What are your short and longer term goals for your athlete’s DMA?
The season just finished goal was to run 53 point in the 400, and sub 12 and 24 in the 200. Achieved the first but not the second and third goals - he never seemed to race these as well as his training suggested. I need to review what we did or didn’t do.
Next season, which I am in planning for at them moment, hoping his 400 goes 52, 200 goes 24, and 100 sub 12 - will be focusing on 200 speed.
Longer term, I see the athlete moving to 400-800 as he is probably more suited to middle distance. I think he is capable of being a better 800 runner.
A brief outline on problems with this season.
Spent about 8 weeks in the first SPP phase not being able to high quality work, whether this was maximum speed or specific work, due to silly injuries happening outside of training.
Probably over raced, due to his personality - very intense and a perfectionist.
Coach probably over trained him, and wasn’t strict enough with training I couldn’t attend.
Positive run over 2 seconds faster in the 400 than the season before
Made his first ever State championship final (the day after a family wedding)
Won a bronze medal in the 4 x 400 with his club and was the fastest runner out of first leg runners.
Successful season, but I can improve on things as his coach.
Once I get to sit down and plot out the next season
Just in process of organising training outline.
Period One
2 weeks Rest
2 weeks Transition training (basically 3 or 4 days of doing something)
2 weeks of structure training - where they have options in what training they can do. The closer it is to specific conditioning the less sessions they have to do
8 weeks in GPP training. Use sleds, medicine balls and general conditioning resistance sessions.
16 weeks in SPP. Main aim is to develop speed in one session, and speed endurance (specific endurance) with hills.
3 weeks of competition preparation (training from hills to another track session happens here)
2 weeks of competition with focus on 100 and 200
Phase 2
1 Week Transition
2 weeks GPP
10 weeks SPP
2 weeks Comp Prep
4 weeks Competition (focus 400 and 200)
The weekly structure for the new season will look something like this
Mon - Speed and Resistance
Tue - Tempo
Wed - Off
Thu - Resistance
Fri - Tempo
Sat - Hills
Sun - Off
This weekly structure will go for about 4 months. The tuesday session will be extensive tempo for the first 6 weeks, and morph into KK’s 6 x 200 session.
Resistance on Thursday is stand alone, as training session that day is limited due to other engagements.
First official week back at training, but the squad has been doing something for the past 2 weeks. The day before the first training session, the squad (and other Hobartians) had the wonderful Kitkat available. It was a brilliant to have coaches of the current Men’s and Women’s 400m Australian record in Hobart.
Anyway back to training. This is week 3 of an 8 week GPP
Monday - Speed and Resistance
- 4 x 30m with 30% of bodyweight, 3 minutes recovery
- 4 x 30m with 2 minutes recovery
- 1 x 90m at 400m finishing pace. The 400m runner failed to grasp the concept and run it at about 1 second too fast
Weights
1a. Clean Pull + Hang Clean 4 x 2 (2+1)
1b. Squat Stretch 4 x 20 sec
2a. Hip Thrust 2 x 8
2b. Military Press 2 x 6
2c. Front Hold off Bench 2 x 20sec
3a. Lat Pulldown 2 x 8
3b. Front Squat 2 x 6
3c. Kettlebell Overhead Walk (1 arm) 2 x 20sec each side
Tuesday
Tempo - they have a choice between running, rowing, bike, swimming and 3 programmes for each.
Wednesday is off, although they most do another sport
Thursday - Resistance
1a. 1 Arm Suitcase Deadlift 3 x 4 each side
1b. Yoga Move 3 x 4 each side
2a. 1 Legged Squat 3 x 3 each side
2b. Floor Press + Push Ups 3 x 5 + max
2c. Dragonflags 3 x 20sec
3a. Arabseques 3 x 8 each leg
3b. Bent Row + Rev Push Ups 3 x 6 + max
3c. Side Holds 3 x 20 sec each side
Friday - see Tuesday
Saturday - Hills
- 2 x 20m, 2 minutes rest
- 2 x 200m, walk back between reps then 8 minutes
- 2 x 100m + 60m, walk back between reps then 8 minutes
2nd week of training
Monday - Speed and Resistance
- 2 x 30m, 2-3 minutes recovery
- 4 x 30m with 30% of bodyweight, 2-3 minutes recovery
- 2 x 30m, 2-3 minutes recovery
- 1 x 90m at 400m finishing pace. The 400m runner failed to grasp the concept and run it at about 1 second too fast
Weights
1a. Clean Pull + Hang Clean 5 x 2 (2+1)
1b. Squat Stretch 5 x 20 sec
2a. Hip Thrust 2 x 10
2b. Military Press 2 x 6
2c. Front Hold off Bench 2 x 30 sec
3a. Lat Pulldown 2 x 10
3b. Front Squat 2 x 6
3c. Kettlebell Overhead Walk (1 arm) 2 x 30 sec each side
Tuesday
Tempo - they have a choice between running, rowing, bike, swimming and 3 programmes for each.
