1. Fundamental Elements of Developing Female Distance Runners
Sara Vergote
Women’s Cross Country/Distance Coach
The Ohio State University

2. Ohio State Women Examples: Middle Distance 800/1500
Katie Borchers:
—6xAll American — School Record Holder in 800m, Mile, 1500m
Distance
High School PR
Collegiate PR
800m
2:13
2:04.17
Mile
5:07
4:41
5000m XC
18:50.00
16:19.40
Rachel Weber:
— School Record Holder in DMR, 4x800m
—NCAA 1st Round Qualifier 800m
2:11.9
2:06.80
5:14.41
4:51 Mile
Tammy Berger:
—School Record Holder in DMR, 4x800m
—NCAA 1st Round Qualifier 1500m
2:14.06
2:10
5:01.21
4:23 (1500m) ~4:42 Mile
5000m
18:04.70
17:04.50

3. Ohio State Women Examples: Long Distance 5000/10000
Sakiko Minagawa
NCAA 1st Round Qualifier 10,000m
Distance
High School PR
Collegiate PR
3200m
11:09
9:48.66 (3000m) ~10: m
Mile
5:12
4:57.80
5000m
19:04
16:46
10,000m
34:27.31
Minori Minagawa
11:21
9:54 (3000m) ~10: m
19:30
16:47.62
34:34.82

4. Consistent Training Over Time
Training Components
Consistent Training Over Time
Training blocks
We run how we feel unless instructed otherwise
GPS discipline
We don’t run injured
Knowing the difference between sore and injured
Both sides test
Two days of cross training and never workout the first day back

5. Uninterrupted Training
Sakiko June 2015-Jan 2016 M T W TH F S Su
MPW
June 24 37 44 M T W TH F S Su
MPW 68 67 65
Oct1 57 63
July 1 57 62 67 72
Aug 1 77 63 64
Nov1 54 50 41 81 80 68
Sept 1 25
Dec1 45 50 56

6. Training Components: Seeing the Big Picture
Knowing short term and long term goals
Patience
Having somewhere to go
Maximizing effort before increasing mileage
Taking chances with seniors not freshmen

7. Weekly Volume Progression
Training Components
Weekly Volume Progression
800/1500m
5000m/10,000m
Freshman
30-40 mpw
50-55 mpw
Sophomore
40-45 mpw
55-65 mpw
Junior
45-60 mpw
65-70 mpw
Senior
65-85 mpw

8. Training Components Monday Tuesday Wed. Thursday Friday Saturday Sun.
800/1500 .
am: 50 min cross training
Long Run
OFF or light cross training
Speed Development
pm: Workout
pm: Recovery Run (45-55 minutes)
pm: Progressive run, Speed Development
5k/10k
am: min run
am: min run or 50 min cross training
OFF or recovery run
pm: min recovery run, Speed Devel.
pm: Medium Long Run
pm: Easy Run, Speed Devel.

9. Training Components Long Run Progression 800m/1500m 5k/10k Freshman
50-70 min (pace not specified)
Get to minutes (pace not specified)
Sophomore
60-70 min (progressive last 25%)
Improve overall pace of 90 min run
Junior
60-80 min (progressive last 50%)
minutes at sophomore pace
Senior
60-80 min (progressive almost immediately from the start)
minutes mixing progressive runs with time on your feet runs

10. Speed Development All Year for All Women
Training Components
Speed Development All Year for All Women
Done at least 2x/Week
Wearing spikes
All Full Recovery, usually after recovery runs
Examples:
8x100m strides
6x150m switching gears every 50m
6x60-80m flys in spikes
80-100m Hill Sprints (in trainers)

11. Cross Training to Supplement
Training Components
Cross Training to Supplement
Additional aerobic fitness 3-4 times/week
Always HARD
Bike or Swim (no pool running)
Pay attention to RPMs
Over 100 hard/Over 80 easy
Workout Examples
10 w/up (20 min of 1:1) 10 c/d
10 w/up (20 min of 2:1) 10 c/d
5 w/up ( ) 5 c/d
If injured minutes/day

12. Monitoring IRON Levels (Serum Ferritin)
Additional Elements
Monitoring IRON Levels (Serum Ferritin)
We test 3x/year and having a Ferritin Number over 30 is critical to distance running success.
Normal range for women( ng/ml)
We want everyone over 50.
Supplement with SLOW RELEASE iron pills or Ferrous Sulfate Elixir. Calcium BLOCKS absorption and Vitamin C HELPS absorption.
Dosage
Ferritin below 10
1 Tablespoon 2x/day OR 150mg/day
Ferritin below 20
1 Tablespoon 1x/day OR 100mg/day
Ferritin below 50
1 teaspoon 1x/day OR 45mg/day
Everyone else
1 teaspoon 3x/week OR 45mg 3x/week

13. Visible and Tangible progression
Additional Elements
Visible and Tangible progression
Keeping a Log
Mileage
Health
Coach/athlete communication
Staple Workouts (BGWs)
Antrim Loops (meaningful and unconventional)
8 mile Progressive Tempo
5x400m (full recovery)
600/400/5x200

15. Creating and Maintaining a Culture
Additional Elements
Creating and Maintaining a Culture
Expectation
Pressure on seniors not freshmen (Buckeye Buddies)
Health
Disciplined but balanced
Not afraid to have hard conversations
Positivity and Fun
Camp
Happy runners = positive results

16. Van Survey Competitive but Collaborative-Taking care of each other
Knowing the plan and the purpose
Knowing your athletes as people and when to push
Flexibility
Fun