Training of Peter Snell

The Training Of Peter Snell – 3 time Olympic Gold Medallist over 800m/1500m.

[article by Scott Larsen of Sweat Elite]

New Zealander Peter Snell is one of only three men to win successive Olympic 800m titles and was the first in over 60 years to do the double 800/1,500 meters in the Olympics.   Snells first gold medal wins came at the 1960 Rome Olympics, 800m in a time of 1:46:48.  He then backed this up 4 years later with back to back golds at the Tokyo Olympics with his first in the 800m in a time of 1:45:51 and following a few days winning the 1,500m by over 10 meters in 3:38.1. 

Added to the Olympic Golds Peter Snell also set a number of World Record through the 1962 running season, namely: the 800m 1:44:3, mile 3:54:4 and 1km 2:16:6.

Peter Snell was named ‘New Zealand Sports Champion of the Century’, a major feat in the Rugby strong nation.

Peter Snell – A Lydiard’s Man

A Training review in detail:

Snell is arguably Lydiard’s most famous athlete. Lydiard took Snell from an average school grade runner to one of the best middle distance runners the world has ever seen.

Under Lydiard’s instructions, Snell undertook a long period of base building which consisted mainly of long runs. He covered distances in training that were hightly unusual at the time and even to this day is considered on the extreme side. Through Lydiard’s training methodology, Snell became an extremely strong runner.

“The fundamental principle of training is simple, which may be why it needs repeating so often: it is to develop enough stamina to enable you to maintain the necessary speed for the full distance at which you plan to compete. Many runners throughout the world are able to run 400 metres in 46 seconds and faster; but remarkably few of them have sufficient stamina to run 800 metres in 1:44, or 52 seconds for each 400 metres. That clearly shows the part stamina plays in middle and distance running. It is absolutely vital” – Arthur Lydiard 

Specifically, Snell was running approximately 160 kilometres per week at his near-best aerobic effort. Over and above this, Snell was also encouraged to complete other runs at a slower pace as where all of Lydiards athletes.

“My middle-distance men, Snell and John Davies, were running the lowest total weekly mileages but even they were covering about 250 kilometres a week” – Arthur Lydiard 

The marathon conditioning phase lasted as long as possible; the standard for Snell would be approximately four months.  These runs would be broken up as; 90 minutes every morning and then other other runs throughout the day. Sundays, without fail, would be the 22-mile hilly run through the Waikari ranges, often followed by tea and biscuits at Arthurs home.

It is interesting to note, when we look at what Snell did while juggling training, working, and a racing tour around the country, we can see one certain fact: Snell ran his world 800m record within two months of completing his first and last competitive marathon.

Speed and Anaerobic Training

Speed and aerobic capacity development would commence after this 16 week ‘Marathon style’ base phase build.  Both a mixture of hills and speed orientated interval sessions were used to promote anaerobic conditioning and raw speed.

Lydiard’s theory centered around the belief that:

“No-one and no training can make a basically slow runner into a basically fast runner. Greater speed can be developed to a limited extent, but the basically slow runner will remain a basically slow runner in relation to other runners” – Arthur Lydiard

To illustrate this Arthur would often use a base-line 200m sprint to dictate a runners fundamental speed.    Depending on their speed he would suggest what distance the runner would excel at. In the case of Peter Snell, he had decent, yet not brilliant speed; his personal best for the 200m was 22.3 seconds.

Day by Day – Training Breakdown

Peter Snells Training Diaries Leading into Tokyo

The lead into the 1964 Tokyo Olympics exemplifies Peter Snell’s training. By, April 1964, Snell was a bit flat and needed more basic conditioning to prepare for the Tokyo Olympics to be held in October 1964.

From April 18^th until June 28^th 1964, Snell followed the conditioning model as outlined above and averaged 100 miles per week. Even through at the time Snell had already split with his long-time coach Lydiard, the process and principles ingrained mimicked closely the legendary coaches’ principles.

Through this time

“I began running twice a day-half an hour in the mornings and an hour and a half at night-aiming to reach 100 miles a week as soon as possible. I made it after two weeks, training mostly with Barry Magee, an ideal companion because of his ability to maintain a uniform pace and his willingness to increase the pace when I wanted to push it.” – Peter Snell

“I could never run more than three consecutive weeks of 100 miles but over 10 weeks I logged a total of 1012 miles – the greatest amount of distance running I’ve ever done.” – Peter Snell

Something that was specifically noted by Peter Snell was one of Lydiard’s core training philosophies:

“I approached this distance build-up carefully, studiously avoiding any speed running. I was well aware from experience of the pitfalls such as leg injuries that excessive speed could produce.   I spent a lot of money on shoes and I concentrated purely on mileage. I don’t think I ever ran faster than six-minute miles, although my speed increased naturally as I got fitter and stronger.” – Peter Snell

Snell then did a lot of hill training from June 29th until August 9^th. During this period his average mileage decreased slightly to approximately 90 miles per week.

