Workouts: 1/16, 1/17, 1/18

1/16  Aaron warmed up but hurting shins limited him to some no-impact interval work on aerobic equipment. Mike had some soreness but that dissipated during the workout. Ran 3x3H xtended 5-step at 42; ran 1-2-3-2-1H 42; ran H1-3 xtended start (39 R); ran H1 (-H2) to H4 (39 R); ran 3x4H up/back (39 -3); stretch/roll. Splits were in 1.05-1.23h range (39 R). Target is sub-1.25.

1/17  Jim and Joe warmed up and did 6 RTs. Jim worked in 5-3 to 5-5 range; Joe worked in 5-5 to 5-7 range with full approach. Did 6x 6-step jumps working on some technical issues. Finished with some box jumps and step ups. Stretching/rolling.

1/18  Tim and Jim did full warm up with 3x3H xtended 5-step and 1-2-3-2-1H (42), then 4-3-2-1H (-1 42). Finished with 3x4H up/back (-3 39). Tim posted ht splits in 1.2-1.3 range. Jim 1.3-1.4. Emily did the same (33 but 30 up/back). Mollie worked nearly all reps over 2H (-3 to -1, some at 33, some 30). Emily's ht splits were around 1.2. Mollie around 1.3.

Emily gets fast start to indoor season at Carthage

1/14 Opening day. Always exciting and unpredictable. Emily had quite a day, missing her PR by just .02, running 8.99/8.91 for 2nd in a quality field in 55H. On the men's side, Mike had a rough outing, banging through H3 and H4, leading to a 4-step H5 and 9.32. Aaron ran a clean race, managing 9.44. Men's HJ pulled in 6 team points, with Mike leading the way with a jump of 6-0 3/4 (= #3 all time) for 5th, narrowly missing a school record height at 6-2 3/4. Joe was 7th at 5-8 3/4. Dan had a good first-ever HJ competition, clearing 5-5.

Complete results


Mike taking a too long plant step into takeoff. Getting that step quicker will help get more vertical and less travel.


Joe leaning in a bit on this one but shows that great rotation and curl around the bar on this clearance.


Emily shows great technique and consistency here.


Dan jumping at 5-7. Jumping toward bar but a pretty good attempt for first meet ever high jumping.

Workouts: 1/9, 1/10, 1/11

1/9  Tim and Aaron did pre-race warm up and then 2x4H (one at 42, one at 39, both -1). Next, 3x2H (42, 42, 39) and then 1x1H. Finished with 4x4H up/back 3-step (39 -3) 45 sec rec. Hurdle stretches. Tim's starts were 2.21/2.22a; Aaron's 2.28/2.26a. Hurdle splits were in 1.2-1.3h for both.

1/10  Dan, Jim, Joe and Mollie jumped. Worked pre-meet warm up, including 5x RT, 3x short approach jumps and a couple opening height jumps. Did about 3 more at opening height and then about 3 at +2. Jim went to LJ, Joe took about 3 at +4 (5-7). Dan at 5-5. Mollie worked in 4-0 to 4-4 range off 11-47 mark. Dan took a bunch of short range, 3-4 step popovers to work on a quicker last step. Also worked on dropping the head back a bit more.

1/11  Jim did pre-race warm up and then a few extra reps from blocks to H1 and then 4H at 42 (-1). Trail leg and overall fluidity through hurdles was much better than last week. Emily worked a pre-race warm up and then 3x3H xtended start (30 R) and 3x4H (-H2 30 R). Better hand-time splits were around 1.2. Mollie's first hurdle workout consisted of a few reps over H1. Also worked on starts out to 5 steps, all hitting the mark, and then 6 steps, coming up 4 to 8 inches short of the mark. More work on that next time.

Workouts: 1/3, 1/4, 1/5, 1/6

1/3  HJ. Worked on pre-meet warm up. After RTs, took a few short approach jumps, working on plant and layout. Took up to a dozen full approach jumps, beginning at starting height and then going up 2" on makes and down 1" on misses. Packed away pit and then did 3x10 step ups with 7k medball on each leg, working in some box drop jumps / hops.

