Malmo's Manifesto

I'm coaching right now, as we speak. But a lot of you don't recognize it as such because it's different than anything you've ever seen. I was lucky. In high school I had a coach that knew nothing about running, and yet he knew everything there was to know about coaching and motivation. Take a look at these modern-day, New Age coaching "geniuses" that have taken over. They've got their Level I,II, and III coaching certificates in one hand, and they can recite verse by verse from their running-geek exercise physio-nonsense running books; yet they don't know a damn thing about running or competition! Did Bill Bowerman or Jumbo Elliot ever have a silly coaching certificate? Get out! Last time I checked, running was a sport, an athletic COMPETITION - not some sort of laboratory-rat time trial. If you'll agree with me that it's all about competition, then don't you think that most of your focus should be on preparing yourself for competition? For that you need real coaching. Coaching is about motivating and provoking athletes into doing what they never thought they could do before. How the heck do you think those pre-pubescent little girls do amazing things in gymnastics? IT'S COACHING, DAMMIT - not some "Jim Beam's Gymnastics Formula" book! Ever hear me tell anyone how much to run? NOPE. Ever hear me tell anyone about my 12-step contrived training schedules? NOPE. What do I tell you guys? It goes like this, baby: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Run twice a day, as many days as you can. Hopefully five, six or seven days a week. Run more. How much? I dunno. You figure it out, but find out for yourself. Run it faster. Love running and LOVE racing. Stay focused. Set goals and don't be afraid to fail. Listen to your body and don't be afraid to rest. Compete WITH your comrades in sweat - never AGAINST them. Smile a lot.

Each time you read my words you fall further and further into my trap. I've already planted the seed into your subconscious. My Master Plan is to take over, one click at a time. Soon you'll be lifting weights at my behest, only they won't be barbells, they'll be pods, and you'll be loading them onto flatbed trucks destined for the rest of the world! There you have it - Malmo's Manifesto. I told you it would be less than four pages." - former 3000-meter steeplechase American record holder, 1:01 half-marathoner, and 2:12 marathoner George "Malmo" Malley

Summer of Malmo
To paraphrase George Costanza:" It's going to be the 'Summer of malmo!'"

Q: What is this so-called "Summer of malmo"? A: It's a foolproof, no-nonsense, 100 percent guaranteed program that will help runners of all abilities to improve their fitness over the summer WITHOUT the attendant physical or mental fatigue. "Summer of malmo" revolves around a relaxed commitment from a group to meet just twice a week for an organized workout. One tempo run and one longer interval session. JUST TWICE A WEEK IS ALL I ASK. Emphasis on RELAXED and emphasis on COMMITMENT. Make this a social event. Q: Who is it for? A: Everyone (almost). Anyone that isn't reaching their full potential, and you know who you are. It's for runners that have been THINKING about doing doubles and haven't yet started. It's for you runners that have been THINKING of jacking up the mileage and haven't yet started. It's for college runners. High school runners. Boys, girls, men and women. Anyone that wants to make the leap for next year's cross country season. Different skill levels? No problem. Fitness levels? Coming off an injury and are way behind? It's OK, I've thought of it all. This foolproof SCHEDULE is all things to all runners! Q: Who isn't it for? A: Any runner who has immediate racing goals. This "program" is a springboard for the cross country season. An easy way to prepare oneself for the real training to be done in the fall. Q: I thought that you don't believe in writing SCHEDULES? A: I don't, these workouts are only examples, you can customize it any way that you want EXCEPT FOR THE INTENSITY LEVEL. That part must always be relaxed and within yourself. Otherwise it is not a genuine Summer of malmo. The product and your warranty will be null and void. Q: How do I start? A: First up, call all of your running friends, crew, homeys, goodbuddies, gangmates, posse, stable, team or pals and commit to meet twice a week for a workout. Get together with runners from other teams in your town or city. Make it a social event. Meet for pizza or a BBQ afterwards. Start now. Also, start running twice a day now. In the words of John Ngugi, "Don't waste good time." Do doubles four, five or six days a week. Can't make it four days? Then do three. For most of you grasshoppers doubles are the missing element that is keeping you from reaching your full potential, so start 'em now. Q: What if I get tired? A: You will get tired, I can guarantee it. IT WILL PASS. Trust me. Q: How many miles should I run?

