This is the first time I’ve worked on my own program, so it might look a bit rough. Comments and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Local Championships are in 12 weeks time. I’m planning on running the 200m and 400m.
I’ll be posting session results every few days.
Background - Main focus has always been on 400m, but run down regularly during competition season. My starts are crap, so special attention will be paid to this area on speed days.
PBs 400m 50.10 Goal 48.00
200m 22.74 Goal 22.00
I’ve not running high volumes on the track as shin splints have caused problems in the past.
Gym intensity is relatively light as I’m getting back into it after a 12 month break. As strength increases the 4th gym session will be dropped off in favour of another tempo session.
Program was written up using 3-1-3 approach, but last stretch before competition is closer to 3-1-5.
The pool work is very light intensity. It has been included to keep training times consistent. i.e 5am starts during the week.
Tempo is always done on grass wearing flats. Townsville gets around 300 days rain free every year, so training conditions are great.
Program is working from short to long in two stages.
This is by no means set in concrete. I’m sure many changes will be made between now and September.
Week Day Morning Afternoon Intensity
1 Mon Gym Special E - 2 x 300m 100%
Tue Pool Tempo - 10 x 100m 75%
Wed Rest Speed E - 4 x 150m 100%
Thu Pool Tempo - 10 x 100m 75%
Fri Gym Speed - 8 x 30m flying 100%
Sat Core Gym
Sun Rest Rest
2 Mon Gym Special E - 1 x 300 95%
Tue Pool Tempo - 3 x ( 5 x 100m ) 75%
Wed Gym Speed E - 2 x 120m 95%
Thu Pool Tempo - 3 x ( 200 + 300 ) 75%
Fri Gym Speed - 4 x 30m flying 95%
Sat Core Gym
Sun Rest Rest
3 Mon Gym Special E - 2 x 330 100%
Tue Pool Tempo - 5 x 400m 75%
Wed Gym Speed E - 4 x 150m 100%
Thu Pool Tempo - 4 x ( 200 + 300 ) 75%
Fri Gym Speed - 6 x 50m flying 100%
Sat Core Gym
Sun Rest Rest
4 Mon Gym Special E - 2 x 340 100%
Tue Pool Tempo - 4 x ( 5 x 100m ) 75%
Wed Gym Speed E - 3 x 200m 100%
Thu Pool Tempo - 4 x ( 200 + 300 ) 75%
Fri Gym Speed - 5 x 60m flying 100%
Sat Core Gym
Sun Rest Rest
5 Mon Gym Special E - 2 x 350 100%
Tue Pool Tempo - 4 x ( 5 x 100m ) 75%
Wed Gym Speed E - 5 x 100m 100%
Thu Pool Tempo - 4 x ( 200 + 300 ) 75%
Fri Gym Speed - 4 x 80m flying 100%
Sat Core Gym
Sun Rest Rest
6 Mon Gym Special E - 1 x 300 95%
Tue Pool Tempo - 3 x ( 5 x 100m ) 75%
Wed Gym Time Trial - 400m 100%
Thu Pool Tempo - 3 x ( 200 + 300 ) 75%
Fri Gym Time Trial - 200m 100%
Sat Core Gym
Sun Rest Rest
7 Mon Gym Special E - 2 x 370 100%
Tue Pool Tempo - 5 x 400m 75%
Wed Gym Speed E - 3 x 150m 100%
Thu Pool Tempo - 3 x ( 200 + 300 ) 75%
Fri Gym Speed - 6 x 50m blocks 100%
Sat Core Gym
Sun Rest Rest
8 Mon Gym Special E - 2 x 380 100%
Tue Pool Tempo - 4 x ( 5 x 100m ) 75%
Wed Gym Speed E - 2 x 200m 100%
Thu Pool Tempo - 4 x ( 200 + 300 ) 75%
Fri Gym Speed - 5 x 60m blocks 100%
Sat Core Gym
Sun Rest Rest
9 Mon Gym Special E - 2 x 390m 100%
Tue Pool Tempo - 4 x ( 5 x 100m ) 75%
Wed Gym Speed E - 2 x 250m 100%
Thu Pool Tempo - 4 x ( 200 + 300 ) 75%
Fri Gym Speed - 4 x 80m blocks 100%
Sat Core Gym
Sun Rest Rest
10 Mon Gym Special E - 1 x 400m 100%
Tue Pool Tempo - 4 x ( 5 x 100m ) 75%
Wed Gym Speed E - 2 x 150m 100%
Thu Pool Tempo - 4 x ( 200 + 300 ) 75%
Fri Gym Speed - 4 x 80m blocks 100%
Sat Core Gym
Sun Rest Rest
11 Mon Gym Speed - 4 x 200m 100%
Tue Pool Tempo - 4 x ( 5 x 100m ) 75%
Wed Gym Special E - 1 x ( 350, 250 ) 95%
Thu Pool Tempo - 10 x 200m 75%
Fri Gym Speed E - 3 x 150m 95%
Sat Pool Tempo - 3 x ( 200 + 300 ) 75%
Sun Gym Special E - 1 x 300m 95%
12 Mon Rest Rest
Tue Gym Speed E - 4 x 120m 95%
Wed Pool Tempo - 10 x 100m 75%
