Track session 25 x 400m on 30 sec. (so total distance 10km)

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/36454536

School sports day at the track so decided to be flexible and run up and down the straight next to the Thames instead. Plan was to back off a bit following the calf pull a couple of weeks ago, main goal was to finish uninjured. With the ironman getting closer think the break through sessions (when you go faster/further than before) would be more sensible to do on the swim and bike.

Interesting to see what my limiting factor here is - fitness wise was fine and could have pushed a lot more, but strength was lacking mainly in calves. Will have a think how I can address this. It's more than likely due to years of heel striking, at faster speeds you tend to move to a forefoot strike and my poor skinny lower legs protest!

Warm up is a good thing to talk about here - the old days of static stretching before exercise are gone - these make you more likely to get injured. The aim is to prepare your body for exercise and this is best done by performing a dynamic warm up. This involves replicating the movements you will make during the main session usually with a greater range of motion. This usually means swinging type actions.

It's good to do some running drills as well - the ones I am using at the moment have been recommended by Greg McMillan www.mcmillanrunning.com

1. Loosening

Skipping with arm circles – both arms 180deg out of sync – goal to loosen only

Forward arms

Backward arms

Double arms – both forward, both backwards

Chest stretch – swing arms in and out

Side circles

2. Side skips – skip to side whilst doing cheststretch type arms –(activates glutes to fire!)

3. Karaoke – side ways movement, move trailing leginfront and behind, building to high knee of trailing leg

Knee drive as if moving leg over a hurdle

4. A skip – lift knee while cock ankle (heel upknee up toe up) (basically skipping)

a. With arms to mimic running

b. Key element is paw back – contract to drive kneeand toe to ground

c. Walk it first, then skip

d. Will sound nice and rhythmic on track

5. B skip – like A skip but push out drive leg toaccentuate the paw back - also called Russian walk I think

a. Driving the straight leg back to the track

b. Do walking first

c. Rhythmic sound

6. Butt kick – pull heel up directly below the butt

a. Heel up knee up toe up

b. Use arms

7. Straight leg run – aim to contract butt andhamstring

a. Goal is to propel by pulling straight leg back

b. Common error is leaning back – stayupright/slight forward

c. Build so get faster as go down track

d. Use your arms

e. Think toes contact first

8. Short sprints (only need to do 3!)

a. Only if not doing a hard proper workout/race

b. 3 point stance to start – focuses on drive of the legs

c. As fast as can for 30m with good form

d. All about total contraction of legs and use of arms

e. some people call these "strides" and can be viewed as weight training for the legs. i.e. strength building

You really have to see these done to get the idea - have found a few things on youtube. Maybe I will be brave and stick some video up - but i'm not that good.