Brendan Glynn is a sprints coach with both NUIG and Galway City Harriers. Here are his thoughts on his week last week. Think all coaches will relate to this. Originally posted here.
They say programs are only written in pencil.. I say this myself but know I’m stealing it from some coach somewhere. I’m sure they’re talking about adapting to how athletes are progressing, how people are feeling, lifestyles, injury, illness etc. A big one for us here on our little Island is the weather! Given the nature of our sport, recovery is key and often to achieve the desired effect, quite a long recovery is needed compared to our longer distance cousins! This can lead to times when you have to make a decision - do the planned work you meticulously put into your program to have athletes ready and peaked for their major target and risk injury due to inclement conditions or change the sessions to suit your environment? I don’t think there’s a right or wrong answer here but it’s something that plagues me a lot!
They say programs are only written in pencil.. I say this myself but know I’m stealing it from some coach somewhere. I’m sure they’re talking about adapting to how athletes are progressing, how people are feeling, lifestyles, injury, illness etc. A big one for us here on our little Island is the weather! Given the nature of our sport, recovery is key and often to achieve the desired effect, quite a long recovery is needed compared to our longer distance cousins! This can lead to times when you have to make a decision - do the planned work you meticulously put into your program to have athletes ready and peaked for their major target and risk injury due to inclement conditions or change the sessions to suit your environment? I don’t think there’s a right or wrong answer here but it’s something that plagues me a lot!
Monday - AIT Session
We are blessed with a wonderful facility an hour drive away. Given to do a session here, it takes 5-6 cars with petrol costs and €5 per person entry and requires the whole evening gone (with a wife who swears Athletics is the “other woman” at home, we don’t do this often. We done on Monday as had a big Special endurance session planned which would be great race prep as much for navigating the bends indoors as anything else!
Given this was indoor, we could take lots of recovery, enjoy ourselves and do a session in perfect conditions!
Group AIT Session - Before all smiles
Sarah sneaks some hurdle practice inbetween reps
Feel the Burn!
Group working well together
The Cho Cho Train
Tuesday - S&C - indoors, phew no need to alter here!
Wednesday - Speed development - Outdoors at mercy of weather
Planned some accelerations out of blocks and some max velocity work... weather was monsoon rain but it was also ice cold. Decided to alter session to one where once they started, they never stopped moving and were done in relatively quick time.
Thursday - Tempo!
Tempo session normally can be done despite the weather.. except frost! Given the darkness there’s very few spots to train with lights but thankfully a gravel track around some hockey pitches was frost free! Also another group managed to do 120m hills at 80% one side of the track.
Friday - S&C Indoors so no change! - Also awards night.
Was a lovely awards night at my local club Galway City Harriers. Many of the athletes in the group were recognized for their fantastic 2017 season. Even managed to pick up an award for my contribution for sprints! All in all a lovely idea and a great night.
I went bright red with embarrassment!
Diego with 2 well deserved awards!
Jack and Lydia from our group with Eanna and Emma Moore from Distance and my First coach at GCH P.J.Coyle
Saturday - Well deserved Day of rest.
Sunday - Here comes the rain (Again)
Wet and Windy - thankfully not super cold so we mostly went ahead with session with reduced amount of plyos and no one leg plyo work.
Do we do track, hills or nice little pool there for a swim!
All in all, lots of tweaks and adjustments due to weather!
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