UNC's Pete Watson on training and Kenyans : Speakers & Interviews

Great interview. Let's get some more from Pete.

Seems like a very intelligent coach with confidence in his training approach. Focused, efficient and precise explanation of a relatively simple training system. Makes a lot of sense.

this makes me want to run.

This video is great, love his perspective. I'm sure his team is gonna be great in the up and coming years!

Great interview. While watching interview I noticed All America selections on board situated behind Coach Watson. On that board listed All America from years 1954 through 1957 was Jim Beatty's name. Beatty was the first man under 4 minuters indoors, and born on exactly the same day that I was.
Scary.

great interview

Hey I never received my prize for Saucony Photo Contest. The contest is rigged!

yes, pete is his older brother

anyone know if he is related to rob watson (former colorado state runner and currently part of speed river track club). they look really similar...

I know that for me... Cross Country was a last resort cause i wasn't good at football/baseball/basketball/soccer.. I mean it has gotten me through college and into my first year of grad school but its crazy to think my last resort but its there only way out.

I have been coached by Pete..What he says is true! It's not about becoming fast all at once its about wooking up keeping your ability to run long and hard, and keeping your strength over a period of time... When I left him, I did pretty much the bare minimum for two months then competed and still ran a 3:54.0 1500m, doing nothing... His workout creates strength that stays. I only wish I could have stayed to see what I could have became with his training. Good luck coach!

Great Interview. Only a small percentage of coaches in this country truly grasp the concepts of aerobic development prior to "speed" work and recovery. He is one of the few. This is why only a few teams in high school and college are able to dominate over a long period of time. They have coaches who understand and implement these important concepts. Yes, you need talent to succeed, however, great coaches are able to take athletes with less talent and train them correctly to beat athletes with more talent (who are often trained incorrectly). Here are some key concepts I took away.

1. Higher mileage is important (however, needs to be run at correct pace so that there is recovery)
2. Tempo type workouts combined with lots of aerobic mileage will make you stronger which enables you to MAINTAIN a faster pace.
3. "speed" workouts should not replace higher mileage and tempo workouts but be added alongside of them.

Do you have any idea what the 5k world record is? 12:37.35, thats like 4:04 pace. Pretty fast in my book.

That was a great interview.. And I'm so glad that he said there are bad Kenyans. Cause I knew the whole country wasn't amazing. That has been a topic of discussion on our recovery days. Is there "Bad" runners over there? cause I have seen some not so good ones at the NJCAA level, NAIA level, and D2 level.. heck even some sneak into the D1 level for a few semester before they get shipped off. I like how he is open to the forigen guys.. Most people find it as "cheating" blow it out your a** who cares. They want an education so that they can help there own country. (even though 4 kenyans that have graduated from my school all now work at gas stations and crap)

Oh and the recovery thing is so smart.. I know that coaches don't stress that enough.. suck it up and go slow a few days a week and hop in the ice bath

'strength builds speed'

the top middle distance runners in the world aren't high mileage runners.... when this guy talks speed, he talks 5k. 5k pace isn't fast

"terrible Kenyans" 3:35 - 3:40 haha!

but its also pretty sad to see a great running country like Kenya
be so poor like they are. but poverty might have "something" to
motivate them. a strange but vital advantage at that.
p.s. it'll be second to NONE if a WOW with Kenyans, Ethiopians, or Morrocans,
etc.. were to be video taped. Seriously i would get a freakin A++ in school if such a WOW were made. I freakin promise!!!!

This video gives me a different look at things now when I train. Great video and some Great advice.

wow some really good advice...

Best video in a long time.

Great interview, he has some really good insight on the different cultures. Not that I would know but he convinced me atleast!

I feel like their diet isnt what puts them above and beyond. Yes as a whole Americans eat unhealthy. Your high end american athletes on the other hand eat with nutrition in mind. If you wanted to argue diets having any sort of influence I wonder if Kenya being a third world country with a lack of resources including food and taking into consideration malnutrition rates would be a valid argument?

doesn't hurt that they don't have much junk food in the their diet (kenyans)......I wonder..... what is their number replacement fluid?...water, coffee, tea, soda?????.

great interview

Great interview guys!

a great interview! i cant wait to see UNC program develop even more in the next couple years with Watson.

Guy has the right ideas about how to build up. I wish more coaches had his views.

i want to state that the 5:14 mile was not done after doing just "one" week of half marathon training. it was a week after my half marathon race which took me 3 months to train for. that makes sense about building the base so that you can do the speedwork.

He's saying aerobic base gives you the ability to do speed work. You can't do 100% base work and expect to get faster at the mile, but 90% base and 10% speed would probably do you wonders.

Ritz did marathon training with virtually no speed for a few years and then had about two months of speed and set the AR in the 5k.

i don't know about strength gives speed. i've run 4:45 for the mile, but a week after training for a half marathon, i stepped on a track and split two 2:37s, and that was all i had. maybe i was missing the competitive element in my time trial. i'm sure there are lurking variables, but i don't know why i all of a sudden can't run a fast mile. i've time trial'd the mile a few more times over the last 4 weeks, and can't seem to improve on that, and now i've been doing nothing but base work.

Great interview, Pete! Not bad for a little Canadian dude. You can actually coach. This is from one division 1 coach (me)- Pete will have UNC in the top 10 at NCAA's very soon. We will battle for many recruits!

I wonder how much better Brie would have been if she would have had Watson her whole college career.

"speed comes from strength" brilliant!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By far one of the best interviews. Coach Watson really puts things into prespective. Personally I think it's important to add in repeat 200's after a long or tempo run to teach the body to react late in a race when fatigue sets in. I wonder how often his runners do 300 and 400's on the track if ever.

Great interview!

This is a great interview. Peter Watson seems like a great coach!