Peter Snell on Training

GC: When you ran repeats on the track for time did you incorporate ‘negative splits’ or do ‘ladder sessions?’

PS: We didn’t do anything like that. I tried to run everything evenly so we didn’t do those sessions where a runner gets faster as he progresses. I also didn’t do sessions where I went from 200 meters to 400 meters to 600 meters and back down. I think those are little tricks that coaches use to justify their existence. It’s all bull@#$%. As long as you get an endurance base and avoid the pitfalls of overtraining you will improve. The ideal training is the maximum amount of race related pace running you can do without overtraining. That implies that you must have the base before to allow you to avoid overtraining.

I liked running 20 quarters in 65 with a quarter jog in between which was a 10-mile run with some speed.

The ideal training is the maximum amount of race related pace running you can do without overtraining

-interview with Peter Snell who won Olympic gold medals in the 800 in 1960 and the 800 and 1500 at the Tokyo Olympics in 1964. Snell went on to earn a PhD in Exercise Physiology.

I agree 100% with Snell. Never liked or believed in ladder workouts. Read the rest of the interview at garycohenrunning.com.

Hamstring Problem

Dumb mistake but I did some back to back hard running, felt a problem that I thought I could run through, then wham! Attempting a long run the day following a 2 mile time trial, my hamstring starting telling me to back off!

I gimped home last Sunday and haven't run since. I'll call this a first degree strain that needs rest.

Thankfully, cycling does not seem to be a problem. I'll give it some time until discomfort goes away before I resume jogging, and in the meantime this gives me some time to swim and ramp up some miles on the bike.

Then it will be time to get strong!

Chris Solinsky Stride Analysis by Somax

Watch more video of Somax Stride Analysis on flotrack.org

I think this is awesome! Clearly Somax ia promoting their services, but this video is very compelling. You be the judge!

Most of us do not have the luxury of utilizing their services, but NIKE certainly does! In the meantime, keep stretching those hip flexors!

Astaxanthin May Improve Your Run Time

Astaxanthin is another supplement with potential to enhance your running performance.

The astaxanthin group showed a significant increase in swimming time to exhaustion as compared to the control group. Blood lactate concentration in the astaxanthin groups was significantly lower than in the control group. -Effects of astaxanthin supplementation on exercise-induced fatigue in mice

Our results suggested that astaxanthin promoted lipid metabolism rather than glucose utilization during exercise via CPT I activation, which led to improvement of endurance and efficient reduction of adipose tissue with training.-Astaxanthin improves muscle lipid metabolism in exercise via inhibitory effect of oxidative CPT I modification.

Apparently it's also very good for all sorts of ailments!

Sammy Wanjiru Dead at 24

The distance running community has just been rocked with a terrible tragedy.

Sammy Wanjiru, the 24 year-old Kenyan Olympic marathon champ, and in LetsRun.com's opinion the greatest marathoner to ever live, has died tragically in Kenya after a fall from a balcony at his home.


Sammy had a brilliant, but short career.

12/2/2007 Fukuoka Marathon 2:06:39 1

4/13/2008 London Marathon 2:05:24 2

8/24/2008 Beijing Olympic Marathon 2:06:32 1

4/26/2009 London Marathon 2:05:10 1

10/11/2009 Chicago Marathon 2:05:41 1

4/25/2010 London Marathon DNF

10/10/2010 Chicago Marathon 2:06:24 1

Watch more video of 2010 Chicago Marathon on flotrack.org

Watch this clip of Sammy winning the Chicago Marathon last fall- the heart of a champion! What a terrible loss.

Workout Update

At the end of the 5th week post marathon, training is beginning to gain some focus. After a week off, and for no particular reason I've gone through a couple of different phases.

- 25-30 minute tempo runs: These felt great- short workouts, quick pace
- 400 meter repeats: Done on a straight road, I want to work on improving speed. Usually 8-10. I started with 90 and have worked down to 84-85.

-Long repeats: I just started in on these this week. 4 x 800 early in the week on the track (under 2:50 ave) then 4 x 1 mile today averaging 5:58.

-cross training: I am back on the bike and in the pool for some short (some intense) workouts.

All I need are some consistent weekend long runs and I will begin looking at races.

I post everything The Daily Mile, although sometimes I get mixed up because it's Friday here and I cannot post workouts immediately to Daily Mile because it's only Thursday in the states.