What we can learn from the world’s best endurance athletes with particular focus on training and competition

Yannis Pitsiladis, MMedSci., PhD, FACSM

Professor of Sport and Exercise Science University of Brighton and University of “Foro Italico” άθλημα

άνδρες χρυσό αργυρό χάλκινο

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3,000με

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μαραθώνιος

γυναίκες

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μαραθώνιος Πού είναι η επιστημονική ένδειξη; Genetic Findings (to date)

Genetic studies of elite distance runners from and and elite sprinters from Jamaica, USA and Nigeria do not find that these athletes possess a unique genetic makeup but rather we find a high degree of genetic diversity among ethnic groups of athletes Why the dominance of east Africans in distance ?

✗• superior genetics • solid foundation built over many years of running to school • socio-economic and cultural factors • high-altitude training • the African diet Where are the best distance runners from?

Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 2000 Topographic Map East Africa “Track Wars”

Moses Tanui vs (10,000 m, , 1993) “Track Wars”

Moses Tanui vs Haile Gebrselassie (10,000 m, Stuttgart, 1993) KENYAN REGIONS Iten – Boys High School Iten – Boys High School The Kenyan approach (Michael Boit, William O’Connell) Mike Boit, Bronze medal 800 m 1972 Munich Olympics, Commonwealth Gold, , 1978 The Kenyan approach (Michael Boit, William O’Connell) The Kenyan approach (Michael Boit, William O’Connell)

• solid foundation (base): built over many years of running to school (e.g. from the age of 5years) • high-altitude training camps • “non-scientific” approach: not relying on drugs or technology but on natural instincts • aerobic training • interval training (i.e. “bone-breaking”) • altitude training • x-country training • the Kenyan diet Altitude training

• Eldoret Region (2800 m asl): Ideal preparation for “live or die” unorthodox strategy (i.e. shift to higher gear in the middle of a 5 km race and sustain to the end) • Altitude training camp (Embu Eastern Province) for Kenyan team one month before event (e.g. Olympics) • Most Kenyan athletes “live and train” at 2800 m asl (e.g. Global Camp)

“God these Kenyans train too hard man!” J Appl Physiol. 1993 Oct;75(4):1822-7; Superior fatigue resistance of elite black South African distance runners Coetzer P, Noakes TD, Sanders B, Lambert MI, Bosch AN, Wiggins T, Dennis SC

Liberty Life Chair of Exercise and Sports Science, University of Cape Town Medical School, Observatory, South Africa WHITE BLACK

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Early morning training (6 am) for general aerobic benefit in cool conditions (value unknown, maybe recovery, weight management, readiness, psychological effects?)

Washing! Washing! – Gold 5000m World Champs, 2003

Interval training

• Built on a solid foundation developed over many years of running and also pre season aerobic training • Preference for 200m in Kenya, typically 12x • Speed: 21-24sec with 3-5min recovery • Endurance: 25-28sec with 30sec-2 min recovery • 70% of max running at the beginning of the season and 100% by 4-6 months “non-scientific” approach

not relying on drugs or technology but on natural instincts but can be heavily influenced by Grand Prix incentives! Chepkoilel Stadium

BLOOD – SWEAT - TEARS Interval training “bone-breaking” sessions!

Chepkoilel Stadium (~ 2400m) Interval Training

“bone-breaking” sessions! Interval Training

“bone-breaking” sessions! X-country training

National X-country championships are used for training purposes and for team selection (before 1985 two month-long season now four month- long season)

Q. How many times has Kenya won the team world X-country championships?

Kenya won the team world X-country championships 18x in a row from 1986 to 2003!! (Kenya 6x since, Ethiopia 5x since) X-country Championships 2004

Ngon race course

Shaheen leading X-country Championships 2004

Women’s Junior 6 km – note dresses and many bare feet TIGRAY ETHIOPIAN GONDER REGIONS WOLO

