Training for Peak Performance:
800-Mile
Before Writing This Plan
• What are the athletes natural strengths?
-speed, endurance, durability, etc.
• What are the athletes racing styles?
• What meet/meets are you training for?
• How many heats do the athletes have to run?
• How many events will the athlete be asked to run at meets?
Preferably at the biggest meet?
Keys to Beneficial Training
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Athletes must recover between workouts
Proper nutrition
7-9 hours of sleep per night
Get iron levels checked before and after season
Good communication with coach
Consistency in all that you do
Check your morning heart rate. My post college
coach Irv Ray made me a believer in this.
Training Plan Overview
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Post XC rest period
Getting back to the basics. Focus on getting aerobic
base and long runs.
Fartlek/Tempo. Focus still on aerobic base and long
runs but start some threshold pace work.
Early outdoor: Focus on threshold pace running and
VO2 max workouts.
Mid Outdoor season: Focus on racing fast and rhythm
intervals.
Late outdoor season: Focus on race specific work/high
intensity intervals. Getting the last few percent.
Post XC training
800/Mile
• The 600 meter time trial.
• This is run the week after
their last XC race.
• Purpose is to find out how
their physiology as an
athlete responds to XC
training in middle distance
terms.
• Start 7 day rest period
immediately after 600.
Mile/3k
• Start 7 day rest period
immediately after last race.
• Use this time to regroup
mentally and physically.
Getting back to the basics:
4 week period
800/Mile
Mile/3k
• Spend 4 weeks after break
getting back to peak
summer/fall mileage.
• Start at 25 miles then add 10
per week.
• 50-60 miles per week.
• After week 3 start adding in 1
long run every week (20% of
weekly mileage.)
• 2 days per week of 6-8x80-100
meter strides.
• Spend 5 weeks after break
getting back to peak
summer/fall mileage.
• Start at 25 miles then add 1015 per week.
• 60-85 miles per week
• After week 3 start adding in 1
long run every week (20% of
weekly mileage.)
• 2 days per week of 6-8x80-100
meter strides.
Fartlek/Tempo: 6 week period
800/Mile
Mile/3k
• Start adding in two days per
week of harder efforts (1
fartlek and 1 Tempo workout).
• Fartlek example: 7-8 X 2:00 on
and 1:30 off during a run at
roughly XC race pace.
• Tempo Example: 20 minute
tempo in the middle of run at
your Threshold pace (85-88%
of max heart rate).
• 2 days per week of 6-8x80-100
meter strides.
• Start adding in two days per
week of harder efforts (1
fartlek and 1 Tempo workout).
• Fartlek example: 5-6 x 5:00 on
and 2:00 off during a run at
roughly XC race pace.
• Tempo Example: 30 minute
tempo run at your Threshold
pace (85-88% of max heart
rate).
• 2 days per week of 6-8x80-100
meter strides.
Early outdoor:
4 week period, 13 weeks out from peak
800/Mile
Mile/3K
• Last 4 weeks of uninterrupted
training.
• Big emphasis on hill training
and the “Michigan”.
• 2 days/week of strides
• 1 long run/week at 20%
• 8x300 meter hill with jog
down recovery. Moderate
intensity. Equal to running 400
meter repeats on track.
• 8x100 meter hill with jog back
recovery. High intensity with
emphasis on knee lift.
• Last 4 weeks of uninterrupted
training.
• Big emphasis on hill training
and the “Michigan”.
• 2 days/week of strides
• 1 long run/week at 20%
• 12x400 meter hill with jog
down recovery. Moderate
intensity. Equal to running 500
meter repeats on track.
• 12x150 meter hill with jog
back recovery. High intensity
with emphasis on knee lift.
The “Michigan”
800/Mile
• Learned from Ron Warhurst
• 1 mile on track (1k off
track), 1200 on track (1k off
track), 800 on track (1k off
track), 400 on track.
• Rest between is enough
time to change shoes from
spikes to flats.
