Intro to Summer Training

Hello Lassiter Cross Country,

It's time for the real work of the summer to begin.  We had good numbers for our optional workouts at the end of the school year.  It is very important to have everyone out over the summer who can possibly make it.  Also, make sure you are all registered for Flotrack and are logging your miles there.  You can't get credit for your mileage if you don't log it on Flotrack.  Here are a few thoughts about which summer plan to follow.

I've created 3 categories for summer training.  The Advanced category is for returning cross country runners who ran track.  If you follow this plan, you will log somewhere between 450-600 miles over the next 10 weeks depending on your pace.  Only follow this plan if you ran both seasons in the past year.  The Level II plan is meant for returning cross country runners who did not run track in the spring.  This will end up totaling around 350-450 miles.  If anyone who is new to the school or a rising 9th grader feels they are up to this, please email me and we can help make an educated decision on what is best.  The rising 9th grade plan is obviously for our rising 9th graders.  This should get you to the 300 mile goal for the summer.  I will probably make a "Never Run Before" category as well.

Remember, we are going to hand out t-shirts for athletes who log 300, 400, 500, and 600 miles over the summer.  Also, while we are encouraging summer running, always remember the biggest rule of training, IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO UNDER TRAIN THAN TO OVER TRAIN.  You don't want to do something you aren't ready for, get injured, and end up having a frustrating season. Doing any of these plans will put us way better off than we were last year.

Make sure to do the strength workouts!  They are absolutely essential to your health and speed as a runner.  The purpose of our strength program is to keep you healthy enough to handle the amount of running we will be asking you to do.  If you skip warm up, stretching, and strength work, you will get injured.

A quick note about pace.  The runs in the first 4 weeks tend to say Easy or Long next to them.  While we aren't focusing on speed and certainly don't want to over do things, there is a difference between easy and slow.  The easiest way to find your easy running pace without buying a heart rate monitor is to count steps per breath.  Easy pace is 3/3.  Breathing is should be 3 steps, breathing out should be 3 steps.  If you need to breath more often, you are going too fast.  If you don't need to breath that often or could easily breath through your nose with your mouth closed, you are going too slow.  Find that 3/3 rhythm and you will get in shape very quickly.  Long runs can be done a little slower but you still want to be getting something out of your run.  Simply wogging (walk/jog) around the neighborhood won't do anything for you in terms of fitness.
We have 23 weeks until the Region Championship Meet.  While that seems a long way off, it is exactly the amount of time sports science says it takes to build an aerobic peak.  Don't get in the habbit of making excuses.  Putting off the start of your summer training until after your beach trip, or waiting until camp will put us way behind where we need to be.  I'll see you all next Tuesday at 9:00 at the track.

Go Trojans!

Coach Freed

Summer Training Advanced: Weeks 1-8

Week Of: Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 25-May Long 50 GSW, 35-40 Kenyan, Strides FAW, Easy 30, Strides KSW, 40 Easy Long 50 FAW, Easy 30, Strides 1-Jun Warm Up, Stretch, 30 Easy, Recovery Long 55 GSW, 35-40 Kenyan, Strides FAW, Easy 30, Strides KSW, 40 Easy Long 55 FAW, Easy 30, Strides 8-Jun Warm Up, Stretch, 30 Easy, Recovery Long 60 GSW, 35-40 Kenyan, Strides FAW, Easy 30, Strides KSW, 40 Easy Long 60 FAW, Easy 30, Strides 15-Jun Warm Up, Stretch, 30 Easy, Recovery Long 50 GSW, 40' 3-1, Strides FAW, Easy 30, Strides KSW, 40 Easy Long 50 FAW, Easy 30, Strides 22-Jun Warm Up, Stretch, 30 Easy, Recovery Long 60 GSW, 35-40 Moderate Tempo, Strides FAW, Easy 35, Strides KSW, 10 Easy, 10 x 1'on/ 1' Easy, 10 Easy Long 60 FAW, Easy 30, Strides 29-Jun Warm Up, Stretch, 30 Easy, Recovery Long 65 GSW, 35-40 Moderate Tempo, Strides FAW, Easy 35, Strides KSW, 10 Easy, 8x 2' on/ 2' Easy, 10 Easy Long 65 FAW, Easy 30, Strides 6-Jul Warm Up, Stretch, 30 Easy, Recovery Long 70 GSW, 35-40 Moderate Tempo, Strides FAW, Easy 35, Strides KSW, 10 Easy, 123, 321, 10 Easy Long 70 FAW, Easy 30, Strides 13-Jul Warm Up, Stretch, 30 Easy, Recovery Long 60 GSW, 40' 3-1, Strides FAW, Easy 35, Strides KSW, 10 Easy, 10 x 1'on/ 1' Easy, 10 Easy Long 60 FAW, Easy 30, Strides

·         Long: Very Easy Pace.  The point is to spend time on your legs.  Work on Good form rather than speed.  You should always feel like you could have gone much farther at the end of a long run. 

