May Update of All Thing Good

Busy, busy, busy.  That's how things have been.  We finished up a great outdoor track season which was quite blessed.  The girls squad placed 10th at the state meet with several qualifiers but mainly featuring Monet Lewis winning the 100 and 300 hurdles.  8th grader Troianna Gause qualified for her second state meet 1600 and ran 5:50 or better a half dozen times this year.  The Curtis boys won their 9th straight track title by narrowly beating Jewel Sumner in the last stretch of the 4x400.  It was an exciting race!

Individually for the boys, Trey Stewart placed third in the 1600, splitting 2:09 for his last 800 to run a 4:40.  Austin Brown was second in the 800 with a time of 1:56.  Also 8th grader Zachary Barthel placed 4th in the 3200 with a 10:25 after a long rain delay.  The show of the meet was Devyn Keith winning the 1600, 800, and 3200 for John Curtis with times of 4:34, 1:55, and 9:59.  All distance runners from the state meet for Curtis return for next year which should mean some fast times in the future.

Congratulations to Christian Paz of both Southern Athletics and John Curtis who signed with Mississippi College to run next year.  Christian was 6th place at the state meet in cross country and 3rd place at the indoor state meet in the 3200.  He finished the year with bests of 4:45 and 10:14.

Now that outdoor track is over, summer track is just beginning!  The Southern Athletics crew is preparing to start their training and racing this coming week.  Expect some fun this summer.  If you are interested in running or racing with us, it isn't too late to sign up!  Just click on the Southern Athletics tab for more information.

And lastly, I have compiled the years worth of Training To Be Your Best and amended some weeks and will be posting both the cross country and track training program very soon for you guys to follow at home and pass along to friends and coaches.

Summer track action is about to begin!

Training To Be Your Best: April 28th-May 11th

So here we are two weeks away from the end of the track season for the school year.  Some of you will go on to compete at several post season meets and I hope you got there following this training guide!  As this year comes to a close, I hope you learned a lot about training and racing from the training guide I have been posting from the beginning of cross country.  For those interested in following the training guide for summer track/summer cross country base, just email me at vpprotraining@gmail.com to get in on the emails for the summer.  If you would like to ask questions or share success stories about your training, feel free to email me as well.

This week I am posting the training for the final two weeks of the year leading into the state meet.  Remember, if your state meet is at a later date just adjust the training backwards from the state meet listed with this guide for May 10th.  The last two weeks you should focus on feeling crisp in races and workouts and plan a good strategy for the state meet.  Get plenty of rest and eat healthy and now that it is getting warmer, hydrate!

Monday- 8x400 @ 1600 race pace with 200m jogging recovery.  Full warmup.
Tuesday- 35 minutes easy, 8 strides.
Wednesday- 25 minutes easy, 8 strides
Thursday- Regional Championship
Friday- Full warmup. 30 minutes easy, 8x strides
Saturday- 3x1200 @ 3200 race pace with 400 meter jog.
Sunday- Off

Devyn Keith of John Curtis (4:16/9:17 Soph. year) receives a medal at the state championship his freshman year.

Monday- 2x1000 @ 1600 race pace with 20 minutes standing recovery.  Full warmup.
Tuesday- 25 minutes easy, 8 strides
Wednesday- 4x300 @ 800 pace with 8 minutes standing recovery.
Thursday- 35 minutes easy, 8 strides
Friday- 25 minutes easy, 8 strides
Saturday- State Championship
Sunday- Off

Legend:
Warm Up- A few minutes jogging, dynamic stretching, a few strides
Easy- A pace you can handle and have a conversation at the same time. Relaxed.
Tempo Run- A distance run at a pace of 5k race pace plus 30 seconds per mile.
Ins and Outs- Striding the straights and jogging the turns on the track
Strides- Not a sprint! Simply a short pickup of 50-100 meters at around 1-2 mile race pace. Full recovery.
Sprints- Not a stride! This is near maximal effort (while maintaining control of your body). Form is crucial in this type of running.
Progression Run- Training done at progressive pace that increases throughout the run. Begin at an easy pace and finish at 5k race effort or so for the last few minutes.
Fartlek- A run of varied pace for varied time which can be anywhere from an easy jog to hard sprinting.
Hills- Not all out sprints, good paced effort around 5k race effort. Can be anywhere between 100-400 meters long.
Workout A- 10-30x pushups, 10-30x prisoner squats, 10-30x lunges, 10-30x crunches, 30-60 seconds of planks on each side and the middle, and 30-60 seconds of Australian crawl.
Workout B- 20-40x step ups, 5-20x tricep pushups, 30-60 seconds of bridging, 10-20x dips, 30-60 seconds of pedestal, and 30-60 seconds of scissor kicks.
Pacing Calculator from McMillan

Training To Be Your Best: April 21st-27th

We now enter the stretch of post season meets leading up to the state championship in three weeks.  First the district meet, then the regional meet, then the state championship.  This has been a long year and now it's time to cap it off!

In addition to post season races, the Penn Relays will take place this week.

Monday- 12x200 @ 1600 race pace with 60 seconds standing recovery.  Full warmup.
Tuesday- 25 minutes easy, 8 strides.
Wednesday- District Championship
Thursday- 40 minutes easy
Friday- 4x800 @ 3200 race pace with 400 meter jog.  Full warmup.
Saturday- 30 minutes easy, 8x strides
Sunday- Off

Legend:
Warm Up- A few minutes jogging, dynamic stretching, a few strides
Easy- A pace you can handle and have a conversation at the same time. Relaxed.
Tempo Run- A distance run at a pace of 5k race pace plus 30 seconds per mile.
Ins and Outs- Striding the straights and jogging the turns on the track
Strides- Not a sprint! Simply a short pickup of 50-100 meters at around 1-2 mile race pace. Full recovery.
Sprints- Not a stride! This is near maximal effort (while maintaining control of your body). Form is crucial in this type of running.
Progression Run- Training done at progressive pace that increases throughout the run. Begin at an easy pace and finish at 5k race effort or so for the last few minutes.
Fartlek- A run of varied pace for varied time which can be anywhere from an easy jog to hard sprinting.
Hills- Not all out sprints, good paced effort around 5k race effort. Can be anywhere between 100-400 meters long.
Workout A- 10-30x pushups, 10-30x prisoner squats, 10-30x lunges, 10-30x crunches, 30-60 seconds of planks on each side and the middle, and 30-60 seconds of Australian crawl.
Workout B- 20-40x step ups, 5-20x tricep pushups, 30-60 seconds of bridging, 10-20x dips, 30-60 seconds of pedestal, and 30-60 seconds of scissor kicks.
Pacing Calculator from McMillan

Training To Be Your Best: April 14th-20th

This week will be a shorter week for physical and mental rest in preparation for the District Championships next week.  This is the week to have small injuries heal and maybe catch up on some school work.  Hopefully this is a good week of weather for you to enjoy!

