3k Steeplechase Workouts and how to progress them…
I have studied the 3k steeplechase through several avenues. One of the most helpful
has been the conversations and emails that I have sent back and forth with Arthur
Lydiard in 2001 and more recently with Renato Canova in 2010 (I have only had a
few conversations and emails with Renato, but I have followed him on letsrun.com
for several years). A lot of my terminology and workouts are from Renato Canova.
First I want to say that there are too many different terminologies out there in the
coaching world that describe the same thing and that we do need to talk about the
different wording and make sure we are on the same page. I have listened to
coaches say the same things using different words and not understand each other
due to one person using the word “tempo” and the other using the word “Lactate
Threshold.” If you have a question about a term then please ask. Italian Coach,
Renato Canova has shaped a lot of my thinking. Renato knows that I have adopted
his philosophy and he is helping me further develop it. In my opinion he is the
greatest coach in the world!
The greatest determinate of POTENTIAL is basic speed and speed endurance in the
endurance events. The greatest determinate of PERFORMANCE is your lactate
processing system (Aerobic Threshold, Anaerobic Threshold, Maximum Lactate
Steady State, Lactate Tolerance). Improving performance in the endurance events is
related to the VOLUME and the INTENSITY that the athlete is able to train at while
managing the stress and recovery process. The first thing that we must do is build
volume and intensity together. Too many coaches focus on one or the other but to
properly develop the athlete to their POTENTIAL it is necessary to improve speed
endurance and maintain or improve basic speed (depending on the event and the
speed required for that event) while building VOLUME and INTENSITY that is
specific to their race.
I have sectioned the workouts into Fundamental, Special, and Specific training.
Fundamental is training that is very basic and not specific to the event you are
training for but allows you to lay a base of basic fitness for workout that are more
specific later in the training program. It is important to note that there is always
some training that is specific to the goal race in each phase of training. The best way
to explain each phase is to say that the name of the phase simply describes the
primary goal of the phase.
Special training is characterized by shorter intervals (400’s-800’s @ a pace faster
than goal race pace) or longer intervals (1k’s to 3k’s @ a pace slower than goal race
pace). Typically special workouts have less recovery time between intervals than
the specific.
Specific training is characterized by longer intervals at or above race pace with
longer recoveries. You can simply take the workouts from the Special period and
extend them. For example instead of doing 10X800m @102% of race pace w/2’
recovery you extend the workout to do 6X1k @102% of race pace w/2’ recovery.
Also, there is General training which is training that is not related specifically to the
sport of running. I would put exercises, drills, cross training, etc into this category. I
use this often for recovery or for extra volume when running might not fit into the
training program.
Since this blog is about the training for 3k steeplechase I have detailed workouts
that you can use for the 3k steeple below. A lot of these workouts are ones that I
have studied and used with my athletes from years of following Renato Canova. The
workouts are not meant to be simply copied for every athlete but by looking at the
workouts I think you can begin to see the progression and from that you can learn to
adapt your workouts to specific athletes needs. Always you will need to make an
adjustment in volumes for different athletes ages or progress levels but the same
principles still remain.
Also, I use the term WORKOUT WARMUP and WORKOUT COOLDOWN in the
workouts below. You can view a full WORKOUT WARMUP and WORKOUT
COOLDOWN at www.gogorunning.com.
General:
Cross training, other sports, exercises, drills, agility, or other training that allows
you the base to complete the Fundamental workouts.
Fundamental:
Threshold Running:
WORKOUT WARMUP, 8K-20K Progression from Aerobic Threshold to Anaerobic
Threshold (I call this Zone 2 to Zone 3 and even to 100% of 10k Race Pace, see the
pacing calculator here).
Easy running:
This could fall into the General category
Long Runs:
Progressing all season with the following example of progression. Running 1 long
run per week. Also, I think that the world of Marathon Running has been most
influenced by the progression of quality long runs. You can think of the long runs as
easy for a very young athlete and then as the athlete gets older you will want to
progress the long runs in volume and intensity. I like to build the long run in
volume and then start rotating weeks between 2hrs and 90mins where the 2hrs
steadily introduces more of the long run at Zone 2 until you are doing 3miles easy
jogging, 12miles @Zone 2, 2-3miles easy jogging and then the 90mins progresses
from Zone 1 to Zone 2.5 progressing slowly the entire run. The 90mins sometimes
goes to Zone 3 if the athlete is “feeling good.” Below is an example of 11 weeks
progression of the Long Run.
40mins, 70mins, 90mins, 1h 40mins, 1hr 50mins, 2hrs, 90mins, 2hrs, 90mins, 2hrs, 90mins
Also, cross training, or other training that allows you the base to complete the
Special workouts can fall into this category.
Long intervals ca go here too like the one below:
WORKOUT WARMUP, 3000m + 2X2000m + 5X1000m + 6X500m w/3' after 3k and
2k, 2' after 1k, 1'30" after 500, WORKOUT COOLDOWN
Any Fartlek workouts can be considered Fundamental as well.
Special:
WORKOUT WARMUP, 10X800m w/2' rec @102% of 5k RP or faster, WORKOUT
COOLDOWN
WORKOUT WARMUP, 2(6X1k) w/2'30" rec w/5mins between sets @98% of 5k RP
or faster, WORKOUT COOLDOWN
WORKOUT WARMUP, 20X400m w/1' rec @105% of 5k RP or faster, WORKOUT
COOLDOWN
WORKOUT WARMUP, 2mile @98% of 5k RP + 4X1mile w/2'30" rec alternating
@92% of 5k RP and 98% of 5k RP, WORKOUT COOLDOWN
WORKOUT WARMUP, 6X1mile w/2'30" rec @98% of 5k RP or faster, WORKOUT
COOLDOWN
Specific:
WORKOUT WARMUP, 6X1600m on hilly terrain finishing with 400m fast on the
track with 10 hurdles w/8mins recovery between each rep, WORKOUT COOLDOWN
WORKOUT WARMUP, 10X600m w/2' rec @105% of 5k RP or faster with every
other repetition over 5 hurdles, WORKOUT COOLDOWN
WORKOUT WARMUP, 3X3X800m w/2' rec @100% of 5k RP or faster with 5 hurdles
on reps 1 and 3 of each set, with 2' rec betwwen sets and 6X80m Hill Sprint after
each set, WORKOUT COOLDOWN
WORKOUT WARMUP, 6X1000m w/2'30" rec @99% of 5k RP or faster with every
other repetition over 5 hurdles, WORKOUT COOLDOWN
RACE WARMUP, Race 3k Steeple Chase, RACE COOLDOWN