I have always worked (as a coach) under the philosophy that a sprinter is a sprinter - 100-200-400 (possibly 800) and that the training should work all the components involved in those 3 distances rather than specializing as a 100m guy or 400m guy. This year I have some people who are not that good in the 100 and 200 as they are in the 400 and was wondering about training adjustments. More specifically having 2 speed endurance days and 1 day of combined acceleration and max velocity work. This then would evolve into 1 speed endurance day, 1 accel/max velocity day, and 1 special endurance day with the normal tempo workouts in between. Is this a bad practice of having 2 similar days or is the recovery necessary too long to have 2 speed endurance days? This week I have planned:
Mon
2x (100-100-50)
30 sec rest between runs and full recovery between sets
LIFT
Tues - Tempo
Wed
Flying 20’s/30’s (4x)
Blocks, 4 x 30m
Med Ball Throws
Upper Body Lift
Thurs - Tempo
Fri
2-3 runs of 100-250m (individualized)
total volume 300m (will progress to 600/700)
LIFT
Should the tempo runs be easier than normal?
Is this not enough recovery or too much work in one area?
Am I just getting into too much of a hurry to progress my athletes? Our first meet is mid-Jan.
Scott Weiser
Head Track & Field Coach
Wayland Baptist University
Surprisingly SE workouts are generally easier to recover from than pure speed work - at least in terms of the “CNS”. 2 SE sessions and 1 speed are the norm in terms of the CFTS - see the Training Manual and the Van’04 Video Download.
I havn’t run a 400m training programme like you are suggesting so I don’t know what else to add. Perhaps you should look over the Lactate Threshold training thread and see what KitKat has to say?
I would suggest holding off for a while on the split runs and go with the short recovery sprints such as the repeat 60’s as in Vancouver 04(as mentioned above) with the acc. to 20m or 30m and maintain and so on. Can set the stage for further speed development since even with reduced recovery this work is still very fast. This type of work could have the additional side effect of teaching an athlete to sprint with maintenance of relaxation.
I dont have access to the Vancouver 04 or CFTS Manual. I read CFTS a couple of years ago and I dont remember it talking about anything other than 100m training, but I could be wrong as my memory isnt what it used to be. Like I said I dont like to specialize my sprinters and they have run good 400 times off standard CFTS work (1 day flying 20-60m, 1 day acceleration, 1 day special endurance or 4x4 at a meet). Maybe you could expand a little on the Vancouver 04 material for me, please.
I don’t know how much I can expand since it is considered copyrighted material. However, during the spp you could do 1-2 days per week of short recovery 60m with full recoveries between the sets. In doing these, you must set intensity limits on the athletes to prevent them from attempting to achieve too high in speeds before they are physically prepared for such work.
Ex. set of short recovery 60’s where the athlete accelerated maximally to only 15-20m and then holds that speed for the remaining 40m. As the weeks progress, the intensity limits can go up to 25-30 + hold and eventually to 40m. Eventually these reps have more full recovery and become more speed/speed endurance. Get CFTS and Vancouver 04 if at all possible.
SInce your workouts are already pretty closely on the CFTS you should get them from the store http://www.charliefrancis.com/store/Scripts/default.asp? They were the best track investment I ever made and will probably answer all of your questions to a great degree.
As for the tempo, so long as it is slow enough (70% max) you should be fine. Perhaps you can even increase it? Again, ask KK!