I am coaching an athlete who wants to run 51. I have said he needs to run a 200m in around 23.2. As he is still developing his conditioning for the 400m I expect him to come through the first 2 in 24.5 and finish his last 2 in 26.5.
Last season he run a 54.5 off 3 months of training and went through in 25.5 for the first 200. He run too close to his 200pb, but the one thing I noticed everybody at that level didn’t run hard enough in the first 250 and couldn’t get him.
First of all, I would like to thank you for the time that you spend helping people here. I really appreciate it and I am sure everybody else does.
I have been using your 400 method for a while but without continuity. Since I had several problems in my Aquiles + training alone + no-lights + no coach my training was… more complicated than what I would have liked. But after the Winter break I decided to come back. I trained for 3 months (-2 weeks with a big knot on my calves) where I did 2xGPP of your system, and then 3 weeks of your transition phase. For the moment, I am running more 100-200 (as Nikoluski suggested) mainly because I don’t feel that the 3 months are enough for the 400m run. I run pretty close of my PB in both 100-200 (11.16 and 22.26) while the only 400m was a disaster (49.99, although I have to admit that the fear had some effect). The feeling that I have is that it takes me too much effort to keep the speed, so it’s either all in or way too relaxed.
I am looking to extend the competition calendar (I have found competitions until the first week of June, hopefully I would be able to run until mid-July). Would you suggest to keep doing some transition weeks? If not, what kind of workout would you recommend for the competition phase?
I have also some questions regarding the GPP for next season now I have “recover” the spirit!!! :).
1 - I was thinking on starting to train during August with the goal of competing May-July next year. What do you think on doing a short-to-long approach during 12 weeks (I was thinking on trying Charlie’s method) to win some speed and then embrace your system? This will make August-October (CF’s method), November-January (GPP+transition kitkat1), February-April (GPP+transition 2 kitkat1). The reason of this approach is that I feel that my speed is limiting the improvement and I have never focused the training on speed. Do you think that it makes sense?
Regarding the GPP:
2 - Since my calves are delicate I tend to train on grass. Let’s say that my target time is 47.50, this will make a 24.75 in the last 200. How much time should I add to the target time on the 6x200 (or other training) when running on grass?
3 - When do you recommend to start working on track? My process is usually: grass (no spikes) => grass (spikes) => track (spikes) and I start with 1 day/week, then 2/days week… and so on.
4 - Most weeks have “tough” days (300-250-200-… or 2x(300+150)…). I am not sure of one thing: how should I finish those days? I mean, if I go as fast as I can on this days I would probably throw up and some days (maybe) not finish. Should the target’s time be something like 36+18 in 300+150, for example? Should I forget about the time and focus only on the form? I read that you say to don’t try to look for something that it’s not there yet, but… I think that I would relax too much.
5 - On hill days, you recommend 10% hill and 360m around PB in 400m. I have found a 5% slope hill and… I think that the faster that I ran was 330m in 50", and I wasn’t able to finish the 3 blocks. Am I missing something? My only guess if the times are correct for the rest of the people is that I am really weak running hills!!
I am sorry if there is any question repeated. I have tried to read through all the thread (I have done it 2-3 times) but it’s a long thread and I could have missed something.
Thanks!
Tassl
Little steps: Perhaps instead of worrying about your split times, you should concentrate on creating and holding onto “the rhythm of the race” which you would like to run. As a back-up measure, someone should take your rep times so you know how it feels to be running a particular pace.
The Hill sprint sounds OK to me. 5-to-10-Degrees angle of ascent is good. And 300 metres or longer is also what you want. Running in (long) spikes on grass hill or track is also good.
Don’t chase “speed”. How do you chase something like that. What you really mean when you say you want to run a fast time is that you want to find the right rhythm. When you relax into an appropriate rhythm then you get the time as a consequence. Slow rhythm, slow time. Fast rhythm, fast time (assuming mechanics and relaxation are optimal)…
As for next GPP, I’ll come back to you later on that. Let’s get through the current season and try to get some rewards back for the effort you have already put in.
PS : The races should help you decide what you need in training as you progress through your season. If you lack “speed” then do some more speed-type training and make sure you are properly rested before each high intensity session.
If you cannot finish your races, then make sure you keep some endurance training in your program. There are many examples of speed and endurance sets even in the GPP. Just take those and play around with them a bit, make them specific to your racing needs. 