This Arcadia Invitational in early April is known for its fast 3200s.

Monday- 4x4 minutes on and 4 minutes off at 3200 effort.  Full warmup.
Tuesday- 35 minutes easy, 8 strides. Strength Workout A.
Wednesday- 600 meter time trial.  Full Warmup.
Thursday- 45 minutes easy. Strength Workout B.
Friday- 8x200 @ 1600 race pace with 400 meter jog.  Full warmup.
Saturday- 30 minutes easy, 8x strides
Sunday- Off

Legend:
Warm Up- A few minutes jogging, dynamic stretching, a few strides
Easy- A pace you can handle and have a conversation at the same time. Relaxed.
Tempo Run- A distance run at a pace of 5k race pace plus 30 seconds per mile.
Ins and Outs- Striding the straights and jogging the turns on the track
Strides- Not a sprint! Simply a short pickup of 50-100 meters at around 1-2 mile race pace. Full recovery.
Sprints- Not a stride! This is near maximal effort (while maintaining control of your body). Form is crucial in this type of running.
Progression Run- Training done at progressive pace that increases throughout the run. Begin at an easy pace and finish at 5k race effort or so for the last few minutes.
Fartlek- A run of varied pace for varied time which can be anywhere from an easy jog to hard sprinting.
Hills- Not all out sprints, good paced effort around 5k race effort. Can be anywhere between 100-400 meters long.
Workout A- 10-30x pushups, 10-30x prisoner squats, 10-30x lunges, 10-30x crunches, 30-60 seconds of planks on each side and the middle, and 30-60 seconds of Australian crawl.
Workout B- 20-40x step ups, 5-20x tricep pushups, 30-60 seconds of bridging, 10-20x dips, 30-60 seconds of pedestal, and 30-60 seconds of scissor kicks.
Pacing Calculator from McMillan

Training To Be Your Best: April 7th-13th

Time is flying.  We are almost in the middle of April and for us down in Louisiana we only have one more week after this before the District Championships!  With five weeks left, we know that peaking needs to be a concern, but don't over think it!  With the past week we've already began the gradual slide down to the faster workouts with a little less volume and that theme will carry the rest of the season.  For those athletes whose seasons don't end until the end of May or even in June, this guide is tailored to peak at a May 10th state meet.  You can figure out your state meet date and work backwards from there using this training guide as well.  Let me know how you do!

The LSU Outdoor Track is the goal destination for runner in Louisiana in May.

Monday- 8x400 @ 1600 race effort with descending recovery starting at 90 seconds and shortening by 10 seconds each rep.  Example: 90 seconds after first rep, 80 after second, etc.  Full warmup.
Tuesday- 35 minutes easy, 8 strides. Strength Workout A.
Wednesday- 3x800 @ 1600 race effort,  12 minute standing recovery.  Full Warmup.
Thursday- 6x200 every 1 minute at 800 effort. Example: 2:08 runner runs in 32 seconds, has 28 second recovery.  Full warmup.  Strength Workout B.
Friday- 30 minutes easy, 8x strides
Saturday- Invitational Meet
Sunday- Off

Legend:
Warm Up- A few minutes jogging, dynamic stretching, a few strides
Easy- A pace you can handle and have a conversation at the same time. Relaxed.
Tempo Run- A distance run at a pace of 5k race pace plus 30 seconds per mile.
Ins and Outs- Striding the straights and jogging the turns on the track
Strides- Not a sprint! Simply a short pickup of 50-100 meters at around 1-2 mile race pace. Full recovery.
Sprints- Not a stride! This is near maximal effort (while maintaining control of your body). Form is crucial in this type of running.
Progression Run- Training done at progressive pace that increases throughout the run. Begin at an easy pace and finish at 5k race effort or so for the last few minutes.
Fartlek- A run of varied pace for varied time which can be anywhere from an easy jog to hard sprinting.
Hills- Not all out sprints, good paced effort around 5k race effort. Can be anywhere between 100-400 meters long.
Workout A- 10-30x pushups, 10-30x prisoner squats, 10-30x lunges, 10-30x crunches, 30-60 seconds of planks on each side and the middle, and 30-60 seconds of Australian crawl.
Workout B- 20-40x step ups, 5-20x tricep pushups, 30-60 seconds of bridging, 10-20x dips, 30-60 seconds of pedestal, and 30-60 seconds of scissor kicks.
Pacing Calculator from McMillan

March Update of All Things Good

So if you've been checking the site the past few months you have noticed few updates and mainly just training information.  It's been a busy year!  Graduation didn't necessarily create free time, just more time to do the things that needed to be done.  To give you a brief update of things me and my team have done since the last update, here is a list:

In February John Curtis won its 8th straight track and field state championship, winning the indoor state championship by 30 points.  My distance runners placed 1st and 2nd in the 1600  (Devyn Keith and Trey Stewart) and 800 (Devyn Keith and Austin Brown) and then went 3rd and 5th in the 3200 (Christian Paz and Zachary Barthel).  Devyn set a D2 state record in the 1600 (4:25) and the 4x8 team (Keith, Stewart, Brown, Tyler Dugas) set a D2 state record as well (8:18).  Brown also anchored the 4x4 to a season best time and runner-up placing.

Zachary Barthel and Denton Young both participated in the Junior High 1 mile run at the New Balance National Championship placing 9th and 12th respectively.  Both should qualify for the outdoor national championship in June.

This past week Devyn Keith set a sophomore state record for the 1600 running 4:16.07 at the Sugar Bowl Classic.  Austin Brown set a school record in the 800 running 1:56.77.

