Lessons From Lydiard

"The idea that you can't lose contact with the leaders has cut more throats than it has saved,"
Quote by Arthur Lydiard.
The above quote contradicts the instruction of every running coach I've ever had. It would probably not be an exaggeration to say that it also goes against the advice I've heard most other coaches give.
However, Arthur's quote makes alot of sense when you stop and think about it. I say this because you cannot make all encompassing statements about racing strategy. You need to consider the length of the race as well as the type of runner that is racing.
Runners have strengths and weaknesses, not all do well with the mindset that you must keep in contact with the leader no matter what.
We've all seen races where a runner has made his way up through the pack or surged over the last lap to win.Conversely, we have also seen the front runner of a race eventually fade near the end.
There is a time to hang with the leader but using your head and assessing the competition as well as yourself during the race is the smart way to run.

Runner's Spouses,Friends and Significant Others

It is my continuing desire to provide info and articles that aren't readily available on other sites dedicated to running. With that said I will ask this question, when was the last time you read an article that pertained to what is written in the above title?
 Ideally, what I am about to write would be most appropriate for those who are young or people who have recently discovered that they too live for the run. I have written in the past that those who are considering committing to another person must make it clear to them from the onset regarding their zeal for running. If this person has a problem with your "passion" then you have two choices,either end the relationship or give up your "passion."
The problem with giving up your "passion" for a relationship is that if your significant other doesn't understand your zeal for running, then this might be a "red flag" indicating that this person has a problem with anything you are into and they aren't. If that's the case, then this doesn't bode well for a healthy long-term relationship.

Now lets look at running and relationships from another angle. During the several decades that I have been to races I've seen many runners neglect, use and abuse their spouses,friends and significant others because of their running and racing.

Let me give you some examples: Joe likes to go out of town several times a year to run marathons and other races. This usually involves being gone at least Friday,Saturday and Sunday with "the boys" to cities like Boston, N.Y.C., Charlotte, and Tampa. He spends alot of money in the process and has never taken his running supportive wife to any of them.

His idea of a vacation for him and her is to go off-season to Myrtle Beach for 5 days,every September.

 Then there's Tony, he 5 years out of college and is the local road racing stud. His long-time girlfriend from college is his #1 fan and supporter. Tony has issues,when he doesn't perform up to HIS expectations,which is 65% of the time,he barks at her and is a pain in the ass to be around for the rest of the day. I should add that if he wins it doesn't necessarily mean that he will be in a good mood. The key here is if he performs up to his (Tony's) expectations. When he does have a "good day" he spends most of his post-race time with the other local "heroes" getting his ego stroked while the girlfriend hooks up with another neglected significant other.

It doesn't take a Rhodes scholar to see what the problem is with both of these characters,they are among other things,quite selfish. Running is potentially a self-centered endeavor if you don't consider the feelings and needs of others close to you. Sure, you have a right to go here and there to run,but,you must reciprocate by making time for that spouse,friend or significant other.

I've known those who are partners of runners who've come to hate the sport because they believe it has become a hindrance to their spending time together. The reality is,is that it's the runner who is the hindrance to the relationship because of his selfishness.

As far as guys like Tony? Hey guy, grow-up! Being the local stud at the races doesn't give you license to go off when you don't race well. After all, this isn't like it's a national championship.It's a local road race!

And what I say goes to the others who finish back of the pack yet behave after some races like they were the 4th man at the Olympic trials.

Getting back to the guys who make it a point to leave their significant other and go off to "exotic" locales with the boys to race I ask this,would it kill you to bring that certain someone along? Take it from a guy who saw the light many years ago,having that partner along as a support and encouragement is no sacrifice,it's a huge plus.

Ultimately, it all comes down to this, it's not just about you or me,it's about having consideration and not being selfish.

Unfortunately,for too many runners,they never realize that.

Do Not Forget!

