in 39.38 for Shaheen.
SATURDAY, 15/07 :
Travel Rome - Milan - Amsterdam - Nairobi. Rest
SUNDAY, 16/07 :
In Nairobi : 1 hr moderate
In the afternoon : Travel to Iten
MONDAY, 17/07 :
a) 1 hr progressive run (18k)

b) 1 hr with short variations of speed (18k)
TUESDAY, 18/07 :
a) 1 hr 20:00 (40:00 moderate + 20:00 hard + 20:00 moderate) (24k)

b) 30:00 easy + 10 x 1:30 hard climbing (rec. 3:00) (11k)
WEDNESDAY, 19/07 :
a) 20:00 warm-up + fartlek (8:00 + 2 x 6:00 + 3 x 5:00 + 4 x 3:00 + 5 x 2:00, rec. 2:00 easy, totally 1 hr 25:00) (4 + 26k)
THURSDAY, 20/07 :
a) 45:00 moderate + 10 x 100m sprint climbing + 30:00 moderate + 3k continuous running uphill (23k)
FRIDAY, 21/07 :
a) 40:00 easy + technique hurdles (11k)

b) 30:00 easy + 10 x 100m fast uphill (gradient 3-4 %) with 3 hurdles to pass, for improving the ability in pushing and strength endurance
(8k)
SATURDAY, 22/07 :
a) 30:00 easy + 10 x 100m fast downhill (gradient 3-4 %) with 3 hurdles to pass, for improving eccentric strength
b) 40:00 easy + 9 km (track) alternating 1 km in 2:45 and 1 km in 3:03 (2:46 / 3:02 / 2:45 / 3:06 / 2:45 / 3:03 / 2:48 / 3:01 / 2:41) in 26:06
SUNDAY, 23/07 : 198 km (1 day resting)
MONDAY, 24/07 :
39 km in 2 hr 07:22 in Eldoret - Kaptagat (average 3:16 per km.
TUESDAY, 25/07 :
b) 45:00 moderate + 2 sets of 10 x 80m sprint uphill (14k)
WEDNESDAY, 26/07 :
a) 25:00 warm-up + Fartlek (5 x 2:00 rec. 1:30 + 10 x 1:00 rec. 1:00 + 15 x 30.0 rec. 30.0) (total time 52:30) (5 + 17k)
THURSDAY, 27/07 :
a) 1 hr 20:00 with last 20:00 under 3:00 per km (23k)

b) 40:00 easy + technique of hurdles (10k)
FRIDAY, 28/07 :
a) 30:00 + (Track Kamarin) 10 x 600 in 1:33.0 rec. 1:00 (12k)

b) 30:00 + (Track Chepkoilel) 10 x 400 in 57.5 rec. 1:00 (10k)
SATURDAY, 29/07 :
a) 30:00 + (Track Kamarin) 2000 / 1600 / 1200 / 800 / 400 (rec. 3:00) in 5:18 / 4:10.6 / 3:06.8 / 2:00.6 / 55.2
(6 + 6k)
b) 30:00 + (Track Chepkoilel) 5 couples of 300m (rec. 1:00 among tests, 4:00 among couples) in 39.1 / 38.7 - 38.8 / 39.8 - 39.9 / 40.1 -
40.0 / 38.7 (6 + 3 k)
SUNDAY, 30/07 :
Rest
Total mileage of the week : 180 km (1 day resting)
MONDAY, 31/07 :
a) Travel from Iten to Nairobi for period on track

b) 1 hr 10:00 progressive run in Ngong (19k)
TUESDAY, 1/08 :
a) 25:00 warm-up + Track in Kasarani : Couples with rec. 1:30 among tests and 5:30 among couples, first test slow, second test fast :
400 in 57.2 / 600 in 1:21.3 -
800 in 2:02.5 / 1200 in 2:59.1 -
1200 in 3:07.2 / 800 in 1:52.4 -
800 in 2:03.0 / 400 in 50.7 (12k)
WEDNESDAY, 2/08 :
a) 1 hr moderate (Ngong) (17k)

b) 50:00 progressive (Ngong) + 12 x 80m sprint climbing (15k)
THURSDAY, 3/08 :
a) 25:00 warm-up + (Track Kasarani) 3 x 1600m (rec. 5:00) in 3:59.9 - 4:02.7 - 4:01.4 (10k)
b) 30:00 warm-up + (Track YMCA) 2 sets of 5 x 300m (rec. 50.0 among tests, 5:00 among sets) in :
38.8 - 39.0 - 39.0 - 38.5 - 38.6
39.0 - 37.3 - 37.0 - 37.6 - 37.2 (10k)
FRIDAY, 4/08 :
a) 1 hr 10:00 moderate (Ngong) (18k)

SATURDAY, 5/08 :
30:00 easy run in Masai Area (Rain during all the night, mud everywhere) + 6:00 / 8:00 / 10:00 / 8:00 / 6:00 fast, rec. 3:00 jogging (total
time : 50:00) (21k)
SUNDAY, 6/08 :
1 hr moderate (16k)
Total mileage in the week :
Rest
Total mileage in the week : 160 km
MONDAY, 7/08 :
a) 1 hr 15:00 moderate (Ngong) (20k)

TUESDAY, 8/08 :
a) 25:00 warm-up + (Kasarani) 2 sets of (600 / 500 / 400 / 300m, rec. 1:30) rec. 4:30, in :
1:26.7 - 1:08.7 - 55.0 - 40.8
1:27.3 - 1:09.8 - 56.7 - 41.4 (9k)
b) 25:00 warm-up + (YMCA) 2 sets of 5 x 400m (rec. 50.0 among tests, 2:30 among sets) in :
58.1 - 58.5 - 57.0 - 58.3 - 57.8
57.6 - 58.3 - 57.0 - 57.7 - 52.5 (9k)
WEDNESDAY, 9/08 :
1 hr moderate (muddy) in Ngong (17k) - After 15:00 :

1 hr 08:00 moderate (muddy) (19k)
This training was not a technical choice. After the first hour, finishing running, the group realized that 2 athletes were lost in the forrest. So,
the strongest runners (Shaheen, Bilal Salem, Robert Kipchumba, Paul Kosgei, Sultan Zaman) went running again, searching the lost
guys. At the end, everybody had very heavy legs.
THURSDAY, 10/08 :
20:00 warm-up. After it, I preferred to give rest, because it was not possible to train with so painful and heavy legs. This was due to the
fact that, running on mud, athletes must use not adapted muscles for balancing their action.
FRIDAY, 11/08 :
25:00 warm-up + Kasarani track :

4 couples of (1000m, rec. 2:00, 300m) rec. 4:30, in :
2:25.6 / 41.0 - 2:25.5 / 41.7 - 2:24.6 / 42.6 - 2:23.9 (rec. 1:20) / 40.3
SATURDAY, 12/08 :
a) 1 hr with short variations of speed (18k)

b) 45:00 progressive run (14k)
SUNDAY, 13/08 :
30:00 easy + 3 x 2:00 hard climbing rec. 4:00 + 5 x 1:00 hard climbing rec. 3:00 + 10 x 20.0 sprint climbing (11k)
MONDAY, 14/08 :
25:00 warm-up + (Kasarani) 4 sets of 3 x 400m, rec. 2:30 among sets, in :

61.8 - 62.2 - 60.1 (rec. 15.0)
55.9 - 57.5 - 58.4 (rec. 40.0)
55.4 - 54.8 - 55.0 (rec. 60.0)
54.7 - 53.0 - 52.2 (rec. 1:40) (10k)
TUESDAY, 15/08
Travel Nairobi - Zurich. In Zurich, 30:00 jogging
WEDNESDAY, 16/08 :
a) 37:00 moderate (10k)

b) 26:00 jogging
THURSDAY, 17/08 :
33:00 jogging
FRIDAY, 18/08 :
ZURICH Meeting, Golden League : 3000 st. in 7:56.54
The attempt for the World Record failed, because of a very bad pacing. The beginning was too fast, but Mateelong (other my athlete)
during the fifth lap, ran in 66.0, rallenting Shaheen from a correct pace. After 2000m, Shaheen went for one lap in 62.2, but the difference
of pace provoked a lack of relaxing technique. He became very tight and contract in his action, and at the end, when understood that was
no more possible to beat his own record, didn't push because demoralized.
SATURDAY, 19/08 :
Travel to St. Moritz - Rest
SUNDAY, 20/08 :
1 hr 24:00 moderate (25 km)
MONDAY, 21/08 :
a) 30:00 warm-up + 12 x 400m rec. 1:00 in 56.6 - 57.4 - 57.2 - 56.9 - 57.5 - 57.7 - 56.8 - 57.6 - 58.1 - 56.9 - 57.7 - 55.2
TUESDAY, 22/08 :
a) 45:00 easy + 15 x 80m sprint uphill + 1 lap of the lake (4,270 km) in 11:42 (average 2:44 per km)
b) 45:00 easy
WEDNESDAY, 23/08 :
a) Travel St. Moritz - Milan by car - Bruxelles by plane

b) 40:00 easy jogging
THURSDAY, 24/08 :
32:00 jogging
FRIDAY, 25/08 :
Bruxelles, Van Damme, Golden League : 3000 st in 8:04.32
It was a very bad day. We discovered only one day before the race, on Thursday, that the pacer, Hachlaf, had an injury. The same day of
the competition we look for some athlete able to pace, but at the end Shaheen remained with Cesar Perez only. The Spanish guy, being
the lonely pacer, felt too much pressure, and started in crazy way : 58.0 the first lap, 1:59 at 800m ! After this, he was no more able to run,
and Shaheen had to overtake him after 900m, running alone, without any motivation, and paying a so crazy start.
The splits (of Shaheen) : 59.0 - 2:00.2 (61.2) - 2:32.8 (the official slit is not correct, the cell was on the finish line)- 3:06.7 (65.8) - 4:10.7
(64.0) - 5:17.8 (67.1) - 6:24.0 (66.2) - 7:31 (67.0) + 33.4 last 200m
SATURDAY, 26/08 :
Travel from Bruxelles to St. Moritz. There, 45:00 easy run
SUNDAY, 27/08 :
1 hr 30:00 from moderate to fast (28k)
MONDAY, 28/08 :
a) Track : 10 x 400m in 57.0 rec. 100m jogging in 45.0

b) 1 hr moderate run (16k)
TUESDAY, 29/08 :
a) 1 hr moderate + 12 x 80m sprint uphill (17k)

WEDNESDAY, 30/08 :
a) Track : 2 sets of 5 x 500m (rec. 2:00 among tests, 5:00 among sets) in :
1:10.0 - 1:09.2 - 1:10.1 - 1:09.7 - 1:10.9
1:09.8 - 1:10.6 - 1:10.7 - 1:10.3 - 1:08.8
Note : During the morning there was the WADA for antidoping in St. Moritz, and we lost almost all the morning. The temperature was 3
degrees, with snow on the mountains. So, about noon we went by car to search a track at lower level, with a better temperature. After
120km, we found the track in Landquart (120km from St. Moritz), where it was possible to train with 13 degrees.
b) 45:00 easy jogging
THURSDAY, 31/08 :
a) 1 hr with short variations of speed (17k)

b) 40:00 easy + 2 sets of sprint uphill, rec. among sets 5:00. Distances : 150m + 130m + 110m + 90m + 70m + 50m
FRIDAY, 1/09 :
a) Travel to Berlin
b) 30:00 jogging
SATURDAY, 2/09 :
30:00 jogging
SUNDAY, 3/09 :
BERLIN, Golden League : 1500m (2nd in 3:33.51, PB)
Splits : 56.8 - 1:55.2 (58.4) - 2:52.3 (57.1) + 41.2.
Having his legs tired, because the 2 competitions of steeple and the cold temperature of the last days in St. Moritz, Shaheen was not able
to stay in the competition from the beginning. He started very bad, almost the last, and had big problems in overtaking the other runners.
He was no. 7 with one lap to go, no. 5 at 1200, and finished not bad, reducing the gap from Choge. I'm sure that he can run about 3:30 in
a fast race and with fresh legs.
MONDAY, 4/09 :
Travel Berlin - St. Moritz. There, 57:00 moderate.
TUESDAY, 5/09 :
a) 1 hr 13:00 progressive run (21k)

b) 50:00 with short variations of speed
WEDNESDAY, 6/09 :
a) Track in St. Moritz : 2 sets of 5 x 600m (rec. 1:00 among tests, 5:00 among sets) in :
1:30.6 - 1:29.3 - 1:30.3 - 1:29.5 - 1:30.0
1:29.6 - 1:29.8 - 1:29.3 - 1:29.7 - 1:29.9
b) 45:00 easy run
THURSDAY, 7/09 :
a) 30:00 easy + 1 lap of the lake (4,270 km) in 11:47 (2:45 average) + 10 x 80m sprint uphill + 10:00 easy run + 1000m on track in 2:25.4
(for 200m : 32.2 + 31.6 (63.8) + 29.4 (1:33.2) + 27.7 (2:00.9) + 24.5
b) 30:00 jogging + stretching
FRIDAY, 8/09 :
28 km at 3:08 pace (1 hr 27:48)
SATURDAY, 9/09 :
a) Track : 3 x 1200m (rec. 3:00) in 3:03.6 - 3:04.1 - 3:03.8 - (rest 6:00) - 6 x 400 rec. 1:00 in 57.6 - 57.4 - 56.0 - 54.6 - 55.2 - 53.4
b) 30:00 jogging
SUNDAY, 10/09 :
1 hr moderate (17k)
MONDAY, 11/09 :
a) 40:00 easy + 2 sets of 12 x 120m sprint uphill (rec. among sets 5:00)
b) 1 hr with short variations of speed
TUESDAY, 12/09 :
Track : 5 x 300m (rec. 40.0) in 43.2 / 41.0 / 40.1 / 40.8 / 40.0 - (Rest 4:30) - 10 x 200m (rec. 100m jogging in 45.0) in 27.1 / 28.7 / 28.2 /
27.0 / 26.6 / 26.5 / 26.7 / 27.1 / 26.2 / 23.7
WEDNESDAY, 13/09 :
Travel to Athens. There : 35:00 easy jogging
THURSDAY, 14/09 :
Rest
FRIDAY, 15/09 :
25:00 jogging
SATURDAY, 16/09 : World Cup, 5000m (last 600m in 1:24.4, with one lap between 4400 and 4800 in 55.1)
SUNDAY, 17/09 : World Cup, 3000m steeple (last lap in 56.9).
During all the period, Shaheen always had the cures of our physiotherapist of Qatar, the Ukrain Oleksandr Ilyashenko. This situation is
very important, and is the reason because we can maintain sometime very long and fast run, without too many problems. He uses
massages almost every day, also if only once per week there is a deep massage.
The division in 3 periods (fundamental, general and specific) is something that is part of the modern methodology for every event. What
can change is the duration of every period. For example, if we want to have a double periodization (indoor and outdoor), we can use only
2 weeks in April, after World Indoor, as Fundamental period (that in this case has the goal of recovering mental and physical energies,
without resting but maintaining a good level of efficiency), going soon to the General Period, lasting about 6 weeks. In this way, the athlete
is already ready for starting his Specific Period before half of June, having the main goal at the end of August. So, in this case, we have
period of 2 weeks (Fundamental) + 6 weeks (General) + 10 weeks (Specific). It's clear that it's not possible to maintain the top shape for
10 weeks, so, during the Specific Period, we must create some short period with general elements at higher intensity. An example : if
during winter is normal, for Shaheen, running once a week for 25 km and, once a month, for 35 km or longer at 3:20 pace, during the
specific period he goes only once every 2-3 weeks, but the pace is faster (from 3:10 to 3:00). In any case, 35 km cannot be considered
something SPECIFIC for a steeple runner, but something GENERAL. But, if the GENERAL becomes qualified in intensity, it becomes a
very good support for the specific event. In this case, his long run is no more GENERAL, but SPECIAL. The difference between Special
and Specific is that a Specific training is DIRECTLY connected with the performance, a Special training is DIRECTLY connected with the
SPECIFIC TRAINING. In other words, if I use fast intervals I train for improving my performance (Specific training), if I use long fast run I
train for becoming stronger in my specific training (Special training), if I use long run at moderate speed I train for increasing the base that
makes me able to run long and fast (General training).
From this is clear that THE MODULATION IS THE KEY FOR GROWING AS IN QUALITY AS IN QUANTITY, the athlete becoming able to
improve in intensity but also in endurance. This is the real secret for becoming stronger : TO INCREASE THE SPEED ENDURANCE or
SPECIFIC ENDURANCE, that is the ability of prolonging the personal resistance at an identified speed. approaching every event, YOU
MUST BE ABLE TO RUN AT THE SPEED OF THE COMPETITION, creating a correct link between speed and recovery. This means
that, if you want to run a Marathon at 3:12 pace, YOU MUST RUN YOUR SPECIFIC TESTS (for example, 4 x 5000) AT A SPEED NOT
SLOWER THAN MARATHON SPEED, and this is the rule for every kind of athlete having the same goal. So, the SPECIFIC PART OF
TRAINING is the same. But, as every athlete is different from another, what can change is RECOVERY : for one athlete 2 days after hard
training are enough, for another are better 4 days of General training. So my advice is TO REDUCE VOLUME AND INTENSITY during the
2 previous days before specific training, and to recover well during the 2 following days, using big modulation, in order to preserve the
ability of a GOOD QUALITY OF EXTENSION during the Specific Workout.
As the athletes are different persons, under the point of view both psychological and physiogical, in the respect of correct principles, we
have to use different system of training in order to reach their best results
2) You can obtain top results only if you have top talent. This is a gift from mom and papa. A good coach can only to be able to use the
talent in order to build the best possible result. He is a guide, not a wizard, and must be able to analyze all the characteristc of the athlete,
in order to find the best solution for him. Under this point of view, the psyhological feeling is fundamental.
Top athletes are able to use very high intensity. For doing this, they need a very big base. That's the reason because I ask to everybody a
very high mileage in the first phase of their career, order to build their "aerobic house". But the final goal is to extend the intensity, in order
to last longer.
Intensity and volume are strictly conneted one another. One must be the support of the other. If we go for long slow run for long time (for
example, 4:00 per km), after we go on track for running fast (for ex., 400m in 58"), tr is no connection between the two training, and long
run becomes useless after short time. So, volume and intensity have to grow together, till a BASIC volume, without which is not possible
to be an athlete of top level. I don't think is possible to reach the best for an athlete running less than 160 km per week in 1500, 180/200
for 5000m, 220/250 or 10000m. This means that, during the first 5-7 years of career, every athlete must continue to increase the volume.
After that period, he can reduce the volume, cutting slow run of regeneration, maintaining or increasing the SPECIFIC VOLUME, in order
to preserve the structure, because too many km WHEN YOU HAV YOUR AEROBIC HOUSE ARE USELESS under metabolic point of
view, and DAMAGEOS under mechanical point of vw. High modulation is the best way for using high intensin ity, becoming able to
supercompensate in order to grow in your shape many times in the season, using SHORT PERIODS of cycles. For having high intensity,
athletes must be FRESH, and after they have to recover very well. One of the problems of European and American is to squeeze to much
their training, so intensity never is too high because recovery never is too good.
So, I speak about SPECIFIC TRAINING, knowing very well that our main problem is HOW TO DEVELOP BASIC AND GENERAL
TRAINING, years ago natural product of the system of life, now something we have to develop in precise way.
Under this point of view, the secret for a correct beginning of the activity is tu use SPECIFIC TRAINING FOR DEVELOPING THE
GENERAL TRAINING. It seems a nonsense, but is really the key for coming back at top level for hite runners.
So, coaches of top professional athletes HAVE TO BUILD A PLAN FOR TRYING TO GIVE CONTINUITY AT HIGH LEVEL TO THEIR
ATHLETES, in order to have longer seasons.
The surprise was that, managing this new necessity, THE PERFORMANCES IN LONG DISTANCES WERE ABLE TO BECOME
BETTER. So, we learnt that, after reaching the top for an athlete, it was better not to go down too much in SPECIFIC SHAPE, in order to
start new traing from a HIGHER LEVEL, compared with the past. So, we looked for SHORT PERIODS of alternated training between
volume and intensity, using more modulation than in the past.
Concerning the fact of performances when very young, we can suppose that, in the age between 18 and 22 years, an athlete can already
have his top as qualities, IF THERE IS A LONG PERIOD OF PREPARATION. I normally speak of 10 years for building an AEROBIC
HOUSE, after this the house cannot become higher, but can be bettered inside. That's the reason because, during the first 10 years, an
athlete MUST continue to increase the volume of his training, and at the same time to increase the intensity, HAVING THE GOAL TO
MAINTAIN THE SAME INTERNAL LOAD. That's means that, when you are able running 10 x 400 in 56" with 2' interval finishing with 13
mmol of lactate after 10 years of training, the stimulus for your body is the same of 5 years before, when you were able to run 10 x 400 in
62" with the same recovery, and the same level of lactate at the end. THE SECRET IS TO MAINTAIN THE SAME LEVEL OF STIMULUS
FOR ALL YOUR CAREER, but the same stimulus is not represented by the SAME TRAINING : on the contrary, SAME TRAINING
(External Load) OF SURE CANNOT GIVE THE SAME STIMULUS, IF IN DIFFERENT PERIOD OF YOUR CAREER.
It's true that the most important limiting factor in training are, some times, the coaches, following too much the theoretical knowledge.
Methodology is not mathematics, and the influence of a correct psychological approach in training is, some times, bigger than a correct
physiological knowledge. If is true that TRAINING WELL ALWAYS IS TRAINING HARD, is not true the contrary : many times, TRAINING
HARD IS NOT TRAINING WELL, and you go to destroy yourself, without producing any good result.
A good coach must, therefore, work on the psychology, giving a correct mental education for a runner, but also let him use some personal
training, that can help the athlete in developing his own sensibility and his feeling with his body. In the past, natural and individual activity
could improve the personal sensibility, referred to different kinds of training. Now, because everything is planned from the beginning,
athletes prefer to delegate their sensations to computers, cardiowatches, machines for testing themselves, and are no more able to have
feeling with the effect of their training in their body.
If I want to investigate about the Threshold of an athlete, normally I find a level about 7-8% lower than the pace of 5000m PB (if a
specialist of this event), or the same level of the pace of HM (if a good specialist of Marathon and HM). So, the level of AnT is different,
according to the different attitude and the different type of training that athletes use.
2) If my problem is to INCREASE the AnT, my behavior must be different according the type of athlete that I want to train.
When I speak about 4x5km, for example, I don't speak about AnT, but about AEROBIC THRESHOLD, that is the Threshold most
important for a Marathon runner. My goal is, at first, to increase the AnT of about 3-5% during a period of 4-3 months before the
competition, but secondly is to increase the Aerobic Threshold (AT) bringing it very close the level of AnT. When the difference between
the 2 thresholds is about 5%, the athlete is resistant enough for beeing prepared for running a good Marathon.
nstead, if I have the goal to increase the AnT of an athlete running, for example, 5000m, the system must be different. I have to use a
combined work that has different means : short and continue distance at 95-98% of the race pace (4-6 km, that we call "fast short continue
run") ; long intervals at a speed of 2-3% faster than the race pace (for ex., 4 x 2000 rec. 3 min, or 3 x 3000 rec. 3 min, for an amount of
about 2 times the length of the race); medium intervals at a speed of 3-5 % faster than the race pace, using very short intervals (f.e., 3
sets of 6 x 500m rec. 45 sec. between tests, 4-5 min between tests). The combined action of these workouts provokes an increment in the
level of AnT. You must support all this type of work with a very big volume of full Aerobic run (70-85% of the pace of the race, if you are a
specialist of 5000m). Without this, the AnT grows in short time, but the athlete cannot preserve his shape for long time.
Still different the situation for a specialist of 800m. In this case, we must understand if the athlete is a sprinter (Konchellah, Juantorena,
Mutua), a full 800m runner (Kipketer, Bungei, Sepeng) or a middle-distance runner (Coe, Cram, Yiampoy). In any case, the phylosophy of
training is the same : to use short tests (300-600m) for a total amount of 3-4 km, at the pace of 90-95% of the pace of the race (for an
athlete running 1:44, 13.0 pace every 100m, 90% is a pace of 14.3 (600m in 1:25.8) and 95% is a pace of 13.65 (300m in 41.0),
increasing step by step number of repetitions, cutting recovery time. In these cases, long run has only the mean of regeneration, and is
not important for the final goal.
For example, in the case of Gebre (12:39),the time per km is 2:32 (15.2 every 100m), and 98% is 15.5 per 100m (2:35 per km is 7:45 for 3
km).
But you must not think of the type of workout (that is clearly over the Threshold, and can reach 11 - 13 mmol for a top runner well trained),
but of the EFFECT of this training. The question was : what type of training do you use for improving AnT ? The answer is : a lot of run
that we can check between 95 and 105 % of the speed of the race.
I want to describe, for example, one type of training that Gianni Ghidini (the current coach of Bungei, Yiampoy and Kamal) and me use
with these guys during the last period, having the goal to IMPROVE SPECIFIC ENDURANCE, developing intensity from the Threshold to
Specific Endurance.
1) 6 x 600m (rec. 4 min) in 1:28 (60/28) 1:28 (60/28) 1:27 (60/27) 1:27 (60/27) 1:26 (60/26) 1:26 (60/26)
2) (about 10 days later) 5 x 600 (rec. 5 min) in 1:26 (60/26) 1:25 (59/26) 1:25 (59/26) 1:24 (59/25) 1:24 (59/25)
3) (about 10 days later) 4 x 600 (rec. 6 min) in 1:23 (57/26) 1:22 (57/25) 1:21 (57/24) 1:20 (56/24)
4) (about 10 days later, in the case of Bungei 8 days before Zurich) 3 x 600 (rec. 8 min) in 1:19.3 (54.2/25.1) 1:19.5 (54.6/24.9) 1:17.2
(53.0/24.2)
The next workout (before OG) will be 2 x 600 (rec. 10 min) in 1:16 (52/24).
This type of work starts about 2 months before the main event, having the goal of supporting AnT. After the first two sessions, when we
test the speed at a level of lactate of 6 mmol, we can find an improvement of about 5-8 sec, per km. After the first two sessions, the focus
of this training is the improvement of SPECIFIC ENDURANCE, joined with the capacity of increasing speed in the final of the race. The
5th workout is very specific,lactate reaches a level of 16-18 mmol, but in any case is an evolution of the first workout.
The normal use of groups of short distances increasing the speed every test, is a good way for increasing the AnT in aspecialist of 800 or
1500m. For example, 4 groups of 3 x 300m in 42/40/38 with 2 min recovery (and 5 min between the sets), or 4 groups of 3 x 600min
1:33/1:30/1:27 rec. 2 min and 5min, for specialists of 800 and 1500/3000m respectively, are workouts very good for increasing the AnT.
But what is important to remember, is that every distance needs a specific Aerobic Support, that is not the real AnT. For example, in the
case of 3000 SC/5000, we can create a MAX LASS (Maximum Lactate Steady State) of 6/8 min at a level of 11-13 mmol of lactate, and
the AnT that we need is the speed at a level of 8 mmol about. So, don`t pay attention at the CONVENTIONAL THRESHOLD of 4
mmol,because is something for physiologists, but really in many case doesnt mean anything.
I try to write the level of lactate that you must use like AEROBIC SUPPORT for the specific workouts in different events :
800m 8-12 mmol

