The next two weeks are the highest of the summer so let's do a good job of getting the miles in! Also, this week calls for the start of relaxed repetition running on Monday's instead of the easy fartlek running. If you read this in time, and would like to continue for two more weeks with easy fartlek running while your mileage reaches its highest point, you can do so. If you've already done your repetitions today, that's fine too.
Get through the next two weeks! Make sure you are really taking care of yourself, resting and getting the right nutrition. Take each day and each week at a time. And if it gets a little tough, remember the immortal words of the great Winston Churchill:
"If you are going through hell...keep going!"
Monday, July 14, 2008
Monday, July 7, 2008
Summer 2008 - week six
Here's your weekly reminder to report your week five running if you haven't already. Congrats on doing a great job so far with keeping up with your training, and reporting it. I know many/most of the upperclassmen are sending their updates to everyone. That's great. But freshmen, you can 'reply to all' also. Don't be afraid! You can include a little about yourself, that would be helpful.
After a 'consolidation' week, week six and the next couple of weeks call for a final push to your highest mileage for the summer. Let yourself adjust to the increasing mileage. Be patient with your runs, letting them happen rather than forcing them to happen. Get good quality efforts, but DON'T push too hard. With the weekly volume increasing, don't push too hard to increase the intensity as well.
There will be plenty of time later for that... : )
After a 'consolidation' week, week six and the next couple of weeks call for a final push to your highest mileage for the summer. Let yourself adjust to the increasing mileage. Be patient with your runs, letting them happen rather than forcing them to happen. Get good quality efforts, but DON'T push too hard. With the weekly volume increasing, don't push too hard to increase the intensity as well.
There will be plenty of time later for that... : )
Monday, June 30, 2008
Summer 2008 - week five
Training is going well for so many of you, keep it up. Just take care of one week at a time and soon you will realize the terrific shape you are getting in. Some, though, need to make a great effort to take care of minor nagging aches and pains. Recognize what you can train through and what you can't, then make adjustments accordingly. And we're always here for guidance if needed :)
Don't forget to contact us with your week four totals and summary!
Week five is a great week to consolidate the training gains from the first four weeks. The mileage total is marginally higher than week four. So look at it as a little breather before making the push to the highest totals for the summer. If you were climbing Mt. Everest, we might call this week 'base camp'. Since there is no significant increase this week in mileage or intensity, maybe use this week to take a look at how you're doing in other areas: is your diet compatible with high-level athletics? are you getting into a regular sleeping routine?
Lastly, watch the Olympic Trials as much as you can, you can't help but be motivated by them!
Don't forget to contact us with your week four totals and summary!
Week five is a great week to consolidate the training gains from the first four weeks. The mileage total is marginally higher than week four. So look at it as a little breather before making the push to the highest totals for the summer. If you were climbing Mt. Everest, we might call this week 'base camp'. Since there is no significant increase this week in mileage or intensity, maybe use this week to take a look at how you're doing in other areas: is your diet compatible with high-level athletics? are you getting into a regular sleeping routine?
Lastly, watch the Olympic Trials as much as you can, you can't help but be motivated by them!
Monday, June 23, 2008
Summer 2008 - week four
Everyone is doing a great job in reporting their weekly running. Just a couple that are not up to date. As we get further into the summer it might be a good idea to report a little more than just your mileage total. Maybe a little info on the fartlek, the threshold, the long run; maybe even the 100m relaxed sprints; as well as some feedback on how you think it's going. Doesn't have to be much, but a sentence or two would be great!
Week four's mileage increase should be very similar to week three. Keep things nice and steady. Try to find your training groove, your 'sweet-spot' so to speak, not too hard, not too easy, just right. The volume of the fartlek hard efforts should be increasing and don't be afraid to throw in some 2-3' efforts. Keep working on the anaerobic threshold run. We'd like to see the runs be longer than just a 3-4 mile effort. The men should work towards 6-8 mile efforts at the 80% level or just a few seconds slower. The women should work towards 5-6 mile efforts at the 80% level.
Keep up the excellent work, stay committed, and report in to your coaches!