“From the distance running, I moved into a six-week training session on the hills, which finished nine weeks before the Tokyo races” – Peter Snell

On August 10th, Snell then commenced track training.

“My track work began sensationally with 20 quarters in an average of 62.5 seconds. I had hoped for something like 65 seconds and it was a terrific boost to me to know that I’d gained so soon the rhythm of running at this pace. I kept at it by doing a great deal of short, sharp sprint work.” – Peter Snell

“Snell’s long runs during the business end of his track season were slow and restorative, about a minute a mile slower than his best aerobic speeds achieved in his buildup” – Barry Magee

The below training diary has been sourced from Lydiard’s training diary and from ‘No Bugles No Drums’. The below diary represents Snell’s speed training during the two months leading into the Tokyo Olympics.

August 1964

Each morning Snell ran approximately 5 miles on a golf course or road.August 10: 20 times 220m. Average 27.45 seconds.

• August 11: 3 miles time trial in 14.47.6.
• August 12: 660m in (1:27). Then 2 sets of (11 by 100 yard sprints)
• August 13: 3mile time trial followed by some 50yard sprints.
• August 14: 6 times 220m. Average 26.5 seconds.
• August 15: 20 times 440. Average 61 seconds.
• August 16: 22 miles Waiatarua in 2 hours 22 minutes.
• August 17: 20 times 220m. Average 27.8 seconds.
• August 18: – 3 mile time trial in 14:35.
• August 19: – 5 times 880m. Average 2.13.
• August 20-22: – Injured leg due to running on a hard track. No training.
• August 23: – 22 miles in 2h 33 minutes.
• August 24: – 5 mile jog.
• August 25– 27: leg still sore – no training.
• August 28: 4 times 440m stride-outs.
• August 29: – 6 mile jog.
• August 30: – 22 miles in 2hr 23 min.
• August 31: 220 stride-outs.

September

Each morning Snell ran approximately 5 miles on a golf course or road.

• September 1: 6 times 880m. Average 2:10
• September 2: 6 times 440m. Average 58.0.
• September 3: 1 mile at half effort, then 1 mile three quarter effort.
• September 4: 3 times 220m sprints.
• September 5: 880m. Cold wet conditions. 2:01.
• September 6: 22 miles easy
• September 7: 1 mile hard followed by some 50 yard sprints.
• September 8: – Three quarter mile. Then880 in 1.56 with the final 440 as he felt.
• September 9: 440m in 55seconds. Then 4 times 100yard sprints.
• September 10: 2 times 1 mile at half effort.
• September 11: 3 times 220 yards at full effort
• September 12: 10 times 440m averaging 58.5 with a lap jog recovery.
• September 13: Long run
• September 14: 10 miles morning. In the afternoon, 4 times 150yards and 6 times 50yard sprints.
• September 15: 2 times 880 yards, windy and wet. 2:02 and 2:01.
• September 16: 10 miles morning in the morning. In the afternoon 3 mile time trial in 14:12.
• September 17: 6 times 440 yards in 58.0.
• September 18: 3 times 220 all out sprints.
• September 19: Three quarter mile time trial in 3:05
• September 20: 20 mile run at an easy effort.
• September 21: One hour jog
• September 22: 6 times 220 yard stride outs
• September 23: One hour jog
• September 24: Flew to Sydney – 6 times 220 stride outs
• September 25: – 660m time trial between Snell and John Davies in 1:19.
• September 26: – Flew to Japan.
• Snell jogged most mornings in Japan before breakfast for at least 30 minutes: From No Bugles No Drums:

“We wanted to run for at least half an hour every morning before breakfast” – Peter Snell

• September 27: One hour jog.
• September 28: 20 times 220 yard stride outs.
• September 29: 1 mile of 50 yard dashes.
• September 30: Three quarter mile time trial in 2:56.

October

• October 1: 2 hour run – strong and even pace.
• October 2: 4 times 440 yard efforts.
• October 3: 6 times 880 at half effort. Averaged 2:05
• October 4: 1 mile time trial in 4:02
• October 5: 10 times 220 stride outs
• October 6: Sprint training over 150 yards.
• October 7: 800m fast time trial in 1:47.1
• October 8: 1 hour jog.
• October 9: 880 yard in 50yard dashes.
• October 10: 1 hour jog
• October 11: 3 times 220 yard sprints.
• October 12: 1 hour jog
• October 13: Half an hour jog
• October 14: 800m heat. 1:49
• October 15: 800m semi. 1:46.9
• October 16: 800m final. 1:45.1 Olympic Gold.
• October 17: 1500m heat. 3:46.6
• October 18: 1 hour jog
• October 19: 1500m semi. 3:38.8
• October 20: 1 hour jog
• October 21: 1500m final 3.38.1 Olympic Gold.