Mihály Iglói
Encyclopedia
Mihály Iglói was a legendary Hungarian
distance running coach. Iglói coached such luminaries as Sándor Iharos
, István Rózsavölgyi
, László Tábori
, Bob Schul
and Jim Beatty
. Counting both outdoors and indoors, and distances no longer officially recognized, Iglói's students totalled an incredible 49 world records.
at the 1936 Summer Olympics
in Berlin
, but was eliminated in the heats. Iglói became the coach of Honvéd Budapest
, then the Hungarian army club, in 1950, and the results of his pupils steadily improved.
The first world records for the Honvéd Budapest runners came as team efforts in the uncommon 4 x 1500 m relay
in 1953 and 1954. Wholesale individual record breaking began on May 14, 1955, with Sándor Iharos
beating Gaston Reiff
's old 3000 metres
record in Budapest with a time of 7:55.6. By the end of that year, Iharos held the world records over 1500 metres
, 3000 metres, two miles
and 5000 metres
. István Rózsavölgyi
had smashed the previous record over 2000 metres by almost five seconds with a time of 5:02.2; this was arguably the most impressive single mark by any of Iglói's Hungarian pupils, and lasted longer than any of Iharos' records. (It was eventually broken by Michel Jazy
on June 14, 1962 with a time of 5:01.6.) László Tábori
had tied Iharos' 1500m mark, and had become the third man in the world to run a four-minute mile
.
just weeks before the Melbourne Olympics
. Iharos missed Melbourne entirely, ostensibly due to an ankle injury but quite possibly because of the revolution. Tábori and Rózsavölgyi underperformed and finished out of medals.
Hungary after the Olympics. Instead, they moved to the United States
and eventually migrated to the west coast
, with Iglói becoming the coach of the Los Angeles Track Club. Though Tábori stayed in good shape and continued to compete, his international career was effectively over, as he could no longer run for Hungary and wasn't yet a US citizen.
Iglói, however, now had access to a talented generation of American runners, several of whom would eventually make an international impact. On February 10, 1962, Jim Beatty
became the first man to run a four-minute mile indoors. Beatty also set world records over two miles
both outdoors and indoors and American records over many other distances. Bob Schul
became a world-beater in 1964, running a new two mile world record (8:26.4) and winning the Olympic 5000 metres
in Tokyo
that year with an impressive last lap sprint. However, injuries forced both Schul and Beatty to retire prematurely.
Still continuing his coaching career, Iglói moved to Greece
in 1970, but didn't meet with similar success there. After the fall of communism in Hungary he moved back to his native country, and died in Budapest
in 1998.
. Arduous training sessions twice a day sought to develop both speed and stamina. A typical Iglói session involved tens of repetitions of various sprints of up to 400 metres with only short jog recoveries, distance run in the longest and hardest sessions totaling up to as much as 35 kilometers. Compared to other similar interval training systems, Iglói's had an emphasis on repetitions of such short sprints as 100 or 200 metres.
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
distance running coach. Iglói coached such luminaries as Sándor Iharos
Sándor Iharos
Sándor Iharos was a Hungarian distance runner. Though unsuccessful in major competitions, Iharos ran world records over multiple distances and is one of only two athletes to have held outdoor world records over 1500 metres, 5000 metres and 10000 metres...
, István Rózsavölgyi
István Rózsavölgyi
István Rózsavölgyi was a Hungarian athlete who competed mainly in the 1500 metres.One of the star pupils of Mihály Iglói, Rózsavölgyi entered the 1956 Summer Olympics held in Melbourne, Australia as the world record holder over 1000 metres, 1500 metres and 2000 metres and was expected to be a...
, László Tábori
László Tábori
László Tábori is a Hungarian-American former middle- and long-distance runner, best known for equalling the 1500 metres world record and placing 4th in that event at the 1956 Summer Olympics. He is still active in the sport of running as a coach.-Early career and rise to fame:Tábori was born in...
, Bob Schul
Bob Schul
Bob Schul is a former American long distance runner. , he is the only American to have won the Olympic gold medal in the 5000 m, at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.-Early career:...
and Jim Beatty
Jim Beatty
James Tully Beatty is a former American track and field athlete who is best remembered as the first person to break the four-minute mile barrier on an indoor track when he ran 3:58.9 on February 10, 1962 in Los Angeles, California.Beatty graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel...
