The FOUR HORSEMEN
OF DISTANCE COACHING
Discover why Arthur Lydiard was named “Coach of the Century” and how his legendary training pyramid revolutionized distance running. From the foundational high-mileage aerobic base to hill bounding and strategic tapering, this article breaks down Lydiard’s phased approach that transformed New Zealand runners into Olympic champions. Whether you are a coach looking to structure a season or an athlete aiming for peak performance, this deep dive explains how to apply his timeless principles—like periodization and active recovery—to modern cross-country training.
Unlock the secrets of the “World’s Best Running Coach,” Dr. Jack Daniels, and his game-changing VDOT training system in this comprehensive breakdown. Learn how Dr. Daniels’ scientific approach assigns every runner a unique VDOT score, eliminating the guesswork from training by prescribing precise paces for everything from easy runs to high-intensity intervals. Whether you are a high school coach crafting a season plan or a runner chasing a new PR, this article explains how to utilize the legendary Daniels’ Running Formula and VDOT tables to predict race times and maximize physiological adaptation for peak performance.
Dive into the revolutionary methods of Mihaly Igloi, the Hungarian coach whose rigorous interval-based system produced 49 world records by rejecting the long, slow distance run in favor of pure interval work. This article breaks down Igloi’s unique philosophy of “Lactate Dynamics,” where high-intensity efforts are balanced with active recovery to train multiple energy systems simultaneously, relying on “feeling” rather than a stopwatch. Discover how modern coaches can adapt his intuitive, athlete-centered approach—using varying tempos like “fresh,” “good,” and “very hard”—to build speed and aerobic capacity without the mileage grind of traditional programs.
Explore the philosophy of Dr. Joe Vigil, the legendary coach behind 19 national championships and Deena Kastor’s Olympic silver medal, in this deep dive into his training methodology. Learn how Vigil combines high-mileage base training and scientifically rigorous periodization with an “unshatterable” team culture that demands mental tenacity and clean living. Whether you are building a high school program or refining your own discipline, this article breaks down how to balance volume with intensity and cultivate the mindset necessary for distance running success.