1. USATF Podium Effort Project Critical Factor Training 3000 Meter Steeplechase December 14-16, 2006 Robert Gary

2. US All-Time Performance List

3.  Henry Marsh …  Mark Croghan - 13 of top 21 US performances  Brian Diemer – Most Recent US Distance Medal  Both ranked Top 5 in world multiple times  Both scorers (Top 8 Major Championships) multiple times  Both dominant US Steeplechasers of their time  Longevity of careers  *8:09.76 (Croghan) PR - 4 th place at 1993 World Championships (Stuttgart)  *8:14.06 (Diemer) 2 nd fastest time ever - 3 rd place 1984 Olympics (L.A.) - Fastest Steeple run by an American on American soil Why These Two?

4. Race Specificity Mark Croghan Specifics 5/11/97-6/21/97 (5 weeks) PHYSIOLOGICAL - 1. Miles/Week 2. Quality Running (sub-64) 3. Sequencing BIOMECHANICAL - 4. Attention to Hurdling (“fast”, Russ Rogers) 5/11 10 miles @ 5:28/ mile. 15:00 stretch. -75 miles/week 5/12 3/3 warm/cool 5 x 1 golf course w/ 2:00 rest @ 4:37/:39/:35/32/36 5/13 8 miles @ 5:45/ mile. 20:00 stretch. Hurdle drills (44 total) 800 cool 5/14 3/3 warm/cool 15:00 stretch 3 x 2 Golf Course w/ 2:00 rest @ 9:36 / 36 / 35 5/.15 10 miles @ 5:42/ mile. 20:00 stretch. 5/16 AM – 4 miles @ 6:00 PM – 6 miles @ 5:45-50 20:00 stretch Hurdle drills (40 total) 5/17 1600m @ 4:08 (62.5/2:05/3:07) 10:00 rest 6 x 200m over 3 hurdles @ 31 w/ 3:00 rest 5/18 12 miles @ 5:50/ mile. 20:00 stretch. 74 miles/ week 5/19 6 x 800 w/ 3:00 rest. 1 & 3 2 nd lap over hurdles @ 2:10/ 08/ 07/ 06/ 06/ 05 5/20 AM – 4miles @ 6:00/mi. PM – 4/2 warm/cool Hurdle drills (64 total) 5/21 4/3 warm/cool 3x1mile w/ 2:00rest @ 4:28, 4:25, 4:23 5/22 4/3 warm/cool 4x200m w/ 3:00 rest (over hurdles) @ 31- 27 61 hurdles total 5/23 AM – 4miles @ 5:55/mi. PM – 5miles @ 6:00/mi. 5/24 AM – 2miles easy PM – 2/3 warm/cool 3000m SC @ 8:35.77 5/25 8 miles @ 6:00/ mile. 74 miles/week 5/26 12 miles @ 5:26/ mile 5/27 3/3 warm/cool 800@ 1:59 (5:00r) 3 sets 4x400 w/ 5:00 between /:90r 26 hurdles 5/28 AM – 4 @ 5:55 PM – warm4/cool2 Hurdle drills (60) 5/29 10 miles @ 5:48/ mile 5/30 2400/1600/800/ 800 w/ 7:00 rest @ 6:28 (64.5), 4:12, 2:04, 2:01 5/31 AM – 4 @ 5:55 PM – 6 @ 5:50 6/1 12 miles @ 5:35 65 miles/ week 6/2 Warm 4/cool 2 Hurdle drills (58) 3 x 400 @ 56 3 x 200 @ 26.5 w/ 4:00r 6/3 AM – 4 @ 5:55 PM – 4 @ 5:50 6/4 4 x 800 (1/3 H) 2:07/2:03/2:04/:02 w/ 3:00r then 10r 2 x 1600 w/ 3:00r 4:26/4:22 7:00r 1 x 800H @ 2:04 6/5 6 @ 5:48 Hurdle drills (58) 6/6 8 @ 5:45 6/7 3 hurdles each lap 2400/800/800 w/ 3:00r then :90r @ 6:39/2:12/2:12 6/8 8 @ 5:47 57 miles/ week 6/9 AM – 4 @ 5:55 PM – hurdle drills and water (60) 6/10 3 x 400 w/ 4:00r @ 3 x 200(H) w/ 7:00r @ 55/29 6/11 AM – 4 @ 5:41 PM – 3 @ 6:15 6/12 USATF Semi 8:33.216/13 5 @ 6:15 6/14 USATF 1 st 8:20.86

