Month: December 2022

This week our technical focus is on keeping the hips high and stable to avoid wasting energy lifting the torso up and down.

For our main sets we have some Christmas specials!

Suggested Drills for the week

A-March

Ball Slam

Jump Lunge

High Cadence running on the spot then lean forward from the ankle until you ‘fall’ into a run

Strides – imagine a helium balloon attached to your head lifting your head and torso up (but keep your shoulders relaxed)

Tuesday Session

10 minutes warm-up

10 seconds max effort then 2 minutes recovery

20 seconds max effort then 2 minutes recovery

30 seconds max effort then 2 minutes recovery

40 seconds max effort then 2 minutes recovery

50 seconds max effort then 2 minutes recovery

60 seconds max effort then 2 minutes recovery

70 seconds max effort then 2 minutes recovery

80 seconds max effort then 2 minutes recovery

90 seconds max effort then 2 minutes recovery

100 seconds max effort then 2 minutes recovery

110 seconds max effort then 2 minutes recovery

120 seconds max effort then 2 minutes recovery

10 minutes cool-down

Thursday Session

20 mins easy warm up – include the suggested drills for the week

Pass the parcel! Full details will be explained on the night. If you want something equivalent then 10×400 with approx 2 mins rest between efforts.

5 mins cool down

Weekend Session

Minimum of 10 minutes warm up

Do a long run (distance will be up to you but this should be your longest run of the week) on a course that has rolling hills.

The fitness focus this week and until the new year will be working on getting our aerobic threshold as close as possible to our lactate threshold; there is a good, albeit cycling focused, article here.

The technical focus will be working on maintaining a good posture and light-footedness

Suggested Drills for the week

Straight leg run

A-progression

B-progression

Tuesday Session

10 minutes warm-up

2 x 20 minutes at a pace where conversation is no longer possible but short sentences with brief gaps to breath are still possible – this should be somewhere between your half marathon pace and your 10km race pace

5 minute cool-down

Thursday Session

The aim of this set is to maintain a heart rate that is between aerobic threshold and lactate threshold – we do this by keeping the majority of the lap easy but with some hard effort in the middle of each lap and minimal rest between laps

20 mins easy warm up – include the suggested drills for the week

On each lap; start easy accelerate slowly to 90% of sprint speed by 200m then decelerate slowly until the end of the lap – once everyone has completed the lap start again.

5 mins cool down

Weekend Session

Minimum of 10 minutes warm up

Do a long run (distance will be up to you but this should be your longest run of the week) on a course that has rolling hills.

The fitness focus this week and until the new year will be working on getting our aerobic threshold as close as possible to our lactate threshold; there is a good, albeit cycling focused, article here.

The technical focus will be working on making sure your knee is flexed before your foot touches the ground.

Suggested Drills for the week

Straight leg, ball of foot taps

Toe-taps

B-Progression

Strides; focusing on pulling the ground backwards

Tuesday Session

10 minutes warm-up

45 minutes at a pace where conversation is no longer easy and it is no longer possible to breath only through your nose.

5 minute cool-down

Thursday Session

20 mins easy warm up – include the suggested drills for the week

FOUR TIMES:

4 x400m first lap at XC race pace/effort, then aim to slow down by 10s per lap on each of the remaining 3 laps – minimal rest between laps (just enough to get everyone to start at the same time).

Recover for 2-3 minutes after the 4 laps then repeat…

5 mins cool down

Weekend Session

Minimum of 10 minutes warm up

Do a long run (distance will be up to you but this should be your longest run of the week) but every 1km do a stride (accelerate to 90% of sprint speed, hold it for 10 breaths or approx 20 seconds, then decelerate).