The Thing You Need Most

Address Your Weaknesses or Emphasize Your Strengths

Hey team.  Since we're in the 2 week dead period, then we have another week of team camp until we're all back together, this presents us with an opportunity for each of you to work on your weakest area.  Below, I'm going to describe how to fix a week area, or improve upon a strength,  and then put a list of names of kids that I think need to address that area.  Check to see where your name is and then make addressing your weakness your greatest priority for the next 3 weeks

Your LTP1 is too slow

Coach, what the heck is LTP 1?  See that blue line?  See how it doesn't go up until you reach a line labled LTP1?  That blue line represents blood lactate (we can just call it difficulty, fatigue, effort).  For people in this group, your fatigue level starts rising at paces that are relatively slow.  How do I know this? Because you're having a hard time holding onto a fast ish pace during your tempo runs.  Remember, if you make your easy pace faster, then you can run faster on all of you hard paces.

How do you make your easy pace faster? SLOW DOWN AND RUN MORE MILEAGE.  My suspicion is that for those of you struggling to increase your volume, you're running it too fast.  Running below LTP1 is not very hard.  Keep your pace to the point where you can speak in full, or almost full sentences during your runs and just go longer.  For this group, it's ok to drop to only 1 harder workout per week and really focus on upping your volume.

Ty, Jason, Noeli, Diego, Maci, Eric, Shane, Richard, Allison, Carlos, Ryan D, Tatiana, Tristan

You need to improve general strength and fitness

OK.  Maybe for you, you're running as much as you need to.  Many of our newer runners will fall into this category.  Your next step, before pouring on more mileage, is to make sure you're generally fit and strong.  For you guys, focus on the following exercises in addition to the running you're doing: Lunges, Air Squats, Push Ups, Planks, Side Planks, Back Planks.  Take 10 minutes do do these exercises every day.  Youre running will be better for it.  

Ale, Luke, Noah, Ryan S, Juan, Steven, Melanie, Gavin, Sandro, Bailey,  Sophia A, Aubrey, Landon, Tucker, Zeke (the last 3 of you need to run more too)

For you, things are going really well and we don't need to change anything

This should be self explanatory.

Bobby, Mason, Sam, Sophie B, Adrian (although you're a special case and we can talk at camp)

If you didn't see your name

You haven't been showing up or logging mileage.  I can't put energy thinking about how to make you better if you don't put energy into showing up or logging miles.