5. Race Specificity Brian Diemer April 1-April 28, 1984 (4 weeks) PHYSIOLOGICAL - 1. Miles/Week 2. Strength Running – ‘ins and outs’/pace changes (64’s) PSYCHOLOGICAL 3. GOAL ALWAYS 4. TEMPERAMENT BIOMECHANICAL 5. Wishes more Hurdling – still fast 8 @ 6:30 Run at least 70 miles, but as many as possible. AM – 9 @ 6:30 PM – 4 @ 6:30 8 @ 6:30 AM – 9 @ 6:30 PM – 4 @ 6:30 9 miles @ 6:30 AM – 9 @ 6:30 PM – 4 @ 6:30 AM – 9 @ 6:30 PM – 4 @ 6:30 80 miles/ week 8 @ 6:30 Run 80;start hard training again. 10 miles on hills Hard – all-out Pace changes 14 @ 6:30 440 @ 63 w/ 220j 880 @ 2:10 w/ 440j 1200 @ 3:21 w/ 440j Mile @ 4:34 w/ 440j 3 x 440 @ 63 w/ 110j 9 miles @ 6:15 AM – 4 miles Dogwood Relays 5k in 14:06 13 miles @ 7:00 80 miles/ week 13 @ 6:00 Run 80-85 Good, solid Hard Training 10 miles on hills hard – all-out Pace changes 10 @ 6:00 1 ½ @ 6:48 w/ 440j 1200 @ 3:19 w/ 440j Mile @ 4:26 w/ 440j 800 @ 2:09 w/ 440j 4 x 440 @ 61 w/ 110j 11 total 6 miles then hurdling (75 jumps) ‘Barton’ times @ 34:15 ‘dying at work’ 12 miles @ 6:45 81 miles/ week AM – 3 miles PM – 9 @ 6:05 Run well at Mt. Sac – love racing 12 miles on hills hard- all-out ‘Killed it!’ 11 total 6 miles then hurdling (75 jumps) 800 @ 2:07 w/ 220j 440 @ 63 w/ 220j 440 @ 64 w/ 220j 880 @ 2:06 w/ 440j 4 x 440 barriers/pit @ 64 w/ 440j AM – 9 @ 6:30 PM – 4 @ 6:00 Travel 8 @ 6:45 Mt. Sac – 8:44 1 st Great win – hurdling bad! 77 miles/ week

6. Pace Recognition / (1500 Races) / Pace Changes MR: Your biggest races are mostly of two sorts- the time trial type of meets where you’re trying to run as fast as possible and the major championships, where place is most important. In the championship races, you have to be able to surge and counter moves and things like that. Do you practice those tactics in training, like purposefully getting boxed in during a track workout? CM: That is very difficult to simulate in training. The key is to be super fit and ready to deal with whatever happens in the race. But in Helsinki, we ran the last lap in 53. That’s not super quick. The fitness and strength have to be there so that you can get through the first 11-and-a-half laps. I don’t care how quick you are if by the last lap you’ve lost your ability to sprint. So the basic thing is to be fit and strong. The 1500 and 3k races give you that little extra quickness.

7. “You need to be close, but still within yourself. Otherwise, they’ll suck you in and you’ll never recover. The best steeplers in the world can recover and still close in under 60 seconds for the last 400. Mark needed to be totally efficient just so his 62 wouldn’t completely kill any chances of getting a medal.” In the last 10 Major Championships, a 7 second differential per thousand meter splits have existed and 50% of the time, it’s NOT the final thousand metersIn the last 10 Major Championships, a 7 second differential per thousand meter splits have existed and 50% of the time, it’s NOT the final thousand meters Croghan – 8:09.76 (2:42.6) (2:43.7) (2:43.4) Diemer – 8:14.16 - (2:44.8) (2:46.1) (2:43.1) Lincoln – 8:08.82 – (2:41.6) (2:43.1) (2:44.1) * Real Racing … not just hanging on for dear life. Pace Recognition / (1500 Races) / Pace Changes

8. The Barriers – The Great Equalizer “Bio-mechanical” – Momentum/Rhythm as opposed to snapshot on top Name + designate 1500/Mile3000/2-Mile 5k or 10k Steeple Mark Croghan (steepler) 3:39 (one time) 7:49 3k 13:39 5k 8:09.76 Henry Marsh (steepler) 3:58 mile (year after AR) 7:47 3k 13:52 5k 8:09.17 AR Brian Diemer (steepler) 3:58 couple times (college) 7:51 13:38 5k 8:13.16 Marc Davis (runner) 3:54 mile 8:11 AR 2-miles 13:30 (NCAA Champion) 8:14.82 Anthony Famagilietti (runner) 3:36.81 1500 7:45 3k 27:37 10k 8:17.91 Tim Broe (runner) 3:37 7:39i AR 13:11 5k 8:14.82 Dan Lincoln (runner/steepler) 3:367:40i NCAA Champion 10k – low-28 8:08.82 AR Take from 1500m pool more than 5k/10k – slowest on team … Same hurdle drills that PODIUM 400 meter hurdlers use (Diemer/Croghan – fast) Use of sprint hurdle technique in critical zone (last 400 meters) (Diemer/Croghan – fast) Reduce braking component 10 meters before and after the barriers (1992/2004 USA Trials) Kenyans accelerate AGAIN and AGAIN and AGAIN! (Steps between barriers …)

