Month: July 2023

We’re approaching the end of the Sizzler and Track season; Sizzler number 4 is this Thursday so there will be no session.

From a technical perspective we will be looking to maintain high hips and a powerful push off the ground and will be progressing the exercises and drills we worked on last week

Suggested Drills for the week

Straight Leg Running – make sure the knee is locked, the force is all coming from the glutes, the landing is on the ball of the foot with the calf and achilles having just enough flex to keep the movement springy

A-Progression (Stationary, Walk, March, Skip)

B-Progression (Stationary, Walk, March, Skip)

Tuesday Session

10 minutes warm-up

Chain running – run in a line, the last runner runs hard (90% of max pace) to the front of the group, when the last runner reaches the front then the next ‘last runner’ sets of hard to get to the front. REPEAT for 15 minutes

10 minutes easy

15 minutes more chain running

10 mins Cool Down

If you are racing on Thursday then moderate your effort in the hard runs accordingly.

Thursday Session

NO SESSION – Sale Sizzler 4

Weekend Session

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 – put in max effort up the hills (assuming its reasonably local and the hills are less than 5 minutes to climb).

After some stellar performances over the last few weeks in races we’re going to be attempting to maintain that speed for a few weeks. This week we are doing the classic 5x1km (or 600s with loads of rest for the ‘sprinters’) and some tempo work on Tuesday.

From a technical perspective we will be looking to maintain high hips and a powerful push off the ground and will be progressing the exercises and drills we worked on last week

Suggested Drills for the week

Squats

Lunge progression

Straight leg running

Strides

Tuesday Session

5 minute warm-up

THREE TIMES: 15 minutes at a pace at or slightly faster than 10km race pace take 5 minutes easy between the efforts

5 minute cool-down

Thursday Session

5 Minutes easy running

Drills and Strides

FIVE TIMES: 1000m at target 5km pace, 1 minute rest.

(Option for those racing shorter distances – do a 600m set, i.e. set off when the last of the 1km group have finished their first 400m – aim to overtake them all).

5 minutes easy running to 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) with a 50-100m stride every 1km.

After some stellar performances over the last few weeks in races we’re going to be attempting to maintain that speed for a few weeks. This week we are doing efforts which have progressively shorter intervals as this has been show to allow more work to be done in a session.

From a technical perspective we will be looking to maintain high hips and a powerful push off the ground and will be progressing the exercises and drills we worked on last week

Suggested Drills for the week

Squats

Lunge progression

Straight leg running

Strides

Tuesday Session

12 minutes warm-up

All efforts @ 5km race pace

A) 3 mins effort, 2 minutes recovery

B) 2 mins effort, 1 minute recovery

C) 1 min effort, 3 minute recovery

repeat A to C 3 times, i.e, 3 min effort, recover, 2 min effort, recover, 1 min effort, long recovery, 3 min effort etc.

12 mins Cool Down

Thursday Session

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

2 x 800m

4 x 400m

4 x 200m

Stationary (while keeping mobile) recoveries between efforts – all efforts to be done at 90% of race effort, i.e, 90% of 800m race pace for the 800m rep

10 minute cool down

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.

After some stellar performances over the last few weeks in races we’re going to be attempting to maintain that speed for a few weeks. This week we are doing efforts which will be focused on maintaining speed even when fatigued.

From a technical perspective we will be looking to maintain high hips and a powerful push off the ground.

Suggested Drills for the week

Squats

Lunge progression

Straight leg running

Strides

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

4-6 TIMES: 800 negative split with 400 easy

10 minute cool down

Weekend Session

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 – put in max effort up the hills (assuming its reasonably local and the hills are less than 5 minutes to climb).

After some stellar performances over the last couple of weeks in races we’re going to be attempting to maintain that speed for a few weeks. This week we are doing efforts which will start fast and then slow just enough to be manageable but still very hard.

From a technical perspective we will be looking to maintain really good posture (nice upright torso with shoulders relaxed) even when fatigued.

Suggested Drills for the week

Straight leg running – with posture focus

A – March/Skip Progression – with posture focus

B – March/Skip Progression – with posture focus

Strides with balloon (imaginary) – with posture focus

Tuesday Session

10 minute warm-up

40 minutes of:

During the warm-up decide an order to run in.

Start out at a steady (long-run, i.e. arerobic) pace the first runner then chooses when to start the interval, how fast to run the interval and where to end the interval – they do no need to tell the rest of the group their decision, the rest of the group will simply attempt to keep up as best they can. Once the first runner reaches the end point they have selected for their interval they turn around and run to the back of the group.

For a detail explanation with diagrams see here.

10 minute cool-down

Thursday Session

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

FIVE TIMES: 800m as 200m maximum effort then 600m 5km pace minus 5 seconds per km, then recover fully (2 to 3 minutes)

5 minutes easy running to cool down

This is a tough set; if you want to know why you’re doing it I have written some details here.

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) with a 50-100m stride every 1km.