Sebastian Coe was an Olympic gold medalist in the 1500m known for his innovative training methods. He utilized a periodized yearly plan with high weekly mileage that incorporated extensive aerobic conditioning, tempo runs, and intervals targeting various energy systems. While pioneering for his time, modern analysis finds his strength training could be improved with higher intensity approaches and plyometrics were underutilized. Overall, his systematic approach revolutionized middle distance training.

1. Analysis of Sebastian Coe’s
Training Methods
Chris Hattersley – MSc, BSc CSCS, CES
email: hattersley4@hotmail.co.uk
Twitter: @hattersley4

2. Overview
• Background info.
• Analysis of sport.
• Analysis of his training.
• Comparison to other programmes.
• Strengths, weaknesses and areas for
improvement.
• Conclusions.

3. Background Information
• Dominated middle distance running in 1970’s-
1980’s.
• 2 Olympic gold medals in 1500m,
2 silvers in 800m.
• 12 World records.
• 800m WR stood for 15 years.
• Published extremely detailed
training information from a
young age.

4. Coach
Peter Coe –
• Hallamshire harriers…..
• “Long slow distance running
creates long slow runners.”
• Methodical approach
developed through background
in engineering.

5. Support Staff
• Sought out the expertise of physiologists who
went on to have exceptional careers in sports
science.
• Provided physiological support.
• Kept them informed of any developments
within sports science.
Professor Clyde
Williams – Founder
of BASES.
Professor David E
Martin – Advisor to
USA track and field.

6. Analysis of Sport
• Main Events = 800m & 1500m
• “Endurance based athletes that
possess good speed” (Coe, 1996)

7. Overview of physiological attributes
800m Reference 1500m Reference
World
Record
1:40.91
(50.5 sec/lap)
3:26.00
(54.9 sec/lap)
VO2 Max 72.4(±6.1) Ingham et al (2008) 73.3 (±4.5) Ingham et al (2008)
VO2 Max
Speed
(km/h)
20.8 (±1.4) Ingham et al (2008) 21.2 (±1.2) Ingham et al (2008)
LT Speed
(km/h)
16.6 (±0.8) Ingham et al (2008) 16.6 (±1.4) Ingham et al (2008)
Body Mass
(kg)
62.7 (±5) Kinfu (2011) 62.4 (±3.2) Kinfu (2011)
Body Fat
(%)
9.2 (±1.3) Kinfu (2011) 9.6 (±3.2) Kinfu (2011)
• Note how the WR lap times are extremely quick.

8. Energy System Contribution
800m 1500m
Reference Aerobic
contribution
Anaerobic
contribution
Duffield, Dawson &
Goodman (2005a)
60% 40%
Spencer and Gastin
(2001)
66% 34%
Craig and Morgan
(1998)
73% 27%
Weyand et al. (1993) 71% 29%
Reference Aerobic
contribution
Anaerobic
contribution
Spencer & Gastin
(2001)
84% 16%
Hill (1999) 80% 20%
Duffield, Dawson &
Goodman (2005b)
77% 23%
• Most varied aerobic / anaerobic profiles over any running distance (Brandon,
1995). E.g. can get 400m’s coming up or 5k’s coming down.

9. Correlates to performance
• 400m time (r=0.74), it
indicates optimal muscle fibre
composition & neuromuscular
characteristics. (Sleivert &
Reid, 1996)
• VO2 max (r=0.70) (Ingham et
al, 2008)
• LT speed (r=0.63) (Anderson,
2013)

10. So….
• Must be quick over 400m and able to maintain it!!!
• The larger the VO2 max (& vVO2 max) the smaller
the anaerobic contribution at any given pace.
• As both races are ran at a speed above VO2 max
velocity, a large anaerobic capacity is also required.
• (Anderson, 2013).