1500m 7-10
5000m 6-8
10000m 5-7
HM 4-5
Mar 4
Of course, during the basic period we don`t use repetitions very fast. We prefer to work for improving all the types of SPECIAL
RESISTANCES, expecially STRENGTH ENDURANCE that has a very big influence on the Specific Endurance.
For example, using circuits lasting about 3/4 min with very long recovery, at the max. intensity, we can increase the periferal endurance
imrpoving at the same time strength and capyllarization. An example of circuit can be the following :
- 80m bounding (flat)
- 10 squat jumps on the place
- 300m running very fast on flat ground (finishing where a hill starts)
- 10 exercises for abdominals starting with the back on the ground
- 60m sprinting climbing
- 40m skipping very fast climbing
- 40m bounding climbing
- 10 squat jumps on the place again
- 200m very fast climbing
This circuit uses about 400m flat plus 360m climbing, and is very good for middle and long distance. With athletes of 800m, we can use
the same type of work with shorter distances, lasting no more than 2 min Because the only way that we use for recruiting the most part of
the fibres of one muscle is WORKING AROUND THE MAX INTENSITY, and the capacity of recruiting fibres is very important not only for
the speed, but also for the endurance, due to the turn-over of the fibres of the same muscle, every circuit must be done at max intensity.
At the end, the level of lactate is very high, and we have to recovery well before going for another circuit (normally, 5/6 min for long
runners, 8/10 min for 800m runners). But, what is important to know, is that, after using repetitions on track at high intensity (for example,
4 x 600m at 1:22 rec. 6/8 min for an athlete able running 1:47) without adequate aerobic support, for a time longer than 3 weeks, you can
check that your Threshold decreased. Instead, after using circuits with adequate aerobic support, your Threshold increases. I suppose
that this fact is due to the more global involvement of a higher percentage of fibres during the training, having a combined effect with the
aerobic work able to push the Threshold, while fast tests on track have an OPPOSITE effect on the Threshold.
A very high level of AnT is SPECIFIC for events like 10000m and HM, that are directly influenced by this capacity. Instead, events like
800/1500 or, in another direction, Marathon, need a good level of Threshold, but, after this level, another improvement is not important,
sometime having the opposite effect. In other words, I cannot run fast 800m with an AnT of 16 km/h : I need 18 km/h at least. But, if I'm
able to run 1:43 having 18 km of AnT, may be that to work for raising the AnT to 19 km/h can inhibit my anaerobic system, reducing my
performance.
For example, if I'm able to run at 3:20 (18 km/h) at a steady-state of 4 mmol, and I can run 1:44 (27,7 km/h) making 20 mmol, I use an
anaerobic area of 16 mmol for increasing my speed of about 10 km/h. But, if I push my AnT at 3:00 (20 km/h) and I become only able to
push my Anaerobic System to a level of 16 mmol, I can distribute my anaerobic work in 12 mmol, and this is good enough only for running
at a speed of 27,2 km/h. In this case (this is an example) we can run 800m only more in 1:45.5.
On the other side, if I have a very good AnT (for example, 21 km/h = 2:51 / km) but this is 10% higher than the AT (about 2 mmol = 3:09,
19 km/h), I'm not able to run a good marathon because my consumption of glycogen is too high and I'm not able to phinish at the same
speed.
Due to these considerations, I think that the problem of the Threshold is a false problem. Not always to work for raising the threshold is
important, of course if you have already a good level of threshold. The threshold is the base for the SPECIFICITY of every event, only for
10000 and HM is a specifism itself.
d) So, the real problem of training is : HOW CAN WE REACH THE HIGHER LEVEL OF THRESHOLD USEFUL FOR SUPPORTING THE
SPECIFIC TRAINING (That doesn't mean the higher level possible) ?
e) Under a practic point of view, I think that you take too much care about theorical principles, that don't have very much to do with the real
technical management of an athlete. Many scientists tried to become coaches, and nobody was able, because are not the athletes that
have to follow the official physiology, but the physiology that has to follow the athletes (and normally this is not possible). If you can train
many athletes in your career, with different backgrounds, you can see that the physiological variability are too many, and you must use the
best way for reaching the top performance possible.
f) This is the reason because normally I don't do any tests with African runners : because I already know what is better for their
improvement, without testing every time their Threshold. In any case, for stimulating a quality (in this case the AnT) you need to give
stimula to the body, putting the same in crisis, having the goal to stimulate the answer of the body. If you don't do stimula enough, there is
no training, and the athletes cannot repeat the same results.
Regarding the Threshold, we must agree about what this term means. Conventionally, Aerobic Threshold (that I call AT) is about 2 mmol,
Anaerobic Threshold (that I call AnT) is about 4 mmol. But, if you for example go to test a runner of 100 km (I make programs for the
World Champion, the Italian Mario Fattore), and you ask him to run at his max. speed some 400m, HE IS NOT ABLE TO OVERTAKE
THE CONVENTIONAL AnT. This is because his training is monodirectional, and aerobic enzymes (expecially SDH) can inhibit
COMPLETELY the enzymes like LDH.
I try to analyze the characteristics of every athlete. I\'m not AGAINST plyos and weights, but I\'m not PRO these trainings. Simply, there\'s
some athlete that can have advantage using it, and some other not.
Plyo is good for increasing elastic strength and muscle reactivity. So, if you have an athlete already talented under this point of view (for
example, Cherono has wonderful feet), what is the reason for using this type of training ? I prefer to use short sprint for increasing
explosive strength, and medium hills (till 800m) for increasing the strength endurance. I tried also, with Shaheen, to do short sprints (80m
about) uphill with 2 hurdles 91cm high : this is a very difficult exercise, but I think that can produce very high specific strength endurance
for steeple.
Another important thing, when you have to choose a type of training, is the relation between ADVANTAGES and RISKS. Personally, I
don\'t agree that plyo and weight can give 1% of improvement, but of sure can give 30% of risk. A lot of athletes fall down in some injury
due to plyo.
And you must always remember that we are speaking about EVENTS OF ENDURANCE, so the most important problem is ENZYMATIC
You can see that, without using strength training, the level of lactate REGARDING MARATHON PACE is going down, meaning the
gradual adaptation of fibres in using, for the same speed, a mix of glycogen and fatty acids with, step by step, more fat and less glycogen
(that means to be able to last more long time at the same speed).
But you can also see, using strength training, that, while strength is growing (every test can show it), the level of lactate regarding the
marathon speed doesn\'t go down, on the contrary often goes up.
So, what is the role of the strength in the marathon ? Of course, if you have too low strength, you cannot run well, but if you are strong but
not able to reuce the consumption of your fuel, you cannot finish the race.
Always a good training must look at the best connection between the different types of training, according to the personal individual
qualities, in order to prepare the best performance possible. n events of endurance, the main dish is SPECIFIC ENDURANCE, after a very
extended base of GENERAL RESISTANCE and SPECIAL ENDURANCE. All other type of training (plyo, weights, technical exercises,
stretching, etc.) are like the dessert. Too many times coaches think that the dessert can be the main dish, disregarding what is really
important for building the performances.
I think that the level of aerobic training must be connected with the specific training. The AEROBIC SUPPORT cannot be too much far
from the specific speed that athletes have to use normally in their competition. So, we cannot speak about AEROBIC ENDURANCE only
in one way.
In my opinion, EVERY SPEED SLOWER OF MORE THAN 80% OF THE SPEED OF THE RACE HAS NO MEAN OF TRAINING, BUT
OF REGENERATION BETWEEN THE REAL WORKOUTS.
An example : if I run a Marathon in 2:10 (3:05 per km pace), 18.5 is 100% of the speed every 100m, so 80% of the speed is 3:05 + 37.0 =
3:42. From this speed TRAINING FOR BUILDING RESISTANCE BEGINS, not slower.
But, if I run 10000m in 28:20 (2:50 per km), my 80% is 2:50 + 34.0 = 3:24. If I run slower than this speed, I go for a regenerative work, not
for a real training.
This is true in the field of the event DIRECTLY INFLUENCED BY THE THRESHOLD. But, when we speak about LACTIC EVENTS (like
already 3000m SC, or 1500, or of course 800m) the aerobic level that we need must be more or less high, in order to support the LACTIC
ENDURANCE and/or the LACTIC CAPACITY, that have a specific role in the specific event.
What is for me LACTIC ENDURANCE ? Is the quality connected with the ANAEROBIC THRESHOLD and with the LACTIC CAPACITY at
the same time.
What is for me the LACTIC CAPACITY ? Is the quality connected with the LACTIC ENDURANCE and the LACTIC POWER at the same
time.
May be that my terminology is different from your, so I try to explain me with an example.
I am able running, at 4 mmol, at a speed of 3:10 per km, and when I try to run 600m at my max speed, I can run 1:20.
With this attitude, my type of training can be :
a) What I want slower than 3:40 (till 2:30) : GENERAL RESISTANCE (not specific, also for Marathon)
b) From 1 hr to 1:30 at 3:30 : AEROBIC RESISTANCE (in part specific for Marathon, not specific but general for the other events)
c) From 40:00 to 1:10 at 3:10/3:15 : AEROBIC POWER "1st level" (speed for Marathon, specific for HM, special for 10000m, aerobic
support for steeple and 5000m, general for 1500 and 800)
d) Intervals at 105/110 % of the AnT (2:52 > 3:00 per km) using distances between 1000 and 3000m : AEROBIC POWER "2nd level"
(speed for Marathon and HM, specific for 10000m, special for 5000 and steeple, aerobic support for 1500 and 800m)
e) 10 / 15 times 600m in 1:36 / 1:38 with short recovery (1:30, for example) : LACTIC ENDURANCE (connected with AEROBIC POWER
"2nd level" and LACTIC SPEED ENDURANCE)
f) 6 / 8 times 600m in 1:27 / 1:30 with medium recovery (2:30, for example) : LACTIC SPEED ENDURANCE (connection with LACTIC
ENDURANCE and LACTIC CAPACITY)
g) 3 / 4 times 600m in 1:23 rec. 6 / 8 min : LACTIC CAPACITY (connected with LACTIC SPEED ENDURANCE and LACTIC POWER)
h) 1 time 600m in 1:20 (max speed) : LACTIC POWER.
The different speed are connected between, but for every speed you can find the direct support only from the speed immediately slower
(for endurance), and from the speed immediately faster (for speed).
So, every speed is a different mean of training. The difference between the old and the modern system, is that in the old we considered
only 3 big groups of speed : AEROBIC very slow, developing volume at low intensity, LONG RUN at AnT level, developing endurance at
medium intensity, and SPEED ENDURANCE, running short intervals very fast.
Now, we can see that the connection among so far speeds are very little, and is difficult to improve : there is no connection between
running 400m in 55.0 and the marathon, but there is also no connection between running 2 hours at 4:00 or 3:45 per km, and 1500m in
3:35.
So, we use now more speeds in training, very close, giving them a different mean. RUNNING AT 3:20 is VERY DIFFERENT from running
at 3:10, BUT FOR THE MOST PART OF THE ATHLETES IS HE SAME (Long Fast run at personal sensation).
Running on the track 5 times 3000m in 8:20 for a runner able to do 26:30 in 10000m, is something UNDER RHYTM, but is a SPECIFIC
SUPPORT different from long run. When you are able running it, you can run 10 x 1000 no more in 2:42, but in 2:36, for example. SO,
THE DIRECT INFLUENCE OF THE SPECIFIC SUPPORT ON THE SPECIFIC TRAINING IS VERY BIG.
So, personally, I don't have care about mmol and the classic ideas of Thresholds, but I look at THE SPECIFIC SUPPORT for every
distance.
The training process represents a combined action of different stimuli, designed to build and modify the qualities of an individual. This is
what happens for every individual. If we are talking about an athlete, the stimuli have the task to build a stronger specialist in specified
events. This process starts from the first day of life and persists all through life. Every situation of life is able to develop conditional
qualities; in a right or wrong way. Taking this into account, the habitat of the individual and the social and cultural education play a very
important role in building a future champion.
When we speak about African runners we must think that, normally, the best athletes are able to start their official athletic careers from a
level of 90% of their final performance because they are already well prepared, without official coaches, using at home the most important
type of training for a distance runner: long runs (from 5 to 12-15 km), very fast.
Through this type of training the most talented runners are able to greatly improve their Anaerobic Threshold, building a special MAX
LASS, that is very difficult to reach with Caucasian runners from western countries. This is due to a lack of natural power - endurance for
the natural training done during the first 12 - 15 years of life.
MAX LASS (Maximum Lactate Steady State) is the capacity to work at a special level of Steady - State, very much higher than the
conventional Threshold of 4 mmol. This is a specific quality for the top specialists of 3000 / 5000 / 10000m, and depends not only on the
level of AnT (Anaerobic Threshold), but especially on the type of training that we use for building this quality.
Personally, during the last 6 years, I have chosen the road to work on developing the STRENGTH ENDURANCE of the athlete, after
working for 3 months developing the AnT, because I think that there is a very strong connection between MAX LASS and STRENGTH
ENDURANCE.
n the middle and long distances, THE SPECIFITY IS A SPECIFITY OF EXTENSION. So, the philosophy of training for every event of this
sector is TO EXTEND THE CAPACITY TO LAST AT A FIXED SPEED, specific for the performance that you want to build.
In this type of philosophy, EVERY EVENT IS AN EVENT OF SPEED (because always the winner is the athlete who is FASTER at the end
of the competition), but most of the training is TRAINING OF POWER - ENDURANCE (where Power is the speed that every athlete is
able to maintain for about of the distance, and Endurance is the training to maintain, at the same speed, the full competition distance).
As SPEED is strictly connected with STRENGTH, we must develop Strength to provide a better biomechanical support.
As ENDURANCE is strictly connected with ENZYMATIC DEVELOPMENT, we must develop Aerobic Power and Aerobic Capacity to have
a better enzymatic support.
And, during the specific period of training, we must have the goal to develop the STRENGTH ENDURANCE, using a Strength like base of
intensity during workouts of Endurance, and an Endurance' like base of quantity during workouts of quality.
Speaking about Lactate, for example, we can see, using a test derived from the classic Faraggiana - Gigliotti test, that the same athlete
can build his MAX LASS during a period of 5 months. This is the experience that I have had with 3 different athletes.
Saaeed Saif SHAHEEN (former Stephen Cherono),

World Champion and WORLD RECORD 3000s/c
Nicholas KEMBOI,
4th all time, 10000m (26:30.03)
James KWALIA,
2nd IN THE WORLD 2004, 3000m (7:28.28)
The Faraggiana-Gigliotti Test consists in running a distance of 1000m, 1200m, or 2000m at competition pace, taking blood to investigate
the lactate level after every test run. The runs are repeated over the same distance 4-5 times, with very short recovery. Sometimes we
finish the work with a last test at maximum speed over a shorter distance to understand the Power of the engine.
We use this test normally once every 4-6 weeks, in order to control the improvement in SPECIFIC ENDURANCE.
The goal of this test is to identify the MAX LASS at the moment.
We will present data regarding the 3 athletes above, explaining their different tests.
SAAEED SAIF SHAHEEN
Test: 5 x 1000m (13:10 pace - 2:38)[1:00 / 1:15]
28-04-2004 (KEN) 26-05-2004 (KEN) 29-06-2004 (KEN) 13-08-2004 (SWI)
6.8 mmol 6.6 mmol 6.8 mmol 6.5 mmol

9.4 mmol + 38.23 % 9.0 mmol + 36.36 % 8.6 mmol + 26.47 % 8.0 mmol + 23.07 %
The first 3 tests were at the Kamarin track, near Iten, at about 2300m Altitude. The last was in St. Moritz, one week after winning the
Zurich IAAF meeting in 8:00.06.
We carried out the first check after a period of interupted training due to sickness (two weeks) and only one week of easy running.
Shaheen, after 2 weeks, ran a 3000m in Doha in 7:34, losing to Kipchoge.
The 2nd check was only 12 days after the race in Doha. The shape of Shaheen was better, but it was not possible to identify an area of
Steady State. This fact told me that the SPECIFIC ENDURANCE was not enough, as at that speed the Lactate levels continued to rise
very quickly.
The 3rd check was after another full month of training, a few days before the Crete meeting, where he won with 8:01.97. The situation was
a little bit better, but not yet really good. In that period, I chose to develop general resistance and strength, without using Specific
Workouts, as the goal was to win the Olympic Games (if possible), or to beat the World Record in September (very late in the season).
During July, we used some Specific Workouts to improve SPECIFIC ENDURANCE and STRENGTH ENDURANCE.
The 4th check clearly shows that, with specific training, Shaheen was able to build his MAX LASS, that allowed him to remain longer at
the same speed (and is the best control regarding Specific Endurance).
After this period Shaheen increased his training knowing that it was not possible to run the Olympic Games, with the goal of a new World
Record in Bruxelles.
We didnt do any other test in September when the shape was at the top but, using data from the normal control of the training process, I
think that he would have at that time a MAX LASS lasting some minute longer.
The grey area (from 8.0 and 8.8 mmol) can be considered an area of Steady State, because the increase of Lactate is 10% in about 8
minutes.
This can also be a representation of what happens during a race of 5000m at even pace, with the central part of the race run in Steady
State (or with a very little increase of Lactate levels). This is after an initial increase of the Lactate levels in the first 3-4 minutes of
competition and before a final peak, during the last 2 laps of the race.
NICHOLAS KEMBOI
Test: 5 x 2000m (27:00 pace - 5:24 + only last time, 1200m free in 3:01.6) [1:00 / 1:15]
5-07-2003 (Davos) 28-07-2003 (St. Moritz) 29-08-2003 (St. Moritz)
7.4 mmol 6.6 mmol 5.4 mmol

8.8 mmol + 18.92 % 7.4 mmol + 12.12 % 7.4 mmol + 37.03 %
10.4 mmol + 18.18 % 9.6 mmol + 29.73 % 7.7 mmol + 4.05 %
12.8 mmol + 23.08 % 11.8 mmol + 22.92 % 8.4 mmol + 9.09 %
14.6 mmol + 14.06 % 14.0 mmol + 18.64 % 9.7mmol + 15.47 %
16.6 mmol + 71.13 %
The 1st check was after a race of 5000m, with a final result of 13:42 and 5th position. The athlete was not well trained.
I chose to increase the volume of kilometres during each week, and the volume of some single runs too (up to 25 km). At the same time,
seeing a lack of strength, I put in his programme a lot of short sprints uphill (60-80-100m) and some circuits, uphill, with sprint and
technical exercises.
Nicholas carried out the 2nd check some days before the meeting at Heusden, where he ran 13:14 after pacing, finishing in 3rd position.
After that period, I put in his training programme some workouts for STRENGTH ENDURANCE and SPEED ENDURANCE without, of
course, reducing training of LONG ENDURANCE.
On 15th of August, Nicholas ran in Zurich, finishing in 13:01.14 in 2nd place, 20cm behind Kibowen. After this, he focussed on specific
preparation for the 10000m in Bruxelles, and the 3rd check was one week before this meeting.
It is also, in this example, possible to see an area of Steady State lasting about 16 minutes that is demonstration of a major improvement
in Specific Endurance.
During the last test I wanted also to understand how much power Nicholas would still have after running for long time at a good race pace,
and thats the reason for the last 1200m to be free.
Nicholas ran the free 1200m in 3:01.6, in laps of 63.6, 60.2, 57.8, and I knew that he was ready for a great competition.
In Bruxelles, one week later, Nicholas ran 26:30.03, with the last km. in 2:29 and the last 600m in 1:25.3.
JAMES KWALIA
Test: 4 x 1200m (3:09 + 1 x 800m max. speed) [1:00]

(the 800m during the 3 tests were: 2:05.6 - 1:58.4 - 1:54.2)
26-05-2004 (KEN) 13-08-2004 (St. Moritz) 9-09-2004 (St. Moritz)
8.4 mmol 8.3 mmol 8.7 mmol

