Middle Distance Theory

Proven Workouts and Training Strategies for H.S. Middle Distance Runners

coachjayjohnson.comcoachjayjohnson @ gmail.com

Iowa Track and Field Coaches ClinicDecember 11th 2009

Friday, December 11, 2009





✴Don’t take notes - all slides are at coachjayjohnson.com





✴Do ask questions at the end of each section






✴Do take the time to go through the General Strength videos in the coming weeks






✴Do take the time to go through the General Strength videos in the coming weeks

✴The aerobic/anaerobic handout is important, so let’s start with that...






What is “Speed Work?”






What is “Speed Work?”✴ Is it a workout that makes you puke afterwards?




✴ Is it “sharpening” work?





✴ Is it any workout at race pace?






✴ Is it only workouts faster than race pace?







✴ Would Usain Bolt and Alan Webb agree on a definition?


What is “Speed Work?”From this moment forward I’d like you to think about these three things when you think about “Speed Work”





























When you assign“speed work” you’re either squirting in lactate or your making the kid’s nervous system better...that’s it...just those two things.










So then what’s the deal with the computer?







Which connection would your rather have?




Think of the computer as the athlete’s i n n a t e r a t i o o f f a s t - t w i t c h , intermediate and slow-twitch fibers. While a coach can’t significantly change that ratio, the coach can improve the athlete’s nervous system or “wiring.”




Can a coach significantly change this?

Can you take an athlete from one to the another?










Is this overly simple? Yes...but it’s mostly accurate and it will help you help the athletes you coach.







Just focus on two t h i n g s : s q u i r t i n g lactate into the system and improv ing the nervous system.




Just focus on two t h i n g s : s q u i r t i n g lactate into the system and improv ing the nervous system.

The Tao of Speed




The Tao of Speed







✴ Would Usain Bolt and Alan Webb agree on a definition?



What is “Speed Work?”“Speed Work” in the high school setting is any workout run at race pace or faster that squirts the appropriate amount of lactate into the system for that time of year.



How much lactate does a workout produce?



O mmol. 6 mmol. 12 mmol.






200’s until you Puke






8x400 at 3,200m pace with 200m slow jogs







“Running with the Buffaloes” - 16x300m (200 jog) at 8k XC Pace*








* HS version would be 16x187m, which is 3k total....not a hard workout



Stereotype the RaceBoys Girls



4:24 1,600m = 64, 68, 68, 64* *last 400m = 16.5, 16.5, 16, 15




4:24 1,600m = 64, 68, 68, 64* *last 400m = 16.5, 16.5, 16, 15

5:12 1,600 = 76, 80, 80, 76**last 400m = 20, 19, 19, 18




4:24 1,600m = 64, 68, 68, 64* *last 400m = 16.5, 16.5, 16, 15

5:12 1,600 = 76, 80, 80, 76**last 400m = 20, 19, 19, 18

How often do you give the athletes workouts that start at “mid-race pace” and end at 15/18 for 100m or 31/37 for 200m?




Stereotype the Race4:24 1,600m = 64, 68, 68, 64* *last 400m = 16.5, 16.5, 16, 15






2x5x300m at 1,600m pace with 60 sec and 8 min





300m,60 sec,300m,60 sec,300m,60 sec,300m,60 sec,300m






8 min of easy jogging...can even get a drink






8 min of easy jogging...can even get a drink300m,60 sec,300m,60 sec,300m,60 sec,300m,60 sec,300m







50,60 sec,50,60 sec,50,60 sec,48-49,60 sec,48-49







50,60 sec,50,60 sec,50,60 sec,48-49,60 sec,48-49

50,60 sec,50,60 sec,49,60 sec,47-48,60 sec,45-47







50,60 sec,50,60 sec,50,60 sec,48-49,60 sec,48-49

50,60 sec,50,60 sec,49,60 sec,47-48,60 sec,45-47

Stereotype the Race

Slower than 4:24 pace Faster than 4:24 pace

4:24 1,600m = 64, 68, 68, 64* *last 400m = 16.5, 16.5, 16, 15



On the first day of outdoor track practice can athletes safely run 100m in 15 seconds or 18 seconds, assuming you gave them a 20m run in?

Question



On the first day of outdoor track practice can athletes safely run 100m in 15 seconds or 18 seconds, assuming you gave them a 20m run in?

Question

100’s and 150’s at “end of the race” pace should be assigned as early as athletes can safely handle them.















800m workouts 3,200m workouts XC workouts





200’s until you Puke800m workouts






2x3x300m at 800m pace with 90 sec and 5 minutes







2x3x300m at 800m pace with 3 min and 10 minutes







2x3x300m at 800m pace with 3 min and 10 minutes

300m “fast, faster, fastest” with 2 min walk, 3 min jog


photo by Randy Miyazaki of TrackandFieldPhoto.comFriday, December 11, 2009

photo by Randy Miyazaki of TrackandFieldPhoto.com

Maggie Vessey



Maggie Vessey2007 - 2:11.57



Maggie Vessey2007 - 2:11.57 2008 - 2:02.10



Maggie Vessey2007 - 2:11.57 2008 - 2:02.10 2009 - 1:57.84



Coach Greg Brock’s Connector Workout



I have a workout I call the Connector workout. You've done some cardio, you've done some real short stuff.So then how do you something that is race specific without actually racing and just tearing people down??? This is an old Bowerman thing. You obviously know about the 40-30 drill (where an athlete runs 200 meters repeats continuously alternating them in 40 seconds/30 seconds). Well, when you have a half-miler of Maggie's ability, you maybe start in the fall with maybe 32-33 and then just add 10 seconds to that. So she'd run a 43 second 200 and then a 33 second 200 and then do that again. It's a non-stop half mile of running but with varied pace. Now that's a 2:32 half. You do 3 or 4 of those. That's a decent workout.

- Interview with Robert Johnson of LetsRun.com, 08.12.09











Coach Greg Brock’s Connector Workout...one guess as to what’s going on...






200m in 42,...one guess as to what’s going on...






200m in 42, 200m in 32,...one guess as to what’s going on...






200m in 42, 200m in 32, 200m in 42,...one guess as to what’s going on...






200m in 42, 200m in 32, 200m in 42, 200m in 32...one guess as to what’s going on...






200m in 42, 200m in 32, 200m in 42, 200m in 32...one guess as to what’s going on...

Dealing with lactate, not producing lactate, is one of the keys to middle distance success







...another guess as to what’s going on...






200m in 42,








200m in 42, 200m in 32,








200m in 42, 200m in 32, 200m in 42,








200m in 42, 200m in 32, 200m in 42, 200m in 32








200m in 42, 200m in 32, 200m in 42, 200m in 32


...a third guess as to what’s going on...






200m in 42, 200m in 32, 200m in 42, 200m in 32


...a fourth guess as to what’s going on...



















Who cares? Just teach athletes to deal with lactate!!!






2x3x300m with 90 sec and 5 minutes2x3x300m with 3 min and 10 minutes300m “fast, faster, fastest” with 2 min walk, 3 min jog






2x3x300m with 90 sec and 5 minutes2x3x300m with 3 min and 10 minutes300m “fast, faster, fastest” with 2 min walk, 3 min jogThe point of this slide is not the mmol. of lactate associated with each workout. The point is that workouts exist on a continuum






The point of this slide is not the mmol. of lactate associated with each workout. The point is that workouts exist on a continuum



















Early Season Mid Season Late Season







Early Season Mid Season Late Season


Proven Workouts and Training Strategies for H.S. Middle Distance Runners



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Middle Distance Theory