11. Middle Distance Periodisation
• Linear model normally used. (Daniels, 2013 ; Palmer & Reid,
2009; Bangsbo & Larsen, 2001)
• Aerobic – aerobic intervals – anaerobic intervals – speed.
(Anderson, 2013; Fallowfield & Wilkinson, 1999)
Sunderland (2005)

12. Yearly Training Load Distribution
Coe (1998); Coe (1996); Coe & Martin (1992); Coe & Coe (1985)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5 Month 6 Month 7 Month 8 Month 9 Month 10 Month 11 Month 12
Totalno.Sessions
Milesperweek
Yearly Training Load Distribution
Total Miles
Aerobic Conditioning
Tempo Runs
Aerobic Capacity
Anaerobic Capacity
Average weekly mileage: 47.5

13. Session Content
• 4 x 4 min @ 5000m pace
• 8 x 800m @ 3000m pace
• 16 x 200m @ 1500m pace
• 6 x 400m @ 800m pace
• 4 x 200m 4 x 100m @ 400m
pace
• VO2 Max
• High speed aerobic
intervals
• Anaerobic / aerobic
glycolysis
• ATP / PC System
(Anderson, 2013)Coe (1996)
Five pace system;

14. Comparison to other training
programmes

15. Steve Ovett
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
Month
1
Month
2
Month
3
Month
4
Month
5
Month
6
Month
7
Month
8
Month
9
Month
10
Month
11
Month
12
Totalno.sessions
MilesperWeek
Total Miles
Aerobic
Conditioning
Tempo Runs
Aerobic Capacity
Anaerobic
Capacity
Average weekly mileage: 75 (Patterson, 1999; Wilson 1988)
• 6 month endurance phase, average 100 miles,
peaked at 110/120 miles a week
• 3 months anaerobic, 3 months pre-comp

16. Steve Cram
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Month
1
Month
2
Month
3
Month
4
Month
5
Month
6
Month
7
Month
8
Month
9
Month
10
Month
11
Month
12 Totalno.sessions
MilesperWeek
Total Miles
Aerobic Conditioning
Tempo Runs
Aerobic Capacity
Anaerobic Capacity
Average weekly
mileage: 62.5
• 5 months training 70-80 miles, 4 LT sessions a
week. 4 weeks at altitude. Speed, taper.
(Poole, 1995)

17. Strength Training
Coe (1992)
An endurance athlete in the gym
was a rare sight in this era!

18. Strength Training
• Saw the value of strength training from a corrective
exercise perspective but….
• Strength training talks about developing MU
synchronisation, but does it with exercises / loadings
used? I.e. lots of circuit based stuff used.
• Anything that could be classed as power work
included in a circuit.
• Progressed difficulty with volume instead of intensity.

19. Strength Programme
Exercise Reps Sets
Press ups 10 3
Squat thrusts 10 3
Sit ups 10 3
BB step ups 10 3
Burpees 10 3
Chin Ups 10 3
Back extensions 10 3
Exercise Reps Sets
Barbell curls 2,6,10 3,4,6
Bench press 2,5,8 4,4,4
BB half squats 2,4,6 6,6,6
BO Row 2,3,5 4,5,6
DB Pullovers 2,5,8 3,3,2
BO Row 2,4,6 4,5,6
BB Lunges 2,4,6 3,6,6
Day 1 – Circuit Session Day 2 – Strength Session
Easy, Medium, Hard
Coe (1996) p.29.

20. Modern Day Approach
• High force / high velocity strength training
should be utilised.
• Loads at 80-100%1RM low reps (Sunderland,
2005).
• Specific focus, e.g. max strength, strength-
speed(Daniels, 2013).

21. Plyometrics
• Need to maintain a high power output during
800m and later stages of 1500m to obtain speed
of ~8m/s(Coe, 1996).
• Saunders et al (2006) 70 foot contacts fast SSC 2 x
week.
• Improve running economy, better elastic energy
utilisation, neuromuscular control, faster ground
contacts (Turner, Owings & Schwane, 2003).

22. Strengths
• 5 pace system, hitting all components.
• Periodisation of the year, keeping the training
load as small as possible to get the job done.

23. Weaknesses
• Strength programme, circuits.
• Plyometric programme.
• Improving these areas would have developed his
force production and speed qualities further.
• This would have ultimately improved his 400m
splits.

24. Opportunities
• Only used altitude training when he was past
his best.
• Improved cardiovascular efficiency through
increased EPO, 2,3 BPG which collectively
improve oxygen extraction (Schmidt, 2004).