"But don't forget my ideas are only what's been written down in history by the great people of the world who've gone before.
All I've done is condense the wisdom of the world into an attitude for athletics.
Athletics aren't just running, it's a way of life."
Percy Wells Cerutty


Percy Wells Cerruty was a voracious reader who had a huge personal library.
His books covered a wide variety of subjects,not just athletics.
He assimilated much of what he read and personally experienced into what later became known as his Stotan Philosophy.
He is shown above training the great Australian sprinter Betty Cuthbert at his International Training Center at Portsea on the coast of Australia.
Betty was a 1956 Olympic Gold medalist in the 100, 200, and 4x100 meter relay.
She was also (now get the time lapse here) a Gold medalist in the 400 meters at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo.
Cerutty's words contained in his books continue to be relevant today.
Perhaps even more so judging by what I see being published for the athletic world in this 21th century.

Nature or Nurture

I remember when I was much younger it always used to sound kind of reassuring when I would read or hear a coach say,"champions are made,not born." I believe I got this feeling because as a competitive runner since the age of 8, I had been beaten by enough runners to come to the conclusion that some runners were just born to be better than me. But that statement by the coaches gave me hope that I too could someday beat the best.
Well, as the years went by and I ran for my high school cross-country and track teams, I noticed that certain runners were much better than me despite the fact that I ran and did every bit as much work as they did. Since that time,as I've continued to run and coach H.S. runners,I found that there is no denying that some people just seem to be naturally talented. They get fit fast, they have natural foot speed,perfect body type,great foot strike,ability to recover quickly,etc.,etc..
 So what am I getting at,that there is no hope for us mere mortals? Not at all, but I am saying that you can have a certain degree of success but it will probably not include toeing the line at the upcoming U.S. Olympic 10,000 meter qualifiers.
Getting back to my H.S. experiences,one thing I consistently found was that when the star distance guys went off to college they frequently were never heard from again. Their wins ended and they often struggled to just place. The reason was due to the fact that they went from being, "a big fish in a small pond," to being a big fish among many other big and bigger fish.Suddenly they were on a team loaded with other natural talents. Many runners did not take their change in "status" well,most I knew eventually quit running sometime in college. I guess they came to the point where they were confronted with a question that is not always asked audibly,it was: do I want it bad enough? And this brings us again to the question of nature or nurture.
 There IS something that the average guy and the H.S. phenom who got the rude awakening in college have in common, it has to do with whether or not they have the desire to make the adjustments and do all the work necessary to achieve success. From my observation over the years I would say that most don't.
 If you have not read my earlier post entitled, "The Lesson of Ron Daws," I would  recommend you do so.Read the part where Daws said he paid attention to things and details that other more talented runners didn't even bother with. Remember that Ron Daws was once an incredibly average runner whose times in H.S. and college showed zero indication that he would someday qualify for the U.S.Olympic Marathon team.
The key for any runner,born good or not,is that to get to the next level, attention must be paid to all aspects of your training and life. Things like achieving optimal(maximum) aerobic mileage and conditioning,minimal bodyweight while having developed overall strength,ideal diet with correct supplementation and hydration, as well as being able to train progressively to the point where you arrive at race season in peak condition.
There are other things but these are some which readily come to mind.Daily evaluation of your training is required and adjustments made where needed.Training becomes a focus and pre-occupation.
In addition,there are the life questions,will my family, job, and others understand and tolerate what I want to do? Of course,the biggest question is,do I really want to commit to seeing how far I can take my running? Count the cost but remember that one man's dream may be another's idea of madness. Some of you out there might need to get a little crazy.

Burn Your Bridges

Cerutty often spoke about going against the norm in an era when it was not so common to do so as it is today. Remember this, he was not only talking about doing this in athletics but in one's daily life as well.
The following is an excerpt from his book, Success in Sport and Life:
 "Be a rebel against the perfunctory, the orthodox, the traditional, even the secure, the safe, the satisfactory, the conforming. It takes courage with a blend of so-called stupidity to burn one's bridges. I would hazard a guess that all great men at some time in their careers, burnt their bridges, said good-bye to what looked to others sane and sensible. It is true that not many will not pay the price. It would be awful if everyone wanted to stand on the summit of Everest at one and the same time! But many can, if they rebel against mediocrity and complacency."
As an aside, with over 30 years working in the psychiatric field I've seen the effects brought on by people living a life or having a mindset of "going with the flow," doing what others expect, not taking risks.
 Many are plagued by feelings of frustration and unhappiness. As a result they often seek solace in alcohol and drug use (or abuse).
The bottom line is this, be who you really are and live the life you love while respecting others and being responsible.

