Coach Jay,
I have an 800m runner who is interested in doing isometric/plyometric strength training similar to that mentioned on the blog (Lunge Warm-Up, Back Routine, Myrtl Routine, Pedestal Routine and the Medicine Ball Routine), but she is uncertain of how to incorporate it within her current training regimen. The training regimen is as follows:

Day 1–Moderate Intervals (<600m at 75%)
Day 2–Aerobic (Fartlek or Pacing >800m)
Day 3–Hill work (heavy day)
Day 4–Recovery Run (25 min)
Day 5–Fast Intervals (<400m at 85%)
Day 6–Recovery Run (20 min)
Day 7–Complete Rest

Which days would you add general strength training?

Regards,
Mark

Mark -

Thanks for your question. It’s important for me to distinguish between the General Strength videos on this site and plyometrics.  To clarify, I do think that Plyometrics have a place in 800m training, yet I only insert plyometric activities—any activity that causes a fast, powerful lengthening then shortening of a muscle group—into warm-ups and weight room sessions and only with certain athletes. So none of the routines or individual exercises shown in the videos you’ve indicated above can be classified as plyometrics.

However, there is no reason that the female 800m runner in question shouldn’t be doing the Lunge Warm-Up daily and then some or all of the other routines following her workouts, even after her recovery runs (you could argue that the General Strength is even more important on those days). I firmly believe that the General Strength routines have a greater impact on the female athlete endocrine system in comparison to males; for that reason I assign a minimum of 10 minutes of general strength work EVERY DAY to the female athletes I work with. Granted, these are adult women who can handle a lot of work, yet my criticism of most HS and Collegiate women’s coaches is that they have too much focus on aerobic and anaerobic run training and not enough focus on ancillary training.

Check out the 8 week progression that we posted for a male marathon runner HERE. You can use this as the minimum amount of work your athlete should be doing and you can add sets and reps once she’s ready to handle more work.

Thanks for the email Mark and good luck to you and the athlete.

Hello Coach Jay,
I hope this note finds you well. I’m writing because I’m suffering from “heavy legs” for the first time in a year and a half. I’ve run 3 marathons this year (Jacksonville, Boston, Marine Corps) so I’m pretty experienced. After Marine Corps in October I got busy with work and cut back on runs. Since Thanksgiving (I ran a 10 that morning) I’ve had heavy legs. It’s like I have weights on my ankles. I can hardly lift my feet. I realize you’re not a doctor, but I’m sure it’s common to some extent. Do you think I just need rest?

Thanks in advance,
Paula

Paula -
Thanks for your candid email. While I’m sorry to hear that your legs are feeling fatigued, this is one of the steps that all serious runners go through—differentiating between fatigue that is part of hard training and fatigue that can quickly lead to overtraining syndrome. Your description—that you feel like you have weights on your ankles and can hardly lift your legs—leads me to believe that you’re on the verge of overtraining and that you need some easy days as well as some restorative measures. Let’s start with the restorative activities.

A massage by a certified massage therapist who works with athletes can do wonders for a runner who has chronically tired legs. Or, a couple of days of running in the pool, followed by a couple of days off (yes, completely off!) may do the trick if you can’t find a therapist who has worked with runners.

In terms of your training, be willing to run 7-10 days easy, taking every other day off. On the days you run, do no workouts and/or threshold runs. And you don’t want to run the same distance every day either. If you feel well towards the end of this phase you can plug in 1-2 minute efforts at 5k race pace, followed by 4 or 5 minutes of easy running. If you don’t feel good running after this phase, then you need some additional time off.

Good luck Paula and wish you the best in your marathon training in 2009.

*Coach Jay’s advice is provided as general training information. Use at your own risk. Always consult with your own heath care provider for questions relating to your specific training and nutrition.

Check out Coach Jay’s five general strength training videos: Lunge Warm-Up, Back Routine, Myrtl Routine, Pedestal Routine and the Medicine Ball Routine.