Seb Coe’s Multi-Tier Training System: Part 6 – Setting Equivalent Paces for Different Race Distances
[Article by Chelsea Ho of Sweat Elite]
This is the sixth instalment of a six-part series which is a summary of David Martin & Peter Coe’s Multi-Tier Training System featured in their bestselling classic Better Training for Distance Runners.
Continued from Part 5 – Getting the Right Aerobic/Anaerobic Mix
It is well accepted that specialisation in a particular distance requires an athlete to train at both faster and slower speeds in order to bring proper consolidation of overall skill. (‘Multi-Pace Training’ is essentially the fancy term coined by Martin & Coe to recognise this principle.) For example, the training program for a 10000m specialist would likely prescribe sessions involving repetitions at 5000m and half-marathon race pace.
But on what basis should you determine these so-called equivalent multiple-event paces for an athlete? The authors offer one such mechanism that may serve as a useful starting point for determining these speeds (at least initially). From there adjustments would of course be made.
As you can see in the tables below, these equivalent race times are calculated based on mathematical formulas. This is specific, simple and objective, in contrast to simply ‘guestimating’ what we think our times should be.
It is better to have three tables with slightly different formulas than one general table simply to cater for individual and event specificity. The grey shaded regions represent distances contested less frequently by each group.
As the authors explain:
- Use Table A if you’re a longer-distance specialist (e.g. 10km or 15km) who might be interested in running marathons but who also actively competes in the 5km event for speed development.
- Use Table B if you specialise in the 3km to 5km distances but also enjoy racing the occasional 10km or the 1500m, and perhaps rarely in the 800m.
- Use Table C if you’re a middle distance runner (800m to 1500m) who usually would not compete in distances over the 5km mark.
In Tables A, B & C, respectively, Y = the athlete’s 10000m, 5000m & 1500m best performance. To calculate the comparable times for longer or shorter events, simply multiply Y by the indicated appropriate value.
For example, if you specialise in the 5000m and your PB is 15mins, using Table B:
- Your ideal 10000m time would be 2.1 x 15mins = 31:30
- Your ideal 3000m time would be 0.58 x 15mins = 8:42, etc.
Source: Martin, D. E., & Coe, P. N. (1997). Better training for distance runners. Human Kinetics 1.
Previous articles in this article series:
Part 1 – General Principles of Periodisation
Part 2 – Overview of the Multi-Tier Training System
