Excerpts from Arthur Lydiard’s Athletic Training by Arthur Lydiard; A Guide to the Brooks/American Track & Field; & Lydiard Running Lecture Tour in 1999. 

The Actual Schedule

Please note that it is wise to run supplementary miles at an easy pace, as many as you can, in addition to the schedules presented here. This will help you maintain good general condition and allow you to recover from training sessions more easily. Even 15 minutes is of value.Training should be done over all types of surfaces and trial runs over courses similar to that to be raced over. Training should also be applied in volume according to age and condition.Regular running on hills will help you in developing and maintaining your speed. Try to fit in some hill springing, uphill running or bounding with a driving action, and some steep hill or step running whenever you can, but don’t overdo it.

The schedules are only for guidance. They give a balanced method of training for a specific event, but think of them as a flexible guideline, allowing for age and general conditioning. Study your reactions to the training from day to day and if you feel stale or suffer from any soreness, allow time for recovery.Never do speed training when your muscles are sore or you are feeling tired. Just jog easily, regardless of what is on the schedule for that days training. You can never harm yourself by jogging and it will usually help to overcome the soreness or tiredness. 

Fast training can lead to injury and will certainly only make you more tired.Don’t race your training, except when full efforts are called for on the schedule Run strongly and easily ineffort, always keeping something in reserve. As you feel improvement, gradually increase your training tempo, but never use t Continue reading “Lydiard’s Training For Marathon # 2” →

How to set up a training schedule

1.  Count back from the first important race date.

2.  Allow a week to ten days for Freshen-up.

3.  Allow six weeks (including freshen-up) for Co-ordination training.

4.  Allow four weeks for Anaerobic Development.

5.  Allow four weeks for Hill Resistance Training.

6.  Conditioning training is time left, hopefully 10~12 weeks.

7.  Marathon Conditioning Period (10~12 weeks or as long as possible): 

           A) Conditioning starts with only aerobic running (flat and hills). 

            B) Then include a day of easy fartlek and strong runs over 5 and 10k.

8.  Hill Resistance Period (4 weeks): 

                Hill training two or three days a week.  

               One day a long aerobic run.

               Other days for leg-speed or easy running.

9.  Track Training Period (10 weeks): 

           A) First 4 weeks: Anaerobic Development Training:  

               Anaerobic training (i.e.: repetitions, fartlek, etc.) two or three days weekly.  

              One day a long aerobic run.  

              Other days for sprint training or easy running. 

           B) Last 4.5 ~ 5 weeks: Co-ordination Training: 

                Sharpners, development races (under- and over-distances), fast relaxed runs. 

           C) Freshen-up: 1 week to 10 days.

10. Continuation of racing (Race Week / Non-Race Week) 

Note: For the details and understanding of the Lydiard’s Method of Training for a Marathon or Lesser Distance Races, please read this.