Capacity Training Program by Rio King
DRILLS—Done at the start of all workouts
High Knees - This drill brings the knee up to at least waist high on each step down the track; the thigh parallel to the ground, or higher. (Think "prancing"). This is not done at a running or jogging pace, but at a natural, steady progression down the track. Arms are held at a 90 degree angle and swung forward and back, in a rhythm with the steps. (Think "pumping").
Butt Kicks - This drill is run on the toes with a slight forward lean, bringing the heel back to the butt, then sharply swinging the lower leg back down to the track for a soft landing on the ball of the foot. It is paced similarly to the "high knees". Arms are held at 90 degrees and follow the step cadence.
Quick Steps - These are short, quick steps on the toes, in extremely rapid succession, while progressing slowly down the track. The arms are pumped in very short arcs, as fast as they can be driven. The foot should just "pop" the track. This becomes an anaerobic exercise rather quickly, and the legs begin to tighten. The athlete must concentrate on relaxation and not succumb to this short lactic buildup period. The designated distance for this exercise should only be 3/4 of the distance of the other exercises.
Bounding - This is the most demanding of the drills. It requires coordination, flexibility and power. The "bound" is a slow motion jog with the athlete trying to "hang" in the air for an extended amount of time (one second or longer). The ankle of the foot in contact with the track provides the power and extension for the next leap. "Drive" off the track. The arms are extremely important in this exercise. They begin the drill bent at the elbow at a 90 degree angle, then as the ankle lifts the runner off the track, the arm is thrust higher than the head in a motion similar to a boxer's uppercut. Think about punching a hole in the ceiling. The runner then lands on the opposite foot, similarly driving up from the track surface, and continues bounding down the track.
Note A: The arm that extends overhead is OPPOSITE the knee that rises (e.g. left knee, right arm).
Note B: This exercise is NOT SKIPPING. In a skipping exercise, the runner lands on the same foot that was used for the liftoff. This develops coordination, but is ineffective in creating power in the ankles and arms.
Strides - This drill uses all aspects of the previous drills. The runner slowly accelerates, using sprint form; maintains an easy sprint pace, then slows to a jog. The total "stride" (acceleration, maintenance, deceleration) covers 100 meters. In early season training, each segment of the stride covers about 1/3 of the 100 meters. As the season progresses, the acceleration and deceleration segments gradually reduce to about 5-10 meters and the maintenance segment is extended to 90-100 meters. Only two strides are included in the drills; the first one at about 80-85% and the second one at about 90-95%.
These drills are executed without stopping or walking. At the end of each 100 meter leg, the runner jogs back to the starting point and immediately begins the next drill. The distance of the drill is as follows:
Week 1 - drill 40 meters, jog 60 meters (to complete a 100 meter leg), turn around and jog 100 meters back to the start.
Week 2 - drill 60 meters, jog 40 meters (to complete a 100 meter leg), turn around and jog 100 meters back to the start.
Week 3 - drill 80 meters, jog240 meters (to complete a 100 meter leg), turn around and jog 100 meters back to the start.
Week 2 - drill 100 meters, turn around and jog 100 meters back to the start.
If a runner misses a week of drills in this buildup, repeat the last set of drills and then resume the progression the next week. After the runner has completed the 4 week buildup, the full set of drills is executed before each track practice. The athlete can also use the Week 2 drill set as a very effective warm-up at meets.
IN CASE OF ANY SORENESS OR INJURY, ALWAYS CONTACT THE COACH FOR TRAINING MODIFICATIONS.
Capacity Decoder: 4[200x200]@80% = run 200m at 80% top speed, walk/jog a 200 for recovery. The 4 means do that 4 times. First number is the workout interval and the second number is the recovery interval.
In the above example you would run 200m at 80% full speed, then jog/walk a 200m recovery. Repeat that 4 times.
