Seb Coe – 5 Week Training Log Before Winning 1984 Los Angeles Olympics 1500m
Seb Coe won the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics in the 1500m by almost a full second and placed 2nd in the 800m in a quick 1:43:64. Here is his training diary in the 5 weeks leading up to the Olympic Games in 1984.
Tue 10 July: Fly 18 hours from England to Chicago; easy, yet steady PM run @6:00 to 6:30 per mile pace to get refreshed.
Wed 11 July: AM Tempo session to ease into faster pace and couple this with some speed endurance: 3×1600 m @4:40 pace, 3 min recovery, cool-down of two laps @90 sec pace followed by easy jogging.
Thu 12 July: AM easy recovery run of 6 miles; PM a tempo session to turn Wednesday’s AM tempo session into a continuous run: 3 miles in 14:30
Fri 13 July: Introduction to race pace, but not deeply anaerobic. after warm-up, 30×200 m @27/28 seconds; cool down of two laps @ 9-sec pace followed by easy jogging.
Sat 14 July: Lengthening the short-distance intervals and speed, but keeping good recovery: after warm-up, 2x(3×300 m) @39 sec, with 2 min recovery, 9 min between sets, cool-down of 2 laps @90-sec pace followed by easy jogging.
Sun: 15 July: Easy run of 6 miles for recovery, rest rehabilitation and “charging the battery”.
Mon 16 July: The first of the harder tempos runs: AM after warm-up, 6×800 m @ 2:00 with 3 min recovery; cool-down of 2 laps @90 sec pace followed by easy jogging; PM 4 miles easy
Tue 17 July: The first cadence session: AM 5 miles easy; PM after warm-up, 10×100 m steady acceleration to 60m, maximum speed to 80m, then float to 100m, walk back to start position and repeat.
Wed 18 July: Progressing from the Saturday 300m session but run 2 sec slower and as a single set: AM after warmup, 6x300m @41 sec, with 2 min recover; cool-down of 2 laps @90-sec pace followed by easy jogging; PM 4 miles easy.
Thu 19 July: Short intervals to sharpen speed and still maintain a good heart/lung stimulus but keeping mileage low: AM after warm-up, 20x200m @27/28 sec; cool-down of 2 laps @90-sec pace followed by easy jogging. PM 5 miles easy.
Fri 20 July: Adjusting to increasing speed with increasing distance: 11 sprints, progressing in distance from 100m to 200m in 10m increments, @14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 sec, with jog-back recovery to the start position.
Sat 21 July: Maintained endurance run, but without locking into a set pace: 6-7 miles including mixed accelerations (mini-fartlek).
Sun 22 July: Complete rest from running: traveled to LA and processed into Olympic Village.
Mon 23 July : Start of alternating hard and easy session, taking particular care not to carry over fatigue from the previous day; AM after warm-up, 6x800m hard @2:00 pace with 2 min recovery; cool-down of 2 laps @90-sec pace followed by easy jogging; PM 4 miles easy.
Tue 24 July: 30 min easy running over grassy slopes.
Wed 25 July: A 400m session as part of progression from 200m and 300m; am after warm-up, 6x400m @51/52 sec with 5 min recovery; cool-down of 2 laps @90-sec pace followed by easy jogging; PM 5 miles easy.
Thu. 26 July: 30 min easy running over grassy slopes.
Fri 27 July: Similar to 300m intervals of 18 July but 2 sec faster; AM after warm-up, 6x300m @38/39 sec with 3 min recovery; cool-down of 2 laps @90-sec pace followed by easy jogging; PM 5 miles easy.
Sat. 28 July: Complete rest from running.
Sun 29 July: Not as fast as Wednesday, but shorter recoveries: after warm-up, 400m/600m/400m/300m/200m in 55/82/53/36/25 sec; with 2min rest. cool-down of 2 laps @ 90-sec pace followed by easy jogging.
Mon. 30 July: Interval pace maintained, but recovery reduce; AM 4 miles easy; PM after warm-up, 6x300m @38/39 sec with 2 min recovery; cool-down of 2 laps @ a 90-sec pace followed by easy jogging.
Tue 31 July: AM 4 miles; PM a first session to maintain the feeling of 800m pace: after warm-up, 10x200m @27 sec with 2 min recovery; cool-down of 2 laps @ 90-sec pace followed by easy jogging.
Wed 01 August: A second session to maintain the feeling of 800m race pace: after warm-up, 3x400m @52/51/51 sec with 4min recovery; cool-down of 2 laps @90-sec pace followed by easy jogging.
Thu. 02 August: Rest, but some easy jogging to stay loose.
Fri 03 August: AM easy 3 miles, including some strides during the run; PM race 800m heat #1; late evening easy jogging to stretch the legs.
Sat 04 August: AM easy 3 miles, including some strides during the run; PM race 800m semi final.
Sun 05 August: 3mins easy jogging and some strides.
Mon 06 August: AM easy jogging if desired; PM 800m final (2nd in 1:43:64)
Tue 07 August: 8 miles easy running, no fast-paced racing-style efforts
Wed 08 August: no fast-paced racing-style efforts; 10x100m easy strides and accelerations
Thu 09 August: AM 3 miles easy plus a few faster paced strides than those of Wednesday; PM race 1,500 heat #1; later evening easy jogging to stretch the legs.
Fri 10 August: AM easy jogging as desired; PM race 1,500m semi-final; late evening easy jogging to stretch the legs.
Sat 11 August: AM easy jogging as desired; race 1,500m final (1st in 3:32:53)
