While most head to the beach for a nice relaxing or raucus week of fun, I headed home for a week of tough training. This was the last week before the outdoor season officially starts. Add in the fact that I had no school and you get a very tough week of work. I had 2 hard workouts plus one medium and one very long run planned. I was tempted to try three workouts but by the end of the week I was pretty fried so I decided against that.

I got some comments on the strength endurance article, so when I get some time and motivation I’ll type something up to continue the little mini series on that. It’s a good time to explain it because with the last 2 weeks of work there has been a heavy strength endurance emphasis. I appreciate the feedback that I’ve been getting, keep it up.

Training since last update:

3/12/2008
AM- 8 really slow
PM- 5 easy+10x100m (2E,1G)
Really sluggish and tired after yesterday’s double workout.

3/13/2008
AM- 5 easy
PM- 9 easy+10x100m (2E,1G)

3/14/2008
AM- 5 easy
PM-9
2mi w/up, 4×600, 4×300, 4×500, 4×200 w/ 2min rest(100m of it jogging), 5min b/t sets (600m of it jogging), first hot day and windy! 1.5mi c/d (1:38.6, 1:37.1, 1:39.0, 1:34.4…46.5, 46.9, 45.8, 43.5… 1:22.6, 1:22.0, 1:23.0, 1:16.9…29.1, 28.8, 28.6, 25.0)

Excellent workout. VERY LONG. Plan was on first 3 of each set to do at a certain pace and then the last one drop the pace by 3sec per 400. 600’s and 500s were supposed to be 66 down to 63. 300s were supposed to be 63 down to 60. 200s were supposed to be 30 down to 27. Hit all the times or faster and the wind was pretty bad, so very good workout. Was real hot which kind of got me towards the end.

3/15/2008
AM-16 easy Good to get a long run in!!!

3/16/2008
AM- 10 easy

3/17/2008
AM- 7mi of
1.5mi w/up, 3x2k alternating 400s(65/77 goal) w/ 5min rest, 1.5mi c/d, WINDY (25mph+!!)

splits 5:40 (63, 74, 65, 75, 61) (65,77, 66, 78, 65) (65, 77, 68, 77, 60) wind threw me off big time on 3rd 400 in last set, it came on strong. The wind made this workout way harder than it should have been but I made it through. Was very pleased with the workout. It really helped out having Jeremy with me on the last 400 on each set. Got me used to running with someone again, which is something I miss.

The alternation is another way to develop more specific strength endurance.

PM-6 easy

3/18/2008
AM-8 easy- 6:45-50ish on hill loop
PM-6mi solid pace(upper 5’s) for 5mi then strides (10x100m, 2E,1G)

3/19/2008
AM-8.5mi of
2+mi w/up, 4×2:40ish high intensity hill circuit w/ 6ish min jog down gravel hill recovery (45sec hard, 10 tuck jumps, 10sec sprint, 25sec skips, 8sec sprint, 30sec medium, 15sec bounding, 8sec sprint, 10 tuck jumps, 10sec sprint) 2mi c/d.

This was the final step in the strength endurance progression that I’ll explain later. Basically I’ve been following Canova’s guidelines which loosely means that I started with longer strength circuit with exercises AND running at about 75% effort. Then I progressed to exercises at max with running at 75%. Then finally, this circuit was with running at max or near max and exercises at either 75% or near max.

This is a pretty high lactate workout but it is indirect lactate. Meaning that it’s not entirely produced in the muscles used directly in running. So it doesn’t lower the threshold or aerobic system as much as traditional lactate work. It also is a way to force recruitment of new fibers under highly acidic conditions. Overall it was a tough workout, but it’s fun and rejuvinating because it’s something different. Although it can leave you pretty sore.

PM- 6 easy

3/20/2008
AM- 9 easy
PM-6.5 solid pace w andy + 3xstrides, Did this run in Kingwood since I was at the HS track meet. Good place to run. HS kids did great with PR’s and wins all around so a short congrats to the guys (Jeremy- 1:57/4:24.0 double win, Ryan 4:25 PR, Cody 4:31 PR, Tony 10:13? PR).

3/21/2008
AM-7mi of
2mi easy, 4×800 on the gravel (2:25-2:22) w/ 1min easy, 5x hill sprints, 2.5mi easy
Was going to get extra ambitious and do a full strength endurance session of 800s and hill sprints, but I was still sore and felt real sluggish getting going, so I stuck with the plan of an easy workout. Most people don’t grasp the idea of an easy or medium workout. Whenever they workout it’s to the well and whenever they run easy it’s just mileage. Today’s workout is an example of an easy workout getting a little high end aerobic stimulus and some CNS work but it’s of low volume and not taxing. Also, people forget how to run fast (or relatively fast) while being relaxed. Most people press to hit times when they workout. Today was all about running fast easy.
PM-5mi easy

3/22/2008
AM-18mi at Burroughs
Long run with the HS kids and Andy. Probably about 6:40-45 pace on the hill loops. Had to do 3x5mile hill loops, so got a lot of good strength.

3/23/2008
AM-10mi decent pace, probably 6:10-20ish

3/24/2008
AM-5 decent pace
PM-8.5mi of

2mi w/up, 3x(1600, 2min R, 400) 5min rest (w/ 400 of it jogging) (4:39, 57.1…4:38,57.6…4:37,55.1), 2mi c/d, felt real good, 1600s felt slow and easy, good kick in on last one,

This one felt really good. Everything felt like it was nice and easy. Felt A LOT better than when I did the first variation of this workout (3×1200/300) and this one was substantially longer, so that is definately encouraging. You should note the change of pace. That is the key in this workout.

That’s it for now. This training block was one that focused on strength endurance. Each workout had an element of that in it.

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    3 Comments

    1. Anonymous on March 26, 2008 at 5:43 am

      The strength endurance concept is very interesting.

      Where do you think it should fall into place in terms of periodization? Do you believe that is should serve as a sort of transitional stage, ala Lydiard? Could it even be maintained to a certain extent year-round? Should it be in a brief block (as you seem to have done), or should it be interspersed throughout, or perhaps a little bit of both?

      Also, how should one construct such a session? Please elaborate on your mentioning of Canova’s progression of the workouts.

      This is truly fascinating. Good luck with your experimentation and with your season!

    2. Alex on March 27, 2008 at 11:51 pm

      I am also very interested in such a session and would like to see the layout of one. It’s awesome to read your blog…very interesting and educating as well. Best of luck with your outdoor season.

    3. Anonymous on March 29, 2008 at 7:03 am

      Random question: What spikes do you use, and what do you look for in a spike?

      Thanks and keep up the good work. It’s very interesting stuff.

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