25. Conclusions
• Innovative programme
at the time.
• Revolutionised middle
distance training for
following generations.
• Inspired further
research into there
methods.

26. Any Questions?

27. References
• Anderson, O. (2013). Running Science. Leeds: Human Kinetics.
• Bangsbo, J., & Larsen, H. (2001). Running & Science: An interdisciplinary perspective. Copenhagen: University of copenhagen.
• Brandon, J. (1995) Physiological Factors Associated with Middle Distance Running Performance. Sports Medicine, 18, 268-277.
• Coe, P., & Martin, D. (1991). Better training for distance runners. Leeds: Human Kinetics.
• Coe, P. (1998). Peter Coe Musings. The british milers club, 3, 5-35.
• Coe, P. (1996). Winning Running: Succesful 800m & 1500m racing and training. Wiltshire: The Crowood Press.
• Coe, P. (1992,). Ignore circuit and weight training at your peril. The british milers club, 2, 8-12.
• Coe, P. Coe, S. (1985). Sebastien Coe - Born to run England
• Craig, I & Morgan, S. (1998) Relationship between 800m running performance and accumulated oxygen deficit in middle-distance running. Medicine
and science in sports and exercise, 30, 1631-1636.
• Daniels, J. (2013). Daniel's running formula. Leeds: Human Kinetics.
• Duffield, R. Dawson, B. Goodman, C. (2005). Energy system contribution to 400 metre and 800 metre track running. Journal of sports sciences, 23,
299-307.
• Fallowfield, J., & Wilkinson, D. (1999). Improving sports performance in middle and long distance running. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons.
• Hanon, C., Leveque, J., Vivier, L., & Thomas, C. (2007) Oxygen uptake in the 1500 metres. New Studies in Athletics, 22, 15-22.
• Hill, D. (1999) Energy system contributions in middle-distance running events. Journal of sports sciences, 17, 477-483.
• Ingham, L. White, G. Pedlar, C. Bailey, D. & Dunman, M. (2008). Determinants of 800-m and 1500-m Running Performance Using Allometric Models. Physical fitness
and performance, 16, 345-350.
• Noakes, T. (2003). Lore of running. Leeds: Human Kinetics.
• Palmer, G., & Reid, A. (2009). Elite Performance Running. London: A & C Black Publishers.
• Patterson, M. (1999, January 1). Running with steve - a retrospective. The british milers club, 3, 30-31.
• Poole, N. (1995). How steve cram trains. The british milers club, 2, 6-11.
• Saunders, P., Telford, R., Pyne, D., Peltola, E., & Hawley, J. SHORT-TERM PLYOMETRIC TRAINING IMPROVES RUNNING ECONOMY IN HIGHLY TRAINED
MIDDLE AND LONG DISTANCE RUNNERS. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 20, 947-954.
• Schmidt, (2004) W. Effects of Intermittent Exposure to High Altitude on Blood Volume and Erythropoietic Activity . High Altitude Medicine & Biology, 3, 167-176.
• Sleivert, G. G., & Reid, A. K. (1996). The Relationship of Aerobic and Anaerobic Indices to Middle Distance Running Performance 414. Medicine &
Science in Sports & Exercise, 28, 70.
• Spencer, M., & Gastin, P. (2001a). Energy system contribution during 200-m to 1500-m running in highly trained athletes.. Medicine & science in
sports and exercise, 15, 157-162.
• Spencer, M., & Gastin, P. (2001b).Energy system contribution to 1500-m and 3000-m track running. Journal of sports sciences, 23, 993-1002.
• Sunderland, D. (2005). High Performance Middle Distance Running. Wiltshire: The Crowood Press.
• Turner, A., Owings, M., & Schwane, J. (2003). Improvement in running economy after 6 weeks of plyometric training. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research,
17(1), 60-67.
• Weynard, P. Cureton, K. Conley, D. & Sloniger, M. (1993). Percentage anaerobic energy utilized during track events. Medicine and science in sports
and exercise, 25, 105-112.
• Wilson, H. (1988). Running my way. London: Sackville Books.