Training distance runners is similar to other rewarding endeavors in life in that it seems rather daunting to begin with, and then stays challenging throughout. The athletes themselves are in most cases strongly self-motivated, task-oriented, and inquisitive, while the training is based on scientific principles. If the coach is not a strong people-person and well-schooled…
Archives for Critical Zone
Finishing the Race
One of the most frustrating aspects of analyzing cross country running training is the post-race reflection of an athlete’s sub par performance. Even the really great performances have something sour that catches the coaches’ critical eye. As in any analytical, cause-result relationship, the result is more obvious than the cause. One of the more…
Race Modeling
Over the 40+ years of my coaching career, I have had the good and bad fortune to have mentors who have filled my coaching data base with a litany of training approaches to make my sprint/hurdlers the best they can be. The good part was in the form of drills, workouts and “mother-wit” (Tony Wells)…