Lactate Threshold Training

[TaSsl]

PS : The races should help you decide what you need in training as you progress through your season. If you lack "speed" then do some more speed-type training and make sure you are properly rested before each high intensity session.

If you cannot finish your races, then make sure you keep some endurance training in your program. There are many examples of speed and endurance sets even in the GPP. Just take those and play around with them a bit, make them specific to your racing needs.
Just to be sure, do you mean modify next seasons training considering my limitations this year?

NO, ACT NOW. Every race or time trial should yield information. Use the information to adjust your training to address the shortcomings revealed by your most recent performances .

Thanks

I am interested in this concept. I (or my coaches) have usually focused only in increase the quality of the runs decreasing the volume without taking that much into account the last performances.

In my case, I am feeling pretty fast (2.8x in flying 30 and 6.6x in 60m standing), the problems I have felt during my races are:

- Bad start.
- Crossing legs: some cuts&blood on the calves.
- Last 50 meters on the 200.
- Slow start on the 400 (first 200m) and the last 80m (I guess that's normal).

I am not sure how I would address this; I am writing my reasoning: as I am competing on Saturday, I thought on 2 days:

Monday: 4x80m (starting from blocks, 400m pace). 4x150.
Wednesday: 4x100m, 2x(200+200).

Tempo on Tuesday and warm-up on Friday.

Does the reasoning makes sense? If not, where is the mistake and what/why would you change? Thanks!

[kitkat1]

Legs crossing? Could be a weakness to semimembranosis (or adductor) unable to stablise the leg when trailing in the stride recovery cycle. See you physiotherapist.

Your proposed work for this week sounds ok to me. Only one way to find out. Try it. If you run real fast, note it down for future reference.

[TaSsl]

Legs crossing? Could be a weakness to semimembranosis (or adductor) unable to stablise the leg when trailing in the stride recovery cycle. See you physiotherapist.

Your proposed work for this week sounds ok to me. Only one way to find out. Try it. If you run real fast, note it down for future reference.

Wow! Thanks, I will definitely check the adductor. I have had this problem since I can remember and nobody could tell me why, so it could be nice to stabilize the stride. Could it be that the rest of the hamstring muscles are stronger that the adductor and this affects the stride? I am asking this question because I've always had pretty strong hamstrings (in eccentric exercise with some inclination I can block my body few centimeters from the ground with not that much effort).

Also, another question: how do you address weights workouts during competition time?

[kitkat1]

Weights during comp. I keep them as far away from the next race or speed training session as possible. If we have a race on Saturday, we will do weights maybe Monday after the Monday track session, then Tues is usually a rest day, Wednesday is back to high intensity on track and followed then by weights same day. So during comp period we drop back to one or two weights sessions a week if there is a race at the end of the week. But we will sometimes deliberately schedule a block of training and skip some meets so we can reload in the gym if needs be. The "needs be" is based on the observations/feelings of both the athlete and the coach.

[ESTI]

Update!!

Today was huge day. My 400m boy ran a 48.93 then 25 minutes later ran a 22.6 200m. He ran against a quality runner in both events and it was the closest races of the year for him. He broke the school record (one of his goals) and now has until May 20 to prep for the regional meet, which decides who makes the state finals.

The plan is tomorrow massage and recovery jog. Thursday maybe tempo of 300s. Friday a warm-up only.

We have a high quality meet Saturday. He will run the 4x800, 400 open, and 4 x 400 and possibly a 4x200 relay. All the events will be close to hour time between. He is a 2:05 800 relay leg and our 4x800 team is top 4 in area, with the other 3 teams being there Saturday.

Sunday would be massage and recovery jog.
Monday was planning on 200+200.
Tuesday maybe 4x200 in come home pace.
Wednesday tempo again,
Thursday warm up.
Friday: Race Day

He seems to do well with recovery jogs of 15-20 minutes the day before our Tuesday meets and a few of the Saturdays. I might give Wednesday off, then Thursday 15 min jog. Friday race day.

We have been 2 weeks since doing any speed work. Our last speed session was 2 weeks ago Thursday and we did 60, 80, 120, 150, 250 with full recovery. Followed by recovery jog on Friday then Meet Saturday (ran well: 4x200 leg, 4x100 leg, 4x400 leg, all fast or him)

Last week we did Mon jog, Tues Meet, Wed 6x200 with jog recovery in come home pace, Thursday jog, Friday off, Sat meet (ran crappy). Sun off
Monday jog 20 min, Meet (today, set 2 PRs).

Any tips leading to the regional meet in abut 9 days??

Thanks again. He, and I both thank you.

[TaSsl]

Update!!

Today was huge day. My 400m boy ran a 48.93 then 25 minutes later ran a 22.6 200m. He ran against a quality runner in both events and it was the closest races of the year for him. He broke the school record (one of his goals) and now has until May 20 to prep for the regional meet, which decides who makes the state finals.

Congratulations! This shows a huge improvement after the first races!

Related to the next races, isn't it too much?

[pakewi]

Is individual top performance a single event happening in a certain moment in time (towards which we strive hard to manage all information to us available) or more so a state which allows for individual best performances possibly in a row and over (at least some of the) time?

[Nikoluski]

You seem to 'agree' with Clyde Hart and Michael Johnson (and others, I guess), who don't believe in tapering as such? Am I reading you correctly?

[pakewi]

I guess you are. Aristotle seems to tell the whole story in your signature:how does a habit ever need a taper?

[Nikoluski]

I have a few questions then
What does the duration of this high performance period depend upon? Do the characteristics needed for such a performance determine the time frame to get ready for (e.g., the shorter the event, the more cycles within a season)?
And how can we be sure this series of high performances (i.e., without tapering) are at least as good, if not better (that's always the target, no?) vs. the individual top one 'when it matters most' (after tapering)?
In other words, a habit may not need tapering, but will it equal top performance (excellence) 'simply' by what is done repeatedly? I wish I could ask Aristotle...

*shall we move this to a separate thread perhaps?