Mile/3K
• Learned from Ron Warhurst
• 1 mile on track (1 mile off
track), 1200 on track (1 mile
off track), 800 on track (1
mile off track), 400 on track.
• Rest between is enough
time to change shoes from
spikes to flats.
Middle outdoor season:
4 week period, 9 weeks from peak
800/Mile
Mile/3K
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Big emphasis on racing
Back off intensity of training
Rhythm intervals at race pace.
2 days per week of strides.
Shorten long run 15 minutes.
8-10x200 at goal race pace
with 2:00 rest.
• 3 miles of sprint straights jog
turns.
Big emphasis on racing
Back off intensity of training.
Rhythm intervals at race pace.
2 days per week of strides.
Shorten long run 15 minutes.
12-16x400 at goal race pace
with 2:00 rest.
• 4 miles of sprint straights and
jog turns.
Late outdoor season:
4 week period, 5 weeks out from peak
• Race-specific work. Really start honing in on
individual athletes races/skills.
• Favorite time of season as a coach and athlete.
• When we do race its usually an “off” event.
• Only 1 race-specific workout per week
• Run the workouts the way that fit your athletes
race style.
• Other workout is a light threshold run of 3-4
miles. Either continuous or intervals.
800 meter race specific workouts
• 1-2 sets of 4x200 at race pace with 30 seconds
rest.
• 600 at goal race pace, 45-60 seconds rest, 200
all out.
• 500 at goal race pace, 100 meter float, 200 all
out. Example: 500 at 70 seconds, 100 meter
float at 25, 200 at 28=123-11= a 1:52 800.
• 2x400 at goal race pace, 45-60 rest, 400 all out
Mile/1500 race specific workouts
• 1-2 sets of 4x400 at goal race pace with 45
seconds rest.
• 1200 at goal mile pace, 45-60 seconds rest,
300 meters all out.
• 4x300 at goal race pace with 100 meter float
between.
• 2x800 at goal mile pace with 1:00-1:15 rest.
How to train and athlete in a 10-12
week season (basketball player)
• Spend a majority of time on VO2 max
workouts with some threshold workouts early
in the period.
Keeping Athletes Healthy While
Training
• “The little things”
-weight lifting (addressing muscle imbalance)
-Plyometrics
-Foam rolling
-Ice baths
-Stretching
-Proper nutrition
-Proper sleep
Training the Injured Athlete
• Cross-training methods
-AlterG treadmills
- Pool workouts (deep water running, kick boards,
swimming laps, etc)
- Elliptical
-Biking
Considerations For Cross-Training
• Why is the athlete cross-training?
• Can use for supplemental training or for injury
purposes.
• If injured which is the best for his/her injury?
• What event does the athlete compete in?
• What cross-training method does the athlete
prefer?
AlterG treadmills
• Can use for supplemental training or when
injured/recovering from an injury.
• Amazing training device but hard to find and
VERY expensive to purchase.
• Great to use with and athlete who is injury prone
as a way to increase running volume.
• Great to use on athletes that are recovering from
injury.
• Athletes transition very well back to actual
running.
Pool Running
• Easily accessible and inexpensive
• Can use as supplemental training or when recovering from
injury.
• Can maintain fitness for up to 6 weeks. Hard to increase
fitness during this time.
• Athlete must buy into the idea.
• Running in deep end of the pool is preferred. Can use
flotation device and actually recommended.
• Mimic the teams training plan but add more volume.
• Good transition back to actual running. Best luck with efficient
(finesse) runners.
Elliptical
• Fairly accessible. Can be found at most fitness
centers. Moderate cost to purchase.
• Simulates the running motion well.
• Non-impact but still weight bearing.
• Try to mimic teams training.
• Very good transition back to running.
Stationary Bike
• Very accessible and moderate purchase price.
• Does not simulate running well.
• Non-impact and very little weight bearing unless
you’re standing while peddling.
• Mimic the teams training well.
• Good way to your heart rate high with hard short
bursts.
• For longer interval legs usually give in before
cardio.