New High School Coach, How's My Programming Look?

The first thing I noticed is the cruise intervals the day after your time trial. It might be too tough for most. I wonder if you even need another quality session that week.

Second, you go straight into 20+ minte temp runs the 2nd week. I'd start with doing cruise intervals and build up to continuous tempo runs ad the season progresses. That's just me but I'm sure others have had more success starting with 20+ minutes of tempo runs early on.

I agree with above on both points. Either move the intervals to Friday or keep the fartlek/hills but don’t do both the first week if you’re doing the time trial.

And for the tempos, top group could probably do 2x10 mins with 60-120sec rest to start but if it were me, I’d have them start with 2-4x6 min with 60sec the first week, 2-4x7 mins the next week and then maybe try a straight through 16-20 minutes and build up time from there

Yeah, I'm a little torn on how to lay out week 1 with getting that time trial in there. I'll think on that some more.

Right now I have Weeks 1-7 being focused on tempo/threshold work and its laid out like this:

Week 1: 1K Repeats

Week 2: Tempo

Week 3: Mile Repeats

Week 4: Tempo

Week 5: 1K Repeats

Week 6: Tempo

Week 7: Mile Repeats

I see what you're saying in regards to maybe getting another set o2 of tempo intervals in prior to straight tempos. Would a layout like this make more sense?

Week 1: 1K Repeats

Week 2: Mile Repeats

Week 3: Tempo 1

Week 4: 1K Repeats

Week 5: Tempo 2

Week 6: Mile Repeats

Week 7: Tempo 3

I could also switch week 5 and 6 too as a possibility. Thoughts?

Using some broken tempos for the first and potentially second tempo is a thought I've had as well depending on how fit/unfit they look at that point and what I feel they can handle. I'd likely consider 2x 11'/10'/9' for the group on tempo #1 and go from there.

Thanks for the feedback.

Definitely do the time trial. It will make the groups so much easier to put together and will avoid too kids blowing up in workouts from thinking they can hang with a better group.

I missed that your mile repeats in week 3 were tempo effort. I’d switch those to week 2. Just so they get a feel. And then if you want to do a straight tempo week 3. But let’s say group A will run 3 tempo interval mile repeats at or under faster than 6 flat….that’s less than 18 minutes of work. So going to a straight 22 min tempo might be tough unless obviously the pace is slower.

Maybe give them a tempo time range for week 3. Like 18-22 minutes. See what pace they settle into, pull kids who are struggling earlier. Just some ideas

Check out the coaching interviews here. Plenty of info for summer training.

I would ease up during your summer training. Build consistency, run for time, 30-45 minutes to start, I wouldn't start workouts at this point, maybe wait until school starts

Myself and my college program have always used the VDot Calculator to determine paces.

For the terminology I use (whether its correct or not I'm unsure, but its the consistent terms I've utilized for a decade) I use the "threshold" training time to determine paces for tempo runs and tempo intervals.

Tempo runs are typically a range of "Threshold to Threshold+ 20 seconds" meaning their goal pace will fall somewhere in there. Typically encourage the most median time as to prevent them running faster than threshold pace.

Tempo intervals are typically a range of Threshold - 20 seconds to Threshold and same thing as stated above for tempo runs.

The training listed in the main post is for the actual competitive season. For the summer I have them all running easy mileage. If I identify any runners craving a little bit more, I may have them run a fartlek or some hills the last couple weeks of the summer.

First off, congratulations. How fun. Just remember that part of the fun is experimenting and trying new things as you fine tune your program in the coming years. I have no suggestions on specifics other than what other posters have pointed out before me, but again much of what you'll find that works/doesn't work will come through trial and error. Don't be afraid to experiment and adjust on the fly.

One thing I don't know if you did or not, but might consider if you didn't, is to start by planning big macro cycle type approach first going from peak season (State) back to summer program. Then start focusing on meso cycle items to refine how you'll shift training focus through the macro cycles, then start filling in specific workouts last based on those 2.

Good luck and have fun!

Thanks coach,

Given that I have just taken over the job a few weeks in to the summer, and a summer training packet is new to the kids, I wasn't able to do a full break down of macro-cycles from start of summer to end of year, that's why only the 12 weeks of the season are programmed and they were provided just easy mileage for the summer. As I get more time with the kids, I do plan on setting it up that way in future seasons where I can truly break it down in to 3-5 macro-cycles from end of season to first week of summer training.

For HS I think generic Jack Daniels coaching will work best. Something like tempo Monday, threshold intervals Wednesday (lighter), race Saturday.

