The general plan for next year taking shape

I have been working on the overall scructure of the training plan for next year recently. There is no doubt that I will have to bring back even more of the elements from the 2001 season. Not only did I perform well that year, but also consistantly…

over time. From the beginning until the end of the summer. As next years racing program will consist of races of importance early and late (Bislett Games the 11th of June) and the Olympics (very late in August)I need to find back to some of that. So I will follow that path and training philosophy even stricter. And when needed to, develop it further. It has been the way I have been working the last years also, but I still think there are elements that can be monitored and done even better in that particular process.

Some easy days of training now after a period of buildup. It is smart to throw in some micro-periodization even in this general buildup period. Point is ; adaption is the name of the game, no matter what part of the training year you are in. Just “going through the motions” every day will bring you results, but not optimal performances.

I had a very nice talk the other day with my former high school coach in the US, Mr.Joe Newton. A very charismatic, motivational coaching type that has been coaching high school running for over 40 years (!) Just an excellent coach. A prime example of a person that loves the sport and loves to work with the people involved in it. Just a few weeks ago, his team won the State Title (a big deal “over there”) once again, and they now have 23 titles I believe.

Many times I have more impressed with those kind of feats than of the super fast Kenyans I meet every winter in Kenya and in the Grand Prix races. Because many of those African runners have great genetic potential from the start of – and running is a part of making a living for the whole family ; survial really. In the US, you have a way different culture and just getting over 100 students from one single high school to run cross country every fall (and run tough work every day including weekends at 7 in the morning) is something special. I have not seen that kind of thing anywhere else. It is fun to see people who would NEVER have run around a track their whole life – run 25×400 meters and back-to-back hard workouts just because they are inspired to do so. Something to think about when people compain about how hard it is to motivate young Norwegians to start running : just give them a sense of meaning to it – the goals, team teams, the inspiration, the right kind of people and there is absolutely no reason why we cannot do the same here..

Marius