Objectives
To provide a template around which individual and group training can be planned. It assumes a year cycle divided into two half years focussed on Summer track / road race and Winter cross country periods. This avoids fatigue.
The principals are well founded in experience with the Autumn / Winter focussed on Strength and stamina development and the Spring / Summer on speed. Even for summer road racing this strategy is sound as races are typically shorter and faster.
This strategy is essentially a linear strategy with a progression over the course of the cycle.
Considerations
- Every athlete is different. Factors such as age, time to train, reasons to run and ability to train are important. We understand running is hard work so training requires to be achievable and motivational. Hence it is advised that the construction of a principal training plan involves discussion.
- Experiences of mileage differ
- Long term objectives are different, an older senior will not expect to plan for county / international status, but a teenager might aspire to this.
- Ability will differ, and so expected target speeds and intensity of sessions need to be happily modified when required.
- Training plans need to show, when required by the individual’s objectives, progression.
- Everything will change. Its important to feel comfortable about modifying and missing training!
Racing
When a set of objectives include performance at specific events this requires to be taken into consideration. For example, training and rest periods in the Autumn and Winter will take into account, typically, the Manchester League, county and National championships. In the Summer specific events may be targeted but the nature of track competition allows the variety of events to be considered to provide virtual resting.
April 2021
This schedule again focuses on 5k/10k conditioning.
Hill sessions are important and will be arranged. It is assumed that target races will not occur before the end of Summer
Mileage Target 40+ Maintaining a strong aerobic content.
Weekly mileage is presented as an example, however individual athlete norms can be discussed.
It is advised to include 1-2 steady easy runs over 30 minutes every 7 days.
Your aerobic base will have developed well over the lockdown and it is now time to introduce some strength through hill and some threshold intervals.
All track and interval sessions should include a minimum of 1mile w/u and 1mile w/d
Week 1
Tuesday 6th April
5 mile steady run with gradual acceleration over the final 2mile to finish at 5K race pace (for final 800m)
Thursday 5th
5 x 2 mins (2 min jog recovery) 3k pace covering approx. 500m
Breathing indicator- strong, deep and steady, difficult to talk
This is not intended to be an intense Anaerobic session, as soon as the runs start to become distressful end the session
2 x 50m fast (walk back/long full recovery
Sunday
10-12 mile
Week 2
Tuesday 13th
Short Tempo
15 mins steady group warm-up
15mins at 10k pace (able to speak in v.short phrases)
15 mins group warm-down
Thursday 15th
2 x (6 x 400m, 2 mins jog recovery) 5 mins between sets.
Saturday/Sunday
Long 60+ minute easy run or hills to be arranged
Week 3
Tuesday 20th
40 mins easy group fartlek. Efforts variable between 50 and 400m (10secs to 2 mins), always applying effort on rises.
Thursday 22nd
(3 mins at 5k pace, 2 mins easy recovery, 2 mins at 3k pace, 2 mins easy recovery) 3 sets
A total of 15 minutes work at pace)
3 x 50m with full 3mins recovery, concentrating on style.
10 minutes warm-up and warm-down
Saturday/Sunday
Long 60+ minute easy run
Week 4
Tuesday 26th
Short Tempo
15 mins steady group warm-up
15mins at 10k pace (able to speak in v.short phrases)
15 mins group warm-down
Thursday 28th
10 mins steady warm-up
5 x 2 mins at 3k pace (short sentence ability) 2 mins recovery between each
20 minutes v.easy warm down
Saturday/Sunday
Long 60+ minute easy run
