How do I Improve to the State Champion Level

You posted this last week.

Well I didn't get a response, so I gave it another go.

Summer of Malmo for winter.

The thing I noticed when I was running high school, and recently when my son was running in high school, is that the champions were always running 70 miles a week.

It's a bit more involved than that, but if you're a high school kid who can knock out week after week of 70 mile weeks, AND turn in some fast 400s on nice days every so often, and run tempos or road races on the weekend, you'll be all that.

I remember in high school thinking I couldn't do that, didn't have time, etc. I just missed winning state. I wasn't running as seriously as I could have been.

Just saying.

xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

The thing I noticed when I was running high school, and recently when my son was running in high school, is that the champions were always running 70 miles a week.

It's a bit more involved than that, but if you're a high school kid who can knock out week after week of 70 mile weeks, AND turn in some fast 400s on nice days every so often, and run tempos or road races on the weekend, you'll be all that.

I remember in high school thinking I couldn't do that, didn't have time, etc. I just missed winning state. I wasn't running as seriously as I could have been.

Just saying.

For the 1600/3200 that is pretty much the summation. Pretty much everyone gets signifcantly faster bumping the milege to 50 to 70 miles/week (going from 35 to 50 is very doable. Going all the way to 70 might be iffy).

For the 400/800, you can attack those races with more power work. Hills, wieghts, circuit training, and plyos.

I think the 1600m goal is the by far the easiest. You are plenty fast and just need some strength from more aerobic capacity. And stop upper body lifting. Seriously pecs and lats don't help your running. Do a bunch of general core work and spend the rest of the time running.

Kimi Raikkonen, to make a 49sec 400 more realistic, as well as a good 800, among with the endurance work (add some mileage for 800/1600) you need to put in some serious speed work, alactic and glycolytic anaerobic capacity training. In another words; sprints of ~6-20 seconds. Short hills or sled sprints (alactic) for acceleration and spesific power. A couple of flat sprints up to 80m afterwards is good to get legs moving fast again, and for maximum speed. On the longer glycolytic sprints, progress to something like 3x150-3x120-3x100 fast relaxed for anaerobic capacity. All done with long rests, up to 5min. You need all of these to be in shape before the pre-seasons anaerobic power sessions. Strength training depends what you´ve done before, don´t just start lift heavy if not lifted before and lack general strength. General periodization:

1. General strength

-Circuit training for beginners / no weight training background

-Many exercises (~10-12), ~3 circuits, 15-30 repetitions per set

-Rest ~30-60sec between sets, 2-3min between circuits

-Alternate muscle groups

-Load 40-60% of maximum if using weights, 8-15 repetitions per set

-Body weight only for beginners and juniors, 8-12weeks or longer

-Can be done after speed drills, sprints, bounding...

2. Maximum strength

-Less exercises

-6-12 weeks

-Load ~70-85% of maximum

-4-6 repetitions per set, ~3 sets, ~3min rest

-Can be done after speed drills, sprints, bounding...

3. Power/muscular endurance (pre-competition phase)

Convert the maximum strength to power (800m) or muscular endurance (longer distance) or can mix both (milers). Power and muscular endurance are related to the maximum strength

Power:

-4-8 weeks

-Few exercises

-Load 30-50% of maximum

-Up to ~10 repetitions done at maximum speed, ~3-4 sets

-3-5min rest

-Can be done after speed drills, sprints, bounding...

-Maintenance of maximum strength

Muscular endurance:

-4-8 weeks

-Few exercises done in circuits

-Load ~20-40% of maximum on weights, 15-30 reps per set, 3-5 circuits

-Rest ~30-45sec between sets, 2-3 min between circuits

-Can mix with Power work

-Can be done after speed drills, sprints, bounding...

-Maintenance of maximum strength

In season maintenance work

your goal times are not state champion level

Kimi Raikkonen wrote:

I'm a senior in high school, and I would like to go out with a bang.

My prs are:

400:52

800:1:59

1600:4:30

3200:10:08

My Goals are:

400:49

800: 1:55

1600:4:20

3200: I don't care that is really long, and not my thing

So just wondering what I can do to get better

My times as a junior in high school were the mirror image of yours, which in California pretty much just meant I was on varsity and could place in dual meets. State was not within hailing distance. I just figured I was a loser and left it at that.

Move to Rhode Island or Montana

Doesn't the season start in March?

Move to an easy state.

Doug McKenzie wrote:

Doesn't the season start in March?

I don´t know. OP asked suggestions for base training, and I gave mine. The strength training periodization was just to get an idea of safe transition from body weight strength training to weight training. Obviously he doesn´t have enough time and strength base to go through all the different strength training phases. He does as long base phase as possible, hopefully including some kind of strength and speed training, remembering his ambitious 400m goal time. If he lacks time and the season is long, he might use first races for anaerobic/aerobic power workouts.