9.8 mmol + 16.66 % 9.3 mmol + 12.05 % 9.0 mmol + 3.45 %
11.8 mmol + 20.41 % 10.1 mmol + 8.60 % 9.3 mmol + 3.33 %
14.6 mmol + 23.73 % 13.3 mmol + 31.68 % 10.8 mmol + 16.13 %
14.8 mmol + 1.37 % 16.6 mmol + 24.81 % 20.6 mmol + 90.74 %
James had some problems during the winter due to an old injury in the biceps, that didnt allow him to run fast. So, for 5 months from
December to the beginning of May, he ran a high volume of km developing his GENERAL RESISTANCE, but not Specific Endurance and
Strength Endurance.
From the beginning of June he would have good support from the Qatar organisation, providing a physiotherapist and a masseur 3 times a
week.
His 1st check clearly shows a lack of specific endurance and also some difficulty in recovering. This is possible to identify by looking at the
last test over 800m, which he ran in 2:05.6 (same pace as 1200m). In this case the lack of spadework doesnt permit him to reach high
Lactate levels, limiting the power of the engine.
In June, James carried out some long intervals, a little bit faster but not yet speed. At the same time, 2 or 3 times per week, he used short
sprints uphill to increase strength and speed.
In July, I put into James training programme some specific workouts for STRENGTH ENDURANCE, mixing short hills and long intervals.
During the 2nd test, it is still not possible to identify a MAX LASS but his Lactic Capacity grew, as evidenced at the last test repetition,
800m in 1:58.4.
When the general level is good, a top runner can improve in a specific direction very quickly.
So, with only 3 weeks of specific training, James could ran the Bruxelles meeting in 7:28.28 (2nd behind Kipchoge) and was also 2nd in a
tactical race, the IAAF Final in Monaco, running 7:39.40 (4:01.0 then 3:38.4).
The last test, carried out in St. Moritz, shows us that at 63.0 400m pace, James was able to run for almost 10 minutes at the same Lactate
level, and that he was able to reach very high levels of Lactate during the final test (58.5 + 55.7 = 1:54.2).
The Basic Training of Strength Endurance during the General Period:
How to Use Modified Circuits
It is always very difficult to interpret the real relationship between STRENGTH and ENDURANCE. Many coaches and scientists have tried
to investigate this point but normally using a partial vision of the problem.
In fact, if its true that THE SPEED OF AN ATHLETE IS DIRECTLY CONNECTED WITH HIS STRENGTH, its also true that using a high
percentage of strength for long time depends on bioenergetic and metabolic factors: the factors determining SPECIFIC ENDURANCE.
Following this reasoning, we cannot think of STRENGTH as a decisive factor regarding the various events of middle and long distance:
nobody is stronger, for instance, than a thrower but at the same time nobody is weaker when considering the aerobic point of view.
Over many years, I worked in the Italian Centre for middle and long distances in Tirrenia, with Luciano Gigliotti and dr. Pierluigi Fiorella,
and we performed countless tests. These were with middle and top level, male and female athletes using the BOSCO test for checking
Reactive Strength and the Faraggiana-Gigliotti test for checking Lactate levels.
Our goal was to control THE EFFECTS OF AEROBIC TRAINING ON STRENGTH, and THE EFFECTS OF STRENGTH TRAINING ON
THE AEROBIC LEVELS. Practically, after a period devoted mostly to Aerobic Training, we checked the Strength levels and after a period
devoted mostly to the development of Strength and Technique, we checked the Aerobic levels.
We could see that using Aerobic Training with some special exercises for stimulating the use of Strength, such as running on hilly
courses, our athletes improved their values for Strength, identified through the previous BOSCO test. On the contrary, using more specific
training for strengthening, the Aerobic Level decreased and the AnT went down.
We think that SPECIFIC SPEED ENDURANCE is not connected with the peak of speed or with the strength of an athlete but with a high
level of AnT, so that muscles are allowed to work at higher intensity starting from a better Aerobic Base and having less lactate within the
muscle fibres for the same speed.
Therefore, we tried to find some solution in training to synchronously increase both Strength and Aerobic Power. Specifically, the objective
was to train the nervous system and the muscles to recruit the greatest number of fibres under conditions of strong acidification.
In order to reach this goal we started from the well known MODIFIED CIRCUITS that have been used in training for a long time in different
methodologies, changing the intensity and duration according to the event and the seasonal period of training.
Modified Circuits comprise a sequence of exercises for strength and/or technique, connected together with runs carried out at different
speeds and over different distances, depending on the final goal of the Circuit.
Concerning this we distinguish for each event three different applications, depending on the period of preparation, that have different
goals:
1) Extensive strength - resistance circuits
2) High intensity strength - endurance circuits
3) Specific strength - endurance circuits
Extensive Strength - Resistance Circuits
In this type of Circuit, which we can consider as a Basic General Circuit, we have the goal of increasing MUSCLE EXTENSIVE
RESISTANCE, carrying out exercises at middle intensity connected one another with runs at Aerobic Threshold pace.
We use this type of Circuit during the Preliminary and Fundamental Periods with, of course, some differences depending on the event to
improve the capability of working longer using the same percentage of maximum strength.
This Circuit is quite Aerobic and builds up the base of Endurance that later we have to develop into Strength-Endurance.
High Intensity Strength - Endurance Circuits
In this type of Circuit, which we use during the last part of the Fundamental Period and during the Special Period, the main goal is the
development of Strength.
For this goal we use exercises carried out at a very high intensity, taking particular care with technical execution.
The duration of every Circuit and the duration of a full training session too must not be very long.
In this type of Circuit we must use a high percentage of maximum strength. The speed of the runs connecting the exercises is low and the
distance is short so we use running only for regeneration and recovery. On the contrary, the intensity of the exercises is very high.
This Circuit is very much Lactic and builds up the base of Strength that later we have to develop into Strength-Endurance.
Specific Strength - Endurance Circuits
In this type of Circuit, the main goal is to develop the ability to recruit the highest possible number of muscle fibres, while the state of
fatigue and the lactate levels in the muscles are rising.
In order to reach this goal, THE EXECUTION HAS TO BE CARRIED OUT AT HIGH INTENSITY BOTH REGARDING STRENGTH
EXERCISES AND THE SPEED/DISTANCE OF RUNNING.
The duration is similar to intervals for Aerobic Power carried out on the track (for instance, 2-3 min in the case of a specialist of 800-
1500m, from 3 to 8-10 min for a specialist of 5000m - HM).
The interpretation must be very aggressive because, to reach quickly, a lactic state very much higher than the AnT is an irremissible
condition in order to reach the prefixed goals.
Taking this into account there is, therefore, a great difference between the interpretation of a test on the track and of a circuit.
For instance, when we propose a training session of 5 x 2000m in 5:40, we teach our athlete to distribute in an even way his energies,
running 5 laps in 68.0.
Instead, when we propose a circuit lasting the same time, we require everything from the start to be carried out at maximum intensity, in
order to quickly reach a high lactate level.
AS OUR GOAL IS TO USE THE REMAINING STRENGTH IN THE WORST CONDITIONS, as can happen during the final part of a race.
THROUGH THIS TYPE OF TRAINING WE WANT TO BUILD THE CAPABILITY TO RECRUIT A LARGE NUMBER OF FIBRES WHEN
THE SATURATION LEVEL IS VERY HIGH.
This training, from our experience, is one of the most important for improving the final sprint in a race. Being a very hard training we can
use it only few times during the final part of the Special Period and during the period of main competitions. With this type of training we
can assemble Endurance and Strength, previously trained.
Examples of Modified Circuits
During the Fundamental Period
Extensive Strength - Resistance Circuit

(1500 / 5000m)
(900m uphill, gradient 7-10 %, + 700m flat)

300m fast running uphill (duration 55.0 >< 60.0)
10 squatjumps (duration 15.0 >< 18.0)
60m sprint uphill (duration 10.0 >< 12.0)
20m skipping with strides 50cm long (duration 30.0 >< 40.0)
200m moderate running uphill (duration 45.0 >< 50.0)
20m heels-to-buttocks (duration 30.0 >< 40.0)
300m fast running uphill (duration 55.0 >< 60.0)
20 sagittal - splits (duration 20.0 >< 25.0)
200m moderate running on flat land (duration 45.0 >< 50.0)
30 even hops with blocked knees (duration 20.0 >< 30.0)
500m fast running at 85% of max. speed (duration 1:25 >< 1:40)
Duration: 7:00 >< 8:00

Recovery: 5:00 >< 6:00
Repetitions: 4 - 6 times
The Use of Combined Elements of Strength and Endurance in Building Specific Endurance
With my athletes, I use a lot of general training during the months of November, December and January. The two main goals of training
during this period are the improvement of General Resistance and of Strength. This is the best period for increasing the volume of training,
reaching a higher mileage and developing muscle strength.
After having built a better base during the Winter athletes have to develop their SPECIFIC ENDURANCE, with the final goal to run faster.
The key of specific training, in my philosophy, is to combine exercises carried out using a high level of strength with training of speed
endurance, sometimes putting these stimuli during a session of intervals.
Here I show some example of this type of training, carried out with the athletes named above:
Saaeed Saif SHAHEEN
21 Feb 04 (earth Track in Kamarin, near Iten)
3 sets of 3 x 600m [1:30] among tests, in :

1:35.5 - 1:33.2 - 1:30.6
1:34.9 - 1:32.3 - 1:30.2
1:35.8 - 1:34.2 - 1:29.8
After recovering 2:00 after every set, 6 x 80m sprint uphill with a gradient 15-20 % .
The full workout is: 9 times 600m + 18 times 80m sprint climbing
22 Jun 04 (earth Track in Chepkoilel)
8 x 800m with 4 x 60m sprint uphill between each test

(2:00 rec. after test, the same after sprints)
2:03.0 - 2:00.9 - 2:00.3 - 2:01.4 - 2:01.3 - 2:02.1 - 2:00.2 - 2:00.5
13 Jul 04 (Road from Iten to Kamarin, 1200m climbing)
6 x 1200m hard uphill, finishing with 400m fast on the track with 10 hurdles
(1600m), [8-9 min] (jogging downhill to return to the start)
5:04.6 (3:54.0 + 68.6)
5:07.4 (3:57.2 + 70.2)
5:08.8 (4:00.4 + 68.4)
5:11.2 (4:03.8 + 67.4)
5:08.2 (3:58.2 + 70.0)
4:58.8 (3:52.8 + 66.0)
24 Aug 04 (earth Track in Kamarin)
3 x 2000m (alternating 400m hard / 400m moderate) [5 min]

5:14.4 (58.2 + 1:10.4 + 58.8 + 1.09.6 + 57.6)
5:10.6 (57.6 + 1:08.2 + 58.0 + 1:09.0 + 57.8)
5:14.6 (57.8 + 1:09.4 + 60.4 + 1:10.2 + 56.8)
28 Aug 04 (On a big area of grass, with 50m flat + 50m climbing)
20 x 100m sprint (50m flat + 50m uphill) with 4 hurdles of 91cm in the last 50m
James KWALIA
22 Jun 04 (earth Track in Chepkoilel)
4 x 800m with 4 x 60m sprint uphill between each test [2 min] +

5 x 500m [4 min]with 200m running + 100m bounding + 200m running
2:02.8 - 2:01.0 - 2:00.0 - 2:02.6
1:09.6 (26.2 + 16.8 + 26.6)
1:10.4 (26.0 + 17.6 + 26.8)
1:10.5 (27.2 + 16.6 + 26.7)
1:09.8 (25.9 + 18.2 + 26.7)
1:07.8 (26.2 + 15.4 + 26.2)
10 Jul 04 (St. Moritz)
2 sets of 6 x 1000m [1:30] After every set, 12 x 60m sprint uphill.

2:50.0 - 2:51.0 - 2:47.4 - 2:46.3 - 2:45.0 - 2:41.8
2:47.6 - 2:46.0 - 2:46.6 - 2:47.0 - 2:43.8 - 2:40.8
25 km in 1:34:18 (last 5 km in 16:32, last km in 2:58)
Note : This is an example of how I use a long run the day after some specific workout for
strength-endurance, also in the competition period.
45:00 moderate speed + 12 x 80m sprint uphill + 3000m (Track) in 8:35 + 12 x 200m uphill fast (38.0 >< 40.0) [2 min] + 1 lap of the Lake
(4.270m) at 2:56 pace in 12:36
3 x 2000m + 1 x 1000m with 6 x 60m sprint uphill after every test

5:36.4 - 5:39.2 - 5:37.2 - 2:27.8
(Morning)
2 x 1 lap of the Lake [4 min] in: 12:31 (2:55 pace) - 12:34 (2:56 pace)
(Afternoon)
10 x 300m [40 sec): 43.4 - 42.9 - 43.4 - 42.8 - 41.8 - 42.2 - 42.0 - 41.8 - 41.5 - 41.6
10 x 600m [1 :30] in:

1 :31.1 - 1 :32.5 - 1 :30.8 - 1 :31.1 - 1 :29.4 - 1 :30.4 - 1 :31.0 - 1 :31.6 - 1 :31.6 - 1 :26.6
Note : Kwalia competed in Stockholm on the 27th, with a poor result: 13 :26, running the last km in 3 :06, showing lack of recovery after
lactic workouts. After 3 days of easy running, in Heusden (31st of July) he ran 13:06.19, with better sensations.
3 Aug 04 (St. Moritz)
10 x 1000m [1 :30] in:

2 :46.0 - 2 :49.2 - 2 :43.1 - 2 :38.0 - 2 :45.0 - 2 :44.5 - 2 :46.6 - 2 :45.0 - 2 :44.8 - 2 :37.6
4 sets of {1000m + 600m + 400m + 200m} [1:30], rec. between sets 4 min
2:41.3 - 1:28.6 - 58.0 - 26.1
2:40.8 - 1:30.0 - 58.8 - 26.6
2:42.8 - 1:29.6 - 58.4 - 26.8
2:42.3 - 1:30.6 - 59.5 - 27.0
After 8 min: 4 min maximum speed uphill (gradient 10-15 %)
Test : 4 x 1200m [1:00] in 3:09 + 1 x 800m in 1:58.4
4 sets of 4 x 400 [40 sec], recovery between sets : 4 min

56.2 - 59.5 - 59.7 - 58.4
59.4 - 58.0 - 58.1 - 58.7
59.8 - 58.4 - 59.0 - 56.5
58.5 - 59.3 - 60.1 - 58.8
2 x 3000m + 2 x 2000m + 1 x 600m with 6 x 60m sprint uphill between each test
8:23.6 - 8:20.4 - 5:32.6 - 5:30.4 - 1:23.2
5000m in 14:14 [6:00]

5 x 100m bounding [2:00] in 14.8 - 16.2 - 15.6 - 16.3 - 15.9 [6:00]
3000m in 8:16.6 [6:00]
5 x 100m running with very high frequency (51 - 52 steps) in 13.6 - 13.7 - 14.0 - 13.8 - 14.2 [6:00]
1000m progressively accelerating in 2:28.6 (34.2 + 32.6 + 29.2 + 27.0 + 25.6)
(Morning)
6 x 1:30 uphill very hard [5 min]
(Afternoon)
3 x 1200m (alternating 150m fast / 50m slow) [6 min]
3:05.2 (18.4 / 12.2 - 18.8 / 12.8 - 18.8 / 12.0 - 19.2 / 11.3 - 19.4 / 12.2 - 19.0 / 11.1)
3:08.2 (17.7 / 13.2 - 17.9 / 13.6 - 18.3 / 12.9 - 18.7 / 13.1 - 19.0 / 12.8 - 19.2 / 11.8)
3:03.6 (17.7 / 11.8 - 18.2 / 12.2 - 18.8 / 12.0 - 18.6 / 12.8 - 18.3 / 13.4 - 18.7 / 11.1)
Note: From 28th of August till 3rd of September (day of Bruxelles meeting) only easy regeneration. In Bruxelles, James Kwalia improved
(behind Kipchoge) the Asian 3000m Record to 7:28.28, a time which is second on the 2004 World Lists.
EXAMPLES OF MODIFIED CIRCUITS

DURING SPECIAL PERIOD
High Intensity Strength - Endurance Circuit

(800 / 1500m)
(400m uphill, gradient 7-10 %)
20 fast knee bends (duration 10.0 >< 15.0)

100m moderate running (duration 20.0 >< 25.0)
10 squat jumps at max. intensity (duration 15.0 >< 20.0)
50m slow running (duration 15.0 >< 20.0)
40m bounding very fast (duration 10.0 >< 12.0)
50m slow running (duration 15.0 >< 20.0)
20 skipping very fast (duration 20.0)
20 slow running (duration 20.0)
80m sprinting (max. speed) (duration 10.0)
Duration : 2:15 >< 2:40
Recovery : 3:00 >< 5:00
Repetitions : 8 - 10 times
EXAMPLES OF MODIFIED CIRCUITS

DURING COMPETITION PERIOD
Specific Strength - Endurance Circuit

(3000s/c / 10000m)
(1600m uphill, gradient 7-10 %)
300m fast running (duration 55.0 >< 60.0)

200m fast running (duration 35.0 >< 40.0)
100m sprinting max. speed (duration 15.0 >< 18.0)
10 squat jumps (max. intensity) (duration 15.0 >< 18.0)
100m sprinting max. speed (duration 15.0 >< 20.0)
200m moderate running (duration 45.0 >< 50.0)
300m fast running at max. speed (duration 60.0 >< 70.0)
Duration : 6:45 >< 8:00

Recovery : 6:00 >< 8:00
Repetitions : 4 - 6 times
this means that this training IS CASUAL, instead TRAINING MUST BE SOMETHING FOLLOWED A REASON. Under this point of view,
never you have to froget CONTINUITY and GRADUALITY, to big principles of Training.
When someone asks me "how much is the percentage of intervent of a coach with a top runner", I answer "0 or 100%. Zero because,
without talent, the best coach cannot change a donkey in a horse. 100, because, without a coach, may be that the talented athlete could
remain a talented man, never becoming an athlete".
Regarding the last week of Kwalia before Bruxelles, I confirm that the last 6 days were dedicated to very easy run. This is another legend
that we have to discredit : that REST can be damageous. In the MODULATION that I use, there are LONG PERIODS OF VERY HIGH
LOAD WITHOUT COMPETING (or using competitions like training), and periods of competitions (may be 3-4 races in a very short time)
during which training is pratically almost nothing. There are weeks of 40 km, due to travels, problems of accomodations, tiredness due to a
lot of reasons. So, with Kenyan runners, I teached them NOT TO PAY ATTENTION TO THEIR TIREDNESS DURING TRAINING AT
HOME, because in this way is possible to develop GENERAL and then SPECIFIC VOLUME, but i learnt from them that, during
competition periods, YOU MUST RESEARCH THE FULL AVAILABILITY OF ENERGIES, because if your physical and nervous energies
are not at the top, you cannot have a top performance. So, when a Kenyan is tired, his training is to sleep (may be also one day). When a
European, or an American, is tired, the first thing is to go running, because training is not considered something in order to improve, but
something like a drug, irremissible also in very bad general conditions.
At the end, this is the reason because is not correct to say TRAIN HARD, WIN EASY. You must TRAIN WELL. Train well is, of course,
train hard. But in managing training, you must manage different situations having the final goal to improve in your ability in performance
and during a big competition. THE REST is what allows a correct MODULATION, and MODULATION is what allows the
SUPERCOMPENSATION. Without mixing these elements, is not possible to have a GOOD TRAINING, but only a hard training, not able
to produce the best possible results.
Regarding circuits for Strength Endurance, we must use 3 different types of these, according to the periods.
An example : a very simple circuit with 10 squat jumps, 30m bounding, 30m skipping, connected by 60m sprinting uphill, for a total of
(4x60 sprinting + 2x30 with ex) 300m climbing.
A) FUNDAMENTAL PERIOD : I have the goal to increase the general volume of the work. The intensity of both sprints and exercises can
be 70-80%. I use them for about 40-50 days, once every week, increasing number of repetitions.
B) SPECIAL PERIOD : I have the goal to increase the STRENGTH, maintaining the same volume of before and the same intensity of
sprints, but trying to use max. intensity during exercises (for example, during squat jumps I try to jump higher possible). In this period,
sprints at 75% are the support for the improvement of STRENGTH. After every circuit the athlete is very tired, because the max. intensity
in STRENGTH is very hard nervously. So, you need longer recovery between every circuit. In this type of circuit, focus is on EXERCISES.
If I want to develop this type of training, I have to reduce the recovery time.
C) SPECIFIC PERIOD (or COMPETITION PERIOD) : I have the goal to increase my specific characteristic, that is RUNNING. So, I go to
the sprints at my max. speed, connecting them with exercises at 75% of intensity. In this type of circuit, focus is on SPRINTS. As my goal
is to train the body in recruiting the most part of fibres in a muscle, while full of lactate, I NEED TO CARRY OUT THE CIRCUIT USING
MY MAX INTENSITY IN RUNNING, with long recovery. If I want to develop this type of training, I have to prolong the circuit for increasing
SPECIFIC STRENGTH ENDURANCE, not to increase the number of circuits or to reduce recovery time.
Regarding the work that I described for John Korir, the difference between sprints uphill and "ramps" (or steep slope) is in the gradient
(about 10% for sprints and circuits, and 30% or more for ramps). Also the mean is different : we use circuits for STRENGTH
ENDURANCE, sprints (not during circuits, but alone) for RECRUITMENT OF THE HIGHER NUMBER OF FIBERS, ramps FOR
FUNDAMENTAL STRENGTH FOR A RUNNER. In this case, ramps replace training of weights. When you go for a training having like
goal the improvement of STRENGTH (not Strength Endurance) or SPEED, you must use very high intensity (near the max) and recovery
is very important, because you must be fresh. Your goal, in fact, is not ENDURANCE, but the ability to work at max intensity for your
muscles. So, recovery after every ramp (but also after every sprint climbing) must be FULL (may be also 2min or more, depending from
the length of the sprint, that in any case never is longer than 100m, normally 80m).
How many hard workouts in a week ? I use normally 2 very hard workouts, not in the same direction. But I want to remind that there are
many levels of intensity, not only very hard workouts and regeneration. An example of weekly programme for an athlete of 13:30 (may be
European) during the Fundamental Period :
MON
a) 1 hr progressive running from 3:45 to 3:25 per km
b) 40:00 easy + 10 x 80m sprint uphill
TUE
a) 30:00 easy + 8:00 / 6:00 / 4:00 / 2:00 / 1:00 fast recovery 2:00 moderate (about 4:00 per km)
b) 40:00 easy + exercises (skip, bounding, running in frequency, running with long strides)
WED
a) 1:20:00 at 3:45 pace
b) 30:00 easy + 4-6 km continuosly running uphill (80% intensity)
THU
a) 50:00 easy regeneration
b) 50:00 easy regeneration + stretching
FRI
a) 30:00 warm-up + 4-6 circuits lasting 4-5 min (uphill)
b) 1:00:00 easy regeneration
SAT
a) 1 hr with short variations of speed
b) 40 min easy
SUN
30:00 easy + 12 km at 3:05 pace.
n a normal periodization, we have a FUNDAMENTAL PERIOD lasting (for an athlete not having cross as specific target) from November
to March (all winter). We can use NOV as General or Introductive Period. In the first 4 weeks of training we can use a weekly microcycle,
having the goal to increase your basic qualities, for being ready to start the real training in December. This is a very simple microcycle for
introductive period :
MON
a) 1 hr moderate run (for ex., for an athlete able running 3:50 / 14:30 / 30:00, about 6:00 a mile). Every week you can add 10min (1h10 -
1h20 - 1h30)
b) Warm-up + 4 easy circuits (only 300m climbing, with 4x60m sprint at 80% connected by 10 squat-jumps, 30m skipping, 30m bounding).
Every week you can add 10m to the sprints (70m - 80m - 90m)
TUE
a) 30 min easy + 5 times 4 min fast (at 3:00 pace per km) rec. 3 min easy (at 4:00 pace). Every week add 1 min to the tests, with same
recovery of 3 min easy (5 x 5:00 - 5 x 6:00 - 5 x 7:00)
b) 40 min easy regeneration
WED
a) 30 min easy + technical exercises :

