I want to race 800m indoors in late January and February, but I do not have access to any indoor tracks for training and I live in the northeast. I can obviously do lots of miles, but I want to be able to change gears mid race and at the end of races. I'm afraid to try and run too quickly outdoors for fear of incurring some sort of muscle injury.
What are some things any of you have done or would suggest that will get me to race day feeling like I have a little pop in my legs?
coldman wrote:
I'm afraid to try and run too quickly outdoors for fear of incurring some sort of muscle injury.
...
Dress for the weather. The northeast is nothing compared to the midwest and I know since I've trained in both in the past.
Wear pants or tights or whatever it takes for your legs to be warm and then go about your workouts. Also you say you have no access to indoor tracks but I suggest you search around and inquire just to make sure.
I have never had any trouble attaining peak middle distance shape in the winter. In fact I was always ahead of my team mates who insisted that track work was necessary to be good indoors.
Wear clothing that keeps you warm but still streamlined so you don't feel like an Eskimo and do whatever you need to do.
I always seized the opportunity when footing was great to get something race pace or faster done. Get some shoes that are spike-like in shape with good traction for those days.
Short hill sprints can provide all the stimulus you need. Do a thorough (long, easy) warmup to reduce injury risk and hit those 10/20/30 sec hill sprints.
Why don't you just sit around and whine about the cold and ice? That will surely help your race times.
if I were you I'd train for and race the mile/2mile during the winter. Use it as base training and over-distance prep. Then race the 800 in the spring/summer when it gets warmer and you can get on a track.
If you're set on running the 800 you should measure out a flat area of road w/ good footing, and run your normal workouts.
Also do long hills. And medium hills. And just lots of hills in general.
Ran PR for both 800 and 1000 in the winter with no workouts on a track. Fairly respectable PR's although at a late age (33-34). Used a variety of repeat hills, timed intervals (10 min w/up 1-2-3-2-1 10 min w/down with the 1 meaning 1 minute hard followed by 1 min easy). Also used a metric wheel and found a quiet neighborhood where I measured off 200m intervals for up to 1000m. I would look at week long forecasts and adjust my speed days accordingly. Lots of plys and drills. I hit the weight room a little harder in the winter. TRained numerous athletes who qualified for nationals using the same method. Most important was being prepared to adjust the workout. No workout was cast in stone.