The 5-6x200 runs have been 2x3x200. T might be able/want to post his times for these runs. He had a hard time with these and we aimed to run them at the same pace for each rep. It took a few workouts to figure that out. For the split runs, most were 75% tempo speed + full out on the second rep.
ta, so the 2 x 3 x 200 were at intended last 200m?
Interesting re the split runs as tempo is slower than what I did them which was at fast relaxed and probably closer to 90-95% with a full on back up.
The 200s were done at a pace that he could finish all reps at. I think the first workout was somthing like 27, 29, 20, 21, 33. One of the last times were near all 28s.
The first time through the opening rep was slower. Second time through he mentioned he’d push it, or at least the time appeared that way.
To reply to Christopher, when I was down with Ku2u in Austin in December, I got a 20m flying time of 2.32, so hopefully it’s a little quicker now.
As for the 6x200, this was done once a week during GPP, and the first time through it my coach had to peel me off the track for the sixth rep, and I probably ran it in 36 seconds. I was DYING.
Let me check my coach’s notes here in Toronto. I don’t remember the exact progression, but I definitely improved at the 6x200’s a great deal over the GPP / transition. I even started looking forward to them near the end, which is saying something. These runs made me much tougher mentally!
If you are attempting a KK program in a cold climate, you will need to make some careful adjustments. The 6x200’s indoors did a number on my left hamstring and right hip. I’m 6’3 so negotiating that many turns even at submaximal speed in flats caused some serious soreness.
I spoke to Angela right around this time, and she rightfully admonished me for not staying outdoors on grass on a straightaway, and keeping the turns out of the equation for the longest possible time. Once I got sore, ESTI suggested replacing one of the 6x200’s with a bike equivalent workout. I would suggest in future I would either do the 6x200 workout outdoors on grass for as long as possible into the winter, or pre-emptively replace one of every four 6x200’s with a bike equivalent. It may not be as good as running, but it will keep you healthy.
One of the things I mentioned to ESTI recently was how much the longer lactic work suits my body, and how this type of work really helps me stay fit even if it’s only occasionally present (once a week) closer to the competitive phase.
This past Monday, I requested some longer work, so we did 2x4x30m, then 2x(300+100) with the first 300 at 85%- I hadn’t hit the long stuff in a few weeks, so I felt like I was jogging in the first 300, I figured around 46 or 47 seconds, but when my coach showed me the watch, it was 42.3, which would have been a flat out 300m PB last year!
I must be fitter than I thought. Let’s see how the races go this Sunday. I have a 60m and 200m race.
So I raced today in the 60m and 200m. I was looking forward to an improvement on my embarrassing opening 60m race where I ran 8.15, but in the first heat today I ran even slower- 8.18! I felt like my steps were minuscule and I just never got going. Apparently I popped up coming out of the blocks.
The second heat I had a pretty good first 30 metres, then I tightened up once I got fully upright and ran 8.12, which is a slight improvement over the 8.16/8.15 I ran in the last meet. I’m not going to lie, even though I know I’ve been doing a more long-focused program, I expected to be running 8.0x at the very minimum at this point, not have to fight for 0.03 over a space of three weeks in the 60.
In the 200, I had lane 3 again. I wasn’t thrilled about that, but at least I’d be able to compare myself directly against the last meet where I had lane 3 as well. I didn’t feel focused before the race, but tried to just put it out of my head. I got a poor start, popping up right out of the blocks, and I never really got going until I got off the curve and onto the straightaway. I think I pressed the whole back straight, so when the last 50 metres came I tightened up. I barely had a race plan going in and never felt like I was in a groove (I need to fix this in practice). I ended up running 25.93, slightly slower than in the last meet.
I don’t want to get too tied up in the results, but I was certain I was going to improve my 200 time in this meet. I kicked my brothers ass in practice by like 5 tenths, then he runs 3 hundredths faster than me in the meet! I was definitely expecting to run better. I think it had a lot to do with mental execution. I needed to refocus after the 60 and just run my race in the 200.
Overall, I probably let the slow 60 times bother me. I need to just refocus, train well, watch my diet, get lots of sleep, and be patient in this last month of the indoor season. I’ve done a lot of hard work, and hopefully things will come together in the last month.
T,
stay positive and take solace in good solid prep which will pay dividends over time.
A mental tip, don’t look at your results until all races are done. That is what I ended up doing as like you, a poor 1st race would then carry over into how I approached the 2nd one.
Hey John,
Thanks for the wise advice. I have to remember that I did 12 weeks of GPP and the speed may not come quite when expect it to. I know I ran a sloppy race in the 200, and still posted a respectable time, so I think I’m not far off a good result there. Clearly since we spent less time on the 60 this year and got to the speed later, I can’t expect huge results right away. We shall see how the next month goes. It will be very interesting!
