DavidG's Sprint Training Log

Hi David,

You are definitely going to run into some questioners, as you know Charlie’s program always had a great deal of alactic speed work. It’s very interesting that your PB’s also reflect the type of program you’ve been mostly doing. As AJ mentioned, there seems to be a dearth of alactic 0-60m type pure speed work. I’d expect someone who runs 21.4 or better to be able to break 7 flat easily in a 60m race.

Clearly you are having success right now, so any changes would have to be very carefully thought about I’d say.

Thanks for keeping us posted. May I ask who your coach’s main influences are when it comes to training theory?

I have been wondering this as well, but I was going to see what other workouts David does before commenting on it. In my opinion, days that sort of looked like they might be targeting speed had way too much volume and not nearly enough rest between.

I had to double and then triple check that I was reading the numbers correctly in his signature.

TBF the 100 is now dated, watching you indoor your 100 has gotten faster.

Its obviously working for you so far, and depending on your further development this year with that programme possible UKA involvement, as your a youngster too :stuck_out_tongue:

I would be mindful of being too far away from speed for great periods but as you have just come out of the indoor season wouldnt be worried or anything yet :slight_smile:

Hopefully once I get back from Portugal (or maybe even next week) I will be able to get down to Radley for a couple of sessions, you’ll probably notice the difference once I post up a couple of sessions. Once I’m back I will make sure to get to at least 1 of the Radley sessions during the week in addition to the one I do on Saturday to tip the balance a bit more towards speed sessions. I don’t think my lack of speed in the 60m is down to anything more complex than the fact I don’t practice starts frequently enough, we very rarely do them during the Tues/Thurs sessions, and actually the weeks leading up to my 200m PB I was doing a lot of work on my start on Saturdays so it does make sense.

How so? The common question seems to be ‘How are you running those times with that training?’ lol

Yer I’m hoping the 100m time will start decreasing to a level that matches my 200m a bit more, if I can improve my start too then that time should hopefully some off the 200m aswell.

In what way could UKA get involved? Aside from the top 2 or maybe 3 in the UK at each event, I see little involvement from them with the athletes?

But yes the overwhelming advice at the moment seems to be that I should be increasing the amount of speed work I do, so I’ll be putting that into effect over the next few weeks.

Thursday 14th March
1 lap warm-up, general strength exercises (press-ups, situps etc.)
Warmup drills: lunges, high knees, side steps etc.

1st set: 100m, 60 seconds, 80m, 30 seconds, 60m, 15 seconds, 40m, 10 seconds
5 minute rest
2nd set: 40m, 10 seconds, 60m, 15 seconds, 80m, 60 seconds, 100m
5 minute rest
3rd set: 100m, walk back, 80m, walk back, 60m, walk back, 40m
5 minutes
4th set: 100m, 2 minutes, 60m

(all runs at 95-100%, rest times include jog/walk back to start as necessary)

Also, while I’ve got a bit of a discussion going…

How would you guys advise my time was best spent during my warm weather training trip?

Last year we spent very little time actually on the track which worried me a bit, and I did notice a drop in my speed between leaving and coming back, but then I did go on to make the biggest improvements in a single season since I start running. So I can’t dismiss it completely, but just so you know what I was up to, here’s my training diary from last years trip…

Portugal 2012 Training Diary (3rd-17th April)

Wednesday 4th
08:00
· 5km in 31mins (2.5km over undulating clifftops, 2.5km on beach)

13:00
· 1km jog

Warm up drills:
· High knees, heel flicks, lunges etc.
· Squats with partner on back (5 squats, 5 steps, 5 squats etc. for 25m)
· Laying on back, holding feet 6" off ground, raising to 90*, repeat.
· 10 press ups, hold at top, 10 press ups, hold at top, 10 press ups
· 5 Sets: 150m @ 80%, 1 min rest, 150m @80%, 3 min rest
· 1km jog

Thursday 5th
07:30
· 1.5km jog along clifftops

Stair exercises:
· Run whole set (92 steps), 1 foot each step
· 2 footed jump, 2 feet each step
· 1 footed hop, 1 step - 6 flights on each foot (alternating)
· Timed stair run, 1 foot 1 step (19.6)
· Med ball exercises: Overhear throws, side throws, chest passes etc.
· 1.5km job back along beach

14:00
· 5 minute jog to cross country track
· 11min run on cross country track (lap = 2km)

Warm up drills:
· High knees, crossovers, high skips, low skips etc.
· 30m strides to 60%
· 60m strides to 75%
· 7 Sets Interval runs: 30s @ 80%, 1 min jog etc.
· 5 minute jog back from cross country track

Friday 6th
08:00
· 2km jog along clifftops

Stair exercises:
· Run whole set (92 steps), 1 foot each step
· 2 footed jump, 2 feet each step
· 1 footed hop, 1 step - 6 flights on each foot (alternating)
· Timed stair run (1 foot, 1 step)

