Last night’s NCAA 800m and 1500m delivered and then some.
Some final thoughts on Joe Waskom, Shane Cohen, and Washington’s incredible run of 1500/mile success.
Hard to watch but major props to
@OregonTF
’s
@CooperTeare
on a total display of determination and guts to finish on his own at the NCAA Cross Country Championships. Whatever it took.
📺 ESPNU
Weekly Threshold Workout.
Weekly Speed (<10s).
Weekly Strength.
Weekly Hills or Short Reps.
Weekly Long Run.
You're going to be good for a really long time.
I’ll never understand 800m training.
I had two of the fastest boys I’ve coached (1:51/1:55) & we did the most minimal amount of 800m work you could imagine.
Then I had a group that I tried to make 800m runners & I don’t do a good job with them at all.
Here's a very non-scientific shortcut for training Lactate Threshold in High School runners:
20-25 minutes of work via>>>
- Tempo Runs= 1600m PR + 1:15
- Mile Repeats= 1600m PR + 1:00
- 1k's= 1600m PR + 45s
...or mixed them all together.
Close enough is close enough.
I stole this workout from an article on
@djritzenhein
@on_running
and it's become a favorite for my HS team.
3 3
2 2 2 2
1 1 1
We call it the "OAC Fartlek"
Recovery = to time spent running
When I first started coaching, I desperately wanted kids to “buy into the program”.
Now, I’m so uncomfortable when I hear that.
Doing the opposite and “buying into the the kids on your team” works way better and it’s more fun.
For high school distance running, the
#1
KPI is off-season mileage.
Of course other modes of training matter, but nothing matches putting the rubber to the road.
🔎Here's a VERY non-scientific shortcut for training Lactate Threshold in High School runners:
20-25 minutes of work via>>>
💰Tempo Runs= 1600m PR + 1:15
💰Mile Repeats= 1600m PR + 1:00
💰1k's= 1600m PR + 45s
...or mixed them all together.
Close enough is close enough.
You can use all types of training- *all year* and not die.
Example: 800m Pace
🌞July: Easy Run + 6x80m @ 800
🏫September: Threshold Run + 6x15s Hills @ 800
❄️January: Tempo Run + 10x150m @ 800 Rhythm
🌷March: LT 1k's + 8x200m @ 800m Pace
🥇May: 10k Pace + 5x300 @ 800m Pace
You can twist it however you want, but runners gotta run.
15 miles into a 22 mile run.
Halberg (OLY 5,000m 🥇)
Snell (OLY 800m 🥇)
Magee (OLY Marathon 🥉)
📷 Run to the Top, Lydiard & Gilmore (1962)
The Mile (1600m/1500m) is such a good "training hub" for high school kids.
High school kids can train like Milers & be effective 400-5k // then go in whatever direction they need to after high school.
I LOVE short intervals for “VO2”
The last workout Simeon did before running 8:34 for 3200m was a short Tempo + 10x300 at ~3k pace w/ a continuous 100m (20-30s) recovery jog.
For aerobic intervals or "Vo2max" work
Traditional medium/long reps (800s, 1ks, miles) work well for experienced runners with a base.
Not as much for novices
Short, slow intervals with short recovery (Igloi style) work better for novices. As fitness grows, extend the intervals
🎃October Training🎃
Design no-fail workouts that inspire confidence.
💡Include 3-4 faster 200’s at the end of a shortened threshold workout
💡 Use progression in your workouts
💡Add a fast lap rep
💡 Go the extra mile on a Long Run
💡 Use FARTLEK training by effort
Use all of these workouts to ⬆️ Lactate Threshold:
✅25' Continuous Tempo @ 1600m Pace + 80s
✅4x (5:1) @ 1600m Pace + 60s
✅6x (3:2) @ 1600m Pace + 50s
✅15x (1:1) @ 1600m Pace + 40s
One of my favorite workouts: 3x(4x200).
Use it year-round & just manipulate the variables.
- play w/ the rest on reps/sets
- be creative w/ the pace
- use it on grass, dirt, track,hills
- Tempo before/after
- use it after a race
- spice up “base training”
- + or - a set
You’ll never know your potential unless you keep at it....John Landy (2nd human under 4:00 Mile) was only a 2:05/4:41 middle distance runner as an 18 year old! (image via How They Train: Half Mile to Six Mile by Fred Wilt)
Decent Lactate Threshold Training Estimates for HS Kids:
1600m PR + 1:20= Tempo Run Pace
1600m PR + 1:00= Mile Repeat Pace
1600m PR + :40= 1K Repeat Pace
* 200m jog recovery on Mile & 1K reps
Frank Horwill-style, multi-pace 5k training:
✔️"Threshold"
✔️10k Pace
✔️5k Pace
✔️3k Pace
✔️Mile Pace
Mix these elements into a 14-day cycle of endurance, speed, strength and mobility.