Tyrone, does your coach also time your 30m? What is your current 30m fly?
Best,
Christopher
My first 30 is in the 4.07 to 4.08 range from first motion, and my flying 30 (with a 30m run-in) is in the 3.40 range hand timed. I have always had a hard time finding gains in Max Velocity.
As a side note, there is a meet on Friday at U of T that offers a 60m and 300m race. The 300m is on a flat 200m Mondo surface which is not ideal, but it will be fun to get another shot at the distance. I ran at this meet last year, and am comfortable there. I signed up yesterday, and I am just going to go out and run it and forget about the expectations I was heaping on myself last Sunday.
I don’tknow your exact following of kitkats plan, but I think you should not expect too much for the 60m
it takes me a full spp/ttransition of 6 weeks to get some decent speeds.
This year i changed the plan a bit because i am now a master athlete and indoor is now an option for a national championship on the 60. The change mostly involves an extra speed day in the week.
Hi Tyrone, regarding the 4.07 to 4.08 30 meter from first motion, is that hand time too, or did you use an electronic touch pad?
Best,
Christopher
Pindaman, thanks for the tip. I can see how the program is not going to help the 60 as much as the longer distances. I’d be interested to know how you modified the program specifically.
Christopher, we hand time everything, but I have had the same coach for like five years, so my hand times are at least dependable when compared against themself.
while there has, quite rightly, been a lot of focus on the GPP and Transition details KK provided the is the following model
[i]Anyway, in the program structure I have used it is possible to work on all elements concurrently.
A Sample Week:
Eg: Day 1 (Rest Day);
Day 2 (Speed, maybe 3x block, stand, fly, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60m);
Day 3 (Specific 400m endurance, such as 6x200m in sub-24sec with 2mins jog-around recovery);
Day 4 (Rest Day);
Day 5 (Special Speed Endurance, such as 300m, 250m, 180m all max with 15min> recoveries);
Day 6 (Endurance, maybe long hills with jog recoveries);
Day 7 (Maybe temp, such as 2x5x100 for form, rhythm & relaxation, or pool session);
then the cycle of rest-train continues, hence Day 8 would be a Rest day again.
Weight lifting would follow the track/speed sessions ( on the above model, that would come in the PM on Days 2, 5 & 7).
The concurrent concept allows the 400m sprinter to maintain a decent amount of speed year-round. So I would never ask an athlete to run say, 6x200m, in any pace closer than about 2sec of their running-start-1RM for 200m current at the time of the session.[/i]
Like most things I expect it is the concepts rather than the specifics that are key. KK recently posted in response to
[i]Kk many years and conversations have passed since you posted details regarding your GPP and transition, have you reviewed your set up and changed anything?
What would your thoughts be now on this development?[/i]
A-J not much has changed. I spoke to Charlie about John Smith’s belief that runs of 40sec at race-pace were required and it was Charlie’s belief that there was no need to go beyond the 320m mark as I was using (mostly post GPP & Transition period) because the split runs would cover that area. The main difference now is that I sometimes vary the depletion sets away from always using a long rep (200 to 300m) to build a little acidosis in the blood and tap into muscle glycogen fuel stores before than asking for a back-up rep of relatively high quality. Such as tempo 300m, 30sec rest, 100% 150m sprint. Instead I’ve attacked the opposite end of the fuel route by exhausting the phosphates stores and then asking for a longer rep to complete the set. For example 4-6x80m at moderate pace on 30-45sec recoveries (mostly 30sec is requested) with a 30sec “rest” before sprinting 200m to 300m at 100 %. The 400m sprinters who have done this set says the 200m feels exactly like the second half of a 400m race. Other than that, not much has changed. The results achieved by those who followed the original programme have stood the test of time fairly well, with Darren Clark’s 44.38 and Maree Holland’s 50.24 both in or near medal contention in 2011. But of course elite athletes do a lot more to get themselves ready than follow a programme. They did so much rehab and regeneration work, as much as they could afford (ie, massage, physiotherapy) and they were both meticulous with diet and drink. Over the years I coached Maree she brought her bodyweight down from about 60kg in 1984 to 54kg or just under in 1988. She did not “diet” she was just sensible avoiding fatty foods, sugary items and alcohol etc. Darren’s wife peeled the skin off the chicken she cookede and he ate a lot of balanced salads during 1988.
Hi John,
Interesting that he keeps the long hills in during the SPP. I liked those runs a lot, they get you fit in a hurry, and they don’t seem to tax the muscular or CNS systems much seeing as perceived effort is high, but actual speed is low. I like the idea of keeping that day in throughout the season if possible. I am finding that going to a more or less short speed oriented program after the GPP / transition results in somewhat of a loss of overall fitness, with body fat creeping back up a bit.