* 5 times 30 sec. skipping fast with short strides (going to 6 - 7 - 8 times during the following weeks)
* 5 times 30m heels-to-buttocks (6-7-8 times foll. weeks)
* 5 times 50m running with very high knees (6-7-8 times)
* 5 times 30m bounding (6-7-8 times)
THU
a) 30 min easy + 4 km continuous running uphill (gradient about 5%). Every week add 1 km at the same pace for 5/10km runners, try
running faster 5 sec per km if miler.
b) 1 hr with short variations of speed. Short variations last from 30.0 to 45.0, trying to use a good frequency. Recovery is about 2:00 / 2:30,
running at a basic speed of 4:00 / 3:50 per km. Normally I use one variations inside every 3 min of run.
FRI
a) 1 hr 20 at 3:45 per km (every week running faster of 5.0 per km : 3:40 - 3:35 - 3:30)
b) 40 min easy regeneration + technical exercises like Wed
SAT
a) 30 min easy + 8 km (if miler) or 12 km (if long runner) fast, increasing speed every 4 km (miler : 13:00 at 3:15 + 12:40 at 3:10) (long
runner : 13:20 + 13:00 + 12:40). Every week you must run 2.5 sec. faster per km : 12:50+12:30 - 12:40+12:20 - 12:30+12:10 = 24:40
average 3:05 at the end of the period. The same for 12 km.
b) 40 in easy regeneration
SUN
Long run at personal sensation, adding 5 min every week :

from 1h20 to 1h40 for milers, from 1h30 to 2h (adding in this case 10 min every week) for 5/10 km runners.
This is an example of training for INTRODUCTIVE PERIOD, where we have 2 workouts of technical exercises, 1 circuit climbing, 1 long
fartlek, 1 continuous run uphill, 1 fast progressive long run, 1 short fartlek, and a good general volume. At the end of the period, the athlete
can run, per week, from 170 to 200 km (110 to 125 miles)
Steeper hills, you are wrong speaking about high intensity for a training like this. For running 13:30 you must train, and this one is an easy
training for the first month of preparation. I want remind that every workout can be HARD or MODERATE or EASY depending on the
interpretation. For example, like already some else replied you, the training of Monday is not at Threshold speed. If a runner of 13:30 runs
at Threshold about 3:40 > 3:25, in that moment is not able running in 15:00. You must calculate the intensity in relation to your
performance : the "internal load" is completely different, and you must know that, when 3 athletes carry out the same training, the only
sure thing is that THEY HAD A DIFFERENT TRAINING. Training is not what you do, but the value and the cost of the answer from your
body. So, you must learn that, also for the same athlete, the same training, depending on personal conditions (also psychological) and
external conditions (for example, weather, cold, hot, etc..) can appear very different. 10x1000 in 3:00 during a nice day, carried out when
you are fresh at the beginning of a training period, can have the same effect of 10x1000 in 3:10/3:15 when temperature is very cold and
you are tired because of previous training or personal problems. So, you must to learn to distinguish "internal load", that is the ANSWER
or your body to the proposal of training, and "external load", that is the proposal.
About the short sprints uphill, I can assure you that is a type of training that doesn't leave any tiredness in your legs, expecially when you
are used to do it. Of course, you must use full recovery (about 1:30 / 2 min), not running coming back and going up again after 30 sec. It's
not a circuit, their goal is different (recruitment of the higher number of fibers). About every type of fartlek (long like on Tuesday, or short)
is the type of interpretation that can make a work hard or moderate. During this period, every thing is moderate. For example, if on
Tuesday I want to replace long fartlek (that I prefer because you must follow your sensation at the beginning of training, not needing to
follow specific speed like when you are preparing an important competition) and I put 3000 / 2 x 2000 / 3 x 1000m, for the above athlete of
13:30 times can be 9:00 - 5:50 - 2:50, that are very slow. So, this training is not hard, because only the tests are at Threshold level.
Regarding the short variations of speed, in my programmes this is a workout of easy regeneration, not a fartlek for "building" something.
The mean is to train, running easy, the ability to change length of strides and frequency, using 30/45 seconds of easy effort for mechanical
reasons. Don't think that always "Fartlek" must be something very hard : originally the word meant "Game of running", and was at free
interpretation of every runner.
Personally, I prefer not to use track, because european and american runners lost the "instinct" of running, changing something that is
natural in mathematic : running at Threshold with cardio, going on track for controlling always the speed, measuring every thing for being
sure. Running is something else, and for running fast you must follow your sensations, and for following you must know what your
sensations mean. Task of a coach is to follow the athletes for teaching them to "hear" and to "feel" themselves, and to arrange their
training with big goals, leaving a good space to personal interpretations. For example, if I decided an easy day of regeneration after a hard
training for a my athlete, but there is a group that after 30 min starts running very fast, and my athlete runs fast with other athletes
because for him this is funny and stimulating, for me is OK : but I have to arrange the next workout. Of course, I cannot permit that an
athlete goes for 5 times in hard work, but this is my task : to give an address to his talent, not to humiliate his talent in a jail that makes him
to lose the ability to enjoy running.
Last thing : about "ramps" that sometimes I use (see John Korir training), these NEVER ARE LONGER THAN 40m (many times only
20m), depending on the gradient. In any case, are very different from sprints uphill (about 10%), because you must use more STRENGTH
in less dynamic way (so, while I use sprints during all the season, I finish with ramps after the first 2 months of preparation).
Why are better climbing than on flat ? Because climbing you can use and develop a higher percentage of STRENGTH : a normal runner
cannot recruit a high percentage of fibers carrying out flat sprints, because the limits for his speed are mechanical. Climbing, you have
less risk (it's very easy to have some injury sprinting on flat, practically impossible sprinting climbing) and can use more fibers. Of course,
sprint is sprint, and the interpreation is AT MAX SPEED. Long and complete recovery in this case, forget to be long runners : one thing is
to prepare your ENDURANCE (that is an enzymatic problem), another thing to prepare your muscles to work (that is a mechanical
problem). Is completely useless to have a car with a very powerful engine, having a lot of problems in the wheels.
Dear Tim, you have reason when you speak about 4 x 2000m. Only now (because when I write I have no time to read again what I wrote)
I can realize that I read 2-3% FASTER, while is 2-3% SLOWER (faster are more short intervals). Of course, if you try to do 4x2000 at 2%
faster of your PB in 5000m, you are not able (but nobody is able). Good analysis by you.
Instead, regarding 4-6 km continuous run at 95-98% (of course, 95% is for 6 km, 98% for 4 km) I confirm what I wrote. In your example,
95% is a pace of (2:36 = 156 sec, 5% of the pace is 7.8 sec per km = 2:43.8) and for 6 km this is a final time of 16:22.8 passing at 5 km in
13:39, very normal for an athlete able running in 13:00. The same case for 4 km at 98% (that is 2:39.2 per km) : 4 km in 10:36.8 are
absolutely normal for a top athlete, going at 3000m in 7:57.6.
Our goal is not to improve AnT, but to create a special MAX LASS (or OBLA, if you prefer) that is the key of the specific endurance at high
intensity.
You must not make the mistake to think of training for a young athlete like a miniaturization of the training of a top runner. The system for
building your specific ability is something that has to change every year. So, with the beginner you must have a very big percentage of
GENERAL TRAINING, using long aerobic run at low intensity but also technical exercises, exercises for cohordination, for elasticity, for
reactivity. You must not only build the engine, but also TEACH TO THE ATHLETE ALL TECHNICAL THINGS THAT HE NEEDS FOR
RUNNING FAST IN THE FUTURE. So, you must be a teacher more than a coach.
Going on in your career, the percentage of General Training decreases, and the area of Specific increases.
So, your example regarding Kwalia, for example, isn't pertinent, because you are speaking of an athlete coming from 15 years of training,
and our beginners are really beginners. So, they have to do WHAT KENYANS DID FOR 10 OR MORE YEARS, without knowing the final
effect, like normal activity connected with their type of life (also playing, for example, for 1 hr running and pushing a big tyre of a tractor
when they are 8 years old), and that in our society nobody does (but in the past, at the time of Prefontaine and Lindgren, for example, I
think that also in US was the same). So, what is able to do in training a 20 years old like Kwalia or Kipchoge, may be possible for an
American or a European when is 28 years old, after having built the base that he doesn't have.
One thing is sure : if you want running fast in competition, you must run fast in training. The problem is WHEN and HOW, not IF. A
workouts like running 6 km at 95% of your pace in 5 km is something that you can carry out once every two weeks, for example. I never
used microcycles, thinking that in the modern methodology for top runners this is not possible. For example, during the last 41 days before
winning World Championships 99 in Seville in 3000 SC, Christopher Koskei (elder brother of Shaheen) had to compete 14 times in races
of steeple (one every 3 days !). So, I had to manage this situation, and at the end he won, reaching his top shape for the Championships.
How is possible to think of a microcycle ? May be that we use something similar during the Fundamental period, but in any case we have
so many type of workouts to do that is not possible to put every thing in a short period. Another reason is that I prefer to adjust training
following the effects of the previous training. My schedules are outlines lastings normally 2 months, but at the end of the period the training
effectively carried out is like the program only for 50%, the other 50% is the product of a change that I do looking at the effects in short
time of training already made.
If you want to follow a training like what (not only me) we use with top runners with a young runner, you make a big mistake. Remember
always the 3 most important points of a good training : CONTINUITY, GRADUALNESS and MODULATION. You must have patience in
building the body and the mind of an athlete, doing some hard training only when is possible.
Last thing regarding who tried to use the scheme for circuits that I wrote. Not refuse circuits, but try to adapt them to your current situation.
Where I write 200m running go, for example, for 50m, where I put 40m bounding go for 20m only, reduce the length, don't use too high
intensity, and START TO PREPARE YOUR BODY FOR BECOMING ABLE TO DO THIS WORK NEXT YEAR. Remember that the most
important part of training is TRAINING FOR BEING ABLE TO TRAIN : 80-85% of your training has to have this goal, 15-20% the goal to
prepare the competition.
During the track period I never use a microcycle, because training depends on the frequency of competitions and their position in
calendar. For example, we think of a month (like June) where you have to compete in 3 races, 2 very close (1500m on 3rd and 3000m on
6th), and one after 3 weeks (again 1500m on 27th). In this case, my month can be the following :
1st - easy regeneration for 40min + strides (twice)
2nd - 40min easy + strides (once)
3rd - 1500m RACE
4th - 40min easy + strides (once)
5th - 40min easy + strides (once)
6th - 3000m RACE
7th - 1 hr easy (once)
8th - a) 1 hr progressive from moderate to fast

b) 40 min moderate + 10 x 60m sprint uphill
9th - a) 1 hr 10 min with short variations of speed, lasting 30/45 sec., one every 3 min about (at personal sensation, for mechanical
reasons)
b) 30 min easy + 20 min hard
10th - a) 5 couples of 2 x 600m rec. 1:30 in 1:32 < 1:27, rec. 4 min between sets (2nd test faster)
b) 1 hr easy regeneration using feet in elastic way
11th - a) 40 min easy + technical exercises (4 times 30.0 skipping fast, 4 x 30m bounding, 4 x 30m heels-to-buttocks in elastic way, 4
times 30.0 skipping with long strides (60cm about)
b) 1 hr easy
12th - a) 40:00 easy + stretching

b) 30:00 easy + 10 x 50m sprint uphill
13th - a) Mixed track : 2000m in 5:20 (rec. 5:00) + 5x200 in 27.0 rec. 1:00 (rec. 5:00) + 1200m in 3:09 (rec. 5:00) + 4 x 300 in 42.0 rec.
1:30 (rec. 5:00) + 800m in 2:02 (rec. 5:00) + 2 x 400 in 57.0 rec. 1:00
b) 40:00 easy vregeneration
14th - 1 hr 20min with 1 hr moderate + 20 min fast
15th - a) 40 min easy

b) 40 min easy
16th - a) Warm-up + 3000m in 8:15 + 2000m in 5:22 rec. 6'

b) Warm-up + 6 x 500m in 1:12 rec. 3/4 min
(This is a SPECIFIC BLOCK, good for increasing Specific Endurance : must be recovered very well)
17th - a) 40 min easy

b) 40 min easy
18th - a) 40 min easy + 2 sets of 5 x 150m very fast climbing, rec. 2 min among tests, 5 min among sets
b) 40 min easy
19th - With rec. 8:00 : 1200m in 3:06 (32 + 32 + 32 + 32 + 32 + 26) + 1000m in 2:32 (31.5 + 31.5 + 31.5 + 31.5 + 26) + 800m in 1:58 (31 +
31 + 31 + 25) + 600m in 1:26 (30.5 + 30.5 + 25) + 400m in 54.5 (30 + 24.5)
20th - a) 40 min easy regeneration

21st - a) 1 hr 10 min with short variations of speed

b) 40 min easy + strides
22nd - a) 20 min easy + 15 min very hard progressive run

b) 40 min medium pace + 1 x 2000m in 5:15
23rd - a) 1 hr moderate + some exercise (skip, bounding)

b) 40 min + 6 x 50m sprint uphill
24th - a) 40 min easy + 5 times 100m running with very high frequency + 5 times 100m running with very long strides
b) 40 min easy
25th - 40 min easy + strides
26th - 40 min easy + strides
27th - 1500m RACE
This can be, for example, a type of training for an athlete of 1500m already in good shape that wants running near his PB of 3:35.
Look yourself for the distribution of workouts.
A specialist of 1500m doesn't have a MAX LASS, because the race is too short. In this case is important the level of the Threshold (in
some case can be about 5mmol). Workouts like 4x2000 or 8x1000 can be able to help the athlete in rising his AnT. Instead, regarding
stamina, you need something of higher intensity.
Because you can better understand my idea (for a 3:36 runner, 14.4 every 100m) :
15 x 500m in 1:20 (16.0 every 100m = 88/89% of intensity)

with 1 min recovery : TRAINING FOR AEROBIC POWER (has influence in rising the AnT)
10 x 500m in 1:15 (15.0 every 100m = 96% of intensity)

with 2 min recovery : TRAINING FOR LACTIC ENDURANCE (depending on Aerobic Power)
4 x 500 in 1:10 (14.0 every 100m = 103% of intensity)

with 5 min recovery : TRAINING FOR LACTIC CAPACITY (depending on LACTIC POWER)
2 x 500 in 1:05 (13.0 every 100m = 110% of intensity)

