3200m - Sub 9:00

Plan Length: 12 Weeks

This is a plan for those looking to break the 9 minuet barrier in the 2 mile or 3200 meter. Anyone who has run 9:15-9:00 in the two mile and who has been building fitness and running know how for a few years can gain from this plan. It is structured off of the idea that strength is speed and is for those who have run around 40-50 miles previously.

This plan was written by Aaron Templeton who ran a PR of 8:50 in high school. Aaron ran his fastest 2 miles off of cross country strength and wrote this plan with a combination of his high school training and the knowledge he has gained over the course of collegiate and pro career.

The focus of this plan is to gain aerobic strength through the first 8 weeks. Then allow the athlete to gain from 4 weeks of sharpening work that leads all the way into a sub 9.

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Sample Week of Training

Below is a week of training from this plan which represents the type of workouts you will be doing.

Run - Easy Run w/ Strides- 45 min.

Easy Run w/ addition of 6-10 X 20 sec. strides in the middle of the run. (Should be done continuously; like a fartlek)

Strides- Meant to develop neuromuscular responses to the legs as well as break up stiffness present from easier efforts. Should never be excessively taxing on the body (if you feel sore following completion of strides you have gone too hard.) Run around 800m-Mile effort (smooth, focus on form, NO STRAINING) Always perform around 20-30sec at a time with at least double the time of rest but no more than a minuet and a half between 2 strides. You should perform between 6-10 strides. As a rule of thumb once you have reached 6 strides its dealer’s choice as to how many are completed. Once you feel fast and smooth, call it.

Planned: 45:00

Run - RACE PROTOCOL

IF RACING ON ANY GIVEN WEEK DO THE FOLLOWING:


4 days from race: reduce reps and speed or run a 2 mile easy tempo and a 1min. 30 sec. very hard rep (800m-600m effort).

3 days from race: 45 min. run very east

2 days from race: 30 min. run with 6-10 strides within the run

1 day from race: 25 min. with 6-10 strides

Race Day: 20 min warm up, 15 min. from the gun 1x 1min blow out (800-mile effort), then strides to comfort

Planned: 1:00

Run - Threshold- 4 Miles

1 Hour run including:

Warm: 20 min. warm up

Workout: 4mi. @ threshold pace

Cool Down: to completed time

***Threshold effort indicates a section of workout where the goal should be to run at an effort that is at the max of what you can evenly sustain for a 10 mile race. (The key is to frame the mind to think of this effort as what can be accomplished at the time, location, elevation, and weather conditions. For example, if you feel you could run 5:20 pace for 10 miles in perfect weather, terrain, at sea level, but you are working out on hilly dirt road at elevation you can not match that pace. Therefore you would pull back to a slower pace that your could sustain on that day.)

Planned: 1:00:00

Run - Easy Run- 45 min.

Easy runs should be just that, easy. Males at altitude (5,000ft or more) should not exceed 7min/mile pace and 6:45 for those at sea level. Females should not exceed 7:30 at altitude (5,000ft or more) and 7:00 at sea level. A good rule of thumb is if you can’t keep a conversation you are going too hard. Easy days allow for physical and aerobic adaptation from workout days to occur. If you continue to push you will not allow your body to catch up from the previous hard session.

Planned: 45:00

Run - Hill Repeats

1 Hour Run Including:

20 min warm up

6x 45 second hill (effort should start around tempo effort and increase with each rep) w/ at least 75sec recovery

Cool Down to completed time

Planned: 1:00:00

Run - Easy Run w/ Strides- 45 min.

Easy Run w/ addition of 6-10 X 20 sec. strides in the middle of the run. (Should be done continuously; like a fartlek)

Strides- Meant to develop neuromuscular responses to the legs as well as break up stiffness present from easier efforts. Should never be excessively taxing on the body (if you feel sore following completion of strides you have gone too hard.) Run around 800m-Mile effort (smooth, focus on form, NO STRAINING) Always perform around 20-30sec at a time with at least double the time of rest but no more than a minuet and a half between 2 strides. You should perform between 6-10 strides. As a rule of thumb once you have reached 6 strides its dealer’s choice as to how many are completed. Once you feel fast and smooth, call it.

Planned: 45:00

Run - Long Run- 1 Hour 15 min.

Long runs should be roughly 20-25% of your weeks total milage. Long run goals are to force the body to learn to use carbohydrates and red blood cells more efficiently. (Capillaries and mitochondria become more dense) You should try to run the time allotted without stopping. If desired, attempt to take in some sugars and electrolytes before the last 20% of the run. This will speed up recovery time after the session. However attempt to not take in earlier than the last 20% of the run this allows for the body to learn to continue without fuel.

Planned: 1:15:00

Cross Training - Cross Train or Off

Easy Day built in for either cross training (aqua jogging, biking, or elliptical) or to take off.

*** If taking the day off try to go for a walk and get some good stretching and rolling in after you are done.

Planned: 30:00


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