Olga Bondarenko

Progressing from double to single leg landings in plyometrics demands a sharp increase in training intensity, so this week, in order to bridge the gap between single and double leg depth drops, I added some intensity via a resistance band. 

Notice the mid foot landing and use of joints to reduce the force. My knees bend just enough to load the muscles, ready for a subsequent take off. That is the essence of plyometrics, training the muscles to tolerate greater stretch loads and hence store and re-use energy.

In terms of lifting weights, I am adding lower limb exercises to the plyometric sessions on Monday and Friday. This is known as complex training. I am also trying to maintain an exclusive mid-week session in the gym on a Wednesday morning so as not to lose the strength I have gained over the last 6 months. However, since the racing season has started, I have been indecisive over which exercises and how many sets to include each week and this seems more evident this week than ever before.

The 1000's completed on Tuesday were all slower than the three I completed in succession in the Bedfordshire AAA Open 3000m 3 days earlier. Why? The only excuse I can muster is that every morning at Stockwood Park I am starting at 7am - not the time of day to be running or lifting PB's I am sure you will agree!

Next race: Hopefully I can make it to Harrow for a guest appearance for Herts Phoenix in the 5000 metres in the Southern Athletics League on Saturday 20th April. Heavily pregnant Coach Wife has told me to run with my phone though!

Monday: AM - S&C; PM 35' easy running
S&C
3 x 8 Ankle hops
3 x 8 Depth Drops (40cm with added load) interspersed with 3 x 5 Front Squat (70kg)
3 x 8 Drop Jumps (40cm) interspersed with 3 x 5 Dead lift (90kg)
3 x 5 Box Jumps (80cm)
3 x 8 low hurdle hops.
(Total Contacts 111)

Tuesday: AM - 6 x 1000m (2' rec) [3'21'' / 3'23'' / 3'27'' / 3/24'' / 3' 25'' / 3'24'']

Wednesday: AM - S&C; PM - 53' easy
S&C:
Eccentric Calf (heel drops) 2 x 5 (40kg dumbbell)
Front Squats 2 x 5 (70kg)
Dead Lift 2 x 5 (90kg)
Pull Up 2 x 5 (Body Weight)
Press Ups 2 x 8 (with resistance band)
2 x 3 Candlesticks

Thursday: AM - Bondarenko Session, 2 Sets, (3' Recovery); PM - 30' easy.

Bondarenko Session (a favourite of Olga Bondarenko in the run up to her Olympic 10,000m gold and record, 1988):

• Run 400m @ 5k pace (78'')
• Recovery 400m@ steady pace (92'')
• Run 300m @ 1500m pace (55'')
• Recovery 300m @ steady pace (69'')
• Run 200m @ 800m pace (35'')
• Recovery 200m @ steady pace (46'')
• Run 100 sprint (15'')
• Recovery 100m @  steady pace. (23'')

Friday: AM - S&C 
S&C: 
3 x 8 Power Skips
4 x 8 Bounding
4 x 8 Single Leg Bounding
4 x 5 High Hurdle Hops
4 x 5 Broad Jumps interspersed with 3 x 5 Dead lift (90kg)

Saturday: A busy week finally caught up with me - REST!

Sunday: AM - 60' easy

25th March - 7th April

The routine of alternate easy run / hard run days is working well. Monday, Wednesday and Friday have Strength and Conditioning work scheduled with an easy run at the other end of the day (if possible), whilst on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday I run at a harder intensity. Sunday is for a longer run, although I haven't gone beyond 60 minutes so far this year.

The 4-day Easter holiday broke this routine and posed some training challenges. Being away from Luton does have its downside - no access to a gym or track - and the weather put paid to the Good Friday AAA Open meeting at Gosling Park. Instead, Good Friday was spent away from home with Coach Wife and so a little exploring was required on Saturday morning to find a natural incline suitable for a Kenyan Hills session. (The weekend was great by the way - thanks to Naomi's Grandma for looking after our daughter)! On Bank Holiday Monday I jogged over to the Flitch Way to use the forgiving surface for leaps, hops and jumps, much to the amusement of a couple of dog walkers sharing the path with me!

