Build a deep aerobic engine first, then sharpen it. That is the whole idea behind
the system Arthur Lydiard taught the world — and it still produces champions today.
Arthur Lydiard, the New Zealand coach often called the father of modern distance
training, showed that ordinary runners could reach extraordinary fitness by training
the aerobic system patiently and progressively. His athletes ran further than anyone
thought sensible — and then ran faster than anyone thought possible.
What we do here
This site turns Lydiard's principles into practical, periodized schedules you can
actually follow. Tell us your race, your timeline, and your current fitness, and we
build a plan that moves you through each phase in the right order, at the right effort,
for the right number of weeks.
The three pillars
Aerobic base. Weeks of steady, mostly easy mileage that grow your capillaries,
mitochondria, and confidence. This is the foundation everything else stands on.
Hills. A transition phase that builds strength, power, and resilient running
form before any hard track work begins.
Speed. Sharpening and coordination in the final weeks — anaerobic work layered
carefully on top of a base that can absorb it, peaking you for race day.
Who it's for
First-time racers and seasoned competitors alike. The method scales from the 1500m to
the marathon and beyond, because the underlying physiology is the same: a big aerobic
base makes every kind of running better.
Help
Getting Started with Lydiard Running
How to find your way around the site, build a training plan, and make the most of the method.
This site turns Arthur Lydiard's training philosophy into practical, periodized plans you can actually follow. The core idea is simple: build a deep aerobic engine first, then sharpen it. Whether you're chasing a first 5K or a faster marathon, everything here is built around that progression.
This is the About page. To do something — get a plan, read training material, or reach us — use the menu at the top of every page. Here's how it all fits together.
Get a Training Plan
The fastest path to a schedule:
Open Training from the top menu (training.php).
Tell it your goal race, your timeline to race day, and your current fitness.
The site builds a pyramid plan that moves you through each Lydiard phase — base, hills, then speed — in the right order, at the right effort, for the right number of weeks.
Follow the week-by-week schedule, and revisit as your fitness changes.
No recent race time? That's fine — the planner can start you from your current weekly mileage and effort. If you want a fitness number to anchor it, run a hard 1–3 miles and use one of the calculators below.
Navigating the Menu
The bar at the top of every page is your map:
Home — the front door and overview.
About — this page: the philosophy and what the site does.
Contact US — questions, coaching enquiries, feedback.
Training — where you build and view your plan.
Newsletter — sign up for tips, updates, and new features.
Resources — a dropdown holding Coaches, Athletes, and Videos.
Login / SignUp — the gold button; create an account or sign in.
On a phone? Tap the ☰ menu button to open the nav. Tap Resources to expand its sub-items as an accordion. On a computer, just hover over Resources to reveal them.
The Method in Brief
Every Lydiard plan is built on three pillars, layered in order:
Aerobic base — weeks of steady, mostly easy mileage that grow your capillaries and mitochondria. The foundation everything stands on.
Hills — a transition phase building strength, power, and resilient form before any hard track work.
Speed — sharpening in the final weeks: anaerobic work layered carefully on a base that can absorb it, peaking you for race day.
Want the longer story? It's all on this About page, just below the menu.
Coaches & Athletes
The Resources dropdown splits material by who you are:
Coaches (coaches.php) — material for those guiding other runners: applying the phases, structuring squads, and adapting plans.
Athletes (athletes.php) — material for runners following a plan for themselves.
Videos (videos.php) — demonstrations and explainers.
Not sure which fits? If you're training yourself, start with Athletes; if you're responsible for others' training, start with Coaches.
Tools & Calculators
Companion calculators help you find the right starting numbers for your plan:
A good workflow: predict your potential from a recent race, profile a few races to spot your strengths, then build the plan.
Account & Newsletter
Use Login / SignUp to create an account so your plan and progress are saved between visits. The Newsletter sign-up keeps you posted on new training material and site features — no account required to subscribe.
Following Your Plan
A few principles that make Lydiard training work:
Run easy days truly easy. The base phase only works if most miles are conversational. Going too hard on easy days is the most common mistake.
Respect the order. Don't jump to speed work before the base and hill phases have done their job — speed sits on top of the base.
Be consistent. Steady, repeatable weeks beat occasional heroic ones.
Trust the timeline. Each phase runs for a set number of weeks for a reason; let it.
Questions the site doesn't answer? Head to Contact US — we're glad to help.