12:00
· Light warm up with sprint drills: High knees, lunges, dynamic stretching etc.
· Timed Runs @ 100%: 150, 120, 100, 80, 60, 30

Saturday 7th
15:00

Med ball session: (3 sets with core* between)
· 20 Seated overhead throws
· 20 Seated overhead throws (lay back version)
· 20 Seated side throws left (legs off ground)
· 20 Seated side throws right (legs off ground)
· 20 Chest passes (laying on front)

*Core:
· 30s Plank, front (with alternate leg raises for 10s each)
· 30s Plank, left
· 30s Plank, back
· 30s Plank, right
· Hold press up position 10s
· 10 press ups
· Hold half way position 10s
· 5 press ups
· Hold at bottom 10s, while moving torso front, back, left right

16:30
· 1 hour volleyball

Sunday 8th
08:00

Stair exercises:
· 2 footed slalom jump, 2 feet each step
· 1 footed hop, 1 step - 6 flights on each foot (alternating)
· Timed stair run (1 foot, 1 step)

Stability Drills:
· Front plank with alternate leg lifts
· Press ups, holding between sets etc.

14:00
Track Session:
· Light warm up with sprint drills: High knees, lunges, dynamic stretching etc.
· 3 x 50m strides @ 80%
· 3 x 100m @ 80%

Gym Session: (3 x 10 reps, increasing weight each set)
· Overhead
· Weighted squats
· Leg curl
· Overhead pull (to shoulders)
· Overhead pull (to chest)
· Tricep/forearm curls
· Bench press

Leg press:
· Both legs
· Single leg
· Single leg, on toes

15:00
· Light warm up with sprint drills: High knees, lunges, dynamic stretching etc.
· Timed runs @ 100%: 300 (37.15) & 150 (16.16)

Monday 9th
08:00
· 3km jog along beach then clifftops

Drills:
· High knee slalom
· Leg kick slalom
· Bounding over cones (increasing distance)
· High knees over cones
· 70% run up hill, then down
· High knee slalom with and without arms (alternating)

Static drills: (on stomach)
· Breast stroke
· Chopping
· Shoulder crunches

· Alternate leg v-sits (single leg)
· Ankle rotations while holding feet at 6"

16:00

Track Session:
· 1 lap warm up jog, light warm up with sprint drills: High knees, lunges, dynamic stretching etc.
· Press ups with forward/backward motion at bottom
· Reverse plank 1m
· 2 sets: sprint, jog, sprint etc. (125m total, 25m intervals)
· 2 laps: Jog 150m, sprint 50m, jog 150m etc.

100% Sprints:
· 80m x 3 (1st start laying on front)
· 60m x 3 (1st start looking back)
· 40m x 3 (1st run holding breath)

Gym Session: (2 x 10 reps, increasing weight each set)
· Leg press - both legs (then reduce to 5 reps, increase in weight - further 2 sets)
· Leg press - single leg
· Leg curl
· Overhead pull (to chest)
· Overhead pull (to shoulders)
· Incline situps (with 10kg weight on chest)
[b][u]

Tuesday 10th[/u][/b]
08:00
· 1.5km jog over clifftops
· Core/Stability exercises on beach
· Slow run up stairs, 1 foot 1 step
· Fast run up stairs, 1 foot 1 step
· 2 arm fence hops for 5m
· 1.5km job back on beach
· Interval Runs: (5 intervals of 25m, 125m total)
40% / 60%
50% / 70%
60% / 80%
40% / 90%

· 10 mins football

14:00

Gym Session:
· Step ups w/knee lift - 40kg x 10, 50kg x 10
· Squats - 50kg x 10, 70kg x 10
· Calf raises (fast) - 40kg for 20 seconds, 40kg for 20 seconds
· Front squat - 30kg x 10, 40kg x 10
· Deadlift - 70kg x 10, 90kg x 10
· Power Cleans - 50kg x 10, 60kg x 10
· Clean & Jerk - 50kg x 10, 60kg x 10
· Bench press - 40kg x 10, 50kg x 10
· Squats - 50kg x 10, 70kg x 10
· Bent over rows - 50kg x 10, 70kg x 10
· Deadlift - 50kg x 10, 70kg x 10

· 2 hours volleyball

Wednesday 11th - Rest Day

Thursday 12th
08:00
· Light stretches
· 3km jog over clufftops
· Light stretches

Stability/Core:
· Plank: Front, left, back right - 1 min each
· Plank with diagonal arm/leg raises - 30s each side
· Side plank with leg raises - 30s each side

Med ball:
· Kneeling overhead throws x 10 (on each knee)
· Seated side throws x 10 (each side)
· Chest passes x 30

· 1 min skipping
· 5 min resistance exercises with strap
· Small lap of clifftop - switching between 40% / 60%
· Bigger lap of clifftop - switching between 40% / 60%