Week 1
ALL: 1/2 to 1M warmup,40 yard drills (hiknee,buttkicks,quicksteps,bound,strides)
MIDDLE DISTANCE RUNNERS (800,MILE)
Heavy [dx200,d=400,600,800,600,400]@2M pace
Medium 5[400x200]@2M pace
Light 4[300x400]@1M pace
Novice 2[300x400]@1M pace
DISTANCE RUNNERS (2 MILE, 5K, 10K)
Heavy [dx200,d=400,800,1200,800,400]@5K pace
Medium see Mid Distance Heavy @ 5K pace
Light see Mid Distance Light @ 2M pace
Novice see Mid Distance Novice @ 2M pace
SPRINTERS (200,400)
Med/Heavy [dx100,d=100,200,300,400]@80%,200 recov,200 stride@85%
Week 2
ALL: 1/2 to 1M warmup,xx yard drills (hiknee,buttkicks,quicksteps,bound,strides)
MIDDLE DISTANCE (800, MILE)
Heavy 60yd drills,2 sets[ 4 [400x200] 200jog] @ 2M pace
Medium " ,[dx200,d=400,600,800,600,400] @ 2M pace
Light 40yd drills,[dx100,d=100,200,300,400]@80%,400rec,300stride
Novice 4 [200x200] @ 80%
DISTANCE (2 MILE, 5K, 10K)
Heavy 60yd drills,5 [800x200]@ 2M pace
Medium " ,see MIDDLE DISTANCE Heavy @ 5K pace
Light 40yd drills, " " " Light @ 2M pace
Novice " , " " " Novice @ 2M pace
SPRINT (200, 400)
Med/Heavy " ,3 [200x200walk]
Week 3
ALL: 1/2 to 1M warmup,xx yard drills (hiknee,buttkicks,quicksteps,bound,strides)
MIDDLE DISTANCE (800, MILE)
Heavy 80yd drills,[300x100,d x 200,d=500,700,900,700,500,300]@2M
Medium " ,[d x 200,d=500,700,900,700,500]@2M pace
Light 60yd drills,[d x100,d=100,200,300,400strides],4[200x200] @800pace
DISTANCE (2 MILE, 5K, 10K)
Heavy 80yd drills,3[mile x 400] @ 2M pace
Medium " ,[d x 200,d=600,800,1000,800,600] @ 2-3M pace
Light 60yd drills,3[400 x 200]@ 2M pace
SPRINT (200, 400)
Med/Heavy 60yd drills, 2[100 x 100jog x 200 x 400walk], 250 x400jog
Week 4
ALL: 1/2 to 1M warmup,xx yard drills (hiknee,buttkicks,quicksteps,bound,strides)
MIDDLE DISTANCE (800,MILE)
Heavy 100yd drills,8 [600 x 200]@ 1-2M pace
Medium " " ,10 [400 x 200]@ 1-2M pace
Light 60yd " ,4 [400 x 400]@ 1-2 M pace, 2 [200 x200]@1M pace
DISTANCE (2 MILE, 5K, 10K)
Heavy 100yd drills,7 [800 x 200]@ 2M pace
Medium " " ,6 [800 x 200]@ 2M pace
Light 60yd " ,5 [400 x 200]@ 5K pace
SPRINTERS (200, 400)
Med/Heavy 80yd drills,3 [300 x 500 walk/jog]@ 85% effort,hold form
Light 50yd " ,2 [200 x 200 walk]
Week 5
ALL: 1/2 to 1M warmup,xx yard drills (hiknee,buttkicks,quicksteps,bound,strides)
MIDDLE DISTANCE (800,MILE)
Heavy 100yd drills,2 [200x200]@ 800 pace,4 [1000x400]@1-2M pace,2 [200x200]@800 pace
Medium " " ,same as above with only 3 1000s
Light 80yd " ,3 [600 x 200]@ 1-2 M pace, 2 [200 x 200]@1M pace
DISTANCE (2 MILE, 5K, 10K)
Heavy 100yd drills,3 [Mile x 400]@ 2M pace
Medium " " ,5 [1000 x 200]@ 2M pace
Light 80yd " ,5 [400 x 200]@ 5K pace
SPRINTERS (200, 400)
Med/Heavy 100yd drills,[500,300,200 x 5 min walk/jog] @ 90%
Light 50yd " ,[500,200 x 5 min walk/jog] @ 85%
Week 6
ALL: 1/2 to 1M warmup,xx yard drills (hiknee,buttkicks,quicksteps,bound,strides)
MIDDLE DISTANCE (800,MILE)
Heavy 100yd drills,[dx100,d=100,200,300,400] for form,
[dx d,500,600,500,600,500]@800-1M pace,[d x100,again]
Medium " " ,same as above..omitting the last 500
Light 100yd " ,12[200 x 200]@ 1M pace
DISTANCE (2 MILE, 5K, 10K)
Heavy 100yd drills,[2000m TT], 1600 jog/recov, 800 @ 1M pace
Medium " " ,same as above..omitting the last 800
Light 100yd " ,2 [1000 x 400]@ 5K pace
SPRINTERS (200, 400)
Med/Heavy 100yd drills,[d x 100,d=100,200,300,400] for form, 2 laps of curve accelerations/jog straights,2 [200 x 200walk]