You need no VO2 max work as you're racing 5k's frequently

There's only 2 VO2 workouts in the whole program. And I would question not running long runs so that these kids can develop over the years.

You're thinking too much.

It looks good but I will say that your expectations for some of your new kids unless you cut is not going to be realistic. There's definitely going to be kids who do nothing over the summer and running 3 miles is going to be pushing it, much less a 5 mile long run during their 2nd week of training. Not sure how your school/team is set up but I know my high school back in the day got a lot of kids coming out after getting cut from other teams or as a whim over the summer. I was one of those kids (on a whim going into my Jr year in HS) ended up making it onto Varsity by the end of the season and was #2 my Senior year and broke the school record in the 800 my senior year too, ended up running in college. I distinctly remember having to walk during the first 3 mile run we took as a team which was definitely not fast. I'd advocate for maybe a 'D' squad for the kids who probably won't be able to run a 5 mile long run until almost the end of the season and do pretty low mileage for them to prevent them from getting injured or quitting because they've never run before but could turn out to be an asset to your team by track season

That's a fair point. I think using that 2 mile time trial will give me a good sense of who has not run at all and could include the use of a D group for that situation.

I've made some tweaks to the original schedule, and with the season being just a couple days away, I wanted to bump the post and get a little more feedback. Thanks everyone!

Week 1:
Monday: Easy Run + Strides (Split into two runs of goal long run length. Joint practice with soccer at midnight and regular practice that afternoon)
Tuesday: 2 Mile time trial (Used to determine fitness and early season workout paces)
Wednesday: 8-10x ~400m hills
Thursday: Easy Run + Strides + Plyos/Core
Friday: 1K Repeats @ Tempo Interval Pace w/ 1:15 recovery (A&B run 5 reps, C run 4 reps)
Saturday/Sunday: One day Easy/Recovery and other OFF

Weekly Mileage: (A: 35 / B: 28 / C: 20)

*No weekend run for C

Week 2:
Monday: Long Run (A: 8 / B: 6 / C: 4)
Tuesday: Easy Run + Strides + Plyos/Core
Wednesday: Mile Repeats @ Tempo Interval Pace w/ 1:30 recovery (A&B run 3 reps, C runs 2 reps + 1 800)
Thursday: Easy/Recovery Run
Friday: Fartlek (1-2-3-4-3-2-1 w/ matching rest) (inexperienced group may be pulled after 4 or second 3 minute pick up)
Saturday/Sunday: One day Easy/Recovery and other OFF

Weekly Mileage: (A: 40 / B: 32 / C:21)

*No weekend run for C

Week 3:
Monday: Long Run (A: 9 / B: 7 / C: 5)
Tuesday: Easy Run + Strides + Plyos/Core
Wednesday: Tempo Run (A: 20' / B: 18' / C: 15')
Thursday: Easy Run + Strides + Light Plyos/Core
Friday:Twilight Meet (Large sized invitational)
Saturday/Sunday: One day Easy/Recovery and other OFF

Weekly Mileage: (A: 40 / B: 34 / C: 23 or 26)

*Optional weekend run for C

Week 4:
Monday: Long Run (A: 10 / B: 8 / C: 6)
Tuesday: Easy Run + Strides + Light Plyos/Core
Wednesday: "Rustbuster" Meet (Medium sized invitational)
Thursday: Easy/Recovery Run + Strides + Plyos/Core
Friday: 1K Repeats @ Tempo Interval Pace w/ 1:15 recovery (A&B run 6 reps, C runs 5 reps)
Saturday/Sunday: One day Easy/Recovery and other OFF

Weekly Mileage: (A: 43 / B: 36 / C: 26 or 30)

*Optional weekend run for C

Week 5:
Monday: Long Run (A: 11 / B: 9 / C: 7)
Tuesday: Easy Run + Strides + Light Plyos/Core
Wednesday:Conference Jamboree Meet (Small 7-8 team meet)
Thursday: Easy/Recovery Run + Strides + Plyos/Core
Friday: Tempo Run (A: 22' / B: 20' / C: 18')
Saturday/Sunday: One day Easy/Recovery and other OFF

Weekly Mileage: (A: 45 / B: 38 / C: 30)

Week 6: (Down week for mileage)
Monday: Long Run (A: 10 / B: 8 / C: 6)
Tuesday: Easy Run + Strides + Plyos/Core
Wednesday: Mile Repeats @ Tempo Interval Pace w 1:30 recovery (A&B run 4 reps, C runs 3 reps)
Thursday: Easy/Recovery Run + Plyos/Core
Friday: Easy Run + Strides
Saturday:Medium-Large Invitational Meet
Sunday: OFF

