The Recent Evolution of the Carmel High School Girl s Cross Country Program

The Recent Evolution of the Carmel High School Girl s Cross Country Program Head Coach Mark Ellington mellingt@ccs.k12.in.us Assistant Coach Matthew Wire matthewwire@msn.com

Background Information Tradition of Success Large, Motivated Group of Student-Athletes No Denying School Size is a HUGE Advantage Student-Athletes are High Achievers Community Culture of (Running) Success Pups Running, Middle School Programs, Club Program Top-Notch Medical Support Staff School Trainers St. Vincent Sports Performance Team

Foundation of Success Sound Coaching Philosophy (What do you want to do?) General Approach to Training High Volume vs. High Intensity PAAVO?????? Training Plan (How are you going to do it?) Application of the Philosophy Ability / Willingness to Implement Plan (Doing it!) Daily Commitment to Excellence Reflection and Adaptation (How Can it Be Done Better?) Willingness to Change (Day to Day / Season to Season) Different Athletes require Different Approaches Is Training Compatible with Current Research?

Ancillary Strength Training (2008) Injury Prevention (75%) Lower Leg Prep Leg / Hip / Glute Strength Core Strength Performance Enhancement (25%) Upper Body Strength Leg / Hip / Glute Strength Core Strength Loss of consistent training due to injury is, by far, the biggest limiting factor in achieving long-term Success!

Dynamic Flexibility Routine (2009) Running is a dynamic, movement-oriented activity, therefore, your warmup should be specific to the task at hand Our Pre-Race and Pre-Training warm-ups differ but both involve the following: Leg Swings - Front to Back Leg Swings Side to Side (?) Stomach Eagles / Scorpions (?) Back Eagles / Scorpions (?) Walking Knee Pulls Walking Quad Stretch Frankensteins Walking Lunges Inch Worms Calf Stretches (Straight Knee and Bent Knee)

Glute Activation (2013) The glutes are the largest muscle group in the lower body, and the LAZIEST, when it comes to distance runners. Due to the fact that the glutes are under-utilized in distance runners, they must be activated and trained to contribute to the task at hand. Glute Activation Routine (prior to running) Lunge Stretch (Stretch Hip Flexors) Two Legged Bridge (Abdominals then Glutes) Quadraped Hip Extension Clam Shell (Gluteus Medias) Speed skaters (Gluteus Medias)

Shift to LT and Capacity Training (2009 Present) The greater the Lactate Threshold, the further and faster an athlete will be able to go before slowing down! Our athletes don t need to get faster, they just need the stamina to maintain their speed over a longer distance (5K) Training goal is 20 40 minutes of total work volume Since recent research suggests that the lactate threshold is not an exact pace or intensity, there should be: Systematic Progression, in volume and intensity, over the course of the season Progression of Intensity over the course of individual workouts Cut-Down Runs, Progression Runs, and Cruise Intervals are all examples By slightly varying the pace / intensity of workouts, you will be more likely to hit appropriate targets on any given day

Shifting the Lactate Curve

Running Physiology and Optimal Training Zones Training Zone (Energy System) Conditioning Anaerobic Conditioning Capacity Anaerobic Capacity ATP/CP Description Easy Distance Lactate Threshold Medium-Long Intervals Short-Medium Intervals Short Sprints Primary Energy Pathway Oxidation Oxidation and Glycolysis Glycolysis and Anaerobic Glycolysis Anaerobic Glycolysis and the CP Pathway The ATP and the CP Pathways Effort of Running 65-80% HRM 87-92% HRM 95-100% HRM 100% HRM 100% HRM Speed of Running Comfortable 24-30 seconds per mile slower than 5K 3K to 5K 800m to Mile 400m to 800m Duration of Running 30 Minutes + 15 to 40 minutes 3 to 5 minutes 30 seconds to 3 minutes 10 to 25 seconds Recovery Time Needed None (Continuous Running) None for Continuous Tempo Runs or 1/8 th the time of Long Repeats Up to equal the time of the Fast Repeat 2 to 4 times that of the repeat (depending on intensity) Complete Sample Workouts 5-10+ miles at easy pace 15 30 minute continuous tempo run or cruise intervals with short recoveries 6 X 1000m at 4K with 500m slogs 8 X 200m at 800m with 4 X the time for recovery 6-8 X 100m all-out sprints with full recovery Key race Training 10K (45%) 5K (20%) 3K (10%) Mile (5%) 10K (45%) 5K (60%) 3K (50%) Mile (45%) 5K (17%) 3K (35%) Mile (40%)