Thu Gym Speed - 4 x 30m 95%
Fri Rest Rest
Sat NQ Championships
Sun NQ Championships
Day 1 : Weights + Special Endurance
Day 2 : Pool + Tempo
Day 3 : Weights + Speed Endurance
Day 4 : Pool + Tempo
Day 5 : Weights + Speed
Day 6 : Core Stability + Gym
Day 7 : Rest
I’ve always done the longest rep. track session early in the week and a speed session on Friday. I know the quality of the speed session is not as high this way. Does anyone else do this?
In general, as far as I can see, its looking good. You state that the gym sessions are light - be mindful of track sessions in the pm. I would be interested to hear of other forum memebrs opinion on it with particular reference to:
The changing of sprint distances on a weekly basis.
The four track sessions in the week preceeding final taper, in terms of both high volume & choice of sessions (2 SE, 2 Special Endurance).
Frequency and intensity/volume of unloading weeks + use of time trials in unloading week.
Felt well rested after having Sunday off. I’m thinking of moving up to 350m next week, then working back down to 300m over a couple of weeks. Then hopefully run 3 x 300m rather than 2 x 300m.
Pool session yesterday morning, then tempo at night.
3 x 5 x 100m with 100m walk back recovery, and 3 min. between sets. All run in around 16s on grass wearing flats.
Tonights track session :
200m 23.3s
20 min. recovery
200m 23.7s
20 min. recovery
200m 24.2s
Felt great to start with, but struggled with the last rep. Ran the first 100m and realised I had to pick it up a lot. I was aiming for 3 reps under 24s, so I’m fairly happy.
Terry, try decreasing the time between your tempo runs down from 100m walkback (which I’d guess is about 60-90 secs) to 50m (or 30secs). To do this you’ll need to drop the speed a bit and aim for 17-18 secs. 16 secs is too quick on the grass with flats.
Cheers Bridge. Will try your suggestion on my next tempo session.
Friday’s speed session was moved to Saturday on grass.
60m 7.0s
60m 6.7s
60m 6.8s
60m 6.9s
60m 7.0s
All with 6min. break in between and 20m flying start.
Felt uncomforable doing speed on the grass, but the tarten track was closed so it was the only option.
I’m in the last week of my first 3-1-3 cycle, and I’m starting to struggle. Usually after a day off I fell fresh for Monday night track sessions, but not tonight.
Warmed up, did a few run throughs, then went home. Left knee still sore from Wednesday night’s session.
Saturday am and pm :
Fishing all day. Very tired.
Monday pm :
1 x 250m 29.6s
Unloading this week, so I only did one rep at 95%. Felt really good. My program shows time trials for later in the week, but I’ll probably change them to something shorter, as I still feel tired from last week.
terry, are most of your speed days done in spikes, and what about tempo, spikes or not? Asking because I don’t like to put on spikes at all during gpp, but i am starting to think it is worthless to do speed if you aren’t wearing spikes, i guess it isn’t really speed then.
All my speed sessions are done in spikes on a tarten track, and I wear flats for tempo on grass when its dry enough. I stick to this fairly closely during GPP as well.
I’ve tried wearing flats for special endurance sessions, but never felt entirely comfortable. I don’t know if it was the weight or extra support that didn’t suit.
After unloading last week I was hoping to run under 36s for both 300m reps. I got tangled in some strapping tape during the first rep. and backed it up with an even slower time in the second.
37.0s
30min break
37.6s
My mind was a million miles away. Couldn’t get focused at all. Need to relax more I think. Hopefully Wednesday night will be better.