Training

Training Philosophy

The Maynard Jackson Cross Country program follows a consistent training program where we meet runners where they are. Runners are tiered based off their pacing and weekly mileage into one of 4 groups and those become their training groups and running packs. To have the most optimal training running is broken into three different steps

Step 1: Summer Miles

The Summer Warrior Program is designed to build up endurance. Starting mileage is personalized based off Spring conditioning, injury prevention, and your base mileage from last year. All 9th grade and new runners start at 15 miles a week and move up at 10% per week. All the runs are designed to be easy and build runners up to being able to run 30 miles a week by the time the season starts. Along with running, strength training is incorporated by building up your core and leg muscles for injury prevention. 

Step 2: Time Trial / Vdot

The start of each season, MJHS Cross Country does a 1 mile time trial for 9th graders and a 2 mile time trial for all other grades on the track. The goal is to be identify the current fitness of the runner to give them correct splits for their workouts which we call the Vdot. Vdot was developed by Dr. Jack Daniels and is used to calculate splits for the workouts that we will do for the rest of the season. As the students fitness grows, their Vdot will rise and their splits will get faster.  

Step 3: In Season Training

The season training is defined by the 80/20 principle developed by Dr. Steve Seiler which stakes that of our weekly milage only 20% of our mileage should be considered "hard" and 80% would be considered "easy". If you are a new runner, these terms may not directly apply because running in August at any speed for the first couple of weeks is going to feel hard. 

The first 6 weeks of training in the season is focused on speed work. All of our reps will be between 200 meters and 600 meters with equal recovery and we will focused on hill training as well during this time. The second 6 weeks we will focus on building endurance with 800 meter to 1600 meters and more tempo work. All the while, we will be building up our mileage 10% a week (although we may be changing that philosophy slightly) with recovery weeks roughly every 4 weeks. How many reps you do will depend on how many miles you can run for that week. Someone who can only do 20 miles a week will not do the same workout as someone who can do 50 miles a week. Below you can week a typical training week for runners half way through the season.

Typical Weekly Training

Monday –  Easy Day
30 to 40 minute easy run + 8 Strides. Amount that you would run would be based off how many miles you need to run that week. Barefoots and core after the run. 
Tuesday – Workout Day
Group A: 15 min E| 8 x 200 w/ 200 jog | 15 min E 
Group B: 15 min E | 2 sets of 6 x 200 w/ 200 jg (400 jg between sets)      
Group C: 2 mi WU | 2 sets of 8 x 200 R w/ 200 jg (400 between sets)
The workout would be based off how many miles you need to run that week which Group A being the group that needs the fewest miles and Group C being the group that needs the most. 
Wednesday – Workout Day
Group A: 15 min E | 20 min T | 15 min E
Group B: 2 mi E + 3 x 1 mi T w/ 2 mins rest + 2 mi E
A leg and core session would take place after this for strength training.
Thursday – Easy Day
30 to 40 minute easy run + 8 Strides
Friday – Easy Day
30 to 40 minute easy run + 8 Strides. Low mileage people may not run on this day at all.
Saturday – Meet
Almost everyone would be getting at least 5 - 6 miles that day. Runners at higher mileage (35 miles a week) would potentially run a longer cool down to finish their week of miles. 
Sunday – Long Run or Rest
High Mileage individuals would complete a long run but everyone else would rest for higher mileage people or Rest