A: I don't know, but more than you've been doing. The time is now to find out exactly where your personal sweet spot is. The main goals are to (1) increase the mileage and (2) to run doubles. Some of you may be running over 100 miles per week for the first time, other still think that running 70 mpw is a lot. It's OK, this PROGRAM will accommodate everyone. Q: My friends are going to meet twice a week, where? A: On the track. Why? Because the PROGRAM is designed to accommodate everyone with one simple formula. You'll see soon enough. Q: What workouts do we do? A: Once a week meet for a tempo run on the track of four to six miles. The other workout is four to six by 1200m to 2000m with one lap jog, OR 16 to 24 by 150m to 300m with FULL RECOVERY - that's a really slow jog. Walk if you have to. You determine what you want to do; these are just recommendations. Q: How fast? A: Whatever is comfortable for the group. Not once should you come off of the workout with your eyes rolling back in your heads, that's not the point. Basically it's threshold training, but don't tell anyone I said so - I've got an image to uphold. Let's say on your tempo run you've got four of you who are comfortable with 5:20 pace for five miles but you have two others who would have to struggle with that pace and another two who just simply are not in shape. No problem. The middle two could probably run for two miles, rest a lap and when the group comes around again, jump back in. Just as long as it's still a tempo run for them. Both the leaders and the runners jumping back in will benefit from each other. Those two out-of-shape runners? Jump in at the back of the pack for a lap or two, rest a lap, jump back in for another lap or two, and repeat until the run is over. Each week they'll be able to run more and more, and before you know it, they'll be right up there with the lead group. Same thing with the long interval session. The beauty of the "Summer of malmo" is that no matter what kind of shape you or your comrades-in-sweat are in you can all train together and benefit from each other. Q: What should my heart rate be? A: I don't have a clue. I'm trying to get you to "feel" Kung Fu, not "think" it. Q: What about those 200s? Why are we doing speed work now? A: The only way to run fast is to, well, run fast. The time to start is now. Let's say the group is running 200s. Just go out and run them. FULL RECOVERY. The whole point is to train the neuromuscular system, to concentrate on the mechanics of running - you know it: forward lean,

arm carriage, knees up and out, heels clipping your butt, stride length and turnover. I've always been amazed at the number of runners that think that they can "get speed" during the last three weeks of the season. It doesn't work that way. Q: So what you're saying is a five mile tempo run once a week AND, lets say, five by one mile, OR 16 x 200 for the other workout? A: That's exactly what I'm saying. All of these workouts should be within yourself. Remember this isn't the end-all training program, it will prepare your for the real work to begin in September. Q: No hill repeats? A: Nope. If you want to, go ahead, but the objective here is to get the most during the summer with the least amount of effort - that's PHYSICAL and MENTAL. By meeting twice a week and running in a group the mental effort should be at a minimum. REMEMBER, NO RACING IN THE F*****' WORKOUT!!! There will be plenty of time for that later. Q: What about the other days? A: Keep those doubles going. If you're out on a run and are feeling good you just might rip into another tempo run. My favorite: "run to the barn", that is, the last two to three miles of an easy run just let it rip. Go into orbit. Some of you geeks might even call it AT training. Q: I live in the country and don't have anyone else to run with. A: That's OK. Just do your tempo runs on the roads. For your long repeats you might just go out on the roads for an hour or so of 5:00 easy/5:00 hard (on of my favorite workouts). Still the same principles apply to you. All of these workouts should be run within yourself. Q: I want to run some summer road races, can I? A: Sure, why not? As long as these races are not the end-all. You've got bigger fish to fry in the fall so take it easy. Who are you trying to impress in the summer anyway? Not me, baby. Save it for later. If you've got the discipline then run your tempo run during these races. Alright, I know that everyone has one race that they'd like to concentrate on, go ahead and go for it. Just don't make it a weekly habit. Q: How much will this cost? A: Nothing. There is no "Gold, Silver, or Bronze" plan to sign up for. I won't provide increasing levels of attention dependent upon the amount on the check. This program isn't about me, it's about you. I'm just passing on to you what is public domain, hopefully you'll use it. Q: Go over that again?

A: (1) twice-a-day, as many days as you can - four, five or six days a week (2) increase your mileage, look, you guys are made of the same muscle and bone as me, you can do it. Find your own sweet spot (3) meet with a group twice a week (4) one tempo run of just four to six miles and (5) one workout of 1200m to 2000m repeats OR 16 to 24 by 150m to 300m (5) don't try to impress anyone, run within yourself (6) relax, the real training doesn't begin until September.