with 12/15 min recovery : TRAINING FOR LACTIC POWER
Trainings for "Stamina" are the last two workouts, in very high lactic area.
The modern system of preparation is based on the specific intensity. You must use many years for reaching your best, but during all this
time you must increase the intensity of EASY TRAINING. For example, if during the first year of career we have an athlete able to run
14:30 at 17 (2:54 pace), during winter he can use, for improving his Endurance, workouts for Aerobic Power like 5 x 2000 in 6:10 (3:05
pace = 93% of intensity). During the next season, supposing that he can now run 14:10 (2:50 pace), he can use 5 x 2000 in 5:50 (2:55
pace = 97% of intensity), and intervals at 90% of the race intensity have no meaning, except for increasing volume (for example, 5 x 3000
in 9:15 if the athlete can move to longer distances. I think that also for you is normal to think of 5 x 2000 in 5:50 rec. 3:00 for an athlete
running 14:10. So, tell me what is the difference, in percentage, with a top runner running 13:00 when he goes for a continuous run at 95%
of the pace. I want to remind that the jump of quality in long distances happened with Ron Clarke, that was the first athlete running "long
and fast" in training, near the race speed (for example, 15 km in 45:00, that 40 years ago was absolutely out of the mind of coaches and
athletes). I remember that in France, for example, Michel Jazy (3:36 and 13:24) every year started his training running till 3 hours at 4:30 /
5:00 per km, following Van Aaken system (the coach was Frassinelli), for improving his capillarity. Really, he could not improve his
capillarity, simply he lost time. This is a type of training good for the first 2-4 years of activity, not for a top runner. His problem is to
improve his enzymatic system, and this is possible only putting in crisis the system going at high (but not max) intensity.
So, if for example for a runner able running 28:00 that never ran longer than 1 hr can be SPECIFIC FOR THE MARATHON running 2 hr
20 at 3:45 pace (because in any case this training is something new that can stimulate his body in direction of improving Resistance), for a
marathoner "full time" already expert a long at 80/85% of Marathon Pace is only general training (also if are 3 hours) and the effect on
performance is practically nothing. We cannot use intensity too low in relation with the race pace, and expecially we cannot leave this type
of stimuli for long time (all winter, for example). Of course, this type of work is planned not frequently, and the intensity is not like during
the competition season. In other terms, if you want running 800m in 1:43 during summer, also if you don't prepare indoor season, in every
moment you must be able to run 1:47, not 1:50. In this case, the percentage of your intensity is (1:47 - 1:43 = 4.0 = 96% of intensity). The
same for longer distances.
Regarding relations among AnT and OBLA, OBLA depends on the level of AnT, but for 5-7 years you can only work for increasing AnT,
not yet for creating specific MAX LASS. When you become able to run at 9 mmol for 6-7 min, for example, your AnT is not different from
the Threshold that you had the previous year, when you were not able to LAST long time at the same intensity. You become more
resistant at the same speed not because are able to increase your Threshold, but because are more able to use a part of lactate like
energy. SO, THIS IS A PROBLEM OF SHUTTLE LACTATE THRU THE FIBERS, that is a different problem from that of lactate
elimination. See what I sent to Michael Bautista, regarding tests with top athletes (it was the theme of the Congress of European Coaches
in Abano Terme from 4 to 7th of November, where Peter Thompson and myself were the speakers).
Regarding the importance of changing every year the training, increasing the percentage of SPECIAL TRAINING and reducing the
percentage of GENERAL TRAINING, this is one of the principles of methodology, irrimessible if you want to develop yourself lasting long
time. You cannot build a house without basis. I always make the example of a house : Gebre can have a skyscraper of 60 floors, a normal
athlete a house of 10 flours and and Amateur of 3 floors, but in any case that spend 10 years for building everything, increasing both
volume and intensity during this period. After this, your aerobic attitude is consolidated, and you have no more margin in that direction.
You must think of SPECIFICITY of training, reducing the basic training because, with or without, nothing change in your body. You already
have your house, with the top. What you can do is to make the house more comfortable, inside, for living better. So, there is a specific
goal for every age and for every period of your career. When you look for training of a champion, you look for a LAST PART OF A
PROJECT, that is not yet your situation. YOU MUST LOOK FOR THE ROAD that the champion ran during his career, not for the final
step.
You must know very well that, without long basic preparation (in your life) you cannot become a top level runner. If you think to have
mental and physical attitude for running fast, you must have patience, but cannot skip the most important step for a runner : BUILDING
YOUR BODY AND YOUR MIND FOR IMPORTANT GOALS. Why, when you are not treained, you run (for example) 33:00 for 10 km, and
after 6 months of training you run 30:30 ? Because training changes your physiology, and you are no more the same person. But is also
important to know that you cannot build everything. Like in a car, the final quality depends on the quality of material, not only on the time
used for making the car. So, you can dream, but step by step : a good advice is to dream what you can reach, not what is beyond your
possibility.
Regarding how many times I use some circuit : I already explained that, in my training, programs are something personal. So, I use the
elements of preparation in different percentage, according to what I think that the athlete needs. If I have an athlete needing more
strength, I use more times ; if I have an athlete needing more agility, I use another type of circuit. Everything I show you is an example,
because you can work on this with your fantasy, making a cloth on the measure of your athletes. I cannot give a schedule good for
everybody, because this is possible if we suppose that everybody has same attitudes and same motivation. We know that this is not the
reality. I USE WHAT I NEED BETTER AT THE MOMENT.
I don't think that we must use a big number of specific speed training. I am used to analyze training during a full period, taking from my
sensations (regarding ALL TRAINING, not only specific workouts) the idea of the shape of the athlete, and what he needs. For example, if
you run 50 miles per week, using like max mileage in one session 10 miles at medium but not very hard pace, and are able to run on track
10 x 1000m in 3:00 recovering 200m in 1:30, may be that you run 10000m in 30:30. Next year, you increase the volume to 80 miles per
week, you run a longer run of 15 miles, and run 10 miles a little bit faster, but you go on track using the same speed and recovery of
before (10 x 1000m in 3:00). After this, you are able running in 29:30. And still, the SPECIFIC SPEED ENDURANCE TRAINING WAS
THE SAME ! What did happen ? That your specific work of quality had the opportunity to be recovered better and to become more
stimulating for your physiology.
This is the reason because I NEVER USE TWO TIMES THE SAME TRAINING, also if I use trainings having the same goal.
I want to avoid that the athlete becomes slave on his times and his tests, putting every time in relations his current training with the past
training, and drawing a conclusion that is wrong BECAUSE HE DOESN'T ANALYZE THE GLOBAL ASPECT OF TRAINING.
I prefer to work around the speed of the race : a mix of speed and endurance (the first one little faster than the race speed, the second
one little slower, but in any case very close the speed of the event) normally can produce best results, preparing some SPECIFIC
WORKOUT that I use with attention and thriftiness.
Personally, I don't use more workouts like 10 x 400 in 60.0 recovery 1 min for a specialist of 1500m (that I use instead normally with
runners of 5000m). In my personal experience, I remember that was able running 10 x 200m in 27.0 (with the last in 24.9) recovering 1
min, and at that time my personal best in 800m was 1:59.8 ! And Giorgio Gandini, coach of Francesco Panetta, was able running in 1957
in training 30 x 400 in 64 rec. 60m jogging in 40.0, with PB of 3:47 / 14:42 / 31:34 (the Italian National Record for Women is of my athlete
Maura Viceconte, 31:05.54, that has 4:26 in 1500m) !
So, clearly, is not this type of work that can produce the best performance. You become specialized in recovering very quickly, but during
the race this is not possible. So, is better to try to increase the Threshold and the Speed, going for workouts of Lactic Endurance only few
times, at high intensity.
this is a type of training derived from Interval-training, The classic type of intermittent that we use, for example, with some specialist of
800m (like Italian Andrea Longo) is 4 sets of 10x150m in 21.0 recovery 30.0, with 5/6 min among sets. The speed (about 14.0 every
100m) is about 92/93 % of the speed of the race (1:44.0 is 13.0 every 100m, so 1 sec is 7% of the time), and this fact is very good under
biomechanical point of view. If you take blood at the end of every set, for checking the lactate level, you can see a very low level (may be
about 7-9 mmol), SO THIS TRAINING HAS AN AEROBIC EFFECT. With Longo, for example, if we go for 6 km at 3:20 (with very low
relation under biomechanical point of view : 20.0 is a speed of 18 km/h, 13.0 of 27.7, so the percentage is 65%), at the end we find a
higher level of lactate (may be 12-13 mmol).
With long runners, I use also some time this training. For example, during winter, I use normal workouts of long intervals for increasing
Aerobic Power (5-6 x 2000m in 5:40 for an athlete able running, in full season, 5 x 2000m in 5:20), with 3 > 2 min recovery, alternating
with sessions where I use "long intermittent training", where I already use the speed of summer with short recoveries (for example, 5 sets
of 5 x 400m in 63/64 with 20.0 of rest between tests, and 4/5 min between sets). In this way, I always have in my programs the "specific
speed" that I want to train. In other terms, I use the final volume of training at lower percentage (may be 92 > 95 %, in the example of
2000m, 5:40 is 94% of 5:20 like intensity), and the final intensity that I want to build with many intervals, reducing step by step the duration
of recovery.
The difference among the modern system and the old, is that now we BUILD the final performance, using the SPEED like key of the
training.
For example, If I want to build a performance of 27:00 for 10 km (2:42 per km), having time I use essentially two type of Special Training :
) Long continue run on track, at two different speeds : RACE SPEED (16.2 every 100m) and AEROBIC THRESHOLD SPEED, 20%
slower (19.5 every 100m). The developing system is the following, using always 14 km :
a) 10 x 400m at 16.2 (64.8) alternated with 1000m in 3:15 (19.5 pace) for a final time of 4:19.8 every 1400m = 43:18
b) 10 x 500m at 16.2 (1:21.0) alternated with 900m in 2:55.5 (19.5 pace) for 4:16.5 every 1400m = 42:45.0
c) 10 x 600m at 16.2 (1:37.2) alternated with 800m in 2:36 for 4:13.2 every 1400m = 42:12
d) 10 x 700m at 16.2 (1:53.4) alternated with 700m in 2:16.5 for 4:09.9 = 41:39
e) 10 x 800m in 2:09.6 alternated with 600m in 1:57 for 4:06.6 = 41:06
Normally I never was able to continue (the final goal is 10x1000 in 2:42 rec. 400m in 1:18 = 14 km in 40:00), because there are
competitions and we need to arrange some workout, but the idea of develop is that one.
2) Intervals at 2% of speed higher (in this case, about 15.8 every 100m = 63.2 or 1:19.0 or 1:34.8 or 2:06.4 or 2:38.0) till 1000m, starting
from 12 km with more tests, then reducing number of tests, increasing their length, using a modulation in recovery times :
a) 6 sets of 5 x 400m in 63.2 rec. 30.0 among tests, 4:00 among sets
b) 6 sets of 4 x 500m in 1:19.0 rec. 30.0 among tests, 4:00 among sets
c) 6 sets of 4 x 500m in 1:19 in couples (rec. 15.0 among the first 2, 45.0 among the 2nd and the 3rd, 15.0 among the last 2)
d) 6 sets of 2 x 1000m in 2:38, rec. 1 min among tests, 4 min among sets
e) 6 sets of 2 x 1000m in 2:38, rec. 1 min among tests, 3 min among sets
f) 6 sets of 2 x 1000m in 2:38, rec. 30 sec among tests, 4 min among sets
At this point, you can go for 6 x 2000 in 5:20 rec. 3 min, or for something mix like couples of 1500m in 4:00 and 500m in 1:18 rec. 1 min
and 4 min among sets. You can use your fantasy, but the phylosophy is the same : to keep the same volume, increasing the length of
SOME TEST (not all), reducing recovery among SOME TEST (npt all), using more modulation regarding recovery times and length of
tests.
How you can see, starting from a mathematical point of view (at vthe end of every thing, if you want to run in 27:00 the speed is always
16.2 every 100m, you can be kenyan or american, tall or small, black or white, fast or resistant, but the final speed is OBJECTIVE, not
SUBJECTIVE), you can develop your SPECIFIC ENDURANCE building your specific attitude to last at that speed. In this way, you can
build your specific OBLA or MAX LASS.
Of course, this is possible always when the athletes are already READY in their body after many years of training, at the beginning BASIC
and FUNDAMENTAL, before becoming so specific. That's the reason because, without patience, is not possible to build a top runner in
short time.
Regarding the length of the ramps, I want to remind that the effect is to recruit the highest possible number of fibers in muscles interested
in the action. So, is not important to use longer distances, because the goal is not to make high quantity of lactate, but is a neuromuscolar
effect. Ramps can have a very hard gradient (may be about 30%), and can last about 6-8 sec. The difference between ramps and hills is
in the gradient, and of course in their duration. With ramps I want to develop explosive strength, basic strength for every type of exercise. I
have not care about recovery time : when I feel ok, I go again. Instead, with sprints climbing, I use a gradient between 10 and 15%. I
cannot speak of real run on the ramp, because the speed is very slow : ramps can replace weight training. Instead, sprints climbing are
sprint at max intensity, and can go till 100m, depending on the gradient. They can last about 12-15 sec. In this case, the athlete can
produce a good levbel of lactate, but the quantity in his muscles is little, and he can remove it in short time. I can vary length and gradient
according what I need. Remember that in any type of training we can use different executions, that can become less or more interesting
depending of the needs of every athlete.
But is not possible to say that one period is more important than another. Without basic period, is not possible to go for specific period of
quality. But without specific period is not possible to reach your best. It's like building a house : is more important the first floor or the tenth
floor in a house of 15 floors ? One cannot exist without the other. So, if is not possible to develop intensity without basic training, is not
possible to develop performances without intensity.
About the percentage of aerobic/anaerobic in some events of athletics (like 800m or 1500m) I think that it's not possible to give numbers.
An example : do you think that the percentage of aerobic and anaerobic can be the same for 1:42.88 of Steve Cram or for 1:42.something
(at the moment I don't remember very well) of Patrick Konchellah or 1:43.11 of Gregory Konchellah ? Or do you think that the 1:43.88 of
Said Aouita and Donato Sabia are the same ?
You can use very different percentage (from 30 to 70) of both aerobic and anaerobic energy, depending on the type of fibres and your
training. Also in Marathon we know, today, that the best runners can use a percentage of ANAEROBIC energy that some year ago was
supposed to be useless, if not damageous, working like a "turbo", depoending on the ability in using a part of the lactate for new energy.
So, I think that to talk too much about numbers is an exercise of phylosophy, nothing to do with the ability to coach different athletes.
f you allow me to do some comment, I think that American coaches are too much scientific, and sometime lose the ability to watch inside
the reality. Personally, I never met a scientist that was also good coach, because they want to use the athlete in function of training, not
training in function of the athletes. Don't forget that the most important problem to solve is to make easy what is difficult, and for this goal
we need to be very simple, natural in our approach, bringing our athletes to train more without too much pressure. That's the reason
because too much hard training is a mistake : because athletics become a continuous examination, no more a pleasure. You can train
hard preserving the ability of enjoying your training, instead too many times athletes think that training is a "must", and lose their nervous
energies in fighting in training.
Under this point of view, we have very much to learn from African runners. When we are able to learn from them, we can teach them
something that they don't know. From this type of mixture we can build top results : scientific knowledge applied to natural attitude and
capacity of preserving nervous energies.
It's of sure accettable to put sprints after a workout, but my advice is not to use this system like normal system of training. I prefer to put
sprints uphill after long run (after aerobic training, not involving too much fast fibres) also if some time I put sets of very short sprints (for
example, 6 x 60m uphill) between one interval and another, when I go for long intervals (4 x 3000m + 1 x 1000m with 6 x 60m sprints
among each one).
Anyway, everything is possible. The most important thing is to think that is important what you do, not what you don't do. So, respecting a
good balance in training, you can use the biggest percentage of training in aerobic way, because the intensity is lower and you don't need
long recovery, and, when intensity is higher, you can reduce the number of workouts. Training is like a pyramid, the big base is aerobic,
then, increasing the speed, you go for less time and have to use with less frequency this type of workouts. Different is the situation of short
sprints, that, not provoking high lactate, have only a neuromuscolar mean. You can go often for this type of workout, without any problem
and without any interference with other type of training. This is the main type of training for the biomechanical system of an athlete, but
don't forget that the endurance (specific or general) is something regarding the bioenergetical and enzymatic system.
Probably my reply is not fully connected with your question, but I want to try to explain why, training specific endurance, you can improve
in your speed. The first question is : what the speed is ? Is your max speed (for example, 11.8 for 100m for Gebre) or is "relative max
speed" connected with your event ?
Personally I think that speed is every thing faster of 10% of the event speed. So, if you are a runner of 800m in 1:44, your race speed is
13.0 every 100m. 10% of 13.0 is 1.3, 13.0 - 1.3 = 11.7. When you run in 11.7 you go for SPEED, and the fact that you can run 10.5 or 11.0
is not important, because important is to run at 12.5 speed longer possible. Of course, the same speed has different goals in relation with
the distance. 11.7 for 100m is speed, 11.7 x 3 = 35.1 for 300m is speed endurance, 11.7 x 4 = 46.8 for 400m is the BASIC SPEED for the
final distance. For a Marathon runner of 2:06 (3:00 per km), 110% of the speed is 2:42 per km. Of sure Baldini never run faster than 2:42,
but about 3:00 he tries to develop his SPECIFIC ENDURANCE. For example, starting with 4 x 5000m in 15:00 rec. 1000m in 3:30, the
final workout can be 4 x 5000 always in 15:00, but recovering 1000m in 3:10, eventually adding a final 2000m in 5:45. THIS IS A
DEVELOPMENT OF SPECIFIC ENDURANCE.
Now, I want to give an example.
You run 10 times 400m in 60.0, recovering 1 minute, reaching a final level of lactate of 12 mmol.
After a mix of different type of training, 2 months later, you become able to run not 10 times, but 12 times in 60.0, reaching the same level
of lactate (12 mmol). Do you think that, when you run 12 times, after 10 times the level of lactate is already 12 mmol ? Of course not, may
be about 10. But, if you want to go for ONLY 10 TIMES at a final level of 12 mmol, you can run no more in 60.0, but in 59 or less. SO,
TRAINING SPECIFIC ENDURANCE AT A SPEED THAT IS NOT MAXIMAL, YOU CAN IMPROVE YOUR RELATIVE SPEED.
But, if you are able running 1500m (that is a short distance) in 3:43 when you run 10 times in 60.0, you become able running in 3:40 or
less when you are able running in 59. AND THIS WITHOUT USING MAX SPEED.
Of course, you must use continuous run at high intensity for 20-30 min, and also short sprints for training your neuromuscolar system (the
answer of BONO is very correct).
This is the reason because, in the modern training, long run at low intensity is useless, and max lactic speed also. And this is the reason
because I use so much hills of different length at max intensity.
Sergey will run yet next week in Italian Club Championships, then goes back to Ukraine for preparing World Cross Country Ch. (12 km).
He has the goal to increase his endurance at high intensity, because is very fast in the final if the race doesn't start very fast, but finds
some difficulty in following the pace if the speed at the beginning is very high. For reaching this goal, he has to develop his power-
endurance using long intervals at high speed, or long fartlek (for example : 2 times 6:00 + 2 times 5:00 + 2 times 4:00 + 2 times 3:00 + 6
times 1:00 very fast, recovery 3:00 moderate pace and 1:00 between the minutes fast)----
Regarding Shaheen, he started the preparation from the beginning of November, developing 3 weeks of long run, with a pick of 1 hr 48:00
(about 32 km) during the last week of the month. After this, we used a period of 5 weeks (till the end of December) for developing strength
endurance (twice a week there are short sprints uphill, till 20 times, 80m long, and once a week repetitions of about 400m climbing very
hard, in times about 1:30 with recovery 4:00 because the intensity is very high) and long endurance at high intensity. During this period,
the general volume of km isn't very high (about 140-150 a week), but the speed is always fast (never slower than 3:30 / 3:20 per km, in
very hilly courses at 2400m of altitude). We tried to train for the first 5 days of the week with 2 sessions very close (5:30 and 10:00 in the
morning) in order to increase the specific capacity of training hard. In this case, both the sessions were fast, and never there was an easy
session for recovering. On Saturday we used only one session (normally long and fast run, about 22-24 km with last 5 km under 3:00 per
km), in the early morning, recovering from 10:00 in the morning till Monday at 5:30 (always there is rest on Sunday). From 20th of Jan
(one week after Edinburgh cross) we started to use mixed fartlek (for example, 2 x 6:00 + 3 x 4:00 + 4 x 2:00 + 6 x 1:00 fast for a global
working time of 38:00, recovering 2:00 jogging), and now we have to move to different type of fartlek (10 x 1:00 rec. 1:00 + 10:00 very
hard + 10 x 30.0 rec. 30.0 + 6:00 very hard), sometimes using also hills of different length, but always at high intensity.
About Sergey Lebid, his normal long run is at a pace of 3:45 per km, with only last 15 min faster. Regarding intervals on track, he usually
goes for short repetitions (from 200 to 400m) at good speed (28 / 62) for many times, with very short recovery. What he never did before
our collaboration was the so called "Italian Medio", that is a long continuous run from 6 to 15 km at a pace of 95% of PB in 10000m. In the
case of Lebid (that has a 28:08 not "real", because can run in 27:20 when in shape)a "Medio" can be, for example, 12 km at 3:00 / 3:03
pace. We have to consider that Sergey uses to compete frequently, almost every week, and the competitions are his "Medio" training.
When instead we are during the track season, and Sergey goes only for few competitions, he needs to put in his training long intervals
(from 2000m to 1000m) that never used before. He started to use these distances in St. Moritz, training with the Kenyan Mark Bett, a my
athlete having 12:55 and 27:02 of PB. After using this type of training, Lebid was able to beat all the National Records from 3000 to
10000m, being very competitive in meetings like Monaco and Berlin.
When he is at home in November - December (before European Championships), he uses a lot of hills and long run on very hilly courses.
He is very strong in his muscles, but is not able to stay with the leaders if the beginning of the race is very fast. I think that this problem is
due to a lack of long-fast run, and is at the same time physiological and psychological problem.
For increasing his kick, one of the workouts that he prefers is 400 fast (61) / 200 recovery in 45 / 300 fast (45) / 200 recovery in 45 / 200
fast (27) / 200 recovery in 45 / 100 sprinting (1600m in 4:40), that he repeats 5 times with 4/5 minutes recovery. Speaking instead about
Shaheen, we must not forget that are speaking of an athlete able running in 7:53 steeple, and probably under 12:40 in 5k. If you think that
he has the ability to run for 5k at 2:32 pace, and for 10k at 2:40, you understand that 3:20 is 25% slower of the 10000m pace (16.0 every
100m compared with 20.0), and this is not so hard. If we want to follow the same proportion, for a runner of 28:20 the same intensity is
running at (17.0 + 4.25 = 21.25) 3:32.5, and for one of 30:00 is running at 3:45.
When I speak about "Cram slow", I want to explain that the official best of Cram on 400m was 48.5. Also supposing that he could run
REALLY in 47.5, this is a very slow time for running 1:42.88. I want to tell that IS POSSIBLE RUNNING VERY FAST 800m HAVING A
QUITE SLOW SPEED, IF YOU HAVE A VERY HIGH SPECIFIC ENDURANCE. And this is true also for the best, for example Kipketer,
Coe, Sammy Koskei, Johnny Gray, Bungei. Go to see the PB in 400-800 regarding the top 100 in the world, and you can see that THE
BEST SPECIALISTS OF 400 NEVER ARE AMONG THE BEST IN 800. Also phenomenons like Juantorena or Konchellah, able running
400m in 44:26 and 45.1 only 18y old, are not among the best, also if were able to win OG and WCh. If they could have the same specific
endurance of Cram, Coe or Kipketer, they could run very easy under 1:40. But, of course, they couldn't have the same coefficient of
endurance because are DIFFERENT ANIMALS, being sprinters. So, I want to demonstrate that you can run fast also having a relative
slow speed, if you are able to develop a very high coefficient of endurance. This means that there is not only ONE SYSTEM of training,
but you must use what is better according to your specific qualities.
1) Increase the mileage, and the number of training sessions per week. He can run an average of 160 km per week, going (one week
every 3, during periods without competitions) also very close 190 km. This is a correct base for an athlete that is talented for longer
distances.
2) Put him in some long competition on road (one HM in 62:30, per ex., and 1-2 times 10k under 29:00) in order to build a correct
mentality for every type of event, playing down the idea of fatigue connected with distance
3) Go for long intervals on track (for ex., 2000/3000/2000/1000/1000/1000 with short recovery of 2/3 min, running at 10000m pace (about
2:52 per km, ex : 5:45 - 8:40 - 5:45 - 2:50 - 2:48 - 2:45) trying to maintain during the weeks the same speed, reducing recovery times
4) At the same time, go for "medium" intervals in sets (for example, 4 sets of 600/500/400/300m with 1:30 recovery, alternating speeds :
1:36 - 1:14 - 62 - 42 for the first and the 3rd set, 1:28 - 1:18 - 57 - 46 for the 2nd and the 4th set) using 5:00 recovery among the sets
5) And use full speed with very long recovery, for example 5 x 400 in 53 rec. 8:00, or 3 x 600 in 1:22 rec. 8:00, for increasing the LACTIC
POWER, that is a very important part of training.
In this way, you can prepare the athlete for changing event in 3 years, but the first effect is THAT HE CAN IMPROVE IN 1500m and also
in 800m (may be 3:36 and 1:47 ?). Remember always that training is WHAT YOU DO. Don't be afraid about distance, or about speed : is
all the ingredients are present in a programme, the athlete can improve in every distance, IF IS AEROBICALLY TALENTED.
Nicholas went for a very tough training (12 x 1000m with the average of 2:44, but the n. 6 and the n. 12 in 2:36, in Davos, with 1:30
recovery) only 3 days before the race.
Master of obvious, why do you think that is easier running 5k at 95% of PB for a runner of 13:00 than for a runner of 17:00 ?
For a runner of 13:00 (2:36 pk), 100% of time is 15.6 every 100m, and 5% is 0.78, so 95% (in our system) is running at 16.38 each 100m
= 2:43.8 pk = 13:39.
For a runner of 17:00 (3:24 pk) is 20.4 every 100m, and 5% is 1.02, so 95% is 3:34.2 pk = 17:51.
Do you really think that a 17:00 runner cannot run, in his training, a 5k in 17:51 ?
If you think this, it's clear that you are not able to increase your Threshold.
But for you what is more important : to increase your Threshold or to improve your PB ?
And, when you become able to run in 16:30 using a combination of training (long run at 80% from 1 hr to 1 hr 20:00, medium run at 90%
from 30:00 to 40:00, short fast run at 95% from 15:00 to 20:00, long intervals of 3k - 2k at 100%, medium intervals of 1000m / 800m at
102/104%, short intervals of 600/400m at 105/108%, where those percentages are referred to the 5k time), without controlling every
moment your Threshold, do you think that your Threshold is yet the same or that has increased ?
I think that you must become more pragmatic, thinking of the EFFECTS of training, not the PHYLOSOPHY of training.
Don't make difficult what is easy. It's easier improve from 17:00 than from 13:00, if you want. Believe me, for some one running 17:00, to
run 16:30 is essentially a problem of quantity and quality of training. For someone running already 13:00, may be his effective limit, if he
already trains with high volume and high intensity.
I loved athletics from when I was 12 years old. At that time, I decided that, grown up, I wanted to become Italian National Coach.
But I never was interested in top results for myself. My motivations are basically two : to investigate what is possible to do with the human
body, where for human body I want to mean physiology and psychology, finding the personal key for the best way of improvement (that is
different one from another), and to help the athletes in improving their personality and their life.
I believe very much in the role of athletics (and of every type of sport, generally) like education for the life.
My principles are the principles of a teacher, before than a coach. I think that I'm at first an educator, secondly a coach.
This is the reason because I cannot accept in my mind not only any type of doping, but also any type of help from external sides. I think
that the greater strength is in the mind, and I work for increasing the self confidence in my athletes.
When you use something that can help you (may be also permitted, but under the psychological point of view the effect is the same), you
become "slave" of it, and you think that a part of your strength depends on it.
I don't want this situation. I want that the athletes can be sure about themselves, and when something is going bad, they have to have the
ability in analyzing the reasons without finding excuses that are damageous for them.
I try to educate my athletes, expecially African, in a different type of life. I want that my athletes have respect for the other, but also for
themselves, not wasting their life. I try to be a guide, because they need, but I'm not sure to be able EVER to do it.
A lot of time I read about athletes prepared in laboratory, considered like machines, where winning is all what they want.
I don't know if I'm perticularly lucky, but I don't recognize anyone of the top runners in this stereotype.
About training, I never went to some laboratory for controlling my athletes (except blood tests every 1-2 months, because it's very
important to know what CAN HAPPEN IN THE CLOSE FUTURE, and from the blood tests you can have a lot of informations). Of course,
I went to test them some time, but this was for having datas for scientists and for myself that I needed for explaining what happens inside
the body, but NEVER I USED THESE INFOS FOR MY TRAINING. So, I check the results of my training, but don't use them for my
program : I modify the program according to what I see every day DURING the training, not according to the datas of the tests.
Here every one speaks about percentage : 85 / 90 % of VO2, etc. But I never used a CARDIO for controlling the heart frequency, for
example, BECAUSE THESE DATA CAN CHANGE EVERY TIME AND ARE NOT SIGNIFICANT. I use lactate-tests that can give me
NUMBERS confirming what I already know, because it's possible to see every thing during training.
At the end of every thing, I like to coach athletes because I can have with everyone a personal relation.
I like to speak too much (as you had the opportunity to see...), and I feel gratified thru this type of relation.
I cannot be a coach without being also a friend, may be a father or a elder brother (looking at my age).
To coach athletes is not something "dry" and theorical, but is something "alive" and pragmatic.
You must have passion for human people, almost like a missionary. You must have heart. And you must work for the others, not for
yourself.
ARCH 2005
Tue 1 1 hr 10:00 moderate run (16k) 40:00 easy run (9k) 25k
Wed 2 1 hr moderate run (14k) 40:00 easy run (9k) 23k
Thu 3 1 hr 10:00 moderate run (16k) 40:00 easy run (9k) 25k
Fri 4 20:00 warm-up (4k) + Fartlek (12k) :10 x 3:00 fast (rec. 3:00 jogging) + 5 x 30.0 (rec. 30.0) 40:00 easy run (9k) 25k
Sat 5 1 hr 30:00 moderate run (21k) 40:00 easy run (9k) 30k
Sun 6 1 hr 14:00 moderate run (17k) 17k
(145 km in 6 days)
Mon 7 20:00 warm-up (4k)2 sets of 5 x 400m (rec. 1:30) (rec. 5:00 between sets) in 1:12.0 >`` 1:14.0 (first 2 in 62.5 63.5) 40:00 easy run
(9k) 17k
Tue 8 1 hr moderate run (14k) 40:00 easy run (9k) 23k
Wed 9 30:00 easy run (6k)5 x 200m climbing (rec. 2:00 %%`` 2:30) : 55.0 51.0 53.0 50.0 49 (recovery 5:00)5 x 200m climbing (rec. 2:00
%%`` 2:30) : 55.0 49.0 47.0 56.0 46.0 (recovery 5:00)5 x 170m climbing (rec. 2:00 %%`` 2:30) : 37.0 36.0 34.0 44.0 36.0 (recovery 5:00)5
x 170m climbing (rec. 2:00 %%< 2:30) : 33.0 34.0 37.0 36.0 36.0 40:00 easy run (8.5k) 20k
Thu 10 1 hr moderate run (14k) 40:00 easy run (9k) 23k
Fri 11 30:00 warm-up (6k) + Fartlek (14k) :4 x 2:00 fast (rec. 1:30) + 8 x 1:00 fast (rec. 1:00) +5 x 30.0 fast (rec. 30.0) (Travel to Iten) 14k
Sat 12 1 hr moderate run (14k) 40:00 easy run (9k) 23k
Sun 13 1 hr moderate run (14k) (Travel to Nairobi - Amsterdam) 14k
(134 km)
Mon 14 (Travel to Milano - Venaria) 40:00 moderate run (9k) 9k

Tue 15 30:00 warm-up (6k) + 10 x 1:30 fast (rec. 1:00 jogging)20:00 easy run (4k) (16k) 40:00 moderate run (9k) 25k
Wed 16 1 hr moderate run (14k) 40:00 moderate run (9k) 23k
Thu 17 40:00 moderate run (9k) (Travel by car to St. Etienne) 9k
Fri 18 40:00 easy run (8k) + stretching 20:00 jogging (4k) 12k
Sat 19 40:00 easy run (8k) 8k
Sun 20 ST. ETIENNEWORLD CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS (4 km)18th in 14:03 9k
(95 km)
Mon 21 Rest (Travel by car to Venaria) -----

Tue 22 1 hr 05:00 moderate run (16k) 50:00 moderate run (12k) 28k
Wed 23 1 hr 20:00 moderate run (19k) 19k
Thu 24 40:00 moderate run (10k) 1 hr easy run (13k) 23k
Fri 25 30:00 easy run (6k) (La Mandria Park)15k in 54:48 with 2 x 5k + 1 x 3k rec. 1kin : 17:40 4:06 18:03 4:41 10:18 (Complete massage)
21k
Sat 26 57:00 moderate run (13k) 13k
Sun 27 Rest (Travel to Dongio) -----
(104 km)
Mon 28 DONGIOMEDIA BLENIO (Road - 5 km)3rd in 15:59 9k

Tue 29 1 hr 15:00 moderate run (18k) 18k
Wed 30 1 hr moderate run (14k) (Cures for a tooth to the dentist) 14k
Thu 31 30:00 warm-up (6k) (La Mandria Park)3 x 5k (rec. 1k) in 1 hr 02:54 (17k average 3:42) (17:46 / 4:22 - 18:30 / 4:44 - 17:31) 23k
(64 km in 4 days)
APRIL 2005
Fri 1 1 hr easy run (13k) 1 hr easy run (13k) 26k
Sat 2 25:00 warm-up (5k) - (Track in Chivasso)5 x 400m (rec. 1:00) in : 1:13.9 1:10.5 1:08.8 1:11.5 1:09.9 (rec. 1:30)4 x 400m (rec. 1:30)
in : 1:10.8 1:09.5 1:09.6 1:09.0 (rec. 2:00)3 x 400m (rec. 2:00) in : 1:07.8 1:08.7 1:09.5 (rec. 3:00)2 x 400m (rec. 3:00) in : 1:04.8 1:07.2
(rec. 4:00)1 x 400m in 1:00.3 55:00 moderate run (12k) 23k
Sun 3 Rest ---
(49 km in 2 days - 113 km in the week)
Mon 4 1 hr progressive run (last 20:00 fast) (14k) 50:00 moderate run (12k) 26k
Tue 5 40:00 easy run (9k) 20:00 warm-up (4k) - (Track of Borgaretto)4 x 300m (rec. 4:00) in : 45.6 - 44.9 - 45.2 - 46.2 (rest 8:00)600m +
500m (rec. 5:30) in : 1:41.1 - 1:21.1 (rest 10:00)4 x 200m (rec. 4:00) in : 30.2 - 29.2 - 29.3 - 29.0 17k
Wed 6 1 hr 15:00 from moderate to fast (19k) 40:00 easy run (9k) 28k
Thu 7 25:00 warm-up in the Park (5k)15 km in 57:10 with 2 x 5k + 1 x 3k rec. 1 k in :17:32 / 4:41 - 18:25 / 4:29 - 12:01 Note : During the
last test she had an hamstring in the calf 20k
Fri 8 1 hr moderate run in the Park (13k) 13k
Sat 9 1 hr moderate run (14k) 14k
Sun 10 20:00 warm-up (4k) - (La Mandria Park)20 km in 1 hr 16:12 (average : 3:48.6)14:00 warm-down (2.5k) 26k
(144 km)
Mon 11 50:00 moderate run (11.5k) 50:00 moderate run (11.5k) 23k
Tue 12 1 hr moderate run (14k)10 x 200m fast climbing (rec. 2:00)9:00 warm-down (2k) 40:00 easy run (9k) 27k
Wed 13 50:00 moderate run (12k) 20:00 warm-up (4k) - (Track of Chivasso)6 x 2000m (rec. 2:00) in :6:45.0 6:42.5 6:32.0 6:28.7 6:31.3
6:23.6 28k
Thu 14 1 hr moderate run (14k) 1 hr with short variations of speed (14k) 28k
Fri 15 45:00 easy run (10k) 10k
Sat 16 40:00 moderate run (9.5k) 9.5k
Sun 17 20:00 warm-up (3.5k)17 km during Turin Marathon in 59:48 (average 3:31) 20.5k
(146 km)
Mon 18 40:00 easy run (9k) 1 hr moderate run (13k) 22k

Tue 19 1 hr moderate run (13.5k) 1 hr moderate run (13.5k) 27k
Wed 20 20:00 warm-up - (Track in Chivasso)10 x 600m (rec. 2:00) in :1:50.4 - 1:46.9 - 1:46.2 - 1:47.8 - 1:45.2 - 1:46.1 - 1:44.7 - 1:46.9 -
1:43.2 - 1:40.4 (last 200m in 31.2) 11k
Thu 21 50:00 easy run (12k) 12k
Fri 22 50:00 easy run (12k) 12k
Sat 23 Rest (Travel to France) -----
Sun 24 25 :00 jogging (5k) HEILLECOURTCORRIDA (Road Race 5 km)4^ in 15k
(99 km - 1 road race)
Mon 25 (Travel to Italy) 50 :00 moderate (12k) 12k

Tue 26 1 hr moderate run (13.5k) 1 hr with short variations of speed (14.5k) 28k
Wed 27 40 :00 easy (9k) 20:00 warm-up - (Track in Chivasso)3000m in 9 :34.5 (rec. 4 :00)10 x 400m (rec. 1 :00) in :1:10.3 - 1:09.4 -
1:08.3 - 1:08.7 - 1:08.9 - 1:07.5 - 1:09.3 - 1:09.3 - 1:07.1 - 1:01.7 20k
Thu 28 1 hr moderate (14k) 1 hr with short variations of speed (14k) 28k
Fri 29 1 hr moderate (14k) 14k
Sat 30 40:00 easy run (9k) 1 hr 20:00 varying speeds (30:00 easy + 10 x 1:00 fast rec. 2:00 easy + 5 x 1:30 fast rec. 3 :00) (19k) 28k
(130 km in 6 days)
MAY 2005
Sun 1 1 hr 10:00 with short variations of speed (17k) Note : pain in the left knee 17k
(147 km in the week)