Wednesday is off, although they most do another sport
Thursday - Resistance
1a. 1 Arm Suitcase Deadlift 4 x 4 each side
1b. Yoga Move 4 x 4 each side
2a. 1 Legged Squat 3 x 4 each side
2b. Floor Press + Push Up 3 x 5 + max
2c. Dragonflags 2 x 30 sec
3a. Arabseques 3 x 10 each leg
3b. Bent Row + Rev Push Ups 3 x 6 + max
3c. Side Holds 3 x 25 sec each side
Friday - see Tuesday
Saturday - Hills
- 2 x 20m, 2 minutes rest
- 2 x 200m, walk back between reps then 8 minutes
- 2 x 60m + 100m + 60m, walk back between reps then 8 minutes
They didn’t do there Tuesday or Friday session, as they were tired due to Uni and work committments - but still race a 7km race on Sunday. Haven’t spoken to them about that, only found out as a friend tried to beat them.
For smart people, they are stupid and old training beliefs espoused by family are difficult to break down.
3rd Week of training, planned format didn’t change much but a few things popped up so we had to modify training or cancel session
Monday - Speed and Resistance
- 1 x (3 x 30m), 2-3 minutes recovery - 3x 30 = 30 @30%, 30@nil, 30 @ 10% bodyweight
- 1 x 90m at 400m finishing pace. The 400m runner failed to grasp the concept and run it at about 1 second too fast
Weights
1a. Clean Pull + Hang Clean 3 x 2(2+1)
1b. Squat Stretch 3 x 20 sec
2a. Hip Thrust 2 x 12
2b. Military Press 2 x 8
2c. Front Hold off Bench 2 x 40 sec
3a. Lat Pulldown 2 x 12
3b. Front Squat 2 x 6
3c. Kettlebell Overhead Walk (1 arm) 2 x 40 sec each side
Tuesday
Tempo - they have a choice between running, rowing, bike, swimming and 3 programmes for each.
Wednesday is off, although they most do another sport
Thursday - Resistance
1a. 1 Arm Suitcase Deadlift 3 x 6 each side
1b. Yoga Move 3 x 4 each side
2a. 1 Legged Squat 2 x 6 each side
2b. Floor Press + Push Up 2 x 8 + max
2c. Dragonflags 2 x 30 sec
3a. Arabseques 2 x 12 each leg
3b. Bent Row + Rev Push Ups 3 x 10 + max
3c. Side Holds 3 x 30 sec each side
Friday - see Tuesday
Saturday - Hills
No training - had a University commitment
We are coming into Exam period, so the planned week (pretty similar to previous weeks) and next weeks (rest and test) have been moved. My University students are studying Engineering and Medicine (they are under enough stress). So the next 3 weeks will be on the fly.
Last night the athlete did
2 x 60+300+60. 60 at come home pace, jog to 300 (100m jog) run 300 in 40, walk back to 60 and run. Rest 10 minutes.
First set hit the marks, 2nd set was 48 for 300.
Weights was pretty same as previous weeks.
The athlete isn’t ready to be doing speed endurance work, but it was good to touch base and show him were he is at
Thursday athlete did a full weights session and Saturday half a hills session.
He has 3 exams in 6 days, then another 2 the week after. As he operates on the motto, to get better do more work. So my philosophy for this period is if you want to train we train. I am encouraging him to turn up.
