MVTF Off to BLAZING Start!
Two weeks down, and we’re already looking like a force to be reckoned with! Attendance has been solid, but we’re still waiting on our winter sport athletes to wrap up their seasons. We’re cheering for them…but also secretly can’t wait until they are done and join us on the track. The coaches are very, very excited for the season ahead!
Winter Break is Here
I know the couch is calling your name. I know your bed is basically a black hole of comfort. BUT we need you to keep active and keep moving this week!
Taking a full week off would be like hitting the undo button on all the progress we’ve made together the last two weeks. Plus, coming back cold after a week of Netflix marathons and doom scrolling is a one way ticket to Injury Town, aka Ms. Myesha’s office, and nobody wants to visit there (I mean, visiting there is nice, but not so much if you have a pulled hammy). As we keep ramping up, your body needs to stay in the game.
The good news? You can train ANYWHERE. At grandma’s house, on vacation, in your driveway… wherever life takes you this break, there’s a workout waiting for you. Check out your event group’s assignment below and let’s keep this momentum rolling!
Distance
- For those still in town that want to workout together, the group is meeting at 7:30am at MV!
- MONDAY: CV pace to develop VO2Max…warm up for 15-20 minutes (track to Stevens Creek for example), drill, leg swings and strides, then three sets of (400-600-600) at CV pace, with 200m recoveries between reps (90 sec-2 min) and 400m between sets. Look at the results from February 3 and February 9 workouts to get a target pace for your reps. You can add on one more set if desired. Afterwards, 3x150m with 250m recovery and at least a 10 minute or 1 mile warm down, then at least 10 minutes of core. Legs up the wall will feel good too.
- FAQ#1: What if it is dumping crazy rain? A: Consider swapping this workout with Tuesday, it’s fine!
- FAQ#2: What if I am travelling and there is no convenient track? A: Consider a fartlek…warm up, then run 5 to 8 surges of 2 minutes at what feels like a cross country/5 km race effort, with a 1 minute ‘recovery’ at conversational pace jog, then warm down.
- TUESDAY: Longer maintenance run…for runners at Monta Vista, I suggest Homestead, the goal is to get 5 to 8 miles of conversational pace (this can be swapped with Monday to accommondate weather or travel plans). At least 10 minutes of core afterwards, and I’d really like you to do some shin splint prevention exercises (25 m heel walk, 25 m tip-toe, 30 toe taps with back on a wall, then repeat another cycle, and add a walking lunge if you are feeling spunky).
- WEDNESDAY: I’m going to suggest you combine hill reps and your long run to give you a little flexibility with the weather. Run up Regnart and Fire Trail, drill, and then run 6 to 8 hill repeats on either Mat’s Hill or Coach’s Hill (that is the hill to the right with the big oak tree, but I realize this younger group has not done that a lot). Afterwards, insrtead of straight back down Fire Trail, head back on Down Under and the RR tracks back to school or even, run Seven Springs clockwise (“Julia’s Way”) and then out Down Under to the RR tracks. I’m thinking that by combining hill day and long day you have a little more flexibility to avoid weather.
- FAQ 1: What if we did the track workout yesterday instead of Monday? A: Swap this run and Thursday.
- FAQ 2: What if Fremont Older is one big giant mud pit? A: Several options….a, wear some old running shoes, enjoy the mud, don’t get hurt, apologize to your mom for the laundry mess…b, don’t go up there at all, run the hills at Linda Vista and then run Homestead or Stelling to get the miles you need for a longer day….or c, swap this workout for Saturday’s and hope that it’s not quite as muddy then (try not to laugh at optmism!).
- THURSDAY: Maintenance day, run Stelling or Stelling XL (through De Anza, drills along the way at Jollyman, then core.
- FRIDAY: Another maintenance day…we earned this by combining hills + long run day, so we can swap things around if the weather is bad. You might be running the long run on Thursday. In an case, the suggestion for today is to warm up to Monta Vista park, drill, then run back on the Palm Tempo route at conversational pace, followed by 6 to 8 x 100 m strides, and core.
- FAQ 1: What if today is nice but it looks like the weather is going to be nasty tomorrow, or I have plans on Saturday and can’t practice with the team? A: Swap today and Saturday.
Sprints/Jumps
Click the link below to see all of our Strength, Mobility, and Plyo exercises. These are inclusive of our no-weight-room-alternate exercises!
- For those still in town that want to workout together, the jumps group is meeting at 9:00am at MV and then will join the sprint group at 10am!
- Those with access to a track and weight room:
- Those without access to a track and weight room:
Throws
- For those still in town that want to workout together, join Coach Emma at 10am on Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. You can join the sprint group at 10am on Tuesday and Wednesday if you’d like to!
- Here’s a great workout that you can do at least 3 days out of the week:
- 3×8 med ball slams
- 3×12 (6 each side) side to side slams (alternate slamming the med ball on your left and right side)
- 5×3 med ball toss ups (same movement as your overhead shot put warm up, except that you are tossing the med ball as high up in the air as possible.)
- Then complete the following weight program:
- 4×4 @70% of max Push press
- 5×5 @70% of max Bench press
- 5×7 @75% of max front lat pull down
- 5×7 @75% of max upright row
- 3×8 @light weight fly + bent fly
- 3×12 Circuit V ups, wind shield, plate twist + planks for 3x30sec