Mon 2 1 hr moderate run in the Park (14k) 50:00 progressive run (12k) 26k
Tue 3 Rest (pain in the left knee) -----
Wed 4 Rest -----
Thu 5 30:00 easy run (6k) 6k
Fri 6 40:00 easy run (8k) on grass 8k
Sat 7 50:00 easy run (10k) on grass 10k
Sun 8 50:00 easy run (10k) on grass 10k
(60 km)
Mon 9 1 hr 04:00 easy run (14k) 14k

Tue 10 45:00 easy run (10k) 10k
Wed 11 40:00 easy run (9k) (Travel to Doha) 9k
Thu 12 Rest (Travel to Doha) -----
Fri 13 20:00 easy run (4k) DOHA - SGP3.000M STEEPLE1ST IN 9:28.50 (AFRICAN RECORD) 12k
Sat 14 Rest (Travel to Uganda) -----
Sun 15 Rest -----
(45 km - 1 competition on track)
Mon 16 1 hr moderate run (14k) 14k

Tue 17 1 hr 10:00 progressive run (17k) 50:00 moderate run (12k) 29k
Wed 18 30:00 easy run + 3 x 10:00 fast rec. 4:00 easy (17k) 50:00 easy run (11k) 28k
Thu 19 1 hr moderate run (14k) 50:00 moderate run (12k) 26k
Fri 20 1 hr 10:00 with 6 x 5:00 fast rec. 3:00 easy (17k) 50:00 moderate run (12k) 29k
Sat 21 Rest (Travel to Iten) -----
Sun 22 1 hr 20:00 moderate run (19k) 45:00 easy run (10k) 29k
(155 km)

Tue 24 1 hr moderate run (14k) 50 :00 moderate run (12k) 26k
Wed 25 1 hr moderate run (14k) 14k
Thu 26 1 hr with short variations of speed (14k) 14k
Fri 27 1 hr with short variations of speed (14k) 30 :00 easy run + 10 x 80m sprint climbing (8k) 22k
Sat 28 20:00 warm-up - (Track in Chivasso)10 x 500m (rec. 1:30) in :1:31.6 - 1:30.5 - 1:29.3 - 1:28.0 - 1:27.0 - 1:30.1 - 1:28.8 - 1:28.3 -
1:28.5 - 1:22.0 40 :00 easy run (8k) 18k
Sun 29 1 hr 18:37 progressive run (La Mandria Park) (19k) 19k
(127 km)
Mon 30 1 hr moderate run (14k) 50 :00 with short variations of speed (12k) 26k
Tue 31 40 :00 easy run (9k) 20 :00 jogging (4k) 13k
(39 km in 2 days)
JUNE 2005
Wed 1 20:00 easy jogging (4k) MILANO - GP II2000M STEEPLE1ST IN 6:04.46 (BEST WORLD PERFORMANCE) 11k
Thu 2 54:00 moderate run (12.5k) 12.5k
Fri 3 1 hr moderate run (14k) 40:00 easy run (9k) 23k
Sat 4 20:00 warm-up - (Track in Chivasso)10 x 800m (rec. 1:30) in :2:28.4 - 2:27.8 - 2:28.3 - 2:27.5 - 2:28.3 - 2:28.1 - 2:27.6 - 2:28.4 -
2:28.5 - 2:18.7 (last lap in 1:06.8) 45:00 easy run (10k) 22k
Sun 5 1 hr 07:00 moderate run (La Mandria Park) (16.5k)(22:25 - 42:15 (19:50) - 1:00:55 (18:40) + 6:05) 16.5k
(85 km in 5 days - 124 km in the week - 1 competition on track)

Tue 7 40:00 easy run (8.5k) 20:00 warm-up - (Track in Chivasso)5 x 400m (rec. 1:30) in :1:08.9 - 1:05.4 - 1:07.6 - 1:05.7 - 1:06.8 (rec.
5:00)2000m in 6:14.8 (rec. 5:00)10 x 300m (rec. 1:30) in :49.5 - 47.9 - 48.1 - 47.3 - 49.3 - 45.9 - 48.5 - 45.0 - 47.1 - 45.4 (average : 47.3)
20k
Wed 8 1 hr moderate run (14k) 40:00 easy run (9k) 23k
Thu 9 Magnetic Resonance in the left knee 1 hr moderate run (14k) 14k
Fri 10 Rest (Travel to Cesenatico) -----
Sat 11 25:00 jogging (5.5k) CESENATICO - Italian Club Championships1500m1st in 4:14.91 13k
Sun 12 30:00 jogging (6k) CESENATICO - Italian Club Championships5000m1st in 15:42.12 17k
(101 km - 2 competitions on track)

Mon 13 (Travel Cesenatico Venezia) (Travel Venezia Atene) 20:00 jogging
Tue 14 20:00 jogging ATHENS - Super GP3000m Steeple1st in 9:15.04 (African Record)
Wed 15 Rest (Travel from Atene to Venaria)
Malmo, I agree with you that one important thing is "to listen to your body". But I don't agree with the fact that this is th ONLY important
thing.
It's true, nobody can know his body better than the athlete himeself. But the real problem is to know WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO for
improving your shape. When you know what you have to do, it's very important to learn to listen the own body.
In other words : methodology must teach you WHICH KIND OF WORKOUTS YOU HAVE TO DO for bettering the secific qualities you
need for running faster. Your personal sensibility (ability to listen your body) must teach you WHEN to do these workouts, so it's somehing
connected with recovery, not with the training used for building the best shape.
This is the main difference among athletes self-coached from the beginning (for example, amateurs, but also athletes of high level
following geeral schedules from magazines, and organizing their training without a real methodological knowledge), and ahletes having a
TEACHER at the beginning, whom we can call "self-coached" in the second part of their career, when know what they have to do, and can
use in the best way a very high feeling with their body (for example, Wilson Kipsang and Kenenisa Bekele).
For remaining in their current profession, the knowledge of an advanced methodological plan is the knowledge about the sytem for
producing money. The ability to listen the body is the ability to save this money, without doing some wrong and stupid investment.
Training has very simple principles : you need to give to your body stimuli, and the reaction of the body IS TRAINING. Athletes can
improve because their physiology changes, and nothing can change without being stimulated. To repeat, year after year, what the athletes
are already able to do, can give ADAPTATION, and adaptation is the greatest enemy for an athlete.
Long and easy run, that at the beginning of the activity of an athlete can be a stimulus in extension BECAUSE THE ATHLETE NEVER
USED BEFORE, after some time becomes only REGENERATION, because the process of training must allow the body IN RUNNING
FASTER WITH THE SAME INTERNAL LOAD. So, sorry, but to think that long and easy run can continue to be an important mean of
training after some year is a big limit in the possibility of improvement. Why the athletes of Lydiard were so good in short distances, in
spite of the high mileage, and not in long distances ? Because the intensity of long run was a basic support for all the athletes having a
low threshold (like specialists of 800/1500m), and this type of training had a GENERAL EFFECT before the specific part of training. Peter
Snell was able running marathon, without too much effort, in 2:27, like a women in 100th position today, and this was a good base for
running in the special period a high quantity of intervals (also 30x400m in 62.0, and, if I well remember, 15 times in 58.0 during the period
of Tokyo 1964). For example, with Shaheen, World Record holder of 3000m steeple, I used very long run once per week, BUT ALWAYS
FAST. In 2005, one week after winning in 7'56" Golden Gala in Rome, Shaheen in Kenya ran 37 km on hilly course in 2 hr 01' (that is
5'13" per mile on 23,125 miles), and this is not the system of long run Lydiard used. What changed is the VOLUME OF THE INTENSITY.
And, for that reason, the world level in HM and in Marathon changed. And the answer is : THE INCREASE IN THE VOLUME OF
INTENSITY. But it's true that the today generation of western athletes, not having any aerobic background (on the contrary of the athletes
of 40 years ago), needs to build the aerobic base and, under this point of view, the principles of Lydiard are still valid for the first 2-3 years
of their career (but not for ever...) We speak about FUNDAMENTAL PERIOD and SPECIAL/SPECIFIC PERIOD, with different approach
and phylosophy.
In the fundamental period, WE MAINTAIN THE SAME INTERNAL LOAD. The performances can grow because of the adaptation of the
body at new stimuli, maintaining the same level of fatigue in the body (for that reason we call it INTERNAL LOAD).
What happens in this period ?
If you are able running 10 miles at 6' per mile in 1 hr, after two months the same level of fatigue allows you in running in 58' at a pace of
5'48". So, it means that the effect of 6' per mile of 2 months before, and of 5'48" per mile 2 months later, is exactly the same. If it the same,
it's clear that running at 6' per mile when you are able running in 5'48" doesn't provoke any stimulus, SO IS NO MORE TRAINING, but
REGENERATION.
In every methodological research it's clear the concept of INTERNAL LOAD, and I'm sure that Lydiard, as coach, well knew this effect. But
the interpretation of his principles by the most part of his followers is wrong, IF THEY CONTINUE FOR ALL THEIR LIFE RUNNING AT
THE SAME INTENSITY. Instead, during the SPECIFIC PERIOD, we look at the EXTERNAL LOAD, that is connected with the matematic
of the speed. If we want running 10000m in 28', this means 2'48" per km, and we need to respect the individual possibility to EXTEND ther
ability in lasting at that identified speed. Because the aptitudes of runners having the same PB can be different (look at Cabral and Hadd
when they spoke about the two typologies of runners for every event : FAST and RESISTANT), different must be the recovery between
the specific sessions, different the recovery in between tests, different the total volume, BUT SAME THE SPEED. Baldini can be in the
past, but when he won OG already used a system very similar the system of today. For example, Luciano Gigliotti used to introduce
during long run of 2 hours at 3'20" per km average, 4-5 times 2 km in 5'40", going back immediately to the basic speed of 3'20",
I want to give you an example of the type of training I use during the General Period, partcularly after a marathon. This is the only time of
the season I use a "linear program", because we are far from the competitions and I can work with a group, something I never use to do
during the specific period (as Lydiard, I'm for the individualization of every training program).
I cancelled the name of the athlete, one of top 5 in the World in Marathon.
s TRAINING PROGRAMME
(4 weeks, till the end of December 2011)
Monday :
a) Long run at a pace of 340 per km (1 hr 10 `` 1 hr 20)
b) 40 easy run + Exercises (A)
Tuesday :
a) 20 warm-up + 12 km fast
(1st period : 310 pace = 38 - 2nd period : 305 = 37)
b) 40 easy run + 80m sprint uphill (max speed) (12 < 15 times)
Wednesday :
a) Long run at easy pace (1 hr 10)
b) 30 easy + (Track) 10 x 300m rec. 1
(1st period in 45 - 2nd period under 44)
Thursday :
a) 40 moderate + Technical exercises (A)
b) 30 easy run + 7 x 1000m (rec. 2) starting with 247 < 245
Friday :
a) Long run at a pace of 350 per km (1 hr)
b) 30 easy run + Exercises (B)
Saturday :
30 easy run + 5 times fast uphill run, 95% of max speed
(1st period : 5 x 300m, rec. 4 2nd period : 5 x 400m, rec. 6)
Sunday :
Rest
Monday :
a) Long run at easy pace (1 hr 20)
Tuesday :
a) 50 easy
b) 30 easy + Circuits for strength endurance (rec. 6)(1st period : 4 times - 2nd period : 5 times)
Wednesday :
a) 1 hr easy regeneration
Thursday :
a) 30 warm-up + 4 sets of (600 + 500 + 400 + 300 + 200m), rec. 2 between tests, 5 between sets. Times for the 2 different periods :
139 %% 137 - 122 > 1205 - 104 > 1025 - 46 > 445 - 29 > 28
b) 40 easy regeneration
Friday :
a) 1 hr easy regeneration
b) 30 easy run + stretching
Saturday :
Warm-up like in competition + test on track (3000m fast)
Sunday :
Rest
Notes : This program lasts 2 weeks. You have to repeat for 2 times, for a total duration of 4 weeks.
Technical exercises (A) for coordination :
50m skipping with very high knees

30m bounding
50m heels-to-buttocks
20m stepping
45 jumping on the place with blocked knees
Repeat like circuit, starting from 5 times (try to arrive to 10 times, following your sensation)
Technical exercises (B) for strengthening :
Squat-jumps (from 5 till 10 times)

Short steps from the position of squat (10 meters)
Jumping with knees to the chest
Sagittal splits (from 30 till 40 times)
Repeat like circuit, starting from 4 times (try to arrive to 8 times, following your sensation)
CIRCUIT FOR STRENGTH ENDURANCE (on the track) :

200m in about 32
40m bounding
200m in about 32
10 squat-jumps
200m in about 32
40m skipping
200m in about 32
40m heels-to-buttocks
200m in about 32
20 sagittal splits
200m fast
This is the support of FUNDAMENTAL PERIOD, and of course can be different looking at different events.
For that reason, TOP ATHLETES NEVER HAVE TO LOSE WHAT ALREADY THEY HAVE. It's not possible today to have a long period of
preparation without ALL the elements of training (including speed and long fast run already in fundamental period). Of course, what can
change is the PERCENTAGE we use for every type of training during different periods.
For too long time we had in training the FRIGHT to do something AGAINST the development of some quality. So, 50 years ago, many
coaches supposed using speed during the base period could affect the aerobic system, exactly like many coaches of sprinters didn't
accept 40' easy continuous run because could affect the speed.
This is a total stupidity. In training, THE ONLY THING CAN LOSE IS WHAT YOU DON'T DO.
In training, we don't have to take care of the bioenergetic engine only. Synthetically, far from the peak of the season we have to look for
AEROBIC RESISTANCE (and we do this using long run not too fast, exactly as Lydiard teached) and, at the same time, for increasing
MECHANIC QUALITIES (muscular strength, flexibility, elasticity, reactivity, etc).
So, we have to make a "funnel" where, at the beginning, we have to extremes :

