Training

Tuesdays at 7:00 pm | Wednesdays at 6:30 pm [Carnegie Track] | Thursdays at 6:30 pm

Harrogate Harriers provide athletes with structured training which can be used as an objective measurement of their performance. The sessions are designed to help athletes of every ability to improve their performance.

The Harriers meet at Harrogate Squash and Fitness Centre twice a week for training sessions.

Tuesdays 7.00pm

Group 1 is typically a structured training session for faster runners, although depending on the sets they can be open to runners of all abilities.  These sessions would ordinarily be at fast pace/high intensity, consisting of interval, hill and tempo sessions and will be seasonally focused according to the race calendar.  As a general guide, to be comfortable here you will need to be capable of sustained sub-7 minute mile pace or be able to do a 10K in less than 40 minutes.

Group 2 is our Intermediate (fartlek) group. This is an excellent way to increase your speed and consists of a continuous run of around 6/7 miles punctuated with a number of fast efforts.  This training group is aimed at those who can run a 10K below 45 minutes.

Group 3 is our Intermediate group 2. The training focus alternates on weekly basis.  This training group is aimed at those who can run a 10K below 50 minutes.

Group 4 is an All Abilities Group. This group is aimed at all abilities, the primary goal being to improve your running and consists of a warm-up followed by various efforts, these could be intervals, hills or a speed session. During the winter months these sessions tend to take place around the town centre and where there is adequate street lighting, however in summer it’s normal for our coach to take a structured off road session on the trails and hills that surround Harrogate.

Group 5 is more of a social group, where the run is at a comfortable pace, but may be coached as a structured road session on an ad-hoc basis.

Wednesdays 6:30pm [Carnegie Track, Headingley Campus, Leeds LS6 3QQ]

Track sessions are an ideal environment to run structured sets that are suitable for runners of all abilities, while providing a measurable platform from which to develop your strength, speed and endurance.  This is also the environment to understand & develop pace.

Thursday’s 6.30pm

Thursday runs usually break into 2 or 3 groups.

Group 1:  Aimed at all abilities, the main point of the group is to improve your running, and consists of a warm up followed by various efforts, which could be intervals, hills or a speed session.

Group 2:  A relaxed group running between 6/7 miles, the pace is dependent by whoever is in the group, but in the range of 7.30 – 8.30 minutes a mile pace.
Throughout the week various groups from the club head out for impromptu runs. For example, the Monday evening easy hour is a recovery run at 6.00pm from Trinity Church, details of which are posted on the day. Additionally, many members do long runs on a Sunday and our Facebook page is a good way of seeing who is doing what.

Taster sessions (Trial Period)

For all new athletes we operate a 4-week ‘taster session’ policy to ensure the club is right for you before you commit to joining. If you’re attending on this basis then please carry some IN Case of Emergency (ICE) contact details with you.

Do’s & Don’ts

• Do be nice to each other and other road/footpath users. Remember you represent the club.
• Don’t wear headphones, you can’t hear instructions or traffic.
• Do listen to the advice of your run leaders and coaches. They are there for your safety and to provide guidance.
• Don’t pigeon hole yourself. You never know how much you can achieve until you try!
  
  

Principles of Training

View the recent presentation from Harry Dowdell about the Principles of Training.

Download Presentation