300 Meter Repeats Workout
by Steve McGill
As we head into the off-season for anyone who is not at the elite level, it’s time to take a break for a few weeks before gearing up again for another season. I usually have my athletes begin their off-season training on September 1st, although I like for them to stay fit during the month of August by doing other “fun” activities that aren’t directly related to their training. I guess the term for that these days would be cross training. Indeed, cross training allows the mind to detox from the pressure of a long season, and give a body a chance to recover from performing the same motions over and over again for so long.
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So this month’s workout is actually one that I wouldn’t have my athletes do until September, when the off-season “officially” begins. It’s a basic conditioning workout for all sprinters and hurdlers that helps the hurdler prepare for the hurdle workouts that will put a lot of strain on their muscles.
The Workout:
- 3 sets of 3x300m
- Rest 3 minutes between reps
- Rest 6 minutes between sets
This workout should be done in training shoes, not spikes.
The aim with this workout, as with all off-season workouts, is to stay consistent in order to establish a speed-endurance base. So if the target time for the reps is 45 seconds, you don’t want to do the first rep of a set in 42, the second rep in 45, and the last rep in 48. Yes, the average is 45, but you’re not teaching the body to run at a certain pace, to a certain rhythm, which is the whole point.
In determining a target time for workouts like this one, I usually have my athletes run in the 75-80% range of full speed. How do I determine what 75% is?
I use the pace calculator found on this page, run by a coach from the UK. When you open the page, scroll about half-way down, and you’ll see the “Training Pace Calculator.” You put in the info, and it tells you what the target times should be. This calculator is a very good starting point for establishing target times, although, as the coach, you might want to make adjustments for individual athletes based on their conditioning level. I would suggest bookmarking this page so you have it for future reference when determining target times for workouts. It doesn’t really apply to hurdle workouts though. When inputting the information, if you don’t know your athlete’s personal best, then estimate what you feel it should be based on his or her personal bests in other events.
With this workout, I don’t deviate from the set rest times. If the athlete is not able to hit the target time consistently with the rest that is given, then that’s an indication that he or she is still getting in shape and we’re not where we want to be yet. If an athlete masters the workout the first time doing it, I’ll increase the challenge next time by making the target time slightly faster.
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