GOJAM

WOLEGA

SHEWA HARERGE ILLUBADOR ARSI

Central Highlands KAFFA BALE GAMO- GOFA > 5 per million

SIDAMO

1-5 per million

< 1 per million Addis Ababa (2.400m), Ethiopia “New Flower”

“You can” , Ethiopia 2800 m

Olympics: Olympics: 2004 Gold 10000m 2004 Bronze 10000m 2004 Silver 5000m 2000 Gold 10000m 1992 Gold 10000m Worlds: 2003 Gold 10000m bronze Worlds: 5000m 1995 silver 10000m 5000m/10000m 2001 Gold 10000m World Record Holder

Asela Dibaba Tirunesh Haile Gebrselassie Dibaba Ejegayehu Training in Addis Ababa (2.400m) The Ethiopian approach to training (Tolosa Kotu, Woldemeskel Mersha Asrat) Training in Addis Ababa (2.400m) Training in Addis Ababa (2.400m) Training in Addis Ababa (2.400m) Training outside Addis Ababa (2.800m) Ethiopian Success!

Dr Wolde Meskel (Coach trained in Hungary)

TEAM vs. INDIVIDUAL

e.g. 10,000m Dr Wolde Meskel Ethiopian Success!

e.g. Athens 10,000m Anbessa (The Lion) - Tewodros Kassahun aka "Teddy Afro"

www.youtube.com/watch?v...rch=bekele Anbessa (The Lion) - Tewodros Kassahun aka "Teddy Afro"

We gave you our blessings We gave you our flag If we can’t win its like death. (Haile says) If I line up with an injury I will still run to help you run Be Strong I have put faith in you, Kenenisa says Its to difficult - to leave you behind. Its too difficult I turned around and looked for him (Haile) Haile Says Hurry up our people are longing for victory Hurry Up our people can’t wait Hurry Up don’t let them pass you Hurry Up and don’t look back towards me. Kenenisa says Its to difficult - to leave you behind. Its too difficult I turned around and looked for him (Haile) Chorus Kenenisa the lion Kenenisa the Lion Made History Kenenisa the lion (3 times) Kenenisa the Lion An unforgettable history Kenenisa Anbessa, ...... Anbessa, Kenenisa (The Lion) Anbessa, Tarik Sera (He Made history) Anbessa, Yemayresa (unforgettable) Anbessa, Kenenisa Haile I have done all I can do I have done it for my country Today I get my Olympic 5 to 10 thousand sendoff Rejoice for your flag Glory is the testament of words Glory, we will not let you down our Father Haile (Ethiopia) You have Seleshi to back you up Fight on Kenenisa Bring swift victory and raise the flag You are the lion of the new Era. Haile My country boys you have made history. I will embrace you Take a picture with the flag. Write on it that history was made. Celebrate my country brave for what we owe our Mother (Country) I brought her gold. A gift for her glory. Hold the flag and be proud I brought her silver for our mother (St Mary) Look at the king in his grace and glory (Haile) He gave the prize to the New King (Kenenisa) Lions - This Flag is Lucky Today make this flag proud Kenenisa Lion Kenenisa - Fades out Ethiopian Success!

e.g. Athens 10,000m Ethiopian Success!

e.g. 5,000m e.g. London 5,000m World Records 2003 2008 2011 2013

World Record (28th September 2014)

2:02:57

2:03:59

2016 Summer Olympics

Jemima Sumgong The Kenyan “running” phenomenon

• Lucy Kabuu, Marathon winner tested positive for morphine (August 2018). • Samuel Kalalei, winner of Athens Marathon last November, also tested positive for EPO on June 4. • Ruth Jebet, Kenyan-born Bahraini runner, the 2016 Rio Olympic 3,000m steeplechase champion suspended after sample tested positive for EPO on Feb. 4. • , former Olympic and three-times world 1,500m champion suspended after samples tested positive for EPO on Feb. 3. • Other previous high profile Kenyan athletes who failed dope tests are 2016 Olympics marathon winner Jemima Sumgong and former City Marathon winner Rita Jeptoo.