Anyone know much about her? I heard that her training only consisted of sleg dragging and resistance sprint.
Personal Information taken from google search:
Her married name is Marita Koch Meier. During her career she collected a remarkable sixteen world records in outdoor sprints, as well as 14 world records in indoor events.
Her first world record was set in 1977 in Milan, Italy running 400 metres indoors in 51.8 seconds. In the following year, Koch set her first outdoor record at 400 metres in 49.19 seconds. She topped this with another two world records within a month.
Marita was unable to compete at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada due to injury, but had been considered a certainty for a medal had she made it there.
In 1979 Koch was the first woman to run 200 metres in under 22 seconds. Five years later, in 1984 she tied the then world record of 21.71 seconds.
In 1980 she attended her only Olympic Games in Moscow, Russia. There Koch won the gold medal in the individual 400 metres and silver medal in the 4 x 400m relay.
Marita set the current 400 metre world record of 47.6 seconds on October 6, 1985 at Bruce Stadium in Canberra, Australia.
Marlies Göhr challenged Marita Koch in indoor sprints. As a result, Marita Koch became one of the most successful runners over 50 and 60 metres where she set many records between 1980 and 1985.
As a member of East Germany’s relay teams, Koch set more world records. With a team led together with Göhr, they set new world records over 4x100 metres in 1979 and 1983. In the 1980 Olympic Games, Koch was part of the team that won silver over 4x400 metres. The same team set world records over the same distance in 1980, 1982 and 1984.
Koch also won the European Championships at 400m in 1978, 1982 and 1986 before retiring in 1987 as one Germany’s most successful athletes.
During her 47.6 her split was 22.4. Charlie has posted stuff before on what he knows about her training. If you can’t find it online I think it is in the Forum Review ebook.
Actually Koch did compete in Montreal, she finished 3rd at 400m in her heat and qf and DNS in semis through injury.
Hallo! From 19 to 22 I trained under Horst-Dieter Hille. He was the successful coach from Marita Koch, Marlies Göhr etc.
I gave me a look in his training logs and you are right: Many of their trainings contains runs with tire. And they ran about 350 m with tires.
Excuse my bad english,
Greets, Olaf
Hi Olaf thanks for sharing that and welcome to the board 
Just a question, how heavy are those tires?
Tell us more about these training methods. You will be a very popular man on the forum! 
For much of her career, she training with Wolfgang Meier (her husband). I understand that Horst Hille was the “father” of the East German sprint approach, with many winners including Renata Stecher (double champ in Munich) Marlies Gohr, Barbel Echart/Wockel, and many others.
Hi Olaf, can you tell us anything more about Hille’s training methods? I am especially interested the kinds of speed work and special endurance he used with his 400m runners.
Thanks,
TC
P.S. Ihr Enlisch ist besser als mein Deutscher!
I’m very interested as well, particularly about the number of foot-contacts per session for plyos. I’ve heard wildly varying numbers- up to 600 per session! Is any of this true?
Does anyone remember the name of the book on Easet German Athletic Training?
Hi Olaf, I woul be interested in hearing about Hille’s program as well. Specifically about the speedwork, special endurance and plyos.
luc,
Track & Field: The East German Textbook ?
there is an extensive thread in the archives on Marita Koch’s training. It is also covered in the first Forum Review, available at the site store.
Funnily enough I just bought this book last week from www.neuff.co.uk. Amazon should sell it as well but the Neuff price was very good.
Anyone have an idea of anywhere in Toronto that may sell that book?
Beware of Chapter 7:
“Methods of Political and Moral Education”
Guess you get some good “Socialist Drills” there - LOL
Under this heading, coaches are warned not to “smoke to excess”!