Fast gains: speed work should be specific to your event
WHAT does a middle-distance athlete need in their armoury to be successful?
An abridged list of attributes would include the following: strength (general and specific), speed endurance, strength endurance, suppleness, coordination, efficiency, a big aerobic engine, tactical know-how and a dogged determination. In a nutshell, if an athlete’s specific event is 1500m, they also need to have good capabilities over 800m and 3000m – giving them the confidence and knowledge that they have decent pace and endurance which can be used to full effect over the metric mile. And what about speed?