. Counting both outdoors and indoors, and distances no longer officially recognized, Iglói's students totalled an incredible 49 world records.
Iglói's own athletic career and rise to fame as a coach
Though not a match to his record-breaking disciples, Iglói was (in the 1930s) a notable runner in his own right. A multiple-time Hungarian champion, Iglói participated in the 1500 metres1500 metres
The 1,500-metre run is the premier middle distance track event.Aerobic endurance is the biggest factor contributing to success in the 1500 metres but the athlete also requires significant sprint speed.In modern times, the 1,500-metre run has been run at a pace faster than the average person could...
at the 1936 Summer Olympics
1936 Summer Olympics
The 1936 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was held in 1936 in Berlin, Germany. Berlin won the bid to host the Games over Barcelona, Spain on April 26, 1931, at the 29th IOC Session in Barcelona...
in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, but was eliminated in the heats. Iglói became the coach of Honvéd Budapest
Budapest Honvéd FC
Budapest Honvéd FC |football]] team. "Honved" means the Homeland Defense. Originally formed as Kispest AC, they became Kispest FC in 1926 before reverting to their original name in 1944. The team enjoyed a golden age during the 1950s when it was renamed Budapest Honvéd SE and became the Hungarian...
, then the Hungarian army club, in 1950, and the results of his pupils steadily improved.
The first world records for the Honvéd Budapest runners came as team efforts in the uncommon 4 x 1500 m relay
Relay race
During a relay race, members of a team take turns running, orienteering, swimming, cross-country skiing, biathlon, or ice skating parts of a circuit or performing a certain action. Relay races take the form of professional races and amateur games...
in 1953 and 1954. Wholesale individual record breaking began on May 14, 1955, with Sándor Iharos
Sándor Iharos
Sándor Iharos was a Hungarian distance runner. Though unsuccessful in major competitions, Iharos ran world records over multiple distances and is one of only two athletes to have held outdoor world records over 1500 metres, 5000 metres and 10000 metres...
beating Gaston Reiff
Gaston Reiff
Gaston Reiff was a Belgian athlete, winner of the 1948 Olympic title in the 5,000 m.Reiff was born in Braine-l'Alleud, and competed in boxing and football before switching to running. His greatest performance is no doubt his 5000 m title at the 1948 Summer Olympics...
's old 3000 metres
3000 metres
The 3000 metres is a popular amateur middle distance track event where 7.5 laps are completed around a 400 metre track. This event is generally classified as middle distance, but it could be classed as a long distance event in many high schools, since they do not promote races such as the 5000 and...
record in Budapest with a time of 7:55.6. By the end of that year, Iharos held the world records over 1500 metres
1500 metres
The 1,500-metre run is the premier middle distance track event.Aerobic endurance is the biggest factor contributing to success in the 1500 metres but the athlete also requires significant sprint speed.In modern times, the 1,500-metre run has been run at a pace faster than the average person could...
, 3000 metres, two miles
Two miles
The 2 mile is a historic running distance. Like the mile run, it is still contested at some invitational meets, perhaps because it provides an easier record to break for meet promoters , as well as its historical chronology. It is largely superseded by the 3000 m and 5000 m, and by the 3200m in...
and 5000 metres
5000 metres
The 5000 metres is a popular running distance also known as 5 km or 5K in American English. It is one of the track events in the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Athletics. "5000 metres" refers to racing on a track and "5K" usually refers to a roadrace or cross country event...
