Welcome to Healthy Intelligent Training

This book is for all serious middle distance athletes and coaches. It is based on the proven principles of New Zealand’s Arthur Lydiard, the Runner’s World ‘Coach of the Century’, who trained a motley band of neighborhood kids into feared Olympic medalists, and kept on doing it, around the world.

These principles have since guided athletes from many nations to world records and Olympic Gold medals. Now you can plan your own campaigns, and understand exactly what you’re doing at every step. This book can be used and understood by everyone.


Successful middle distance training

How to reach your peak performance

The methods of the "Runner's World Coach of the Century" for today


"The most comprehensive description of Lydiard's training ever written. It blends the scientific explanations of his training with fascinating examples and interesting anecdotes of real situations. If people followed this through as it is written by Keith, they will certainly become champions."
Brian Taylor, (Christchurch, New Zealand): 43 years of coaching runners to national and international levels following the Lydiard methods as well as 22 years teaching human physiology and biology at secondary and tertiary levels.


HI! Middle Distance Training can be described best as an Art, Philosophy and Science. It involves training THREE differing energy systems and muscle fibre types, hopefully to a point where each system is fully trained, and fully rested, “ready to go” at the most important time of the season. This book is based on the work of the legendary New Zealand middle distance coach, Arthur Lydiard, and explores the basic physiology of what his simple system did to produce multiple Olympic gold medals and world records.

Sprinters can get away with working predominantly in one energy system (the alactic or creatine phosphate system) and training one muscle fibre type (the explosive 11B fast twitch) and one neurological pathway.

Distance runners concentrate on the other end of the spectrum, and can again reach very high levels by concentrating mainly on one system (the aerobic) and one muscle fibre type (the slow twitch type 1 fibre).

However, middle distance training is different and far more ‘complex’. It requires a good grasp of the main three energy systems and muscle fibre types involved in racing, and the varying ways we train specific speed endurance and explosive speed in the context of a constantly underlying, highly developed aerobic background. You’ll see, from reading this book, why each of the very fast, powerful anaerobic energy systems relies ultimately on the lower intensity aerobic systems being well-trained and well-rested going into competition.

Enjoy the site, and I’ll keep posting new information as time goes by.


Keith Livingstone



  • 12 Jul 2010
  • Posted by Keith Livingstone
  • Comments Off

Dr Hanson

Dr Hanson

Autism Spectrum Disorders, ADHD, Learning and Behavioural Difficulties …
Depression, Bi-Polar, Schizophrenia, Dementia, Alzheimers … and more

The alarming epidemic of mental illness in children and adults is the focus of a mini-seminar series to be held in Bendigo.

US expert Dr Laura Hanson will present ground-breaking new information on the causes and effective treatment options currently available.

Dr Hanson, a Neuro-Developmental Therapist, is an international speaker on mental health and paediatrics, and is an Associate Professor at Life University, Atlanta.

Day sessions most suited for carers, parents, and family members. Spaces are limited. Bookings essential. Morning and afternoon tea provided.

Tuesday August 10th
LaTrobe University Visual Arts Centre
(opp Capital Theatre), View Street, Bendigo.

Session

Paediatrics for all
1
9:00 – 10:30
General overview
2
11:00 – 12:30
Paediatrics (repeat)
3
1:30 – 3:00
General (repeat)
4
3:30 – 5:00

$30 per session, per person.
$50 for two sessions
$50 for two family members for one session

Evening session for Health Professionals
from 6:30 -9:00 pm, only $150.
An opportunity NOT to be missed.

Paediatric Neurological Activation

Dr. Hanson is one of only eight chiropractic doctors in the United States to have participated in the International Neuro-Physiological Psychology training for the developmentally delayed child. Dr. Laura Hanson is an assistant professor at Life University and a board certified chiropractic pediatric diplomate. She is also an instructor for the ICA Pediatric Diplomate Program teaching pediatric neurology, while maintaining a private practice serving mothers and children for 14 years. Dr. Hanson is recognized as a world expert in teaching and caring for children with developmental delay.

The focus of her practice and research is in neurobehavioral disorders in children. Dr. Hanson is a certified Neuro-Developmental Therapist (NDT).

For more information on Dr Hanson and her multi-modal approach, visit http://www.originaldevelopment.org

…Limited Spaces … Bookings Essential…

CLOSED

BOOKING INSTRUCTIONS

NOTE THE NUMBER OF THE SESSION/S YOU WISH TO ATTEND, ( ABOVE ).

To book simply click the appropriate link below, and on the next page, on the drop-down menu click ‘ Seminar ’ ,

THEN in the message box provided just type in the number/s of the session/s you wish to purchase, as above.

After placing your order we will contact you to confirm.