Thanks kitkat! I will left next season for later 
Little steps: Perhaps instead of worrying about your split times, you should concentrate on creating and holding onto “the rhythm of the race” which you would like to run. As a back-up measure, someone should take your rep times so you know how it feels to be running a particular pace.
The main problem about the rhythm is… that I can’t be sure that the rhythm is fast or correct for the time target. Even though I can feel if I am running faster or slower most of the time, I don’t know the feeling for the best way of running and thus is complicated for me to reproduce (I need to feel something to be able to reproduce it). I don’t have anybody that can take rep times (maybe I can find somebody once in a while), but in any case, I will follow your suggestions and run mostly without checking split times.
PS : The races should help you decide what you need in training as you progress through your season. If you lack “speed” then do some more speed-type training and make sure you are properly rested before each high intensity session.
If you cannot finish your races, then make sure you keep some endurance training in your program. There are many examples of speed and endurance sets even in the GPP. Just take those and play around with them a bit, make them specific to your racing needs.
Just to be sure, do you mean modify next seasons training considering my limitations this year?
I ran this weekend, 100 and 200 again. Bad start in the 100, but I felt pretty fast after 30 meters. 11.15, which is SB. After this race I was exhausted, which is weird. A 100 have never made me feel that tired. In the 200 I had some pain in the Achilles and I felt the hamstring when I was finishing the turn so I relaxed “too much”. 22.54
This Saturday I have another competition and I am going to try 400 again. I think that I lack training to finish strong (I started training in mid January, with a 2 week stop for a knot in my calves) but I would like to try anyways. I am not sure how to focus the week, I thought on doing some tempo today (Sunday), some speed on Monday and something like 150, 300 on Tuesday. Any suggestion?
I have to admit that I am pretty excited (and surprised!) in general. I wasn’t expecting that after 3 years without competing and with only 3 months of training I could be back running that close to my PB. That might be the reason why I wanted to start “talking” about next season ;). Also, because I don’t have much competitions going on here, at least not that I know.
Thanks again!
PS : The races should help you decide what you need in training as you progress through your season. If you lack “speed” then do some more speed-type training and make sure you are properly rested before each high intensity session.
If you cannot finish your races, then make sure you keep some endurance training in your program. There are many examples of speed and endurance sets even in the GPP. Just take those and play around with them a bit, make them specific to your racing needs.
Just to be sure, do you mean modify next seasons training considering my limitations this year?
NO, ACT NOW. Every race or time trial should yield information. Use the information to adjust your training to address the shortcomings revealed by your most recent performances .
Thanks
I am interested in this concept. I (or my coaches) have usually focused only in increase the quality of the runs decreasing the volume without taking that much into account the last performances.
In my case, I am feeling pretty fast (2.8x in flying 30 and 6.6x in 60m standing), the problems I have felt during my races are:
I am not sure how I would address this; I am writing my reasoning: as I am competing on Saturday, I thought on 2 days:
Monday: 4x80m (starting from blocks, 400m pace). 4x150.
Wednesday: 4x100m, 2x(200+200).
Tempo on Tuesday and warm-up on Friday.
Does the reasoning makes sense? If not, where is the mistake and what/why would you change? Thanks!
Legs crossing? Could be a weakness to semimembranosis (or adductor) unable to stablise the leg when trailing in the stride recovery cycle. See you physiotherapist.
Your proposed work for this week sounds ok to me. Only one way to find out. Try it. If you run real fast, note it down for future reference.
Wow! Thanks, I will definitely check the adductor. I have had this problem since I can remember and nobody could tell me why, so it could be nice to stabilize the stride. Could it be that the rest of the hamstring muscles are stronger that the adductor and this affects the stride? I am asking this question because I’ve always had pretty strong hamstrings (in eccentric exercise with some inclination I can block my body few centimeters from the ground with not that much effort).
Also, another question: how do you address weights workouts during competition time?
Weights during comp. I keep them as far away from the next race or speed training session as possible. If we have a race on Saturday, we will do weights maybe Monday after the Monday track session, then Tues is usually a rest day, Wednesday is back to high intensity on track and followed then by weights same day. So during comp period we drop back to one or two weights sessions a week if there is a race at the end of the week. But we will sometimes deliberately schedule a block of training and skip some meets so we can reload in the gym if needs be. The “needs be” is based on the observations/feelings of both the athlete and the coach.