·         Kenyan: Start easy.  Over the second half of the run steadily pick up the pace until you are around 5k pace or faster by the end.

·         3-1: Take the Length of the run and divide by 4.  The first ¾ of the run are easy, the last ¼ goes to tempo pace and gets progressively faster to the end.  Finish last few minutes at 5k race pace or faster.

·         Moderate Tempo: This is a steady consistent effort that is definitely not easy pace but can also be easily sustained throughout the run.  You should be breathing hard and not able to hold a conversation the whole time but not be exhausted either.  Build mental endurance and focus by not letting yourself slack off throughout the run.

·         Thursday Fartlek: Fartlek means “speed play” in Sweedish.  These runs start with some easy running and then alternate between hard and easy pace.  There is no walk break!  Once you start running you do not stop.  The pace changes.  Ie. 10x1’ on 1’ Easy means alternating 1 minute hard and 1 minute easy 10 times. 

o   123, 321: This is 1 minute hard, 1 easy, 2 hard, 2 easy, 3 hard, 3 easy, then reverse starting with 3 hard, 3 easy again. 

·         Strides: Using a 100m distance accelerate for the first 1/3, sprint for the middle 1/3, and slow down the last 1/3.  Work on form and foot speed.

·         GSW: General Strength Workout.  Follow this link and do the General Core and Hip Strength Workouts shown.  You can do the exercises without a ball or thera band if you don’t have them at home.

·         KSW: Knee Strength Workout.  Follow this link and do the workout 3 times through. 

·         FAW: Feet and Ankle Workout.  Follow this link and do the workout there as part of your warm up.

Summer Training Level II: Weeks 1-8

Week Of: Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 25-May Long 40 GSW, Easy 35, Strides FAW, Easy 30, Strides KSW, Easy 35 Strides FAW, Long 40 Cross Train 50 Minutes 1-Jun Warm Up, Stretch, 30 Easy, Recovery Long 45 GSW, Easy 35, Strides FAW, Easy 30, Strides KSW, Easy 35 Strides Long 45 Cross Train 50 Minutes 8-Jun Warm Up, Stretch, 30 Easy, Recovery Long 50 GSW, Easy 35, Strides FAW, Easy 30, Strides KSW, Easy 35 Strides Long 50 Cross Train 50 Minutes 15-Jun Warm Up, Stretch, 30 Easy, Recovery Long 40 GSW, Easy 30, Strides FAW, Easy 30, Strides KSW, Easy 35 Strides Long 40 Cross Train 50 Minutes 22-Jun Warm Up, Stretch, 30 Easy, Recovery Long 50 GSW, 35-40 Kenyan, Strides FAW, Easy 30, Strides KSW, 10 Easy, 10 x 1'on/ 1' Easy, 10 Easy Long 50 Cross Train 60 Minutes 29-Jun Warm Up, Stretch, 30 Easy, Recovery Long 55 GSW, 40' 3-1, Strides FAW, Easy 30, Strides KSW, 10 Easy, 8x 2' on/ 2' Easy, 10 Easy Long 55 Cross Train 60 Minutes 6-Jul Warm Up, Stretch, 30 Easy, Recovery Long 60 GSW, 35-40 Moderate Tempo, Strides FAW, Easy 30, Strides KSW, 10 Easy, 123, 321, 10 Easy Long 60 Cross Train 60 Minutes 13-Jul Warm Up, Stretch, 30 Easy, Recovery Long 50 GSW, 35-40 Kenyan, Strides FAW, Easy 30, Strides KSW, 10 Easy, 10 x 1'on/ 1' Easy, 10 Easy Long 50 Cross Train 60 Minutes

All numbers are in minutes of running.

·        Long: Very Easy Pace.  The point is to spend time on your legs.  Work on Good form rather than speed.  You should always feel like you could have gone much farther at the end of a long run. 

·         Kenyan: Start easy.  Over the second half of the run steadily pick up the pace until you are around 5k pace or faster by the end.

·         3-1: Take the Length of the run and divide by 4.  The first ¾ of the run are easy, the last ¼ goes to tempo pace and gets progressively faster to the end.  Finish last few minutes at 5k race pace or faster.

·         Moderate Tempo: This is a steady consistent effort that is definitely not easy pace but can also be easily sustained throughout the run.  You should be breathing hard and not able to hold a conversation the whole time but not be exhausted either.  Build mental endurance and focus by not letting yourself slack off throughout the run.