I have a race coming up this Sunday, 60m and 200m. I was planning to run the 400m as well, but it comes before the 200, so I’m not terribly keen on that idea. I will of course keep everyone posted on the results. I got some new spikes (Nike Zoom Superfly) with the stiffest of stiff plates, and my accels feel MUCH better. It will be interesting to see if the shoe change has an impact on my results. It feels like it might!
Tyrone,
I don’t know if they stay in as the key things are that it is a sample and the word maybe for day 5. The descriptor within the context of the sessions outlined in the GPP and transition programmes is the key
Day 1 (Rest Day);
Day 2 (Speed);
Day 3 (Specific 400m endurance):
Day 4 (Rest Day);
Day 5 (Special Speed Endurance);
Day 6 (Endurance);
Day 7 (Maybe temp or pool session);
then the cycle of rest-train continues, hence Day 8 would be a Rest day again.
Interesting to see how quickly things are dropping away for you.
Good luck with the races.
I had a good week of training early this wekk, with last weekend spent in Ottawa where I got three good workouts in on the hugeass indoor 400m track they have there at Louis Riel high school. The surface is Mondo and quite hard, but it’s nice to be able to run a 100m+ straightaway indoors instead of turning incessantly!
I got to train this past Monday with a pair of brothers who I run masters with, and I enjoyed getting out there and mixing it up with them, it seems to bring out some added intensity!
So today I had another meet. I signed up for the 60, 200 and 400, but the 400 signup was a total ruse because the 400 was running before the 200. No thanks!
First up was the 60m. Since this is a “championship” masters meet, there is only one heat of the 60m, which sucks. I always like running the two heats like we normally are able to. I got some new stiff shoes, the Nike Zoom Superfly, and I love them. They are incredibly tight and almost unwearable except to race, but that’s exactly what I like, it’s a similar feeling to what you get with a properly fitted pair of hockey skates.
Today in the 60m I ran 8.07, which I was satisfied with because I’m back in 8.0x territory with two weeks until my final meet. I came out well and was ahead of the guy beside me at 30m, but I feel like I perhaps shortened up a bit and was going for frequency instead of fully extending my arms down and back during my upright phase from 30m to 60m. The accel was good though and even though I felt a bit sloppy, things are heading in the right direction.
In the 200m race, I had two really quick guys in my heat. I was in lane 3 again, which isn’t great for my gangly legs, but I was MUCH more positive today about my races and about myself. I was getting way too caught up in what everyone else was doing at the last meet, and that was a mistake.
I came out pretty nicely, and even though the two other guys out-accelerated me easily, I ran a really solid first bend and was really good down the back stretch, I wasn’t pressing or “overpushing” as Pfaff likes to call it. I started reeling in my nemesis in lane 4 around the curve, and I may have got a bit excited and pressed slightly. The final straight was good until I hit about 180 and started to feel some lactic acid in my legs, and I definitely got sloppy here. I have got to learn to hold my form when tired like this. With better control this might have been an indoor PB, but I ended up running 25.80 out of lane 3, which is 0.13 faster than last meet. This is encouraging considering the clusterfuck in the last 20 metres- I really felt like I lost a tonnnn of time there.
Of course the most fun was the 4x200 relay at the end, which was a crazy jumble of bodies and terrible exchanges. I ran third, and I was shouting at the anchor all the way into the exchange zone, but he was stuck there like a deer in headlights until I ran into him and he finally took off. It was great fun, and Team Badass came second, later upgraded to first due to a lane violation, not surprising considering the crazed nature of the indoor 4x200!
I managed to find a masters meet next weekend in Michigan, and the ever-generous ESTI invited me to stop by on my way to the meet, which is always fun. The weekend after will be my final indoor meet, so it’s terrific that I will get another chance to run the 60 and 200 on a decent track before the final meet on March 11th.
I did some speed work yesterday after taking Monday and Tuesday off on the advice of my coach. On Wednesday, I went to Variety Village, which is a pretty cool facility that integrates those with physical and intellectual disabilities. It has a 200m indoor flat track, so I did a Charlie Francis small circuit and a medball circuit. This facility is not as organized as the Metro Track and Field Centre at York, so there were a couple of times when I was trying to run a 200 and some jerk was jogging or doing side-skips in my lane.
The speed work at York went very well. I got in the blocks and did 3x20m, then 3x30m flying runs with a 30m run-in. The starts were really clean and felt good. This is the first season where I haven’t thought about my start at all, which is great. The first flying run felt really good, I kept the tension in my upper body to a minimum. The second one was not so good, I probably needed ten minutes rest rather than the five or six minutes I took. The third and final run was better, then we shut it down. Afterward, my brother and I traded massages, which is easy on the wallet, and better than some of the wimpy pro massages I’ve had in the past!
