I am a new coach and last year, I tried to build base all summer and neglected intervals until the meets started. However, meets prevented this. This year, I am doing intervals earlier.
I am a new coach and last year, I tried to build base all summer and neglected intervals until the meets started. However, meets prevented this. This year, I am doing intervals earlier.
You will figure it out eventually.
Doing LSD all summer will not git it done. However if you do interval training you also risk peaking them too early and compromising aerobic gains.
It would be smarter to insert some Fartlek, Fast Distance (tempo to the mod crowd), and strides. Save 12 X 400 for the season. One session of hill repeats would be good every ten days. If you are doing hilly runs, do one every week.
However it is the long run that puts the Tiger in the cat. Build that one up to 22 miles for your experienced runners. 15 miles may be plenty for novices. That's where the coaching is, and I have a feeling your kids are novices. Trust me doing too much interval training is bad!
I could see maybe doing 3 X Mile every ten days, but you can do so much other stuff instead. At the high school level you must teach them how to train. If you cheat and insert interval training because they are not consistent runners, you will not have the top runners that the best programs develop.
Don`t do it wrong! Do it right!
PROGRAM IN TO THE FUTURE!
Texas HS Coach wrote:
xc run wrote:Going to echo a few other posts on here, all about creating the culture. You must create a culture of running but also a culture that kids want to be part of, esp during the summer. I have a team of about 70 and we rarely have less than 50 show up for runs during the summer, we go 4x wk as a team and they have 2x on their own. Once a week we go in the evening and we usually try to do something fun this night, along with changing the location of where we run. The other three days we go early morning. Building a successful program helps create a culture but building a culture athletes want to be part of will help you build a successful program. Ice cream, pizza, games, etc are all things that sound simple and fluffy but are something kids get excited about - you have to find a reason for your top runner to be there and the goofy underclassman that in two years will have shocked the world by working their butt off to be on your varsity top 7.
Our concept is similar. I usually draw 50% of the team on an average day. In highly committed years it has been closer to 70%. We do one night per week for training/location purposes but also to give an opportunity to the summer school/vbs/work kids who use those as reasons not to attend.
One thing I do is start summers with my family vacation and expect the returning athletes to organize. I sell it as an opportunity to show that they can lead and form a team bond. It usually works. When we first begin meeting, I'll be with the team 3 times per week, then I up it to 4, and then it gets to 5.
I've noticed that this gives them a little flexibility earlier in the summer and keeps it from seeming like it is all about what I want. It puts some of it on them while still keeping our team fresh in their mind. I consider it an opportunity for them to have personal growth.
That being said, handing them a training program and saying "see ya in August" practically ensures a squad won't see the postseason or have depth. This might motivate the 1s and 2s more, though. They'll seek other coaching.
I like your 3 days to 4 days to 5 days approach. For a coach with a new team you might even start out at only 2 days per week and make sure that it's super fun each of those days. You can play running games and finish with ice cream. It does not have to be complicated!
HSXC Coach wrote:
I am a new coach and last year, I tried to build base all summer and neglected intervals until the meets started. However, meets prevented this. This year, I am doing intervals earlier.
What you are trying to do is develop a following. All the "right workouts," will not matter if you do not have talented kids. Make it a place where kids want to be and you will have a good team.
Interval workouts can be fun but are not for every runner. It's too much work for the beginner that is for sure!
One thing I WOULD NOT do is break State HS athletic rules (as well as various State Criminal Codes possibly as well) and have any contact with any students.
DaveWottleyess wrote:
HSXC Coach wrote:I am a new coach and last year, I tried to build base all summer and neglected intervals until the meets started. However, meets prevented this. This year, I am doing intervals earlier.
What you are trying to do is develop a following. All the "right workouts," will not matter if you do not have talented kids. Make it a place where kids want to be and you will have a good team.
Interval workouts can be fun but are not for every runner. It's too much work for the beginner that is for sure!
Can this be done without color runs and karaoke?
Try to go into the XC season as if it was track season! I did it with my top kenyan junior XC runner Jsp and he delivered! COACH J.S :)
Doubtful Pre Doubtful wrote:
You will figure it out eventually.
Doing LSD all summer will not git it done. However if you do interval training you also risk peaking them too early and compromising aerobic gains.
It would be smarter to insert some Fartlek, Fast Distance (tempo to the mod crowd), and strides. Save 12 X 400 for the season. One session of hill repeats would be good every ten days. If you are doing hilly runs, do one every week.
However it is the long run that puts the Tiger in the cat. Build that one up to 22 miles for your experienced runners. 15 miles may be plenty for novices. That's where the coaching is, and I have a feeling your kids are novices. Trust me doing too much interval training is bad!
I could see maybe doing 3 X Mile every ten days, but you can do so much other stuff instead. At the high school level you must teach them how to train. If you cheat and insert interval training because they are not consistent runners, you will not have the top runners that the best programs develop.
Thanks! I am doing much of that, except there are not many hills near our school to run. As to intervals, we did none whatsoever last summer. This summer, I have tried 4X1200 once and 5X1K a week later. I am saving the track for September.
I am curious about getting the kids to 22 mile runs, though. How do you get the kids to buy in on such a long run? They resist anything over ten miles.
For something different, you could get some pacing systems for your athletes ;)
News to me..... wrote:
One thing I WOULD NOT do is break State HS athletic rules (as well as various State Criminal Codes possibly as well) and have any contact with any students.
Not all states have rules like this.
Emma Coburn to miss Olympic Trials after breaking ankle in Suzhou
Jakob on Oly 1500- “Walk in the park if I don’t get injured or sick”
VALBY has graduated (w/ honors) from Florida, will she go to grad school??
Congrats to Kyle Merber - Merber has left Citius for position w/ Michael Johnson's track league
2024 College Track & Field Open Coaching Positions Discussion