Training a High School Girl

I would have her have one day off a week, since she has not trained much to this point in the offseason at least giving her a mental break would help. Focus largely on aerobic development, longer intervals with at least 1:1 recovery, tempo runs, etc. I would probably suggest only 2 "workouts" a week. I wouldnt worry about the time for the 100s just get on soft surface with a slight incline and do some strides. Also probably wouldnt hurt every couple of weeks to work in some hills if you have a decently long hill in your area.

Maybe try to work in some core strengthening circuits. I have my athletes do a set of 15 different exercises that all work their core. They will go hard for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds, then go hard again for 20 seconds, then during the next 10 second rest, they will switch to the next station. Do a search for core exercises to set up the ones you like. This isn't weight lifting, it's more along the lines of being able to lift your own body weight. All runners can use a little toning up and general strengthening.

After track season assuming she improves and still wants me to coach her, should I have her run daily then?

Also, should do you mean I should go ahead and have her start running longer intervals now or in track season? Would a good start be something like 3 X mile in 6:15 or 5 X 800 in 3:05

Should I have her do these every other night? I found this link with many-

http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?id=SM00071

Thanks for the help

Alot of those are good, don't forget some of the tried and true, pull-ups, push-ups, etc.

You can do a bit of both have her go on the track towards the end of the build up so that she becomes aclimated to it but also do some fartlik type workouts like 1 minuters, 2 minuters etc. Base building can be a fun time because you can get out onto the trails and have fun with nature, I am generally not a believer in just strict mileage, I think it is better to break it up with some "workouts" even if it is just 5 x 2 mins with 2 mins recovery. Core stuff is also important there are some good circuit sets out there such as Dellinger's. I think there was a thread on Letsrun in the summer about it.

Several Points:

1) As one of the previous posters pointed out, six days a week is probably ideal, since she has little experience with off-season training in the past.

2) I think one hard session per week is sufficient duirng the off-season. She will have the whole track season to be doing two or three hard efforts a week. But strides are definately good two or three days a week. I like your idea of the 100s at 15-16 sec

3) I would keep the hard session off the track during the off-season. Fartlek training is excellent because you are going fast but don't have the mental burden of running on the track and focusing on times for given distances. She could do something like 8x2 min hard w/1 min rec or 12x1 min hard w/1 min rec or 3x6 min hard w/2 min rec. Maybe alternate a 4-5 mile tempo run with a fartlek each week. But have her stay off the track in Dec and Jan, as there will be plenty of time spent on the track during the season.

4) One good thing to day on distance run days to break the monotony is to do an out and back run, accelerating on the way back. For example: run out 3 miles in 25:00 and come back around 22:00. You should start the second 3 mile at an easy pace and finish up around your tempo speed for the last half mile or last mile.

I like the 4th point listed particularly. I will tell her to try something like that, running out half the distance than trying to beat her time running back. Also, thanks for reiterating 6 days a week like someone earlier said. I have already informed her that she can take a day off every week. I couldnt decide whether to give her one day a week off or not, and I kept thinking back to Lydiard saying never take a day off. That was always the deciding issue. But I guess its better to not risk the burnout since she is raw. I just wanted to make sure to push her hard enough since her times are pretty respectable without much work in the past. Could you elaborate on the Fartlek training a little more? Should this be her only workout on those days? Because shes doing more than 3 miles a day now and shes also running by herself out there, so if she does do a Fartlek run should she also run a few extra miles after finishing the Fartlek or intersperse it a 12 X 1 min hard, 1 min rec into her 5 mile run.

The general consensus it seems would be to do one track workout every week right now. Looking at her abilities, what should I make that workout and what should she be capable of?

Right now Im thinking of maybe doing a few different workouts over the winter: Something like a 5 X 3:05 to start and hopefully working up to 8 X 2:55. Also, 10 X 200 in 35, 3 X mile in 6:25 to start and work that up to 4 X 6:05 or so, and also 8 X 400 in 75.

Thoughts from anyone?

Thanks alot to all

The workouts posted here are good. I would just be careful not to do too many very long track workouts. Maybe a limit of 4800m-5000m instead of 6400m for a junior(i think?) who hasnt trained too much.

