when going into the GPP2 phase do we need a period of more tempo before going back into hills?
also do the distances go out for GPP 2.
In my experience no as the two are quite different - one upright one leaning forward and quad dominant. And after all you will have been doing tempo all the way through right up until the taper (and even into it) so your guys should be quite fit.
What you do need though is perhaps 2 weeks (3-4sessions) of very gradual introduction. You can start these on tempo days and then switch them to speed days after the first week (3 sessions) So perhap (conservative volumes):
Session 1 (tempo day): 4x20 2x40 (gentle) and 1000-1500m Tempo
Session 2 (tempo day): 4x20 4x40 (gentle) and 800-1600m Tempo
Session 3 (Tempo/speed day): 4x20 (gengle warm up) 2x3x40 (fast) and 600-1800m tempo
Session 4 (Speed day): 4x20 (warm up) 2x4x40 (fast) and 600-2000m tempo
Session 5: Start Hills for real
Doing this seems to prevent any stiffness from starting hill work again. Note that Sessions 1-3 are really not fast they are just relaxed up a hill and hence doing tempo afterwards isn’t the contradiction it seems. This is just an adaptation period.
Note 2: The tempo periods can go either way. You could aim to increase tempo work each workout or the opposite and reduce it to take into account the increased hill volume. It all comes down to the level of the athlete.
I have found 60m to be the furthest hills are really useful for a short sprinter. After that they loose form and you halways have to be careful about making the hip flexors/ITB too tight.