Speed Work January 3rd 2011

I can't wait to get to the local running track (see picture below) to work on my technique and do some speed work tomorrow. Although it won't be as sunny as it is in the picture.

The plan is to work on the POSE method and take into the session what I learnt from my barefoot run the other day, which was that I leave my foot on the ground too long before pushing off. Therefore I plan to do some high knee lift drills:

The aim of this drill is to increase leg turnover and improve your knee lift for when you need to pick up the pace a bit.

Start off jogging slowly, when you hit the point where you want to start your drill, increase your stride rate so that you take as many steps as possible over about 20 metres or so with a high knee action. You should be bringing your legs up in front of you and maintaining a nice upright posture. The aim is not to move forward quickly but to maximise the number of steps that you take; remember this one is about leg turnover not stride length.

You should feel this one in the front of you hips and thighs (hip flexors) as they will be working hard to lift your legs up in front of you. Do a few quad stretches after this one to loosen things up.

A good way to figure out how high your legs should be coming up is to do this drill a couple of times with your elbows at your side and your forearms at 90 degrees to your body, palms facing down. Your knees should come up and hit the palm of your hands, this is where you want your knees to come up to whenever you are doing the drill. Source: http://www.trifuel.com/training/run/runnin...s-101

My focus will be on:

• Extra warm up to ensure that I am getting both points below right
  
• Slightly leaning forward from the ankles! (trying not to lean forward with the head or upper body)
  
• Focus on pulling my foot off the ground as quickly as possible
  

I don't want to focus on too much in one go so if I can get a feel for the leaning forward and pulling my foot off the ground I can then start to focus on working on my strength and perfecting the POSE method