Summer Training
THE BASICS
The Bingham High summer training program does not "stand alone" or represent a random attempt to prepare a distance runner. It is the first step in a carefully prepared year-long group of four "macrocycles" which lead to the ultimate development of a high school runner determined to continue a career in college. Our four cycles are summer training, cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track.
No year can be truly successful without a determined effort to get the most out of your summer. The summer training cycle allows strength and aerobic efficiency to be developed very much like the foundation of a building. The greater the depth and breadth of the foundation, the higher the building will be built. Our goal is to emphasize strength in order to reduce the possibility of injury, increase the effectiveness of speedwork, and heighten the enjoyment of competition. To that end, no athlete who has an incomplete summer really has a fair chance to become the best runner they can be!
Our summer workouts operate on the "hard-easy"philosophy. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays are our "hard" days, while Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays are our easy days. Most of our athletes take Sunday off, and it is fundamentally sound in a training sense to always plan one day per week of total rest . The concept of "hard" relates to three building blocks of training:
SPEED
RESISTANCE
ENDURANCE
In a simple sense, speed is any type of training where legspeed is emphasized. Speedwork on the track, "telephone poles", and speed-intensive fartleks are good examples. Resistance involves any outside influence on your normal running where the body must work harder to maintain steady-state efficiency. Hills, uneven terrain, sand, or altitude involve this training concept. Endurance is any type of training where the athlete extends the period of effort substantially over twice the time of the race. . .approximately 40 minutes at any given speed.
Over our summer, a "hard" workout will involve at least one and sometimes two of these training building blocks. We normally do not involve all three in one workout due to the stress applied to recovery and the potential for injury that develops in a strength-building phase. So, on a hard day, what kinds of workouts would be good to do?
First, remember that our team meets together for at least two of your three "hard" workouts per week! More than any other thing. . .more than coaching, more than desire and dedication, more than speed. . .your teammates make you fast!!!!! So, the Monday, Wednesday, and Friday Alta runs are by far the most important runs during the week to attend. Your teammates will help to pull you along to your goals! However, if you find yourself unable to attend a workout once in a while, pick one or two of the training "building blocks" above and create your own run. How about a 5-miler easy in the South Hills( endurance, resistance)? Perhaps a 3.5-mile fartlek around home (speed)? Maybe a 4-miler through the Gulley (speed, resistance)?
The effort you give to successfully completing a summer mileage base will give you the strength to run well throughout the rest of the three other macrocycles we have for the year. The runner has a strong base, so the building can be constructed higher and the peak speed of the runner, during outdoor track, will be greater.
THE TYPICAL WEEK
SUPPLEMENTAL TRAINING
THE BEST OF THE REST
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