The 800 meter run is considered the shortest of the distance races in track and field. While it is half the length of the 1600 meter run, it retains some of the physiological and psychological characteristics of that event along with some properties of the 400 meter dash which is half as far. In profiling…
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My Favorite Sprints, Hurdles, & Jumps Programs to Steal From
There are only a few days left before Christmas and we’re having a ‘Last Minute’ sale. All digital programs are 30% off through the end of the day on Christmas Eve. Click here to see our full catalogue of track and field programs. (Use coupon code XMAS30 at checkout.) We have a lot of programs…
Training Camps for Cross Country Runners
Physiologists have shown that it takes about 25-27 weeks to establish a peak in aerobic development for a novice or emerging cross country runner. Since exhaustive performance in the five kilometer race has been shown to depend on 92% of the necessary energy particles (ATP) to be produced in the aerobic energy system, full development…
How to run separate short and long sprints workouts at the same time
Chances are you’re in charge of the entire sprints group. You know your 100m runners and 400m runners often need different types of training. But, if you’re watching short sprints come out of blocks, you lose track of the long sprints rest period and you screw up that workout. If you’re timing the long sprints…
Training in the Hallways: Mangaging Shin Splints and Training Volumes
To make sure I crossed every ‘t’ and dotted every ‘i’ before launching my new Complete Program Design for Sprinters program, I asked coaches to answer the following: What is your biggest question about training in the hallways? I’ve received 318 responses so far and noted some clear patterns in what you asked. I took…
The 800 Meter Runner: Speed (Type 1)
The 800 meter run is considered the shortest endurance race in track and field. While it is twice the length of the 400 meter dash it retains some of the physiological and psychological characteristics of that event. Here we will consider the 800 meter runner. In profiling the 800 meters the importance of speed, speed…
The Two Best Workouts for Combo 400/800 (and 600) Runners?
When it comes to training the appropriate energy system, one could argue writing workouts for 100m runners requires relatively little nuance. But, if you coach kids who excel at both the 400 and 800 (and 600 if you live in the northeast), you’ve got to find the optimal dose of speed and endurance work. A…
When to Eat Before a Cross Country Race
Athletes, coaches, and scientists have long known that meal timing affects distance running performance. Knowing when to eat before a cross country race is vital as going for a long intense run with a stomach full of food can lead to anything from discomfort to all out vomiting. Digestion calls for the re-directing of blood…
Stop Doing “Recovery” the Day After Speed Work [PART 3]
“When you free yourself from volume concerns, the picture becomes much clearer.” – Vince Anderson (Texas A&M) ==> Click here to read Part I: Training Deeper in the Same Pool ==> Click here to read Part II: Training Shallower in the Same Pool I heard Vince say this at the first USTFCCCA Event…
Stop Doing “Recovery” The Day After Speed Work [PART 2]
In Part 1, I explained the many benefits of using back-to-back training sessions of high neuromuscular demand as a model when your are planning training for your sprinters. In regular people terms this means back-to-back speed days. If you haven’t read it, it’s worth checking out before continuing on here because it explains the underlying…
Stop Doing “Recovery” The Day After Speed Work [PART 1]
“It depends.” It’s the empty, but honest answer to nearly every training question I get from high school coaches about optimizing program design for their high school sprinters. The reality is: What you do at tomorrow’s practice doesn’t matter nearly as much as WHY you’re doing it and HOW you implement it. We’ll go in…
How to write better workouts for high school sprinters
We live in, apparently, the Golden Age of Gurus. It sure is a lot for me to keep up with. In times like this, I do my best try to live by the wise words of Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer: Your world frightens and confuses me. Now that it’s time to start preparing for the 2018…