Sprint Training For Middle Distance

Safiri

Looking for some opinions on how to approach sprint workouts for middle distance training. In fact opinions on all would be really helpful and appreciated as resources are hard to come by in general. I'm planning on moving down to 800/1500 next year and am looking for info and critique on how to schedule and periodise my training from now until outdoor season. My plan is to keep the mileage relatively high but to incorporate some sprint work in each week as it's something I've completely lost touch with from years of inactivity and also from focusing on the longer stuff so was thinking of working on 400mish training on those days. A few questions:

1. I currently run 2 workouts a week when focusing on long distance(one steady tempo and an LT workout); would it be ok to run 3 workouts a week if I changed that to one steady Tempo/LT workout changing to more 5/10k as the year progresses a week with 2 more sprint orientated days?

2. Is it ok or not to run decent mileage on days where sprint work is incorporated?

3. what would be the focus of those sprint workouts for each phase of the year and what would those correlating workouts look like?(early season base, indoor season and competition phase etc.)

4. If I was doing 2 sprint focused workouts each week; which type of workout would be the most useful as I couldn't fit in a full sprinters week in those days?

5. what are some good plyo drills to help with power for the middle distances?

apologies for the complicated nature of these questions but any help would be appreciated along with any other advice or opinions outside of them on good middle distance training:)

OOnegative

Only thing I can offer is have look in the Middle Distance thread and look at KielyUnusual’s old log “Not quiet four laps”. Plenty of decent advice in both of those I would say.

dna_leri

Safiri wrote: »

Looking for some opinions on how to approach sprint workouts for middle distance training. In fact opinions on all would be really helpful and appreciated as resources are hard to come by in general. I'm planning on moving down to 800/1500 next year and am looking for info and critique on how to schedule and periodise my training from now until outdoor season. My plan is to keep the mileage relatively high but to incorporate some sprint work in each week as it's something I've completely lost touch with from years of inactivity and also from focusing on the longer stuff so was thinking of working on 400mish training on those days. A few questions:

1. I currently run 2 workouts a week when focusing on long distance(one steady tempo and an LT workout); would it be ok to run 3 workouts a week if I changed that to one steady Tempo/LT workout changing to more 5/10k as the year progresses a week with 2 more sprint orientated days?

2. Is it ok or not to run decent mileage on days where sprint work is incorporated?

3. what would be the focus of those sprint workouts for each phase of the year and what would those correlating workouts look like?(early season base, indoor season and competition phase etc.)

4. If I was doing 2 sprint focused workouts each week; which type of workout would be the most useful as I couldn't fit in a full sprinters week in those days?

5. what are some good plyo drills to help with power for the middle distances?

apologies for the complicated nature of these questions but any help would be appreciated along with any other advice or opinions outside of them on good middle distance training:)

Good questions.

A few short comments and I will try to give more depth later.
First your key objective is to get faster without getting injured. When you significantly change your training your risk of injury goes up.
+1 On the old middle distance thread, a good resource.
My go to guide is Steve Magness Science of Running.
When building your base you will need a base of speed as well as endurance. Start with 6×10s short hill sprints. Increase the volume to say 10×10s. Progress to flat sprints 6×60m. Build from there towards 6x100m.
Work on form, technique, drills. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.
Maintain endurance. You can/should mix the 2. Easy recovery runs good. Don't overdo the tempo / threshold work when developing speed.
Plyos are good but be careful of the injury risk. I would start with bounding exercises as part of warm-up and drill work. Did I say that was important.
Later.

Down South

thinking of doing the same myself next year so will watch this thread closely

Testosterscone

+1 on dna's comments

In early base phase while building endurance you also wanna be focusing on laying the foundation for speed as well. Going from experience the 400m training style approach while trying to build base tends to having you falling between the two and not really getting the benefit out of either

Magness put up a handy little progression that can be used during early stages of training to prep the body which could be used prior to the indoor season. Once a week after easy run

6x8sec HS
8x8sec HS
10x8sec HS
4x60m flat sprints
8x10sec HS
5x80m flat sprints
10x10sec HS
2x60m, 2x80m, 2x100m
8x10sec HS + 1x20sec
4x60m, 1x150m
8x10sec HS +2x25sec
2×60, 2x80m,100m, 150m, 200m
4x100m, 150m, 200m

(HS - Max Hill Sprints)

For plyometric sessions I would say force generation work probably a bit better at this stage of training (Depth jumps, Squat tuck Jumps Single leg hops etc) and more multiple quick contact exercises as you get closer to the race season. For me early ones prep the body well for later stages and have a bit of correlation with XC should you decide you want to do a few races.

dna_leri

In terms of periodising, I plan to peak twice per year for indoors and outdoors, usually in August and February. For each peak I will plan 8 weeks of base, 5 weeks of pre-competition and about 8 weeks of competition.

At my fittest I could manage 3 sessions a week, but don't jump straight in there and be prepared to back-off if you feel it's too much.

A typical (Magness) week in 1500m base training would be:
Mon - 25 min split LT
Tue - recovery run(s)
Wed - Run +5x100m sprints
Thur - easy run(s)
Fri - Run +6x200m at 3K pace
Sat - 11 mi w/ 30s surges
Sun - recovery run
He would make that up to 75 miles, my mileage would be much lower but the same basic structure.

Pre-Comp week could have:
Alternating 200m/200m mile pace for 2 miles
Recovery runs
300, 250,200 at 800-400m pace 5' rec
Easy runs
Run +8x10s Hill Sprints
10 mile
Recovery run

Other plans may vary!

Anything else just shout