Coaching Special Training

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Session #2 – 5 miles “Stepping Stones” – 50 minutes – Groups 1 to 3 (Improvers optional)

This involves a fast/slow circular run, with approximately one kilometre at a tempo pace, followed by a half kilometre slow pace, then repeated until the end of the session, on an individual basis.

As it’s difficult to gauge distances whilst running, then it’s better to use a watch and run for five minutes tempo, followed by three minutes slow/easy running, then repeat it.

You should aim to do this six times, for a thorough workout, the purpose of the exercise being to increase your speed significantly over the following months, if repeated on a regular basis.

The route proposed being a circuit around Petts Wood and Orpington, should be familiar by now to PWR runners, and involves inevitably a mix of gradients and level running.

Run from the Memorial Hall up to the Poverest roundabout and turn right into Chislehurst Road, then continue down to Orpington High Street (opposite the Memorial Gardens), turning left to Court Road, and then left again along Court Road up to Cray Valley Road, turning left there and up the hill to Poverest Road, and then right back to the Memorial Hall.

Session #1 – Beaumont Road relays – 40 minutes – all groups

The purpose of this particular exercise is to build up stamina, and to combine it with increasing your average speed, by undertaking aerobic exercise over a sustained period. This will alternate hard running with easy running, and include some rest stops, all within the 40 minutes duration of the exercise.

Required: For this exercise, we shall need to have two persons in each team, who should be of similar ability, and each person will be designated either number one or number two.

We shall leave the Memorial Hall and run down Fairway to Tudor Way, then cross over into St Johns Road, with thenumber one’s stopping on the corner at the first turning on the right (Beaumont Road.)

The number twos’ will then continue up to the end of Beaumont Road and turn left into and run down Crofton Lane, and then congregate on the same side of the road, opposite to the junction with Lynwood Road.

The Relays (1.2 miles circuit)

We shall start when we are all assembled, and the number ones will runhard up St Johns Road, and at the top go right into Crofton Lane where they will tag their number two partner who will be waiting on the pavement opposite to the junction with Lynwood Road (0.56 miles). The number ones will continue, but slowing down to an easy pace, continuing on down Crofton Lane crossing two small side roads until they get to Beaumont Road on the right, just before the railway bridge, turning right there and then continuing down Beaumont Road, and when they get to the end where it joins up with St Johns Road (0.64 miles), they will wait for, or tag their partner number two, and repeat the whole process again.

Numbers two’s will do their recovery run first by going at an easy (or recovery) pace along Beaumont Road, taking a left turn at the end where it joins Crofton Lane, and following the road along to wait for (or tag) their number one partner on the pavement opposite Lynwood Road (0.64 miles). From here they will run hard down to the left turn at St Johns Road, then continue along St Johns Road until they get back to the junction with Beaumont Road (0.56 miles) where they started, where they will either wait or tag their partner, and repeat the whole process again.

During each circuit totalling 1.2 miles therefore, you will have a hard and then an easy run, and at some point you should also be waiting for your partner to arrive and tag you, (or you will arrive first and tag your partner), so you will have a short rest each circuit as well.

4 The two fastest Tuesday night group runners should aim to do a minimum of 4 laps.
4 Group 3 should aim to do a minimum of 3 laps.
4 The improvers should aim to do three laps, but with a minimum of two laps

NB In order for the exercise to succeed, you should aim to run the hard phase so that it is difficult to talk while running. During the easy phase, you should be able to hold a conversation.

Session #3 – 3 to 4 miles “Poverest Relays” – c. 35 minutes - all groups

This is a ‘hill reps’ training session, undertaken in pairs, each one numbered one or two.

There is firstly a ‘one mile’ warm-up run to the start, half way down Poverest Road, (with a one mile cool down run back to the Memorial Hall after the session finishes.)

The number one in each pair start by running hard up to the first lamp post, about 100 yards up the hill, and when this is reached, turn round and jog back to the start, where their partner number two repeats this process.

Upon number two returning to the start, the number one then goes to the second lamppost about 150 yards up the hill, and when their number two partner has done the same, the number one runs to the third lamppost about 200 yards up the hill, which is then repeated by the number two. Returning to the second lamppost, and finally the first, completes the set. So the set sequence is 1,2,3,2,1.

The set is then repeated and continued until c. 35 minutes of running is completed, and the end of the session is called.

Session #4 – 4 to 5 miles of Chislehurst Road, circuit repetitions – c. 40 minutes – All groups

For your warm up run, leave the club out the of the front gate, cross the road and run up Petts Wood Road, then cross over at Tudor Way, go up Willett Way until you reach Chislehurst Road, then go down the hill and assemble at the corner of Crofton Lane and Chislehurst Road (0.8 miles from Memorial Hall). This is where the session will start.