. István Rózsavölgyi
István Rózsavölgyi
István Rózsavölgyi was a Hungarian athlete who competed mainly in the 1500 metres.One of the star pupils of Mihály Iglói, Rózsavölgyi entered the 1956 Summer Olympics held in Melbourne, Australia as the world record holder over 1000 metres, 1500 metres and 2000 metres and was expected to be a...
had smashed the previous record over 2000 metres by almost five seconds with a time of 5:02.2; this was arguably the most impressive single mark by any of Iglói's Hungarian pupils, and lasted longer than any of Iharos' records. (It was eventually broken by Michel Jazy
Michel Jazy
Michel Jazy is a former French middle distance runner, who won the silver medal over 1500 metres at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. The race was won by Herb Elliott in a new world record time...
on June 14, 1962 with a time of 5:01.6.) László Tábori
László Tábori
László Tábori is a Hungarian-American former middle- and long-distance runner, best known for equalling the 1500 metres world record and placing 4th in that event at the 1956 Summer Olympics. He is still active in the sport of running as a coach.-Early career and rise to fame:Tábori was born in...
had tied Iharos' 1500m mark, and had become the third man in the world to run a four-minute mile
Four-minute mile
In the sport of athletics, the four-minute mile is the act of completing the mile run in less than four minutes. It was first achieved in 1954 by Roger Bannister in 3:59.4. The 'four minute barrier' has since been broken by many male athletes, and is now the standard of all male professional...
.
1956 Melbourne Olympics
As the superb form of Iglói's students continued in the Olympic year 1956, with both Rózsavölgyi and Iharos running further world records, team Hungary seemed poised to take the lion's share of medals in the long track events. However, that was not to be. The team's mentality and spirit was badly shaken as the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 was bloodily crushed by the Soviet militarySoviet Armed Forces
The Soviet Armed Forces, also called the Armed Forces of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and Armed Forces of the Soviet Union refers to the armed forces of the Russian SFSR , and Soviet Union from their beginnings in the...
just weeks before the Melbourne Olympics
1956 Summer Olympics
The 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in Melbourne, Australia, in 1956, with the exception of the equestrian events, which could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations...
. Iharos missed Melbourne entirely, ostensibly due to an ankle injury but quite possibly because of the revolution. Tábori and Rózsavölgyi underperformed and finished out of medals.
Career in the United States
Iglói (and Tábori) didn't return to the communistCommunism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
Hungary after the Olympics. Instead, they moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and eventually migrated to the west coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
, with Iglói becoming the coach of the Los Angeles Track Club. Though Tábori stayed in good shape and continued to compete, his international career was effectively over, as he could no longer run for Hungary and wasn't yet a US citizen.
Iglói, however, now had access to a talented generation of American runners, several of whom would eventually make an international impact. On February 10, 1962, Jim Beatty
Jim Beatty
James Tully Beatty is a former American track and field athlete who is best remembered as the first person to break the four-minute mile barrier on an indoor track when he ran 3:58.9 on February 10, 1962 in Los Angeles, California.Beatty graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel...
became the first man to run a four-minute mile indoors. Beatty also set world records over two miles
Two miles
The 2 mile is a historic running distance. Like the mile run, it is still contested at some invitational meets, perhaps because it provides an easier record to break for meet promoters , as well as its historical chronology. It is largely superseded by the 3000 m and 5000 m, and by the 3200m in...
both outdoors and indoors and American records over many other distances. Bob Schul
Bob Schul
Bob Schul is a former American long distance runner. , he is the only American to have won the Olympic gold medal in the 5000 m, at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.-Early career:...
became a world-beater in 1964, running a new two mile world record (8:26.4) and winning the Olympic 5000 metres
Athletics at the 1964 Summer Olympics - Men's 5000 metres
The men's 5000 metres was the second-longest of the seven men's track races in the Athletics at the 1964 Summer Olympics program in Tokyo. It was held on 16 October and 18 October 1964. 54 athletes from 35 nations entered, with 6 not starting the first round...
in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
that year with an impressive last lap sprint. However, injuries forced both Schul and Beatty to retire prematurely.
Still continuing his coaching career, Iglói moved to Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
in 1970, but didn't meet with similar success there. After the fall of communism in Hungary he moved back to his native country, and died in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
in 1998.
Training methods
The key to Iglói's methods was interval trainingInterval training
Interval training is a type of physical training that involves bursts of high-intensity work interspersed with periods of low-intensity work...
. Arduous training sessions twice a day sought to develop both speed and stamina. A typical Iglói session involved tens of repetitions of various sprints of up to 400 metres with only short jog recoveries, distance run in the longest and hardest sessions totaling up to as much as 35 kilometers. Compared to other similar interval training systems, Iglói's had an emphasis on repetitions of such short sprints as 100 or 200 metres.