At the MS/JH Metro Championships 8th graders Ethan Weaver won the JH 1600 in 5:39 and Matt Perniciaro was runner up in 5:44.  Also representing Curtis, 8th graders Chris Matise and Devin Ruiz went 1-3 in the 800 with times of 2:30 and 2:35 respectively.  In middle school competition Curtis hauled in the winning times in the 800 and 1600 as well with Alex Keller winning the 800 and Justin Unger winning the 1600.  Also of note, Eli Lirette, just a 3rd grader, broke 7 minutes for the mile to earn runner up in the Elementary Division.  For girls, Troianna Gause placed 3rd in the 1600 and 2nd in the 800 in the Junior High Division.

The outdoor post season races will start in the next few weeks.  After, obviously we have the fun summer season.  Look at the Southern Athletics page on this site for more info.  The team is looking to make another big jump with training this summer, as well as increasing the size of the team and even creating training groups in other cities and areas of the state.  Email me for more info.

Training To Be Your Best: March 31st-April 6th

As we enter April the big Invitationals across the country reach a zenith and the post season begins in most states.  Here in LA we begin our post season in the third week of April and the training will follow along that path as far as peaking is concerned.  This saturday the Mobile Meet of Champions will take place which is one of the biggest meets for top marks in Gulf South.  Watch for some fast times by a lot of Louisiana kids!

Catholic High of Baton Rouge owns the LA state 4x8 record, having run 7:53 at the Mobile Meet of Champions in 2009.

Monday- 4x400 @ 800 race effort. 6 minute recovery. Full warmup.
Tuesday- 35 minutes easy, 8 strides. Strength Workout A.
Wednesday- 3x1000 @ 3200 race effort,  5 minute standing recovery.  Full Warmup.
Thursday- 6x150 sprints. Full recovery. Full warmup.  Strength Workout B.
Friday- 25 minutes easy, 8x strides
Saturday- Invitational Meet
Sunday- Off

Legend:
Warm Up- A few minutes jogging, dynamic stretching, a few strides
Easy- A pace you can handle and have a conversation at the same time. Relaxed.
Tempo Run- A distance run at a pace of 5k race pace plus 30 seconds per mile.
Ins and Outs- Striding the straights and jogging the turns on the track
Strides- Not a sprint! Simply a short pickup of 50-100 meters at around 1-2 mile race pace. Full recovery.
Sprints- Not a stride! This is near maximal effort (while maintaining control of your body). Form is crucial in this type of running.
Progression Run- Training done at progressive pace that increases throughout the run. Begin at an easy pace and finish at 5k race effort or so for the last few minutes.
Fartlek- A run of varied pace for varied time which can be anywhere from an easy jog to hard sprinting.
Hills- Not all out sprints, good paced effort around 5k race effort. Can be anywhere between 100-400 meters long.
Workout A- 10-30x pushups, 10-30x prisoner squats, 10-30x lunges, 10-30x crunches, 30-60 seconds of planks on each side and the middle, and 30-60 seconds of Australian crawl.
Workout B- 20-40x step ups, 5-20x tricep pushups, 30-60 seconds of bridging, 10-20x dips, 30-60 seconds of pedestal, and 30-60 seconds of scissor kicks.
Pacing Calculator from McMillan

Training To Be Your Best: March 24th-30th

This past week and this week have some of the top track meets in the country on slate, getting the conversation started on state and national title contenders.  Some amazing times have already been run, and this will be one of the fastest years on record for my home state of Louisiana.  The temperamental weather looks to still be an issue is areas of the country but for the most part training should be in full swing.  Just keep working hard and lets shoot for fast times.

Blake Haney is one of the top distance runners in the US this year.

Monday- 10x60 meter sprints.  Full recovery. Full warmup.
Tuesday- 35 minutes easy, 8 strides. Strength Workout A.
Wednesday- 8x400 @ 1600 race effort,  400m jog recovery recovery.  Full Warmup.
Thursday- 10x200 at 800m race effort with 200m jogging recovery.  Full warmup.  Strength Workout B.
Friday- 30 minutes easy, 8x strides
Saturday- Invitational Meet
Sunday- Off

Legend:
Warm Up- A few minutes jogging, dynamic stretching, a few strides
Easy- A pace you can handle and have a conversation at the same time. Relaxed.
Tempo Run- A distance run at a pace of 5k race pace plus 30 seconds per mile.
Ins and Outs- Striding the straights and jogging the turns on the track
Strides- Not a sprint! Simply a short pickup of 50-100 meters at around 1-2 mile race pace. Full recovery.
Sprints- Not a stride! This is near maximal effort (while maintaining control of your body). Form is crucial in this type of running.
Progression Run- Training done at progressive pace that increases throughout the run. Begin at an easy pace and finish at 5k race effort or so for the last few minutes.
Fartlek- A run of varied pace for varied time which can be anywhere from an easy jog to hard sprinting.
Hills- Not all out sprints, good paced effort around 5k race effort. Can be anywhere between 100-400 meters long.
Workout A- 10-30x pushups, 10-30x prisoner squats, 10-30x lunges, 10-30x crunches, 30-60 seconds of planks on each side and the middle, and 30-60 seconds of Australian crawl.
Workout B- 20-40x step ups, 5-20x tricep pushups, 30-60 seconds of bridging, 10-20x dips, 30-60 seconds of pedestal, and 30-60 seconds of scissor kicks.
Pacing Calculator from McMillan

Training To Be Your Best: March 17th-23rd

The indoor season is officially over now that New Balance Indoors is finished.  The two 8th graders I coach both finished top 12 in their mile race so good job guys!  Outdoor is also rolling along and in LA the big meet this coming weekend is the Sugar Bowl Classic.  With the weather warming up, this should start some really good training time for you or your athletes.  For most other states the bigger outdoor invitationals should be starting soon so you should prepare to start running some quicker times soon.

Goodbye Armory, hopefully we will see you again in a year!

