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Last week’s article on Pietro Mennea’s Detailed Training Workouts for 200 meters brought some good discussion on super high volume, medium intensity training methods.
In all fairness, I will present the final week of training prior to his 7 day taper period.
I will only focus on track workouts and times, which will give you a good indication of his fitness and speed endurance for his 200 meters and 4x400m relay.
All I can say is.. it worked for him!
Note his workout on Wednesday July 16. Now, this is a true speed endurance session as he’s going 95% max with full rest periods. These are the workouts I like to see, but usually with a volume of 500 meters.
Sat July 12, 1980
2x80m (3 min rest, 10 min between sets), 2x100m (4 min rest, 12 min between sets), 2x150m (8 min rest, 15 min between sets), 2x300m (15 min rest) (Total volume = 1260m)
- Times
- 80’s 8.76, 8.62
- 100’s 10.78,10.67
- 150’s 15.92, 15.71
- 300’s 34.52 (split 200m in 23.10), 34.36 (split 200m in 22.68)
Wed July 16, 1980
100m-100m-150m-250m full recovery (15, 20, 22 min between runs) (Total volume = 600m)
- Times
- 100m -10.16
- 100m -10.16
- 150m -15.15
- 250m -24.60 (split 200m in 20.80)
Fri July 18, 1980
30m starts, 100m, 300m (20 min break between 100 and 300)
Sat July 19, 1980
3×150, 1×250 (8-10min rest between 150s, 16 min between sets) (Total volume = 700m)
- Times
- 150m -16.00
- 150m -15.60
- 150m -15.30
- 250m -27.58 (split 150m in 16.58)
Sun July 20 to Sat July 26, 1980
7 day taper period. The book does not go into detail here.
Sunday July 27, 1980
200 meter heats and QF
Monday July 28, 1980
200 meter Semi and Finals
Jimson Lee
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7 day taper period? isn’t this a bit short? i try to push for 3 weekends taper! phenomenal times tho (24 second – 250m) jeez
I usually aim for a 2 week taper with a track meet 2 weeks out. Charlie Francis advocated a 10 day taper. This explains why you see a lot of all-comer meets on the Wednesday 10 days out from a big meet.
TAPERS vary according to the age, recovery ability and body type of the individual so whatever worked for Pietro may not work for Joe Everysprinter.
250m 24.60 ? jesus christ
24.60 is almost certainly a typo….especially with 20.80 at 200m, 3.80 for 50m is not happening….25.60 it probably should be
@NLS – Thanks for the correction.
July 16 reads (verbatim from book):
250m = 26.40 (15.78 – 20.80 – 5.5)
He probably meant 15.78 + 20.80 + 5.60
Well, “Amen” that his later workouts approached 100% effort! I will make one subjective observation. As consistent as Mennea was (as viewed by his documented repetitions), and the fact that a large portion of his training seemed geared towards the 400 meter race; it seems odd that Mennea never broke 45 seconds for the 400 meter race. He would have made an ideal 400 meter sprinter.
Thanks for posting these Jimson. It’s always great to see what the top guys do in training – Mennea trained intensely that’s for sure, but you don’t waltz your way to 19.72!
interesting that PM went against the typical European/Russian approach to training method which tend to emphasize Under-distance. V. Borzov work out included a lot of 30m, and 60m wind sprints from blocks and w/o.
@big lou, I’ve often thought Carlo Vittori’s program was a matter of attrition. If you could survive it, stay injury free, then for sure you would run well.