FAST TRACK TRAINING - Big Day for Fast Track Training HS XC runners!
Each and every participating athlete in the Fast Track Recruiting Training Program established a new personal record yesterday. The athletes who ran on the same course at the same meet yesterday as they did last year had an average improvement rate of 56 seconds! In addition, our athletes established two new varsity XC school records. Not only are we helping student-athletes get into schools they never thought possible while getting significant scholarship money, we are also helping current high school cross country runners RUN FASTER!
FAST TRACK TRAINING - Want to Improve the Last 100m of Your 400m?
From Clyde Hart - "In order to help break the WR in the 400m, we put in an additional drill. Michael Johnson would run 37/38sec to 300m, then take 1 min and then have to run under 12sec [for 100m]. He’d take 5min rest and do three more sets. He got down to 11.2/3sec. We had started it early in the year because your body learns and adapts.”
I had great success using this same workout with current NYU Head Coach, Erison Hurtualt. Erison ran 45.40 while at Columba and was a two-time Olympian.
Rumor has it Wayde van Niekerk utilizes this workout as well.
Obviously, you should modify this workout to your ability, I had Erison run the 300m in 42 seconds. You should subtract approximately 3-4 seconds off of your 400m PR and run that time for the 300m. For example, if you currently run 48 seconds in the 400m run your 300m in 45 (15/100m) and 13 for your 100m.
College Track and XC Polls - National & Regional
Want to see where teams who are recruiting you stack up within their specific region and Nationally - check out the weekly USTFCCCA weekly polls. They do wonderful work and you can follow programs throughout the entire year - cross country, indoors and outdoors!
Southern Utah men are currently ranked 15th in the NCAA I and often fall under the radar. They have consistently put together a great program.
http://suutbirds.com/index.aspx?path=mcross
Marc Burns' University of Missouri Women's team is certainly one to watch and a program on the rise!
http://www.mutigers.com/roster.aspx?path=cross
Find weekly rankings here -
COLLEGE TRACK RECRUITING - Coaches Can Start Calling Jr's....Starting now!
September 1 has arrived! College Coaches are able to start contacting juniors today via telephone. If you received a call today, congratulations…that’s awesome, and you are obviously very good! If you have not received a call do not sweat it. Most of the coaches who I have been in contact with over the past couple of weeks have told me that although they are able to start making calls today that there is still too much on-going activity with their senior recruits that it will be a while before they start calling juniors.
FAST TRACK TRAINING - Best Kept Cross-Training Secret
Willy Wood August 31, 2017
One of the best methods of cross training and one of the least utilized is walking on the treadmill. Yes, I said walking. While I was at Columbia University, we had a freshman female runner diagnosed with a stress fracture in her lower back very early in the season. We assigned her a very high volume walking protocol. She did this for six weeks until she was cleared to run. Six weeks later, she was a NCAA I Cross Country All-American, as a Freshman! She worked up to 50-90 minute walks on the treadmill. We would set the inlcine at 4.5% and the speed at 4.0 – 5.0 making sure to never alter her normal walking gait.
Check out https://www.reviews.com/treadmills/ for a review of treadmills. This group spent months evaluating dozens of machines currently on the market. After scouring expert and buyer reviews, my team personally tested nine finalists. In the end, we came up with four top picks: best for runners, best for walkers, best for training, and best entertainment features.
FAST TRACK TRAINING - Train Like a NCAA I National Championship Team
Here is an actual week of early season training from one of the top programs in the nation.
Monday - 65 minutes easy + 6 x 100m strides
Tuesday - 20 minutes easy + 10 x 3’ / 2” off+ 15 minutes easy
Wednesday - 90 minutes easy
Thursday - am 30 min easy pm 60 minutes easy
Friday - am 4 x 2500m with 2 min recovery jog pm 35 minutes easy
Saturday - 50 minutes easy
Sunday - 1:50 - 2:00 minutes easy
FAST TRACK TRAINING - Train Like a 400m Olympic Finalist
Here is an early season (fall) week of an Olympic Finalist who has run sub 44.50. He did this week when he was 24 years old.
M - 3 sets of (500m - rest 1' -500m)
T - weight training
W - 300m - 600m - 900m - 90m - 600m - 300m
Th - weight training
F - 6 x 60m w/ 2' rest + 2 sets of (300m, 250m, 200m with 3 min rest) 5 minutes between sets
S - weight training or off
S - off
FAST TRACK TRAINING - Even Vaulters Need a Base!
I was speaking with the Pole Vault Coach at one of the nation's premiere NCAA I Track and Field programs today. And, though they have not yet started official practice, his vaulters are hard at work. "Everyone has to have a base, regardless of their event", he stated and this belief is prevalent in their summer training. Their running training is dominated by 20 minute fartlek runs and hilly runs. In the gym, they are prioritizing general strength and conditioning. Their workouts consist of a lot of medicine ball, core, high bar, ring and body weight exercises. "It is important for kids to slow down and not be in too big of a rush toward specificity, get fit first!".
How They Trained
In the Fall of 2014, the Bradley University women claimed their first ever outright MVC XC Championship and narrowly missed a NCAA I national berth by placing 3rd af the NCAA Midwest Region Championships, placing ahead of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kansas State, and Missouri. Here is what they did the last week of August in preparation for the championship season.
M 55 minutes easy
T am 50 minutes easy + 8 x 100m strides ( 2 easy – 4 normal – 2 easy)
pm 0 – 30 minutes easy
W 65 minutes easy
Th 50 minutes easy + 8 x 100m strides
F am 15 minutes easy + 6 x 3’ on / 2’ off + 15 minutes easy
pm 0 - 30 minutes easy
S 35 minutes easy
S 75 – 85 minutes avg sub 7:00 pace
HS SENIORS - DON'T MISS OUT
The recruiting process can be very confusing, particularly if this is your first time going through it. I have received many emails and calls lately from prospects and their parents asking me what their next step should be. If you are currently a senior and have not yet heard from coaches at the schools you are most interested – it is time to change up your approach and create a new plan of attack. This is where we can truly help you! Many current recruits are waiting to hear from a coach because they were sent a questionnaire or an introductory letter at some point during the process. That type of communication is not enough, particularly if you are looking at an academically selective school. Typically, this type of correspondence is more exploratory than an expression of interest. Ivy League Track & Field coaches estimate that 75-85% of their class will be filled by early decision applicants. If you are still awaiting that call, stop - there is only about eight weeks left before that window will close! Make a new plan or let us help you. Don’t miss out on a great opportunity – be proactive!