400m/800m Group
Typically, athletes who are strong in the 400m and 800m tend to have stronger anaerobic systems which means you are able to maintain high intensity or faster paces for a short period of time. These early competitive season interval workouts are designed to have you run fast, produce a good amount of lactate, and then train your body to move that lactate out of your muscles quickly, while still being able to keep a fast pace and finish the race without slowing down. Scientifically speaking, the system we are focusing on in the early competitive season the Hybrid Monocarboxylate Transporter or Hybrid MCT System. This component of training is essential for middle distance runners!
Week 3
Sunday
Workout: OFF
Description: Performing intense anaerobic intervals (high intensity) workouts on a daily basis can lead to performance plateaus or declines. This is why we emphasize recovery or low intensity runs on the days between main system emphasis workouts or races. Recovery days and runs to allow your body to rejuvenate for your main system workouts and races. Recovery days and runs allow for your body to adapt to the harder training sessions more effectively and in improving your performance.
Recovery And Maintenance (R&M): Physiological Objective: Promote recovery, gluconeogenesis, and lactic acid removal following glycogen- depleting training such as; high intensity intervals or workouts longer than 60 continuous minutes. Maintenance of cardiovascular and skeletal muscle adaptations.
Monday
Workout:
- 5-10 min warm up/warm down
- 4-6 x 200m @200m-400m Race Pace w/ 2 min rest
- 2 x (3-5 x 400m @ 2 mile Race Pace w 1-1.5 min jog rest)
- 3-4 min walk between sets
Description: Remember the importance of your warm up to increase body temperature, improve muscle readiness and reduce risk of injuries. We recommend a warm up that includes 5-10 min light jog with dynamic stretching.
System: Hybrid MCT (HMCT) Physiological Objective: Increase stimulation of monocarboxylate transporters and improve lactate shuttling efficiency at Aerobic Rate Capacity
Tuesday
Workout:
- 20-30 min easy
- 8-10x choice drills
Description: Drills are used to reinforce good form and technique and help you run with efficient form
Recovery And Maintenance (R&M): Physiological Objective: Promote recovery, gluconeogenesis, and lactic acid removal following glycogen- depleting training such as; high intensity intervals or workouts longer than 60 continuous minutes. Maintenance of cardiovascular and skeletal muscle adaptations.
Wednesday
Workout:
- 5-10 min warm up/warm down
- 6-8 x 150m @ 200m-400m Race Pace w/ 2 min rest
- 2 x (3-5 x 300m @ 2 mile Race Pace w/ 1 min jog rest)
- 3-4 min walk between sets
Description: Remember the importance of your warm up to increase body temperature, improve muscle readiness and reduce risk of injuries. We recommend a warm up that includes 5-10 min light jog with dynamic stretching.
System: Hybrid MCT (HMCT) Physiological Objective: Increase stimulation of monocarboxylate transporters and improve lactate shuttling efficiency at Aerobic Rate Capacity
Thursday
Workout:
- 20-30 min easy
- 8-10x choice drills
Description: Drills are used to reinforce good form and technique and help you run with efficient form
Recovery And Maintenance (R&M): Physiological Objective: Promote recovery, gluconeogenesis, and lactic acid removal following glycogen- depleting training such as; high intensity intervals or workouts longer than 60 continuous minutes. Maintenance of cardiovascular and skeletal muscle adaptations.
Friday
Workout:
- 5-10 min job
- 6-8 x 100m @ 800m Race Pace w/ 100m walk/jog rest
Description: IF you do not race tomorrow run 20-30 min easy then 6-8 x 100 @ 800m RP w 100m walk/jog rest.
System: Neuromuscular Adaptation Glycogen Sparing (NAGS) Physiological Objective: Increases neuromuscular economy, efficiency, speed, muscular/tendon elasticity, and strength without glycogen depleting effects.
Saturday
Workout:
- RACE - Intensive, maximal effort
Description: IF you do not race, run a 30-45 min moderate run
System: Aerobic Foundation (AF) Physiological Objective: Develop foundation of aerobic system (increase fat metabolism, increase the number of aerobic enzymes, increase size and number of mitochondria, increase capillarization, and improve lactate clearing rate) in order to adequately and optimally develop all the other systems.
