Long Term DevelopementLooking at coaching distance runners at the HS,

college, and professional level

Steve MagnessUniversity of Houston

Get the most out of them in 4 years?

Help them earn a scholarship?

Set them up to run well in peak maturity years?

What’s your job as a coach?

Why?◦ Fosters Love of the sport◦ Steady more consistent improvement◦ Run the best when they’re ready to.

Counter argument?◦ Don’t get scholarship/run as fast in HS?◦ Mostly bunk- going to run well regardless

Set them up to run well in peak maturity years?

Training is simply◦ Stimulus->

Adaptation◦ In order to

improve, must provide enough stimulus to change, but still can recover and bounce back

Training

Source: Science of Winning Jan Olbrecht

1. Individualize2. Start at the extremes.3. Progress Everything.4. Always have somewhere to go.5. Work towards specificity.6. Never leave anything behind.

Principles of Long Term development

Individualization

Rosenberger et al. Exercises at given percentages of VO2max. Journal of Science and Med. in Sport, 2009

•Exercising at 75% VO2max:• Wide range of stimulus

•WHY give everyone training for the same event the same workouts?!

•How to individualize?• Classify- fast twitch or slow

twitch FOR the event

Individualization

Indicidualization

Vollaard, N. B. J., et al. (2009). Systematic analysis of adaptations in aerobic capacity and submaximal energy metabolism provides a unique insight into determinants of human aerobic

performance. J Appl Physiol, 106, 1479–1486.

How to tell?◦ Lactate testing

Max lactate (after 400-600m) 18+= very FT (expect mid distance or shorter)

◦ Workout performance ST- better at long runs, threshold runs, long repeats, recover

quicker during rest periods FT- better at speed work, anaerobic work, need longer rest

periods, not as good at doubling◦ PR comparison◦ Power testing

Standing broad jump 25m one legged jumps for distance

◦ Stride mechanics Elastic and reactive VS. flat and “grinder”

Individualization

Fast Twitch Runner Slow Twitch Runner

Long Run Shorter, less frequent, pace modulated

Longer, faster, can include more “stuff”

Aerobic/ threshold work

More progressive, less right on the threshold, lower volume

Higher volumes, more near threshold

More Igloi style Aerobic intervals

“Anaerobic” work

Need longer progressive period to reach max.

Less needed to reach peak shape. Spices of work.

Speed work

Need pure speed and some speed endurance/anaerobic capacity. Needed to countbalance endurance work!

Mainly pure speed work.

Specific Endurance

Short to Long development with speed always specific

Top down approach- increasing speed while reducing recovery

Lower volumes. Broken into sets Can handle larger volumes/density

Maintenance

More speed maintenance

Classification Name Pace level 3,200m runner example

General Endurance 3 race distance up +/- Steady running to Threshold running

Aerobic Support 2 race distances up +/- 10k pace +/-

Direct Aerobic Support 1 race distance up +/- 5k pace +/-

Specific Race pace +/- 3200m pace +/-

Direct Anaerobic Support

1 race distance down +/-

mile pace +/-

Anaerobic Support 2 race distances down +/-

800m pace +/-

General Speed 3 race distance down +/-

Speed endurance

Neuromuscular Pure speed/sprints Pure speed/sprints

Start at the Extremes

Creating a Neuromuscular base◦ Increases muscle fiber pool◦ Most specific strength work that

can be done. Hill Sprints -> Flat Sprints

◦ Why? Transitions from more strength to

more plyometric/power◦ Add speed endurance

component if needs to be developed

Extremes development

6x8sec Hill Sprints8x8sec HS10x8sec HS4x60m flat sprints8x10sec HS5x80m flat sprints10x10sec HS2x60m, 2x80m, 2x100m8x10sec HS + 1x20sec4x60m, 1x150m8x10sec HS +2x25sec

General Endurance◦ Steady mileage

Increase, then qualify (increase pace, add “stuff”) There’s more than just easy and hard. Some “mileage”

days should be moderate Add “stuff”

◦ Long Run development Extend- lengthen Qualify

“Stuff” Surges (14mi w/ 8x30sec surge at the end) Pickups (last 1-3mi pickup to near threshold) Progression Fasted

Extremes Development

Tempo/Threshold development◦ Long tempos- 5mi, 7mi, 10mi- steady pace◦ Short tempos- 15min ,20, 25 split, 30 split (ex: 20min, rest,

10min) Progression

1. Intro- Progression runs1. Small Spices of work (pickups last 1-2mi)

2. Progress- increase time (15min,20,25,30,etc.) “Split up” as get higher- 20min, 2min rest, 10min

For FT or people struggling with thresholds,split up!