Athlete is slowly getting back into the mental side of training after only coming to training at 80% (University exams)
Tonights session was
Track
- 3 x 15 Acc, 12m Fast, 15m easy, 4 minutes rest
- 3 x 200m, 200m walk; 26.2, 26.4, 27.1
Weights
1a. Box Jump 3 x 3
1b. Hang Clean 3 x 3
1c. Deadlift 3 x 4
1d. Straight Arm Ab Pulldown 3 x 8
2a. 1 Leg Step Down 2 x 5
2b. Push Ups with two bands 2 x 11
2c. Dragonflags 2 x 6
3a. Back Extension + Row 2 x 7
3b. Hip Thrust 2 x 7
3c. Side Thrusts 2 x 30 sec
This last week has been a test and rest week.
Monday test wasn’t great, but got the cobwebs out
Monday -
- Standing LJ (3 attempts) - 2.66 (best attempt) that is a 6 cm pb
- 60m - 7.40 (0.21 seconds slower than pb)
- first 30 - 4.06
- flying 30 - 3.34 - 150m - 19.34
- 300m - 42.80 (died coming into the 200m start)
I am okay with the the SLJ, 60m and 150m (would have liked a faster 150, but it is okay). Disappointed in the 300m.
The athlete had spent 3 days camping, after having a family funeral for their paternal grandfather, prior to the Monday session.
Tuesday to Friday he was aware having a short break in the snow with his girlfriend, before he goes back to Uni.
Saturday -
- 300m Hill - 46.2 (pb is 45.5)
Pretty happy with that effort. This time last year the hill was 49.5. If he improves by a similar amount his 400m time should drop around 4 sec.
what intensity was the 200s ? 26,26,27 seem to be pretty fast with 200 walk.
Sharmer based on KK’s 6 x 200 session. So last 100 of a 400m pace. I actually had planned 27 pace
Athlete had a calf injury, that I think was caused by doing over 8 hours of driving, 6 hours of bushwalking in 3 days. Then we did a 300m hill, and he then decided to help a club member with his hills.
The past three weeks, we have been rebuilding volume and specific speed. Next week will go back to a full load of running next week with the intent being on having full intensity at race specific workout, but keep a big eye on how he is feeling.
Since my last post, we have been holding ground due to a winter virus (it isn’t putting people in bed but on average it is taking most people 3 weeks to get over it), but we managed to undertake sessions to keep the body moving.
Last night we took his session running sessions back to 8 weeks ago and managed to get through the session and weights on top of it. The session last night was
- 4 x 15m acc, 10m Fly, 15m Relax; 4-5 minutes rest
- 2 x 200m in 26.5-27; 200m easy shuffle recovery (did it in 26.0 and 27.2 on first step)
Weights straight after was
1a. Power Clean Pull 3 x 5
1b. Yoga Stretch 3 x 4 each side
2a. Bench Press 2 x 8
2b. Step ups 2 x 8 each leg
2c. Straight Arm Ab 2 x 2 x 15 sec x 1" Powerband
3a. Hip Lift 2 x 8
3b. Bent Row with Kettlebell 2 x 8
3c. Pallof Press 2 x 30 sec each side x 1: Powerband
Tonight his session is meant to be Easy tempo of 300, 500, 600, 500, 300
This week has managed to get the sessions out
Tuesday was tempo
300
500
600
500
300
1-2 minutes rest between
Wednesday was off
Thursday
1a. Hang Snatch 3 x 5
1b. Squat to Stand 3 x 4 x 5 sec hold in each position
2a. Stiff Leg Deadlift 3 x 10
2b. Push Press 3 x 5
2c. Push Up Holds on Stability 3 x 3 x 30 sec
3a. Lunges 2 x 12
3b. Chin Ups 2 x 30 sec
3c. Plate Raise 2 x 60 sec
Tomorrow is tempo session
S1: 400
S2: 400
S3: 400
S4: 400
After each run do
• 20 push ups and
• 50 crunches
Saturday he is running a road relay for his club 3 x 1 mile legs
why run 90m @ finish pace?
From memory I didn’t want to include a bend, and I thought 90 was as we were working on sets of 90m for sled. I think the 90 is what was modified in that session.
I have some trouble with a speed session and using finishing pace in a run because thats just very slow. For me there is more logic in running a few 80’s or 90’s in a faster oace e.g race pace for opening 200.
This particular athletes has trouble hitting target times, as he just runs as hard as he can all the time. He will run the first 200 in 25 (pb is 24.5) and his target time is 26.5/27 for example.