Quote Originally Posted by Trog View Post
In the main modern books (not read Chris's yet) tend to just give a programme without the full detail.

Hard sessions, with a long run, indoor training and a rest day has been with us since the 50's. Indeed Franz Stampfl* was saying for 3 & 6 mile events, do 4 Interval days per week.

He gave the progression though, so in November you would do 15 x 400 in x seconds, Dec would be a couple of seconds faster and by May (the start of the track season then) you would be doing 20 x 400 slightly faster than your expected racing pace.

Irrespective of how you train: If you intend to do the same in 2013 as you did in 2012, 11 & 10 you cannot expect any improvement.


*Franz Stampfl on running, first published 1955, Forward by Roger Bannister, introduction by Chris Brasher
4 interval sessions a week is too much for anyone. The only way you'd get away with it is if you ran each rep slower than you'd do if you were doing one session a week. If you did that though you'd be using an inferior method because fast sustained running (time trials) over 15-30 minutes will give you better results. Hard intervals should be done by most club runners but only once a week and sometimes less than that, particularly if they are racing.

Anyway it's all interesting stuff.