Training Video 001

Posted on January 11, 2010 by CoachJay

Two quick thoughts. First, while I normally add audio commentary to these videos I’ve decided that I will simply add thoughts and comments below; this obviously shortens the editing time, but I also think it cleans up the video, allowing you to take from it what you will. Second, my plan for 2010 is to use the “Video Number” title format as I have a feeling that will help a WordPress coder/ninja help me change the site sometime this year, allowing us to put together a video library. If you know a WordPress ninja who may be able to help me, please let me know – coachjayjohnson@gmail.com

Enjoy!

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  • Jay, your tweets are now featured on twackstar.com

    What a great way to get your words out there and to get more people to follow you!
  • ryanwest
    Jay, can you explain the context of this exercise? At what point in the training cycle is it done? It looks like it is done after a recovery run. What is the progression? Shorter to longer hills, fewer reps to more reps? I did some Brad Hudson-esque short hill sprints last season with my XC team. Long hill strides seem like a good way to work on leg turnover and speed without sprinting on the track or going all out up a steep hill.
  • This was shot this past Friday, which was 10 days out from an important race for both athletes, the Houston Half Marathon. We had wanted to do that last hard on Friday, but the weather didn't allow for it, so we moved it to Sunday morning. 10 x 200m is more than we've done this year and so for that reason I considered it a workout (plus they did it fatigued - a 50 minute run, even an easy one, is fatiguing to some degree). However, we need to get to the point where 10x150m or 6-7x200m are just "strides," but we're not there yet.

    This hill is MUCH DIFFERENT than the hill Brad had Dathan and Hartmann run in Boulder. I need to get get video of that hill, but remember, Brad talks about "ramp hills" and the best way to think of it is the grade of a parking garage. Take that and multiple it by 2 and you have the grade of the hill Brad would use. The hill we use has a grade of 2% (4m rise over 200m) and my guess is that Brad's hill is a 20% grade, but I don't know.

    I don't really like Brent's mechanics on the hills, yet after working with Sara last year I'm confident that they are a great way to work on posture and front side mechanics. Also, I like this mellow grade as a way to challenge the nervous system in the most sport specific way a runner can be challenged; running. Obviously being mindful of paces is important, yet to me the concept is pretty simple - stride length and frequency aren't that different on this mellow grade than on the flat and as long as you don't try do to 400's and 500's on this type of grade you can get a nice neuromuscular stimulus that is race specific.

    Hope that helps and I'll definitely add more to these comments in the coming days.
  • Chris Puppione
    I love hill strides, and my kids and elites do them quite often. It just feels stealth-like, you know? I think you get far more out of doing strides on a slight grade than on the track or across the field, and you also feel kinda sneaky when you do it because they feel about the same, yet you know you are getting a greater return on the investment.

    Jay, I really am intrigued by the skipping and side-slide recoveries back down the hill--even more ninja, right? HA!

    Can you give more info on these recoveries back down the hill? That is where I am always looking for new things--in the spaces between, you know?
  • Non-Track Related Post:

    As i read your blog I am watching some old episodes LOST... then at time marker 1:06 as the athletes are skipping backwards the bus drives by. What is printed on the side of the bus... SK!P... coincidence? It just blew my mind...

    ok... back to track talk...
  • Wow...that's really, really bizarre.
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