Groups 1 & 2’s session = jog there and back to the Memorial Hall, plus 3 of the following repetitions (reps) - total distance 5.2 miles.

Group 3 and Improver's session = jog there and back, including 2 repetitions - total distance 4.0 miles.

The distance for getting there to the start, and back, is 0.8 miles each way.

For each rep., you will run at between 80 to 85% of your maximum effort – say 5k race pace (difficult to hold a conversation), from the corner of Crofton Lane and Chislehurst Road down to Mayfield Road, then turn right into Mayfield Road and run along there until you reach Lynwood Grove, then turn right at that corner and run along Lynwood Grove until you reach Crofton Lane, then (reducing your pace to very easy pace i.e. you should be able to comfortably hold a conversation) turn right there and run back to where you started the rep. on the corner with Chislehurst Road.

Repeat this repetition either one or two more times (see above), according to which is your usual group run.

Finish the session by a cool down run back up the hill then down Willett Way to the Memorial Hall.

In winter months, can we please ask you to wear an item of reflective clothing, as you will be crossing some busy roads during this session, and we want you all to be safe.

Session #5 – 4 to 6 miles - Court Road “Out and Back” – c. 40 minutes – all groups

This involves running at your own pace, and is designed as a fast run about 85% of max effort (difficult to hold a conversation), the purpose being to achieve the ability to maintain an up-tempo speed for a sustained period, which should reward you with consistency of effort in the latter stages of a run or race, when you might expect your effort to start floundering.

There is firstly an “easy” one mile warm-up run to the start, to the bottom of Poverest Road, (with a one mile cool-down run back to the Memorial Hall after the session finishes.)

After a few minutes rest, you will run towards the Manor Gardens end of Orpington High Street and cross over, running straight up Court Road towards (and beyond for the faster runners), the Goddington BP service station on the wide pavements provided.

Run for exactly 20 minutes, and when that time has elapsed, turn round and run back. As the outward run is basically uphill, and the return is downhill, you should end up back at the start in less time than the outward 20 minutes.

The session finishes with the “easy” cool down run back to the Memorial Hall.

Session #6 – 4 miles – Willett Rec. “paarluufs” – 35 minutes (summer time only) – all groups

The purpose of this, as with the other training sessions, is to improve your speed and ability to maintain such speed for a given distance, such distance being relative to the length and number of training sessions undertaken.

For this exercise, we shall need to have two persons in each team, who should be of similar ability, and each person will be designated either number one or number two.

After a warm up run from the Memorial Hall to the pavilion inside Willett Recreation ground, the designated number ones will run the 400 yards circuit at a hard pace around the perimeter of the cricket pitch, returning to the start for a rest, where the number two in each partnership will do the same, once their number one partner has completed their run.

This carries on for 35 minutes until time out is called whereupon those on the circuit will finish their run and the session ends.
After a stretching session, there will be a cool down run back to the Memorial Hall.

Session #7 – 5 miles – Summer Hill “repetitions” for 35 minutes – all groups

The purpose of this is to increase your speed over a short period, particularly for running shorter races of less than 5k.

For this exercise, participants run as individuals.

We shall meet up at the Memorial Hall, and then undertake a warm-up run, crossing the footbridge over the railway to the top of Queensway, and then run down to Chislehurst Station via Southborough Lane, turning right at the Harvester into Blackbrook Lane, and stopping at the top of the hill down to the station on the pavement at the junction with Bickley Park Road.

The main part of the exercise will then commence by running down the hill into the dip opposite the road where the station is situated, and then up the other side to just before the top, just before and opposite the Ramblers Rest pub, taking a short rest of 30 seconds. Then, run back to the start at the junction of Bickley Park Road and Blackbrook Lane to complete a circuit and taking a further 30 seconds rest.

The circuit is then repeated up to a maximum of 5 times, according to whichever group you normally participate in.

The cool down run is the return back to the Memorial Hall.

Session #8 – Jubilee Park off-road grassy/heath“circuits” for 45 minutes – all groups (summer only)

The purpose of this, as with the other training sessions, is to improve your speed and ability to maintain such speed for a given distance, such distance being relative to the length and number of training sessions undertaken.

For this exercise, we shall need to have two persons in each team, who should be of similar ability, and each person will be designated either number one or number two.

After a warm up run from the Memorial Hall to the left of the path leading to Thornet Wood Road (just past the locked barrier), the designated number ones will run the 650 yards circuit in a clockwise direction, returning to the start for a rest, where the number two in each partnership will do the same, once their number one partner has completed their run.

This carries on for 45 minutes, until time out is called whereupon those still on the circuit will finish their run and the session ends.

After a stretching session, there will be a cool down run back to the Memorial Hall.