Cross Country Training in Kenya Mike Kosgei and Waller Abmayr

Transcription

1 Is^]-- Cross Country Training in Kenya Mike Kosgei and Waller Abmayr The success of Kenyan cross couniry runners has been steadily increasing since fhe 1970s and has been further confirmed by fhe outstanding results obtained this year al the World Cross Country Championships in Auckland. In this article, fhe authors illustrate lhe training programme followed by Kenyan athleles, in parlicular preseason iraining ond a iwo week cycle in preparalion for an important competiiion. Mike Kosgei is head coach and leam manager of lhe Kenyan National Cross Couniry Team Walter Abmayr was the nafional technical advisor to (he Kenyan AAA from The ability of Kenyan distance runners on the track has been known world wide since the 1960s. In Cross Country however, il was nol until the 1970s when they made their first impact oulside of Kenya. It was in America, where athletes like John Ngeno, Mike Musyoki and Henry Rono gave the first hints of Kenya's harrier power. Competing while studying al university, they won several U.S. national titles. In 1981, Kenya entered the World Cross Country Championships for the first lime and placed third in the team standings. In lhe next three years they were lo gather another third place plus two fourths in the team race. By 1985 they had improved lo a second place and a year later, led by John Ngugi, Kenya won both its first team and individual World Championships at Neuchalel, Switzerland. Since then, the men from Kenya have only improved in Cross Country, as shown by the unprecedented results from Auckland this year. Ngugi, winning for the third time, led six of his countrymen into the top seven spots. In addition to these great victories, the junior men's team has been making regular strong showings in recent years, indicating a supply of talent for the future.

2 Given the known ability of Kenya's distance runners, these successes should not be any greal surprise since Cross Country has always been a popular sport in Kenya. As good qualily tracks are not in great supply in Kenya, it is far easier to arrange a cross country race ihan a track race in most places. Schools in Kenya regularly compete in Inler-school, District, Provincial and National Championships. This programme, strongly supported and guided by bolh the Provincial and National Athletic Associations, provides a good talent identification and selection system. In addition to the well organized national competition programme there is a simple but effective national training programme. Each year, t he Kenyan AAA provides training information to coaches and leachers to help them prepare their young athletes for competition. Normally, athletes begin their preparation iraining in October. The first races of the season are held in December. Typical training for the period from the first of November to the first of March is given in Table 1. After 10 to 12 weeks of preparation training, building up from 60 to 100 km per week, the lop runners are taken in early January to a training camp where they will be kept together with other runners for 3-4 weeks. The training in the camps is more intense and the lolal amounl covered can be as much as 150 kilometers per week or more. These camps are organized by the employers or clubs of the alhletes. There is also a national training camp where the top runners from the previous year as well as runners who have performed well in the early season races are taken. 54

3 lable 1 - Genemi Preparalion Programme PH,A.SK'VOIl.'ME,MONDA\ rttsdav»t.om:soai 1HLRSDM FRiiuy SATL'RDAT Sl ^DAV PREPARATION 1-30 November about per week AM. I km in 70-T5 min. low speed Active Rest 9- farilek on hilh i 18 km very easy run for regeneralion 10 X 100 m at 60^ 8-iO km in min. Low speed Self trial for 12 km Appro lime about 45 min without effori 4-5 km easy in 45 min. Medium speed 20 min. body condilioning.active resl or regeneralion games 5-6 km easy Active Resi Jogging Rest PREPARATION 1 Ucc, Feb. aboui pel week km in 75-8: mm. low speed 20 min faniek hilly surlace medium efrori 20 mm km easy regen erai ion 15 min. stretching IS km in medium aboul 65 min. 15 X 100 m. ai ös-^o PM, Active Rest A.M, Jogging 15 km in min. 20 min. Flexibility 6-7 km lugh spec 10 ^ 200 m Hill work ai low speed. 50 min. 6 km, easy 3 circuits wiili implements very easy fartlek 15 min. Streiching 15 km min. Medium Speed 20 min. Compeiition or 13 km high speed Rest PRE SEASO.N 24 Feb. IO 9 Mat. aboui km. per week km in approx, 80 min. faniek tugh speed 15 min. slrelching 20 km easy regeneralion 20 min. nexibiliiy 15 km ai high speed. Approx. 60 min, 20 x 100 at 70«'» A..M. 15 km in 65 min. Medium Speed 20 min. gym Competition or 13 km ai compeiiiive speed AM IÜ-I2 km in mm. 20 min. Flexibility Exercises 8 km high speed. 15 \ 20O m Hillwork 15 km Approx. Wl mm P.M, ß km easy 15 km easy fartlek 8 km easy jogging Free Aciive Rest

