A cross country runner that has a training age of two or more, and who had a pretty good summer of running, can expect about a five percent improvement over the 14 week fall season in their 5k time from start to finish. Those with a training age of less than two years, or who…
Archives for competition period
Understanding the Competition Period in Middle Distance Training
In considering the unique construction of a middle distance training macrocyle, the first point should be the length of time available. Ideally, it should be set up to be between fifteen and twenty weeks in duration. Secondly, the macrocycle should be divided into two phases which are called preparation and competitive. In essence, the first…
The Four Critical Workouts of the Middle Distance Competition Period
The competition period is the last three weeks of the season for a middle distance runner. This portion of the track microcycle is characterized by a moderately decreased training volume coupled with a sharp increase in training intensity. In ordinary language it is the tapering period leading to a peak championship performance attempt. Rest is…