Californian has some good points- Strides! and that out and back run is a good one. I dont think you need to totally avoid the track as once a week/2 weeks will give her something to look at and chart progress. Just dont make it too hard. Also it depends if you can run on grass thats better obv if you have to do lots of workouts on the road then maybe the track would be a better option to use a bit more frequently.

Btw it sounds like jsut from PRs that she has solid endurance as 2:21/5:22/11:31 i would say 11:31 is best. So make sure she gets those strides in.

50 miles a week sounds like a lot for a highschool kid. Does anyone else agree?? Is she a fr? soph? jr?

You have to be careful not to do too much too early or else where do you have to go. In highschool I ran 2:13 as a freshman off of just over 10 miles a week. By my sr. year I was probably 25 miles a week running under 2:10 and 4:30. It takes a long time to be able to handle that sort of mileage when you don't have a back ground. It seems like a huge step in one year to go from 10-50 miles or even 20-50 miles. I am 26 now am can handle 55 miles per week and am SOOOOOOOOO thankful my highschool coach never pushed the miles with me. I could have done it, for a while but I think I would have burned out. Again, this is just my opinion.

50 miles a week for a high school junior? That sounds optimal really. Not everybody would be able to handle this amount. Some kids less, some kids more, but I think for most high school juniors, 50 a week is about right. And from what I gather, she'll probably be dropping milage considerably once her actually school coaches take over in the spring. So its not like she'll be doing 50 a week for an extended time period.

it's not good to drop mileage significantly. you lose aerobic conditioning. if her coaches have her doing significantly less, she should do more on her own (unless they do too much speed for it to work out)

Don't go too crazy on the core strength stuff, it should be a supplement to the training not the focus. It is the big fad these days, but in my opinion is overstressed. It is best to keep it simple, maybe crunches, v-sits, side stabilizers and prone stabilizers.

The running is much more important, 6 days a week is what i would suggest, 1 long run, 1 tempo run, i hill run (could be a hill repeat session, or a run over a hilly course) aerobic conditioning is key. This will lay the foundation for the intensity in the future.

Okay thanks for the advice about the workouts. I will cut that to 3 X 1600 in 6:10 or thereabouts.

Also, you say 11:31 is best and I definitely agree- plus enjoys cross country best so thats why the long-term focus is on excelling in cross next season and hopefully being consistenly sub 15 5k.

Thanks

That is very good that you ran 2:10 and 4:30 you must have great natural ability and so does she. Thats why she wants to step it up and see what she is capable of.

And yes, 50 miles will be the last week before the season starts, and when it does the coach will be in control and cut down her mileage big time (he coaches everyone the same, regardless of ability so shell be running the same workouts as 800 runners who run 2:45 and 2 milers who run 15). So if she feels like the winter workouts have helped her I will recommend she run extra during the season (maybe run a few miles every other morning before school).

And to clarify for everyone again since there seems to be confusing, she is a Junior in high school, aged 16.

Thanks to everyone, and please keep it coming. From the 10 or so posts not by me I have already decided to make pretty significant changes. Add comments about what other people suggest. Having multiple people say 6 days a week makes it an obvious decision to change for me.

Thanks

The one girl im working with now is fairly similar if not quite as speedy. She is 224/532/1216 currently a senior. If you want email me and ill send over some workouts for you to look at. We are going into an indoor season which it doesnt sound like you are looking at so it will prob be a little diff but just to see.

Btw the one other though i had maybe a couple(2-3) 5k road races would be a fun thing also. Training for 3 straight months in HS(or anytime) can be a grind if theres no races to look forward to.

Id love to add a hill run but we live in some of the flattest area of the country so its unfortunately not possible.

bump

Hannsen, sounds like your girl could use a bit more mileage/aerobic work. That 2:24 is definitely her best time by far. Last year one of my girls was 2:27/5:21/11:15. Granted, she didn't have a lot of speed, but that was only off about 50 miles week at the highest.

I'd focus on first building that mileage up this winter, and let the pace just come naturally. Strides a couple times a week, with those 100's once a week are excellent. I wouldn't have her set foot on the track, instead doing a once a week tempo (start her at 2 miles for now and work up to 4), and also have her finish the last 10 minutes or so of her long day at a faster pace. I think she will see the biggest gains in XC next year from just building up the miles, and then also working up to faster paces on some runs, especially the tempo. Remember, since she is a junior, and the focus is on NEXT YEAR'S XC season, she will benefit the most from building aerobic strength now.