You gotta sprint- John Cook

I try to begin every practice by telling the guys the purpose of the days run (note: I only have the "distance" runners i.e. 800m and 1600m runners. The mile is the longest event). I like to inform them why we are doing something in addition to what we're doing. That's how I'll start the blog off most days, with the purpose of the day's run.

Muscular Mondays
Today's goal was an easy run with some hill sprints at the end followed by a short cool down and some core. Every practice begins with the entire team running three laps around the track and some drills to warm up. After my guys got organized they did anywhere from 10-20 minutes (depending on ability and fitness) easy running over to "the hill." There they did 4-7 hill sprints. As the Hudson article talks about the point of hill sprints is to engage the muscles at maximal intensity. The guys are running up the hill (70m or so) at what I call "best relaxed speed" or as fast as possible maintaining good form and composure. Then they walk down to the bottom of the hill taking as long as they want. The purpose is to work their legs not their lungs.

I like the hills for two reasons. First, as Hudson's article points out they have great physiological benefit. The hills will not only make them stronger and more efficient runners, but the hills should actually make them better athletes for whatever sports they play the rest of the year (I hope they will all become full-time runners in high school but realize this is unlikely). Second, the hills are a fun. They can compete against each other but they can't overtrain, the hill is too short, and the chances of injury are lower than if I had them on the track running 150s and 200s, their speed is too slow.

After the cool down the guys do some core. No, they can't/don't do Trey Hardee's workout. But I do use some of his core routine with the guys leaving out the dynamic exercises (V-sit, bicycle, toe touches etc). I also have the guys do bird dog and some pushups.

Tomorrow will be a variation of a tempo run and I'll discuss training in more detail. As perhaps you can tell the summary is to "work the extremes." Hill sprints and other muscular development on one end with lots of steady aerobic running and tempos on the other. I'll have the guys do little anaerobic work. I feel high school (and really college) is where the majority of race specific intervals and workouts should be done.