for Monday, Aug 25

1. warm-up circuit
2. 2 mile wu to park
3. on grass:
4-6 x 400m mostly uphill @ 5k pace, 30" rest +
350m mostly downhill @ faster than 5k pace
2.5' rest between sets

4. easy cd, length determined by mileage needed
5. hip strengthening circuit

*we will complete workout if at all possible; pending weather, alternate workout plans may be made.

for the weekend, Aug 23-24

for Saturday:

***7:30AM - meet at locker room***

long aerobic running at kennesaw
yoga stretching

for Sunday:

women - off (maybe spend some time stretching)
men - easy aerobic running on own + stretching

for Friday, Aug 22

1. stretching
2. hurdle mobility
3. aerobic running
4. 3 x 300 'light & fluid' on grass
5. foot drills in sand
6. yoga stretching: extended and revolved triangle

(800 - sprint drills & intro to short sprints)

for Thursday, Aug 21

***8:00PM - at track***

1. warm-up circuit
2. 2 miles wu
3. 3 x starts on grass (40m, 60m, 80m)
4. 2400m TT
5. 4 x light strides on grass + 4 x 30m bounding
6. 1.5-2.5 miles cd
7. hip strengthening routine

(you should plan on 5-6 miles for total; you can add a supplemental run in morning to reach daily mileage target)

in the beginning...

for Wednesday, Aug 20

3:30PM - at track

1. stretching
2. core strengthening / hurdle mobility
3. aerobic running
(distance determined by individual targets)
4. 6 x 90m on grass (30 fresh + 30 good + 30 hard)
5. yoga stretching - downward dog

Summer 2008 - week eleven

Phase II of conditioning starts this week. For now, keep plugging in your desired mileage into the phase I calculator. But soon, you'll have a new phase II calculator to use. Mileage for week eleven increases a little before another down week next week - the first week of classes!

*send in your week ten running total!

I just watched the Olympic Games swimming - 4 x 100m freestyle relay. I hope you saw it too. Incredible! The relay from France was the favorite, even to the point of talking smack, i.e. "we're going to smash the Americans!" On paper, there was no way the Americans could win. The commentator said that he analyzed it every possible way, and every time he came up with France. Someone should have told the four Americans on the relay...

It was close all the way. On the anchor leg, France had the 100m freestyle world-record holder, a 6'5" stud. No way the older, veteran American could beat him, let alone make up the two meter lead the French swimmer started with. Someone should have told the American anchor leg...

With fifty meters to go, the lead was still two meters. With twenty-five meters to go the lead was one meter. With ten meters to go, the lead was about a half-meter. Into the finish, the wall, it was tight. Somehow the American did the improbable. Somehow he swam down the world-record holder. Somehow he willed himself to the wall just in front of the French. The gold medal was won, the world-record was smashed.

It was magical. It was awesome. It took the fastest 100m freestyle split of all-time.

Silently, as I didn't want to wake anyone up, I raised my fist and pumped it. It's what athletics is all about.

Summer 2008 - week ten

Week ten, last week of phase one on your annual training plan. After a recovery week last week, it's time to kick the intensity back up this week. Your mileage total this week is just slightly lower than last week so let's focus on a little more intensity this week.

*And don't forget to send in your week nine running totals!

A good number of you have already sent in your week nine results. Sounds like is was certainly time for a recovery week as most report feeling a bit sluggish throughout the week, but feeling better by week's end. Also, some injuries, hopefully minor, seem to be popping up. So make sure you're doing a good job with stretching, icing, etc. (and backing off for a few days if needed)

Lastly, it's very hot and humid now. I know, newsflash, right! Take care, be smart, hydrate before, hydrate after, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!

See you in two weeks!