Henry Marsh Interval Sessions

spoke with Henry Marsh this evening. He responded to an email I sent to him at

henry@henrymarsh.com

. Here's what he shared with regards to his training:

Always took a month after summer track season. Commented that he "always did better late summer in meets than the June nationals in U.S. Said that the type of training he did may have atrributed to a longer peak or late peak in summer.

Henry then spent 1 month "just getting back into a training regime, running 20 -30 miles a week easy".

MOndays were the biggest mileage day, with 3-4 miles in the morning, followed by a 10 Miler ( his long run). Henry mentioned that " the 10 miler got fatser as the year progressed. His fastest was 57:00 towards the end of the year.

Tuesdays: 2-3 Miles am on the treadmill. PM: 3,000 Meters

of longer intervals and he usually ran in a ladder format.

The longest was 1200 Meters. Warm - Up was always a 1 mile jog, followed by stretching and then 1 mile of fast strides on straight, jog the curves and then some more stretching.

Wed: 2 - 3 Miles am treadmill

3- 4 miles pm treadmill or trails. Henry said that if was very tired he cut this down even to 1-2 mile jog an some stretching, because he wanted to be well recovered.

Thursdays: 3 - 4 miles am on treadmill. PM: 1500 meters of reps at faster than race pace; such as 200m, 300, or 400 m reps with a longer recovery. Henry said he got down to 26-28 for the 200's.

Friday: The second lightest recovery day of the week, behind the sunday rest day. 1 - 2 mile jog on treadmill am

1-3 mile jog on treadmill pm

Saturday: Early season, steady mileage of say 5- 7 miles.

progressing to 1-2 mile warm up - tempo run and warmdown. Race simulations in season or races. RAN SEVERAL INDOOR MEETS and SAID THIS BROUGHT HIM AROUND BETTER FOR OUTDOORS.

Sunday: REST DAY

Funny guy, actually. Said that guys in europe would laugh at his workouts and he would comment, "why should I train when i am resting for the races". That his unusaul short jogs of 2 miles or so the day before races or in between short workouts of 3-4 x200M or 800 Meter time trials.

Mentioned that his physical makeup was different than most and alot guys could not handle such little volume, where he could not handle higher volumes. Also got viruses alot from early overtraining before Bowerman.

Hope this is insightful.

Don Fagan wrote:

Bowerman also mentions his longest run is 6-9 miles (?) I can't believe that soemone could run such a steeple performance offs o little training. ......

You better believe it. Marsh had the mentality of a wounded tiger in the body of a truck driver. He was a freak of nature.

From 1980 this would be typical (w Chris Horton) warmup, 1 x 1000 (2:33), 600 (1:31) 300 (45) 200 (26) 300 (45) 200 (27) 300 (45) 200 (26), warmdown

Doug Brown and I had just finished up a workout 2 x 1 mile (4:13.5, 4:08.0) 2 x 200 (27.4, 26.0) 2 x 150 (18.4, 17.6) and were feeling pretty good about ourselves. As we got ready to warm down Marsh showed up to the track for a workout, so we hung around to watch. He proceeded to run 2 x 400 in about 60 apiece in his white one piece LDS silk underwear (actually underneath his shorts but sticking out way down his legs). That was it. Brown and I looked at each other and with a nod we mumbled in unison "we're fv

Another time, after finishing an easy hour run at our hotel, we observed Dinwoody start his easy run. It was about 15 minutes around the roundabout in front of the hotel, about 100m a lap. Made me dizzy just watching.Unless you have a truck drivers body with the mentality of a wounded tiger you should not try to mimick his training, it will only demoralize you.

the above post is why i read letsrun.com. i enjoy the old stories.

You're welcome.

And you figured that Brownie and I said, "we're f**ked"

I can dig out some of the Chris Horton, et al, workouts from 1980. I believe that Henry ran most of them.

This is why I am on here also.

