Week 10 training plan - 10/24-10/30

This week is the beginning of championship season, kicking off with Friday's DCL Championship meet at Franklin Park. More information will be forthcoming on this meet which will require an early dismissal from school. As in years past, there will be a karaoke contest on the bus ride home. Submit your song choice to the coaches for approval in advance. The maximum group size for the contest is four people. It would behoove you to practice your song beforehand.

With the end of the season drawing near, we've entered the final phase of our training. The proverbial hay is in the barn and from here on out it's a draw down of training volume, which is achieved in two ways:

• a reduction in the length of most daily runs.
• a reduction in the number of runs per week. This is achieved by taking an additional day per week off from practice. This week that day is Wednesday.

I'll explain in more detail at practice Monday how this tapering process will proceed. In the meantime here is the plan for this week:

• Mon 10/24 - Practice at 3:30. Warmup including BURPEES followed by progressive run as follows:

Group A: 36 minutes (12 minutes easy-9 minutes fresh-9 minutes good-6 minutes easy)

Group B: 48 minutes (16 minutes easy-12 minutes fresh-12 minutes good-8 minutes easy)

Group C: 60 minutes (20 minutes easy-15 minutes fresh-15 minutes good-10 minutes easy) 

• Tue 10/25 - Practice at 3:30. Warmup followed by a short length run at an easy to moderate intensity followed by high knee run-throughs and bounding over cones. The cones will be set up on the softball field. We will again be practicing running around tight corners.

Group A: 24-28 minutes
Group B: 32-36 minutes
Group C: 40-44 minutes

• Wed 10/26 - off

• Thu 10/27 - Practice at 3:30. Warmup including BURPEES followed by a short length run with two sets of short reps at the end on top of the aqueduct.

Group A: 24-28 minutes
Group B: 32-36 minutes
Group C: 40-44 minutes

• Fri 10/28 - DCL Championship Meet @Franklin Park. The meet starts early which will require dismissal after 3rd period class. You're responsible for any work or tests you might miss as a result of this. More information forthcoming. This is a medium length day, including warmup and cooldown running it should add up to the following:

Group A: 32-36 minutes
Group B: 40-44 minutes
Group C: 48-52 minutes

On the bus ride home, there will be the ninth annual edition of the karaoke contest.

• Sat 10/29 - Medium length run at an easy to moderate intensity. For those that are interested we will be meeting at Lincoln Station at 10 AM for this run. This is an excellent opportunity to check out the trails in the Mt. Misery area, just west of the field loop where our previous Saturday practices have taken place. To avoid getting lost on the trails, download the Outerspatial app on your phone.

Group A: 32-36 minutes
Group B: 40-44 minutes
Group C: 48-52 minutes

• Sun 10/30 - off