Arthur Lydiard who was a well known running coach, coaching athlete to many world records and Olympic gold medals. He was the originator of the 100 miles a week training regime.

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Arthur Lydiard was a New Zealand running coach widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of distance running. Born in 1917, he initially started as a recreational runner before discovering his passion for coaching. His innovative training methods helped transform running from a sport dominated by natural talent into one where structured training could systematically develop world-class athletes. Lydiard’s approach reshaped modern endurance training and laid the foundation for countless programs still used today.

At the heart of Lydiard’s philosophy was his emphasis on building a strong aerobic base. He famously advocated for high-mileage training, recommending runners complete around 100 miles per week at a steady pace. This aerobic conditioning, he argued, was the essential groundwork for later phases of training, including strength, speed, and racing-specific workouts. By organizing training into distinct phases, his system ensured athletes peaked at the right time for major competitions, a principle now known as periodization.

Lydiard’s methods produced remarkable results. Under his guidance, New Zealand athletes like Peter Snell, Murray Halberg, and Barry Magee became Olympic champions and world record holders in the 1960s. What made his success even more notable was the range of athletes he coached—Snell, for example, excelled at middle-distance events (800m and 1500m), while Magee was a marathoner. This versatility demonstrated the adaptability and effectiveness of his training system across different distances.

Beyond his athletes’ accomplishments, Arthur Lydiard’s influence spread globally. His ideas inspired coaches and runners around the world, and many modern training programs still reflect his principles. He traveled extensively, lecturing and advising national teams in countries such as Finland, Mexico, and Japan. His legacy is not just in the medals won by his athletes, but in the enduring framework he provided for distance running, one that continues to shape the sport more than half a century later.

Most Useful Resources:
Arthur Lydiard (Running Heroes)
Arthur Lydiard (PodiaPaedia)

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Abebe Bikila won the 1960 Rome Olympic marathon running barefoot. He is often held up as a poster boy by the barefoot running community. He went on to win the 1964 Toyko Olympic marathon in world record time, this time wearing shoes.

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Abebe Bikila, the legendary Ethiopian marathon runner, etched his name into history when he won the 1960 Rome Olympic marathon running completely barefoot. Competing without shoes was not a symbolic choice at first—he had trained extensively barefoot and found it natural, but it also highlighted his extraordinary resilience and discipline. His victory was especially significant because he became the first Black African athlete to win Olympic gold, inspiring a new generation of African distance runners who would go on to dominate the sport.

What made Bikila’s triumph so remarkable was not only the barefoot feat itself but also the manner of his victory. He ran through the cobblestoned streets of Rome, finishing with a time of 2:15:16, a new world record at the time. His calm, upright stride and steady pace symbolized strength and endurance, and his success challenged Western assumptions about who could excel on the world stage in long-distance athletics. Bikila’s performance brought international attention to Ethiopia and put African runners at the forefront of distance running.

Four years later, at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, Bikila proved his dominance again—this time wearing shoes—by winning gold once more, despite recovering from an appendectomy just weeks before. This back-to-back Olympic victory cemented his reputation as one of the greatest marathoners of all time. Tragically, a car accident in 1969 left him paralyzed from the waist down, but even then he showed immense courage, competing in disabled sporting events before his untimely death in 1973. Abebe Bikila’s legacy continues to inspire, not just for his barefoot marathon, but for his unbreakable spirit.

Most Useful Resources:
Abebe Bikila (Podiatry FAQ’s)
Abebe Bikila (Running Hero’s)
10 September 1960 (Today in History)
Abebe Bikila as a poster boy (Podiatry Ninja)

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