This is the first Workout Wednesday of the blog! I think every coaching blog, athlete instagram, etc. posts a Workout Wednesday, so I might as well join the masses. In this recurring segment of the blog, I'll talk about some of my favorite workouts, what they're meant to accomplish, and where to place them in a training segment. More or less this is the part of the blog where I drone on endlessly about training. Read at your own peril.
For the first Workout Wednesday I'll keep it simple but incredibly effective. This is actually one of my favorite workouts to do, and also one that I like to prescribe to my athletes.
The Workout
10 reps of 200 meters with a 200 meter jog for recovery. The 200 meter reps are to be run at your goal one mile race pace, the 200 meter jogs should just be easy. If you don't have access to a track; run 10 x 30-45 seconds with 1 minute to 90 seconds recovery.
Why?
I love 200's because they do a multitude of things for you. First, they help build efficiency or running economy, as well as anaerobic power. Second, it enables you practice and hone your running mechanics or form when running fast. What does all that mean? Essentially it helps your body run more efficiently at faster speeds, which is a lesson that can be applied to racing any distance at virtually any intensity.
Things to Keep in Mind
DON'T RUN THESE TOO FAST. Some people hear the word "reps" or "200s", and think that it's a license to run as hard as possible, as many times as possible over that distance; doubling themselves over in pain at the end of each repetition. This is not ideal. One mile race pace is not all out, it's exactly what it says it is, one mile race pace. If you're running too hard and not recovering properly during the workout, your mechanics will get sloppy and you'll lose much of the benefit of the session. Fast reps, or reps that are faster than your one mile race pace certainly have a place in training, but not during a session like this.
When
You can do this workout during any phase of training. I'll prescribe this as one of the first quality sessions in a training block, so the athlete is building that efficiency right off the bat, setting them up to be able to handle longer and harder sessions later on. It's also a great confidence builder early on, because it's an attainable number of reps, but you still feel accomplished at the end of the session. I'll also place it in the middle of a block to mix in some speed with longer interval sessions, or at the end of the block to help an athlete feel sharp and ready to race. This workout is really versatile, and it's one of the reasons that I love it, and keep coming back to it.
You too can look this good while running!Well folks, there you have it! The first Workout Wednesday on the Coach Nick Hilton Blog!
Comment if you have any, well, comments, suggestions, criticisms, compliments, etc.
Coaching inquiries? Or want to tell me I have no idea what I'm talking about?
Email me: coachnickhilton@gmail.com
Thanks for reading!