Week four's mileage increase should be very similar to week three. Keep things nice and steady. Try to find your training groove, your 'sweet-spot' so to speak, not too hard, not too easy, just right. The volume of the fartlek hard efforts should be increasing and don't be afraid to throw in some 2-3' efforts. Keep working on the anaerobic threshold run. We'd like to see the runs be longer than just a 3-4 mile effort. The men should work towards 6-8 mile efforts at the 80% level or just a few seconds slower. The women should work towards 5-6 mile efforts at the 80% level.
Keep up the excellent work, stay committed, and report in to your coaches!
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Summer 2008 - week three
Everyone did a great job with the first week's mileage, as well as reporting it. Some of you are just starting back now, so we should be hearing from everyone now. There are a couple of you who are having some minor, nagging injuries. Be careful and be patient as your mileage increases. Everyone should send your week two totals as soon as possible please.
Week three has a relatively small increase in mileage so it's a good week to consolidate/recovery. The fartlek should stay as it's been, maybe the surges should be a little more intense though. And your Wednesday anaerobic threshold effort should start to be run at your anaerobic threshold rather than just as a quality run. Estimate your current 5k level, then use your pace chart to find the 80-85% effort level for a guide. Finally, make sure to start, if you haven't been already, running the fast and relaxed 100m sprints on Friday.
In this day and age, it seems like everyone has a motto now. Here's ours:
"building a great summer one week at a time"
Week three has a relatively small increase in mileage so it's a good week to consolidate/recovery. The fartlek should stay as it's been, maybe the surges should be a little more intense though. And your Wednesday anaerobic threshold effort should start to be run at your anaerobic threshold rather than just as a quality run. Estimate your current 5k level, then use your pace chart to find the 80-85% effort level for a guide. Finally, make sure to start, if you haven't been already, running the fast and relaxed 100m sprints on Friday.
In this day and age, it seems like everyone has a motto now. Here's ours:
"building a great summer one week at a time"
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Summer 2008 - week two
Don't forget to send your week one mileage total in, either by email, text message, or by phone.
After an easy week one, your mileage total for week two will take a significant jump. Adjust to the increasing mileage before making any real efforts with the intensity (i.e. pace). Again, don't make too much of Monday's fartlek, just some short surges for 1-2 minutes. And Wednesday's threshold run should still be more of an uptempo quality run.
Lastly, hit your mileage targets. Being significantly above your targets is not what we're looking for. You can 1-3 miles above your target, but anything more than that is not desirable.
Be patient...follow your plan!
After an easy week one, your mileage total for week two will take a significant jump. Adjust to the increasing mileage before making any real efforts with the intensity (i.e. pace). Again, don't make too much of Monday's fartlek, just some short surges for 1-2 minutes. And Wednesday's threshold run should still be more of an uptempo quality run.
Lastly, hit your mileage targets. Being significantly above your targets is not what we're looking for. You can 1-3 miles above your target, but anything more than that is not desirable.
Be patient...follow your plan!
Monday, June 2, 2008
Summer 2008 - week one
Week one of summer 2008 training has arrived! Twenty-six men and eighteen women begin the conditioning phase for fall semester (although a handful of you actually are still in the process of taking a break and will start in one to two weeks). Congrats to EC (1500m), Amanda (4x400), and Jenny (1500m) for making it all the way to the NCAA East Regionals, and another congrats to Jenny for running a personal best (4:23) to make the final, where she finished 10th.
Week one should be an easy first week just getting back into the swing of things. Don't push the pace on your runs, just get back into a rhythm of training. Your Monday easy fartlek should consist of running your daily mileage with a few pace changes, just a few pick-ups or surges. Your Wednesday threshold run should just be an uptempo run, don't worry about reaching a true anaerobic threshold pace...yet. And your Saturday long run should be at an easy pace, just get the mileage in.
Finally, to emphasize again, hit YOUR weekly mileage target.
Week one should be an easy first week just getting back into the swing of things. Don't push the pace on your runs, just get back into a rhythm of training. Your Monday easy fartlek should consist of running your daily mileage with a few pace changes, just a few pick-ups or surges. Your Wednesday threshold run should just be an uptempo run, don't worry about reaching a true anaerobic threshold pace...yet. And your Saturday long run should be at an easy pace, just get the mileage in.
Finally, to emphasize again, hit YOUR weekly mileage target.
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