Monday- 2x600 @ 800 race effort, 20 minutes standing recovery. Full warmup.
Tuesday- 40 minutes easy, 8 strides. Strength Workout A.
Wednesday- 5x600 @ 1600 race effort, 4 minute standing recovery.  Full Warmup.
Thursday- 5x3 minutes at 3200 race effort with 3 minutes jogging recovery.  Full warmup.  Strength Workout B.
Friday- 30 minutes easy, 8x strides
Saturday- Invitational Meet
Sunday- Off

Legend:
Warm Up- A few minutes jogging, dynamic stretching, a few strides
Easy- A pace you can handle and have a conversation at the same time. Relaxed.
Tempo Run- A distance run at a pace of 5k race pace plus 30 seconds per mile.
Ins and Outs- Striding the straights and jogging the turns on the track
Strides- Not a sprint! Simply a short pickup of 50-100 meters at around 1-2 mile race pace. Full recovery.
Sprints- Not a stride! This is near maximal effort (while maintaining control of your body). Form is crucial in this type of running.
Progression Run- Training done at progressive pace that increases throughout the run. Begin at an easy pace and finish at 5k race effort or so for the last few minutes.
Fartlek- A run of varied pace for varied time which can be anywhere from an easy jog to hard sprinting.
Hills- Not all out sprints, good paced effort around 5k race effort. Can be anywhere between 100-400 meters long.
Workout A- 10-30x pushups, 10-30x prisoner squats, 10-30x lunges, 10-30x crunches, 30-60 seconds of planks on each side and the middle, and 30-60 seconds of Australian crawl.
Workout B- 20-40x step ups, 5-20x tricep pushups, 30-60 seconds of bridging, 10-20x dips, 30-60 seconds of pedestal, and 30-60 seconds of scissor kicks.
Pacing Calculator from McMillan

Training To Be Your Best: March 10th-16th

The good news is about the weather is at least when it starts to warm up, the cool weather will give us several extra weeks of good training down the line.  Hopefully the rain will hold off, but we will have to wait and see.  If everything went to plan last week, you had a good bit of training and this week will be more of the same.  Time is of the essence to make the most of the few weeks before state qualifying starts.

Tad Gormley stadium is one of the biggest and best track stadiums in the South.  It hosts the Sugar Bowl Track Classic each March in New Orleans.

Monday- 2000-200-200-2000 with 5 minutes between 2000 and 200, 3 minutes between 200s, and 5 minutes between 200 and 2000. 200's are near max effort, 2000s are at 3200 effort. Full warmup.
Tuesday- 30 minutes easy, 8 strides. Strength Workout A.
Wednesday- 10x60 meter sprints. 4 minute recovery.  These sprints need to be max effort.  Full Warmup.
Thursday- 2x5x300 @ 1600 race effort with 100m jog recovery between reps.  5 minutes between sets.  Full warmup.  Strength Workout B.
Friday- 35 minutes easy, 8x strides
Saturday- Invitational Meet
Sunday- Off

Legend:
Warm Up- A few minutes jogging, dynamic stretching, a few strides
Easy- A pace you can handle and have a conversation at the same time. Relaxed.
Tempo Run- A distance run at a pace of 5k race pace plus 30 seconds per mile.
Ins and Outs- Striding the straights and jogging the turns on the track
Strides- Not a sprint! Simply a short pickup of 50-100 meters at around 1-2 mile race pace. Full recovery.
Sprints- Not a stride! This is near maximal effort (while maintaining control of your body). Form is crucial in this type of running.
Progression Run- Training done at progressive pace that increases throughout the run. Begin at an easy pace and finish at 5k race effort or so for the last few minutes.
Fartlek- A run of varied pace for varied time which can be anywhere from an easy jog to hard sprinting.
Hills- Not all out sprints, good paced effort around 5k race effort. Can be anywhere between 100-400 meters long.
Workout A- 10-30x pushups, 10-30x prisoner squats, 10-30x lunges, 10-30x crunches, 30-60 seconds of planks on each side and the middle, and 30-60 seconds of Australian crawl.
Workout B- 20-40x step ups, 5-20x tricep pushups, 30-60 seconds of bridging, 10-20x dips, 30-60 seconds of pedestal, and 30-60 seconds of scissor kicks.
Pacing Calculator from McMillan

Training To Be Your Best: March 3rd-March 9th

We've had a down week to relax and recover from both the insane weather and the indoor season, although some athletes are still racing indoor this week up north.  Some of you, like two of my junior high milers, are two weeks away from New Balance Indoor Nationals and need to make sure you are prepared.  Others will be opening their outdoor seasons.  Either way, this will be the push into the spring and doing some real track training.  As always, if your weather still isn't great, do your best to keep the volume of your workouts high so you can at least get an aerobic stimulus.

Almost a decade and a half ago the greatest high school distance relay race took place with South Lakes, led by USHS mile record holder Alan Webb, setting a US Record in the DMR to narrowly beat Atlantic Delray and the Jefferson twins.  Who is ready for outdoor?

Monday- Mile cut downs.  1st mile @ tempo effort, 2nd mile @ 5k effort, 3rd mile at 3200 effort. 6 minutes jogging recovery between miles. Full warmup.
Tuesday- 40 minutes easy, 8 strides. Strength Workout A.
Wednesday- 8x Progressive 150m Sprints. Progressively move from 80%-95% throughout efforts. Walk 250 for recovery. Full Warmup.
Thursday- 10x400 @ goal 1 mile race pace, 90 seconds standing recovery.  Full warmup.  Strength Workout B.
Friday- 35 minutes easy, 8x strides
Saturday- Outdoor Season Opener
Sunday- Off

Legend:
Warm Up- A few minutes jogging, dynamic stretching, a few strides
Easy- A pace you can handle and have a conversation at the same time. Relaxed.
Tempo Run- A distance run at a pace of 5k race pace plus 30 seconds per mile.
Ins and Outs- Striding the straights and jogging the turns on the track
Strides- Not a sprint! Simply a short pickup of 50-100 meters at around 1-2 mile race pace. Full recovery.
Sprints- Not a stride! This is near maximal effort (while maintaining control of your body). Form is crucial in this type of running.
Progression Run- Training done at progressive pace that increases throughout the run. Begin at an easy pace and finish at 5k race effort or so for the last few minutes.
Fartlek- A run of varied pace for varied time which can be anywhere from an easy jog to hard sprinting.
Hills- Not all out sprints, good paced effort around 5k race effort. Can be anywhere between 100-400 meters long.
Workout A- 10-30x pushups, 10-30x prisoner squats, 10-30x lunges, 10-30x crunches, 30-60 seconds of planks on each side and the middle, and 30-60 seconds of Australian crawl.
Workout B- 20-40x step ups, 5-20x tricep pushups, 30-60 seconds of bridging, 10-20x dips, 30-60 seconds of pedestal, and 30-60 seconds of scissor kicks.
Pacing Calculator from McMillan

Training To Be Your Best: February 24th-March 2nd

Don't be alarmed when you look at this week.  This is the week following the state meet, and the kids ran hard!  Don't be afraid to let them relax a little.  If your guys didn't race this weekend, that is fine.  This down week will help them relax for the long haul to the state meet for outdoor track.