Conditioning Long, Steady Distance Training 10 miles maximum longest run of the week for younger runners Still considered a workout even though the intensity is lower and the pace conversational Often supplement Saturday races with long cool-downs to achieve this training stimulus Can also supplement lower running volume with structured cross training

Anaerobic Conditioning Steady State, Tempo, Lactate Threshold and Cruise Interval Workouts Lactate Threshold is a curve and not a specific point, therefore it is beneficial to vary training paces/intensities We prefer Cruise Interval approach as it allows athletes to re-focus their efforts and finish strong 20-30 seconds slower, per mile, than 5k Race pace 20-40 minutes of work volume Early Season 2 X Mile @ Tempo intensity with 60 seconds recovery (<14 minutes of work ) Mid Season 4 X Mile @ LT intensity with 90 seconds recovery (24-28 minutes of work ) Late Season 2 X 18 Minutes @ Cruise Interval intensity with 4-5 minutes recovery (36 minutes of work )

Capacity Also referred to as VO2 Max Training Accomplished through the use of Medium-Long Intervals About 3k 5K 2.5 5 miles of actual work intervals Recovery should be 50-90% of the interval time to allow for a more complete recovery because if you run slower than 5K, you re heading toward LT training pace One workout per week is sufficient Short intervals aren t nearly as effective as longer ones because you don t accumulate enough time in the optimal intensity range with shorter intervals Example: 6 X K on 7 Minute goes

Anaerobic Capacity Short-Medium Intervals (100m 400m) Total work volume of 1-2 miles per workout Intervals lasting 30 seconds to 3 minutes Should be run at 800m Mile Recoveries should be 2-4 times that of the interval (Full) Central Nervous System (CNS) Adaptations Challenge but don t overwhelm the CNS Mentally makes seem easier Most benefits occur within 6-8 workouts so this phase can be relatively short

Season Training Summary BASE PHASE - Pre-Season / Early Season (June September) Conditioning Build Mileage and Volume Begin Progressive LT Training Strength Training STAMINA PHASE - Regular Season / Late Season (September / October) Maintain Long Run and Weekly Training Volume Max Out LT Training (40 Minutes) Short Hill Phase (Transition to VO2 Max Training) Continue Strength Training VO2 MAX Phase- Conference and State Tournament Season (October) Gradual Reduction in Overall Training Volume Continue Peripheral Strength Training Gradual Shift from LT emphasis to VO2 Max emphasis Focus on VO2 Max Training PEAK PHASE - Post-Season (November / December) Max Out VO2 max Training (6K-8K of total volume) Gradual Reduction in Strength Training Anaerobic Capacity Phase (2K of total volume)

What s on the Horizon? RECOVERY Calf Sleeves / Compression Gear Mixed Reviews from our current runners To Ice Bath or Not To Ice Bath? Is the Inflammatory Response to Training desirable? Foam Rolling Two-A-Day Runs Supplement Volume and/or Improve Recovery Nutrition / Sleep / Stress Role of Cross Training Not Just for Injured Athletes Anymore! Relatively risk-free way to supplement, or replace, running volume Hip Strength and Mobility Many injuries can be traced to hip anomalies (Girls) Most High School age girls are hyper-mobile and require focused strength training in hip area Proper Periodization for Goal Races Planning Forward VS Planning Backward We plan forward until 4 6 weeks before goal race and then plan backward based on current circumstances Maximal Speed Development Year-round speed development? Use it or lose it?

Questions? Head Coach Mark Ellington mellingt@ccs.k12.in.us Assistant Coaches Matt and Kelly Wire matthewwire@msn.com kellywire@hotmail.com Good Luck with your upcoming seasons!