I saw Marsh race often.

why did you call him dinwoody?

super swede wrote:

why did you call him dinwoody?

The catagory is "Middle Names." Remember to answer in the form of a question.

Cool s*** here Malmo.

So this is the same Horton who was at Brandis and was under Bowerman's coaching around 80' ?

If you could dig up those workouts from 80' that Horton and Marsh did that would be greatly appreciated. Did you run with these guys when you were in Eugene at the time ? I heard that these guys ( Horton and Marsh while at law school U of O only did 35 - 45 miles per week ?)

"You mean I'm going to stay this color?"

http://hitchcock.itc.virginia.edu/BlackLeadership/biographies/hm.html

Henry Marsh

As a child in Virginia, Henry Marsh walked five miles each way to a one-room school for black children, where a single teacher instructed 70 students, while whites traveled by bus to a large, modern school. This experience, in addition to inspiration from his heroes -- including Oliver Hill, Thurgood Marshall, and his father -- contributed to Marsh's dedication to the struggle for racial justice. He attended Virginia Union University, received a law degree from Howard University and served in the United States Army. Marsh began a legal career in 1961, joining the Richmond law firm, now Hill, Tucker & Marsh. Serving as counsel for the NAACP, he fought Richmond's segregationist school policies. In 1966, Marsh successfully ran for a position on the Richmond City Council; in 1977, he was elected the first African-American mayor of Richmond, and led a coalition of black council members who made historical changes in the city, including the adoption of a human rights ordinance, the appointment of many African Americans to boards and commissions, and the revitalization of downtown Richmond. In 1991, he was elected to the Senate of Virginia for the 16th District and is currently serving his third term.

The odd thing to me, outside of the low mileage, is that it was done on doubles.. i mean is it really worth to do 2-3 morning run?

tj wrote:

.. i mean is it really worth to do 2-3 morning run?

That answer seems to be pretty obvious! Yes, it does seem to be worth.

agree. very odd but one needs to ask why in the first place...

I know he ( Marsh) had viral issues and time restaints ( not a full time athlete but a lawyer during best years).

I've seen one sample from his logs and some days are comprised of a 1mile jog am and 1 mile jog pm.

This may be why the low digit doubles. Maybe Malmo can provide some insights here since he wasa round "back in the day".

Other observations that may have contributed to his longetivity ( 3 olympic teams in steeple):

1) Always took one month off completely ( Oct) after europe

2) Always took one month very easy coming back ( easy low mileage running)

3) Usually took Sunday off ( Mormon) if not racing

Intersting enough, Kenyan athletes take a rest after summer season and usually one day off or very light each week

Marsh had this figured out back in the 80's though.

Don Fagan wrote:

This may be why the low digit doubles. Maybe Malmo can provide some insights here since he wasa round "back in the day".

Actually I find it odd that today runners refuse to run doubles, instead fabricationg all sorts of specious "facts" to support their stubborness.

When I first stared doing doubles it was in high school, just three miles. It made me a better runner.

And that's why on of the reasons your generation kicked ass.

Marsh may not have ran high volume but was consistent and when he ran hard it was quality.

Did you happen to find the log with Horton's workouts backin 80 Malmo ?

2 x 400 in 60? Boy howdy, tuff stuff.

I was always amazed watching Marsh run....

He looked like a fullback running with a bunch of free safety's ...My opinion is that he had incredibly and deceptive explosive speed; on top of (one of) the best hurdle/waterjump forms...He was incredibly efficient and powerful...I cannot think of another steepler..(maybe Malinowski)..who exuded power like Marsh.

there was no running him down the last lap...hence he was the best in the world..

Malmo said it best..."a freak of nature" indeed

Maybe Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon Faith, was a runner, too? What exactly was IN those tablets?

Interesting guy. World Class athlete, with a social conscience, who walks the walk.

Maybe the world could use more folks like that?

Now that's a role model for the new year, or maybe ALL years, and not just in the steeple.