I’m looking forward to running in Michigan on Sunday. I’m feeling pretty good, so I’m just going to get a good warm up in and enjoy competing in a new environment.
I headed out to Michigan early on Saturday morning, and rolled into town at about 1 pm, just in time for a late breakfast at the Pancake Factory. ESTI has been riding me to try this place for a while now, and I finally did as he was at home on child care duty for a few hours. I have to say, this was one of the most solid breakfasts I’ve had in quite a while. I stayed away from their exotic pancakes because I was racing the next day, but had the regular buttermilk pancakes instead of toast and they were superb. This is the kind of place you want to sneak your own quality maple syrup into rather than use their standard Aunt Jemima.
A couple of hours later, ESTI and I met up, and he took me over to his training centre and gave me a terrific massage and stretching. I started out feeling a bit tight and achy, but when leaving I felt looser and everything was just easier to move. He has excellent touch in the muscle and makes you feel fresh.
I pretty much nerded it up in my hotel for the night, and didn’t get a chance to head over to Ann Arbor, where there is lots to do. On Sunday, I headed to the meet ridiculously early, as I had never run a Michigan masters meet before, and didn’t want some scheduling snafu to make me miss my race (which happened with the idiots at University of Toronto a few weeks back, who blamed me for not “seeing the revised meet schedule online.” So much for being athlete-centred!).
ESTI had told me that the track was slightly soft, but fast. The surface wasn’t quite as hard as York’s, but was in excellent condition. I’m told that Eastern Michigan University is a Division 1 track program, and they’ve had some good success despite their smallish size. I noticed that Hasely Crawford still has the outdoor 100m record with a 10.18 in 1975. Nice!
The meet was well organized, and I was put in a heat with three other athletes in the 60m. I got an OK warmup, and probably should have got a few more block starts in before my race.
I think I got out decently, because I only remember one thing about the race, and that was when I got to around 40m I started leaning a bit forward because I was trailing the person to my right by about a tenth. My only spot check in this race was to get the most out of each stride and drive down past the hip fully and remain patient. I finished with an 8.03, which I was happy with, though I was hoping to go under 8.00 but alas it was not to be. Still, the 60 is slowly moving in the right direction and that is encouraging.
Next up was the 200m. The track at EMU is flat, and I’ve never run a flat 200m indoors before amazingly enough. I had two other athletes in my heat. Initially, I was scheduled to run in lane 1, but thankfully lane 4 scratched, and I bullied / charmed the check-in person to give me lane 4, which she did very kindly.
I was feeling good. I felt very comfortable in this facility for some reason. The gun went and I got a good start, and accelerated nicely and came off the turn well. I had a good match in lane 5, and I ran the back stretch even more relaxed than last week, and going into the turn I could see I had the guy in lane 5. I stayed much more patient in the turn this week, and coming around the corner I hugged the inside line and kept a smooth acceleration off the turn. There was no lactic at 180m like there was last week, I just ran through the line. Insert sprinter cliche #1:
“Everything felt so easy!”
I thought to myself that I remember feeling like that last year when I ran my second 200 of the indoor season. It felt easy, and it was fast compared to my first one…
I suspected I might have ran fast in this race, but had to wait to check the sheet.
Well, I did run fast- 25.36! BOOYAH!
A HUGE indoor PB of 0.31 seconds, and it was my fastest time in the 200m indoors or out in over two and a half years! I had said to my coach earlier this season after coming off the KitKat GPP, “I know I’m going to run under 25.5 indoors, it’s just a matter of by how much and when.” Well it was a reasonable goal, and it has been achieved! Obviously, I am mega-thrilled!
I am very thankful to my coach in Toronto for going along with trying the KitKat plan. A lot of coaches would have told me to eff off for not doing it his way. There is no doubt that the fitness gained from the KK GPP helped hugely. Of course, I am even more thankful to ESTI who goaded me into trying something new for indoors and has been outrageously helpful throughout the indoor season. Of course, the patented ESTI “Personal Best” massage yesterday also helped big-time!
Upon thinking back to my previous three indoor 200’s this season, I was definitely pushing way too hard. Today I didn’t try to make anything happen, and instead did everything under control. Coming off the last turn, I knew something good was happening because I was running so smoothly and with so much energy left over. I was holding way too much tension in my body in previous races this season because I didn’t have the confidence to just let my body do the job.
Next week is my final indoor meet. It’s a two day meet but I’ll be away on Saturday for the 200m, but am signing up for the 60m and 400m on Sunday. The 400 will be a clustermess, but I’m gonna go out fast and hold on for dear life!
Overall, an extremely exciting day!
Good work and nice post 
Well done on your PB!