Run-Down Forums

[Angelo Z]

http://www.edb.utexas.edu/ssn/track.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AL3FCEmXDIc&feature=related
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Fernandez

Look at that...a 4:22 1600 as a freshman, and including myself and my rival with times under 4:20 in the mile, and 2 other friends of mine in 10th and 12th grade with 4:25, and 4:09 mile times too. Let's face it-the sub four just requires time and dedication. This is a high school mile training program: http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=6029
We have a 3:43 mile, we have 2 back to back sub four miles, but what we don't have is a sub 3:40 mile-my ultimate goal (don't ask about what happened to the 400 obsession). Anyways back to that training program, it's way too simple! Not as in difficulty, but in the way it's set up. I mean that's how simple mine was when I started to run. Now let's look at the elite milers' training. They certainly do more intervals, and use more intensity. That is why Jim Ryun was unique among all the other runners-he training like a pro. The average mile time of elite runners in races is about 3:49. I had a test in mind that I wanted to try: how much does a couple of seconds affect stamina. For example: I run the 400 at about the same pace as my personal best mile, and the second 400 is run in about 6-9 seconds faster.

Most of the training that goes into the mile is training that is meant to improve stamina. That's the problem. People will eventually hit a physical limit that's no longer about stamina, but speed. The standard intervals, the standard long runs are all done to stay in shape. I guess this from of training comes to full use for young runners as they first need to have the ability to run sub four, but from there on it's all about speed. There is something that many runners fail at, including Hicham. They switch to speedwork during racing season, but all those intervals are tempo runs. Doing 10x200 with 2 minutes rest or 10x300 with 2 minute second rest that Hicham does, does not help in no shape or form with speed. Speed endurance should be with full recovery in between sets, about 10 minutes. Barely any runners have rests as long as 10 minutes in between intervals...So the majority of young runners lack pure speed, that's why many get stuck in the 3:55 range because it doesn't take stamina to run 5 seconds faster. Full recovery between intervals plays a crucial factor on speed. This form of training was used by 400m specialists Jeremy Wariner and Michael Johnson. Clyde Hart is the man.
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My favorite all time race: Hicham El Guerrouj - Prefontaine Classic Mile 2002 http://youtube.com/watch?v=4YykUTHzOL8
¥London 2012 XXX Olympiad¥

[Angelo Z]

We also have Eamonn Coghlan running a sub four at the age of 41. It turns out that the mile is all based on VO2 max. How come 800m runners have such a bad mile and 1500m time? They just simply depend on the lactic energy pathways, the endurance for the VO2 max is very poor. The mile is probably the strangest distance of all-you need to run about 6x as much to get good at it for the most part. A pure, pure endurance runner up to about the marathon has the ability to run a sub four. If the mile ends up being a 3:58, then that means that the anaerobic system needs some more development, but if it's at 3:52 then it's just a matter of speed endurance. First off to define speed endurance: many think of speed endurance to be like the mile run. In fact it's exactly the opposite, speed endurance has NOTHING to do with stamina. Speed endurance is just how consistent one's splits are. The key word here is speed, which has nothing to do stamina. But the sub four mile is becoming one of those personal achievements such as teens building muscle and looking like bodybuilders. Bodybuilding has been around longer than running, that's why there are many teens and 30 year-olds with transformed bodies. Running is just starting to become popular. Running intimidates most people due to the enormous amount of stress it puts on one's body. I read an article somewhere stating that the average year for a sub four miler is 24. And that's only by picking up a book on running the mile and staying dedicated, i.e. the sub four can be achieved much, much earlier.
_________________
My favorite all time race: Hicham El Guerrouj - Prefontaine Classic Mile 2002 http://youtube.com/watch?v=4YykUTHzOL8
¥London 2012 XXX Olympiad¥