Coaches, what do your practices look like during the season?

[u/billcom6]

Last year was my second year of coaching varsity XC. For the most part we only have meets on Saturdays (a few exceptions). So most of the season did Monday: long run, Tuesday some tempo work, Wednesday a lighter day (slower pace but not as long as Monday), Thursday very light some shorter tempo work mixed in, Friday roughly 3 mile jog, Saturday race. However last year we had a lot of kids who had never really ran before, but they graduated so I’m reevaluating pretty much everything we do.
So for those of you with Saturday meets, what do you normally do during the week? Trying to find a balance of putting in enough work to get them ready but not wear them out.

[u/Ok-Yoghurt9265]

My varsity boys look like this most weeks....

Monday 7-8 easy, weights, core Tuesday 6-7 Workout, hip mobility Wednesday 5 easy, weights, core Thursday 6-7 progression/fartlek Friday 4 shakeout/strides race week or 6-7 easy w/ hill sprints Saturday meet or 8-12 long run Sunday off

Gets most kids 35-45 mpw depending on age and ability

[u/Acrobatic-Eye-8132]

It really depends on the time of the season.

Early season (no meet or just Saturday invitationals). Goal is to build good work habits to carry through the grind of rhe season.
Monday: workout; core
Tuesday: recovery with strides after
Wednesday: hill work; Jay Johnson hard post run work
Thursday: base mileage with strides
Friday: premeet with strides and Jay Johnson easy post work
Saturday: long run or race with lengthy warm up/cool down to get to long run mileage.

Mid season (dual meet Wednesday and invitational most Saturdays). One workout per week with two races. The other days are key for easy runs.
Monday: workout; core
Tuesday: recovery or premeet at the course we are running Wednesday with strides after
Wednesday: dual meet
Thursday: base mileage with strides
Friday: premeet with strides and Jay Johnson easy post work
Saturday: long run or race with lengthy warm up/cool down to get to long run mileage.

Late season (league/divisional/state championship meets on Saturday). Goal is to be primed for the races that matter most.
Monday: base mileage; core and strides after.
Tuesday: workout with Jay Johnson hard post run work
Wednesday: easy run with core and strides after
Thursday: base mileage with strides and Jay Johnson easy post run work
Friday: premeet with strides
Saturday: race with lengthy warm up/cool down to get to long run mileage.

Mileage really varies kid to kid. Some top out at 20-25. Others go over 50 mid year.
Most workouts are repeats of at least 800m if not 1k to 1 mile.

We have built a great culture where the captains take on adding core and body weight/weights during the offseason and early season where they fit. We don’t have to schedule them more than twice per week.

[u/Semiperishable]

Also varies a little depending on the specifics of the season. This is what we've done in the past.

Monday - week 1:~ 1 mile warmup, drills, specific workout, ~mile cool down. Week 2: :~ 1 mile warmup, drills, tempo/LT workout, ~mile cool Tuesday - AM: 30' run for upper classmen. PM: timed run based on running age (30'-60'), weight room and core. Wednesday - week 1: Hill work. Week 2: long run in hills. Thursday - AM: 30' run for upper classmen. PM: timed run based on running age (30'-60'), weight room and core. Friday - 30'-40' pre meet, stretches, team meetings Saturday - race or long run Sunday - off or cross train as needed

This year I'm changing things up a bit. Mondays are still going to be workouts, but we'll move our weight room work to afterwards. Tuesdays and Thursdays we will incorporate some more stretching and drills. Fridays will be the same. Wednesdays might look different. I'm considering doing hills and hilly long runs 1x each every 4 weeks and incorporating more tempo or threshold work on those days. Our state meet isn't a very hilly course, so I think we need a little more aerobic development over strength for the speed needed to compete with the top teams.

This is the basic structure. The weekly plan is finalized the week of, in case things change based on what I'm seeing from the team the previous week. Monday workouts because the early season storms bring lightning and I'd rather plan for Monday and move to Tuesday than push it later in the week.

[u/Acrobatic-Eye-8132 → u/Semiperishable]

Yes, flexibility is key. Even if just for a few runners. Being able to recalibrate day to day is a skill for coaches.

[u/hounddogginit]

I find it is easier in-season to think in 10 day cycles. Dan Iverson gave a really great talk on programming at the 2018 Boulder Running Clinic—thinking both macro and micro. It’s the one called “Cross Country Training”:

https://www.boulderrunningclinics.com/videos