Aerobic hill intervals are a great way to build specific leg strength for running. My athletes are often surprised that they can climb relatively steep inclines while maintaining an aerobic level simply by slowing pace considerably. I may start an athlete off hill walking at a steep incline. It is important to adjust level of incline gradually as well as length of climbing interval. I add in more elevation each week and lengthen intervals.

Power work may also start in weight room after a sufficient amount of strength work has built tendon, ligament, and joint strength. I have found body weight or light weight is often enough resistance for most power work. I may start a session with strength or strength endurance work and end with power work. It is easy to over do power work however, and injury can results. Form and technique are crucial. On bike power work starts at end of base and involves very short high cadence, high resistance efforts of 10 seconds. I allow much recovery between these efforts (5-10 min.) so energy systems are properly restored. I then proceed to more sustained and repeated efforts of 1-5 min with plenty of recovery. These efforts have added benefit of building aerobic capacity and are more suited for general preparation or build periods. Finally, jumps and sprints, often with incomplete recovery are stressed. I may prescribe many of these in a single session to train body to buffer lactic acid. This work is highly prescriptive and may only be performed 1-2x per month. Again, amount of time spent with this type of work will vary by athlete and sport.

Run power can start with technique drills during base season. I may then add short explosive sprints to end of hill climbing efforts we are already performing regularly. Hill intervals of various lengths and intensities will help promote explosive power and leg strength. Generally I save most intensive run speed and power work for last 2 blocks preceding peak.

Although this is a brief overview you can realize progression. The work outs you perform should build on one another throughout season and keep you from overreaching. Performing a variety of work outs has added benefit of keeping your training interesting and helps prevent burn out. Organize your work outs as you do your season. Each work out is a tool and you have to decide when it is most effective to take it out of tool box.

The base period is also a good time to enter into a specific strength training routine. Strength training can be highly stressful on body therefore excluding certain types of training such as speed work, I perform majority of my weight work in base period. I have found my body needs too much time to recover from weight work and it does not react well with higher intensity training performed later in season. This does not mean strength work stops after base period, but rather evolves into more specific "on bike," and "on run" strength work. Examples are cycling tension intervals and hill running. I do however perform core strength exercises regularly throughout year. A proper strength training system goes through specific phases such as maximum strength, strength endurance, and power, and is specific to your needs and sport. I highly recommend any endurance athlete interested in strength training to get with a trainer or coach with experience in this area. Each athlete is unique and should have a specific routine.

The base period is followed by a general preparation period and then a more specific race preparation period, so there is no "off" season. If you are an athlete who trains only in race season you have probably noticed your performance has not improved much or may have decreased each year. Instead of building on your past season you are instead trying to get back to your previous level of performance each year. To me each season is a step up toward better performance. A good example of this is older athletes who are still performing well into their 40's, 50's, and 60's. If you look at their training over years you will find one consistency; rarely did they give up any ground.