David Rudisha Training Diary: 17 Weeks
#1 (most important): Almost all of the times and paces below might not seem overly impressive at first. The reason for this is the hills and track surface in Iten. Every single run – high run, fartlek – is on a hilly loop. In the Iten area, it’s difficult to find even 100m flat, believe it or not. Ask anyone who’s been. The track (Kamariny or Tambach) are both dirt tracks with uneven surfaces, much like a standard trail with small differences in the surface level. According to many, both tracks are estimated to be 2sec/lap (at least) slower than a tartan track (before factoring in altitude). They could use a tartan track for some workouts, but they prefer to train on the dirt, for resistance.
#2 To make the program look more clean and easy to read, we haven’t included warm up and cool downs. Every warm up and cool down is different in terms of length but warm up is always between 10min and 20min and cool downs are between 10min and 15min. Paces are easy jogging, never faster than 5min/km pace. Cool downs are often slower; 6-7min/km. Warm ups / cool downs are to be factored into high runs, fartleks and track workouts. After warm ups, they will normally do 4 or 5 strides of 60-80m, but nothing specific.
#3 Drills are standard speed drills. Nothing out of the ordinary here. Scissor kicks, fast leg turn overs, skips, etc.
#4 They place a lot of importance on flexibility. After most runs, they stretch for a good 30mins.
#5 They do no weights (gym). They treat the hill they run over every day as their strength work.
#6 Unlike many western cultures, they don’t ever set their moderate runs to a certain time. They have about 5 different loops and they run to how they feel on these days, every time. If they feel good, they’ll pick the pace up a bit after 10-15mins. If they feel tired, they will stick to it being moderate. These runs are almost always between 3:50/km – 4:15/km (remember to factor in the hills). We ran these loops with them over 15 times. We estimate the hills add on around 15-20sec/km on average, compared with running on flat surface (before factoring in altitude).
#7 High Run is a max effort run, similar to a tempo. Usually the pace is faster at the start than at the end.
#8 Recovery between repetitions in track workouts is almost always the same: 3-4mins walk 200m. Surprisingly, this is not strict at all, or monitored closely.
#9 On the days that they train 3 times per day and there are 2 AM workouts, the first run is normally at 6-6.30am and the second run is at 10am.
17 Week Program: Transitioning out of 12-week build up block (mainly steady runs and fartleks) and into trackwork, preparing for racing
Thu Feb 2
AM Track: 3x600m (1.27-1.28), 3x400m (55-56), 3x200m (25-26). Recovery slow walk 200m in 3-4min.
PM Rest
Fri Feb 3
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM 45mins moderate + 3-4 strides, fast leg turnovers
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Sat Feb 4
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM 50mins moderate + 3-4 strides, fast leg turnovers
Sun Feb 5th
Rest
Mon Feb 6th
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM 45mins moderate + 3-4 strides, fast leg turnovers
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Tue Feb 7th
AM High Run 30min
PM Rest
Wed Feb 8th
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM Diagonals (25mins)
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Thur Feb 9th
AM Track: 3 x 600m (1.27-1.28), 4 x 300m (41-42). Recovery is slow walk 200m in around 3-4mins.
Fri Feb 10th
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM 50mins moderate + 3-4 strides, fast leg turnovers
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Sat Feb 11th
AM Hills 10x200m (slow walk back recovery, about 3-4mins). Hills take around 31-32sec.
PM Rest
Sun Feb 12th
AM High Run 30min
PM Rest
Mon Feb 13th
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM 41min moderate + 3-4 strides, fast leg turnovers
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Tue Feb 14th
AM Fartlek 15 x (1min hard, 1min easy). 1min hard efforts are at about 2.50/km pace on average, the loop is very hilly so they are inconsistent in terms of pace. Jog is jog, around 7min/km.
PM Rest
Wed Feb 15th
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM Diagonals (30mins)
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Thur Feb 16th
AM 1x1200m (3.45), 2x600m (1.30), 3x400m (54-55). Recovery is slow walk 200m in around 3-4mins.
PM 30mins easy
Fri Feb 17th
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM 48mins moderate + 3-4 strides, fast leg turnovers
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Sat Feb 18th
Rest
Sun Feb 19th
AM High Run 30mins
PM Rest
Mon Feb 20th
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM 45mins moderate + 3-4 strides, fast leg turnovers
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Tue Feb 21st
AM Hills 10x200m (slow walk back recovery, about 3-4mins). Hills take around 31-32sec.
