Winter Training Update: February 13th

Team,

Happy early Valentine’s Day, everyone. Hopefully you’ve enjoyed yet another overhyped winter storm. With school now cancelled until Monday, we won’t be able to meet until next week as I leave for the Mercedes Marathon in Birmingham this Friday (race is on Sunday). Starting on Monday at 2:50 p.m., we will meet every day on the track and then carpool to Deep Creek, run on the track, or run from the school depending on what the day calls for.

I realize a winter like this challenges everyone’s motivation, but the fact is that if you want to be good in distance running you have to run almost every single day. You can’t make up time on lost fitness. You all may laugh at my goofy “motivational” texts, but the fact is my job is to make you the best athletes you can possibly be, and I can’t do that if you’re not running every day. Plus, I want you to find the incredible places this sport can take you – that’s only possible if you’re in shape.

With that in mind, here’s our emergency plan of action for the next 3 days. If nothing else, get these miles in and come into Monday’s practice feeling a bit more like a runner, less like a hibernating bear.

Level 1 (Brand new runner or not in shape at all)

Friday: 3-4 miles easy

Saturday: 4-5 miles easy

Sunday: 4-5 miles easy (if not against your faith)

Level 2 (Relatively new runner or just getting in shape)

Friday: 4 miles easy

Saturday: 5-6 miles easy

Sunday: 4-5 miles easy (if not against your faith)

Levels 3-4 (You know who you are)

Friday: 2 mile warm-up/ 20 minutes alternating 1 min fast/1 min slow/ 1 mile cool-down

Saturday: 7-8 miles easy

Sunday: 4-6 miles easy (if not against your faith)

Meet Schedule - SMC Regular Season

Team,

I will get a more easy-to-read and complete schedule once we finalize our invitationals, but in the meantime here's the master track schedule for our conference.

SMOKY MOUNTAIN CONFERENCE

HIGH SCHOOL TRACK 2014

Wednesday, March 12                        ANDREWS                              HAYESVILLE

                                                            Murphy                                   Rosman

                                                            Swain                                       Robbinsville

                                                            Cherokee                                 Highlands

                                                            Nantahala

                                                            Hiwassee Dam

Wednesday, March 19                        SWAIN                                                CHEROKEE

                                                            Murphy                                   Andrews

                                                            Robbinsville                             Hayesville

                                                            Highlands                                Rosman

                                                                                                            Nantahala

                                                                                                            Hiwassee Dam

Wednesday, March 26                        MURPHY                                 HAYESVILLE

                                                            Robbinsville                             Swain

                                                            Andrews                                  Cherokee

                                                            Highlands                                Hiwassee Dam

                                                                                                            Nantahala

Wednesday, April 2                             ROBBINSVILLE                                    ANDREWS

                                                            Rosman                                   Hayesville

                                                            Swain                                       Murphy

                                                            Highlands                                Nantahala

                                                                                                            Hiwassee Dam

Wednesday, April 9                             MURPHY        

                                                            Cherokee

                                                            Rosman

                                                            Hayesville

                                                            Highlands

                                                            Andrews

                                                            Nantahala

                                                            Hiwasse Dam

Wednesday, April 16                           ROBBINSVILLE

                                                            Cherokee

                                                            Swain

Wednesday, April 23                           SMC CHAMPIONSHIP AT CHEROKEE HIGH SCHOOL

Saturday, April 26                               SMC RAIN DATE AT CHS

Saturday, May 3                                  REGIONAL TRACK MEET AT AC REYNOLDS

Friday, May 9                                      STATE CHAMPIONSHIP MEET AT NC A&T

Preseason Training for Swain Distance Runners

Team,

Welcome to yet another attempt at an online portal for all things running related at Swain.

This one looks like it displays tables properly, which will make it much more valuable for posting training schedules and the like.

Below are our preseason training schedules leading up to the start of the official track season in mid-February. Keep in mind that as of now, practices will be every Monday and Thursday after school, with us carpooling down to Deep Creek or up the Road to Nowhere whenever possible.

Schedules are divided up by my usual Levels System. However, since many people are at different places in their training, here's what the levels mean at the moment:

Level 1 - Haven't run all winter. Ready to start.

Level 2 - Have run barely if at all, but a little more experienced and ready for slightly higher mileage.

Level 3 - Was a Level 2 or 3 during cross country and have followed the winter workouts.

Level 4 - Was a Level 3 or 4 during cross country and have followed the winter workouts.

Note: Right now there is no difference between the Level 3 and Level 4 schedules, but Level 3s have the option of dropping a small amount of mileage each week.

With that said, here are the training schedules for the rest of this winter:

Level 1

	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Fri	Sat
Jan 6	Off	Off	Off	2-3 miles Easy	3 miles Easy	3 miles Easy (8-9 miles)
Jan 13	3 miles Easy	Off	3 miles Easy	4 miles Long run	3 miles Easy	3 miles Easy (16 miles)
Jan 20	4 miles Easy	3 miles Easy	4 miles Easy	5 miles Long run	3 miles Easy	3 miles Easy (22 miles)
Jan 27	4 miles Easy 4 x 100m strides	3 miles Easy	4 miles Easy	5 miles Long run	3 miles Easy	3 miles Easy (22 miles)
Feb 3	4 miles 10 minute tempo run	3 miles Easy	4 miles Easy	5-6 miles Long run	3 miles Easy	4 miles Easy (23-24 miles)
Feb 10	4 miles 4 x 400m hill repeats	3 miles Easy	4 miles Easy	5-6 miles Long run	4 miles Easy	4 miles Easy (24-25 miles)

 Level 2

	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Fri	Sat
Jan 6	Off	Off	Off	3 miles Easy	4 miles Easy	3 miles Easy (10 miles)
Jan 13	3 miles Easy	Off	4 miles Easy	5 miles Long run	4 miles Easy	3 miles Easy (19 miles)
Jan 20	4 miles Easy	3 miles Easy	4 miles Easy	5 miles Long run	4 miles Easy	4 miles Easy (24 miles)
Jan 27	4 miles Easy 4 x 100m strides	4 miles Easy	4 miles Easy	6 miles Long run	3 miles Easy	4 miles Easy (25 miles)
Feb 3	4 miles 10-15 minute tempo run	4 miles Easy	4 miles Easy	6 miles Long run	3 miles Easy	4 miles Easy (25 miles)
Feb 10	5 miles 6 x 400m hill repeats	4 miles Easy	4 miles Easy	6 miles Long run	4 miles Easy	4 miles Easy (27 miles)

Levels 3-4

	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Fri	Sat
Jan 6	Off	3-4 miles	4 miles	5 miles Easy	4 miles Easy	5 miles Easy (21-22 miles)
Jan 13	5 miles Easy	4 miles Easy	5 miles Easy	7 miles Long run	5 miles Easy	5 miles Easy (31 miles)
Jan 20	5 miles 2-mile tempo run	4 miles Easy	5 miles Easy	7 miles Long run	5 miles Easy	5 miles Easy (31 miles)
Jan 27	6 miles 4-mile steady-state run (gentle tempo)	4 miles Easy	5 miles	8 miles Long run	5 miles Easy	6 miles Easy (34 miles)
Feb 3	6 miles 15-20 minute tempo	4 miles Easy	5 miles Easy	8 miles Long run	5 miles Easy	6 miles Easy (34 miles)
Feb 10	7 miles 8 x 400m hill repeats	5 miles Easy	5 miles Easy	8-9 miles Long run	5 miles Easy	5 miles Easy (35-36 miles)