Anyway, I want to focus on rebuilding the fitness that you may have lost since the end of the season. Most of you have been back to training on a very basic level that emphasizes general fitness and now it is time to start ramping back up the running levels and getting ready for track season. Remember, we don't start official practice until February 8th and we don't race until the first weekend in March. We have almost as much time as the summer to put in a fantastic base of fitness before we set one foot into competition.
Whether you know it or not, our first phase of training for track has already begun....Coach K and I have termed this phase Reintroduction
Re-Introduction Phase 3 Weeks (December 14th to January 3rd)
Areas of Emphasis
- Easy and Steady State Running
- Relaxed Strides after runs
- Core, general fitness type activities.
Easy and Steady Running
My only criteria for this portion of your fitness is that you attempt to build up to what your maximum mileage achieved during summer/fall was for the last week of break. You should do most of this mileagae in easy runs. Concentrate your efforts on doing runs of 1 hour. For you experienced runners, you could be doing 4-6 one hour runs per week. For the less experienced runners, it might only be 1 one hour run per week. Don't worry about any tempo effort or formally scheduled hard running. If you feel good, you might want to acclerate to steady state effort for the last 10 minutes of a run. DO NOT force the pace on any of your runs. Let the fast paces come naturally. It is fine to run fast but relaxed during this phase. Note: Those of you training more for 400/800 won't do as many 1 hour runs as the rest of the group and you probably want to do more runs where you finish fast.
Strides
Do strides once or twice a week after your runs. Once again, the emphasis should be on running fast and relaxed on the strides. Take plenty of time in between strides (I prefer a jog back to the start as a recovery) you don't want to be winded prior to starting a stride out. Distance of the stride outs should be from 60-100m. Don't do more than 1000m worth of strides on any given day. Those of you training for the 400/800 may want to place more emphasis on the strides. Perhaps 3 days per week for you.
Core/General Fitness
We don't need to go crazy on the core right now. The goal right now is to only maintain a base level of strength and general fitness as you ramp your running volume back up. 2 days of core per week is all that is required. Please remember that CORE does not mean only ABS. Be sure to include exercises for your low back, glutes, hamstrings as well as stuff where you have to be stable laterally (such as side planks or reach unders). Feel free to do push ups, pull ups and lunges as well....just don't go crazy with them.
Record Your Activities
It is important for me to know that you are taking charge of your own success. During this time, I am not going to be as strict about submitting mileage as I am during the summer. I know that many of you will travel and be forced to miss a few days during this time. I do, however, want you to write down your daily training. Keep track of weekly mileage. It is a huge confidence boost to see a calendar on the wall in your bedroom with big numbers written in for the days that you know most of your competitors are staying warm inside out of the rain.
Good luck this break. See you all in 2016!!!!
p.s. I'll be organizing a trip out to Rock River Road after New Years....probably on Saturday, 1/2/16.
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