The first American high school athlete to run a Sub-4 mile, multiple world record holder, Olympic 1500m medallist. Jim Ryun to this day is an American superstar, rivalled by very few before and since.
He was also known for an insane training regime and work ethic. We took a look back over the training that made the man.
Jim Ryun Sports Illustrated September 14, 1964
Sources:
The Jim Ryun Story, by Cordner Nelson, 1967.
Dr Jack Daniels. Exercise physiologist interviews.
Drew Ryun (son), online training journals.
–DOB: 29th April 1947, Wichita, Kansas.
Personal Bests
880 yards: 1:44.90
1500m: 3:33.10
Mile: 3:51.1
2-Mile: 8:25.10
5000m: 13:38.20
Highlights
Olympic 1500m Silver, Mexico 1968.
Former 1500m world record holder, from 1967 to 1974.
Former mile world record holder, from 1966 to 1975.
First American high school athlete to run a mile in under four minutes.
The last American to hold the world record in the mile.
Jim Ryun winning, 1966 Baxter mile -Picture by Everett
High School Days
Ryun’s high school coach, Bob Timmons, was formerly a swimming coach, and he more or less trained Ryun as a swimmer. Ryun undertook massive numbers of track repetitions. His training was quality over quantity, but with regular morning runs, ensuring adequate mileage.
A Typical Week of Training as a High School Athlete
Age 17 years of age
Sunday
10 mile run in approximately 1hr 4mins.
Monday
AM: 5 mile run.
PM: Track session. 2 mile (in 9:50), one mile (in 5 mins), 1200m, 800m (in 2:30), 400 (64 secs), 2 x 200m (31 secs). Short 1-2 minute recovery between reps.
Tuesday
AM: 5 mile run.
PM: Speed work. Reps of 200m, 300m, 110m, 150m. With decent recovery between reps.
Wednesday
AM: 5 mile run.
PM: 50 x 400m in 69 secs starting one every 3 minutes (on a 3 minute cycle).
Thursday
AM: 5 mile run.
PM: 18 x 800m reps.
Friday
AM: 5 mile run.
PM: Fartlek session around the track.
Saturday
Race
If no race then 1 long temp. For example a 16 mile run at 6:00 per mile.
Quality Mileage – No Junk
Ryun ran high mileage but the mileage was mostly done through a gigantic number of intervals. Ryun averaged about 90 miles per week; however, approximately 70 of those were miles done at very fast paces. For example, his sessions of 40 x 400m or 40 x 200m – they added up. His 5-mile morning runs were also not a cruise, he often covered the morning 5 miler in 28-30 minutes.
Jim Ryun
What Taper?
Ryun is also known for being so fit that he hardly eased off his training before a race. He would often do a large session such s 40 x 440 yards (in 62 secs) 2-3 days before a major race.
A Typical Week of Training as an Adult
Monday
AM: One mile easy, 10x330m with 110 walk as rest, 1 1/2 mile warm down.
PM: One mile easy then 4×120, 4×60, 1×880 (2:07), 440 jog, 2×660 (1:33, 1:34)) with 220 jog as rest, jog 440, 3×440 (58, 59, 59) with 220 jog as rest, jog 440, 4×330 (43s) with 110 walk as rest, jog 440, 5×220 (27s) with 220 jog as rest, jog 440, 6×165 with 165 jog as rest, one mile warm down.
14 miles for the day.
Tuesday
AM: 5 mile run.
PM: One mile warm-up, 8×165 with 165 jog as rest, jog 440, 8×165 with 165 jog as rest, jog 440, 8×165 with 165 jog as rest, jog 440, 8×165 with 165 jog as rest, one mile warm down.
9 miles for the day.
Wednesday
AM: 5 mile run.
PM: 14 miles very fast.
19 miles for the day.
Thursday
AM: 5 mile run.
PM: 6×440 on a 3 minute interval, averaged 64s, jog 880, 6×440 on a 3 minute interval, averaged 63s, jog 880, 6×440 on a 3 minute interval, averaged 63s, jog 880, 6×440 on a 3 minute interval, averaged 62s, jog 880, 6×440 on a 3 minute interval, averaged 61s, last one in 54. Jogged one mile warm down.
16 1/2 miles for the day.
Friday
AM: 5 mile run.
PM: One mile warm-up, then 6 sets of 1×660 with 110 walk as rest, 1×165 with 165 walk. One mile warm down.
14 miles for the day.
Saturday
AM: 5 mile run hard (28 minutes).
PM: 10 miles cross country. Ran hard all the way.
15 miles for the day.
Sunday
15 miles of cross country in 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Weekly Mileage: 102
Test Workout
Dr Daniels, a well-known sports exercise physiologist, who worked with Ryun for many years outlined a popular session that Ryun often completed leading into a major competition as a sort of test session:
2 x 600m going through the 400m at 3 seconds slower than his mile race pace. Recovery 600m jog between reps.
Then straight into 3 x 400m at mile race pace. Recovery a lap jog.
Then straight into 4 x 300m faster than mile race pace. Recovery 300m jog between reps.
Then straight into 6 x 200m at 800m race pace. 200m recovery jog between reps.
Some top Jim Ryun viewing –
Jim Ryun: The Master of the Mile – Decades TV Network
Imagine if Ryun had been sensibly trained.