Let's speak briefly on late-season training and what it means to "peak" for a particular event. In our case, this "peak" should coincide with Region, State, and/or the Footlocker South Championship event. To be clear, I don't particularly like the term "peak", thus all of the quotations surrounding the phrase.
To me, peaking is what the distance runner does between the ages of 26-34 when he or she reaches their maximum physical potential in terms of training and racing. In the seasonal microcycle for a young runner, I look at reaching peaks as simply taking the next logical step from where you ended the last season; this isn't a "peak" per say, but a continuous thread of faster racing and harder training that advances your fitness. You shouldn't see the consequential "valleys" that the idea of peaking might invoke at age 16, or even age 26 for that matter. You should keep improving without hindrance if you are physically healthy, resting appropriately between training sessions (and seasons), eating plenty of good food, and working hard at practice. So, how can we maximize our fitness gains at the end of this season? The answer is a complex blend of simple ingredients.
The Taper- Again, I don't like this word. The "taper" is a JROTC haircut, not a defined training phase. I prefer the term sharpening when we are speaking of end of season training protocol. This period may see a reduction in global running volume by a small percentage in the last 10-14 days of a season, a shift to higher quality runs, and a maintanance of run frequency (the times you run per week). For us, the last two weeks of our normal season will see a shift to lower-volume bouts of speed done close to race pace, fewer runs over 45min, and a slight reduction in ancillary training in the form of core work and circuits.
The Athlete- The individual athlete should begin to feel more energetic and less tired from training sessions at this point in the season. I am glad to report that the Varisty is as giddy as ever at practice each day, and seem to have plenty of energy to spare while chatting before and after workouts.
It is essential that the athlete work to maintain his/her body weight at this point in the season, as well. With colder temperatures, heightened school stress, and more intense training/racing, the body will inadvertantly shed weight at this time of year. This is dangerous on a number of levels.
First, the weight a runner typically loses is much needed muscle mass that can be used to power the body at high speed and protect the soft tissue, bones, and tendons from injury. Further, weight loss coincides with suppressed immune function, which could make the athlete sick right before his/her goal races of the season. Have your athlete consider a zinc and Vitamin C supplement for the last two weeks of the season to stay strong and healthy. Also, make sure your runner is eating enough at meal times, especially in the form of complete protein (meat, eggs, dairy, soy products if vegetarian), healthy fat (nuts, olive oil, avocado, etc.), fruits/vegetables, and carbohydrates to fuel exercise performance. For more on high school nutrition, see www.pulseracingteam.blogspot.com
The Race- On race day itself (Region, State, Footlocker), be sure to eat a good breakfast that digests easily, have a cup of coffee or tea if you are a regular caffeine user (caffeine in moderate doses can be performance enhancing), and try to relax the mind. If you are mentally calm, the body will follow. A relaxed body, confident mind, and positive outlook is pivotal to success. If you believe that you can run a 30sec 5K PR, then you can. If you don't believe it, then you have already under-performed. Trust your training, and banish all doubt! Running is not a sport for cynics.
The vast majority of world records have been set using a negative split race strategy. This means that you should start at a pace slightly slower than you finish, not the opposite. This allows the body to naturally warm-up into the race, keep you aerobic as long as possible before tipping over the red line (which is necessary, too), and prepare you to run at your potential for the final 3/4 of the race.
For instance, a male runner looking run 16:40 for 5K (an average of 5:20 pace per mile) might go out in 5:24, then 5:20, then feel great and run 5:10 for the last mile with a big kick to inadvertantly break 16:30.
A female looking to run 19:30 (~6:18 per mile) for 5K, might follow suit and run a 6:24 first mile, then 6:18, then 6:08 to easily dip below their goal.
These would both be big PRs thanks to a very intelligent race. I call this "controlled aggression". You certainly want to be passionately assertive in a race, but not overly bullish the first mile (or 800m, for that matter). Start the race with your head, but always finish with your heart.
Best of luck to the WHS Pioneer Varisty teams as they approach their goal races for the season!
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