ok state meet is two weeks away and im new to coaching

If you're two weeks away, the work is already done. The most you can do now is get them used to running fast, do some shorter repeats, 800-400 at race pace or a little bit faster. You should have at least one hard work out the week before the meet. If this is there last meet, make sure their legs are fresh and they're feeling confident. That comes from running fast in workouts and feeling comfortable. Good luck. I'm guessing it's california.

I add some pool workouts near the end of the season to help with the overall (upper and lower) body conditioning. Its is very demanding, however, very little pounding on the joints and I call "FREE MILES".

Why do I wait until the end of the season. Due to the fact we have already done every other thing needed for full development, ie, weights, Bounding, Plyros, Speed, Tempo, AT,....what is there left that you can throw at your body that it will respond to as a new stress....

Also, at this time of year it gives the runners something new from the same ole stuff....however, some of the same ole stuff is still needed.

This is only a suggestion, and what works for one runner (or coach) may not work well for others...that is what makes this sport so fun.

I dont think adding a new stress in the last 2 weeks is what you want to do. You want to do things that will allow the benefits of all the training that has been done to come out. So your going to want to decrease stress, not increase stress. Also, you might want to refer to Jack Daniels training principle # 2, specificity of training.

Coach, as I'm sure you know the most important thing leading up to a race is to feel good. So get them doing things that will make them feel fast and sharp. I like to take lots of rest between intervals at that point but do them quick. I would say in the last week, one shorter interval workout but nothing too crazy. Decrease the volume, maintain the intensity. Stay away from long intervals in the last week. Perhaps some longer reps on the Sat before but nothing too crazy. For sure in the last week decrease the volume a bit but as they're in high school you probably (and hopefully) don't have them doing a large amount of volume anyways. Best of luck.

HHH,

I'm not a coach but I would would think that making them feel good, fast, and sharp in the last couple weeks is a double-edged sword. They'll have the positive attitude they need, but that will often result in running the first mile in 4:50. What do you do to try to prevent this?

I look at the state meet results here and it is just ridiculous. 50 guys under 5:00 and then maybe 2 finish under 15:30. I think if a coach could get his entire team to run the first mile at a reasonable pace, they would beat a lot of teams that they normally would not.

I suppose this is where some restraint needs to be issued and the kids need to run smart. This is the 'coaching' in terms of race prep. Get them to go out in a certain position, in a pack, a certain time, whatever. Also, if they keep the mileage reasonable this should hopefully be enought to deter them from going out crazy. But how do we stop them from going out too fast? I guess it comes with racing experience and knowing that the masses will come back. Not easy to do but I would rather have the kids go in rested and feeling good rather tired from running another session of 10x400m with 60s rest or 4x1mile off of 1min recovery. These workouts have a place but not in MHO in the weeks leading up to a race. Matt

HHH wrote:

I like to take lots of rest between intervals at that point but do them quick.

This is the only place where I disagree with you. Unless by "quick" you mean race pace. Any faster than that and I think you're having them repeatedly practice going out 20 seconds too fast in their first mile.

Race pace and quicker, but feeling comfortable while doing it. I personally think it makes race pace seem easier when you run it. We run faster by running faster! If you can run 5:00 miles in practise and feel comfortable, then when you head off in your next race and go out in 5:10, it should feel easier. That's what I've found in my personal experience, but as I always claim, I am no expert.

The hay should be in the barn.Freshen their legs and work on their confidence.

Great point, but I didn't say last two weeks, I did say near the end of the season...

I do require my runers to taper most of all the things we have thrown together all season long as the final two weeks approach...

Good Advise, Jack Daniel's book has quite a few things you can use all season long, once your figure it out...

DO SETS OF REPEAT 1000M's THE DAY BEFORE.