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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)

• TFL (tensor fasciae latae muscle) training leg lifts

• 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.

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