What are some ways you use threshold training (Tempo, Lactate Threshold, “CV”) with your runners?
Always looking for different angles at solving the same problem.
In the summer, I’m very loose with paces/intensities on easy runs. Anyone can run with the “varsity group”.
The FIRST jump most HS kids make has to do with the perception of themselves rather than fitness.
For those of you that have coached for 10+ years, how has your training changed, if at all?
I tinker with EVERYTHING each year, but the biggest change for me is programming shorter faster stuff and longer slower stuff.
Multi-Pace Training for 5k
🔵5k Pace + 40s (Tempo Runs)
🟡5k Pace + 20s (~LT Fartlek)
🔴5k Pace (Races or Intervals)
🟡5k Pace -20s (~3k Pace Hills)
🔵5k Pace -40s (~Mile Pace Short Reps)
Off-season, spend more time @ the 🔵
In-season, spend more time @ the 🟡 &
1st week of summer XC practice and I’m not going to lie..I always stress a little/a lot.
It’s important to start out the first week with planting your vision, routines, expectations and trying to get every kid feeling like they belong.
Too hard to correct later.
Something I will never, ever live without is a "Progressive Tempo-ish" warm-up preceding faster work on the track.
Example:
a. 15' EASY (out) & then progressively faster back to the track, getting to "Tempo" pace.
b. Sprint Drills + Strides
c. Workout (Race Speeds)
💡Slowing down the 2nd half of races?
Increase endurance & threshold work.
💡Legs can’t handle a fast early pace?
You might need some rhythm work; 200’s, etc.
I’ve spend the last 18 years reading + researching training & coaching distance runners.
Here’s EVERYTHING I’ve learned about the 🔑🔑🔑 to success for high school runners.
🧵🧵🧵
I asked ChatGPT for a 2-week training cycle to break 4:00 in the Mile & it wasn't terrible.
Week 1:
M- 8x400 @ 58-60
T- 30-40' Rec
W- 3-4mi Tempo @ 5:15-30
Th-30-40' Rec
F- 7-9mi @ 5:45-6:15
S- Off or 30-40' Rec
S- 10-12mi @ 6:30-7:00
Thanks to
@CitiusMag
all I think about are which 3 workouts I would give my athletes if I was restricted to just 3.
💡So, if you were limited to 3 workouts (assuming everything else is easy running), which 3 do you assign?
Fire away…
Value FARTLEK training this time of year.
✅ Eliminate the stress of hitting exact times / paces
✅ Easy to utilize race-specific surfaces
✅ GREAT work for tightening the pack
✅ A million ways to structure this.
We’re doing 12 x (1:1) tomorrow.
💡12’ of 10k-ish work,
Why does it always have to be “High volume vs High Intensity”? How about moderation in everything for developing runners? Volume, workouts, speed, strength, etc…
Confession. I used to be MADLY obsessed with programming specific times/paces for different types of workouts.
Now it’s always ballpark ranges, ie. something like “about a minute slower than your 1600 PR,etc. “ or effort/rhythm…and we race better.
Just spent an hour listening to how three of the best HS Distance coaches run their programs and it was 🔥🔥🔥
Should have the video posted later tonight on the D-Crew page.
What is a priority for your team the as we head into mid-September?
For my crew, it's getting some of the younger kids to learn how to manage/welcome discomfort.
Here is a 3-day cycle that I try to incorporate whenever possible:
Day 1: Endurance + Speed + Plyo
Day 2: Workout + Strength
Day 3: Easy Effort + Core/Mobility
🔥Fast-start Fartlek🔥
Throw a little junk in the system, run at threshold and then finish fast.
4x(:30/1:30) @ Mile effort
4x (4:1) @ 10/15km effort
4x(:30/1:30) @ Mile effort
2️⃣0️⃣quality minutes
A training intensity "hack" that I use all of the time now....from Joe Rubio's Middle Distance Guide.
Training Intensities
Baseline= 1600m Time (5:00 for example)
+20s = ~3k (5:20)
+40s= ~5k XC (5:40)
+60s= ~10k/LT (6:00)
+80s= Tempo Runs (6:20)
General guidelines for pairing post-run ancillary training with your running workouts:
🟢Workout + Strength
🔴Speed Day + Plyo
🔵Recovery Day + Core/Mobility