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In 1955, Lydiard stopped racing in order to devote his
time to business. Until 1957, he worked two jobs, one of which was delivering milk
in the middle of the night. Then he quit that job to start with a marathoner, Ray
Puckett. Puckett won the national championship that year with Lydiard in second.
Lydiard was 40 years old.
Peter Snell was the next of Arthur's runners to win worldwide acclaim when he outsprinted
Roger Moens for the 800 meter Olympic Gold in 1960. In the 5000 meter final, Murray
Halberg broke away half a mile from the tape for the gold. Barry McGee captured the
marathon bronze medal behind Africans, Bikila and Rhadi.
By 1960 and the final proof in Rome, Lydiard was the man who knew all the answers,
he knew his methods worked, though he didn't "know the how." He had only
the basic knowledge of human physiology. He just knew his system worked because he
has spent more than ten years making it work. In the 1964 Olympics, Snell won gold
in the 800 and the 1500 meters, and John Davies, also Lydiard trained, captured the
1500 bronze medal.
The world wanted to know more about the methods by which this group of Auckland teammated
trained. Fortunately, Lydiard was not at all closed mouthed. Indeed, he went to great
length to publish and dicuss his ideas.
In the early to mid 1960's, Lydiard began working with coaches instead of athletes.
In early 1966, Lydiard accepted an invitation arranged through Bud Winter (ex-San
Jose State coach) to work in Mexico. Lydiard stayed about 8 months. Out of his efforts
came Alfredo Penaloza (third at Boston in 1969), Pablo Garrido (2:12'52), and Juan
Martinez (fourth in the '68 Mexico City Olympics 5000 & 10000).
Lydiard next accepted am invitation from the Finnish Track & Field Association.
The Finns, with their misinterpreted concepts of the 1950's, had become interval
junkies. Lydiard stayed in Finland for 19 months to mixed reviews. the finnish wew
stubborn and reluctant to accept Lydiard's suggestions. However, Lydiard's lessons
were not wasted on the coaches of Oekka Vasala and Lasse Viren. They listened carefully
and blended Artur's words with those of Percy Cerruty, Nurmi, and Milhaly Igloi.
The results of Lydiard's visit finally came into focus when Olavi Suomalainem won
the 1972 Boston Marathon. The in Munich in 1972, Viren got up after falling in the
10000 to stun everyone with the Olymic Gold and a world record. Viren won again in
the 5000 (with the final mile of 4:01, Pekoe Vasala took the gold in the 1500 Tapio
Kantanen took the bronze in the steeple.
Until Lydiard arrived, it had been seven years since any Finnsh distance records
had been broken. Four years after he left, the Finns again owned world records, Olympic
gold medals, and several international championships.
Lydiard had made his methods available to anyone who wants to use them and the system
has been applied to rugby, cycling, canoeing, squash, gridiron football. By discussing
his concepts with physiology and sports medicine experts, he can now explain the
scientific reasons for his successful methods. He inspires coaches and athletes to
aspire to their potential.
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