PM Easy 35mins
Wed Feb 22nd
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM 48mins moderate + 3-4 strides, fast leg turnovers
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Thur Feb 23rd
AM Track: 1x600m (1.30), 5x400m (55-56), 2x200m (24). Recovery is slow walk 200m in around 3-4mins.
PM Rest
Fri Feb 24th
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM 35mins easy + 5 strides
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Sat Feb 25th
AM Fartlek 20 x (1min hard, 1min jog). 1min hard efforts are at about 2.50/km pace on average, the loop is very hilly so they are inconsistent in terms of pace. Jog is jog, around 7min/km.
PM Rest
Sun Feb 26th
Rest
Mon Feb 27th
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM 40mins moderate + 3-4 strides, fast leg turnovers
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Tue Feb 28th
AM High Run 20mins
PM Rest
Wed Mar 1st
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM Diagonals 30mins
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Thur Mar 2nd
AM Track: 4x600m (1.29-1.30), 2x300m (40). Recovery is slow walk 200m in around 3-4mins.
PM Rest
Fri Mar 3rd
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM 40min moderate + 3-4 strides, fast leg turnovers
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Sat Mar 4th
AM Fartlek, random intervals between 30sec and 90sec (28mins in total). Very hilly loop.
PM Rest
Sun Mar 5th
Rest
Mon Mar 6th
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM 40mins moderate + 3-4 strides, fast leg turnovers
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Tues Mar 7th
AM Track: 11x200m, First set of 5 in 26s, Second set of 5 in 25s, last 1 max effort in 23-24. 200m walk recovery between reps (3min), 400m walk recovery between sets (5mins).
Wed Mar 8th
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM Diagonals 30mins
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Thur Mar 9th
AM High Run 20mins
PM Rest
Fri Mar 10th
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM 48min moderate + 3-4 strides, fast leg turnovers
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Sat Mar 11th
AM Track: 2x600m (1.27-1.28), 4x400m (55-56). Recovery is slow walk 200m in around 3-4mins.
Sun Mar 12th
Rest
Mon Mar 13th
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM 39min moderate + 3-4 strides, fast leg turnovers
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Tue Mar 14th
AM High Run 20mins
PM Rest
Wed Mar 15th
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM Diagonals 30mins
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Thurs Mar 16th
AM Track: 4x500m (1.17-1.18), 3x300m (40-41), 3x150m (17-18). Recovery is slow walk 200m in around 3-4mins.
PM Rest
Fri Mar 17th
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM 43mins moderate + 3-4 strides, fast leg turnovers
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Sat Mar 18th
AM Fartlek 8 x (2min hard, 2min jog). Hard efforts done at around 3:05/km average, keep in mind loop is very hilly and paces aren’t consistent. Jogs are jogs – around 7min/km.
PM Rest
Sun Mar 19th
Rest
Mon Mar 20th
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM 38mins moderate + 3-4 strides, fast leg turnovers
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Tue Mar 21st
AM Track: 3x600m (1.29-1.30), 3x300m (40-41), 2x150m (17-18). Recovery is slow walk 200m in around 3-4mins.
Wed Mar 22nd
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM 43mins moderate + 3-4 strides, fast leg turnovers
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Thur Mar 23rd
AM 1x800m (2.30), 3x600m (1.29-1.30), 5x300m (43-44). Recovery is slow walk 200m in around 3-4mins.
PM Rest
Fri Mar 24th
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM Diagonals 30mins
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Sat Mar 25th
AM High Run (20mins)
PM Rest
Sun Mar 26th
Rest
Mon Mar 27th
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM 37mins moderate + 3-4 strides, fast leg turnovers
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Tues Mar 28th
AM Track 1x600m (1.27), 3x400m (54-55), 3x200m (24-25). Recovery is slow walk 200m in around 3-4mins.
PM Rest
Wed Mar 29th
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM 50mins moderate + 3-4 strides, fast leg turnovers
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Thur Mar 30th
AM High Run 30mins
PM Rest
Fri Mar 31st
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM 42min moderate + 3-4 strides, fast leg turnovers
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Sat Apr 1st
AM Track: 3x600m (1.33-1.34), 4x500m (1.15-1.16), 2x400m (57-58). Recovery is slow walk 200m in around 3-4mins.
PM Rest
Sun Apr 2nd
Rest
Mon Apr 3rd
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM 38min moderate + 3-4 strides, fast leg turnovers
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Tues Apr 4th
AM Track: 1x600m (1.29-1.30), 4x500m (1.13-1.14), 1x300m (41). Recovery is slow walk 200m in around 3-4mins.
