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Training Distance Runners��Derek Leininger, Ph.D.�Fort Wayne, IN�Illinois Clinic • Jan 12, 2024

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My background

  • Athlete and coach -- cross country and 400-3200 in track
  • Cross country -- 3 state qualifying XC teams from an urban high school (Indiana 1 division)
  • Track -- 3:16 4x4 state champs, 7:41 4x8 state runners-up
  • Left coaching in 2015
  • Currently elementary school principal
  • I am not speaking as an expert -- rather, as a spokesperson for the experts

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Coaching lessons (1st half of book)

  • Success takes times / tsunami / culture is tipping point
  • Culture -- personal attention / rituals / transparency
  • Autonomy -- high expectations & views / athlete feedback
  • Role of mentors / strong ties / weak ties / networking
  • Abundance mindset / competition v. cooperation
  • Measuring success -- process over outcome / athlete’s experience / your own goals and definitions
  • Failure -- response is key / growth mindset

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Approach to Training

  • Tailored
    • To team
    • To individual
  • Forward (7) v. backward (10)
  • Constant evaluation & flexibility

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Peaking at the Right Time

  • There is no great secret, except to AVOID tapering (backing way off in mileage)
  • Mental peaking
  • Maintain volume -- higher the distance the more important this is
  • Maintain workout intensity
  • Keep routine, amplify details

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Mileage

  • For cross country season
  • Overall, downward trend from 70s-90s
  • Not all-important for many coaches
  • Variables – age, gender, talent, durability

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Grade

Girls

Boys

9th

30

36

10th

36

45

11th

42

52

12th

49

63

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Long Runs

  • Pillar workout -- once/week almost year-round
  • 60-70 minutes
  • 18-20% of total weekly volume
  • Pace -- conversational, sometimes pick it up hard the last few miles
  • Very few coaches prescribed running hard for a long run (PAAVO approach)

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Threshold Training

  • What’s in a name? … Tempos, AT, LT, steady state, sustained run
  • Typically 20-35 minutes
  • Variations on pace
  • Time at threshold is key -- Cruise intervals of 1000s or mile repeats
    • Young athletes, early in season, etc.

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Interval Training

  • Wait until August / early September to begin
  • Longer to shorter during the season
  • Mile repeats were the highest (some coaches did 2K repeats at threshold pace)
  • 1000-meter repeats were most common in XC season
  • Active recovery, short rest time (less than 1:1)

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A Twist on VO2 Intervals

  • Adjustment I made with a group of mid-distance / XC boys
  • Faster 1000-meter repeats through fall season did not equate with faster 5K performances / tendency to sit and kick on last repeat
  • Jack Daniels, Ph.D. -- Quality of VO2 intervals come after 2 minutes in each repetition
  • Keep recovery short so that you are closer to “quality” on last rep
  • Instead of getting faster in these workouts, run further at same pace (as fitness increases throughout the season)
  • Same volume, slower pace, and MORE high-quality time at max VO2

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Traditional vs. Twist

TRADITIONAL

  • 6x1000 @ 3:20, 2 min rest
  • 6x1000 @ 3:17, 2 min rest
  • 6x1000 @ 3:15, 2 min rest
  • 6x1000 @ 3:12, 2 min rest
  • Last workout = 6K total @ 16:00 5k pace, 10 min rest, 432 seconds total of high quality (past 2 minutes)

TWIST

  • 6x1000 @ 3:20, 2 min rest
  • 6x1100 @ 3:40, 2 min rest
  • 5x1150 @ 3:50, 2 min rest
  • 5x1200 @ 4:00, 2 min rest
  • Last workout = 6K total @ 16:40 5k pace, 8 min rest, 600 seconds of high quality (past 2 minutes)

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Training Mistakes/Lessons

  • Oxygen / base training
  • Importance of athlete recovery
  • Athlete “buy-in” to the training
  • Consistency
  • Patience / hold them back sometimes
  • Individualization

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Specific Workouts for 1600

  • Volume range = 2.5-4k for fast intervals
  • Tried and true = 8-10 x 400 at mile race pace, 1:1 rest
  • Split 900s = 600 @ goal mile pace, 1:00 rest, 300 @ 800 goal pace … 3 sets, 4-5 minutes rest
  • 3-4 sets of (2 x 300) = 300 @ 800 race pace, jog 100, 300 @ 800 race pace … 4-5 minutes rest between sets (great workout for 800/1600 runners) – for different reasons

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Specific Workouts for 3200

  • Always consider oxygen carrying system
  • Volume range = 4-5k for race pace intervals
  • 8 x 600 at 3200 meter race pace, 200 jog recovery … anything higher than 600s are really hard to hit race pace (you can try 6 x 800 if you have an aerobic beast of an athlete)
  • 3 x (600-400-300-200) Ladder … 200 jog recovery, 2 minutes standing rest between sets … 7-10 days out from big race