Only one more indoor meet left for the season.  New Balance Indoors!

Monday- 30 minutes easy
Tuesday- 40 minutes easy
Wednesday- 35 minutes easy, 8 strides
Thursday- 20 minute tempo run. Full warmup.
Friday- 25 minutes easy, 8x strides
Saturday- 35 minutes easy
Sunday- Off

Legend:
Warm Up- A few minutes jogging, dynamic stretching, a few strides
Easy- A pace you can handle and have a conversation at the same time. Relaxed.
Tempo Run- A distance run at a pace of 5k race pace plus 30 seconds per mile.
Ins and Outs- Striding the straights and jogging the turns on the track
Strides- Not a sprint! Simply a short pickup of 50-100 meters at around 1-2 mile race pace. Full recovery.
Sprints- Not a stride! This is near maximal effort (while maintaining control of your body). Form is crucial in this type of running.
Progression Run- Training done at progressive pace that increases throughout the run. Begin at an easy pace and finish at 5k race effort or so for the last few minutes.
Fartlek- A run of varied pace for varied time which can be anywhere from an easy jog to hard sprinting.
Hills- Not all out sprints, good paced effort around 5k race effort. Can be anywhere between 100-400 meters long.
Workout A- 10-30x pushups, 10-30x prisoner squats, 10-30x lunges, 10-30x crunches, 30-60 seconds of planks on each side and the middle, and 30-60 seconds of Australian crawl.
Workout B- 20-40x step ups, 5-20x tricep pushups, 30-60 seconds of bridging, 10-20x dips, 30-60 seconds of pedestal, and 30-60 seconds of scissor kicks.
Pacing Calculator from McMillan

Training To Be Your Best: February 17th-22nd

For some, the height of the indoor season is ending, such as in Louisiana with the state meet this weekend.  Around the country, the outdoor season is beginning as well and the invitationals should start within a few weeks.  This week of training will be written with consideration for those competing in the state championship Saturday.  For those who experienced bad weather the past few weeks/months, use this time to add more volume and easy running to your schedule to make up for what you have missed.

The new indoor track facility at LSU will host the LHSAA championship.

Monday- 3x1000 @ 3200 race effort with 5 minutes standing or jogging recovery.  Full warmup.
Tuesday- 40 minutes easy, 8 strides
Wednesday- 4x300 @ Current 800 pace with 4 minutes standing or jogging recovery. Full Warmup.
Thursday- 30x Strides
Friday- 25 minutes easy, 8x strides
Saturday- State Indoor Championship
Sunday- Off

Legend:
Warm Up- A few minutes jogging, dynamic stretching, a few strides
Easy- A pace you can handle and have a conversation at the same time. Relaxed.
Tempo Run- A distance run at a pace of 5k race pace plus 30 seconds per mile.
Ins and Outs- Striding the straights and jogging the turns on the track
Strides- Not a sprint! Simply a short pickup of 50-100 meters at around 1-2 mile race pace. Full recovery.
Sprints- Not a stride! This is near maximal effort (while maintaining control of your body). Form is crucial in this type of running.
Progression Run- Training done at progressive pace that increases throughout the run. Begin at an easy pace and finish at 5k race effort or so for the last few minutes.
Fartlek- A run of varied pace for varied time which can be anywhere from an easy jog to hard sprinting.
Hills- Not all out sprints, good paced effort around 5k race effort. Can be anywhere between 100-400 meters long.
Workout A- 10-30x pushups, 10-30x prisoner squats, 10-30x lunges, 10-30x crunches, 30-60 seconds of planks on each side and the middle, and 30-60 seconds of Australian crawl.
Workout B- 20-40x step ups, 5-20x tricep pushups, 30-60 seconds of bridging, 10-20x dips, 30-60 seconds of pedestal, and 30-60 seconds of scissor kicks.
Pacing Calculator from McMillan

Training To Be Your Best: February 10th-16th

So how about this weather, huh?  If you are anything like me and my team, it has been extremely frustrating trying to put together a successful season with as much cold and precipitation we have had, and we still have some to go.  One thing you should not do is panic.  Don't try to make up the training and get injured.  Don't over exert yourself you catch up.  Just keep on working with the schedule to the best of your ability and within due time the weather will return to a manageable period.

One of the two indoor tracks in Louisiana.

Monday- 40 minute progression run, 8x strides.  Full warmup.
Tuesday- 12x400 @ 3200 race effort with 200 meter jog recovery. Strength Workout A.
Wednesday- 40 minutes easy, 8x strides
Thursday- 12x Hills.  Full warmup. Strength Workout B
Friday- 40 minutes easy, 8x strides
Saturday- Track Meet or 2000 meter time trial
Sunday- Off

Legend:
Warm Up- A few minutes jogging, dynamic stretching, a few strides
Easy- A pace you can handle and have a conversation at the same time. Relaxed.
Tempo Run- A distance run at a pace of 5k race pace plus 30 seconds per mile.
Ins and Outs- Striding the straights and jogging the turns on the track
Strides- Not a sprint! Simply a short pickup of 50-100 meters at around 1-2 mile race pace. Full recovery.
Sprints- Not a stride! This is near maximal effort (while maintaining control of your body). Form is crucial in this type of running.
Progression Run- Training done at progressive pace that increases throughout the run. Begin at an easy pace and finish at 5k race effort or so for the last few minutes.
Fartlek- A run of varied pace for varied time which can be anywhere from an easy jog to hard sprinting.
Hills- Not all out sprints, good paced effort around 5k race effort. Can be anywhere between 100-400 meters long.
Workout A- 10-30x pushups, 10-30x prisoner squats, 10-30x lunges, 10-30x crunches, 30-60 seconds of planks on each side and the middle, and 30-60 seconds of Australian crawl.
Workout B- 20-40x step ups, 5-20x tricep pushups, 30-60 seconds of bridging, 10-20x dips, 30-60 seconds of pedestal, and 30-60 seconds of scissor kicks.
Pacing Calculator from McMillan

