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SHORT MIDDLE DISTANCE (600-1000M) TRAINING SESSIONS
PRE-COMPETITIVE SEASON
These training sessions should start with:
Dynamic stretching drills
Three build-ups (75 to 125m)
Three 40 to 60m "ins & outs" runs
Weight room sessions:
"free weights" are preferred over machines. When using a machine, use one arm or one leg at a time whenever possible
At least one of the Olympic lifts (cleans, jerks, snatches)
Work on exercises that strengthen the core muscle group--cleans, squats, lunges, etc.
These are speed strength events. When doing the weight work, use fast explosive movements as much as possible. For example, when doing lunges or squats, the up movement should be fast and explosive.
All sessions, including races, should end with (after any weight work):
Three or four 50m build-ups that include "fast-leg" or "quick-leg" swings, emphasizing the full range of motion of each leg
Static stretching
When running, ensure that:
Your foot is dorsiflexed at impact
Your foot is moving backwards at impact
During the acceleration phase, make sure that you are getting full extension at pushoff
At max speed, make sure that you get your foot off the ground prior to full extension
That you plant your foot with a driving force
DAY 1
Sets of 5, 4 and 3 200X100's with a five minute walk/jog recovery between sets. During the walk/jog recovery between sets, do a couple of fast leg/quick leg drills moving your leg through the full range of motion. This will help to keep the legs from getting stiff during the recovery. The pace of the 200's should be slightly faster than your 800 race pace. The 100 jog recoveries should not take longer than 45 seconds. The intent is to get the body working above the LT (lactate threshold), so this is a pretty high intensity session. If you are feeling good on the last two reps in each set, then the 200 speed is too slow.
This should be immediately followed by an easy 10 minute jog. Immediately means just that and not 2 or 3 minutes later.
DAY 2
Starts---6X40 "falling" starts--concentrating on leaning from the ankles, accelerating while dorsiflexed and using explosive arm action at the start
8 to 10X100 at near maximum effort, concentrating on form and relaxation, with a two minute recovery between reps.
A weight room session
DAY 3
A 20 - 25 minute relatively easy run with a 3 to 4 minute segment in it where you run at your 1500/mile race pace.
A weight room session
DAY 4
A 200/400/600/400/200 ladder. The runs should be at max effort. The recovery segments should be: 200 walk after the 200, 300 after the 400, 400 after the 600, 300 after the 400 and a 1200 jog immediately following the last 200. The fast leg/quick leg drills should be done during each recovery segment.
DAY 5
Starts---6X40 "falling" starts--concentrating on leaning from the ankles, accelerating while dorsiflexed and using explosive arm action at the start.
25 to 30 minutes of easy running.
DAY 6
A time trial. The length can be varied from 400 to 1200m, but the last two prior to the competitive phase should be the actual race length.
An alternate to this schedule would be to make DAY 5 your off day and do that session on DAY 7.
An alternate to the DAY 1 session would be 6 to 8 hill repeats. The up-hill run should be in the 30 second range with a slow jog back down. There should not be a full recovery between reps. Do not eliminate the 200/100 sessions. If you do the hill repeats, do one session one week and the other the next.

13 September 2009 - Thessaloniki, Greece - That Valerie Vili would win the Shot Put final edition of the IAAF / VTB World Athletics Final wasn?t a particularly major surprise. That she would do so in such dominating fashion, to cap a season which began in February, certainly was.
13 September 2009 - Thessaloniki, Greece - Usain Bolt ended his season with a time of 19.68 seconds in the 200m of what was the final ever edition of the IAAF/VTB Bank World Athletics Final.
13 September 2009 - Thessaloniki, Greece - Carmelita Jeter was arguably the most impressive winner as action concluded on day two at the seventh and final edition of the IAAF/VTB Bank World Athletics Final here in Thessaloniki.
Ryan Braithwaite once again showed a convinving performance to take the win at the IAAF/VTB Bank World Athletics Final. The 21 year-old surprise World Champion confirmed that Berlin was not a coincidence.
Carmelita Jeter was arguably the most impressive winner as action concluded on day two at the seventh and final edition of the IAAF/VTB Bank World Athletics Final here in Thessaloniki.