12:00

Gym Session:
· Weighted lunges - 60kg x 10, 60kg x 10
· Step ups w/knee lift - 60kg x 10, 60kg x 10
· Calf raises (fast) - 40kg for 25s, 40kg for 25s
· Bent over rows - 60kg x 10, 60kg x 10
· Squats - 60kg x 10, 100kg x 10
· Deadlift - 100kg x 10, 120kg x 5
· Incline Bench press - 50kg x 10, 60kg x 5

Friday 13th
08:00
· 1.5km jog along clifftops
· Core/stability exercises on beach: Press ups, sit ups, alternate leg v-sits etc.
· 2 footed jumps up beach
· Alternate leg hopping up stairs - 6 flights each leg, changing each flight
· Timed run up stairs, 1 foot 1 step - 18.3
· 1.5km jog back on clifftops

14:30

Gym Session: 3 sets of 10 reps increasing weight each set
· Tricep curls
· Bicep curls
· Shoulder raises
· Butterfly pulls
· Tricep curls (free weights)
· Curling combo: (1/2 tricep curl, 1/2 bicep curl, full bicep curl) - 10 of each
1 set 25kg, 2 sets 30kg
· Front and back chest presses (10 each, alternating) - 30kg

Saturday 14th
14:30

Cross country track:
· 1 lap warm up (2km)
· Sprint drill: High knees, lunges, fast feet etc.
· 2 x 60m acceleration runs @ 60%
· Interval runs: 7 sets - 30s run, 80s rest (rest decreases 10s each set)
· 2 x 200m hill sprints
· 2 x 100m flat sprints

Sunday 15th
08:00

· 1km run on beach - continuous relay
· Run up stairs (3 steps)
· Timed run up strairs (3 steps)
· 1km jog back on beach

Drills on wooden walkway:
· Alternate foot hopping
· 2 footed hop
· High knees
· Bounding

Exercises on field:
· Russion step (long jump, high jump, long jump etc.)
· 25m sprints (start on hill)
· 5 x diagonal sprints* on football pitch

*Jog the short sides, sprints diagonally across pitch, jog the short side etc.

Monday 16th
11:00

Track Session:
· Light warm up with stretches
· Sprint drills: High knees, alternate leg hurdles etc.
· 5 x 30m starts
· 2 x 50m sprints
· 2 x 100m sprints

Gym Session:
· Seated rows - 35kg x 10, 45kg x 10, 55kg x 10
· Lat pulldowns/bicep pulldowns: 3 sets, 10 reps - 50kg, 55kg, 55kg
· Tricep dips/curls - 10 each (on machine): 30kg, 40kg, 50kg
· Crossovers - 20kg x 10, 25kg x 10

Monday 16th - Rest Day/Packing

Edit

-Deleted-

OK I will comment

wth… thats a cr=p load of volume and none specific.

your progress may actually have been from simply training a heavy load as relatively young.
Have you been given your training plan for this year?

Run over clifftops and back up the next day.

Wow

your volume is massive for april!

Not that my programme is great but this is the one planned for my group this year

Saturday 16th March
1 lap warm-up jog
30 minutes of drills and stretching

2 x 30m tyre pulls at 85-95%

6 x 60m @ 100% into wind, 2 minute recovery (concentrating on keeping feet low)
6 minute rest
3 x 100m @ 100% with wind, 4 minute recovery (focusing on top end form & knee lift)

Heh, I was only surprised that someone with 21.39 fitness and speed over 200m didn’t have a PB in the 60 below 7.02, that’s all.

I could probably have gone under 7 if I’d gone to another competition, almost every single 60m I’ve done so far this season has been a PB. I didn’t want to do too much though as I was only planning on doing a couple of competitions just as practice before the 200m at the UK Champs.

Had a bit of spare time on my hands so I plotted all my PBs for each year on a graph, then added a trendline to see where it thinks I should end up by 2014 at my current rate of progression…

Tuesday 19th March
30 minutes drills and stretching, dynamic exercises like lunges and chest jumps etc.

300m @ 80% 3 minute rest, 300m @ 85%

5 minute rest

200m @ 95%, 3 minute rest, 200m @ 100%, 3 minute rest, 150m @ 100%

Hey David, just remember that the rate of progression its not something linear. You’ve got to consider many factors, and the main one is that the closer you are to your maximum performance capacity the slower you progress.

Thursday 21st March
1 hour general fitness circuit, mostly bodyweight and med ball exercises

1 x 75m @ 80%, 3 x 75m at 100%
3 minutes between runs

To genke, I know the rate of progression will slow down toward the peak of performance, but there was no option for a line that looked accurate so I just used the linear one as a base line.

Got back from my warm weather training trip to Portugal last night, I tried to keep a note of all my session as best I could. Got about 15 written down which I will get posted up here shortly :slight_smile:

Welcome back! Interested to see how things went.