I am currently involved in coaching a 15 y/o 100m/200m athlete (PRs 12.5, 26.0). We have put in a solid year of training (as much as 15 year olds can) but had lost 2-3 weeks due to illness/holiday. She then could only put in 2 weeks of solid preparation before last week’s state champs and struggled to perform in the 4 races (heat/final) over the weekend, looking very tired/flat, especially in top speed position. Despite this, she managed to run her 200m pb (marginally) in her heat and qualify for the nationals in both races. We have four weeks to prepare her for the nationals, and I feel we can make the most rapid improvements in that time via improving her general conditioning. I think 25.50 and 12.20 are well within her ability given good conditions. As part of her long term development I would also like to focus on her top speed running (using flying 20s) and body positioning during acceleration (she tends to bring her head up too early, instead of raising the head gradually with the torso). Using the upcoming interclub meets as special endurance training on the weekend (where possible), I was considering using one speed and one speed endurance day/week, as in the following set up:
Tues: Speed w. top speed tech focus
W/up drills: bounds + tuck jumps
W1: 4x20 (blocks or 3PS), 2x40 (rolling start), 5x flying 20s
W2: 4x20(blocks), 3x40(r.s), 4x20f
W3: 4x20, 4x40, 3x20f
W4 (comp is on the sunday): 4x20(blocks), 3x40(standing), 2x60(r.s)
Thurs: speed end w. bend running focus
W/up drills: A-skips, A-runs
W1: 3x30m bend start, 3x70 (accel to 30 and ‘float’, as in 200m bend running), 2x90m (from 150 mark to 60, emphasising ‘slingshot’ effect), 2x100m (95% walk back rec) (680m total)
W2 (as above): 3x30, 2x70, 2x90, 2x120 (95% walk back) (650m total)
W3: 3x30, 2x70, 1x100, 1x120, 1x150 (all 100% w. full rec) (600m total)
W4 (3 days from comp): Drills, Starts 4x20, MB
I plan on doing all of the runs with full recovery except where noted. For the purposes of her technical development, this is not set in stone and session would vary given her levels of fatigue/readiness to train.
We would also do some Med Ball work given adequate recovery after the Tues/Thurs session. She is also doing a core routine 2-3xweek on her tempo days. Could we put the med ball stuff on her tempo days or would this interfere with her recovery between sessions? (this would be for time purposes)
Where competition is not available, I would do a special endurance session e.g. starts, 2x200m @ 95%, full rec., for conditioning purposes
Any opinions would be greatly appreciated. My major query is the volumes of the Thursday session, which, when I did this rough plan, was way up in the 680m range. Is this too much volume for a female athlete of this age, or is it OK because they are not running as fast/stressing their CNS as much? I have read that female athletes need more conditioning in the form of SE runs due to the longer duration of their races, and can tolerate them a bit better than male athletes.