a) RESISTANCE (at the moment general)
b) SPEED (at the moment working on muscular strength).
The evolution of these two extremes is in two directions :
a) RESISTANCE (long run) must be qualified during a period of about 4 months, becoming ENDURANCE (so, when you are able running
long, you try to increase the speed for the same duration, in this way increasing the distance too)
b) SPEED must be extended, becoming SPEED ENDURANCE.
All this training evolves during the end of the Fundamental Period, going in the Special Period.
When we approach the competition, about 2 months before, we can speak of SPECIFIC PERIOD. During the Specific Period we work
ONLY for extending the ability in lasting at the speed we identified before (for example, 14" every 100m for an athlete looking at 3'30" in
1500m). Faster speed, or a little bit slower speed, are not part of the system, but we can use as stimuli in the two directions.
However, the big difference comes in what we do AFTER a season. When we look at marathon, for example, the priority is not to start
with long run again for a period of Aerobic Base, but is to start with something short and fast, IN ORDER TO RECOVER WHAT WE LOST
DURING THE SPECIFIC PERIOD FOR THE PREVIOUS MARATHON.
In other words, WE START TO ENHANCE THE AEROBIC POWER, AND LATER WE EXTEND THIS POWER TO THE MARATHON.
This is a very big difference from the past. Years ago, the system was 1) to increase the volume and 2) to increase the speed. Now, we try
1) to increase the speed and 2) to increase the volume of the speed.
Look at Geoffrey Mutai : winter in cross at top level, full marathon in spring at a level of WR, 10 km at his best after one month, 10000m on
track at the end of June and July, again full marathon in Autumn, always at max level. Moses Mosop ran the WR of 30 km exactly 45 days
after running 2:03:06 in Marathon, and 31 after that performance he was able to run 18 times 1000m on track at 2400m of altitude, with
1'20" recovery, in 2'45" (1st) + 16 times 2'42" + the last in 2'36".
FOR DOING THIS, WE NEVER MUST GO UNDER A HIGH LEVEL OF AEROBIC POWER.
Of course, sometimes we have a break of 2-3 weeks. In that period, athletes don't lose too much of what they already have. But in
Lydiard's system, the 2-3 weeks were 4 months, really too much for the athletics of today.
Matveyev was the one codifying the principles of periodisation, but Anatoliy Bondarchuk, understanding a too long period without "specific
training" could be a limit for reaching the best possible performance, promoted the idea of "multiple periodisations". For that reason, Soviet
Union was the first Country looking at Winter Championships in long throws. The multiple periodisation of Bondarchuk, very much more
advanced than Matveyev, included cycles of 3 weeks of "general" training (for example, targetting a long phase of strengthening with high
volume of weight lifting) followed by 3 weeks of "spcific" (where throwers used to have a ,lot of technical sessions, in order to "transform"
their strength in technique, with a continue alternance between "general" and "specific" training). So, if you look at sovietic periodisation,
you have to look at the more advanced format of it, not at something the same sovietic methodologists consider obsolete.
Of course, the principles of Zachorskiy and Verchosanskiy are still valid, as the principles of Lydiard. But principles are at the basis of the
development, and the development, STARTING FROM THOSE PRINCIPLES, is exactly what happens in all the sports, all the human
activity, in every field (otherwise we couldn't be still able to know the FIRE....).
Use what you have : if you are Borzakovskiy, you train for 4 months in winter on an indoor track because outside there are 25 negative
and the snow, not because this is absolutely the best way. If you are Ingrid Kristiansen, you run 160 km per week on treadmill, because
around there is only ice, not because this is the best way. But these are the only possible ways for athletes living in Russia or Finland in
Winter.
2) Don't lose what you already have. So, don't use long blocks of some type of training, because your body can go out of balance between
all the qualities you need to use for your performance. Of course, you must change the percentage of every type of training, but you need
to try to maintain a high percentage of what you have, when mainly you train for improving some other quality.
Try to distinguish the period during which the most important thing is to understand your INTERNAL LOAD (that is exactly the theory of
Lydiard, also if really I'm not able to understand what 1/4, 1/3, 1/2 of effort can mean), and the period when you have to look at the
EXTERNAL LOAD. In the second case, we call this "specific", and this is very different from the Lydiard's training.
Try to use big variations in your training. Only with high modulation you can make effective the supercompensation, that is the base for
every type of improvement.
5) Don't repeat every time what worked very well before. Training is the ANSWER to one attack to the body (STIMULUS), and without
stimuli there is no answer. This is exactly the reason because the most part of African cant last long time : BECAUSE THEY CONTINUE
TO USE THE SAME PROGRAM ALL THEIR LIFE. For that reason, to continue with long run at the same speed for all the life is
something not only not able to produce positive effects after some year, but also to bring the body in a state of Adaptation that is the main
enemy for future improvements.
And at the end some data, because it seems I don't believe in aerobic training. I believe so much in aerobic training that my athletes of
track ran long distances already in July, BUT VERY FAST : in 2005, for example, Shaheen ran (6 days after winning Golden Gala in
Rome in steeple with 7'56") 37 km in 2 hr 01', and Dorcus Inzikuru 32 km in 1 hr 58'. After one month, both won WCh in Helsinki. I laugh
when I read about "high mileage" speaking of 100 miles per week : my athletes run between 180 and 200 km per week if are 1500m
runners (Silas Kiplagat 3'29", Collins Cheboi 3'32", Caleb Ndkiku 3'32" and winner of World Cross Junior), more than 200 km always if
they are specialist of 5000m (Thomas Longosiwa 12'52", Edwin Soi 7'27"), 220/250 if Marathon runners.
But the big difference is when we move to the Specific Period. During the last 2/3 months, WE INCREASE THE VOLUME OF INTENSITY,
decreasing the general volume, also for Marathon. So, looking at the marathon (that is the only distance UNDER the threshold), WE
PREFER TO GO FOR SPEED BEFORE, EXTENDING THE DURATION AT THE SAME HIGH SPEED LATER.
Under this point of view, this is the exact contrary of Lydiard's training. And, if we have now a lot of athletes under 2:06 (and 4 under 2:04),
may be that this system is better that the old one.... or not ?
When I was the responsible of the Italian Training Center in Tirrenia, every year we had all the best Soviet hammer throwers (Syedikh,
Litvinov, Nikulin and Tamm) together with Anatoliy Bondarchuk, for long time (may be two months in December and February), because of
our sweet weather.
During all these periods, the athletes ALWAYS used special training (for example, throwing with 8 kg hammer for special strengthening,
and after 30-40 throws, a second set of throws with 6 kg hammer for training the speed of the execution). These happened for long time,
and was a normal praxis in their training. So, it's not correct to speak about a DOUBLE periodisation : we need to speak about a SINGLE
periodisation, made of continue alternance between the BASIC training of strength, and the quick transformation (through technical
SPECIFIC exercises) in SPECIFIC training.
This is not Lydiard, instead can be approached to the modern system of training we use in middle distances.
And I repeat : NOBODY among the best methodologists was able to study the effects of periodisation for endurance. Before 1970-1980,
really there were not infos about the effects of different types of training on the mythocondria. Only in that period (so, AFTER Lydiard,
Cerutty, Gerschler, Igloi and all the other coaches changing the history of methodologies) scientists started to look INSIDE the body, and
the roles of the enzymes (such as CPK, LDH and SDH) was investigated.
That's the reason because now we know that the process of capillarisation is not something effective during all an athletic life, but, when
the NUMBER of vessels reaches the top, THE NEXT STEP OF THE AEROBIC EVOLUTION IS THE AEROBIC INTENSITY. That's the
reason because, when Lydiard speaks about Aerobic Resistance, I speak about Aerobic Power. I try to avoid, in training, all the part that
doesn't have any bulding-up effect (apart regeneration).
Do you think that, for an athlete able running 42 km at a pace of 2'55" per km (4'40" per mile), a long run at 3'30" or slower can have some
physiological effect, other than regeneration ? But which is the NEGATIVE impact on the body, with this level of mileage ?
So, in training we need to be able to distinguish between TRAINING HAVING BIOENERGETIC AND METABOLIC EFFECTS, and
TRAINING HAVING BIOMECHANIC EFFECTS. A high slow mileage DOESN'T HAVE ANY POSITIVE METABOLIC EFFECT, but can
have SOME NEGATIVE BIOMECHANIC EFFECT.
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The fact one coach can work with top athletes is not a case, but depends, in any Country, from precise choices of life. For example, I
spend about 9 months every year in Kenya, and for that reason I can work with many of the top athletes. This was a hard decision for me,
involving my family, for moving from Italy, where I had already a top role in Italian Federation, as Technical Scientific Director. So, instead
speaking about "luck" for being here, coaches having the passion for working with the most talented athletes, thinking they can be able to
coach them, can be a very simple thing : to leave their Country, and to come here for working on the ground.
3) When I came Kenya, I was already lecturer of IAAF, going around the World for making coaches of the best level in middle and long
distance. This means I already had a professional and scientific knowledge about training. However, because I think I can learn every day
something new, at the same time I tried to teach Kenyans what I already knew, and to learn (not in scientific way) from them something
new, from their behavior.
For example, one day I went to compete in Heusden (Belgium) from St. Moritz with Sergey Lebid (Ukraine), Mark Bett (12'55") and Julius
Nyamu (8'07" steeple), and we arrived very late in the night. Mark and Julius went immediately to sleep, and waked next day in the
afternoon... Sergey went running in the darkness for 30' at 1:00pm, because for many Western runners this is a "must". This means that
for African the full recovery of nervous energies is very much more important than one "warm-down" session after a long trip.
4) This means that, working with the tops, you can create a virtuous circle, because you can teach them what they don't know about the
opportunities of scientific methodology, and at the same time you can learn from them how to improve the ability in managing the reality,
that is completely different from every theory.
This means also that in the training of top runners there is not Lydiard or Igloi or Gerschler or Van Aaken or Soviet Periodisation, but a
mixture of every kind of training, depending on their necessities for short periods. If for them running is a profession, and the only way to
earn money is to win competitions, they have to run competitions frequently, and never can use long period of basic preparation.
So, I see too much ideas connected with an amateur activity, tranferred to the idea of top runners. For example,mileage. For many
Lyardists, 100 miles per week is "high mileage", and I'm accused to look at "low mileage". But for me, 100 miles a week is a very LOW
mileage. My normal mileage for middle distance runners (speaking for example about the group of 1500m I have in Iten : Silas Kiplagat
3'29", Yusuf Kamel 3'31", Caleb Ndiku 3'32"06, Collins Cheboi 3'32"35, Remmy Limo 3'32"68) can vary from 160 km till 220 km per week,
according to the different personal attitudes, including already interval training, long fartlek, different distances uphill, circuit trainings (and
we use also gym 2-3 times per week).
In conclusion, we need to learn from the past, in order to build a different future. Lydiard was a miliar stone in the history of methodologies,
such as Igloi, Gerschler and other coaches, but the house we build today, starting from their fundation, is made following a different plan.
I'm one of "Aerobic first", because I give the max importance to the development of Aerobic System. But for me Aerobic First doesn't mean
FIRST in order of chronology, but FIRST in order of importance. So, the PERCENTAGE of Aerobic Training at the beginning of
preparation is very high, BUT THERE ARE IN DIFFERENT PERCENTAGE ALSO WORKOUTS FOR INCREASING STRENGTH (and
these type of workouts are LACTIC), and ALL the qualities we have to use during the Specific Period.
For me, Aerobic is not slow run, but includes a very wide range of speeds. For a top athletes, it's aerobic running at 2'45" per km such as
at 5' per km. But, a part to use running as REGENERATION, during the career of an athlete the real BEGINNING of AEROBIC
TRAINING, year after year, must start at a speed every year higher, OTHERWISE THERE THE TRAINING DONE DIDN'T HAVE ANY
EFFECT.
Athletes need to maintain the same INTERNAL LOAD producing a different EXTERNAL LOAD, otherwise their training was clearly wrong.
So, WHAT FOR A BEGINNER IS ANAEROBIC, FOR THE SAME ATHLETE AFTER SOME PERIOD MUST BECOME AEROBIC.
I explained how my phylosophy is completely different when I coach during the FUNDAMENTAL PERIOD and during the SPECIFIC
PERIOD.
During the FUNDAMENTAL I build the program looking at increasing the QUALITIES of the athletes. When I speak about "building the
aerobic house", the Fundamental Period is dedicated to buy the MATERIALS for building the house.
Every athlete can follow the same training system (if they are runners of the same type of event : NEVER I CAN PUT A MARATHON
RUNNER TOGETHER WITH AN 800m RUNNER), and the difference are in the individual ability (speed and volume, but the system can
be the same).
During the SPECIFIC PERIOD I put the ATHLETE AT THE CENTER OF THE PROJECT. This means I don't have a real program,
because I need to use the "material I bought" for building the performance. So, I give the athletes KEY WORKOUTS, all having SPECIFIC
AND DIRECT INFLUENCE ON THE PERFORMANCE.
For example, for a marathon runner, I can give 5 workouts in succession, such as the following :
a) 5 x 5 km at Marathon Pace with 1 km at 85% of MP in the middle (29 km)
b) Track 10 x 1600m at 105% of MP with 1'30" / 2' of interval with the last at max speed
c) 40 km at 92% of MP (after 15' warm-up)
d) Special Block : in the morning 10 km at 90% of MP + 15 km at 100%, in the afternoon 10 km at 90% + 6 x 2000m on track at 102/105%
of MP with 2' of recovery in between
e) 24 km alternating one fast (105% MP) and one more slow (95% MP)
All these trainings are very specific, and of very high quality and extension (so, their COST is very high).
f an athlete is able running FASTER of the original plan, I'm very happy, because he shows to be able to use his qualities for building a
very high performance.
However, FASTER is training, HIGHER is its cost. Consequentely, I NEED TO OPEN RECOVERY TIME, and so it's not possible to have
a rule about the identification of the right recovery. Also about the 48 hours or 72 hours after a LACTIC WORKOUT, there is no possibility
to speak about some rule, BECAUSE THE LACTATE ACCUMULATED CAN BE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
If you want to be sure, you need to check lactate and cortisol and to analyse the values EVERY DAY AFTER TRAINING. So, if you finish
training with a level of CPK of 1000 (many times it happens), normally the level is cut by half every day, and you can't start a new training
with high effect if your lactate is higher than 150 (that it means after 4 days). I use specific blocks for increasing the ability of the athletes in
working with HIGH ACCUMULATION OF LACTATE, but after every special / specific block I give 3-4 days of very easy training.
So, I need to receive from the athletes the START for their next intensive-extensive key workout. That's the reason because I try to teach
every athlete HOW to increase the feeling with his body, BECAUSE DURING THE SPECIFIC PERIOD I CHANGE THE RECOVERY
ACCORDING TO THE FEELING OF THE ATHLETES.
At the end of every thing, approaching the Specific Period, we need to enhance the quality of the TRAINING ABLE TO SUSTAIN THE
SPECIFIC TRAINING, and it's not possible to do this working with blocks in the athletic of today. One thing is the theory (is it better a
LINEAR periodisation or a non linear ?), but athletes of 50 year ago had their job and could chose training only for reaching their
(supposed) best results looking at the personal satisfaction ; athletes of today (African in primis) have athletics as their job, and need to
produce results for earning and for living, so their activity MUST be connected with the possibility of earning money during all the season.
And to speak about which system is better, is a waste of time, because the only solution is to do what we do today.
One example : 31 days after running 2:03:06 his first marathon in Boston, Moses, preparing the WR of 30 km, ran in Kamarin track (who
was in Iten knows how that track is...) 18 times 1000m, with 1'20" recovery, with the first in 2'45", 16 times 2'42" and the last in 2'36".
Another example regarding Florence Kiplagat, during her preparation for Berlin (2:19:44) :
Special Block :
Morning : 25' warm-up + 20 km in 1:06:36 (3'20" average)
Afternoon : 40' easy run + (Track) 5 x 2000m (rec. 2'/2'20") between 6'12" and 6'14".
Everybody needs a very strong aerobic support. The problem is HOW TO DEVELOP THE AEROBIC SUPPORT. You continue to think
that the ONLY way for developing aerobic base is long and slow run, with some medium run after long time. You continue to suppose the
development of capillar vessels can continue indefinitely. You continue to think intervals are only lactic and can be damageous for the
aerobic development. You NEVER speak about the development of the biomechanical engine.
So, also for me is AEROBIC FIRST. But the first level of aerobic is the GENERAL RESISTANCE, and this can be developed during the
first 6 months of training, for everybody, starting from NOTHING.
After that period, for developing the Aerobic System we need to increase the intensity, FOR THAT REASON TO CONTINUE WITH LONG
AND SLOW RUNS IS SOMETHING USELESS.
Also Lydiard spoke about INTERNAL LOAD, using other words. Practically, if you run with 80% of your effort 10 km in 40', if your training
works, after 3 months you can run, with the same level of personal effort, in 38'. So, we need to change the speed, FOR HAVING THA
SAME TYPE OF STIMULI, otherwise our training is no more able to give the body the possibility not only to improve, but also to maintain
the level already reached.
Ron Clarke was not an athlete following Lydiard. He was the first putting in his training LONG AND FAST RUN (for example, 15 km in 45')
THAT LYDIARD NEVER USED WITH THAT INTENSITY. So, you can say everybody used high mileage and mainly long continuous run
was a follower of Lydiard.
Also today we use long continuous run : running is the training for runners, such as biking is the training of a bikers and playing basket is
the training for basket players. But this is a very simplistic and superficial way to look at training (typical for an amateur, not for a
professional coach).
2) The big difference between 40 years ago and today is in the INTENSITY of the training OF EXTENSION. When we speak about the top
marathon runners in US 40-30 years ago (from Frank Shorter to Bill Rodgers), we can see the same volume of today (as mileage),
sometimes also more, BUT THE INTENSITY OF LONG RUN VERY MUCH LOWER, AND THE USE OF SHORT AND NOT SPECIFIC
INTERVALS. Rarely we find long intervals on track or road (3-5 km) that we use today : they used a lot of 400m (if we look at Zatopek, he
used 50x400m with 50m recovery), BUT NEVER LONG INTERVALS.
This is a big difference with the past. Of course, the athletes ran in the past, and run today, but because all the athletes run, doesn't mean
their training is the same.
If I have to develop a young runner I start with aerobic first, but at the same time I work on speed (not under the lactic point of view, but
under the nervous point of view), strength, rapidity and coordination. These are all qualities everybody has to develop, and are not
connected with the aerobic system. So, if we don't train those qualities, from the beginning of the career, WE DO A BIG MISTAKE.
4) Aerobic first, in any case, is not the right way for everybody. Of sure, if we have Rudisha or Johnny Gray or Fiasconaro or Billy
Konchellah, to push too much the aerobic system is a mistake having the only effect to reduce the specific ability of the runners. How
already I explained time ago, and Antonio and Hadd explained in the past, NOT ALL THE HUMAN BEEING ARE ANIMALS WITH THE
SAME CHARACTERISTICS, and the percentage of Fast fibers and/or Slow fibers plays a fundamental role in the choice of the best type
of training for everibody.
Of course, this is not the case of athlete of long distance. If they don't improve using aerobic training, is because their attitude is not in that
direction, SO THEY CAN'T SUCCEED IN LONG DISTANCES. Remember that, if you don't have speed, OR YOU HAVE ATTITUDE FOR
VERY LONG DISTANCES, OR, SIMPLY, YOU ARE WEAK EVERYWHERE.
Bob, a top athlete can run 2:05 also with the classic, old training. This is a training we continue to use during the fundamental period, and
is something "General".
The difference is that, when years ago an athlete supposed to be ready for running his marathon, now he's ready (having the same shape)
for STARTING THE SPECIFIC PERIOD. And, in my opinion, using the specific period in the way we use today with the best athletes, an
athlete can still improve of about 2 minutes.
The example was Moses Mosop. In Chicago, due to two full months without training (he started jogging at 20th of August, and real training
on 5th September), he competed with his "General preparation" only, without any specific workout of speed (when I speak about speed, I
don't look at 400m or something like this, but, for example, at 8x3km in 8'50", in any case about the Marathon Pace we want to use in the
Marathon, with 1 kn recovery in about 3'30").
In spite of this, and of a warm-up very expensive under the point of view of fuel (he had to run 40:00 continuously, with the last 20:00 fast,
because it was the only way to warm his tendon, but for a marathon this type of warm-up is normally a big mistake) that costed him about
1:00 in the last 5 km (Moses ran between 40k and the end 10" slower than Shobukhova...), he was able running 2:05:37 (and the weather
conditions were not very good). Finally, I want to clear my thought : with the new methodology we use during the final phase of 8-10
weeks (specific phase), based on very fast long runs (even and/or with variations), we can increase the ability in producing lactate and in
removing it very quickly from the muscle fibers. This allows the athletes to have some more energy than in the past, and is the reason
because we speak about a transformation for the best marathon runners from "diesel" to "turbo diesel". If we go to investigate what
happens inside their body, we discover they run the full marathon at about 4 mml, and their Lactic Threshold is very high.
I can't say, for example, that John Ngugi didn't have the talent for running 10000m in 26:30 or less, but the fact is that he didn't do,
because his training was not enough, and the training of ALL the athletes of 20 years ago was far from the training of today. So, my
position is very clear : I think EVERYBODY can run faster, using the volume of intensity (of course, related with his talent and his goals)
we use today, that many years ago coaches supposed not possible to use.
Marathon is a race run UNDER the lactic threshold. The most important goal in training is not to try to enhance the Aerobic Power (or the
Lactic Threshold), BUT THE PERCENTAGE OF IT, FOR A DURATION OF MORE THAN 2 HOURS.
2. EPO helps to enhance the ability to transport Oxygen, in other words can help to enhance the AEROBIC POWER. This is the most
important quality for running 5000 / 10000m, events where the problem to reduce the consumption of fuel (in order to last longer) doesn't
exist. The physiological goal of a marathon runner is different from the physiological goals of every other runner. In the other events
(including HM at top level) the way of improvement is TO TRY TO ENHANCE THE POWER OF THE ENGINE, and (secondly) to improve
the RUNNING EFFICIENCY, reducing the COST OF RUNNING.
In the marathon, the way of improvement is TO REDUCE THE CONSUMPTION OF FUEL AT THE PLANNED SPEED, becoming able to
use, at the same speed, more fatty acids and less glycogen. In other words, WE LOOK FOR SAVING FUEL, while with EPO we increase
the consumption of fuel at the same speed.
I know very well Daniel Komen, but never I spoke with him about his past. He was for one year (2000) in training with Stephen Cherono
(Saaeed Shaheen), and Stephen told me about training of unbelievable intensity, that seemen for me impossible, until when Stephen
himself (period 2004-2006) was able to do something still harder (for example, in the same day, one session in the morning with 4 times
1600m in 3'56" / 3'59" / 3'58" / 3'57" with 4'30" recovery, and in the afternoon, on dirty track, 2 sets of 5 x 300m (recovery 45") with 500m
jogging in 2'50" between the sets, with average of 38"5 for the first set, and times of 39" / 37"3 / 37"2 / 37" / 37"1 for the last 5).
For Marathon, you don't need to enhance your AEROBIC POWER, but the percentage of it that you can use for long time. With the best
athletes, marathon speed is at about 95-96% of the Aerobic Power.
What does it means how is the training ? You can ask how is the training of an athlete, because this is an individual sport, and we have
athletes having the same time in the same event, using different types of training. Training is like a cloth : there is not only one size, good
for a tall man or a small, for somebody fat or slim. Before we have to analyse and to know the PERSON, after we make for him the right
cloth, or the right training".
Also about the training we use, we NEVER use max speed (apart short sprints uphill). Never, for example, Vivian Cheruiyot goes 400m at
max speed, however she won 5000m in Berlin running the last lap in 57"9, and Sylvia Kibet 58"2. Since I'm the coach of Sylvia, I know
very well she can run a little faster than 57" in a competition of 400m, and with, may be, 56"5 of PB can run 2'03" in 800m.
The key is the SPEED ENDURANCE, connected with the AEROBIC POWER, not with the lactic system.
You can see, in some day, the final of 1500m. Look at Silas Kiplagat. He NEVER ran a 400m faster than 54"5 in training, and a 300m
faster than 37"2 on a good track.
Look at his race, and don't forget he has 28' flat in 10 km on the road. He is not able to run 400m faster than 49", and is a specialist of
1500m, not of 10000m.
And, about you, if really you have 47"2, it's clear your training is a very good example of a lot of methodological mistakes, including the
choice of events that are out of your natural attitudes.
SPEED is a quality depending from the following factors :
a) Percentage of Fast Fibers (something genetic)
b) Level of muscular strength (fundamental for the length of the strides)
c) Power of the nervous system (fundamental for the frequency of the action)
d) Technique of running (fundamental for the efficiency)
e) Ability in relaxation
At least, we speak about BIOMECHANICAL qualities. In the case of short distances, the main problems is HOW TO INCREASE THE
MAX SPEED.
Instead, when we speak about ENDURANCE, we speak about BIOENERGETIC and METABOLIC qualities. In the case of EVERY event
of ENDURANCE, the main problem is HOW TO LAST LONGER AT A HIGHER POSSIBLE PERCENTAGE OF YOUR MAX SPEED.
This means that there is a correlation between the SPEED OF THE RACE and the SPEED OF TRAINING. When we speak of SPECIFIC
SPEED ENDURANCE, we have the problem to chose the system for running more distance at the specific pace of the race.
For every different speed, our muscles produce different level of lactate. When we run at our max speed, we recruit the most part of our
FAST FIBERS, and we produce in very short time high quantity of lactate, so we are in the area of LACTIC POWER. This is, for example,
the area where we have to work for coaching a specialist of 100m when we want to prepare 200m, and when we want to prepare a
specialist of 400m. WE NEED TO INCREASE THE LACTIC POWER, BUT WE ARE NOT INTERESTED IN INCREASING THE LACTIC
CAPACITY, because the duration of the race doesn't require the ability in producing a lot of lactate, but the ability to produce in short time
more lactate possible.
When we want to extend the distance, for example moving to 800m, we need to train our lactic system to produce HIGH QUANTITY OF
LACTATE IN SHORT TIME (Lactic Capacity). This is connected with the LACTIC POWER, and there is no any real connection with the
Aerobic System.
For giving clear ideas about training, if LACTIC POWER is the result of a race of 400 / 600m (for example, 46" / 1'16"), LACTIC
CAPACITY is the ability to run in training 3-4 times the same distance, using an intesity of 90-95% of your Lactic Power, with long
recovery (for example, 4x400 in 50" with 5' recovery, or 3x600 in 1'19" with 7'/8' recovery.
In all these cases, we speak about SPECIFIC SPEED ENDURANCE, of course specific for the distance of 800m.
When we look for a longer distance, we need, obviously, to reduce the speed. In this case, the direct intervention of the AEROBIC
SYSTEM becomes more and more important, growing with the length of the race.
Reducing the speed, we can't recruit all our FAST FIBERS, but only a percentage of them. Longer is the race, less intervention of fast
fibers there is.
In methodology, we don't consider CORRELATED with any specific training speed that is 10% faster of the speed of the race. So, when
we speak about SPECIFIC SPEED ENDURANCE we speak of speeds that are between 100% and 110% of the speed of the race.
Some example :
800m in 1'48" :
100% speed = 13"5 every 100m. 10% of 13"5 is 1"35, and 110% of speed is (13"5 - 1"35) 12"15 for 100m.
We can train the SPECIFIC SPEED ENDURANCE using speed between 12"15 and 13" every 100m, of course in different distances :
10x200 in 24"8 is SPECIFIC SPEED ENDURANCE TRAINING, the same 7x300m in 39", or 5x400m in 53", or 3x600m in 1'20".
Every speed FASTER than 110% is SPECIAL SPEED, but doesn't have any specific function. If I go for 3 times 200m in 23", or 6x100m in
11"5, this is part of my mechanical training, BUT DOESN'T HAVE ANY PARTICULAR INFLUENCE ON THE BIOENERGETIC AND
METHABOLIC SYSTEM. So, if I have an athlete running fast (for example 46" in 400m), that doesn't have any training of SPECIFIC
SPEED ENDURANCE (more volume at a slower but specific pace), he's not able running a fast 800m NOT BECAUSE HIS LACK OF
SPEED, BUT BECAUSE HIS LACK OF SPECIFIC ENDURANCE.
This kind of percentage works for every distance. So, if we speak of a 10000m runner able to run 26'40" (16" every 100m), we can say
that the Specific Speed Endurance is to extend the durantion of a speed of 14"4 every 100m (28"8 in 200, 43"2 in 300, 57"6 in 400, 1'12"
in 500, 1'26"4 in 600, 1'55"2 for 800, 2'24" for 1000m). To develop a high volume of km in one session (for example 12/14 km) using these
type of speed, mixing the distances, is an example of SPECIFIC SPEED ENDURANCE for a specialist, like when we run 7x3000m in
8'30" for a marathon runner able running 2:04:00 this is a workout of SPECIFIC MARATHON SPEED ENDURANCE.
So, stop looking at SPEED like an ABSOLUTE CONCEPTION, but start to look at speed like something RELATED WITH THE SPECIFIC
SPEED OF THE RACE.
You must understand that, in middle and long distances, there is an INTERACTION between volume and intensity, and the first effect in
increasing SPECIFIC VOLUME is to increase the BASIC SPEED OF THE EVENT (not the max speed !).
For example, if I'm able to run 10x400m in 60" with 60" of recovery, and I finish this training with 15 mml of lactate, when I becoma able to
run 13x400 in 60" with 60" of recovery finishing at the same level (15 mml), obviously I have more SPECIFIC ENDURANCE, because I'm
able to last longer at the same speed (so, this is a training of ENDURANCE). But this 2 workouts (possible for example to improve from 10
till 13 times in one month), if at the end produce the same level of lactate, are carried on AT THE SAME INTERNAL LOAD.
So, when I'm able to run 13 times instead 10 times in 60", at the same internal load, I can try to run again 10 times only, finishing at the
level of 15 mml, AND I DISCOVER THAT I CAN RUN IN 58"5 INSTEAD 60".
This means that, using a training of Endurance, I AM ABLE TO INCREASE MY BASIC SPECIFIC SPEED.
This is the reason because we speak about the FINAL OF AEROBIC ATHLETES. You need to think that EVERY COMPETITION IS A
COMPETITION OF SPEED, because at the end ALWAYS the winner is the fastest ON ALL THE DISTANCE. But the winner can only be
the fastest AMONG ALL THE ATHLETES HAVING THE SAME LEVEL OF ENDURANCE, so the priority is ALWAYS to look for increasing
the SPECIFIC ENDURANCE.
When I speak about MAX SPEED, it means 60m / 80m / 100m at max intensity. This type of workouts is very dangerous for athletes that
don't train their muscles to work with max stretching. The reason because I prefer to use uphill sprint is that a) the athletes can develop
more strength, b) the athletes can improve their ability in recruiting fast fibers, c) the athletes don't risk any injury.
But, of course, I use sometimes fast 200m (for example, 10x200m between 25" and 26", with some case under 25"). This doesn't mean
the athletes can run 400m under 50". Normally, long distance runners able running 25" at 95% of their max speed (probably able to run in
an hypothetical competition about 24"2/24"4), can run 400m between 51" and 52", not faster.
So, at the end what young coaches of middle distance have to understand is :
a) You need to start from your basic speed, and try to extend the ability in maintaining for longer time
b) You can become faster CONTINUING TO USE (for the first years of preparation) TRAINING FOR INCREASING THE VOLUME OF
AEROBIC POWER, that can support more volume of SPEED ENDURANCE
c) You never can reach results near your potentiality in middle distances if you don't run consistant mileage, at SPECIFIC INTENSITY
d) You need to maintain the Aerobic Ability also when you move in lactic direction
e) In training, NEVER YOU MUST LOSE WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE (so, you lose speed when you don't train speed, and you lose
endurance when you don't train endurance ; but stop thinking that, if you run high mileage, you lose speed, this is a total stupidity !)
Use the most part of time in your training working for increasing the qualities that have in percentage more influence on the performance (I
call it "the main dish"), that ALWAYS is the SPECIFIC SPEED ENDURANCE (so, don't waste time in a lot of exercises that can enhance
the level of the performance of 0,01%, disregarding the type of training that can enhance the level of the performance of 30%, that is the
Specific Endurance supported by Special Endurance and Basic Aerobic Power).
About the final speed, you must work for increasing the ability of the athlete to recruit the higher percentage of fast fibers in condition of
lactic saturation (so, nothing to do with the personal max speed).
For example, when in 2009 we prepared James Kwalia for the last lap in 5000m (he won bronze medal in Berlin), one of the training in St.
Moritz was one lap of the lake (4270m) at 2'55" pace followed by 5 times 200m uphill very fast in order to move from an aerobic effort to a
stimulation of the lactic system, repeating 3 times this type of training. In Berlin, Kwalia (not able running faster than 51" in 400m) was the
fastest athlete in the last lap (52"8, faster than Bekele and Bernard Lagat), and didn't win a better medal only because was still in 7th
position at the bell, well behind Kenenisa and Bernie.
And also it's a methodological mistake to put the "anaerobic capacity" before the "anaerobic power".
When we speak about lactic system, we have 3 different situations, also if in many books of methodology we can find 2 levels only :
1. The Lactic Power, that is the ability of the Lactic System to have the higher production of lactate divided per the time of the effort. We
can see this with a maximal effort on a distance from 300m till 600m, depending on the type of runners we test. If he hs the characteristics
of a 400m runner, his LP reaches the highest level in a time between 30" and 45" (equivalent of a race of 300 - 400m). In the case of an
800m runner, he can reach his highest value in an effort lasting 1:00 - 1:30 (500-600m).
2. The Lactic Capacity, strictly connected with the LP, that is the ability of the Lactic System to produce the higher amount of lactate. This
can happen running efforts near the max intensity (for example, 98% of LP) resting bout 8' - 10' in between, for a limited number of times
(for example, 3 x 600m). This lactate produces high accumulation in the muscle fibers, and this type of training is necessary in order to
increase the TOLERANCE of lactate in the muscles.
The Lactic Resistance, strictly connected with the Aerobic Power, that is the ability to remove quickly the lactate in the fibers. There are
specific workouts for increasing this ability, that physiologically speaking provoke an increase of the permeability of the membranes.
Methodologically speaking, this can be, for example, 10 x 600m at 90% of LP with more short recovery (2'-3').
In this case, the first tests produce a level of lactate UNDER the Lactic Threshold, but, because the recovery doesn't allow the full
elimination of lactate, the final level is higher than the LT : for example, the athlete starts with one test at 3.5 mml, the second is 4.5, and
at the end can reach 10-12 mml.
This type of training is, obviously, lactic, but its effect is to enhance the Threshold, and is the key of the balance in the training of 800m.
The most important point to understand is that small differences of speed must be considered DIFFERENT MEANS of training, so we
have a stair of speed and the athlete has to use ALL the stairs for building his performance.
It's ridiculous to ask "is it better the aerobic training or interval training", "is it better Lydiard or Daniels", "is it better to use speed or long
run".
Training is the right combination of ALL this elements, and under this point of view Lydiard had reasons when answered, about the
question "which was the most important training", ALL.
Of course, longer is the race, higher is the intervention of the aerobic system.
However, its a fact that the lactate accumulation during a competition of 800m becomes higher during the second lap, reaching the top at
the end of the competition.
The fact that, during the second lap, the AEROBIC COMPONENT has a higher percentage than during the first lap, doesnt mean that the
second lap is MORE AEROBIC, because the athlete has to face a quantity of lactate growing at every meter.
This is a simple SPECULATION that physiologists can do, but is a USELESS exercise.
The real question is : What we have to do in order to be able to run, without dramatically slowing down the speed, when the lactate
accumulation continues to raise ?
Under the methodological point of view, we need to work for increasing BOTH the LACTIC CAPACITY and the LACTIC RESISTANCE.
For giving an idea, about two runners with 144 of PB (one fast type, 46 in 400m, the other resistant type, 475 in 400m but 333 in 1500m,
we can have a STAIRS of intensity of this type :
FAST RUNNER :
RIGENERATION SPEED (doesnt have the mean of training, but is used for recovery only) : every speed slower than 50% of the race
speed (race time is 13 every 100m, so this means 26 every 100m = 420 per km = 7 per Mile, and the speed is 27.69 km / h), so slower
than 13.85 km / h.
GENERAL RESISTANCE SPEED (developing the aerobic system at low intensity, mainly for the capillarization) : speed between 50% and
55% of the race speed (between 13.85 and 15.2 km / h = 26 >`` 623 per Mile)
BASIC ENDURANCE SPEED (developing the aerobic system at medium intensity) : speed between 55% and 60% of the race speed
(between 15.2 and 16.6 km / h = 237 %%`` 546 per Mile)
SPECIFIC ENDURANCE SPEED (developing the Aerobic Power at high intensity) : speed between 60% and 65% of the race speed
(between 16.6 and 18 km / h = 217 %%`` 522 per Mile)
All these speeds are developed using continuous run or, in the case of Specific Endurance Speed, long intervals (not shorter than
2000m).
LACTIC RESISTANCE SPEED (developing the level of Lactic Threshold and the ability to remove lactate in faster time) : speed between
65% and 75% of the race speed (between 18.0 and 20.75 km / h = 20 %%`` 440 per Mile)
LACTIC CAPACITY SPEED (developing the ability to PRODUCE Lactate and to sustain a high lactate accumulation in the muscle fibers) :
speed between 90% and 98% of the race speed (between 24.9 and 27.05 km / h = 1445 %%`` 133 every 100m)
LACTIC POWER SPEED (developing the ability to produce the higher quantity of lactate during the time of the performance) : speed
between 102% and 104% of the race speed (between 28.24 and 28.8 km / h = 1275 %%`` 125 every 100m)
For improving these qualities, we use the system of repetitions : when we speak of the Lactic Resistance, the total volume of repetitions
can be from 4000m to 6000m, instead for Lactic Capacity can be between 1500m and 2000m, of course with wide recovery (8 %%`` 12).
Instead, if we look at the RESISTANT RUNNER, we can have the following parameters :
RIGENERATION SPEED : same as the Fast runner
GENERAL RESISTANCE SPEED : same as the Fast runner
BASIC ENDURANCE SPEED (developing the aerobic system at medium intensity) : speed between 55% and 65% of the race speed
(between 15.2 and 18 km / h = 237 %%`` 522 per Mile)
SPECIFIC ENDURANCE SPEED (developing the Aerobic Power at high intensity) : speed between 65% and 70% of the race speed
(between 18 and 19.4 km / h = 20 %%`` 5 per Mile)
All these speeds are developed using continuous run or, in the case of Specific Endurance Speed, long intervals (not shorter than
2000m).
LACTIC RESISTANCE SPEED (developing the level of Lactic Threshold and the ability to removcannote lactate in faster time) : speed
between 75% and 83% of the race speed (between 20.75 and 23 km / h = 174 %%`` 414 per Mile)
LACTIC CAPACITY SPEED (developing the ability to PRODUCE Lactate and to sustain a high lactate accumulation in the muscle fibers) :
speed between 90% and 98% of the race speed (between 24.9 and 27.05 km / h = 1445 %%`` 133 every 100m)
LACTIC POWER SPEED (developing the ability to produce the higher quantity of lactate during the time of the performance) : speed
between 102% and 104% of the race speed (between 28.24 and 28.8 km / h = 1275 %%< 125 every 100m)
Its clear the methodological difference between the two typologies is in the speed and the volume of the workouts of Basic Endurance,
Specific Endurance and Lactic Resistance, since the Resistant runner has the aerobic quality more strong, and for that reason can reach
the same speed of the Fast runner using his aerobic system in higher percentage than the other.
One of the problems between the official physiology and the methodology is that always the methodology arrives to open new visions of
training BEFORE the physiology, which is a DEDUCTIVE SCIENCE, so can only explain what really happens.
But the investigations physiologists make with their tested people using their protocols (always the same) cannot produce a
MATHEMATIC TREND. This is a big mistake the most part of physiologists do.
If we test 3 groups of people (one not training, one running 3 times per week for 30 easy, another running every day for 1 hour at medium
pace) of course we have 3 different points, but we are wrong thinking the trend can follow the same graphic when, for example, we test
someone running twice per day with higher intensity, or when we can investigate what happens in the body of a top athlete, having
different physiological talent at the beginning, different quality in training and different volume of this quality.
And another fact : in methodology, we use to give a name to THE TYPE OF TRAINING WE DO, not to the effect.
For example, running 3 sets of 6 times 80m at 98% of max speed with 130 recovery between every test and 6 between every set, for
coaches is, obviously, a workout of SHORT SPEED ENDURANCE, considered a Lactic type of training. Instead, the final goal is to
improve the ability to use Oxygen in the Fast fibers, since the recovery of the small quantity of lactate produced during one set happens in
oxidative way, so we can say this training has an AEROBIC EFFECT.
Last thing : its absolutely not true that, with long run, and the depletion of glycogen in the fast fibers, we go to activate them to work better.
At first, when we run slowly we use essentially Fatty Acids as fuel, and Fast fibers are not activated. Its not true that, with the turnover of
the fibers, when the slow fibers become tired the fast fibers start to work. Instead, its true the opposite : when we use essentially the fast
fibers, and they become tired, we start to use the slow fibers, obviously reducing the quality of the performance. Fast fibers without
glycogen are not able to work, its not that are stimulated to work more.
In the case of the basic Lydiard system, probably there was confusion about the increase of speed, because the athletes used very short
sprint and exercises of strength endurance during all the season, and for that reason they were able to maintain a high level of speed, of
sure not because their long run.
Synthetically : the limiting factor in a competition of 800m is the ability to run with very HIGH ACCUMULATION OF LACTATE. For several
factors, when there is a high lactate accumulation in the muscle fibers, the ability to contract and to relax is inhibited.
On the other side, if an athlete doesnt have a high LACTIC POWER (or Anaerobic Power, what you prefer), he NEVER can reach top
results in this event.
For that reason, with training we need to have clear in mind that the three MAIN GOALS to reach are :
1. The DEVELOPMENT of LACTIC CAPACITY, making the athlete able to produce more lactate
(its not true we cant improve this ability, you make confusion between LACTIC POWER and LACTIC CAPACITY)
2. The DEVELOPMENT of the ability to run with high level of lactate saturation, in other words the ablity to run with high lactate
accumulations tolerance. We call this ability LACTIC RESISTANCE, which is connected with the AEROBIC SYSTEM : stronger
aerobically you are, higher lactic resistance you have.
3. The DEVELOPMENT of the ability to remove in short time the lactate from the fibers. This is exactly the role of AEROBIC POWER, and
in some way is connected with the permeability of the cell membrane.
All these factors are connected one another, and to forget one of them doesnt allow any athlete to produce his possible best result.
You can give the name you want to these final goals, this doesnt change what a coach has to do.
For example, for increasing the final sprint in 1500m, is it more important to work for bettering the SPEED, or for enhancing the AEROBIC
POWER and the LACTIC RESISTANCE ?
Our problem is TO RECRUIT THE HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF FAST FIBERS WHEN ALREADY FULL OF LACTATE, and this has very
little to do with the maximal speed.
The ability to recruit fast fibers when already saturated is extremely important in every final of competitions, when we speak about 800 and
1500m.
If this is a problem more connected with the nevous system or with the metabolic system, frankly is not in the interest of any REAL coach.
A coach is interested in the SOLUTION of the problem, not in pseudo physiological discussions that are not able to put together different
opinion from different physiologists, also because they are not able to do any research with the top athletes.
And do you know why top athletes dont accept to be objects of any research ?
Because physiologists want to do researches according their protocols, BUT NEVER WANT (OR HAVE THE POSSIBILITY) TO FOLLOW
A LONG PERIOD OF REAL TRAINING DURING WHICH THE ATHLETE GOES TO CHANGE HIS PHYSIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS
AND VALUES.
So, the only thing physiologists can do, is to have a STATIC PICTURE of a top athlete (for example, all his values at the end of a training
period), but not a DYNAMIC MOVIE about what happens in his body, day after day, with his training.
This means physiologists NEVER can give some aid for top athletes, but ask top athletes to be a help for their researches.
And, frankly, nobody among the best athletes in the world is interested in this type of investigation, if the final goal is to write some article
with very little signification, compared with the methodology used with the best distance runners in the world.
These are examples for a 1:44.0 athlete (Resistant type) :
FUNDAMENTAL PERIOD :
AEROBIC POWER (3 different levels), 2 sessions per week :
a) 5 km continuous run in 16:00 > 15:15
b) 6 x 1000m (rec. 3') in 2'52" > 2'46"
c) 10 x 600m (rec. 2') in 1'42" > 1'39"
LACTIC RESISTANCE (3 different levels), 1 session per week :
a) 2 x 1200m (rec.4') in 3'20" + 3 x 800m in 2'08" (rec. 4') + 4 x 600m in 1'35" (rec. 4') with 6' / 7' between sets
b) 4 sets of (600 / 500 / 400 / 300 / 200m, rec. among tests 2' and among sets 5'/6') in 1'36" / 1'18" / 61" / 45" / 28"
c) 5 couples of (800 / 200m) rec. in between 2', rec. among every couple 5', in 2'06" - 26"/ 27"
LACTIC CAPACITY : no training in the fundamental period
LACTIC POWER : 1 time every 10 days about, one test at max speed with a distance between 400m and 1000m, or, if possible, one test
lasting about 2:00 at max intensity running uphill. This test must be done at the end of an a training of long and easy run (basic aerobic
resistance).
In this period, we use also a training mixing Lactic Resistance and short sprint uphill, for increasing the neural ability to recruit fast fibers
during a growing lactate situation : example :
8 x 600m in 1'39" / 1'42". After every 600m, 5 times 50m sprint uphill at max speed (recovery about 1', time to walk back). Recovery
between every 600m and the set of sprints must be about 2', the same after the set of sprints.
About the athlete with two **, Marcello Fiasconaro, who was the WR holder in 1973and still has the Italian Record, I was not the official
coach, but I had the opportunity to work (at that time very youngcoach) with him during the period 1971 - 1974, since I was the assistant
coach of the Italian National responsible for 400m and Relay (Salvatore Morale, himself WR holder of 400m HS in 1962 with 49.2 and
bronze medal in OG 1964). Fiasconaro came Italy in June 1971, and in 1972 came Torino in the Universitary Club (CUS Torino) with
President Primo Nebiolo. Marcello had a South African coach, Stewart Banner, who professionally was the owner of a chain of
restaurants, and came Torino with a training program written on a small piece of paper :
IF YOU HAVE A COMPETITION OF 400m YOUR TRAINING IN THE WEEK MUST BE :

