"Marathoning is like cutting yourself unexpectedly. You dip into the pain so gradually that the damage is done before you are aware of it. Unfortunately, when awareness comes, it is excruciating." - John Farrington, Australian marathoner
"We are different, in essence, from other men. If you want to win something, run 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a marathon." - Emil Zatopek
“Coaching Middle and Long Distance Runners” – Final Part
Article by Nic Bideau
Key elements
• Regular long runs
• Fast distance runs at around the anaerobic threshold
• Intervals or repetition work
• Speed work
• Recovery runs
• Gym sessions / Conclusion
GYM SESSIONS
The key aim for our gym sessions is to build a very strong core for the athletes. The workouts are focused very much around strength in all muscles from the legs to the neck. Female athletes usually make huge gains with this type of training because they are not as naturally strong in this area as male athletes. Often male athletes are naturally strong, and survive many years without working much on this area. So often though, injuries can be traced to poor running form, which can be related to weaknesses in the abdominal or lower back region.
I’m not going to list the type of exercises we use here as there as so many ways to improve strength in this area that virtually none of our athletes follow the same core strength routine. They all spend 30-45 minutes three to four times a week working on this aspect of their fitness. Workouts are usually done after a second recovery run of the day or in the afternoon after completing a long run in the morning.
CONCLUSION
In summarising, the key elements outlined in this article form the basis of my coaching program. Each element is important and contributes in different ways to achieving the ultimate goal of running faster.
Nic Bideau "Coaching Middle and Long Distance Runners: A Commentary" - Modern Athlete and Coach, Volume 44, Number 3, July 2006.
FOOTNOTES
1. Christmas is coming very fast. The geese are getting fat.
2. Australia’s all time favourite albums
A poll was recently conducted by the ABC. I voted! But the album I voted for (X&Y) did not make the top 100.
"My Favourite Album" will be repeated on ABC TV on January 7th 2007 at 3 pm.
The results were..
1. Pink Floyd — Dark Side Of The Moon - I own it. An excellent running album; haven’t listened to it for years.
2. Jeff Buckley — Grace - I pass on this one.
3. Radiohead — Ok Computer - I own it. Very exciting! This is brilliant and the only album in Australia’s top ten which is also in my personal top ten.
4. The Beatles — Abbey Road - I own it.
5. The Beatles — Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - I own it.
6. Nirvana — Nevermind - yes. nevermind. no idea why this is popular.
7. Led Zeppelin — Led Zeppelin 4 - I own it. It's a classic alright.
8. Red Hot Chili Peppers — Blood Sugar Sex Magik - Does nothing for me at all. Sorry.
9. Meat Loaf — Bat Out Of Hell - This one neither.
10. U2 — The Joshua Tree - I own it!
Beyond the first ten, I also own many more, specifically:
11. Pink Floyd — Wish You Were Here
12. The Beatles — White Album
13. The Beatles — Revolver
14. Pink Floyd — The Wall
15. Radiohead — The Bends
20. Fleetwood Mac — Rumours
23. Midnight Oil — 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
24. Silverchair — Diorama
30. Missy Higgins — The Sound Of White
31. Paul Simon — Graceland
33. U2 — Achtung Baby
35. Radiohead — Kid A
36. The Beatles — Rubber Soul
41. Coldplay — A Rush of Blood to the Head
42. Bob Dylan — Highway 61
48. The Eagles — Hotel California
52. Bob Dylan — Blonde On Blonde
58. R.E.M — Automatic For The People
64. Dire Straits — Brothers In Arms
68. The Who — Who's Next
79. U2 — Rattle and Hum
81. John Farnham — Whispering Jack
89. Mike Oldfield — Tubular Bells
My personal top ten at present?
1. Dreams – Evermore
2. Real Life – Evermore
3. Hail to the Thief – Radiohead
4. X&Y – Coldplay
5. Nothing is Sound – Switchfoot
6. The Bends – Radiohead
7. Ok Computer - Radiohead
8. A Rush of Blood to the Head – Coldplay
9. Amnesiac – Radiohead
10. Kid A - Radiohead
3. Oh Gravity! by Switchfoot will be released on 26 December. I have it on pre-order ….. hoping it will arrive by Christmas.