Update!!
Today was huge day. My 400m boy ran a 48.93 then 25 minutes later ran a 22.6 200m. He ran against a quality runner in both events and it was the closest races of the year for him. He broke the school record (one of his goals) and now has until May 20 to prep for the regional meet, which decides who makes the state finals.
The plan is tomorrow massage and recovery jog. Thursday maybe tempo of 300s. Friday a warm-up only.
We have a high quality meet Saturday. He will run the 4x800, 400 open, and 4 x 400 and possibly a 4x200 relay. All the events will be close to hour time between. He is a 2:05 800 relay leg and our 4x800 team is top 4 in area, with the other 3 teams being there Saturday.
Sunday would be massage and recovery jog.
Monday was planning on 200+200.
Tuesday maybe 4x200 in come home pace.
Wednesday tempo again,
Thursday warm up.
Friday: Race Day
He seems to do well with recovery jogs of 15-20 minutes the day before our Tuesday meets and a few of the Saturdays. I might give Wednesday off, then Thursday 15 min jog. Friday race day.
We have been 2 weeks since doing any speed work. Our last speed session was 2 weeks ago Thursday and we did 60, 80, 120, 150, 250 with full recovery. Followed by recovery jog on Friday then Meet Saturday (ran well: 4x200 leg, 4x100 leg, 4x400 leg, all fast or him)
Last week we did Mon jog, Tues Meet, Wed 6x200 with jog recovery in come home pace, Thursday jog, Friday off, Sat meet (ran crappy). Sun off
Monday jog 20 min, Meet (today, set 2 PRs).
Any tips leading to the regional meet in abut 9 days??
Thanks again. He, and I both thank you.
Congratulations! This shows a huge improvement after the first races!
Related to the next races, isn’t it too much?
Is individual top performance a single event happening in a certain moment in time (towards which we strive hard to manage all information to us available) or more so a state which allows for individual best performances possibly in a row and over (at least some of the) time?
You seem to ‘agree’ with Clyde Hart and Michael Johnson (and others, I guess), who don’t believe in tapering as such? Am I reading you correctly?
I guess you are. Aristotle seems to tell the whole story in your signature:how does a habit ever need a taper?
I have a few questions then
What does the duration of this high performance period depend upon? Do the characteristics needed for such a performance determine the time frame to get ready for (e.g., the shorter the event, the more cycles within a season)?
And how can we be sure this series of high performances (i.e., without tapering) are at least as good, if not better (that’s always the target, no?) vs. the individual top one ‘when it matters most’ (after tapering)?
In other words, a habit may not need tapering, but will it equal top performance (excellence) ‘simply’ by what is done repeatedly? I wish I could ask Aristotle…
*shall we move this to a separate thread perhaps?
see I don’t get this concept of no taper. If we take it literally it means an athlete is ready to run at their best at any given time almost at the drop of a hat. Hart says he moves from quantity to quality, if that isn’t a taper then what is? Unless of course what is meant by no taper is over a much shorter period in season i.e. no special 10 day (or other) phase pre major meet ala CF. So the volume and type of Wariner does in the week leading into the WC will be the same as 2 months out? Really?
Some systems of training more or less keep the athlete fresh year round, by never really loading them up in the classic ways (i.e. 3 hard/1 easy). Along with that realize that tapering only adds a few percentage points to performance. And that’s only if it’s allowing built up fatigue to dissipate. Don’t build up a bunch of fatigue in the first place and tapering may become more or less moot.
Upon the duration of the high performance training inducing the deficit.
Not at all.
Maybe the real question is what prevents in most if not all training programs excellence from being a habit,and along with it top performance,day in,day out.
I don’t think such high performances can be accomplished year round. But they seem to be achieved more or less once the season starts and during it. I guess, the “racing-reloading” cycle, as KitKat has mentioned many times, plus the competitive edge, as the season progresses, would result in higher and higher performances almost by default. Having said that, I would too expect at least some differences of, say, volume, during the season. I would like to read KitKat’s comment on this issue and his experiences.
Aren’t these few percentage points though worth trying for? Or you mean it’s not worth the ‘risk’, if a ‘non-loading’ system is followed (i.e., a more conservative approach)?