As I try to figure out what Arthur Lydriad was talking about I come across this article http://www.bunnhill.com/BobHodge/Special/LydiardInterpreted.htm . This guy, I have no idea who he is, seems to have put together what I was kinda thinking Lydraid was saying which brings me to one specific thing, is it smart or even possible to take a non runner and have him running 100 miles in 9 weeks?
The article is horribly edited and this guy’s obsession with font colors was making me want to push my thumbs into his throat half way through but I stuck with it and found it “interesting”. What I want people to talk about with me though is the idea that you can go 0 to 100 miles in 9 weeks. Is this possible? Are me and this Bob guy with his annoying color obsession reading Lydriad wrong and if we are not is Lydriad a real genius or some kind of weirdo?
I have read it but I couldn’t really pull the info I needed out of it. I understand a lot of it is do to the fact that while I am incredibly sexy and handsome I am not so bright. When I read running to the top it sounded like he was saying everyone should be running 100 miles.
I went from Ironman fitness (40+ mpw running) to 90 mpw (no s/b) in 10 weeks and that just about put me near the breaking point. I BQ after that regiment. I can’t imagine a non runner getting away with 0-100 miles in 9 weeks and not getting hurt.
That training program on the web page you referenced is a disaster even for a good runner. It basically has a non runner runing every day for 9 weeks with zero rest day or step back weeks. Even if the intensity of the runs is zone 0, that kind of mileage will eventually catch up to you, especially for a non runner.
My legs hurt just looking at the “training plans” I think you’d kill most runners going from 3 days from the first week to 7 days the next week. If that doesn’t do it, the 3 longer runs a week will.
Even a strict 10% rule is too fast for many and that will get you to 100 mpw in 25ish weeks starting at 5mpw
I take more of a triathlon adapted Jack Daniels approach, with a twist of ‘training for the busy athlete’. There is some good info in “Running to the Top(RTTT)”, just not so much I can apply; Running through injury gave me food for thought.
Like nearly all of the training related books I have read, the training plans in RTTT are not for me.
My experience, which I won’t bore you with, is that this is not a good idea. I think the prospects for getting injured or overtrained are high. If you are very talented AND durable you could get away with it, but most people aren’t. Better to work up to this over a period of years.