Wind is not my friend.
Yes, I'm talking about the running program.
I'm curious what others think about using his running program in high school...specifically his VDOT tables. Take my best runner for example. She could run 3:15 800's last year in workouts and improved throughout the year. She's already gotten much better this year but following Daniels, she should be running 3:30s now. Last year she "should" have run about 3:45. I know the concept of diminishing returns but is this book really created with the high school athlete in mind who can improve quickly? I want to give these athletes the best chance to get better and I feel the times I would give them with Daniels would be too easy on some of these workouts after seeing them accomplish better earlier.
Just curious of some thoughts that others may have as I'm relatively new to using the VDOT tables.
"Current" PRs
5K - 18:00 (4/19) | HM - 1:19:28 (4/22)
Next Race: A 5K of some sort (Goal: Sub 17:30)
Are we there, yet?
Neither Daniels nor any of the other books we use now had been written when I coached. I pretty much went by personal experience while keeping a careful eye on how much the girls were struggling with the workouts. What are the parameters you are looking at when you say Daniels would have her running 3:30s? A lot of times the problem is with the validity of the parameter, e.g. it isn't a real indication of fitness because it wasn't an all out race effort or was at too long a race distance for ones fitness level.
Daniels should be applicable at any level where the runner is training consistently. Ditto Pfitzinger et al.
2024 Races:
03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles
05/11 - D3 50K 05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour
06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.
I know the concept of diminishing returns but is this book really created with the high school athlete in mind who can improve quickly?
'Sup Ben.
First of all, I know absolutely nothing when it comes to running, but you did ask. I quoted the above because I am mindful of that fact when following Daniels' training plans. I often cut the back end of his workouts out because I am more than twice the age of his target audience, and have no desire to run myself into the ground running.
As for his training paces, as far as I know they are inline with McMillan, them Hansons boys and others (I think the Hansons actually state in their book that they use his paces).
I personally find them challenging yet not impossible, and have had great success using them. But alas, I am 47 so my perspective probably doesn't help you.
As an aside, I got an email the other day and apparently JD is offering some sort of online coaching certification. Have you seen that?
He says in the book that his paces are not for the absolute best results, but for the best result with a minimal effort. Actually, those are not his exact words, but that's the idea his words left in my memory. And also, out of memory, his book seemed to be targeting high school/ college runners and coaches.
But I can't help you with your coaching, I have a hard time training myself.