While the distances seem fairly light on, I imagine pretty well all of it would have been in the forest with a map.

Compare Liisa's training with Annichen Kringstad who won in 83 and 85. Annichen ran marathons in 82 (2:46) and 84 (2:40).
 

64% of kms at "easy" pace leaves 36% for "harder than easy", which I'll assert is actually a rather high percentage of quality work, for anyone who's done this and kept honest records. I believe this is also significantly more than than most (probably not all) NA Team members are doing. Actually I think most world class orienteers don't do this much quality either, and they probably shouldn't, given their much higher volumes, which I think reduces the % of quality running that is appropriate.

Sure, the definitions and measurement of this subject matter are imprecise, but I think that the posted comment leaves an ambiguous to misleading impression of the quality of Liisa's training.
I have no disagreement about her quantity.

I feel strongly about this subject due in large part to a coincidentally Finnish coach, Eikka Havas (sp?) who visited the US in the mid/late 80's, and laid out what he thought was the ideal balance of intensities.

It went like something like this: ~65% easy(!), ~25% near threshold+/-, 5-8% clearly above threshold, 1% @ max, 1% speed/form training (not hard effort). Coincidentally, this virtually matched my own training at the time (well within the limits of measurement and interpretation) which had evolved for ~15 years by that time. I am rather sure that I was doing more quality than any NA orienteer at that time, except Ted dSC, who I believe was doing about the same (by%, Ted more volume), although Ted probably did more in the "above threshold" category, at least based on my memory of Ted's WOC '85 report. I'd be delighted for someone to dig up this document and correct me. This report should be required reading.

My current belief is that these numbers are good overall/ seasonal guidelines for performance oriented(not fun) training for M/F 21's training up to 10-12 hours of running per week. As I said before, for higher volumes, a lower % of quality is probably appropriate, and the guidelines should probably be modified for youngsters and oldsters.

At the time, I thought Eikka's mumbers were the result of rigorous scientific research. In hindsight I doubt it. I suspect they were derived from a process similar to my reckoning, based on some reading, some common sense, and a whole lot of paying attention to how my body responded, and wanting to find the answer, not just out for entertainment.

I recognize that individual differences probably exist, but I believe these biological differences are smaller than than the differences in measurement and interpretation, and much smaller than psychological differences.

I think the competitive differences between the 70's and now are primarily on the womens's side, just as the Swedish "rerun" course results demonstrated. The top men are about the same. Both sexes are currently much deeper near the top.

The principle of hard, hard, easy weeks, is by no means new or unusual. Canadian orienteers Ron Lowry (and Ken Sidney?) wrote on this in OUSA(?) about the same time Liisa was winning her medals. I have considered this a standard practice ever since. I heard that this is also standard principle (push/stress, then recover)in physical rehab, although I know there are others more qualified who can speak to this.

EricW
 

>The principle of hard, hard, easy weeks, is by no means new or unusual. Canadian orienteers Ron Lowry (and Ken Sidney?)

Ron Lowry preferred the Easy, Moderate, and then hard week three week cycle which he had me on when he started coaching me in the early 80's. Ron and Ken write about this in their 2nd OOA book Orienteering: Training for Performance
 

I agree, a "moderate" week clarifies the progression/ build up/flow in the process.
EricW
 

I can recommend "Theory and Methodology of Training," by Tudor Bompa, as one of the bibles for designing "periodized" training programs.

Coincidentally, I just laid out my training for the spring leading up to the team trails, starting with this week: M H H E H H E M H H E H H E H E
 

Spike, it took a while to delete that porno spam. Did you get a good look? ;-)
EricW