BTC Trail Sessions - What to Expect
Session Format
Each session will be focused on a particular skill or training topic area. At the start of each session we will do a set of warm-up activities and plyometrics to build muscle memory and improve running form. Then we’ll have a short discussion about the topic of the practice. When the run starts, we’ll leave as a group, with coaches distributed among the athletes for safety and to help reinforce the purpose of the session. After the run, we will all come together as a group to debrief, do a few strength exercises, then disperse.
Safety and Awareness
We will be running in nature. There are inherently different risks in nature ranging from insects to wildlife to terrain. It’s important for everyone who participates to take these risks seriously and be cautious. If anyone is uncomfortable with these risks, they are encouraged to stop, walk, or consult a coach to get support. We don’t need anyone being brave and then getting injured!
Exertion Levels
Trail Running can be more difficult and challenging than road or cross country running. If your athlete is new to trail running there will be an adjustment period! They will have sore muscles and joints. Their feet may be more tired. They may even have tired arms and shoulders! A certain amount of these mild aches and pains is expected. Hopefully by the end of the sessions their bodies will have adapted to the new types of exertion and they will feel more fit.
The BTC coaches will be alert to concerns we see, but we can’t help if we’re not aware. So the athletes are asked to inform us of any problems before they become chronic pains or injuries.
In these sessions we will discuss Rated Perceived Effort (RPE). This is a subjective scale from 1-10 about how the athlete perceives the effort. We intend for these workout to be 3-6 on the RPE scale. None of these workouts should be extremely high intensity. The athletes should not be “going to the bottom of the well” in any workout! It’s up to them to stay within their own range of comfort on this scale.
Everyone Is Unique
Every athlete in this program will be at a different level of fitness. Some athletes will be more prepared for shorter, faster workouts. Others will be more fit for longer slower workouts. We expect to see some groupings happen, but even day-to-day, we expect to see differences. That’s OK! No one should be competing with the others in the program. We’re all here to learn and develop as individuals.
Base of Fitness:
This program is not intended for new runners! We want to give our more experienced athletes, in the 6-8th grade, an opportunity to learn and develop more specific trail running abilities. The workouts will be too hard for athletes who do not have the following base of fitness:
Ability to run for 40+ minutes without stopping
Must have run regularly (10-20 miles per week) for the 4 weeks leading up to these sessions.
Prefer athletes with past experience running in cross country or trail races.
No recent significant injuries which could flare up and get worse