13 replies to this topic

[Robbo78]

Hi All,

Im looking at taking up the Lydiard Style training. Only thing im struggling with is working out how to do 7 days a week without overtraining.

Im doing about 4 hours a week 20-30kms at the moment. Looking at week 1 of Lydiard it would be about 5h45m and about 50km at my "aerobic running" pace.

How do i break it up to be more manageable for someone of my level - my goal is sub 2 hour half this year and to keep bring it down. I understand the "3 long runs" are the main point of this style but will i get the same benefits if i drop the minutes run and slowly increase as I feel possible....

So heres what id be looking at:-

Week 1

Mon - Aerobic Run (45-1 hour suggested)
Tue - Long Aerobic run (1-1.5 hour suggested)
Wed - Hilly Course (30-1 hour suggested)
Thu - Long aerobic run (1-1.5 hour suggested)
Fri - Jog (30-1 hour suggested)
Sat - Hilly Course (30-1 hour suggested)
Sun - Long aerobic run (1.5-2 hour suggested)

Week 2

Mon - Hilly Course (30-1 hour suggested)
Tue - Long Aerobic run (1-1.5 hour suggested)
Wed - Time Trial 3k-5k
Thu - Long aerobic run (1-1.5 hour suggested)
Fri - Jog (30-1 hour suggested)
Sat - Relaxed Striding 4-8 reps of 200m
Sun - Long aerobic run (2+ hour suggested)

Thanks for suggestions!

[Bellthorpe]

Simple. You extrapolate. You build up to it over a few months.

[walker1st]

Lydiard would not have given you this program for your present level

where is the program from ?

[Robbo78]

Def not for my level, just wondering the best way to adapt it.

Drop the minutes run on all runs or just the shorter runs an keep the "long runs" up there (I usually do 90 min run on sat mornings but 60 mins is the longest during the week)

I like the idea of the out and back and keeping the time the same on each, then once thats comfortable quickening the pace up..good way to measure how I'm going by feel an not just the garmin!

I've got the link to where I got the above from at work, will post up tomorrow morning...

Edited by Robbo78, 17 August 2012 - 04:34 PM.

[adr1an]

As Bellthorpe suggests, you adjust the times. Bring it down to a level you are comfortable with and then add a few minutes to each session as you progress.

Lydiard also says if you need to take a day off then do so. The runs should be finished feeling 'comfortably tired' (this is where I tend to go wrong)

[richardegg]

If I did that sort of regimen then my ITB would come back without a shadow of a doubt...

[adr1an]

richardegg, on 17 August 2012 - 09:11 PM, said:

If I did that sort of regimen then my ITB would come back without a shadow of a doubt...

Only if you jumped straight into it without a proper build up.

I used to think the same way - had terrible ITB that kept me from running even 20mins. Am planning on doing a proper Lydiard conditioning phase post-Sydney

[Robbo78]

This is where i got the info re Lydiard. http://www.runbayou....thurLydiard.pdf

Going to look at times today and do a test week next week to see how it goes, looking forward to it!

[walker1st]

Robbo78, on 18 August 2012 - 08:14 AM, said:

This is where i got the info re Lydiard. http://www.runbayou....thurLydiard.pdf

Going to look at times today and do a test week next week to see how it goes, looking forward to it!

the schedule is taken from the page 18 ?

that is not the schedule for beginners, it is a training for accomplished runners as a in between season traing, so for runners who are racing on very good level for years already

Lydiard himself would not give you such training if you are beginner, would prepare you slowly by building up a weekly time volume at low speed till you get the total weekly time volume equivalent to time elite runners need to do their training volume of about 100 miles.

I have done this time volume estimate few times from various materials in past and the orientation target is 14 H running per week
from experience when recreational runner gets to the 10-14 H weekly hours the performance just keep going up
and only than the question starts to have any meaning as to how to formulate the system what to run which day etc, till that any way you put the hours together is good, it is more about building up the mechanical part of runners body, bones joints tendons muscles, it is not about perfecting the heart, HR VO2max or any other parameters as such

the material linked was prepared by 3 other coaches, not by Lydiard himself, although Nobby is considered as one of the best Lydiard experts

[Robbo78]

So basically, if i do a split of 30 mins one day/ 60 mins the next (and throw in the 90mins on my saturday runs sometimes ),  which would give me the 3 "longer runs" and equate to about 5 hours a week at a low speed and build up from there.

My regular pace for 60-90 min training runs are about the 6-6m30s per k (done the sutho2surf and city2surf average in low 5's)...5 hours at about the 6m30s pace is 46k a week which shouldnt be too much of a stretch for me at the moment.

Im doing the half in September at the SRF, only my second half so my only goal is to really beat my first time of 2h15m. I have done a lot more running since the SMH in May though so i think i can beat that quite comfortabley!

Thanks for your responses

[walker1st]

yes 3x30, 3x60 1x90 is good intial strategy

keep the 3x30 as recoveries and start extending one of the 60 to 75 and later to 90

and extending the 90 to 120

so after few months you can have 3x30, 2x60, 1x90, 1x120

and than bring the 30 up to 40-45, so you get 3x40-45

[Robbo78]

Beauty, thanks for your help walker! I was a "lunchtime runner" laster year and got hooked and have been picking up the km's and learning this year, doing a few races - now i want to build a good base, improve & get better.

I think keeping it simple like this for me will work & when the next half comes along (obvioulsy not the Sept 16 one ) i can follow Lydiards other phases and get the time down as low as i can!

Cheers

[walker1st]

Robbo78, on 18 August 2012 - 11:36 AM, said:

Beauty, thanks for your help walker! I was a "lunchtime runner" laster year and got hooked and have been picking up the km's and learning this year, doing a few races - now i want to build a good base, improve & get better.

I think keeping it simple like this for me will work & when the next half comes along (obvioulsy not the Sept 16 one ) i can follow Lydiards other phases and get the time down as low as i can!

Cheers

yes but do not rush into other Lydiard phases, some of them are really only to get you medals, so till you get to about 1:25-1:35 level for half marathon, there is no need to to do any of those next phases

[Robbo78]

I dont think ill be winning any gold anytime soon so def wont be rushing it....think i just need to be more consistent and this seems like a good way to do it rather than trying to follow the half marathon programs out there, im sure they work but i seem to fall off them...As long as i dont go silly and go too hard on the runs 30/60/90 should be well and trully do able!