And if the athletes don’t stick together therapists and coaches are going to be a byproduct of the system or lack off.
Decent day.
Athlete X come 4th in national final equaling personal best.
Drive phase wasn’t as good as I was hoping for. So, definitely room for improvement.
Athlete Y, I decided that Athlete Y needs more racing as we were running out of time before national.
Last two weeks were quite good, I am very pleased and quite optimistic about tomorrow. Athlete finally showed what I was looking for, stability and rhythm.
However, today when arrived at the stadium one of so called top level coaches came to Athlete and said “focus, people are watching you” WTF?!!! Perfect way to make the relatively inexperienced athlete nervous.
I was fuming!!! Had to talk to the guy for 30min to calm him down.
Never been nervous, yesterday had outstanding session, now anxiety going through the roof cause some harmless comment. Very disappointing, especially taking into the fact that I know the coach and usually he’s not doing such a stupid things.
Whatever, fifteen hours to go.
I think we’ll be alright.
We’ll see.
On the way from competition.
Coming home with gold.
At the end kept the anxiety under control, just about. Heats, gone smoothly SB, in final, had to work very hard on the last 4 hurdles.
Anyway, job done.
Do you remember the discussion about this very topic in Speed Trap and other threads? Charlie has spoken at length about other coaches interfering with athletes that are not “there athletes”. I saw this first hand in the high school level. Apparently it was okay for other coaches to have what I will describe as a free for all with “my” athletes and information they felt was relevant. In my view this speaks very poorly of the lack of professionalism within coaching in general. A void of standards that any of us might allow if we do the same. As a coach you have to play a strong offense and train your athletes to block out outside anything that does not comply with a plan that has been practiced routinely over the lead in and duration of the season.
After nationals we took easy, done several massage session for each athlete.
Athlete X got call for national duty which was a great experience. Athlete Y took longer to recover from intense schedule, two weeks of solid therapy with first running sessions was about ten days after national. Rhythms on 18ft apart, bike and tempo.
First session back which was last Wednesday we did 3x20, 4x2H
Friday 3x20, 3x2H, 2x8H
Monday comp SB, Wednesday comp PR.
Finally!!!
Still, it looks like we can be around 13.4, 13.3 by the end of the season if/when he puts race together.
We’ll see.
Last week was reasonably good.
Athlete X did another competition, not particularly fast into headwind, than had a few days off and was moving pretty good last Friday. We did 3x10m, 4x30m, 3x40m.
Athlete Y was bit all over the place after two solid back to back competitions. So yet again decided to wait until his body was ready for the track workout. Friday 2x20, 3x2H, 3x6H. Was moving quite well, trial leg bit sluggish to my liking.
Both did tempo on Saturday 6x2x100m, abs, hurdles walkovers. That’s it.
Both got competition next weekend.
Monday: Athlete Y did session by himself couple flat starts,4x2H and 2x8H. Got feedback from Athlete that felt good and quick.
Athlete X was taking part in the relay practice.
Wednesday: Athlete X did 3x10m, 4x30m, 1x50m felt good and sharp.
Athlete Y did 2x30, 3x2H, 3x3H that’s it apparently there wasn’t time for 5H runs.
Thursday: athlete X had unexpected relay practice (wtf?!)
Friday: Athlete X day off, where Athlete Y was racing in heats and semis of the European U20 Champs going through both.
Saturday: Final for Athlete Y, run PB of 13.4! Coming back with medal from European Junior Championship.
Sunday: Athlete X run in 4x100m relay, very well run with good change-overs. Withdrawn from final, why?!!!. However, team finished in the medal position, Athlete took part in the heats therefore Athlete X will also get a medal, great!!!
Looks like this thread coming to the end as one of them moving out of town to study. The other moving to senior height of the hurdles which is a totally different ball game.
After nearly two years of having this journal going through ups and downs the end is quite unexpected. Two medals from EJC!!!
It’s time to have a drink. Lol
Congrats Wermouth!I watched that final and wondered if that was your athlete. A great run and was only caught by the favourite on the run in. A PB and medal in a major championship is a testament to his talent but more so your efforts and detailed preparation- well done!
Thank you very much for your kind words.
It was quite rough season.
The GPP and smooth lead to the season are fundamental. I have to admit that we missed that very much.
I think that I have learned more during this season than ever before.
Angela did say before to “listen to your gut”. To be honest this is what we did. First thought is paramount. The subjective analysis comes second.
I think that there are another 0.2sec in this boy. Race wasn’t executed fully and properly. Too big time drop on H9 and H10. I think that sub 13.3 is doable.
There has to be more emphasis on the full execution and focus. I do think that running 12H is extremely beneficial, you must concentrate on the/ during run.
We went to comp with no expectations just to gain necessary experience required for the future and comeback with medal is massively rewarding.
Also there are other people who played important part in this success such as group members, therapists, parents.
Interesting that this was done off an interrupted GPP. Shows his undoubted natural ability but also shows your great adaptability and assured decision making. Will he go on do you think?
What do you mean?
Not everyone is able to control the variables in their coaching scenario the way they might like.
I thought a great deal about Charlie this spring coaching these high school kids. I was feeling some things that never occurred to me for the 20 plus years I knew him and it was mind blowing because I found myself reacting as I was him even though I knew different.
You best love to coach as it has been clear to me that not all people are able to pour their hearts into it the way some can. Yet there is lots of coaching going on by people that has nothing to do with the athletes.
