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This article was written with the help from Snell’s classic book, NO BUGLES NO DRUMS<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Profile<\/strong><\/p>\n Snell won three Olympic gold medals during his career, including winning both the 800 and 1500 metres at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.<\/p>\n Personal Bests<\/strong><\/p>\n Snell was arguably Lydiard\u2019s most famous athlete. Lydiard took Snell from an average school grade runner to one of the best middle distance runners the world has ever seen. His 1:44.3 world 800 metre record set in 1962, on a grass track, still stands as one of the finest 800m performances of all time.<\/p>\n Through Lydiard\u2019s training methodology<\/a> Snell became an extremely strong runner. He covered distances in training that was unheard of at the time, and even to this day is considered on the extreme side.<\/p>\n Under Lydiard\u2019s instructions, Snell undertook an extensive period of base building which consisted mainly of long runs. In the book \u2018Running with Lydiard\u2019 By Lydiard and Gilmour, it explains the purpose behind this marathon conditioning stating that:<\/p>\n \u201cThe fundamental principle of training is simple, which may be why it needs repeating so often: it is to develop enough stamina to enable you to maintain the necessary speed for the full distance at which you plan to compete. Many runners throughout the world are able to run 400 metres in 46 seconds and faster; but remarkably few of them have sufficient stamina to run 800 metres in 1:44, or 52 seconds for each 400 metres. That clearly shows the part stamina plays in middle and distance running. It is absolutely vital\u201d\u00a0– Arthur Lydiard\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n More precisely, this marathon conditioning phase consisted of Snell running approximately 160 kilometres per week at his near-best aerobic effort. However, Snell was also encouraged to complete other runs at a slower pace. Lydiard writes:<\/p>\n \u201cMy middle-distance men, Snell and John Davies, were running the lowest total weekly mileages but even they were covering about 250 kilometres a week\u201d\u00a0– Arthur Lydiard<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n In Snell’s biography \u2018No Bugles, No Drums\u2019 Snell describes<\/a> his build-up training the winter before the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Snell states that he would run 90 minutes every morning and then do other runs throughout the day. However, on a Sunday he would without fail run the 22-mile hilly course through the Waikati ranges. Snell also states in his book that even though Lydiard demanded 100-mile weeks from him he was not able to handle that many miles week in week out and often when he hit a flat patch the total mileage might have dropped to around the 80-mile per week level.<\/p>\n The marathon conditioning phase lasted as long as possible; the standard for Snell would be approximately four months.<\/p>\n At the end of the marathon conditioning period Snell launched into a period of speed and aerobic capacity development, through the use of hill and speed orientated interval sessions.<\/p>\n Lydiard\u2019s theory cantered around the belief that:<\/p>\n \u201cNo-one and no training can make a basically slow runner into a basically fast runner. Greater speed can be developed to a limited extent, but the basically slow runner will remain a basically slow runner in relation to other runners\u201d\u00a0– Arthur Lydiard<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Thus meaning that runners should choose the distance that they would race over depending on their speed. Snell had decent, yet not brilliant speed; his personal best for the 200m was 22.3 seconds.<\/p>\n The best way to outline Snell\u2019s training is to examine his <\/strong>training during 1964 leading into the Tokyo Olympics.<\/strong><\/p>\n By April 1964, Snell was a bit flat and needed more basic conditioning to prepare for the Tokyo Olympics to be held in October 1964.<\/p>\n From April 18th<\/sup> until June 28th<\/sup> 1964, Snell averaged 100 miles per week on average. It is interesting to note that Snell actually split with Lydiard in late 1963 to early 1964 and he actually set his own training schedule thereafter. Lydiard continued to observe and advise when Snell requested his assistance. From \u2018No Bugles No Drums:<\/p>\n March 1964: \u201cArthur doesn’t advise Pete on his training any more but Pete has frequently gone to him to talk about his condition and progress and Arthur has always willingly given him the same psychological encouragement which he gives to his other athletes.\u201d\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0– Sally Snell, Peter\u2019s wife.<\/strong><\/p>\n This explains Snell\u2019s training from the horse\u2019s mouth:<\/strong><\/p>\n April-August 1964<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cI realised my need to get in as many miles as possible in training. Stamina was going to be the key in Tokyo.