During the rest days the other week I just randomly picked up a book from the bookshelf and ended up reading a Swedish version of every runner's ABC. I don't even remember how it exactly got into there but I'm happy I found it. There was great stuff about training and things around distance running but what amused me the most was the training diary of Anders Gärderud from the years 1972 and 1976. It was really interesting reading and I was impressed.
Anders has always been an active orienteer too (even during his top years as steeplechaser) and because of that I was fortune enough to get to know him personally during my time in Lidingö. When I lived in Sweden and ran for IFK Lidingö SOK Anders was actively involved in club's coaching. After that he coached even the Norwegian orienteering team for a while and I met him a couple of times at international events. For me he has always been a determined but gentle coach and mentor and an overall sympathetic person. I have always admired him and listened carefully his advices but I never knew how he actually trained himself when active.
He trained a lot, a lot more than you would expect from a steeplechaser. He could train over 200km a week even though his race performance was only about eight minutes or 3000m. That makes you wonder how much you should run if your race is 10K and above. A long distance for women in orienteering is around 75mins, so nearer to a half marathon in time. In other words nearly tenfold compared to those eight minutes. Well I'm not going to multiply my training tenfold but it was nevertheless interesting reading and an eye-opener. It would also be interesting to know how Lasse Viren and the Flying Finns trained at their times or how Paula Radcliffe or the Kenyans train today. Be that as it may, after reading that book I have barely felt myself as an athlete. But I'll try my best to be one, one day. At least the book gave me a great boost of motivation and inspiration!
