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DyeStat IL: Distance Workout Ideas - February 20, 2013
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Coach Jon Burnett of downstate distance power O'Fallon High School shares one of his favorite workouts that he uses during the season. This will be a start of a series where various Illinois distance coaches will share some of their ideas
Here is a workout that my runners enjoy late in the season. The workout has been around for many years and it has several names. We call it the Saluki Workout because it was given to us by Dan Dunbar, who had a great career at SIUC. I really like this workout because the effort my runners put in to this workout is inspiring. As the younger athletes finish the workout, they line the track and their role shifts to support. They cheer and offer encouragement for the older athletes as they finish the workout. This also allows the younger athletes to see what they hope to be doing in the future when it is their turn to be the older team members. After the workout, the runners feel exhausted and exuberant but often with a sense of accomplishment on their faces. Saluki Workout Workout – The basic workout has hard repeats of 1600m, 1200m, 800m, and 400m. Between each repeat, the runners run an uptempo 1600m. There is no break between the hard repeats and the uptempos. The runners quickly gather themselves and move straight into the uptempo. Requirements – The workout requires each runner to have his own watch even though they are running in groups. This workout also requires several excellent student managers to write down all splits (we have been very fortunate in this area). Adjustments – The workout is adjusted according to the age, ability level, and specialty of the athlete. (see chart below) Expectations – Each runner is expected to monitor his own time. Each runner is expected to tell his times to the managers to be recorded. Determining the proper pace for this workout is difficult. It takes experience. As the runners progress through their careers, they become more in tune with their abilities. Newer and younger runners should start the workout conservatively. They can always pick up the pace later in the workout. Coach’s note– I like to walk backwards around the track. That allows me to see the athletes more often than if I stand in one place, and thus monitor their progress more often.
Coaches: Do you have any cool workout ideas that you would like to share? Send them to me at [email protected]. I'll be glad to add them to this series!
THANKS JON!
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