·         Thursday Fartlek: Fartlek means “speed play” in Sweedish.  These runs start with some easy running and then alternate between hard and easy pace.  There is no walk break!  Once you start running you do not stop.  The pace changes.  Ie. 10x1’ on 1’ Easy means alternating 1 minute hard and 1 minute easy 10 times. 

o   123, 321: This is 1 minute hard, 1 easy, 2 hard, 2 easy, 3 hard, 3 easy, then reverse starting with 3 hard, 3 easy again. 

·         Strides: Using a 100m distance accelerate for the first 1/3, sprint for the middle 1/3, and slow down the last 1/3.  Work on form and foot speed.

·         GSW: General Strength Workout.  Follow this link and do the General Core and Hip Strength Workouts shown.  You can do the exercises without a ball or thera band if you don’t have them at home.

·         KSW: Knee Strength Workout.  Follow this link and do the workout 3 times through. 

·         FAW: Feet and Ankle Workout.  Follow this link and do the workout there as part of your warm up.

Summer Training Rising 9th Graders: Weeks 1-8

Week Of:	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
25-May		Easy 35	GSW, Easy 30, Strides	FAW, Easy 30, Strides	KSW, Easy 35, Strides	FAW, Easy 35	Cross Train 45-50
1-Jun	Warm Up, Big Stretch, Recovery	Easy 35	GSW, Easy 30, Strides	FAW, Easy 30, Strides	KSW, Easy 35, Strides	FAW, Easy 35	Cross Train 45-50
8-Jun	Warm Up, Big Stretch, Recovery	Easy 40	GSW, Easy 30, Strides	FAW, Easy 30, Strides	KSW, Easy 35, Strides	FAW, Easy 40	Cross Train 45-50
15-Jun	Warm Up, Big Stretch, Recovery	Easy 35	GSW, Easy 30, Strides	FAW, Easy 30, Strides	KSW, Easy 35, Strides	FAW, Easy 35	Cross Train 45-50
22-Jun	Warm Up, Big Stretch, Recovery	Easy 40	GSW, 32      3-1, Strides	FAW, Easy 30, Strides	KSW, 5 Easy, 10 x 1'on/ 1' Easy, 5 Easy	FAW, Easy 40	Cross Train 45-50
29-Jun	Warm Up, Big Stretch, Recovery	Easy 45	GSW, 32      3-1, Strides	FAW, Easy 30, Strides	KSW, 5 Easy, 10 x 1'on/ 1' Easy, 5 Easy	FAW, Easy 45	Cross Train 45-50
6-Jul	Warm Up, Big Stretch, Recovery	Easy 50	GSW, 36      3-1, Strides	FAW, Easy 30, Strides	KSW, 5 Easy, 8x 2' on/ 2' Easy, 5 Easy	FAW, Easy 50	Cross Train 45-50
13-Jul	Warm Up, Big Stretch, Recovery	Easy 45	GSW, 30 Kenyan, Strides	FAW, Easy 30, Strides	KSW, 5 Easy, 10 x 1'on/ 1' Easy, 5 Easy	FAW, Easy 45	Cross Train 45-50

All numbers indicate minutes of running.

·       Long: Very Easy Pace.  The point is to spend time on your legs.  Work on Good form rather than speed.  You should always feel like you could have gone much farther at the end of a long run. 

·         Kenyan: Start easy.  Over the second half of the run steadily pick up the pace until you are around 5k pace or faster by the end.

·         3-1: Take the Length of the run and divide by 4.  The first ¾ of the run are easy, the last ¼ goes to tempo pace and gets progressively faster to the end.  Finish last few minutes at 5k race pace or faster.

·         Moderate Tempo: This is a steady consistent effort that is definitely not easy pace but can also be easily sustained throughout the run.  You should be breathing hard and not able to hold a conversation the whole time but not be exhausted either.  Build mental endurance and focus by not letting yourself slack off throughout the run.

·         Thursday Fartlek: Fartlek means “speed play” in Sweedish.  These runs start with some easy running and then alternate between hard and easy pace.  There is no walk break!  Once you start running you do not stop.  The pace changes.  Ie. 10x1’ on 1’ Easy means alternating 1 minute hard and 1 minute easy 10 times. 

o   123, 321: This is 1 minute hard, 1 easy, 2 hard, 2 easy, 3 hard, 3 easy, then reverse starting with 3 hard, 3 easy again. 

·         Strides: Using a 100m distance accelerate for the first 1/3, sprint for the middle 1/3, and slow down the last 1/3.  Work on form and foot speed.

·         GSW: General Strength Workout.  Follow this link and do the General Core and Hip Strength Workouts shown.  You can do the exercises without a ball or thera band if you don’t have them at home.

·         KSW: Knee Strength Workout.  Follow this link and do the workout 3 times through. 

·         FAW: Feet and Ankle Workout.  Follow this link and do the workout there as part of your warm up.