New Coach to the school-inherited a lot of 18/19:00 runners (male). Suggestions to drop a lotta time? Looking for the unique---we did 6) 4 minute segment run to see how far they could get on the track and then tried to top it over and over. Have also done partner 600's where the rest is the walk to the next starting point.
What are some fun/maybe odd workouts?? Scavenger Hunts/ unique fartleks/others??
Don’t rush it and burn ur kids out that’s my main advice. Just build there mileage slowly then add workouts when there needed and if that gets them to 16 mins then that’s good and just keep doing it.
What had they been doing previously to get to 18:00-19:00? I think it would be helpful for people to know that first before they suggest where to make improvements. It would also help to know if these runners had plateaued under their old training, or are these kids who ran 18:00 as juniors after running 19+ as sophomores, and could conceivably drop to low 17:00-high 16:00 just by sticking with the same plan and gaining another year of training and racing experience.
Track workouts are all well and good, but make sure you arrange some workouts on trails, either fartleks, or measure some 1 km or half mile stretches of trail with a wheel to do some intervals- I figure it's more relevant to XC to practice that way, and I always thought running through the woods was more fun if you want to keep the kids interested.
One other thing that helped me as a high school runner was doing a couple 800's at the target race pace the day before the meet- this helped me remember what race pace should feel like and avoid getting pulled along too fast at the start. If they're like a lot of young runners, they might have split that 18:00 5K with a 5:20 first mile and 6:00+ last mile or something- teach them to go out at a controlled pace and I wager it'll be worth a 20-30s improvement even before you work on their fitness.
In HS they run so many races, that the races are fine from a speed work perspective. Therefore, I'd just have then run lots of mileage and do a hilly run once or twice a week if that's an option. Then try to talk the kids into running in the off-season. Running year-round makes the biggest difference. Even if the off-season is just 5 miles a day 5-6 days a week, but try to have them run the same mileage in the off-season as during the season if they're willing to.
Just try to gradually increase their mileage each season. Maybe have freshmen do 25-30 mpw in xc then 30-35 mpw in track, sophomores 35-40 mpw in xc and 40-45 in track, juniors 45-50 mpw in xc and 50-55 in track, seniors 55-60 in xc and 60-65 in track. With that progression, you'll get a few sub 17 minute guys (the more talented kids) if they start that program as freshmen and then they'll run sub 17 by senior year and still have lots of room for improvement in college due to being quite undertrained.
Good question as above is what where they doing before? Got to get them running year round is my guess. Increasing their mileage steady each year. Periodization as well is very important in the training year round. It takes time and patience.
coachfaster wrote:
New Coach to the school-inherited a lot of 18/19:00 runners (male). Suggestions to drop a lotta time? Looking for the unique---we did 6) 4 minute segment run to see how far they could get on the track and then tried to top it over and over. Have also done partner 600's where the rest is the walk to the next starting point.
What are some fun/maybe odd workouts?? Scavenger Hunts/ unique fartleks/others??
Resign!
Strange!? You are a coach but don't know how to coach?