Week 4 Training Plan, 9/13-9/19

 This week features the first of five dual meets with other schools in the Dual County League. That will be on Tuesday. A shortened version of the long run will be done on Monday and the other major workout of the week will be either Friday or Saturday depending on your availability. This is the first of four times this season where we'll have an optional Saturday practice, meeting at the Lincoln Station parking lot. 

Overall the volume of training this week is a bit less than recent weeks and that's not an accident. The hope is you'll be able to absorb the training you've done recently and get through the first race of the season feeling reasonably fresh. 

Mon 9/13 - Warmup including BURPEES followed by cyclic medium length run. This is the same idea as a cyclic long run only shorter in duration. The total time of your run will be broken down into 12 equal segments. The first segment is run at an easy (40% or so) effort. The next is run at a "fresh" (60-65% or so) effort, and the one after that at a "good" (80-85%) effort. Then the easy-fresh-good cycle is repeated three more times.

Level 1: 24 minutes (2 minute segments)
Level 2: 36 minutes (3 minute segments)
Level 3: 48 minutes (4 minute segments)
Level 4: 60 minutes (5 minute segments)

All new athletes will attend a talk on the optimal approach to pacing in races after doing the day's workout. We will be referencing this article by Steve Lane, former boys coach at CCHS. Returning athletes are welcome to attend the talk as well, although it's not necessary if you're already familiar with the topic.

Tue 9/14 - Dual Meet #1 vs. Bedford at WHS. More information on this meet will be forthcoming in a subsequent post. Today is a medium length day in terms of how much running you should be doing overall.

Wed 9/15 - warmup including BURPEES followed by a short run incorporating hill drills. Prize bag will make an appearance today during announcements. In all likelihood we'll do the drills on Wallace Road. Total length of the run today is as follows:

Level 1: 22-26 minutes
Level 2: 26-30 minutes
Level 3: 32-36 minutes
Level 4: 42-46 minutes

Thu 9/16 - No organized practice. If you're not observing the holiday you can do a short length run or cross training session on your own if you like.

Fri 9/20 - warmup followed by a medium length run at an easy effort (if working out at Lincoln tomorrow) or else the following workout:

Timed repeats of 3 minutes in length, followed by a separate set of 200 meter repeats with a 200 meter jog recovery. Each 3 minute repeat should follow this pattern: first 2.5 minutes good, last 30 seconds hard. The recovery after each repeat is 2.5 minutes of very easy jogging/fast walking. After finishing the last 3 minute repeat, take about 5 minutes break for water and then a series of 200 meter repeats at an intense (faster than race pace) effort. Number of reps as follows:

Level 1: 3x3 minutes, 3x200 (warmup and cooldown of 5-6 minutes apiece)
Level 2: 4x3 minutes, 4x200 (warmup and cooldown of 5-6 minutes apiece)
Level 3: 5x3 minutes, 5x200 (warmup and cooldown of 6-8 minutes apiece)
Level 4: 6x3 minutes, 6x200 (warmup and cooldown of 8-10 minutes apiece)

Sat 9/21 - either a medium length run at an easy effort on your own if you did the timed repeats yesterday, or else the following workout at Lincoln on the field loop near Mt. Misery:

Timed repeats of 3 minutes in length, followed by a separate set of 200 meter repeats with a 200 meter jog recovery. Each 3 minute repeat should follow this pattern: first 2.5 minutes good, last 30 seconds hard. The recovery after each repeat is 2.5 minutes of very easy jogging/fast walking. After finishing the last 3 minute repeat, take about 5 minutes break for water and then a series of 200 meter repeats at an intense (faster than race pace) effort. Number of reps as follows:

Level 1: 3x3 minutes, 3x200 (warmup and cooldown of 5-6 minutes apiece)
Level 2: 4x3 minutes, 4x200 (warmup and cooldown of 5-6 minutes apiece)
Level 3: 5x3 minutes, 5x200 (warmup and cooldown of 6-8 minutes apiece)
Level 4: 6x3 minutes, 6x200 (warmup and cooldown of 8-10 minutes apiece)

Sun 9/22 - off. If you observed the holiday on Thursday you can do a short length run or cross training session on your own if you like.