Weekly Mileage: (A: 41 / B: 34 / C: 27)

Week 7:
Monday: Long Run (A: 11 / B: 9 / C: 7)
Tuesday: Easy Run + Strides + Plyos/Core
Wednesday: Tempo Run (A: 24' / B: 22' / C: 20')
Thursday: Easy Run + Plyos/Core
Friday: Easy Run + Strides
Saturday:Medium-Large Invitational Meet
Sunday: OFF

Weekly Mileage: (A: 45 / B: 40 / C: 32)

Week 8: (Peak mileage week 1)
Monday: Long Run (A: 12 / B: 10 / C: 8)
Tuesday: Easy Run + Strides + Light Plyos/Core
Wednesday:Conference Jamboree Meet (Small 7-8 team meet)
Thursday: Easy Run + Strides + Plyos/Core
Friday: Fartlek (Either 4x 3-2-1 w/ 2:00 recovery. 3 @ TI, 2 @ I, 1 @ R. OR B: 6-8x 90-60-30 w/ matching rest and 3:00 between sets. 90 @ TI, 60 @ I, 30 @ R)
Saturday/Sunday: One day Easy/Recovery Run and other OFF

Weekly Mileage: (A: 47 / B: 40 / C: 35)

*If any C runners are struggling, they may be given the weekend off, weekly mileage would be 30

Week 9: (Peak mileage week 2)
Monday: Long Run (A: 12 / B: 10 / C: 8)
Tuesday: Easy Run + Strides + Plyos/Core
Wednesday: 800m Repeats @ Race Pace w/ 3:00 recovery (All run 6 reps)
Thursday: Easy Run + Plyos/Core
Friday: Easy Run + Strides
Saturday:Medium Sized Invitational Meet
Sunday: Off

Weekly Mileage: (A: 45 / B: 40 / C: 31)

Week 10: (Taper Week 1)
Monday: Long Run (A: 10 / B: 8 / C: 6)
Tuesday: Easy Run + Strides + Plyos/Core
Wednesday: 1200m Repeats @ Race Pace w/ 4:00 recovery (A/B runs 5 reps, C runs 4 reps) *may cut everyone short one rep depending on how they feel at that point in the season and how the workout is running
Thursday: Easy Run + Strides + Plyos/Core
Friday: 8-10x ~200m hills
Saturday/Sunday: One day Easy/Recovery Run and other OFF

Weekly Mileage: (A: 40 / B: 32 / C: 24)

Week 11: (Taper Week 2)
Monday: Long Run (A: 8 / B: 7 / C: 5)
Tuesday: Easy Run + Strides
Wednesday: Conference Finals (Goal Race B)
Thursday: Easy Run + Strides
Friday: County Meet
Saturday/Sunday: One day Easy/Recovery Run and other OFF

Week 12: (Taper Week 3)
Monday: Long Run (A: 7 / B: 6 / C: 4)
Tuesday: Easy Run + Strides
Wednesday: 400m Repeats w/ 2:00 recovery (A runs 8 reps, B runs 7 reps, C runs 6 reps)
Thursday: Easy Run
Friday: Easy Run + Strides
Saturday:Regional Meet (Goal race A)
Sunday: Off

Personally I am not a fan of the 400m reps during that last week. I would prefer that workout farther from your important meet. My preference for that last week would be about half volume of tempo followed by a few reps with plenty of recovery.

Can I ask the reason for not liking a few 400s 3 days prior to the goal race?

It would depend on the pace to be honest. I assumed that it looked like to would be a repetition workout that would be around mile pace. 8 400s at mile pace is a pretty solid workout a few days out from an important meet. If it was a random meet in the middle of the season, whatever. But I assume the region meet is one that you want to be ready to race well at. The worst thing you could do the week of an important meet is run too hard. The other issue I had with it, is you don't seem to do this particular workout anywhere else during the whole season. I don't want to do something completely different the week of our most important meet. I want to run a light workout that they can crusie and feel great after. I would do a workout that you have done many times during the season but lighten the volume. For your schedule that would be a tempo or tempo intervals. I would just reduce the volume that you normally do. Then I would add a few reps after. The reps could be some 200s, 300s or 400s if you want. As long as they can keep them under control. To be honest, 8x400 would probably be ok as long as they didn't run it too hard. But, I wouldn't want to do a workout that you haven't been doing all year long. A half volume tempo (or tempo intervals) and a couple reps has worked very well for us in recent years. I do like that you haven't crammed way too much VO2max work into the schedule. You are getting lots of that in the races.