Most read article not published in 2024
The most read Athletics Illustrated Magazine article during 2024 but not written in 2024 was “The Five Lydiard principles explained: World-class training for all abilities.”
The how-to article was published on September 15, 2018, six and a half years ago. Another version of it resides at substack is the author’s most-read substack article of 2024. Versions have been published in print elsewhere, for example, Impact Magazine in 2023.
Runners new and experienced are in a constant state of trying to find ways to improve performance. One truth in both articles is the bald-faced truth of performance improvement: there are no shortcuts to being faster (aside from doping). There is only hard work, hard-earned recovery and a well-planned process.
Arthur Lydiard’s principles continue to be utilized in 2024. While the details of individual training may vary, the governing guidelines are constant: volume first, strength second, fast and furious third, followed by race practice and then racing. This process is simple, with greatly nuanced challenges for coaches and athletes to adjust to throughout. While the base science informs everything in a training program, the art of training is where the coach may be needed.
“Good and bad training can look the same on paper.”
— Arthur Lydiard.
Hire a coach.
Most viewed interview not published in 2024
The most viewed interview in 2024 that was not published in 2024 is the Jon Brown interview (part 1) from 2008.
The three-time Olympian and former British 10,000-metre record holder continues to generate interest when talking about training.
Similar to The Five Lydiard principles article, here, readers can pick up ideas on how to train better.
While the media world swears up and down that articles must be no longer than 400 words, these two enduring articles prove that there is a readership for detailed subject matter, not unlike the current and growing fascination with conversations through podcasts.
Perhaps and this is merely speculation, readers are not interested in the daily news of a train derailment or a court case’s next step in the process of convicting an alleged criminal. Those articles, perhaps need to be 400 words, or 4000 words, but publishers don’t have the time. So, in other words, a full assessment with an executive summary may be a better option. The readers may be asking, “Show us how you arrived at the headline you are publishing.”
Perhaps the Athletic is on to something. The Jon Brown interview is the longest of all interviews published in Athletics Illustrated. It is long enough and popular enough that it warranted a part 2, also a popular read.
Most watched video interview not published in 2024
The most watched video interview published in Athletics Illustrated prior to 2024 is the Keely Hodgkinson interview from 2021. The British 800m runner was popular then, after her Tokyo Olympic silver medal, she is more popular now, having finally earned an Olympic gold medal. This time in Paris. Finally, she ended her curse of silvers.
The grainy video (her lighting was off) and casual conversation worked then as it does now. Thanks to the COVID pandemic, Zoom, Skype and Microsoft Teams interviews and people meeting (business and otherwise) online is the norm. Where publishing an interview with children and pets in the background was unheard of, this is expected and somewhat charming today.
Hodgkinson now at just 22 years of age has a bright future, meanwhile, she is already one of the all-time greats. Not just for Britain, but globally.
There is also a transcribed version published.