It sounds like you did so many things correctly including going into the meet with no expectations.
Clearly having medals is a desirable standard and achieving that is an exceptional accomplishment. It’s interesting also that effort and reward always seem to be so intimately connected. I’ve never done anything worth while that was easy and I would not have it any other way.
I hope you might be taking some time off?
What is ahead for you?
Sorry mate, I meant do you think he will go on and be successful at the senior level ( a bit like asking, “how long is a piece of string”)
Yes I am planning to rest but in two weeks. For now some of them starting to perform lol. Even if some athletes won’t compete for the rest of the season I’d like to keep them sharp maybe we’ll do some throws competition 4kg shot OHB and BLF or maybe some standing long jump, etc… Also I think they can still improve technically, yesterday we worked on blocks clearance and acceleration up to 20m.
Than I’ll have a break, three to four weeks. (I don’t know whether my OCD will let me have a rest, we’ll see lol, lol)
What’s ahead?
Don’t know fully as of yet.
At least I am sure about couple of things definitely planning to recruit. Youngsters, as young as twelve. I have recruited two years ago and there is a great development in the group. Kids have progressed really well. Excited about the future.
Definitely advance my program, we might have a therapist on board as of next season, which would be wonderful. Haven’t thought beyond that.
Whether he will go and be good 110m senior athlete?
I am hoping that he will.
Majority of hurdles struggle to adapt to new circumstances. I have seen number of outstanding junior hurdlers who have struggled with senior height.
From technical point. There is plenty to work on: lead arm swipe too wide, foot of trial leg too high and not close enough. There is also aspect of poor mobility and flexibility, in my opinion both elements are not good enough, with all the above you can still perform at junior level. Having said that senior height will just punish you if those above are not in place.
Also Athlete Y is relatively weak.
So as you can see there is plenty room for improvement.
I am optimistic about the future, as we have been drilling over the senior height quite few time (never run over) he looked ok.
So yeah, when he do what’s asked of him and commit himself fully to his own development, than yes, there is a chance.
Over the past couple of weeks we’ve started transition into senior height of the hurdles.
Athlete Y did 3x9H, 1x6H brought in 2ft, 1H 1m, 2H 1.07m, 3H 1.07m, 4H 1m, 5H 1.07m, 6H 1.07m, 7H 1m, 8H 1.07m, 9H 1.07m touchdowns times were quite good 1.05-1.11sec taking into account that it was a first session over senior height.
Athlete Y definitely lacking in flexibility and mobility. Have to be sorted out, properly!!!
Had a comp last week, run 13.6. It was decent run.
So, we are done for 2017.
Regarding spacing/distance between hurdles … in eastern europe we(males) would begin hurdling in GPP, in the first week at a distance of 8.50m between hurdles at 91cm, second week same distance but at 100cm, third week same distance at 107cm.
From the 4th week, only at 107cm, we would increase the distance with 5- 10cm every week until we reach the standard space/distance…
This way we dont shock the legs/body directly with 107cm hurdles… its a progression from 91cm to 107cm…
Usually we get to the standard space/distance about 2 months before the most important competition(national finals, balkans, maybe european champs) and we hurdle at standard distance/space for 8- 10 weeks(this includes competitions as as well).
Obviously as the weeks are passing by, general strength is going up at the same time with the distance getting larger (+5- 10cm every week).
Some coaches do an even slower progression: 3 weeks 91cm, 3 weeks 100cm, and from the 7th week 107cm…
One western coach liked to do the following hurdle workouts, alternating:
- first week 5 x 5h at 107cm with 3 steps(with small space increase every 2 weeks), next week
- second week was weird, she would put 8- 10 hurdles at 100cm, with a distance of 12- 13m between hurdles and we would do 5 steps between hurdles at maximum speed, walk back at the start and sprint again, this was one set and we would do 2- 4 sets.
We would do like this(alternate) all year round. She says the 5 step sprint allows you to think a bit more about how you will go over the hurdle, to think about your technique, i,e. ur lead/trail leg, your arms aka body positioning/awareness (and she was right)
From another coach I learned the value of running 12 hurdles at 91cm, so I thought , why not combine all in one training, like this:
5x5h with 3 steps at 107cm (with 8.50- 9.14m between hurdles)
1 set of two sprints (over 8- 10 hurdles with 12- 13m distance between)with 5 steps at 100cm
1x12h at 91cm with three steps (with 8.50- 9.14m between hurdles)
Yeah, you can do the hrudles from the first week of the GPP, why not.
In my opinion there has to be clear objective.
I see small problem, the progression that you’ve written of moving from height to height in such a short space of time it makes sense ONLY if/when you are hitting touchdowns times 1.0, 1.0, 1.0… if you are not at 1.0 touchdown than what is the point of changing the height?
What I am saying is: you can be the most efficient hurdler in the world with stunning technique but if you don’t hit the above numbers over majority of the hurdles during practice and the race you are going nowhere!
Re: 8-10H @12-13m you are almost outside track 10H at 12m that’s close to 124m
I don’t see how efficient you can be with walking back recovery doing four sets of two reps?
I have asked Loren Seagrave once whether 4x12H would be enough to develop specific endurance for hurdlers, his response was that he never seen guys who did more and were at the same time technically sound.
Mixing 3, 5 I think it’s great idea with spacing for 5 steps at 12.40m/ 12.60m allows you to brak ceiling.
Good luck with your training.