What does your training week look like?

Whenever you toe the line the only thing you can control is your own performance. Your competitors have been on their own journey and are ready for the challenge.

(NOTE this is part one of a two part series)

What training should I be doing?

I regularly get asked this question and my first reply is always what are your goals?

In my previous post I talked about setting goals and yes some of my group have big goals but the question is always what are you willing to do to achieve them.

Now big goals require big commitments. In saying that some of the athletes that I have worked with have achieved significant results on fairly limited training. Some of this is due to their genetics and the specific training that they have done.

My thoughts on age appropriate training for juniors.

U14's

Well this age group is all about learning how to train. Sorry if you ever come to me I won't be very interested in what you achieve. My goals will be that you enjoy your running and that you develop the skill of running fast and that you improve your running economy and efficiency.

I currently have a great group of 12/13 year old athletes that when I watch them run fast I get very excited. The reason..... they look smooth and efficient. Now they don't do a lot of running but the way they move lets me know that they are on the right path.

If they stay with the sport and continue to enjoy results will come.

U16's

This is a tricky age as most of the athletes that I work with also do other sports. At a national level if you're not running 4-5 days a week you will be at a great disadvantage.

What I love about this age group is that with consistency athletes see very big improvements in their performance. The great puberty phase also means lots of hormones floating around the body to help improve performance.

Over the past several years our group has won medals or top 5 placings in the 800,1500,and 3k at National events

U18's

At this age at the National level athletes are serious.

Within our group 5-6 days a week of running is recommended but we have had athletes run very fast on limited training.

Once again specificity is the key. On limited volume one female has run 2:11/4:34 for 800/1500m, another male on 55-60k per week run 3:54 for 1500m and another group member on 35-40k per week run 8:57 for 3k.

This is a tough age group as the focus is continuing to improve aerobic endurance but also encouraging the athlete to buy in to more training.

Most 16-17 year old athletes that I work with struggle with the idea of running 80-100k per week which is the progression they should be on when they get to U20 age group.

U20

At this age goals are imperative. If they run to keep fit and to race without necessarily trying to make an Aussie team then volume is much lower.

In 2015 when working with one of our female athletes who wanted to make the Australian World Cross Country team is was essential to increase her volume. The problem was that she was new to running.

Steady increases in volume with her top weeks coming in at around 70-80k allowed her not only make the team but was the highest placed Aussie finisher at the event placing 49th.

Conclusion

The most important thing in junior development is progression and consistency.

I have had athletes run 2-3 days per week as a 13 year old and win national medals.

Everyone is different and the key part of what should I do for training is what can you sustain.

Enjoy your journey!