Young runner's training journal

[rich121]

Ditto this. Keep posting Rich - I’m reading even though I’m not responding. With the interest you’re taking in sprinting, you’ll soon know more than most highschool coaches (unfortunately).

@rainy.here

Rich - her rear foot is not flush against the block in the video you’ve shown. While the start is not what you’re working on in a 300m, it might be something to remedy so that she doesn’t have a gap between her feet and the blocks.

ESTI already commented on her block positioning, and I agree it looks a bit funny. The 300m vid looked ackward while the block starts viewed from the side looked ok.

Edit: She looked fantastic at the end of her indoor 400m. I agree that if she hadn’t slowed down she probably could have held on for most of the race. To my maybe-way-wrong-eye, she looks to be in 58-flat shape already with a good race. I usually avoid telling my young female runners what I think they can run, in case they don’t run it.

rainy.here, thank you for your observations and insight.

Yes, it is sad about the state of coaching… I would like to try to help a couple kids this summer for AAU/USATF track, my daughter would surely appreciate the company and added bonus in training too.

We will be doing block work tomorrow and probably keeping at it for awhile.
Hopefully, that will fix many of the quirks of her start.

There are also issues with her wrists flipping backwards… you can see a little of that in the last video, but it is really evident in the 300m slow-motion video. I know she has a problem with the left one because of playing viola, but now, the right one is also doing the same… they are too relaxed?

Also, I wonder how much of her hip extension issues while coming out of the blocks may be from being too compressed? Any opinion?

Hopefully we can take care of some of the mechanics issues early.

Running anything in the 58 second range would be huge this early.

Again, thanks for your very helpful and encouraging comments

[rainy.here]

@rich121

We will be doing block work tomorrow and probably keeping at it for awhile.
Hopefully, that will fix many of the quirks of her start.

There are also issues with her wrists flipping backwards… you can see a little of that in the last video, but it is really evident in the 300m slow-motion video. I know she has a problem with the left one because of playing viola, but now, the right one is also doing the same… they are too relaxed?

Also, I wonder how much of her hip extension issues while coming out of the blocks may be from being too compressed? Any opinion?

Hopefully we can take care of some of the mechanics issues early.

Running anything in the 58 second range would be huge this early.

Again, thanks for your very helpful and encouraging comments

One thing Charlie used to say was that younger athletes often weren’t strong enough to start properly (this is especially true of females). I think this is at least partially what is going on with the lack of hip extension. My thought is that since she’s not a 100m/200m runner, as long as her start is reasonable (which it is) don’t worry about trying to improve it beyond keeping her feet flush against the blocks. That is easily correctable and will have a very slight time gain. The block positioning, hip height, hip extension on exit, … are much harder to correct, and you also don’t know IF they are completely correctable now anyways. Just my 0.02.

[rich121]

removed…

[T-Slow]

OK, while we’re waiting to hear about the next meet, I propose we help Rick come up with a name for his new club!

[rich121]

removed…

[rich121]

Video running 400m today at University of Idaho “Idaho Open II” meet.

Got somewhat late start leaving town, drive took longer than anticipated (4 hours).
She slept most of the way, up until when we got to the Stadium.

Not much time to get ready, “wake-up” or do a long, proper warm-up… she said she felt “lethargic” right up to the race and didn’t really feel right while running.
She still did great considering my poor performance in providing her ample time for preparation.

Lesson learned…

Part of the race blocked by a mobile basketball court with perimeter walls, in the middle of the stadium floor.

She is in Lane #3, placed 2nd overall.

//youtu.be/2nOgzEM9aG0

[rich121]

First 200m since May 2012, first indoor 200m ever.

Start of 200m race on opposite side of track blocked by mobile basketball court with tall walls.

She ran this about an hour after running the 400m race.

She said that coming around the corner was quite the “Strange and somewhat ‘painful’ experience”, and that she felt like she was being pulled into the outside lane.
Also, she said that after coming out of the turn, her legs started to turn to jelly and she couldn’t speed up to keep the same girl who won the 400m from passing her.

The 200m time was 26.54, she was 2nd overall, which is excellent considering she had just ran a 400m. This is also a big PR as far as her outdoor 200m time was.
Her legs were gone after the race…and it took her a long time getting up the stairs.

She is in Lane #2
.

//youtu.be/QnRDHRU1vKU

[rich121]

The last meet before starting a new program will be March 1st, at University of Washingtons “Final Qualifier”.

Her events will be the 60m and 200m.

I need to come up with a taper soon, as, actually tomorrow would be the first of 10 days for a 10 day taper.

I have watched Derek and Charlies, “Peaking when it counts” a couple times today… but not sure.
She did not return to lifting weights after stopping lifting in the middle of her SPP, so I am not sure what would be appropriate?

