There comes that time in the season that everything is…easy. The workouts go well, the easy days get you wound up, and the races…well, you feel like a superhero. It is also the time when you must be observant about warm ups, cooldowns and overdoing it. Wet clothes after a workout can get you a chill and 20 weeks of work are gone…
I recall a tough hilly 10,000m college race. It was our home course. We took it out hard to break the top guy from the other school. By 4 miles, my team mate had broken the field. I began catching the top five, and moved into 3rd place. Just before six miles, I had realed this guy back. We were dueling for second. We have 300m to go, and it was all uphill.
I trained on this monster twice a week for 20 weeks, and I wanted to challenge him, and I felt, well, tough. I looked over, got eye contact, saw his fatigue and just put it down. I charged up the hill, just like I had practiced. I sensed a break, as I could not hear his breathing anymore, so I just kep going. I took second behind my team mate. It felt so good to do well. It felt so good to have the work I had done come to good.
Karissa Schweizer, photo by PhotoRun.net
Those times are due to a proper buildup, which you have had, if you followed us that last 20 weeks. Cross country will help you build for next seasons’ track, both indoor and out, but right now, the next two months, you have a job to do. Stay focused. Be ready for your moment.
Saturday, October 19, 2019: warm up, 5k race, similar to league or conference race, jog ten minutes, then 8 x 150m strideouts, cooldown
Week 16, Summer mileage, Training week 16, time to focus on the racing!
Monday: 55 – 60 minute park run
Tuesday: 20 minute warm up run, 20 minute tempo run, run this 20 minutes on a track or flat road, at 30 seconds per mile above last weeks 5k race pace, 10 minute jog, then, 8 x 150m, strideouts, 20 minute cooldown
Wednesday: 30-45 minute run, relaxed
Thursday: 20 minute warm up, 6 times 100m hill, jog down, 10 minute jog, 30 minute fartlek, 10 times 2 minute, 5k pace, 1 minute easy, 20 minute cooldown
Friday: 30-45 minute minute park run, relaxed
Saturday: warm up, 5k race, similar to league or conference race, jog ten minutes, then 8 x 150m strideouts, cooldown
Sunday: 85-90 minute long run