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n I began running twice a day-half an hour in the mornings and an hour and a half at night-aiming to reach 100 miles a week as soon as possible. I made it after two weeks, training mostly with Barry Magee, an ideal companion because of <\/em>his <\/em>ability to maintain a uniform pace and his willingness to increase the pace when I wanted to push it.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n I could never run more than three consecutive weeks of 100 miles but over 10 weeks I logged a total of 1012 miles – the greatest amount of distance running I’ve ever done. And, whatever my progress during the week, I made absolutely certain that I covered the 22-mile Waiatarua circuit every Sunday right through the 10-week period. That was one part of the training I couldn’t afford to miss.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n I approached this distance build-up carefully, studiously avoiding any speed running. I was well aware from experience of the pitfalls such as leg injuries that excessive speed could produce.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n I spent a lot of money on shoes and I concentrated purely on mileage. I don’t think I ever ran faster than six-minute miles, although my speed increased naturally as I got fitter and stronger.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n At first, I took an hour and 45 minutes for 15 miles. After six weeks, I ran 15 in 1:30 and 18 in 1:52. And I cut my Waiatarua time from 2:25 to 2:15, with the odd one in 2:12. I rarely ran two hard sessions together. I would <\/em>try <\/em>six-minute miles one night and seven-minute miles the next to make sure I was, in fact, building up and not draining out.<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n I bought a special nylon jacket to wear in wet weather and kept the cold out by rubbing olive oil on my legs. I took more than usual care of myself this winter to counter muscle trouble. I was also taking a balanced vitamin pill because the previous winter I’d caught a cold and then developed ‘flu which cost me two weeks. It was vital now that I missed no training.\u201d\u00a0<\/em>– Peter Snell<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Snell then did a lot of hill training from June 29th until August 9th<\/sup>. During this period his average mileage was approximately 90 miles per week.<\/p>\n \u201cFrom the distance running, I moved into a six-week training session on the hills, which finished nine weeks before the Tokyo races\u201d\u00a0– Peter Snell<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n On August 10th, Snell then commenced track training.<\/p>\n Snell had the following to say about this:<\/p>\n \u201cMy track work began sensationally with 20 quarters in an average of 62.5 seconds. I had hoped for something like 65 seconds and it was a terrific boost to me to know that I’d gained so soon the rhythm of running at this pace. I kept at it by doing a great deal of short, sharp sprint work.\u201d\u00a0– Peter Snell<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Training Diary Leading into Tokyo<\/strong><\/p>\n The below training diary has been sourced from Lydiard\u2019s training diary and from \u2018No Bugles No Drums\u2019<\/a>. The below diary represents Snell\u2019s speed training during the two months leading into the Tokyo Olympics.<\/p>\n August 1964<\/strong><\/p>\n Each morning Snell ran approximately 5 miles on a golf course or road.<\/p>\n September<\/strong><\/p>\n Each morning Snell ran approximately 5 miles on a golf course or road.<\/p>\n \u201cWe fitted in a 660 yards race between John and me. I was feeling quite fresh from a week of relatively easy training and decided it would be to my advantage to run a fast quarter in about 53 seconds and then hang on for the rest.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n We both passed the quarter in 53 seconds as planned and I stayed in front for a final time of around 1:19\u201d – Peter Snell<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n \u201cWe wanted to run for at least half an hour every morning before breakfast\u201d\u00a0<\/strong>– Peter Snell<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n October<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.runnerstribe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/NoBugleNoDrums_001.jpg\")
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Lydiard\u2019s Man<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\nMarathon Conditioning<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\nSpeed and Anaerobic Training<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nTraining Specifics<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\nFrom No Bugles No Drums:<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n
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