Tuesday : 3 times 300m in 34" with 8min recovery
Thursday : 6 times 150m in 16"5 with 4 min recovery
IF YOU HAVE A COMPETITION OF 800m YOUR TRAINING IN THE WEEK MUST BE :

Tuesday : 3 times 600m in 1'21" with 10min recovery
Thursday : 6 times 300m in 37" / 38" with 4min recovery
I changed this training a little bit, including 10 km of aerobic fast run in the early morning for 5 days per week on grass (between 34' and
33'), and putting some variations in the speed and in the volume (for example, 10 x 150m in 18" with 2' recovery, or 5 x 600m in 1'25" with
6' recovery).
After his WR, Marcello went for about one year in Formia and Asiago under the responsibility of prof. Carlo Vittori , who changed his
training due to frequent injuries and different ideas about how to train 800m, and never he was able running under 1'46" again.
We work for recruiting the higher percentage of fast fibers when are full of lactate. For that reason we use circuits, many times uphill,
without solution of continuity, where athletes alternate running at high intensity (for instance, short sprint of 60m) with specific exercises,
requiring good ability to control the technical execution.
An example, using 400m uphill with a gradient of 8-10% :

60m sprint + 40m skippig fast + 60m sprint + 40m heels-to-buttocks + 60m sprint + 40m bounding + 100m sprint + 10 squat-jump at the
end, carried out at the max intensity. We use, with 800m runners during the Fundamental and Special period, from 5 until 7 repetitions
with recovery of 5'/6' in between, not enough for maintaining lactate at the same level, every time the athlete starts the next circuit.
For that reason, we have continuous ACCUMULATION of lactate, and we train the nervous system to increase the ability to recruit fast
fibers when the fibers themselves become saturated with high quantity of lactate.
The athlete learn how to control his technique under a higher quantity of lactate, in my opinion increasing the TOLERANCE referred to the
nervous system, connected with the metabolic system.
How is possible to see, increasing the SPECIFIC VOLUME OF KM RUN ABOUT MARATHON PACE (from 95% to 105% of the planned
speed, in case of Bordin from 2'50" and 3'12"),
the muscle fibers learn how to use less glycogen and more fatty acid, and this is not a neural factor.
Jono, running technique can't be developed forever, and surely, if a coach is able to work in this direction, you can have big advantages in
the first 2-3 years, but after you have a STABILIZATION of your technique.
In spite of that stabilization, the athlete continue to improve. The question is : WHY ?
And the answer is : BECAUSE WE PRODUCE VARIATIONS IN THE METABOLIC SYSTEM.
So, correct training is a combination of the two factors.
If it's wrong not to give the right importance to the development of neural factors, it's also wrong not to give importance to the development
of metabolic factors.
UNO and Rekrunner, I don't agree the aerobc phase can be the same for all the events.
A specialist of 800 (and also 1500) needs to run FASTER and SHORTER (obviously) the continuous run. He can also run sometimes a
very long and slow run (we call this GENERAL AEROBIC RESISTANCE), but does a mistake if doesn't run something shorter and faster,
BECAUSE THE DIRET SUPPORT FOR HIS ANAEROBIC SYSTEM IS THE AEROBIC POWER, not the aerobic resistance.
Since VO2 max is not very different from the result of a competition of 3000m, THIS TYPE OF SPEED AND THIS TYPE OF DURATION
MUST BE INCLUDED IN THE AEROBIC TRAINING OF SHORTER SPECIALISTS.
So, we can think that running 8'-10' at max speed for a 800m specialist, or 15' for a 1500m specialist (or a competition of 3000m and
5000m, in the two different cases) is a SPECIAL training, very useful for increasing the AEROBIC ABILITY of the two runners, while a very
long run doesn't have any effect, after a SHORT period of adaptation (of sure not long as in Lydiard's plan).
Another thing : more an athlete has continuity in his training, faster he has to go for his long run, otherwise does something which at the
beginning is useless, but after 2-3 years becomes DAMAGEOUS because there are no more stimuli in aerobic direction for his body.
Training is the ANSWER of the body to some STIMULUS, and stimuli can have two direction only : or as EXTENSION, or as INTENSITY.
Since it's not possible to continue to indefinitely extend the long run (otherwise you prepare the race of 100 km...), athletes need to
increase the intensity.
But, because also the intensity can't increase indifinitely, it has to be increased INSIDE the volume.
So, at the end of the story, the final key of training is TO INCREASE THE VOLUME OF THE INTENSITY, and this happens for every
event.
The most important point of my training philosophy is the INDIVIDUALIZATION.
I never prepare training plans longer than 2 weeks. This because a coach is like a taylor who has to make a good cloth, and for doing this
the first step is to MEASURE the client, analyzing his body.
Following this idea, the first step is TO ANALYZE THE ATHLETE : his morphology, his specific attitude, his career, his mentality, his
motivation, his running technique, his previous adaptation.
Only after this first step I provide for making a plan OF TWO WEEKS, because every plan has to produce some variation in the body and
in the mind of the athlete, AND I HAVE TO BUILD THE NEXT PLAN STARTING FROM THE REAL SITUATION at the moment.
This means that every athlete is ALWAYS in the first day of his training plan.
This means that IS THE PROGRAM FOLLOWING THE ATHLETE, NOT THE ATHLETE FOLLOWING THE PROGRAM.
My phylosophy is very simple :
1. We have to identify the PACE we want to run the Marathon, of course starting from what already the athlete was able to do in 10000m
and HM. For a beginner, the "equivalent pace" we can identify is, for HM, about 5% slower than the PB in 10000m, and for full Marathon,
about 5% slower than his PB in HM.
In the case of Arne, 27'50" in 10000m is 16"7, and 5% slower is 17"535, meaning a HM at 2'55"35 pace in 61'39".
Starting from 17"535, 5% slower is 18"41 (3'04"1 per km, or 4'54"7 per Mile), pace for a Marathon in... 2:09'30".
2. The final goal is TO EXTEND THE ABILITY TO LAST AT THIS IDENTIFIED MARATHON PACE. For obtaining this goal, we use as
SPECIFIC SPEED the speed between 95% and 105% of MP (Marathon Pace), in this case between 17"5 (the fastest) and 19"4 (the
slowest), or 2'55" >< 5'10". SPEEDS BETWEEN 85% AND 95% (in this case between 3'14" and 3'32", or between 5'10" and 5'34") are the
SPECIAL SUPPORT for the SPECIFIC SPEED.
3. Analyzing the full volume of kms during the preparation, we can find about 10% of mileage at a very slow speed (including warm-up and
cool-down), 20% at speed between 65% and 75% of MP, 20% at a speed between 75% and 85%, 25% at a speed about 85% and 95%,
20% at a SPECIFIC speed (95%-105%) and 5% at speed faster than 105% of MP.
4. Many times I explained that different speeds are different MEANS of training. They are steps of a stairs, and we MUST to use ALL the
steps. If we skip some step (for example, very slow run - fast medium run - speed on track) WE DON'T HAVE PHYSIOLOGICAL
CONNECTIONS AMONG THE SPEEDS, and slow run cannot support the specific speed because too slow, and high speed cannot
increase the specific speed endurance because too fast.
The problem of training is to create the conditions for growing as volume and intensity at the same time, IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN
STEADY THE INTERNAL LOAD. This means that, after several months of training, for a well trained athlete, running at MP implies the
ability to spend the SAME ENERGIES and to carry out the SAME LEVEL OF EFFORT used months before for running, maybe, 10 second
per km slower.
But when an athlete becomes Marathon runner FULL TIME, the body (and the mind...) create more SPECIFIC ADAPTATION at this type
of effort. This means the athletes loses, in part, the ability to use the most powerful fuel in the best way, but becomes able to use at his
best fatty acids, creating a mixed fuel specific for his Marathon speed made with more percentage of fatty acids, and less percentage of
glycogen, AT THE IDENTIFIED SPEED.
At the end, ALL THE PREPARATION FOR MARATHON HAS THE PHYSIOLOGICAL TARGET TO CHANGE THE WAY OF FUELLING,
and this is not connected with the total volume, but with the SPECIFIC VOLUME OF KMS RUN AT MP.
Slower speed have another well precise signification : to increase the adaptation of the body structures to stay in activity for long time
(nuscles, tendons, jointures and... brain), and are widely used in case of beginners, BUT DON'T CREATE ANY ADAPTATION IN THE
ORGANIC ENGINE.
At the end, se can say that the preparation for a marathon follows two different periods :
1. the FUNDAMENTAL PERIOD, with more emphasis on the general volume, for creating adaptation in the body structures
2. the SPECIFC PERIOD, where the main goal is to specialize the way of fuelling.
This difference, that we can appreciate during a single preparation, becomes also the line we follow during the development of the FULL
CAREER of a Marathon runner : going ahead in his career, general runs become less important, and the percentage of volume run at
specific speed becomes higher. In the last part of career, the total volume decreases, since there is no more any reason for running a lot
of kms at slow pace, which cannot produce any advantage under metabolic point of view, but produce wear and tear on the body
structure.
About fartlek, we use two different interpretations, depending on the period and on the final goal :
1. Fartlek for ENHANCING SPECIFIC ENDURANCE : the fast speed, in tests lasting between 1' and 3', is at 10000m pace, and the
recovery is at 90% of MP. For giving some exmple, the best kenyan run more than 19 kms in 1 hr fartlek with 30 times 1'/1', and
sometimes 19.5 kms with 15 times 3' / 1'.
In this case, SPEED supports ENDURANCE.
2. Fartlek for ENHANCING SPECIFIC SPEED : the fast speed, in short tests lasting between 30" and 1', is at 3000m pace, and the
recovery is easy. This type of interpretation has a final BIOMECHANICAL goal.
In this case, ENDURANCE supports SPEED.
Normally, in the preparation of Marathon runners, I frequently use 1 hour fartlek with the first 40' with the first interpretation (20 times 1' at
10000m pace / 1' at 90% of MP), and the last 20' with the second interpretation (20 x 30" very fast / 30" easy recovery)

Why the 800m event is not based on 60% aerobic and 40% anaerobic percentages

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Why the 800m event is not based on 60% aerobic and 40% anaerobic percentages

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IT'S NOT TRUE THAT 800m ARE AN EVENT BASED ON 60% AEROBIC AND 40% ANAEROBIC.

The percentages, instead, are connected with THE ATHLETE.

I want to gice you practical examples.

Fiasconaro 17,220 27,772 10,552

This is one of the principles of INDIVIDUALIZATION.

b) Stimuli can be in two directions only :

have for you a very easy question.

I give an example speaking about different types of 800m runners.

I give you two examples, with Kenyans, of the current days.

In 2007, he ran 1'47" having a best in 5 km of 18'22".

So, of course for these athletes "aerobic first" is a big mistake.

PROGRAM FOR STEPHEN CHERONO (From 31st of March, 4 weeks)

Mon, 19 1 hr easy 45 min moderate

Mon, 9 40 min + 10 x 200m in 27" / 28" rec. 1'30" 40 min easy

PROGRAM FOR STEPHEN CHERONO (From 23rd July till Zurich)

a) 1 hr 10:00 progressive run (from 3:40 to 3:00, last 15:00) (21k)

a) 1 hr 15:00 with short variations of speed (22k)

a) 1 hr 03:00 with last 6:00 max speed (18k)

SATURDAY, 17/06 (Rain)

a) 1 hr on the mud (15k)

SUNDAY, 18/06 (Rain)

Total mileage of the week : 181 km (1 resting day)

25 km in 1 hr 19:44 in Iten (2300m of altitude) at 3:11 of average

b) 40:00 slow (muddy) (10k)

Total mileage of the week : 159 km (1 resting day)

a) 1 hr 13:00 from moderate to fast (22k)

1 hr 15:00 progressive run (22k)

Travel Nairobi - Athens + 30:00 jogging (6k)

30:00 jogging in Athens (6k)

30:00 jogging (6k)

Total mileage of the week : 125 km

MONDAY, 3/07 : ATHENS SUPERGP : 3000 st. in 7:56.32

Travel to St. Moritz (37:00 jogging, 8k)

a) 1 hr 15:00 progressive run (21k)

a) 1 hr 15:00 moderate (20k)

Total mileage of the week : 136 km (1 competition)

Track in St. Moritz, nice day, 18 degrees :

Travel St. Moritz - Milan by car, Milan - Rome by plane.

FRIDAY, 14/07 : ROME (Golden League), 5000m : 2nd in 12:51.98

Travel Rome - Milan - Amsterdam - Nairobi. Rest

a) 1 hr progressive run (18k)

a) 1 hr 20:00 (40:00 moderate + 20:00 hard + 20:00 moderate) (24k)

a) 40:00 easy + technique hurdles (11k)

SUNDAY, 23/07 : 198 km (1 day resting)

39 km in 2 hr 07:22 in Eldoret - Kaptagat (average 3:16 per km.

a) 1 hr 20:00 with last 20:00 under 3:00 per km (23k)

a) 30:00 + (Track Kamarin) 10 x 600 in 1:33.0 rec. 1:00 (12k)

Total mileage of the week : 180 km (1 day resting)

a) Travel from Iten to Nairobi for period on track

a) 1 hr moderate (Ngong) (17k)

a) 1 hr 10:00 moderate (Ngong) (18k)

Total mileage in the week :

a) 1 hr 15:00 moderate (Ngong) (20k)

1 hr moderate (muddy) in Ngong (17k) - After 15:00 :

25:00 warm-up + Kasarani track :

a) 1 hr with short variations of speed (18k)

25:00 warm-up + (Kasarani) 4 sets of 3 x 400m, rec. 2:30 among sets, in :

Travel Nairobi - Zurich. In Zurich, 30:00 jogging

a) 37:00 moderate (10k)

ZURICH Meeting, Golden League : 3000 st. in 7:56.54

Travel to St. Moritz - Rest

1 hr 24:00 moderate (25 km)

a) Travel St. Moritz - Milan by car - Bruxelles by plane