Training To Be Your Best: February 3rd-9th

With much apologies for missing the Monday workout, I give you the rest of the week.  I got wrapped up in a great article that will be out soon, so be ready for a great read on here within a day. I hope this crazy winter weather isn't keeping you off track too much.  If you miss a day or two, or need to change the schedule around, that is fine.  If you rolling into your state meet in the next few weekends, try your best, but remember you will not be in amazing shape in the winter compared to what you will be in the spring.

Monday- What you diligently ran this week.
Tuesday- 3x1 Mile with 5 minutes jogging recovery. Strength Workout A.
Wednesday- 45 minutes easy, 8x strides
Thursday- 40x Strides (Keep this at an Up-Tempo effort with recovery no longer than necessary).  Full warmup.  Strength Workout B
Friday- 35 minutes easy, 8x strides
Saturday- Track Meet or 2 Mile Time Trial
Sunday- Off

Legend:
Warm Up- A few minutes jogging, dynamic stretching, a few strides
Easy- A pace you can handle and have a conversation at the same time. Relaxed.
Tempo Run- A distance run at a pace of 5k race pace plus 30 seconds per mile.
Ins and Outs- Striding the straights and jogging the turns on the track
Strides- Not a sprint! Simply a short pickup of 50-100 meters at around 1-2 mile race pace. Full recovery.
Sprints- Not a stride! This is near maximal effort (while maintaining control of your body). Form is crucial in this type of running.
Progression Run- Training done at progressive pace that increases throughout the run. Begin at an easy pace and finish at 5k race effort or so for the last few minutes.
Fartlek- A run of varied pace for varied time which can be anywhere from an easy jog to hard sprinting.
Hills- Not all out sprints, good paced effort around 5k race effort. Can be anywhere between 100-400 meters long.
Workout A- 10-30x pushups, 10-30x prisoner squats, 10-30x lunges, 10-30x crunches, 30-60 seconds of planks on each side and the middle, and 30-60 seconds of Australian crawl.
Workout B- 20-40x step ups, 5-20x tricep pushups, 30-60 seconds of bridging, 10-20x dips, 30-60 seconds of pedestal, and 30-60 seconds of scissor kicks.
Pacing Calculator from McMillan

Interview with Khadevis Robinson

Two Time Olympian Khadevis Robinson talks to us about his life as a coach.

Coach Robinson, can you give us a brief biography and timeline before you became the distance coach at LSU?

After competing professionally for 15 years, I started coaching at Louisville High School in Los Angeles (2010). It is an All-Girls Catholic private school. Then I moved on to coach at UNLV (University of Nevada, Las Vegas) for about 2 seasons (2010-2012). From there I worked at The Ohio State University for 1 year (2012-2013), and now I am at LSU. I DID NOT EXPECT TO MOVE AT ANY POINT AS I LOVED EVERYWHERE I HAVE LIVED. Life happens... We make plans and GOD laughs.

What factors led you to come to Louisiana to coach?

I am originally from Fort Worth, Texas. After graduating from college in 1998  I moved to California. So, I had been away from home for a long time. This move allowed me and my wife to move closer to home. Additionally, LSU is one of the premier track and field programs for both men and women for  some time, so that played a part in my decision.

There are 2 decisive moments in a persons life.

1.       The moment you were born.
2.       The moment you realize why you were born.

I was born to help, motivate, and inspire others. What better way to do than than track and field and at LSU!

You took over the team late in the summer.  How did the athletes respond and how big of a learning curve was it for the team to begin a new system just weeks before racing began? 

Yes, it was a big challenge as I have a pretty unique philosophy and training program. I expect a good amount from the student athletes both Academically and Athletically.  I hold every athlete accountable no matter if they are a walk on or a full scholarship athlete. I absolutely do not play favorites and I challenge the athletes to truly believe in themselves and their group. It took them a while to respond and it is/was a huge learning curve for them. Yet, they all have run personal bests in something this year.

You've already solidified some great recruits for next year and the future looks bright.  What do you tell recruits that LSU can offer them, and what sticks out about LSU that future prospects should consider?

First of all, I absolutely enjoy coaching Cross Country and the distances. I have coached everything and have had some relative success in the 400, 400 hurdles, 800, 1500, 5k, and 10k. Firstly, I want the athletes to know that we fully expect to become a better cross country and distance group. Secondly, LSU has everything we need to be successful. We have everything we need as it relates to budget, facilities, schedule, school support, coaches, resources and we have all the pieces in place. Thirdly, I think that I can build a foundation starting with the local and state talent. If LSU could start to get the local and state talent to come here, then the foundation will be set and then we could fill in the pieces with the national talent.  The bottom line is that LSU is starting to position itself to become a better distance program, yet we need the support of the coaches, parents, and the state.  

Many high school runners feel they "aren't good enough" to run in college.  What advice would you give to those borderline runners who haven't made up their mind on whether to pursue running at the next level?

Well, I was a 1:53 runner in the 800 meters. In Texas, that is not considered that fast. I did not get a full scholarship. So, I had to go the loans and grant and all of that route also.  I really did not take any truly official visits to colleges for sports.  In other words, I think I was one of those borderline runners.  But, I am not afraid of hard work. I am a competitor, I know Hard work beats Talent, when Talent don’t work hard. So, I tell all of those runners, if you have a goal, a dream that GOD  put in your heart, then go for it. You never know. You may be a late bloomer. Some kids go through puberty and are developed in high school and others do not develop or develop until after they start college. I went from 5 ft 11 inches and 153 pounds my senior year  in High school to 6 ft  1 inch  my freshman year in college. I was a different physical person.  Stay with it. Believe in yourself.

