Ken Jakalski mentioned on the Bearpowered Forum that he had asked a distance coach how many watches he used when timing repeat runs for a group of distance runners.
The coach said that he used only one watch.
Ken asked the coach how much 'rest' the runners had before embarking on the next repeat. The coach said they were given a 3 minute rest between runs.Ken then asked the coach if the rest time started when the first runner crossed the line or the last one.
The coach was puzzled by Ken's question.
It shouldn't take much time to realize that the first finisher would always have the benefit over the last finisher. If the last runner was given 3 minutes rest, then the first finisher would have 3 minutes plus the time that it took for the last finisher to complete their rest time.
The reverse would be even more problematic for the slower runner!
Certainly there are ways to make repeat workout rest times more equitable among the runners, but there are many other areas of coaching where some of us have a puzzled look when asked why we use a particular method of training.
Consider the following: An elite marathon runner can cover the distance in just over 2 hours while non-elites could be several hours behind.
If both elites and non-elites are running the same distance in practice, then who is expending the greater amount of energy (and time)?
Obviously, it’s the slower runner!
Ken has convinced me that, especially for runners, the common mantra, "you must work longer and harder to be a champion" has a serious flaw in that many non-elites apply a significantly greater amount of time toward practicing their event.
Does this mean that they should simply quit?
I would hope not.
Exceeding one’s own expectations has great reward in itself. Recognizing that one is not a world champion doesn’t mean that one cannot be an age group, national, regional or local champion.
In fact, it is questionable as to whether the above have that much merit either.
While I was a shot put/discus/hammer thrower in college, I enjoyed playing volleyball (and billiards for lunch money) every bit as much as throwing implements.
My top 10 ranking in Division 2 hammer and discus gave me no more satisfaction then walking out of the college pool hall with the lunch money I had just won. Often, that was the toughest and most rewarding competition of all!