A physiological perspective on middle distance programs

Abstract

In the beginning man ran because his life depended upon it. As a hunter he ran to capture his prey, as the hunted he ran to avoid his predators. As man evolved culturally the importance of speed and endurance lessened. Athletic ability became aesthetic rather than practical. With the advent of the Olympic games, less than 100 years ago interest in running was rekindled. This event offered the opportunity for men, and later women, to test their abilities, challenging themselves and each other. The limits for human achievement were removed as more unthinkable barriers were broken, the sub four minute mile, the sub three minutes fifty mile. Today we see athletes of average ability who forty years ago would have been world class. The reasons for this are many: better equipment, synthetic tracks, higher standard of health and improved coaching techniques. Scientific research and practical experience have developed methods tailor made for individual athletes, helping them to perform to their optimum. This study introduces some of these methods and the physiological evidence which has led to their application. It is an attempt to bridge the gap between the way athletes train and the reasoning for training.