3. Uphill threshold runs4. With “stuff”

Example: 20min threshold, 2x1mile at 10k pace Trains more FT fibers aerobically Serves as a transition

Extremes Development

Workouts Variables to manipulate

◦ Pace◦ Length of intervals

Increase length= enhance ability to endure Workout 1- 12x400 in 75 with 45sec rest Workout 2- 8x600 @ 75 pace w/ 60sec rest Workout 3-6x800 @ 2:30 w/ 90sec rest

◦ Hill Increases strength component, changes muscle

fiber recruitment Example: 4x1k with 3x20sec hills in between

Progress Everything

◦ Recovery Decrease/Increase Rest Jog vs. walk Steady run= more specific/work on lactate utilization

Ex: Alternations (next slide) “Stuff” between

Sprints- force muscle fiber recruitment Strength work- force muscle fiber

recruitment/strength component (ex: Strength circuits with running in between)

Aerobic work- increases lactate take up, permits higher volume (i.e. 4x150 at tempo effort with 50m jog as the rest between sets)

Progress Everything

Workout Example: Specific Endurance- Jackie Areson (professional)◦ Every 3-4 weeks

Progress Everything

Dec. 4mi alternating 400m/ 1000m (4:58 pace/6:00min pace)

January 4mi alternating 500m/ 1000m (4:56 pace/6:00min pace)

February 4mi alternating 600m/ 1000m (4:52pace/5:53min pace)

March 4mi alternating 700m/900m (74 pace, 5:52 pace) ALTITUDE (5:33avg)

April 3mi alternating 800 in 2:30/2:50. 3min rest. 1.5mi of alternating 400 in 72 400 in 86ish.

May (1k,1800,1mi, 800) with 400m jog rest (3:01, 5:32, 4:48, 2:14)

Example- Anaerobic/1500m pace progression:

Intro/maintenance 12x200 w/ 200m jog at 3k down to 1500m pace

Early/maintenance 9x300 w/ 100m walk alternating 3k/1500 pace

Mid 3x(400,300,200) w/ 60sec rest) w/ 3-4min b/t sets

Mid 4x200, 3x300, 2x400, w/ 60sec rest

Peak workout 3x(500, 300 w/ 60sec rest) w/ 4min b/t sets

Season to Season◦ Mileage

High School- Fr-40-45 So-50 Jr-55 Sr- 60-65

◦ Workouts◦ Density of training

Base for early HS= mileage + strides+ steady runs +long run

Base for College= 1xHS, 1xtempo/threshold + rhythm work +long run

Base for Pro- 1xHS/FS, 1xtempo/threshold + 1x strength endurance/aerobic workout

Progress Everything

Don’t go somewhere until you need to go somewhere.◦ “Next Logical step”◦ If you do 8x200m in 30sec with 200m jog, next

step isn’t 20x200m at same pace!!◦ Example: 15:14 and 15:20 5k women runners

Always have somewhere to go

Sample wkout

Jackie Areson Sara Hall

Aerobic Support

4x( 1200, 3x20sec hills) with 90sec jog- 5:10 pace

5xmile with 90sec-2min rest 5:10 pace

Specific endurance

1k, 1mi, 1mi, 1k at 4:55 pace w/ 2:30 rest

1200, 2k, 1mi, 1200 at 4:55 w/ 3:30 rest

Max Mileage 65miles 85-90miles

Career and Season Development

High School

College

Professional

Base

Pre-Competition

Competition

HS◦ Develop general base of all qualities◦ Emphasis on extremes, spices of other stuff◦ Races=specific training◦ Actual Specific training- every 14-17 days starting 8-12 weeks out◦ “Anaerobic work”- spices of work in last 6 weeks◦ Only 8-12 weeks of “workouts” per season

College◦ Start assembling the “qualities”◦ Specific work- every 14 days starting 12-14 weeks out◦ Emphasis on continual Aerobic development, maintaining speed, but working

towards more support and specific work

Pro◦ Finishing touches◦ Specific work- every 10-14 days, starting 16-18 weeks out◦ Long Build up with more gradual progression

◦ Late pro career- mileage actually drops, and neuromuscular stuff has to increase

Career and Season Development

Build and maintain◦ Emphasis shifts throughout season/career, but you

have to maintain what you built◦ Example:

Maintenance for Aerobic system Long Run- weekly even during competition phase Long tempo- every 3-4 weeks even during season Tempo

Maintenance for Specific/Anaerobic system During Base:

Rhythm work (cruise 200s at 3k-5k pace) Strides “surges” (moderate fartleks- 50min run with 6x45sec surge

with 90sec easy between)

Never Leave anything behind

Monday Tuesday

Wed. Thur Fri Sat Sunday

HS “elite” base

20min tempo

7mi easy

7mi + 6xHS

7mi 7mi easy

12mi long run

off

College 20min LT + 2x3min @10k pace

9mi easy

6mi, 8xHS, 2mi

9mi easy

8mi with 6x30sec surge at 5k-10k pace

14mi 5mi

Pro 8mi w/ 8xHS

30min split LT

PM-4mi

11mi 6mi/6mi 4mi, 10x200 w/ 200 jog (3k-1mi pace), 3mi c/d

16mi run

9mi

Comparing Training-5k Base

What changes from HS to college to Pro?◦ Volume (workouts, total mileage, etc.)◦ Density (more moderate workouts included)◦ More “stuff”◦ Shorter build of base

Elites have only 2-3weeks of “running only” training Freshman HS- might spend entire summer doing just

mileage and strides◦ Longer specific period

Competitive period HS- 4-6 weeks College- 6-8 weeks Pro- 8-12 weeks

So what?

Presentation and further training information and schedules can be found at:◦www.ScienceofRunning.com

◦SteveMagness@gmail.com