Transcript Document

Developing a Middle School
Distance Running Program
Issues to Consider
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Know your Culture /
Resources
Are you A middle school coach only?
1. Facilities
2. Budget
3. Assistants / staff
4. tradition
 Are you a H.S. coach for boys / girls?
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Know your Culture/Resources
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Do you coach xc/ track?
Continuity in training is important
Share responsibility with older runners
Familiarity with training is important
Communicate with xc coach
-get information about individuals
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Answer to the previous
questions provides your
starting point
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Organize your program based on your
needs
Take time to assess current situation
prior to track season
Communicate in pre-season with
prospective athletes
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The Big Picture
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Track / Field is a different sport
Not xc,
Opportunity to develop individuals
-work on speed
-improve form
-bridge training into a cycle not a season
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Establish a Timeline
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Modify the m.s. season
Get varsity started first, 1wk or 2wks
Allow m.s. to begin on their own
Send out information to parents
-educate, inform, practice times, and
expectations
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Scheduling
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Know the reality of your resources
-make season shorter but worth while
-experience must be fun
-have a culminating meet to end on.
-host banquet to honor participants
-keep records, post results
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Middle School distance
training
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Design training by grouping athletes
-Beginning runners
-experienced runners
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Beginning runners
Establish workout routine
-warmup/ stretch/ workout/ cool down
-begin program conservative, inc. teaching
-Share big picture of process but take little
steps
-allow 2 week adjustment period
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Beginning runners
Make practice fun
-run relays for evaluating strengths
-do 4x200, 4x400,4x800
Teach fundamentals during this time:
-handoffs, form on finish, energy output
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Cont.: beginning runners
Allow runners to view a meet before
participating in one
 Pass out order of event forms
 Recommend 4-6 weeks of practice before
competing
-want experience to be positive, start out 1
event at first
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Beginners cont:
Allow ms runners to try all events
-provides fun,in practice and meets
-provides evaluation opportunity
-keeps practice interesting
-prevents athletes from becoming bored
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More on beginning
suggestions
Advocate one race per week, I suggest
no more than 2 wks of 2 races.
 Schedule can / will influence success
-over racing beginning ath. will increase:
soreness, injuries and discouragement
 Practice 4 days during week
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How much mileage??
Goal is to get beginners up to 2 ½-3 for
a run, not including wmup/ cooldwn
 Encourage a long run but don’t require
-individual discretion
 Point out improvement as miles go up
 Running should leave athlete wanting
more
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Distance Training for M.S
Key components of your program: Three
phases of training
-Base / strength training
-Interval training / pacing
-Speed work / tapering
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Basic training cont:
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M.S. runners should keep mileage below
30 mi. per/wk
Can follow h.s. schedule with
modifications.
Require a day off during week
Individualize for ability and age.
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Basic training cont:
Mandate warmup as a team with age
grouping.
 Ensure that M.S. runners run M.S.
-use common sense based on ability
-don’t allow them to miss this opportunity
-save advanced m.s. runners for inv.
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Phase 1.: base / strength
training. First 1/3 of season
Get into routine, wmup/stretch/cooldwn
 Use strides as form wk / cond. Jog back
 Allow 2 weeks of running before
incorporating:
-hills, fartlek work on track, relays for
wkouts, indian runs, ultimate frisbee
-continue to build mileage in this phase
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Sample week of phase 1.
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Mon-800 wm up, stretch, 2-3 mi. 800
cool down
Tues-800 wmup, stretch,jog 1 mile, 5x
hills, jog 1 mile, 4x110 jog back
Wed.-off
Thurs-800 wmup, stretch,4x110 jog bk,23 miles, 800 coo ldown
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Phase 1 sample week: cont.
Friday- 800 wmup, stretch, 2-3 miles,
4x110 jog back, 800 cool down
 Saturday-off
 Sunday 800 wmup, stretch, 3-5 easy
-long runs are optional and need to be
based on individual basis.
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Phase 2: Intervals/pacing:
middle 1/3 of season
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Racing is part of the training plan
One workout and one meet a week
Set goals for events with all athletes
Pace is set by what the athlete can
handle that will enable finishing all of the
workout.
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Phase 3. : tapering / speed
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Emphasis is on quality not quantity
Workouts are done faster than race pace
One meet per week, focus on event
Make workouts event specific
Long runs are replaced by easy/shorter
runs.
Strides are faster than earlier in year.
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Sample week: Phase 3
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Workout for 6:00 miler, all days start with
a 800 wmup/ stretching.
Mon-3xplyometrics, 1x800 100%, full
rec., 1x400 @ 100%, full rec,800 wm
down, 4x110 @80%, walk, stretch
Tues-2-3 miles, 4x110 gradual pickup
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Phase 3: sample wk. Cont.
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Wed- off
Thurs-3x plyometrics, 1x440 @1:25,
2min rec, 1x400@ 1:25, 2min rec,
1x200@42 sec, 800 cool dwn,
4x110@75%.
Fri-3x plyometrics,5x110@75%, stretch
Sat- concluding meet of m.s. season
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Final thoughts / Suggestions
Most important Aspects of developing
M.S. Distance program:
-Planning
-making experience fun
-not throwing them to the wolves.
-educating runners / parents
-developing / promoting team concept
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Important points to remember
Be patient allow development to take
place:
-hold back sensational athletes.
-don’t get greedy/ over race athletes
-don’t skip training phases
-emphasize wmups/ cool dwn/ stretching
for team bonding. Require it!
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Remember:
No workout program or schedule will
work for all of your athletes:
-Use common sense ease up for,
injuries,illness, fatigue
-Utilize bad weather for: educating by use
of handouts and viewing tapes, use time
to learn how to do plyometrics/ form wk
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