Month: February 2023

This week we will be starting a bit more work at pace and improving VO2 Max since spring is in the air; there are no XC races this weekend so we’ll be stepping it up a bit.

For our technical goal we will be aiming to use a nice, strong arm drive.

Suggested Drills for the week

A-Progression (A-March, A-Skip, A-Run)

A-Progression (A-March, A-Skip, A-Run) with focus on arm drive

Strides while focusing on the individual aspects of arm drive in each of 4 sets of strides; keeping elbow joint at 90 degrees, keeping the arm in the correct plane, getting a full arm drive and keeping the shoulders relaxed.

Tuesday Session

10 minutes warm-up

4 minutes of run fast* for a count of 20 breaths, walk for 10 breaths (repeating this cycle for 4 minutes) THEN full recovery including some easy running.

* fast – this should be a reasonably smooth acceleration to your maximum pace. By the end of the 4 minutes it will feel EXTREMELY challenging.

REPEAT the above four times

10 mins Cool Down

For background see here.

Thursday Session

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

16 times 200m @ max pace at which you can hold good endurance form – regroup and then 200m easy recovery together after each rep.

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).

This week we will be starting a bit more work at pace since spring is in the air and some of you will be tapering for National XC this weekend.

For our technical goal we will be aiming to keep a nice tall posture

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 minute warm-up

4x 6 minutes @ 5km pace with 2 minute recoveries.

10 minute cool-down

Thursday Session

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

8 times 200m @ max pace at which you can hold good endurance form

5 mins cool down

Weekend Session

National Cross Country race or rolling hills

This week we will be aiming to get as much time over Lactate Threshold as possible by mixing some long intervals on Tuesday with some decreasing length intervals on Thursday.

For our technical goal we will be aiming to keep the shoulders and neck relaxed while making a hard effort.

Suggested Drills for the week

A – March (keeping toes up, knee up and chin up)

A – Skips

A – March with a focus on arms; 90 degree elbow, plane of movement alongside the body, elbow coming inline with torso as arm comes forward and hand comes in line with hip as arm goes back.

A – Skips with a focus on arms

6 x Strides; 1) Keep arms in correct plane, 2) relax the shoulders (focus on relaxing during out breath), 3) keep elbows at 90 degrees, 4) relax shoulders, 5) Drive elbows back, 6) relax shoulders

Tuesday Session

10 minute warm-up

4x 8 minutes @ 10km pace with 2 minute recoveries.

10 minute cool-down

Thursday Session

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

2000m effort 3 minutes rest

1600m effort 2.5 minutes rest

1200m effort 2 minutes rest

800m effort 1.5 minutes rest

400m effort

5 mins cool down

The efforts should be at approx. 5km race pace.

Weekend Session

Long* Run with a fast (10km race pace) finish

*Long is relative to what you have been doing recently; no more than 20% longer than any run you’ve done in the past 4 weeks.

This week we will be doing some short(ish) reps in advance of the upcoming XC race at Sherdley Park.

For technique we will be working on engaging the glutes with a view to helping the knee flex 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 minute warm-up

4x 6 minutes @ 5km pace with 4 minute recoveries.

10 minute cool-down

Thursday Session

10 mins easy warm up including (extra) drills

6 x 400 @ 5km race pace – lots of recovery

10 mins Cool Down

Weekend Session

Cross-country or 9km at race pace in a muddy field.