Training (solo) Monday 1st February

Underfoot conditions will play a part in your choice of venue but ideally you are looking for a hilly circuit on road or off road. The session is:

5 x 6 minutes at threshold with 2 minutes jog recovery. 

As always, be safe. 

Alan 

Training (solo) Thursday 28th January

In this week of difficult underfoot conditions, Thursdays run is a long easy run with some faster strides thrown in at the end. Do a run of about 80 minutes duration and when finished do 6 x approx 75m gradual accelerations over the first 50m into a brisk but relaxed stride over the final 25m. Walk/jog back. Ideally do this on the flat or slightly downhill. Be alert to ice throughout the run.

Alan

Training (solo) Monday 25th January

This is the once-per-month speed "Maintenance Monday" session. We tried this a month ago and the weather conspired against us. However, it looks like it will stay very cold and dry this Monday so the road/pavement conditions should be good.

12 x 400m at 10k pace, 30 seconds stand-still recovery.

Take a 20 minute warm-up and a similar cool down. This is a solo or a maximum of a socially distanced pair session under current lockdown conditions. Check your chosen course for ice before running it at rep speed. If the underfoot conditions deteriorate tomorrow, don't risk a fall at speed and just go for a steady run instead.

Alan

Training (solo) Thursday 21st January

 It looks like the snow will be back with a vengeance in EK, so this could be an off-road session. Given the conditions, the aim is again a progression in effort over 3 x 20 minutes on a route of your choice (it may be best to do big laps somewhere rather than one big 60 minute loop so that it is easier to judge the increase in effort after each 20 minutes).

The first 20 minute section should be very easy. The second 20 minutes steps up to something like marathon effort and the final 20 minutes is somewhat tougher and is at threshold  effort. Add a little bit on to the end to have a gentle 5 to 10 minutes cool down to ease the legs off.

Alan

Save The Date

 Calderglen Harriers Festival of Trail Running

Friday 25th June 2021   6pm

.........fingers crossed😀

Training (solo) Monday 18th January

I think it is safe to say that the ice and slush on the pavements and roads has gone for at least a few days. Therefore we can return to a regular hill reps session. Once again we are aiming for a higher paced effort, putting a bit of power and bounce through the legs. The session is the same as done a few weeks ago:

10 x 1 minute hill reps at 3k to 5k effort with a gentle jog down recovery.

If you are able to use the same hill as last time, then try to be even more consistent this time i.e. getting to the same point on the hill after each rep. Try to feel some bounce and power in your legs and use a long, powerful stride. This is running specific strength training so we are not necessarily using the most efficient stride length (as you would use during a race) but are trying to work the muscles through their full range of motion in an exaggerated running style. 

As always, be safe, check out your hill before doing the first rep for slip and trip hazards and keep your 2m/5m separation if you are running as a pair rather than solo.

Alan

Training (solo) Thursday 14th January

Everyone is doing really well with the solo or socially distanced paired runs. Knowing your own limits and being able to push to your limits (right pace at the right time) is a skill that will move you up the field in races. So use this time of solo or well matched pair runs to practice running your right effort consistently for the sessions (not chasing someone else's effort).

Having said that, weather and underfoot conditions are looking sketchy tomorrow. The run is an approx 80 minute run at easy pace (on flat bits of the course, try breathing through your nose with your mouth closed. If you can't do that then it is probably not easy pace). The run can be road or off road depending on snow and ice situation. 

Alan

Training (solo) Monday 11th January

Heeding the current restrictions (max 2 people socially distanced) and as it looks like the dreich weather should get rid of the ice by Monday, we return to long hills on the road. Again, to allow you to choose your own local hill, I will describe the session in terms of time per rep rather than mentioning a specific hill. But we all have plenty of choice of hills in EK, Cambuslang, Rutherglen (and Callander), so shouldn't be a problem finding a long enough hill.

The session is 5 x 3 minutes up hill at threshold effort (3 word pace) with a brisk run down to recover. Ideally the recovery for a threshold session should be about 1/3 of the rep time, so 1 minute in this case but you would have to sprint down the hill to achieve that, so just do a brisk run down to the start to keep the lactate levels up so you don't over recover between reps. Remember to comment on Strava where you did the session and if you managed to fit the 3 minutes in on your chosen hill as it will prove useful for others looking for a suitable hill for future sessions. Once again, do check for ice on your hill before doing the session, just to be sure.

Alan

Training (solo) Thursday 7th January

As noted in Richard's post, group training is formally suspended and we return to solo training (or at most socially distanced pairs) until further notice. The formal wording from Scottish Athletics/Sport Scotland is:

• A maximum of 2 people from up to 2 separate households (12 years or over) can meet outdoors for sport. Physical distancing must be maintained, before, during and after the activity.

The snowy and icy weather further complicates the situation. However, I would like us to continue with hill training during this winter phase.

The session is 10 x 1 minute up hill at 5k effort with a jog down recovery. Use any long enough hill that you can get to safely within the regulations. This can be on a street or off road. Make sure you do at least one warm up/recce jog up and down the hill to check for ice and grip before launching into the session.

Note that the training registration system has been temporarily disabled until group training resumes. 

Alan

Group Training suspended due to January Lockdown

Following the announcement by the First Minister on Monday 4th January the instruction is from 00:01 on 5th January to midnight on the 31st January is to stay at home and only travel for essential purposes e.g. work, food shopping, care giving etc. This is being made a legal requirement and will be enforceable in law.

Further to this our governing body Scottish Athletics have advised all clubs in Scotland that under 11s aren't affected by this change and anyone 12 years and over can exercise outdoors with one other person from one other household but you must follow the physical distancing rules.  However as a further measure Scottish Athletics "STRONGLY recommend that ALL formal Club and Group activity is suspended from 00:01 on 5th January 2021 to midnight on the 31st January 2021".

Therefore Calderglen Harriers have decided that ALL training sessions are cancelled with effect from today, Tuesday 5th January.  This decision has been taken to comply with the new government directives and will be in force until further notice or at a time when restrictions are amended.

This instruction is applicable to ALL Calderglen Harrier athletes regardless of age or ability. This decision has been taken to protect all athletes, coaches and volunteers given the current transmission rate of the new strain of the virus. We will keep you informed of any further changes but in the meantime, please do all you can to stay at home and stay safe.

From

Richard Lawton, Covid Coordinator and Calderglen Harriers Committee

Training Monday 4th January

Chris has been out on the golf course and points out that certain sections are solid ice. So pay particular attention on the first easy lap to take note of where the icy bits are so you are ready for them on laps 2 and 3.

Alan

Given the forecast for continuing icy weather, we have to assume that Monday will be another golf course session. The suggestion is the progression session of 3 laps; first lap very easy, second lap a little faster and third lap faster again. However, at no stage should it feel absolutely race pace, it is just working a little harder each lap. This has a physiological benefit but also teaches pace/effort judgement i.e. knowing how to control the effort so as not to blow up.

Alan