Workout Wednesday: Vero Beach XC - 15x400m

The Vero Beach Indians are coming off sweeps of both the 4A District 9 girls and boys individual and team titles. In the days before, the meet they hit the track for 15x400m (speeding up after the first ten). Check them out in action in this episode of Workout Wednesday. Special thanks to coach Jaymes Cole for the footage. Coach Cole breaks down the workout.

"Once they hit 10 repeats, they gradually get faster for the last five. At this point in the season, we aren't looking to taper quite yet but we're done with the long tempos and longer repeats. I was hoping for everyone to learn the value of being able to close hard the last little bit even though you're exhausted. I feel as though speed work isn't as important as some people believe. I believe in more of a strength based kick and not a sprint kick so I try to teach them that.

He adds that as a coach he is more impressed with his athletes if they can close hard the last mile and pass 10-15 people rather than fly down the last 100 and pass a handful.

"I think the workout went pretty well as the majority of them executed the overall purpose of the workout nicely. The only person I can give you exact splits on is Joe (Grabgerg) and he went through the first 10 between 67-69 (depending on which direction they went around the track) and then 66, 65, 64, 63 for the last 4. Most of our ladies were in the 84-86 range for the majority of the workout."

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