The 15 Laws of Training

according to Tim Noakes MD, a South African and author of the thickest book on running you'll ever see - The Lore of Running



1. Train frequently, all year-round*

2. Start gradually and train gently*

3. Train first for distance, only later for speed*

4. Don't set your daily training schedule in stone*

5. Alternate hard and easy training

6. At first, try to achieve as much as possible on a minimum of training

7. Don't race when in training or run at race pace for distances above 16 km*

8. Specialize*

9. Incorporate base training and peaking (sharpening)

10. Don't overtrain*

11. Train with a coach

12. Train the mind*

13. Rest before a big race*

14. Keep a detailed logbook

15. Understand the holism of training

source: coachr.org

MY COMMENT: Lots of valuable information in the article. I like his take on the Science of Sharpening

so runners' bodies tell them when they are sharpening correctly.

◙ During the speed-training sessions, the body no longer needs to be forced through the session. Rather the body "surges forward at its own will" and "thirsts to accelerate."

◙ In the hour following training, the runner feels supreme vigor, quite unlike the normal post-exercise feelings of mild fatigue.

◙ Everyday physical activities, such as climbing stairs, become easier.

◙ The runner becomes increasingly sensitive to everyday situations and is mildly irritable as the body is "prepared for action and is ready for the fight."

◙ As the body becomes flooded with previously latent energy, a heightened sexual awareness is often evident.