College Sprinter returning from groin sprain

Tempos. I mean what sprinters call tempos, not distance runners. So workouts totalling 1000 to 3000 meters of "on" with 60-120 seconds "off" in between, where each on part is 100 to 300 meters.

Some examples would include:

2x10x100m, 60s rest, 4 min between sets

3x3x300, 90s rest, 5 min between sets

10x250m, 120s rest

And many other variations. Work on excellent form, these workouts can begin to transition towards more true speed work. Similar stuff should be in your training anyway.

Appreciate the input. I know tempos aren't full out so what times should I be looking to hit in those workouts? I ran my 100-11.23 200-22.23 400-51.06

Probably go by feel since you're just coming off injury, dont worry about time. Also maybe stay on a well groomed football field versus a track

That makes sense. So if i was to do 300, I just run a football field 3 times?

Craig Tims wrote:

That makes sense. So if i was to do 300, I just run a football field 3 times?

Running the football field 3 times would be annoying, lots of starting and stopping, which would break the "tempo" which is the point of the workout. You would be better of doing a loop around the football field. If you cut the turns to make them more gentle, a full loop of the field would be a little over 300 meters probably. Roughly 250m would be about a "horseshoe" of a football field.

As far as pace, you'd want to eventually work up to doing 70-85% of your maximum pace in these tempos, with a rolling start. By no means should you feel like you need to time everything, as Flo'da boy said, it should be mostly by feel. But it might be beneficial to time a rep here and there just to get an idea of how fast you are going.

If you run 11.2 in the 100, your top end speed is in the range of 10m/s. So 70% would be 7.0m/s, or 14.3 seconds per 100m. 85% would be about 11.8 seconds per 100m.

So as you start feeling stronger, workouts like the 300 repeats should be done at about 70% speed, or about 44 seconds. Workouts like the 2x10x100 should approach 85%, so you should be trying to do the rolling 100s under 12 seconds.

Also don't wear spikes during workouts like these. You can start reintegrating spikes as you start doing more specific speed workouts.

Appreciate it! I had left before you responded. Wind up doing 5X250 2X200 with 250s at 1:30 break and 200s at 2min break. 250s at 41-40-39-38-38. 200s 28-28. Felt pretty good, icing now. What should i focus on tomorrow?

Good workout!

I would suggest taking it easy tomorrow. If you're still feeling that workout in your legs too much take the day off but if you feel okay (and it doesn't aggravate the injury) I would suggest doing starts/acceleration

I feel pretty good, so tomorrow like an easy jog? or what would you suggest?

Day2 Did 100-120-150-200 twice. Took off kinda quick and tried to work on form around curve/maintain good speed. Feel pretty good just a little sore, still icing and stretching a lot.

Craig Tims wrote:

Day2 Did 100-120-150-200 twice. Took off kinda quick and tried to work on form around curve/maintain good speed. Feel pretty good just a little sore, still icing and stretching a lot.

The workouts you are doing sound like good "get back into form from an injury" workouts so I think you are on the right track. Do be sure not to overdo it or rush it, less you risk an relapse of the injury.

Do be sure that you aren't doing the same intensity every day. You should have easy days, hard days, etc.

Also look at your season as a whole and try to make a plan over the course of the season. When are you trying to peak? Are you in Europe and trying to peak August/September time range? Think about these things and map out a general plan, then make the specific workouts for the next week or two.

To be extremely general, I usually set up workouts like:

Day 1 Speed, Day 2 tempo, Day three off, or easy skills work. Then repeat, extra day off or light for day 7, repeating again the following week. As you get into the season, speed endurance will start to play a bigger role and replace certain workouts. Obviously this is an oversimplification.

Look up the difference between max V workouts, speed endurance, special endurance I, II, and intensive and extensive tempos. The mix of all of these depend on what event you are working on as well as where you are in your training/season, plus your specific strengths, weaknesses, and response to training stimulus.

Appreciate the input! So you would suggest that I rest tomorrow? I'm trying to focus on endurance part because we don't really start indoor until January. If i can go into training when i get back to school (Aug 18th) strong in endurance, I'll be happy. Just want to be prepared and fully healed. I'm trying to peak during the season really. I do the 1/2/4, I think I lack explosiveness but I have good closing speed. My endurance is my weakest point to me because i shouldn't be able to run a 22 and just a 51. What would you suggest I work on? (workouts etc)