Or bookings can be made by phone or email on the details below:

phone: 5443 1426 or 5441 2222
email: anniemay@impulse.net.au 0422 815 342

Brought to you by Autism Resource Centre and Alive Chiropractic

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  • Posted by Keith Livingstone

Hitsystem co-coach Johnny Meagher’s champion Marcellin squad won the Australian teams Schools cross-country titles in the 16 yr age group for the 10th year in a row this year, and won the annual trip to Europe to compete against the best schools from around the world, this time in Slovakia. The squad finished as the 3rd best school team in the world, beating the best United States and UK high schools, amongst others. Busy Johnny is the current world age-group champion (45-49) in the Olympic distance triathlon!

To top this off, young-gun Kyle Martin-Alcaide won the individual title by several seconds, breaking away from a pack of Morrocans and Turks on a very steep uphill about 500m from the finishing line.

Marcellin Team:Individual world champ Kyle on left

Marcellin Team:Individual world champ Kyle on left

Barry Magee’s girl athlete Margot Gibson from Christchurch won the individual girl’s title for New Zealand.

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  • Posted by Keith Livingstone

At Easter time this year I took off for the States to catch up with several running friends, some of whom I’d known for many years, and others whom I was yet to meet personally! My trip started with a week in Boulder, Colorado, where I stayed with my good friend Lorraine Moller, her husband Harlan, and their daughter Jasmine. Being the equinox, the weather in the United States was similar to what I’d just left behind in Australia: variable and changeable, and occasionally quite cold. There was still snow on the Flat Irons above Boulder. Nevertheless I was pleased to be able to fit in a few ‘running’ efforts in Boulder, including a couple of longer efforts up into the hills, above 6000 feet. 8 years ago I tried running in Boulder, coming off a recent base of “zilch running”, and really paid for it, but this time, I was much fitter as I’d been cycling over hilly courses in Bendigo for up to an hour most days of the week. This time, I could breathe quite well, even up on the hill-tops, where it was possible to cut loose on the soft grassy tracks, without stirring up old knee injuries.

After Boulder, it was off to Atlanta, Georgia, where I attended a conference on brain function and autism. I stayed with Dr Laura Hanson and her daughter Karli. Laura is one of the experts in the field of autism retrieval, specialising in neurological developmental markers. Atlanta was experiencing the edge of a band of cyclones that had been carving up the eastern United States, but the weather was quite tolerable and pleasant.

Life University's Track, Atlanta

Life University

I visited Life University, possibly the biggest Chiropractic University in the world, with 92 acres of wooded grounds, huge sports and academic facilities, and an outstanding athletics track.

I visited LUSSI- Life University Sports Science Institute, where chiropractor Dr David Ward and biomechanicist Loren Seagrave have made some interesting breakthroughs in performance retrieval with world-class athletes. The team at Lussi specialize in “taking apart” the kinetic chain in injured or under-performing athletes’ key movement patterns, then “re-assembling the kinetic chain, like with Humpty Dumpty”.

Dr David Ward

Dr David Ward

Star pupil for LUSSI in 2009 was Dwight Phillips, who resurrected a stalling career with a monster 8.74m long jump, the longest jump in the world since 1991 when Mike Powell set the current world record. Phillips, who was 2004 Olympic champion in the long jump, as well as world champion three times( ‘03, ‘05, ‘07) ,looks to have plenty of jumping left now that his biomechanics have been addressed.

Next port of call was Dallas, Texas, where I was lucky enough to catch up with Dr Peter Snell at the Southwestern Texas University Medical School.

Keith with Dr Peter Snell

Peter of course is New Zealand’s great 3-time Olympic gold medallist, and he appears well-occupied with research in cardiology, aging, and physiology these days. He’s lived in the USA since 1974.

I also had a tour of Parker College of Chiropractic, another of the great chiropractic institutions in the USA, where Dr Gilles Lamarche, who is in charge of administration, treated me to a trip up the highway in his brand new Jaguar XK8 (he has the sedan at home!).

I flew down to Austin, Texas, for an overnight visit with coach John Hayes who is in charge of the athletes at the University of Texas. I was lucky to meet his 1500m star, Lopez Lomong, a Sudanese refugee who was flag-bearer for the USA at the 2008 Games in Beijing. Watch out for NCAA 1500m champion Lopez in the next Olympic Trials in 2012! Coach John helped Lopez to a 3:32  1500m performance last year.

Coach John Hayes

Lopez Lomong was born in the Sudan, spent the first few years of his life there, was abducted by militias when he was 6 years old and forced to train to become a child soldier. He escaped, and spent the next 10 years of his life in a refugee camp in Kenya. He finally made it to the United States as a refugee, one of the 27,000 ‘Lost Boys’ of Sudan–survivors of the second Sudanese Civil War (1983-2003) that cost 2 million lives and rendered tens of thousands orphans. Lopez has since been reunited with his family, and is currently building a church in his home village, aided by local Muslims!