Recurring Thoughts On Distance Training From Joe Vigil

So who out there knows who Joe Vigil is?
Joe was Track and Field and Cross-Country coach at Adams State College in Alamosa,Co. for nearly 30 years. Vigil led teams in both sports to a total of 19 national championships. His overall record at Adams State stands at 94.2% with 3,014 wins and 176 losses. He produced 425 All-Americans and 87 individual national champions during his time at Adams State.
 He coached Cross-Country superstar Pat Porter who won 8 consecutive U.S. National Cross-Country Championships as well as Deena Drossin who was a silver medalist in the marathon at the 2004 Olympics. I could go on but you get the picture,Vigil can coach.
 In addition, he is an exercise physiologist who actually has a record of producing athletes that achieve national and international success.
So as I have said in the past regarding certain other coaches and athletes, when Joe Vigil speaks,runners that desire success should listen.
 The following quote will be familiar to readers of this site but is well worth reading again coming from yet another person who knows training.
 Universal truths do not change because we are in another era or because some author thinks he's found a new and better way.
 Joe gave this advice to his runners: "You've got to eat as though you were a poor man. You've got to do endurance training daily. And you can't let your mind go to seed. I think if runners would observe these three things,they would have a complete life, in which they would get satisfaction from their world."
One thing that struck me about the above is that Vigil, like Cerutty, recognizes that the ideal athlete is one who also develops his mind as well as his body.

After the Race,The Need For Adequate Recovery

I feel the following is one of the more "important" articles I've written. I say this because it deals with respecting your body and keeping you out there running. Here goes:
I have found over the years that far too many runners do not allow themselves proper recovery time after races. I've sometimes wondered if it's become a forgotten aspect to the training,racing cycle. Proper recovery allows your body to rest,heal and recover from the race.Also,it gets you optimally ready to race again, ready to race in an energized state instead of a debilitated one.
Most runners feel they can race as often as they desire.
For example,the day after the race you may feel a little sore,two days after you may feel even sorer.However, things usually start to get better physically but there's something most runners don't realize,just because you feel better,it doesn't mean you are ready to race again.The reality is that our recovery from fatigue and muscle discomfort(pain for some) happens quickest.It takes longer to restore your body chemistry to its former normal levels.I've mentioned in a previous post about the significant damage that occurs to the body chemistry after someone races a marathon.
What follows are some things to remember in regards to post race recovery. Tom Osler,who I have referenced on this site in the past and is as knowledgeable about running as anyone wrote this: "As a rule of thumb,for the well-trained runner it takes about one day for each mile of the race for complete recovery....The runner will require longer periods if he is not thoroughly trained....I believe those runners should double the above-mentioned recovery time before he attempts another all-out performance."
The one day for each day raced should be familiar for most experienced runners,sometimes ignored is that less well trained runners require more time.
So what kind of running should you do as you recover? Easy running,"maintenance running" as some call it,running for 30 to 45 minutes a day. You don't want to run too long, too hard or too fast.Remember, feeling good is not the go ahead to abandon your recovery schedule.
Here is something that should also be considered in the whole race recovery process.You've done the one mile rest for each mile raced,now I will describe part two of your recovery program which is called the rebuilding period. After you have raced,say a five miler, and have completed the necessary five day recovery, you can resume longer and harder runs with some speed,but, you don't race. Don't race until you've completed the five day rebuilding period. As Joe Henderson wrote: "You owe yourself all of this time to clear away the damage done by a race. If you keep tearing down faster than you repair,the mild and temporary pains of racing eventually turn into the bad kind that slow and stop you."
Reading that makes me think of the old saying,"an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"? I knew dozens upon dozens of runners in the 70's who paid no attention to proper recovery after races,even marathons. Guess what? The overwhelming majority of them no longer run. They no longer run because they are physically unable to.
We sometimes forget that are bodies are not machines. They can take a tremendous amount of abuse for seemingly endless periods of time but there comes a point when your body will break down if you treat it without care and respect.Who wants that?
Again,it takes a thoughtful, thinking athlete to make the right choices,not mistakes, as it relates to their running and health.
Don't we all want to run forever?