There are as many different high school training programs as there are teams.  How do you mold athletes who come from dissimilar training backgrounds into your program?

I have a unique program that has worked everywhere I have been. I have coached and worked with kids that were 4 and 5 years old with the Youth Track and Running Club I Co-founded in Santa Monica California. Yet, I have also worked and coached Masters runners and my program has worked with all of them.  My program is based on a system that develops each individuals athletes own unique strengths and weaknesses. That part is what I am pretty strong at because I have lived and worked in so many different environments and most of the athletes I worked with were not considered to be the top or best athletes but they ended up performing pretty well.

For various reasons LSU has not been a strong distance program since the 80s.  Many runners who focused on events above the 800 left the state for college.  How are you changing that culture?

It’s a challenge. That has been a big challenge because a lot of the talent that leaves sometimes leaves for schools that are not really that much better than us.  So, if they all stayed then those schools would not be better than us and your family would be able to watch you compete more often. You would have more support. You would be part of a tradition and you can build your own tradition. Plus, you would be a Tiger…FOR LIFE!  Firstly, I am letting those athletes and coaches  know that we want them here at LSU. Will it be easy? No. But it’s not easy wherever they go. Secondly, I let them know that we can be successful here.  Thirdly, I am recruiting all of them. If they did not get an e-mail, call, or letter then I probably do not have their address or it got mixed up. I have started by actively recruiting all of the local and state talent.

If you could name one aspect of your program that makes it unique from others, which would it be?

I am a big believer in Core and Stability. I have a core DVD that I have made so it is important that I teach the athletes the basics.  So, the one aspect that is unique is that I am a big believer in overall basic body, core, and structural balance and strength.  If you can maintain proper form and running position then you will run more efficient and run better and faster. Just go study everything Alberto Salazar has been saying about all of his great athletes. What does he see as the difference. Biomechanics and running form.  Everyone is training hard!

There were several big performances recently at the Auburn Invite for your team, including Blair Henderson running 1:50.82, Andi Aguilar running 4:56.83 and Morgan Schuetz running 2:11.33.  What was the demeanor of the team after such a big competition?

Everyone was excited because literally everyone ran personal bests! They all have been running personal bests in Cross Country and track. The team is started to really believe and buy in. You have to be ALL IN. It is said that 1% doubt= 0% Faith. You have to be all in and believe.  Things will be up and down…That’s called LIFE. We must learn to deal with both the ups and the downs. Now, they are seeing what they are capable of doing if they put the proper work in.

Can you give us a glimpse of how you progress your athletes from cross country to track?

My main focus is the big meets. All of the other meets are meets that we use for preparation. Cross Country is used not only to run well for the Cross Country season, but it is base for the Track season. I want my athletes to have 3 relative good seasons.  Not a great Cross Country and then disappear for indoor and outdoor track. I want them to run well for all 3 seasons. In order to do that you have to learn to prioritize which races and what training is important. Unless you have a big time star or someone that run really fast out of high school, then you have to do some form of periodization or Meso/Micro/Macro scheduling.

I know you mentioned at the coaches convention about wanting to host a distance camp in the future at LSU.  Can you talk about that and any other programs you would like to install?

Yes, I think it is important to have a distance camp and also get all the high school coaches involved in the success  of distance running at LSU and the track and field/distance running in the state. You cannot tell me that you have all of these amazing runners in Texas and then you cross the state line and the runners become slow. NO. It’s just an imaginary line. There has to be more talent here in Louisiana. We have to work together in recognizing and nurturing that talent. Then, helping me keep that talent in state.  That is the only way I will be successful here at LSU, with the help of coaches and parents. I want to have a distance camp. I want to have a running/training group for kids that may not be quite there yet, but in 2 years may have developed enough to walk on to the team. I want to be able to come and build a distance tradition that will compliment the sprint tradition that LSU already has. So, if you coaches have any ideas or want to help me with this goal, I will be all ears.

GEAUX Tigers!

Milesplit version of the article can be found here.

Training To Be Your Best: January 27th-February 2nd

I was a bit premature in declaring the winter weather was passing, and it looks like we have another bout of frigid and wet weather either hitting us now or coming soon.  If you can't make it outside, remember the winter weather post from a few weeks ago.  Either way, work to make the most of your time in training.  Either way, within the next month the weather should be warming up to trainable conditions across the country so hold strong!

Mary Cain's indoor season is going incredible.

Monday- 30 minutes of Ins and Outs
Tuesday- 45 minute fartlek with several pickups to mile effort or quicker. Strength Workout A.
Wednesday- 45 minutes easy, 8x strides
Thursday- 12x Hills or 16x200 @ Mile race effort with 200m jog recovery.  Full warmup.  Strength Workout B
Friday- 40 minutes easy, 8x strides
Saturday- Track Meet or 1000 meter time trial
Sunday- Off

Legend:
Warm Up- A few minutes jogging, dynamic stretching, a few strides
Easy- A pace you can handle and have a conversation at the same time. Relaxed.
Tempo Run- A distance run at a pace of 5k race pace plus 30 seconds per mile.
Ins and Outs- Striding the straights and jogging the turns on the track
Strides- Not a sprint! Simply a short pickup of 50-100 meters at around 1-2 mile race pace. Full recovery.
Sprints- Not a stride! This is near maximal effort (while maintaining control of your body). Form is crucial in this type of running.
Progression Run- Training done at progressive pace that increases throughout the run. Begin at an easy pace and finish at 5k race effort or so for the last few minutes.
Fartlek- A run of varied pace for varied time which can be anywhere from an easy jog to hard sprinting.
Hills- Not all out sprints, good paced effort around 5k race effort. Can be anywhere between 100-400 meters long.
Workout A- 10-30x pushups, 10-30x prisoner squats, 10-30x lunges, 10-30x crunches, 30-60 seconds of planks on each side and the middle, and 30-60 seconds of Australian crawl.
Workout B- 20-40x step ups, 5-20x tricep pushups, 30-60 seconds of bridging, 10-20x dips, 30-60 seconds of pedestal, and 30-60 seconds of scissor kicks.
Pacing Calculator from McMillan

Training To Be Your Best: January 20th-26th

By now you should be settled into a steading training regimen for track, regardless of it you are running indoor or outdoor track.  Hopefully most of the crazy weather has left and normal winter has settled into your area.  For us in the South, weather is great for training and should not be much of a concern for training.  For those who run indoor track, the state meet should be about 3-5 weeks away, so keep motivated and finish the season strong.