Not to be denied a race on the track before the season begins proper, I entered the 3000m at the Bedfordshire AAA Open Meeting at Stockwood Park, Luton. To make the most of the 70 mile round trip from Bishops Stortford, I dragged Coach Wife and daughter along with me, not to watch my 7 and a half laps of the track but to visit Woodside Farm & Leisure Park, a place every toddler should visit!

I finished the race in 9'40'', about 20'' quicker than I had anticipated, which means I am a lot closer to a sub 16 minute 5000m than I thought I would be at this stage. After a quick opening 200m, I settled down to lap consistently at 78-79 seconds with a 71 second last lap. Hopefully I can achieve my 5000m target at the 18th May Southern Area League fixture at Wodson Park, which will also mark the end my Paternity Leave. After that  date I will probably just be happy for 16 minutes sleep!

 

Naomi takes Dad for a spin in her tractor at Woodside Farm & Leisure Park

Refueling post race at Cheeky Monkey's Play Barn

25th - 31st March

Monday: AM - S&C; PM - 40' varied pace running

S&C:

Ankle Hops 3 x 8

Depth Drop (40cm) 3 x 8

Drop Jumps (40cm) 3 x 8

Front Squat 3 x 5 (65kg) interspersed with Box Jumps (80cm) 4 x 5

Low hurdle hops 3 x 8

Press Up (with resistance band) 3 x 6

Bent Over Row (50kg) 3 x 5

Tuesday: AM - 'Up the clock' (400m - 800m - 1200m - 1600m - 2000m; 2' recovery & 6' recovery before final rep) [75' - 2'40'' - 4'05 - 5'40'' - 7'05]; PM - 30' easy running

Wednesday: AM - S&C; PM - 53' easy

S&C:

Front Squat 3 x 5 (65kg)

Single SL Dead Lift 3 x 5 (65kg)

Bent Over Row 3 x 5 (50kg)

Press Up (with resistance band) 3 x 6

Candlestick 2 x 3

Thursday: AM - 3 x 4 x 200m (2' recovery between 200's & 5' recovery between sets of 4) [all circa 30'']

Good Friday: AM - 40' easy running

Saturday: AM - 10' easy run - 20' Tempo/Kenyan Hills - 10' easy run

Easter Sunday: 40' easy running

1st - 7th April

Bank Holiday Monday: PM - 20' easy run to the Flitch Way - 20' Plyometrics - 20' easy run back home

Plyometrics:

3 x 8 Power Skips

3 x 8 Bounding

4 x 8 Single Leg Bounding (mximal hops)

4 x 5 Broad Jumps

4 x 5 Hi 'Hurdle' hops (without the hurdle)

Tuesday: PM - 4 x 0.91 Mile Reps [circa 5'04'']

Wednesday: AM - S&C PM: 53' easy running

S&C:

Front Squat 3 x 4 (70kg)

Dead Lift 3 x 5 (80kg)*

Pull Up 3 x 4 (body weight)

Press Up (with resistance band) 3 x 6

2 x 3 Candlesticks
* replaces single straight leg dead lift to economise time and to add work to gluteal muscles.

Thursday: AM - 6 x 400m (4' recovery) [69'' +/- 2'']; PM - 35' easy running

Friday: AM - S&C: 
Ankle Hops 3 x 8

Front Squat 3 x 5 (70kg) interspersed with Depth Drop (40cm) 3 x 8

Dead lift 3 x 5 (80kg) interspersed with Drop Jumps 3 x 8 (40cm)

Box Jumps (80cm) 4 x 5

Low hurdle hops 3 x 8

Saturday: RACE: Bedfordshire AAA Open Meeting - 3000m (2nd) [9'40'']

Sunday: 60' easy running