After Texas, I flew to Phoenix, Arizona, and hopped on the shuttle bus to Flagstaff to catch up with coach Greg McMillan. The shuttle driver, Jose, asked the 4 passengers on his side of the bus to sit on the opposite side due to expected high winds on the highway. He was an EXTREMELY big boy, possibly approaching 500 pounds in weight: I guess he was speaking from experience: the shuttle bus certainly tilted to the driver’s side!

Once in Flagstaff, I stayed a week with Greg,his wife Tracy, and toddler son Angus. Greg kindly showed me the facilities around Flagstaff, and I got to see some of the great natural training resources in this higher-altitude (7200 ft) town and its surroundings. Flagstaff is blessed with over 140 miles of good forest trails over varying terrains, and the snow-capped volcanic dome of Mt Humphries sits above the town at 12,500 feet. Flagstaff has several great training tracks, as does Sedona, 25 minutes away, at a lower altitude of 4,000 feet which is better for training during winter with the snow being higher up.

McMillan Elite Team, Flagstaff

Greg’s team, McMillan Elite, is backed by Adidas for gear, travel, etc. The athletes are all people who wish to pursue their running seriously in a supportive environment, and they work part-time to cover rent and food. The running scene in the USA is different from the running scene in other ‘western’ countries like Australia, New Zealand, and the UK. If a person has reached a very good level of performance while in “college” (university), there is nothing like our Australasian and UK club cultures to fall back on for continuation in the sport. At this point, many fine talents who perhaps develop more slowly are lost to the sport, choosing to “get real jobs”. The simple enjoyment of the sport for its own sake doesn’t seem (to me!) to be there in the USA generally. However, Greg has introduced this “lost generation” to a fun, supportive and progressive training environment, all along proven Lydiard lines, with his own careful fine-tuning.

Arthur Lydiard would be proud top see what Greg’s doing. In fact, Greg was present when the great coach died in Houston in 2004: they were sharing hotel accommodation. This could be considered a “passing of the baton” to Greg as he blazes the way with McMillan Elite. Greg has astounded several college coaches with his steady transformation of their formerly “good, solid” runners into elite performers at national level. One such athlete is Jordan Horne, who has gone from being a solid 5000m runner to a 3:58 mile/7:51 3000m/ 13:30 5000m performer.

The biggest ‘breakthrough’ for the team was Brett Gotcher winning last year’s Houston marathon in a sensational debut time of 2:10.36.

The week I was in Flagstaff, the McMillan Elite squad “kicked butt” at the national 25k road championships in Michigan, running 1-2-3. First home in 74:41 with an aggressive long burst for home was Andrew Carlson (’A.C’), with Brett Gotcher 2nd after backing up from a big 10k track PB (by 19s) the week before (28:09). Third was squad newcomer Nick Arciniaga, a 2:13.40 marathoner in the New York City marathon last year. Andrew Carlson has also recorded times of 44:10 for 15k road, and 62:21 for half-marathon.

Other members of the squad are Martin Fagan, a 2:13 marathoner from Ireland, Andrew Lemoncello, (UK), who has run 27:57 for 10000m and 61:52 for half-marathon, and Ian Burrell, a promising 5000m runner who has run 3000m in 7:52 and 5000m in 13:45.

The most recent recruit is former Israeli soldier Haim Noam, who has arrived in Flagstaff with his wife Dafi for an extended stay with the aim of making it to the next Olympics in the marathon for Israel. Qualifying needs 2hr 18: Haim has done 2:24, after training for years on his own while in army service, with quite big training loads. I think training in Flagstaff will be slightly less stressful than soldiering in Israel, and that Haim is in the best place to achieve his dream.

Greg’s back-up coaching staff includes Trina Painter, a masters runner still competing at the open elite level nationally, and Andrew Middleton, himself a very handy athlete with a 10k PB of 28:54. Ultra athlete Ian Torrence, who has run 100 miles on trails in 16 hrs:38 min, rounds out the coaching team.

Amongst the women, there’s native American Alvina Begay, who ran a 2:37 marathon recently to qualify for the 2012 Olympic Trials marathon. Paige Higgins was first American woman in the Boston marathon this year, running 2:33. At the other end of the distance spectrum, Lindsay Allen recently became the all-time 10th-fastest 3000m steeplechaser in US women’s track, and she and team-mate Jaime Canterbury recently ran good 1500m PRs in Los Angeles: (4:20 for Lindsay, 4:22 for Jaime).

Check out Greg McMillan’s websites: possibly some of the best resources on the web are right there!

www.mcmillanrunning.com

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