This document provides guidance on distance training principles for developing distance runners. It discusses the importance of consistency, gradually increasing volume, incorporating strength training, and allowing for adequate recovery in training plans. It also covers the benefits of different types of workouts like threshold runs and VO2 max intervals at various phases of training and competition. The key is periodizing training appropriately over the season from a base-building phase to intensified training close to competition.

1. Distance Training
“You don’t need all the zoopy-zoopy”
-Bill Squires

2. • Frank Shorter was once asked if he would ever write
a book about training. He said no because it would
only be one page long.
• Frank Shorter was the last American to win the
Olympic gold medal in the marathon.

3. Focus on Basic Principles
• Consistency
• Volume
• Strength
• Recovery
• Periodization

4. Consistency
• An athlete’s career is short and their time with
you will most likely be even shorter.
• The limiting factor is time in most athlete’s
careers, particularly in the high school/college
levels.
• Not missing time to injury is often a deciding
factor in who excels and who plateaus or even
moves backwards.

5. Volume
• Volume is the first step towards development of a
distance runner.
• Volume should be progressive and no next level
should be unachievable.
• The benefits of high volume training include
increased capillary development, increased
mitochondrial activity, improved running
economy, increased muscle glycogen supply,
improved ability to burn fat as a fuel and a leaner
body composition.

6. Strength
• Runners are athletes and strength is an often
overlooked component in the training of
distance runners.
• In order to get faster, being stronger is often a
necessary step.
• In order to achieve this weight lifting, core
drills, speed drills, hill sprints, and hill bounds
must be done on a consistent basis.

8. • “One study has been done on the effects of
heavy weight lifting on endurance
performance. Millet et al. studied the effects
of 14 weeks of heavy weight training on
various parameters in triathletes. They found
that RE, maximal strength, and power during a
hopping test were all significantly increased
(2002).”
-Steve Magness, “The Science of Running“

9. Recovery
• Recovery is an essential aspect of any training
plan, but also one that is frequently
overlooked.
• Planning specific recovery days through out a
training week is essential.
• Easy days vs recovery days: You can go slow on
easy days, but you can’t go fast on recovery
days.

10. Periodization
• There are two generally dueling theories on
periodization.
– Traditional theory of slow to fast.
– The “funnel” theory.

11. Linear Periodization

13. Types of workouts
• Threshold workout
– Works on clearing out waste products such as H+
and transports lactate to be used as a fuel in other
parts of the body.
– Can be done continuously or in intervals with
short rests.
– When increasing duration without rest intervals,
pace should be decreased.
– Shows to be continually increased even in
developed athletes.

14. V02 Max
• Was the main focus of training for years, but has
recently come under debate
• The theory is that training at your V02 Max raises
your V02 Max.
• 5 minutes is the recommended upper limit for
duration of V02 Max intervals.
• Rest should be 2/3rd’s time run to equal.

15. Race Pace
• Working at goal race pace.
• Benefits the neuromuscular system, improving
muscle memory at specific pace.
• Mentally can help the athlete grow
comfortable at the pace.

16. Speed/Rep Work
• Working at a pace faster than one’s V02 Max.
• Short intervals with relatively long recovery.
• Has been shown to increase power output,
running economy (efficiency), as well as V02
Max in some athletes.

17. So how does a season look?
• Base phase (June-Early August/December-
Jan)
– Mileage, lifting, strides/sprints, general endurance
workouts later.
– Key is to work on general fitness and to prepare
the athlete for the more intense work that is to
come.
– Raw strength and speed can be a heavier
emphasis than pre-comp and competition phases.
– This is a great time to work on weaknesses.

18. • Transition phase
– Between base and pre-competition training, a gap
must be bridged.
– “Feel” intervals, such as hills and fartleks and
threshold works bridges the gap between the
general fitness training and the more intense and
more specific work that will follow.
– Strides/sprints and lifting are maintained.

19. • Pre-Competition Phase
– The most intense phase of training.
– Longer threshold work and race pace intervals.
– Be wary of overworking race pace. Don’t be afraid
to revisit more unstructured workouts, such as
hills and fartleks to avoid mental and physical burn
out.

20. Competition phase
• Race specific work, but at a generally lower
volume.
• Slight increase of speed/turn over work.
• DON’T CHANGE TOO MUCH.
• Cater to your athletes’ strengths

21. The “other stuff”
• Lifting, drills, strides, sprints all play an
important part in helping distance runners
develop.
• They must be athletes.
• One dimensional runners get injured, burn out
and struggle to race at higher levels.

22. Lifting
• Lifting for “endurance” defeats the purpose of
lifting.
• Lift for strength and power.
• 4 sets of 5 reps – minimize the time spent
lifting. Quality over Quantity.
• Ensure proper form—use light weight (or no
weight) until form is strong to ensure safety.
• Allow proper recovery!

23. Drills
• Drills should work on form and be done with a
purpose.
• Use drills for increasing turn over, limiting
ground contact, developing back kick/knee
drive, stability, stride length.
• While athletes are doing drills, make sure they
are observed to ensure that they are being
done correctly.

24. Strides/Sprints
• Strides are great for touching on speed year
round without taxing the athlete too heavily.
• Although not overly strenuous, do not have
athletes do them every day. Allow them to
recover.

25. Sprints
• Alactic sprints are some of the most
underutilized tools in distance training.
• They activate fast twitch fibers that are often
neglected.
• Must be done under 10-12 seconds to reduce
the production of lactic acid/other by-
products.
• Max intensity.

26. What does a week look like?
• M-Easy recovery run
• Tu-Threshold work + Strides. Lower body lifting
after.
• Wed-Easy recovery run.
• Thurs-Easy run+alactic sprints
• Friday-Race pace intervals or hill work +upper
body
• Sat-Easy recovery run
• Sunday-Long run + long strides after.

27. Team Dynamics
• Nothing is more important than your athletes’
confidence.
• Know your athletes and what makes them tick
• Always have a reason for a workout/practice.
• Reduce the amount your athletes need to
think.
– But tell them why they are doing what they are.
Teach them as they go along. It will benefit them
later.