Training 11/16-11/22
Monday 11/16: 0-30 minutes
Since we raced on Sunday, most of the guys took today off. Obviously we want to get back to work and make sure that we are as fit as possible for NXN, but the biggest thing for us right now is making sure we are totally recovered.
Sam and Zac ran 30 minutes easy (about 4.25 miles) just to give the legs a little shake out. It rained pretty hard, but otherwise everything felt good.
Tuesday 11/17: 8-10 miles maintenance
We ran with our post-season coach, Lance Elliott, today around Lake Harriet and tried to brainstorm ideas for a team picture. Most ideas were pretty bad, but the picture should turn out alright.
We like to do maintenance runs for some of our longer stuff to make sure that we are getting as much benefit as we can. They are usually between 6:45-7:15 minutes per mile which ensures that we are not slogging around, but not running so hard that we won't be able to execute on workouts properly. It was raining again today, and- for the most part- everybody feeling good.
After the run, we did some pretty tough anaerobic strength work.
Wednesday 11/18: 47-60 minutes easy (6.5-8.25 miles)
We started practice by taking our team pictures for NXN. Here is an exclusive view of all of the outtakes and behind the scenes:
In addition, the run went well. If you can't tell from the pictures, it was cloudy and rainy again. As a team, we made a thank you note and delivered it to one of the parents who helps us organize our trip to NXN Heartland every year.
For the most part, everybody is still feeling good.
After the run, we did the same anaerobic strength work that we did on Tuesday.
Thursday 11/19: Long run with progression (10.5-12 miles)
The run today was a 6 mile warm up ending at a 1.5 mile loop and then cooling down back to the community center. Depending on what mileage group the guys were typically in during the season, there were either 2 or 3 progressive loops scheduled. However, the trail is under water from all the rain and so we had to adjust and progress on the paved outer loop. This wasn't ideal, but an important part of surviving the 3 to 4 weeks between NXN Heartland and NXN is the ability to be flexible.
Additionally, a few of the guys had some aches on the warm up, so they finished up on a stationary bike or the Alter G.
For the guys who did the progression, everybody started at 6 minute pace and we tried to get down to threshold pace. Even though a few of us have GPS watches, this is mostly by feel and it went pretty well for most of the guys.
Besides the water that was already on the ground, the weather held up pretty well for us.
After the run we just had some basic core.
Friday 11/20: 47 easy (6.5 miles)
Those of us who were running wanted to make sure that we took it really easily today to make sure that we felt ready to go for tomorrow's workout. We took a typical route, Parkour Park, a classic. The name says it all.
A few guys were either on the bike or on the Alter G just as a precautionary measure. Our primary goal of these 3 weeks is to make it Portland healthy; fitness comes secondary.
The weather was nice today, but it's starting to get brisk.
We had anaerobic strength following the run.
Saturday 11/21: Track workout
Today is the goal workout of the week. There are 3 groups, but everybody is doing generally the same thing. The workout is:
12 minute warm up and drills
7x 1000m @ threshold pace working down to goal 5k pace (5 repeats for some guys; pace for top 3 starts at 80 seconds per 400m down to 74; 82 down to 77 for 4-7)
4x 200m smooth, basically an extended stride
8 minute cool down
Everybody executed very well (nobody ran too fast too early and everybody finished feeling good). The top guys ended up running a little faster than scheduled at the end (2:59- 72s per 400m), but they were all running really smooth and within themselves. The 200s ended up being close to mile pace working down for everybody (about 32 seconds down to 30 for the top guys). I think this shows that our fitness is definitely in a very good spot as a unit.
We wanted to get the workout done right away in the morning, so it was about 18 degrees (fahrenheit) when we started and warmed up to about 20 by the time we were done.
After the workout we did some basic core and went out to breakfast together.
Sunday 11/22: 0-47 minutes (0-6.5 miles)
Most guys will take today off, and those that do run will go very easily. Sundays are a down day for us because we want to be completely recovered going into next week.