4 table 2a March Day SpeciMcation for training Suniniar>' SUNDAY a.m. 8- easy run {35-4? min) min gymnaslic exercises MONDAY E km road run, min Hexibiliiy exercises Pufk-Run 2 X 5000 m Track (15:00 min) 2-3 min walking inierval 4.00 p.m. 4-6 km individually run (jogging) 12 km 6 km TUESDAY E 45 min jogging () stretching exercises 2-3 km warm up, gymnastic exercises 20 X 300 m hill-run (48-50 sec) 3 min rest interv. (pulse control after 10 runs) wriie down! 6-9 km WEDNESDAY Af; 9.30 a.m km (med. speed) "Pulk-Run" 4.00 p.m. 20 min jogging, gymnaslic exercises (20 min) CONDITIONING EXERCISES (Momach. back 3 x 25 rep.) 20 km 4 km THURSDAY E km easy run S km Fartlek {hilly area) 12 km 8 km FRIDAY E 15 km comforiable speed "Pulk-Run" (ROAD) 15 min warm up, flexibility exercises (30 min) 4.00 p.m km easy run 28 km S.ATURDAY E 12 km (mcd. speed) 20 X 300 m hill-run (46-48 sec) 3 min rest interv. (pulse control after 10 runs) 12 km 6 km 56

5 Table 2b March Day Specification for training Summar>' SUNDAY complete resling (compulsory) MONDAY E km (med. speed) 20 min warm up, gymnaslic exercises 30 min condilioning (stomach, back. jumping jack) 4.00 p.m. 8 km Fardel; 15 km 3 km TUESDAY E 6-S km comfortable speed 8 km 15 min warm up, flexibility exercises 3 X 5(H)0 m (15:00-15:15 min) Track Rest interval oniy 1-2 min 15 km WEDNESDAY E km easy run 8- "Pulk-Run" Evening: Departure to London 20 km 9 km THURSDAY Arriving in London / Transfer to Gateshead min jogging (easy) min flexibility exercises 8 km FRIDAY 9.30 a.m. laaf-course "Pulk-Run" (9-11 km) 3.00 p.m. 6-8 km "familiarising run" at the IAAF Course 7 km SATURDAY a.m km easy run. flexibility exercises 11 km Pulk Run: Fartlek: Circuit Training: Gym: Running in a group at competitive speeds for kilomeires with the slower runners of the group forcing the pace. Very popular iraining means, used mostly on hilly courses Not very popular but regularly performed by the Armed Forces athletes Gymnastic exercises 57

6 Fig. 1 - Conditioning and circuil traning wilhoul implements MtE-LIFTING 'SKIPPINGS' (STRENGTWiNG LEGS/ASKWINAL PRESS-LP-QJW» (STRENGTHNING «MS/SHtXLOEB LEG-STtKTCH-Q-AP CFL X!BIL1TYJ FOR THE L GS) IÄ. Ä 2 CIRCUIT- TflAINING FOR 7 r M 8 RUNNER rr' 3 6 FCREWWD- BEND tflexibilitv BMK/I ^ EP/FRON^) M 4 5 If M >1~. fa 7 flflm-sfwtch-shins (FLEXIBILITY FOR «WS AND SKM-TER) HOCX-JLW ( STRENG T>miN13 LEGS/ABDCmiNAL) POCKET-KNIFE (STRENGTHNING STCMACH) STRETCH-HCXX-XW (stftemgtmljlng LEd/WMS/SHOULaR) Fig. 2 - Condilioning and circuil Iraining wilh implements ^ STEP-UPS (l LEG STRENGTH) TRUNK-ROTATION (FLEX- AND STRENGTHNING UPPER BODY) ZICK- ZACK- DEEP-JUMP (LEG-STRENGTH) OVER-HEAD-TMROW (STRENGTHNING COMPLETE BODY) 58

7 I.OAI>ING/l-:XERCISINC. Exiensive: 60 SO sec work/exercises (low/mediuiti effort) sec break/recovery Intensive: sec work/exercises (medium/high effort) sec break/recovery Each circuil should be performed seperalcly (no mixture) and referred to: Off-season (without implements - preparation) and On-season (with implemenls). In each iraining sesson the circuit should be repeated between 2-4 times, wilh 2-3 mitt break/recovery belween each completed circuil. After lhe Armed Forces Championships, normally held in mid February, the runners return lo iheir camps tor anoiher 1-2 week.s to prepare for lhe Naiional Championships. The top 12 runners from the National Championships are selected to represent the country at the World Championships and they are taken lo a high altitude camp lo prepare. The final Iwo weeks training before the IAAF World Championships in Cross Country al Gateshead in 1983 is given in Table 2 (see pages 56-57). The training advice and programme used to prepare the athletes has remained basically the same since il was developed in The schedules given here are for national class athletes. Less experienced and junior runners are advi.sed to reduce the total amount of training by 15 to 20% as wew as lhe intensity, according to the needs of the individual runner. The Kenyan AAA Coaches Office will answer questions and give advice to coaches who need advice on how to train iheir athletes. In the preparation period, the athletes are asked to train each day, normally Iwice a day and advised that training is a constant and conlinuous process. Athletes will train at least 6 to 8 weeks before entering iheir first race of the season. Easy running before and afler competitions is recommended rather than coinplete rest. However, if an athlete is feeling tired or overworked during training he is advised to take a day off to recover so that he can be fresh for the next day's training and it is common for athletes to plan a day off (usually Sunday). Athletes at the camps will sometimes train three times per day. Training normally takes place in parks and forests to escape the hard surfaces, noise and fumes of the roads. Gymnastic exercises are taken both before and after training. In addition to daily running and gymnaslic exercises the athletes perform the circuit training illustrated in Fig, 1 and 2. The Kenyan national team will travel so that it arrives at the siie of the World Cross Country Championships aboul 4-5 days before the competition so that Ihe effects of the high altilude iraining camp are maintained. D 59