The Kenyan Training Week: Insights from the World's Best Long-Distance Runners
Kenyans are known for their remarkable success in long-distance running, with many Olympic and world champions hailing from the East African nation. One of the keys to their success is their training methods, which are often characterized by high volume, consistency, and a focus on endurance. In this article, we'll take a closer look at how some of the best Kenyan runners structure their training weeks, including the activities they do on each day.
Sunday: Long Runs
One of the hallmarks of Kenyan training is the weekly long run, which is typically done on Sundays. According to Toby Tanser's book "The Kenyan Way," many elite Kenyan runners do long runs of 30-40 kilometers, with some even running up to 50 kilometers. This helps them build endurance, develop mental toughness, and prepare for the demands of long-distance races.
Notable Kenyan runners who have excelled in the marathon and half-marathon, such as Eliud Kipchoge, Mary Keitany, and Geoffrey Kamworor, have all emphasized the importance of the long run in their training. Kipchoge, for example, has been known to do long runs of up to 40 kilometers at a time.
Monday-Saturday: Easy Runs, Hill Training, Fartlek, Tempo Runs
The rest of the week is typically filled with a mix of easy runs, hill training, Fartlek, and tempo runs, with one or two rest days thrown in for recovery. Here's a breakdown of each activity:
Easy Runs: These runs are done at a slower pace, allowing the body to recover from the previous day's workout. Many Kenyan runners do easy runs of 10-15 kilometers, with a focus on maintaining good form and staying relaxed.
Hill Training: Hill training is a key component of many Kenyan runners' training, as it helps build leg strength and endurance. This can include hill repeats or a hill circuit, where runners do multiple repetitions of a challenging hill.
Fartlek: Fartlek is a Swedish term that means "speed play," and is a type of training that alternates between fast and slow running. This helps improve speed and anaerobic capacity, and is a staple of many Kenyan runners' training.
Tempo Runs: Tempo runs are done at a steady pace, just below the lactate threshold. These runs help improve running economy and aerobic capacity, and are often done as longer intervals with short recovery periods.
Notable Kenyan runners like Catherine Ndereba, Tegla Loroupe, and Wilson Kipsang have all incorporated these types of workouts into their training. Loroupe, for example, has emphasized the importance of hill training in building leg strength and endurance, while Kipsang has spoken about the benefits of Fartlek in improving speed and overall fitness.
Conclusion
The Kenyan training week is characterized by a mix of high-volume running, consistency, and a focus on endurance. Long runs, easy runs, hill training, Fartlek, and tempo runs are all important components of many elite Kenyan runners' training, and have helped them achieve remarkable success in long-distance running. By incorporating these elements into your own training, you can improve your endurance, speed, and overall fitness.