Indoor season's mecca.

Monday- 45 minute progression run. 8x strides
Tuesday- 8x150 with 250 jogging recovery.  400 meter race effort. Full Warmup.  Strength Workout A.
Wednesday- 45 minutes easy, 8x strides
Thursday- 2x2k @ current 3200 fitness with 6 minutes jogging recovery.  Full warmup.  Strength Workout B
Friday- 35 minutes easy, 8x strides
Saturday- Track Meet or 600 meter time trial
Sunday- Off

Legend:
Warm Up- A few minutes jogging, dynamic stretching, a few strides
Easy- A pace you can handle and have a conversation at the same time. Relaxed.
Tempo Run- A distance run at a pace of 5k race pace plus 30 seconds per mile.
Ins and Outs- Striding the straights and jogging the turns on the track
Strides- Not a sprint! Simply a short pickup of 50-100 meters at around 1-2 mile race pace. Full recovery.
Sprints- Not a stride! This is near maximal effort (while maintaining control of your body). Form is crucial in this type of running.
Progression Run- Training done at progressive pace that increases throughout the run. Begin at an easy pace and finish at 5k race effort or so for the last few minutes.
Fartlek- A run of varied pace for varied time which can be anywhere from an easy jog to hard sprinting.
Hills- Not all out sprints, good paced effort around 5k race effort. Can be anywhere between 100-400 meters long.
Workout A- 10-30x pushups, 10-30x prisoner squats, 10-30x lunges, 10-30x crunches, 30-60 seconds of planks on each side and the middle, and 30-60 seconds of Australian crawl.
Workout B- 20-40x step ups, 5-20x tricep pushups, 30-60 seconds of bridging, 10-20x dips, 30-60 seconds of pedestal, and 30-60 seconds of scissor kicks.
Pacing Calculator from McMillan

LTFCA Clinic

Everyone who knows me knows that I love to go to clinics to learn from some of the top names in the sport.  Luckily, once a year I find myself able to go to the state coaches conference held by our state coaches association in tandem with the USTFCCCA.  While there is a social element, there are always great speakers, especially in distance.  Last year I listened to nationally renowned head coach for Stillwater High school, Scott Christensen, who has had four of his athletes go on to break 4 minutes for the mile in college.  This year the head coach of John Curtis has been invited to speak on sprints, so that should make for a good talk as well. Here is a little preview I have written for Louisiana Running, our milesplit affiliate, to show what the event has to offer:

This Thursday and Friday the Louisiana Track and Field Coaches Association will be putting on their annual coaches convention where training ideas are discussed, new LHSAA and NFHS rules are presented, and a social atmosphere is a focal point.  

Held at the Ramada Lafayette Conference Center (formerly a Holiday Inn) in Lafayette, the two day event kicks off Thursday evening at 6:00 PM with a great cast of speakers.  Heather Van Norman, former LSU All-American and current coach at Nicholls State University is the main sprints speaker; Calvin Robinson of Louisiana Tech is the main jumps speaker.  Calvin has coached such athletes as recent long jump bronze medalist at the Olympics, Blessing Okagbare; Bob Nihells of Lake Park High School in Illinois is the main throws speaker and has won the Gill Coach of the Year award in 2011.  And lastly, the dynamo of the conference is two time Olympian and current LSU distance coach Khadevis Robinson.  

There is a coaching social at the end of the evening on Thursday, then a full schedule of rules clinics, awards, and more speakers the next day.  There are four slots for speakers on Friday and they are all set up at the same time, allowing coaches to listen to different speakers who focus on different events if they should want to.  And lastly, with registration you receive a year membership in the LTFCA.  New coaches, this is the perfect opportunity to find out much more about your sport, and old coaches this is a way to keep in touch with newer training methods etc.  Hope to see you guys out there!

Winter Weather Adjustments

As you have obviously noticed, there has been a strong cold front (yes, I understand that terminology does not adequately describe the past week or so) that has brought with it frigid cold, strong winds, and precipitation.  Even down here in New Orleans some of the local suburbs have seen temperatures reach the teens.  This is a setback for many runners across the country as this may push back track workouts, disallow running outside, and in some cases cancel school for snow days.  Weather is a factor that should be often considered for training, and while some scheduled workouts may be cancelled, there are other possible ways to still get your running in.

First, I want to refer back to the rainy day workout post I made last year which just gave some simple examples of things you can do to when weather is adverse.  For this post I am going to give you several specific examples of training that can be done when the weather is bad.

- I have a friend who coaches in Michigan (his team has run New Balance recently) who described to me about his training that he does when the weather is bad.  The hallways of his school make a rectangle shape and is roughly 200m long.  In the mornings he will get his team to run the hallways before school to make sure they have gotten their running in for the day.  Of course this is not optimal, but remember we are talking about when training outside, for the most part, is not optional.

- Last year before the state track meet we had some really wacky weather that is very atypical for May in Louisiana (temps in the 40s/50s).  With the cold front came a lot of rain and made doing a workout at the track simply impossible (unless I wanted my runners to be sick).  Thinking on our feet, the coaches found a gym that had two treadmills we could use and I did a tempo workout with the kids, at least giving them the opportunity to run a quicker effort a few days before the state championship.

- At my old high school, coach Micah Simoneaux and I would be given workouts on rainy days that involved starting a run at the lobby of the gym and then run up the flights of stairs to the basketball court, around the gym, and then back down the stairs.  If the weather was not too terrible, we would add in some running around the outdoor covered walkways.  Each run was a rep at around tempo pace and we would do several of them, the distance runners doing a bit more than the sprinters.

- Lastly, coach Preston Curtis, the head track coach at John Curtis, has brought his runners to an indoor football facility to get some quality work in.  This option actually cost a bit of money, but for some coaches it may be the only choice.

So on a day like today where the majority of the country will be in the 20s-40s, and the northermost states will be even further below that, it may be good to brainstorm a little bit and instead of cancelling practice, you may be able to figure out a way to at least get some training in rather than nothing.