Posted at: June 6, 2007 at 03:34 CETHi all, Ben here from Australia.
I was just looking at the results from the last two decathlon meets and noticed that Romain Barras competed at both and scored over 8000 points in both, albeit the second one was windy. Two 8000 point decathlons in two weeks is crazy!!! I believe Attila Zsivoczky has done a similar thing before. What does every one think is the ideal time between decathlons to recover and then prepare for the next one. I have heared that 6-8 weeks is ideal but was just looking for some opions and what is done to recover between decathlons. Hope everyone is going well.
Posted on: June 6, 2007 at 23:48 CET I think it all depends on what you do between the decathlons. 6-8 weeks sounds and feels perfect when you're training hard between them - it gives you a light week after, then a moderate, hard, hard, moderate, light week before the next. But I think you could safely do two three weeks apart (with two weeks rest) if the training between them is minimal, particularly no heavy lifting or interval work. The important thing for me is 4-5 days light or no training before the dec.
Lots of insane people (including me) have done an icosathlon - which is far harder than 2 decathlons in 2 days, yet alone 2 weeks - so 2 in 8 days is completely possible.
The question is not how Barras did it - the question is WHY? The only reason I see the need to do a second dec one week later is to make a last chance attempt at a qualifying mark, but Barras is far ahead of any standard with 8000 , so why risk a much higher chance injury for what ultimately becomes a workout?
Posted on: June 7, 2007 at 00:05 CET I don't know what the qualifying standard of FFA (France) is. If the Götzis result was not enuogh and the Arles result was windy, he still does not have the standard ?????
Btw, I read the statement of Barras on leichtathletik.de:
„Innerhalb von einer Woche bei zwei Zehnkämpfen zu starten, ist sehr ermüdend“, gestand er. „Ich bin sehr glücklich mit meiner persönlichen Bestleistung im Hochsprung (2,01 m). In zwei Wochen starte ich bei einem weiteren Zehnkampf in Prag.“
That means: Two decathlons within a week is very exhausting. I'm very happy with my PB in high jump. In two weeks I'll start in a further decathlon in Prague !!! ??? !!! ???
Posted on: June 7, 2007 at 11:21 CET I think Barras enjoys competing in decathlons so much that he doesn't bother counting the days. The competition program for decathletes is as we all know limited and you have to take advantage of what's available. Even better if his body can take the punishment of a tight competition program. Keep it up!
actually 2 dec in 2 weeks is quite hard, though if you are in a good constitution and feel well there is no problem, but you can't go on like that fo a long time. Actually my maximum was 6 decs in a season with nationals, decastar (talence) and a one-hour-dec in 3 weeks performing quite well. the main problem between decs is to train, stay relaxed bu not lose your tension. Quite difficult to achieve and very variable even in the same athlete. Sometimes I felt exhausted for 2 days and could have made the next decathlon and sometimes I felt I would never do one anymore again.(well actually after my last it was truly the case:-) ) But I would consider that 3-4 weeks is a good time between decathlons with only a little but intensive training to stay fast and in shape.
Posted on: June 21, 2007 at 23:59 CET Barras completed another on 20.6.07, and got his season's-best 8298 (not windy) , for a total of three decathlons in 25 days over 8000 -- this has to be some sort of record.
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