from Michael
Salkowski
I have been a fairly competitive age group runner for the last three years,
training as best as I thought I could by reading articles in running magazines
as well as utilizing books by some contemporary coaches. I followed various
training programs for distances from 5K to the marathon during this time, and
did the requisite tempo runs, long runs, and traditional speedwork that most
"club runners" do. While I seemed to improve a little from year to year, my
results were never consistent, I was sometimes injured and I often found myself
at the starting line of a race without a clue as to whether I would perform well
or poorly. I felt there had to be a better way to train.
After a poor marathon in June of 2005, I decided to follow a different path. I
had read about Arthur Lydiard and his coaching techniques in a few articles, but
I finally began to understand just what the "Lydiard Method" of running was
after reading transcripts of two lectures by the coach that were transcribed by
Nobby Hashizume. Something in these texts spoke to me in a way no other training
article or book had previously. Here was a systematic approach to running that
advocated a long view rather than any quick-fix for becoming a better runner.
Years of hard work, carefully scheduled and adapted for the individual, rather
than a cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all approach that seemed all too common in
some simple 12 or 18 week programs.
I was hooked. I bought Arthur Lydiard's "Running to the Top" and read it from
cover to cover. I scoured the Internet for more information and interviews with
Lydiard and the athletes and coaches who had benefited from his wisdom over the
years. With all this information in front of me, I began what I thought would be
a lonely quest to find out just how good a runner I could be.
I followed Lydiard's six month program for marathon runners with a goal of
running my best marathon. While the workouts were difficult, I began to
understand the purpose for each run, and how all the different training elements
worked together. Instead of trying to pack speedwork, tempo runs, long runs,
strides and strength training into each week in a "some of everything" approach,
I slowly learned the true value of periodization of workouts. Endurance and
stamina came first, acting as the foundation for supporting all the other
elements of training. Hill work came next, which led to increased strength and
muscular endurance. Speed-work and track training followed, and I found myself
running faster at an easier effort as the legs and mind began to work together
in harmony. Finally all the elements I had worked on separately came together as
I prepared myself to race with time-trials and race-simulation efforts, as well
as shorter speed workouts with less recovery to teach the body to deal with the
stresses of racing.
When the day finally came for my marathon, I ran eight minutes faster than my
previous best, and met a goal I scarcely dreamed possible by breaking 2 hours
and 40 minutes for the distance. What's more, during the six months of Lydiard
training I also improved my personal bests for the 5K (from 17:09 to 16:48), the
10K (35:51 to 34:11), the 10 mile (57:43 to 56:09) and the half-marathon
(1:15:25 to 1:12:49).
More important than the numbers is the feeling that I'm finally on the road to
real and measurable improvement in my running, and that I'm finally able to
understand how each workout contributes to that end. When I get to the starting
line I know that I am ready. My training mileage and volume have increased to
levels I never thought possible, and I feel I still have years of further
improvement ahead of me.
I will continue training with the Lydiard method because I feel it is in harmony
with the way I want to live my life. Training like this requires optimism. It
assumes that hard work, intelligently applied over years, not weeks, will bring
about athletic performances beyond my preconceived limitations. I believe that
Lydiard training can get me as close as I can get to my ultimate potential as a
runner.
Mike became fascinated by Lydiardism and has been training on the
principles since 2005, experimenting with the program ever since. His Blog is
available at:
http://championseverywhere.blogspot.com/