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Keep it Simple, Yo! Distance training, from 5k to 50k Some ruminations on training: Kara Goucher just won the Millrose Mile, running a strong 4:35, only a second or two off of her lifetime PR on an 11-lap to the mile board track. She also happens to be in marathon training, pounding out 90100 mile weeks so that she can be in her best marathon shape by the end of April. Im no Kara Goucher (in more ways than one), but I had a very similar experience this winter, running 3:51 for a hilly trail 50k a couple weeks before running 16:18 for 5k on a windy and hilly course. At first glance, this might seem strange. How is it that Goucher can be very near her peak shape in the mile while also shooting to be at her peak shape in the marathon? How is it that being in good shape for 50k means also being in good shape for 5k? The answer is simple: proper training for shorter events like the mile and the 5k is almost exactly the same (Ill talk about the minor differences, too) as proper training for longer events like the marathon and a trail 50k. Understanding why this is the case will help you understand how to train intelligently for every distance. The Problem The reason why training for shorter events like the mile or 5k does not differ substantially from training for the longer events is because the problem that training is meant to solve is basically the same for all of these events. Many athletes make the mistake of thinking that what training is supposed to do is make them faster. Its no wonder: were always talking about how we want our next race to be faster. How we want to run 5k faster, or 50k faster. Yes, of course, we do. But what limits your pace in endurance running is almost never your speed. What limits your pace is your ability to maintain your speed for the length of the event. Whoever runs a 5k faster will be able to sustain a speed closer to their top-end for longer. Watch the start of your local 5k. There will always be one or two young kids shooting off the front, but fading quickly. Theyve got plenty of speed, but no endurance. So, the problem of the mile: I can run 400 meters in 75 seconds. How can I train my body to hold that pace for 3 more laps? The problem of the marathon: I can run 10 miles at 7:00 per mile. How can I teach

my body to hold that pace for 16 more miles. It is, essentially, the same problem. The problem of training is how to build endurance. The Solution Want to build endurance as a runner? Well, theres only one way, and it is simple: run a lot. The technical term for this is build a base. Thats what Goucher was doing at the time of the Millrose Mile, and thats what I was doing when I ran my 5k and 50k. Though the answer is simple, running a lot is hard, for a couple reasons. First, it takes time. But secondly, many runners cannot build the sort of base that will allow them to take their running to the next level because of injuries. So, the key to building a base is staying injury-free. Heres how I do it. 1. See the forest, not the trees. Running a lot means running a lot. It means thinking about your running in terms of weekly, monthly, and yearly mileage totals instead of any single run. The purpose of running a lot is to build the system of capillaries, to awaken the mitochondria, to strengthen the heart, to lose weight, to transform the body into a running machine. This transformation happens over the long haul. These changes are not the result of any single run, but the accumulated effect of months and years of running. 2. Run easy most of the time. If what matters most is the forest, then dont stress too much about any single tree. Running hard too often wears you out, both physically and mentally. 80% of your running (at least) should be comfortable, easy, and fun. If youre feeling really good, then you might once or twice a week turn an easy run into a spontaneous tempo run. 3. Do your workouts by feel, not by pace. Do not concentrate on making yourself hurt. Concentrate on making fast easy. I plan one workout a week during the base period, usually on Wednesdays. This workout is run at a tempo effort: running as fast as I can while staying relaxed. Sometimes Ill do 4 -6 miles around half marathon pace. Sometimes a 10 miler at around marathon pace. Sometimes 3 x 2 miles at 10k pace. 4. Run some strides every now and then. 6-10 60m accelerations a couple times a week will keep you in touch with your basic speed and keep the neuromuscular system ready to roll. For Example A sample base building week, taken from my recent training (week of Dec. 15th) M: Easy 14 (7:15 pace) T: Easy 8 (7:05 pace) W: AM 5 miles continuous tempo @ 5:40 pace. 10 miles total with w/u and c/d (avg 6:29 pace) PM 6 miles easy (7:35 pace) Th: AM 5.5 miles easy (7:17 pace) PM: 9 miles very easy (8:27 pace) F: AM: 4 miles easy (7:30 pace) PM: 6 miles very easy (10:00 pace) Sa: AM: 8 miles moderate (6:03 pace)

PM: swim 1600 yards Su: 14 miles easy (7:15 pace) Tot: 83.2 miles Specificity The base work will prepare you for any distance. It will take you 90% of the way there. No long runs required. No gut-wrenching 400s. Just run a lot. Teach your body to endure. Make the long term changes that separate the bodies of the elites from the bodies of everyone else. The last 10% takes specificity. This is where the difference in training for the mile and for the marathon comes into play. Once the foundation has been laid, you can spend 4-6 weeks (no more!) honing your body for the particular event. For the 5k, this means gut-wrenching 400s at 5k pace. For the marathon and the 50k, this means adding some long runs. Spending a month or so doing race-specific work will put the icing on the cake. But its the cake that matters. If you dont believe me, Ill let you in on a little secret: I did no single training run longer than 14 miles before my most recent 50k. But I had my share of 80-90 mile weeks. Plenty of cake. And I can put on the icing whenever I like. Keep it simple! Keep it fun! Run a lot! Build that base!