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Furman FIRST Training

Athletes (Read 106 times)

posted: 12/29/2007 at 1:17 AM

Emil Zatopek was a great runner. In the 1952 Olympics, he won gold in the 5K, 10K, and marathon. Note that when he won the gold in the marathon, it was the first time he had competed in the event!

What is interesting about Zatopek was his use of interval training for long distance running. In his own words (from http://www.ioa.leeds.ac.uk/1960s/66163.htm):

"...I thought that in order to improve my running, I should be able to run faster, and it is not possible to learn how to run fast if I ran long distances at a slow pace as other long distance runners did. To run fast it is possible to sprint 100-200 metres, that is all, but it is not possible to sprint 5000 metres. What is possible is to divide the distance, to run 500 metres fast, then to run easy, then again fast, then again easy, and again fast. Running 10 times 200 metres, means to run 2 kilometres in sprint.

It was like a small revolution in our sporting club as I said, "Good-bye my friends, I will try another system". I ran 100 metres, as fast as possible in a straight line, on the track, and again another athlete told me, "You are crazy, what are you doing, you want to change your distance and become a sprinter?" If something is new you are never clever enough, you never know if it will prove good or not, and I thought, well we shall see. Next year I was the best in our club..."

va	posted: 12/29/2007 at 1:29 AM
	Here is some more on Zatopek and his training.

Gary-D IPA Lover	posted: 8/4/2008 at 10:21 PM
	Yes.. very interesting isn't it?! My understanding of Zatopek is that his system gained many followers until Lydiard came along, but since Lydiard's athletes "beat" Zatopek's in the Olympics, and then Lydiard went all around the world for many years bragging about this fact, the intervals-style system fell out of favor, and Lydiard's system became the norm, logging very high mileage, followed by intervals/anaerobic work only used to "peak" for racing season. This system and philosophy seems to be followed by the vast majority of runners to this very day, with the belief that faster race times come primarily from logging more miles. My interest in the FIRST program came from my initial interest in Lydiard's methods, followed by disappointment in simply not being able to run every day or log any great amount of miles. Also, my brother who is a triathlete runs very fast races on 30 miles/wk or less and tons of cross training.
	blog: lowcarbendurance.blogspot.com running since: 2007 best race: 5k 19.52 best high school 5k: 16.50

shellabree view log TRIing to beat the heat!	posted: 8/5/2008 at 1:31 PM
	Quote from Gary-D on 8/4/2008 at 10:21 PM: My interest in the FIRST program came from my initial interest in Lydiard's methods, followed by disappointment in simply not being able to run every day or log any great amount of miles. Also, my brother who is a triathlete runs very fast races on 30 miles/wk or less and tons of cross training. So happy this forum exists here at RA. I often feel like an outcast on the main boards. I'm a newbie runnier (started in late '07) and up until a few weeks ago when I started FIRST, I was following the advice of what appears to be the majority of running thought: run more miles per week, run slower, run longer. As a triathlete who does not get paid, if I were to run 40 mpw, I wouldn't have time to train in the other two disciplines. Still, I bumped up my mileage, ran slower, ran longer... and guess what I got in July? I slower run leg in my mid-July triathlon. Yep, apparently I effectively turned myself into a slow, long-ish distance runner... not a speedy sprint triathlete. That's when I turned to FIRST. I love the decreased mileage and purposeful plans. So far I've been able to hit my prescribed paces for my workouts and it may be psychological, but I already feel faster (or maybe it's that I just feel 'fresher' and not overtrained in the run department). I hope I'm able to continue to make progress on the plan, remain injury free, and pull out a great run split in my October and November tris. I would love to be able to post some FIRST success on the main boards! Your brother's success at triathlon on 30mpw is inspirational.
	HR monitor addict 5K PR- 23:58 (November '08) 10K PR- 54:27 (October '08) Goals for 2009 Sub-22 5K (stand alone) Sub-26 minute 5K attached to sprint triathlon Sub-54 minute 10K attached to Olympic triathlon Sub-51 minute 10K (stand alone) Complete first 1/2 marathon (Feb 2008) in approx. 2 hours Gear up training for early 2010 marathon

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