Some suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[T-Slow]

Hi Rick,

I know you corresponded with ESTI regarding your proposed taper plan. I would suggest keeping to a 7 day taper for Keana, as I suspect she might feel a bit too flat if you backed off for 10 days. Thus perhaps do a final stimulus about 7 days before (perhaps 250, 120 or 300, 150 or whatever you deem appropriate), then keep the tempo easy (2x10x100) and just do a few fast relaxed runs that arent lactic inducing (150m or less, 95% or less) on your speed days. You could use a few explosive medball throws instead of going back to weights.

Let us know what you decide!

[rich121]

Here is what we have done since Saturdays meet:

Sunday

OFF

Monday

5 x 300m @ 70%

Tuesday

(Was to be 1st day of taper)

4 x 30m Bock Start:
(4.69, 4.65, 4.59, 4.60)

15 minute break

80m Falling Start:
(10.84)

20 minute break

100m Falling Start:
(13.69)

She has’nt done falling starts since before freshman High School track, or a little over a year.
She needs to work on falling starts, as she has a long delay and improper form…just needs some practice… but her time for each run does reflect this.

Wednesday

7 x 200m @ 70%

Thursday

(Today!)

4 x 30m Block Start:
(4.50, 4.39, 4.39, 4.36… All PB runs)

1 x 50m Falling Start: (7.38…Bad start, needs work on falling start)

1 x 60m Falling Start: (8.77…again, bad start, need to work on falling start)

300m Standing Start: (43.13… PB)

She is getting PB’s in all her runs, even though she is getting bad starts with the falling starts, it’s obvious that she is running at PB velocity.

We were going to do one more run, a 120m standing start, but ran out of daylight and didn’t have time for the recovery after the 300m run.

In the shorter sprints, her arm swing is looking much better, her hands are open and more rigid (not limp, flipping back).

I think that the 2 years of cross country influence is finally wearing off!!!

[T-Slow]

Rick,

So far so good with the taper.

However, your workout data from previous weeks has all been removed. What happened?

[rich121]

Will add previous workouts later…

Friday

TEMPO

2 x 10 x 100m @ 70%

Saturday

(Today!)

4 x 30m Block Starts: @ 95%, fast, but relaxed:
(4.60, 4.52, 4.59, 4.54)

1 x 80m Standing Start: @ 95%, same as above: (10.90)

Medicine Ball, one set of 15 each:

Chess Pass, Overhead Pass, Sit-up Chest Pass, Sit-up Overhead Pass

(6 days until raceday…March 1st)

Sunday

OFF

[rainy.here]

@rich121

Friday

TEMPO

2 x 10 x 100m @ 70%

Saturday

Out of curiosity, what times was she running for her “70%”? I’ve found that sometimes my good 200/400 runners will be able to continue running faster 100m tempo (which is supposed to be 65-75% depending on the day) than 100m specialists who are definitely faster over 100m.

[rich121]

She was averaging around 17 to 18 seconds… these were very easy for her and I had to keep reminding her it was 70% tempo… she would run these like the big circuit…she would run 100m, then briskly walk the 50m across the football field to the other side of the track to run her next 100m, etc.

[rainy.here]

@rich121

She is getting PB’s in all her runs, even though she is getting bad starts with the falling starts, it’s obvious that she is running at PB velocity.

I’m not sure what you have planned for speed work before March 1st so this might be moot, but if it was my athlete, I’d be cautious with monitoring her warm-ups & body signs with the topspeed work going into the race due to her hitting PB speeds (to reduce risk of injury). Keep us posted with everything and keep up the great work! Your daughter is very lucky.

[rich121]

Thank you for the words of wisdom… I will watch her closely…

And, actually, I feel very, very fortunate to have a child that loves a sport as much as my daughter. She does not complain, actually, she drives me much of the time when the weather is bad, or poor conditions… she still wants to do her workout no matter what.

She really wants to be the best she can be and has had this love for track for the past 5 years… and believe me, she will do what it takes to get there.

This is what I’m thinking for her workouts this week:

Monday

Tempo

1 x 10 x 100m @ 70%, relaxed

Medicine Ball work, upper body only

Tuesday

4 x 40m, relaxed, 90%

Wednesday

OFF

Thursday

4 x 40m easy, relaxed starts and runs

Friday

Race day

[rainy.here]

What times on Friday are the 60m heats/finals and 200m heats/finals (or are they timed finals?). If finals, do you expect her to make it to the final?

[rich121]

The Prelim for the 60m is at 6:10pm (4 heats)

The Final for the 60m is at 7:45pm

The 200m timed final is at 8:25pm (2 heats)

[rich121]

@rich121

The Prelim for the 60m is at 6:10pm (4 heats)

The Final for the 60m is at 7:45pm

The 200m timed final is at 8:25pm (2 heats)

Updated heat sheets came out today, her events are:

60m: 2 heats, timed final @ 7:10PM

200m: 1 heat, @ 7:50PM

[rainy.here]

@rich121

Updated heat sheets came out today, her events are:

60m: 2 heats, timed final @ 7:10PM

200m: 1 heat, @ 7:50PM

That’s pretty good actually. Close together, but only 2 runs in that order is nice.