PM Rest
Wed Apr 5th
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM 44min moderate run + 3-4 strides, fast leg turnovers
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Thur Apr 6th
AM High Run 20mins
PM Rest
Fri Apr 7th
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM Diagonals (30mins)
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Sat Apr 8th
AM Track: 200m 24.2, 400m 52.0, 200m 24.7, 400m 53.2. Recovery is slow walk 200m in around 3-4mins.
PM Rest
Sun Apr 9th
Rest
Mon Apr 10th
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM 42min moderate + 3-4 strides, fast leg turnovers
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Tues Apr 11th
AM Track: 3x600m (1.27-1.28), 3x300m (40-41). Recovery is slow walk 200m in around 3-4mins.
PM: Rest
Wed Apr 12th
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM 49min moderate + 3-4 strides, fast leg turnovers
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Thur Apr 13th
AM 30mins easy
PM rest
Fri Apr 14th
Competition for some, time trial for some.
Sat Apr 15th
Rest
Sun Apr 16th
Rest
Mon Apr 17th
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM 36mins moderate + 3-4 strides, fast leg turnovers
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Tue Apr 18th
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM Diagonals (30mins)
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Wed Apr 19th
AM Track: 4x600m (1.30-1.31), 3x300m (41-42), 4x200m (25). Recovery is slow walk 200m in around 3-4mins.
PM Rest
Thur Apr 20th
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM 35min moderate + 3-4 strides, fast leg turnovers
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Fri Apr 21st
AM Track: 1x600m (1.29-1.30), 4x400m (54-55), 4x200m (25). Recovery is slow walk 200m in around 3-4mins.
PM Rest
Sat Apr 22nd
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM 48mins moderate + 3-4 strides, fast leg turnovers
PM Rest
Sun Apr 23rd
Rest
Mon Apr 24th
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM 38min moderate + 3-4 strides, fast leg turnovers
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Tues Apr 25th
AM Track: 1x800m (2.20), 4x600m (1.31-1.32), 2x400m (55-56). Recovery is slow walk 200m in around 3-4mins.
PM Rest
Wed Apr 26th
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM Diagonals (30mins)
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Thurs Apr 27th
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM 49min moderate + 3-4 strides, fast leg turnovers
PM Rest
Fri Apr 28th
AM High Run 20min
PM Rest
Sat Apr 29th
AM 44min moderate + 3-4 strides, fast leg turnovers
PM Rest
Sun Apr 30th
Rest
Mon May 1st
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM 36min moderate + 3-4 strides, fast leg turnovers
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Tues May 2nd
AM Track: 4x600m (1.32-1.33), 4x400m (56-57). Recovery is slow walk 200m in around 3-4mins.
PM Rest
Wed May 3rd
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM 44min moderate + 3-4 strides, fast leg turnovers
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Thur May 4th
AM Fartlek 7 x (2min hard, 1min jog). Hard efforts done at around 3:05/km average, keep in mind loop is very hilly and paces aren’t consistent. Jogs are jogs – around 7min/km.
Fri May 5th
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM 35mins moderate + 3-4 strides, fast leg turnovers
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Sat May 6th
AM Time Trial 600m, practising kick the last 200m.
PM Rest
Sun May 7th
Rest
Mon May 8th
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM 35min moderate + 3-4 strides, fast leg turnovers
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Tues May 9th
AM Hills 10x200m (slow walk back recovery, about 3-4mins). Hills take around 31-32sec.
PM Rest
Wed May 10th
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM 50min moderate + 3-4 strides, fast leg turnovers
PM Rest
Thur May 11th
AM High Run 20mins
PM Rest
Fri May 12th
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM Diagonals (30mins)
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Sat May 13th
AM Track: 1x600m (1.25-1.26), 3x400m (54-55), 2x300m (40-41), 1x200m (25). Recovery is slow walk 200m in around 3-4mins.
PM Rest
Sun May 14th
Rest
Mon May 15th
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM 38min moderate + 3-4 strides, fast leg turnovers
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Tues May 16th
AM Track: 3x600m (1.27-1.28), 3x400m (54-55), 1x200m (24). Recovery is slow walk 200m in around 3-4mins.
PM Rest
Wed May 17th
AM 6km easy jog / shake out
AM 36min moderate + 3-4 strides, fast leg turnovers
PM 4km warm up, drills, stretching, core stability
Thur May 18th
AM 30mins easy
Fri May 19th
Race or Time Trial
