coaching question for experienced runners

D

Dutchie42

Cathlete
I also put this post in the daily check in.

My son will be running his very first race Sunday 13 Feb. He refuses to join one of the local track and/or running teams so its up to me to "coach" him.

Sofar I've been doing OK: I don't push him, if anything I've been holding him back. He loves to run and he's really looking forward to his race. Now I've been trying to explain race strategy to him. How he needs to pace himself throughout the race, how he should not go out with the very fast and experienced runners at the start, how he should use the ease of running down the bridges (3 of them) to slightly increase speed, how he should increase to top speed at the last 1K and things like hydration before the race and not stopping for a drink during the race cause it's only a little over 6K, temp will probably be below 10C. We will do a warm up jog before the race, so he doesn't need to go out too slow. Is there anything else I should tell him?

To prepare him I will loan him my other HRM on Monday and let him run the race course as he thinks he wants to run it at race day and review his run with him afterwards. It will give him an insight into whether he went too fast, did he pace himself and how fast he can run the race (knowing ofcourse that in a race you're usually slightly faster, which I didn't tell him). BTW we always increase speed in the last 1K of every run and the last 500 meters is always up a bicycle/pedestrian bridge over the highway. He manages to sprint up that bridge no matter how long our run was... Sadly, I can only slightly increase speed at that point :( .

I would really appreciate any and all coaching tips.

Thanks.
Dutchie:)
 
You are welcome Dutchie....maybe the 3rd time is a charm...:)...I know there is a coach on these forums!!!!...:)...Carole
 
Dutchie,

Hi! I am a track and cc coach and below are a few suggestions plus a week sample workout...The first thing is that your son should have AT LEAST a 12 week base before attempting a race or adding any speedwork to his training to minimize the risk of injury.

Speedwork is a vital part of training for a short race like a 5k/6k.
He needs a great pair of shoes that fit his foot and that are biomechanically appropriate for his foot and body type. He should really be encouraged to join a running group.

Below is a workout example that assumes that the runner has been running for 12 weeks with a good base of about 15 miles per week. Feel free to take out one of the 3-milers during the week. Also, stretch and eat well each day. If there is ANY sign of pain or injury, DO NOT RUN!
With a training program for this distance, you really just want to make sure you have ONLY ONE speed session per week, followed by a rest day to lessen the chance of injury. Speed training, however, is very important for this distance. Read on...

Week 1
Monday – Rest. Rest is not just a day off; it is an important and planned part of a training program. Rest allows your muscles to recover and strengthen.

Tuesday – 30-minute fartlek run. For this workout, alternate running for 5 minutes at an easy pace with 1 minute at 5K pace.

Wednesday – Run 3 miles easy. Avoid the temptation to increase your pace on these easy run days. You will have many opportunities to run hard. Run 3 acceleration strides.

Thursday – 1 mile slow jog. Run 4 x 400 meters at 15 seconds per mile faster than your current 5K pace. Jog for 400 meters between repeats. Cool down with 800 meters of jogging.

Friday – REST

Saturday – Run 3 miles easy. Run 3 acceleration strides.

Sunday – Standard warm up. Run 3 miles at 30 seconds per mile slower than your 10K pace, or if you do not do 10K’s about 45 seconds per mile slower than your 5K pace.

A great pre-race warm up consists of a light jog, followed by some active stretching and plyometrics. (ie) jumps, bounding. Make sure to eat about 3 hours before and that meal should be plain carbohydrates with little protein or fat. (they will make him sick to his stomach)After the race, light jog for about 800 meters, stretch, drink liquids, eat carbs with some protein, and rest the next two days.

Starting the race, he should NOT sprint out - he will fail, especially since he is a newbie. I would suggest for him to be encouraged to start near the back of the pack in the center. Starting in the back will help him resist sprinting out of the gate, which often happens in the front of the pack. If he shoots out at the start - people will be only picking him off! Let him know that he can count how many people he picks off throughout the race. Staying in the middle helps him avoid getting caught in a big pack and having to run a longer distance.
The goal for him should simply be to finish. Then, if he likes it, he can make more specific goals. Good luck!

jenni
 
Dutchie, I think the hr monitor can be misleading if he is not used to wearing one, and most of all doesn't know the exact numbers. 6 k is a rather short distance, and I think it is very hard to tell a teen to not go out too fast. What I'd pay attention is breathing. Maybe keep the 2/2 (two steps in two steps out) breathing pattern during the first 4k and gradually increase it to 1/1 at the end. In that way he surely can't go out too fast but can increase the pace to a "kick" at the end. As Jenni said, proper line up is very important. If he is in the front, he'll go out w/ the fast folks. If he's at the end he'l have to go around slow runners, or worse walkers. I'd warm up a lot before a 6k w/ an easy run AND some strides so I'd be fully aerobic from the start and I would not have to struggle during the first few minutes.
Hope this helps, Mari
 
Thanks Jenni & Mari,

My son has been running since March last year with about the whole month of May off and about five weeks during Summer vacation. He started joining me on my runs again in September. Until the end of 2004 we were running 2x5K plus 1x10K on the weekend like clockwork. Since January we've been upping the distances and changing our routines: 1x6K fartlek, 1x6K temporun and at the momen 10milers on the weekend.

Question: according to Dutch information I have for training purposes, if done as a slow and easy run 10miles for a 14yo are OK although participating in races for that distance is not allowed until 16yo. Apparently, American advice is different. Do you know why?

My son absolutely loves to run. Unfortunately he won't join a team cause that means his dad has to take him to practice and/or races on the weekend and we know from previous experience (judo tournaments) that the man just won't get out of bed to do that. It's sad, but I'm trying to make up for it.

He has proper running shoes fitted by a specialist running shop (expensive!).

I know he's taking running seriously because he listens when I tell him which food groups he should eat/drink to help him stay healthy and run well. And he's started making his own healthy choices now (eg oatmeal+soymilk+honey for breakfast and milk+banana smoothy before he goes out for a run).
 
OOPS didn't finish my post x(

As a warm up we usually do a 5min brisk walk, then a slow jog with some high knees etc. for about 1K before we really start to run. We will do this before the race as well. At the start of the race I will keep him by my side for the initial 3 minutes. I am a very very slow runner, so we will be at the back of the pack. Way back:) Or maybe more to the middle for his sake. Telling him to count the people he picks off is a stroke of genius!! That is such a motivator!

I have been telling him for the past few weeks that he'll be there to have fun, enjoy himself. However, this boy has a competitive streak. In school runs (which do not compare to the American school running), he comes in 1st and sometimes 2nd. He's very proud that he can even out run his PE teacher:) During a normal weekday run I have clocked him at sub21 min and he wasn't trying to be fast. Not a very exceptional time, but for him it is nice to start with.

Thanks again and I'll use the advice.

And thanks Carole, for bumping it often enough for people to see it:)

Dutchie :)
 
One more question if you don't mind, but I'm always confused as to what exactly strides are... Could you explain, maybe, please?
Dutchie
 
I am soooo happy that your son loves running! Yippee

Anyway, to answer your last question...

Strides: Strides are short, fast runs of between 50 and 200 meters. They are run at a "comfortable sprint" pace (i.e. as fast as you can go without going completely anaerobic and losing good form.) A typical Strides Session might be 10 x 100m following a 30 minute easy run. They are never an all-out sprint...they are great for runners of all distances!
 
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