Free Coaching

Here's a summary of the threads with PBs:

Midland Runner (1:13 HM), male, currently training for a half marathon.

http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/forum/forummessages.asp?dt=4&UTN=156284&V=6&SP=

Stevie G (1:19 HM), male, currently training for 5k thru to 10m.

http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/forum/forummessages.asp?dt=4&UTN=156312&V=6&SP=

Pammie (24:23 5k), female, will be training for mile through to 5k.

http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/forum/forummessages.asp?dt=4&UTN=156381&V=6&SP=

Kaysdee (1:41 HM), female, marathons (tons of them)

http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/forum/forummessages.asp?dt=4&UTN=156302&V=6&SP=

Jax1331 (51:32 10k), female, will be training for 10k to half marathon

http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/forum/forummessages.asp?dt=4&UTN=156470&V=6&SP=

The ladies' threads are quiet at the moment as they are all tapering for marathons.

Participation is encouraged and I'm sure the thread owner won't mind if you have questions and you are a similar athlete which I will try to answer. 

While most stuff is specific to the athlete I will also post things on here which are relevant to all runners, e.g. warm-ups, race prep etc.  Would be good if the runners could check here periodically.

Race / Hard Effort Warm-Up

Some of this is going to be elementary, but it's best to document it.  Many runners will do a mile of easy running and then attempt to do their workout / race - rumours have it that some people even race without warming up at all.

A mile of easy running is not even sufficient to raise core temperature during winter let alone prepare your body for hard running.  A race requires a an easy warm-up of at least 2 miles, followed by strides.  Strides are necessary to prepare your body for the harder running without incurring undue fatigue, they also put your body through the full range of running movement reducing the likelihood of ROM related strains.  You will find your performance improves just doing those two things.

However, to do this in races means you must also prepare by doing them in training.  The goal is to be ready to go with your hard workout / race and to be fit enough that achieving this state doesn't fatigue you. 

The bare minimum that I will insist on before hard workouts / races is 2 miles of easy running plus 3 * 20 second strides with 40 second jog recovery.  For higher mileage and faster athletes (I only bring speed into it because 2 miles for one athlete may take as long as 3 for another) 3 miles is a minimum.

Exceptions

Race exceptions:  Marathon where you will do the bare minimum.

Training exceptions:  MP / progressive runs where, because of the gradual developing pace of the workout, strides can be foregone if absolutely necessary.

Additions

Many warm-ups should include the use of drills and dynamic mobility exercises.  These are particularly useful for workouts at 3k pace or faster.  More on these later and they have to be integrated judiciously.

An Example

I will use myself as an example for a track workout, not because it's ideal, but because it's tried and tested and gives you an idea.

3m easy warm-up, progressive

5 * (50m drills, 50m jog back, 50m strides emphasising the drill technique, 50m walk).  Each set is a different drill.  (I should be adding some dynamic mobility into this also).

0.5m of jog the turns of the track and striding the straight.

Start workout......

This is a bit left field, but i am training for an 85mile Ultra in August , but i have a fun 10k race against some work colleagues in July. I know they will train hard specifically for this any hints or tips to keep me from being blown away as my training will be BIG mileage around that time.

Best of luck with your coaching.

How long's a piece of string? 

Assuming it's appropriate to your schedule at the time I would say you'd get the most bang for your buck from some 10k paced sessions.  Your work colleagues will probably be shaped like David Brent so you're probably going to be okay anyway!

Will be following the short distance training threads with interest (and Kaysdees too cause she's lovely )

I'd have liked to have taken part to hammer down my 1500m & 3k track times, but I'm a bit committed to doing my club training sessions at the mo so I don't meet the criteria.

best of luck with the project though Moraghan!

I don't know if you are looking for more Trainees but I would like to put myself forward.

I have completed 2 marathons around 5 hours. I am very good at following plans. In fact I love plans.

I have had a long layoff due to potentail inherited heart defect and was told to stop running completely until I received the all clear, which I had a month ago and since then I have been rebuilding my running very slowly.

I have a gamin and 2 bikes - Racing and off road.

I would like to aim for The Abindon Marathon in October.

More detailed info can be supplied off line

Carl

Hi Carl

All the free spaces are gone, sorry.  Hope the comeback goes well.

While I understand that this is a really good offer you have put forward and will benefit anyone who takes you up on it I would just like to say that it's a shame you don't offer the same advice to those of us who are not as experienced or advanced as your criteria demands.

 There are certainly some of us novices that would benefit from advice and training help to aid us toward that aim of becoming experienced or advanced. Especially those of us that live in the very rural areas and have little or no access to nearby clubs.

Just a thought.

Linda

Fair enough.  To be honest most novices just need to be focusing on increasing mileage, staying injury free and including strides.  Many would benefit from some work on form etc, but very few runners want to hear about that unfortunately.

I've given lots of feedback on this in the past - it's a shame the search functionality on here is so abysmal.  If you have any specific questions feel free to ask here or start a new thread.

In the context here - that of ways of maintaining leg turnover for distance runners - they are simply fast, relaxed runs over about 70 - 100m.  Your stride length will increase, but as a result of running faster not because you are consciously trying to increase the length of your stride. 

I think of them as short reps where you go as fast as is comfortable without using leg / arm drive, without straining and without incurring oxygen debt / lactic etc.  They key is to stay relaxed at all times and not to do the next stride until recovered from the previous.

Ah so sort of like a relaxed interval then. You learn something new every day. I'll give it a go sometime. I never bothered before (although reading what you said, I do sort of stride occasionally during a run but not in an organised way).

Cheers for that

Moraghan wrote (see)

Linda

Fair enough.  To be honest most novices just need to be focusing on increasing mileage, staying injury free and including strides.  Many would benefit from some work on form etc, but very few runners want to hear about that unfortunately.

I've given lots of feedback on this in the past - it's a shame the search functionality on here is so abysmal.  If you have any specific questions feel free to ask here or start a new thread.

You can PM me for more information, but alas, the free spots are taken!

The Duckinator - I like the way you are approaching your target, best of luck.