2021 Summer training sessions & challenges.

2021 Summer Training and Racing

Coming up are more short road races and track leagues which will feature throughout the summer, along with various trail & fell races.

Some races over early Summer that our group runners have entered are, North of England T&F League, National Athletics League, Round the Resers Trail, Warrington 10k, Sale Sizzlers 5K, Wilmslow 10k,

Many will have ahead, as a main goal in early Autumn, a half Marathon or Marathon, that’s still weeks away, but not far off the event specific period start.

Whilst others have a half marathon closer to home in August or early September. This also coincides with the road relay season and cross country season starts. First MACCL we host at Wythenshawe on 16th October.

N.B. A word of caution as to the tempting mid-week races, which dissect and replace key event specific sessions or runs, just that too many can lead to a quick sharpening of form, then to a loss of form or stagnation of progression before your peak goal race, unless you retain some key event specific sessions and your long runs are maintained.

This is ok if having a short summer peak then a recovery and back to a base level to build up again for a late summer peak also, but not if there are key goals in September, as a more consistent progression to go

So Over the rest of the summer, there will be runs and sessions with differing event specific emphasis and goals, covering as mentioned above :-

1. track races 800m, 1500m, 3000m, 5000m + Steeplechase for those that want it, plus 5k road races.

2. short road, 5k, 5ml, 10k’s and trail races, but extending for longer in late summer.

3. Autumn marathons and half marathons.

4. N.B. Most Fell, hill & trail runners will usually span a mixture of all above

Tuesdays from Wythenshawe Track Car Park 6.45pm.

7.00pm warm up with faster sections or sessions starting at 7.15pm.

Summer runs in the River Mersey Valley, trails & fields.

These will be around Manchester University Fields, Wythenshawe Park for repetition sessions with short or long recoveries, on grass, sometimes with small hills. 800m - 8k pace, usually 5k.

Also some elements of speed training with faster sprints / strides or fartlek.

Other weeks Chorlton Brook Trails, Power Station hills & paths and Sale & Chorlton Water Parks, for a variety of Tempo runs @ threshold pace on shorter runs or broken down into long reps @ 10k effort, steady state marathon tempo on longer runs, obla progression runs, or just steady runs.

N.B Split into 3 or 4 standard groups.

These will be fine tuned to individuals and their requirements, but will follow a formulaic and progressive pattern, also reflecting racing plans, so that there is an event specific element for 5K, 10k, half marathon and marathon, reflected by volume, distances and recovery intervals.

July will see a sharpening effect for those doing track or road 5k’s as main summer goals,

Tempo runs will go up to 75mins for marathon runners, with event specific pace upto 55mins.

N.B. Autumn runs will be on roads when light fails.

Thursdays from Wythenshawe Track 7.00pm.

6.45pm warm up in the park and 7.00pm proprioceptive drills with sessions starting at 7.15pm on the track.

Track sessions in various groups over the summer, focusing on 1500m-3000m or 5K specific or greater volume for half and full marathons. Sometimes short reps, sometimes long reps, with varying recoveries.

Some sessions may actually be on the grass or over at the Manchester University Playing Fields in and based around 3K -5K pace most weeks, dependant on weekend racing plans, but also some fartlek or 10K pace sessions, along with Lactate Threshold pace sessions and maybe for some, early Autumn Tempo runs at LT or High Steady State for those going for an Autumn half or the Full Marathon.

Saturday Morning Sessions will be selective and introduced over the summer when not clashing with races.

These will usually be at either Manchester University Fields, Wythenshawe,

OR disused Golf course @ Wythenshawe for 5-10K based sessions or an LT / short tempo run or reps.

Sunday Morning Long Trail Runs, each Sunday from Crossford Bridge or a nearby start point, and also from a variety of venues (usually with a pub start/ finish), such as in the Goyt valley, Lyme Park / Gritstone Trail, Hayfield, Kinder Scout, Longendale Valley, or the Bollin Valley (Bowdon, Hale, Ashley, Mobberley).

Most weeks some groups will lead up to half and full marathons by doing long trail / road runs, progressing in time and introducing event specific pace some weeks during a 2 hour plus run, with some of the second half run at marathon pace, with that section extending over the weeks, 8 mls, 8mls + 3mls, then 8mls + 3mls + 3mls etc with more of your marathon pace on roads.

This should combine with a regular midweek 75 - 90mins with marathon pace for up to an hour.

David Rodgers : Summer 2021