Want to improve your 4×100 meter relay times, consistency, and/or team culture? Shoot… what sprints coach doesn’t? No other event in track and field has the power to elicit the extremes of highs and lows… season to season… meet to…
5 Ways to Approach Summer Training for Sprinters
What to do when the summer months are upon us? You’ve got a number of options, so here’s my take on getting the most out of summer training for sprinters (or any athlete in any sport, for that matter): …
Three Things
It’s important for everyone who’s interested in track and field to put all the pieces of the puzzle together. After all, this is a sport that is not always considered to be the premier and most exciting to fans, and…
When to De-emphasize VO2 max Training in Cross Country
Since the early days of exercise science testing and experimentation, it has been accepted that aerobic power development is one of four training domains used in preparing distance runners. Consider the combined energy zone events of the 800 meters through…
How Middle Distance Coaches Coach Speed, Not Time
The athlete profile is a tool that knowledgeable coaches use to shape a macrocycle of training and physical development for a middle distance runner. At its core, an athlete profile is usually a well-documented history of past workout and race…
The Variety of Personalities on a Cross Country Team
A team is a collection of individuals attempting to accomplish like goals. On a cross country team, the coach is responsible for providing the leadership skills necessary to bring individual personality traits together into a functioning unit that has selective…
Training Sub-Elite Middle Distance Athletes
Building and maintaining a healthy population of middle distance athletes is important in achieving rewards for a team, and in having a pipeline for future success. Like it or not, individual performances are driven by internal dynamics directly related to…
Long Sprints Training with NCAA D1 Northeast Region Coach of the Year Marc Mangiacotti
The United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) just announced their regional awards for the 2019 Indoor Season. Three Harvard University coaches affiliated with Complete Track and Field won Northeast Regional Coach of the Year Honors:…
What’s In and What’s Out in Cross Country Training Theory
It is the end of the year, and with the change in calendars it is always fun to take a look at what’s in and what’s out – or more specifically – what is scientifically in and what is scientifically…
Max Velocity is more important than Acceleration
When it comes to training all elements of acceleration and max velocity (top end speed), I used to be a ‘short to long’ purist. On paper it’s completely reasonable to assume if an athlete can’t accelerate from 0-10m the way…
The Truth About Distance Runners and the Weight Room
Finally! Scott Christensen’s newest course is finally ready for you, and we can’t wait to see the results you get because of it. If you’re currently trying to incorporate a functional strength training and power development component to your…
The 6-5-4-3-2 Workout in Middle Distance Training
During specific preparation and pre-competitive training periods there is a tremendous amount of work to be done to achieve future competitive season fitness for the middle distance runner. These two blocks of time are also the most crucial for including…