Law 10: Prevent Overtraining

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Perhaps one of the chief points is to regulate your training so as to be sure of always being on the safe side: the least sign of overdose will surely lead to trouble. Go so far every day that the last mile or two become almost a desperate effort. So long as you are fit for another dose the following day, you are not overdoing it. But you must never permit yourself to approach real exhaustion; you must never become badly tired. A good way to judge whether you are overdoing it is by your appetite. A really fearsome thirst is a definite sign that either the pace or the distance has been too much. Not only are you unbearably thirsty but your appetite disappears entirely, even for many hours after the event. For professional runners, their … [Read more...]

Law 9 – Incorporate Base Training and Sharpening

Peter Snell winning Olympic gold

This rule implies that peak racing performance only occurs when a period of high-intensity, low volume training (peaking or sharpening) follows a prolonged build up period consisting of low intensity, high volume training. The godfather of this approach to training has got to be Arthur Lydiard. Greatest of all the runners coached by Lydiard was the double Olympic champion and multiple world record holder Peter Snell. Although Snell was predominantly an 800m runner, during his base period, he would regularly run 100miles per week. The Lydiard approach would then have the runner adopt a period of hill training before a brief sharpening phase to prepare for the main competitive races of the season. Following this style of training … [Read more...]

Law 8 : Specialise

Many men go fishing all their lives not knowing it is not fish they are after –Henry David Thoreau Specialisation nowadays is a necessity. Modern exponents have raised the standard to such a height that nothing but intensive specialisation can put a fellow anywhere near the top. Before the 1914 to 1918 war, the marathon was considered an event for only the favoured few who had unusual toughness and stamina. It takes anything from 18 months to 3 years to turn a novice into a first class athlete. You will have to drop the bulk of your present recreations and spend the time in training; anything from 2 to 3 hours a day will have to be set aside. Athletics must be your major engagement for at least two years on end, your business or means of … [Read more...]

Law 7: Don’t Race When in Training or Run at Race Pace for distances Above 16 kilometres (10 miles)

I decry such things as time trials..I am convinced that they are nothing more than a senseless waste of time and energy. They can't tell you any more than the race itself could...Racing then, should be the only time-trials and should be run every two or preferably three weeks apart....six weeks between events would be more suitable for a marathon runner, but once every two months is probably better. Newton is clearing stating that it is impossible to give your best effort every day - whether through racing or time trials. He also raises a couple of issues - time trials, yes or no and how often should you race? Time trials Time trials are efforts over a specific time or distances to assess the runner's level of fitness during training. … [Read more...]

Law 6: Achieve As much As Possible on a Minimum of Training

This is another law that has been included by Noakes although it wasn’t one of the original laws set out by Newton. I remember having a very animated debate in a running forum over exactly this point. I am strongly in favour of what Noakes is saying however unpopular it may be among some members of the running community. When Newton was running, there was little or no information about how other runners trained. Nowadays, there is a huge amount of information – how accurate it is can be a matter of debate. Recreational runners see the schedules, and more particularly the mileage, that elite runners are covering and think that this is the best way for them to train too. There are several crucial factors they have … [Read more...]