Lifting weights during workout-Best milers of all time race?

First off, my training idea. About a week ago I did a workout on the treadmill where it was a combo of uphill LT (up a 6 degree incline at roughly 5:30ish pace on the treadmill) and uphill 3-5min segments at the end (up a 10 degree incline). After that, I rested a minute or two, then wanted to see the effects of something. So I did a set of 8reps of ~95 pounds on the bench press, then immediately jumped on the treadmill when it was still moving at a decent clip (6~ish per mile).

The first thing I noticed was that my arms got that tieing up feeling for about 2min. They got the burning/aching sensation that one gets at the end of an anaerobic workout. So I repeated this session two more times (8 reps, then 2min on the treadmill). Then on the last one I just kept going on the treadmill until I was cooled down.

I’m not sure what the exact effects of doing this were, but it definately would help in teaching an athlete how to maintain upper body relaxation and arm stroke during a race because for a minute or two it becomes difficult to keep swinging the arms in the normal motion. It would be a good way to work on arm swing with fatigue without having to run fast to do it.

Also, I’m sure there is some kind of lactate benefit to it. I’ll post more on that after I figure it out in my head. Onto the best milers racing…

On a couple of different message boards (trackandfieldnews.com and dyestat.com) a recent subject has been what would happen if the best milers in the sub 4 era race each other when each is at the top of their game.

It’s an interesting topic to discuss. You have to make it where all generational things are equal (the track surface, equipment, training, nutrition, etc.) to eliminate the obvious advantage that modern athletes have and that the athlete is competing at the best time in their career. Or to state it in a different way, the athlete shows up for this race when he is in the best shape of his life.

For my view on the dyestat “dream mile” race go here:

The contenders in my eyes:
Hicham El Guerrouj
Said Aouitta
Steve Cram
Steve Ovett
Seb Coe
Jim Ryun
Herb Elliott
Noerredine Morceli
Peter Snell
John Walker
Fermin Cacho
Kip Keino

If it’s a slow race that comes down to the last 400 I see it like this:
1. Jim Ryun
2. Seb Coe
3. Steve Cram
Cacho, Ovett, Snell, Aouitta also solid kickers

In a fast world record race:
1. Hicham El Guerrouj
2. Herb Elliott
3. Norredine Morceli
Lagat or Ngeny would do well in a race like this too.

In a solid pace but not WR:
1. Coe
2. Ryun
3. El Guerrouj
4. Steve Cram
5. Herb Elliott
6. Morceli
7. Snell
8. Ovett
This would be a close one. I really see Elliott making a big move somewhere in the 3rd lap and El G being the one who goes with him fully. Morceli would also make a go and try and go with the move entirely El G would then hold the lead until the last 100m when Coe would pass him. Ryun would come from too far back and nip El G at the line. Elliott would hold on for 4th or 5th, with Cram, Snell, and Ovett trying to make up the ground when they got gapped. Morceli would die harder than Elliott ending up in 6th-8th depending on how bad he fades/how fast the others kick. I’m not sure where Aouitta would go. My guess is somewhere in the 6-10 range, but it’s too close. Walker, Cacho, and Keino would hang on but get left once the huge moves were made.

At altitude
1. Keino
2. El Guerrouj
3. Aouitta
4. Morceli

those are some quick picks.

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