I need your advice on how to best build my speed in the 40-60 meter portion of my race.
I ran my first 100m on Sunday and managed a 12.15 FAT. The start and first 40 meters were awesome (right beside the leaders) but then I got left in the dust haha. (I was happy considering I haven’t set foot on a track in 6 years)
I have been doing a 3-1-3 weight training program which has gone well and speedwork broken into short medium and longer speed.
I haven’t really done any of the speed 3 (Long speed sessions yet) but plan to start incorporating them ASAP.
All speedwork performed on grass with soccer cleats.
Short speed:
2 sets x 3 reps x 30 meter block start sprints
Medium speed:
2 sets x 3 reps x 60 meter lying start sprints
Long speed:
3 x 80 meter SE type sprints
Weights follow every speed session and I perform Tempo the day after every speed session (Consists of 16 x 100 meter @.65% of max broken into 4 x 4)
I need to do several things.
First I need to improve my overall conditioning and lose a bit of weight. (I weighed myself on Sunday after the race and came in at 205) I want to get down to around 190 pounds while maintaining my current strength levels.
I need to work on my plyos. My strength levels are pretty good and I perform OLY lifts but I think I need to work on my explosiveness even more.
I NEED to improve the 40-60 meter portion of my race.
I was thinking about incorporating a circuit workout once a week. (triples) or some 60 meter hill sprints and plyos with walkback recovery.
Your thoughts and suggestions greatly appreciated!!
Seems to me that the 40-60m portion of the race is highly dependent on your top speed capacity especially for a ~11s runner.
Probably what happened in your race was that you got to 40 ok and the other guys kept accelerating while you were already topped out.’
I would focus on doing lots of flying sprints with easier buildups. Try to get an easy build over 40m, then hold that speed for 10m. Work towards building over 60m and holding it for 20 - 30m
When I do the buildup I want to hit top speed when I reach the 40 mark right? Then hold top speed for ten meters?
Should I slowly increase the runup and the top speed zone simultaneously or keep the 40 meter runup and extend the max speed phase?
thanks!
Chris
ps- Do you think incorporating a hill workout or say a triples circuit would be worthwhile? Or should I stick with what I am doing and just incorporate the flying sprints?
Keep the 20 constant. Gradually push push out the run up length.
Stick with the game plan Chris! Charlie or others may be able to offer suggestion to further improve your 40-60m but up to now your program looked good. Adding more variables may not be the answer.
Dont get me wrong I am happy with how things went. I haven’t done anything over 60 meters so I can’t complain when the last half of my 100m isnt as fast as it should be
I am just wondering if a GPP phase might help me since I stepped straight into my current workout with no real GPP phase at all (No long hills, circuits etc)
Agree with gf. Stick with your plan. If you missed GPP, you can’t simply try to add it in the middle of a max strength phase. Just put it in your plan for the next cycle.
Also remember that your speed will significantly improve once you get out of your max strength and into maintenance weights.
Check out Pioneers thread on calculating Maintenance Weights for when you enter into that phase. Speed gains will be significant if you adjust correctly.
Originally posted by chris30
With the flying sprints should I do those in place of my “long” speed (3x80 meter)?
Chris
Not sure. What is the point of your ‘long’ speed day? Max speed or speed endurance? Flying sprints work on the top speed phase of your race with the goal of improving max velocity. They are quite hard on the CNS, but since the distances are usually short the muscular impact is less dramatic than speed endurance.
I might have a different take on your GPP. But first two questions: 1) Did you say your best 100m is 10.8? 2) And, is your current acceleration to 40m as fast as -or close- to what it was when you ran your personal best?
I ran 10.83 wind aided and 10.86 legal ONCE before “retiring” in 1997. Back then my average 100 meter times were in the 11.00FAT to 11.40 FAT depending on the time of the year etc.
My competitive bodyweight was between 185-195 and my strength levels now compared to then then are pretty similar. (I am a little stronger in certain lifts and weaker in others)
My best 30 meter time back then was around 3.9 from a gun. (local indoor race)
Now it is around 4.0-4.1 on grass in soccer cleats from a command at the finish. (Someone mentioned the difference is about .12 from 30 meters but I am not sure)
Right now I have been in the middle of a max strength cycle as well. (Lots of heavy squats, cleans, benches, push press, snatch grip deads etc)
I basically did this meet as a baseline, knowing that my final 50 meters would be pretty shitty.
Does this help? I am very interested to hear your thoughts
Based on your best 30m 3.9, and your current 30m 4.0 to 4.1 on grass…shows that your speed is there.
Based on your info, you should be able to crank out low 11 easily… as speed is not an issue.
Having said that, A GPP is in high order. But, if you are still in comp phase, I would recommend adding at least 1 speed endurance session ASAP (ex.5x100@13s w 5-7min rest ea.). It will take between 3 to 6 weeks to notice the difference, but you will start to notice that the 100m will seem alot shorter as opposed to a marathon…
I forgot to mention that I am not in a comp phase or trying to peak right now. My goal for peaking is to run well at indoors starting in Jan (50 adn 60 meter races). (I am going to start competing in the masters class starting in March)
So basically I want to run well indoors this coming winter and then extend my gains to outdoors the following summer.
Chris it sounds like you came out to run just to see where you were. like you had been training and the itch to perform was there and you just had to see kind of like a time trial to base the rest of your training phase on. if this is correct then I think that you are doing just fine. Like someone else said your speed will dramatically increase once you are out of your max strength training phase and your trainign goes from more tempo to more speed workouts. I think you are doing just fine. if you got out fast and carried it for about 40m then died its because you are only training at that distance. 3x80m with an 8 minute rest once a week or so isnt suffecient to to gain any speed indurance except for your first 50 - 60m. I would guess also that you were at top end speed at appx 20m then could only carry that for another 20m or so. speed endurace days should include at least 20m more than your race with max rest in about 4 - 6 sets. so if you are training for the 100m your speed endurance should be 4-6 x 120 @ 80%-85% w/ 3-5 min recovery.