9. Croghan - Made the Team…. now what? PHYSIOLOGICAL 1. Mileage boost 2. Quality, sub-60 BIOMECHANICAL 1. Hurdle 1-2x week PSCYCHOLOGICAL 1. Refocus 2. Last 600m! 12 miles @ 5:55 79 miles/ week 4 x mile w/ 4:00r @ 4:38 / 31 / 22 / 20 AM – 6 @ 5:55 PM – 6 @ 5:50 AM – warm3/cool3 Hurdles (45) 4 x 200(H) @ 29 2 x 400(H) @ 55 w/ 4:00 rest PM – 4 miles easy 11 miles @ 5:20-30 3 x 2 @ 9:52/45/39 w/ 1:00 rest inside run 10 miles @ 5:50 AM –6 miles @ 5:50 PM – 6 @ 5:45 4 x 600 last 200m over 3 hurdle @ 1:31/29/28 w/ 4:00r – 10 rest 1600 @ 4:16 80 miles/ week 12 @ 5:50 AM – 6 @ 6:00 PM – warm3/cool2 Hurdle drills (30) AM – 5 @ 6:00 PM – 6 @ 5:55 11 miles @ 5:20-30 3 x 2 @ 9:37/30/24 w/ 1:00 rest inside run AM- 8 miles @ 6:00 PM– 6 miles @ 5:50 3 x mile w/ 4:00r @ 4:34/26/08 12 miles @ 5:55 67 miles/ week AM – warm3/cool2 Hurdle drills 30 total PM – 6 miles 3 x 3 x 400@ 58 w/ 1:00r & 5:00B AM – 6 @ 6:00 PM – 5 @ 5:45 5 x 800 w/ 4:00 rest (1/3/5/ over hurdles) @ 2:09/10/09/00/00 8 miles @ 5:52 Travel AM – 4 miles easy PM – 4 miles easy 9 miles @ 5:50 49 miles/ week Warm 3 / Cool 3 2 x 400 @ 56 3 x 200 @ 26.7 w/ 4:00 rest 3 x mile w/ 4:00r @ 4:36/30/31 AM – 4 @ 6:00 PM – 4 @ 5:45 Travel 4 @ 6:00 8:11 steeple 65/65/65/65/66/66/ 67 (7:39 w/ 200m to go) Travel day home

10. DIEMER - Made the Team…. now what? PHYSIOLOGICAL 1. Pace Changes ‘ins and outs’ even sharper 2. Quality – sub-60 PSYCHOLOGICAL 3. Temperament 4. Goals always. Trials (late-June / early–July) to Major Championships (mid/late August) 8 miles @ 6:30 Race well @ Pre 11 miles of all- out Fartlek AM - 4 miles and sprint hurdle drills PM - 9 miles 880 @ 2:05 w/ 440j 4x440 @ 60 w/440j 4x200 @ 26 w/220j 8 miles all-out @ 5:40 pace 6 miles Pre’s Trail Pre 1 st 8:33 Windy ‘First time ever beat Henry Marsh! 6 miles easy Race recovery Relax. Taper off miles – speed work. No more than 50! 3 sets of: 660 @ 1:31 w/:30r 220 @ 27 w/ 880j 7 miles @ 6:00 Mile of sprints hurdle drills 5 x 400 @ 62/ 220j 4 x 150 ¾ effort 7 miles @ 7:00 HOT! 2 sets of: 330 @ 42 w/ 440j 880 over 5 hurdles @ 2:14 w/ 500j + 300 @ 38! 4 miles OpeningCeremonies 10 miles 5 @ 6:00 4 @ 5:30 1 @ 5:00 ‘Blazing … awesome! DON’T STRAIN 5 miles and 1 mile of sprint hurdle drills 220 @ 28 w/ 220j 330 @ 42 w/440j 440 @ 58 w/440j 220 @ 27 w/220j 330 @ 42 w/ 440j 440 @ 53.1 ‘winning a medal! 7 miles easy 10 total 5 @ 6:30 8 x 150 hurdle sprints 3 @ 5:30 6 x 400 w/440j @ 65 Feel ‘ready to roll’ 4 miles easy MEDAL! 8:25 HEATS Felt sluggish, who cares – I advanced. 4 miles easy 8:18 SEMI’S 1 second from PR Felt strong! Advanced! 4 miles easy What more can I say? Bronze! 4 miles with a couple still competing athletes