Data for Discussion - Is this the impact of evolving spike technology?

[Runningfast]

I think there is less rigidly defined periodization. When I ran 25 years ago, we spent all summer and all winter running "base mileage" with VERY little specific work other than "get in the miles." I think now there is much more emphasis on staying in touch with all parts of the system year round. So there is some Vo2 work, and threshold work, and even race pace and max velocity work trickled in year round.

There is still periodization in that there are different systems being emphasized at different times of the year. John O'Malley from Sandburg in Illinois (whose team has averaged 7:45ish in the 4x8 for like 15 years now) talks about how his athletes are in touch with everything year round and are rarely more than a few weeks of race specific work from a peak performance.

 

[JAVMAN83]

I think there is less rigidly defined periodization. When I ran 25 years ago, we spent all summer and all winter running "base mileage" with VERY little specific work other than "get in the miles." I think now there is much more emphasis on staying in touch with all parts of the system year round. So there is some Vo2 work, and threshold work, and even race pace and max velocity work trickled in year round.

There is still periodization in that there are different systems being emphasized at different times of the year. John O'Malley from Sandburg in Illinois (whose team has averaged 7:45ish in the 4x8 for like 15 years now) talks about how his athletes are in touch with everything year round and are rarely more than a few weeks of race specific work from a peak performance.

Thank you for enlightening me on this issue. This follows what I first observed in the early 1990s when I was involved in coaching a collegiate sprint athlete. In reading the book "Speed Trap" by Ben Johnson's former (now deceased) coach, Charlie Francis, he communicated what he had learned regarding modern periodization implemented by the then GDR (German Democratic Republic, a.k.a, East Germany) women's team. Aside from the known systemic doping of athletes, worst especially those pills given to minors, the actual structure of training was very well coordinated on the women's side. The main focus was on maintaining both short and long sprinters (up to 800m) basic speed gains of previous training throughout the calendar year. Ben Johnson's training (along with others at his track club) always had speed work built into each training period in order to maintain gains of previous years. It sounds like this is what is being done according to you are relating from Coach O'Malley. I'm glad to see this is where periodization has brought the sport!