1/4  Emily's warm up included pre-race prep: 3x3 33 xtended 5step; 1H (std), 2H (3pt -1), 3H (blk -1), 2H (blk R), 1H (blk). Then 4-3-2-1 (30 -1). Ended with 4x4 3step (30 -1). Targeted splits in 1.2 -1.25 ht range. All were in 1.2-1.28 range.

1/5  Jim, Tim and Aaron did pre-race prep similar to Emily's but not the up/backs. Jim's ht splits ranged from 1.29 to 1.39; Tim 1.23 to 1.33; Aaron 1.25 to 1.43 -- a bit uneven. Looking to make things more consistent toward the fast end of those ranges. Aaron ended with kettlebell lifts / box jumps. Jim and Tim will lift Friday. Foam roll.

1/6  Mike did the same workout, including up/backs. Ht splits on 42s were in mid- to high 1.2s. Splits on 39s were about the same, except for a particularly good one in 1.16, a much better attack. Ended with stretching/rolling.

Training during winter break

What you do for training during break is more about where you can train and what you have available than following some type of prescription I provide. So, the guidance here is general.

In a given week, it would be good to get a session of each of the following:

• Speed (acceleration and/or max velocity)
• Stamina (sprints of 20 to 40 seconds)
• Strength (weights, bodyweight exercises)
• Skill (blocks, hurdles, jumps)

Other days can be off days or recovery-type training (extensive tempo -- like the horseshoes; or cardio machine tempo -- 20 seconds fast, 40 seconds slow in sets of 5 with a minute or two between sets; or tabata sets, which are a 3-min warm up then 1 or 2 sets of 8x20 seconds fast, then 10 seconds rest) and 2-min cool down (can be on machines such as bike, elliptical, treadmill or rowing -- or just running (in place even) or just punching, jumping rope or doing jumping jax -- or some combination of those things. It's a great 9- or 17-min workout (if you do 2 sets -- in that case, rest 4-min between sets)).

You may not have access to a track, or a gym or even good enough weather to go outside, so you need to get a little creative. Here are some things to consider:

• Medicine ball 
• Jump rope
• Bodyweight circuit (squats, lunges, pushups, hip thrusts, burpees, jump squats, planks, etc.)
• Plyometrics (skips, hops, bounds, jumps)
• Hills (short or long, both are good)
• Stairs (inside or outside)
• Other -- any equipment at home? (treadmill, weights, exercise bike or ?)

Note: if you have injuries or soreness (shins), choose activities wisely. For example, if your shins hurt, avoid high-impact activities on hard surfaces. 

Finally, whatever you do, get some type of training at least every other day. 

Enjoy your time at home.

Workout: 12/15

12/15  Heading into break, Jim ran 6x1H, starting low and working up to 42. Good improvements in start mechanics and sprint through H1. Best time at 42 was 2.28, only a few hundredths slower than reps at much lower heights. Worked next over 2-3 hurdles. Reps were uneven and trail leg posed some issues. Worked on corrections during 4x4H up/back (36 -4) 3-step on 45-sec recovery. Finished with an 8-min mini-circuit and stretching.

Workouts: 12/5, 12/6, 12/7, 12/8

12/05  Mike

12/06  Joe, Jim, Dan and Mike worked on backovers, circle runs/jumps, 4-step box jumps, 4-step ground jumps, run-throughs, full-approach jumps. Adjusted approach marks in previous post.

12/07  Emily did 3x3H (33) 5-step, 1/2-space and 1-step drills. Next, 1H (falling start), 2H (3pt), 3H (block) (33 -1). 4x3H followed. Auto-timed splits between H1 and H3 (1.34 down to PR 1.29). 3x2H were next, auto-timing start/H1 (ranging from 2.22 to 2.16). Finished with 4x4H up/back at 30 -4 on 45-sec recovery. Hurdle stretches. Good work with high focus and intensity throughout.

12/08  Aaron, Tim and Jim did 3x3x3H drills, 4x2H solo (42 -1), 4x2H pairs (42 R), 4x4H up/bk 5-step (39) 45-sec rec. Wall stretches. Auto-time start/H1 bests: Jim 2.18, Tim 2.21, Aaron 2.21. Hand-time touchdown averages:  Jim 1.29; Tim 1.22; Aaron 1.31.