During the early nineties, Queenslander Simon Doyle was a serious player at a global level over 1500m. Doyle that year won three Grand Prix races and finished 4th at the Commonwealth Games in Auckland. In 1991, Doyle finished 12th at the World Athletics Championships final in Tokyo.
It was also in 1991, that Doyle set a new Australian 1500m (3:31.96) and one-mile (3:49.91) records, in Stockholm on July 3 then Oslo on July 6. Doyle’s Mile record has only been bettered once since, by the one and only Craig Mottram, when Buster clocked 3:48.98 in 2005, also in Oslo.
Doyle’s 1500m record was to stand for 19 years; it took the prodigious talent of one Ryan Gregson, to displace him from the top of the leader board.
Despite never winning a major championship medal, Doyle was a major force in Australia, winning the 800/1500m double at the 1991 Australian Championships – an achievement that has only been equalled once since (Jeff Riseley in 2015).
We took a look back at Doyle’s training with example weeks of training provided for each of his main three training phases.
- From: Queensland
- D.O.B: 9th November 1966
Personal Bests
- 800m: 1:45.38
- 1000m: 2:18.22
- 1500m: 3:31.96
- Mile: 3:49.91
Build Up Phase (April 1991)
A typical week of training during Doyle’s build-up phase is outlined below:
Sunday
- Long. 15 miles relaxed plus a 30 minute swim.
Monday
- Recovery run of 5-8 miles.
Tuesday
- 5 miles warm-up jog. Then 5 x 1km trails, strong in 2:30 to 3:00.
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Simon Doyle was ranked 2 in the World one year, I think? None of the other Australian runners who have run faster have even been like 2 in the world. You have to go BACK to Herb for a higher ranking