Runs

Here’s a list of workouts that I like. Many of them are really good for ultimate in my opinion, but there are also some longer runs around Saratoga and Berkeley that I think are quite nice. As I do more I’ll add to this list. There are lots of variations on these things, especially some of the ones toward the bottom of the list but these are mostly things that I’ve tried and found to be good workouts.

Track workouts: All track workouts include like a 10-15 minute warmup/stretch and a 5-10 minute cooldown/stretch

  1. 400s – straightforward. go into the workout with a set number and just run them all as fast as you can. See if you can keep your times about the same for all of them.
  2. Gauntlet (v1) – 1×1600 rest 400, 1×800 rest 200, 1×400 rest 200, 2×200 rest 200 between each, 5×100 rest 100 between – Run each one as fast as you can, try to beat your previous times on these.
  3. Gauntlet (v2) – 1×1600 1min rest, 2×800 1:30 rest, 3×400 1:30 rest, 4×200 2:00 rest, 5×100 2:00 rest – (got this one from LifeSport discovered by Ravi). Increase speed through so mile shouldn’t be too fast (10k pace) and then 100′s should be all out.
  4. 3x400s rest 30 sec between, 3×1600 rest 90 sec between 3×400 rest 30 sec between – Not supposed to be too too fast. When I did this, did something like 90 second 400s and 7:30 miles, but only did two miles. This was actually a really good workout.
  5. 1200 zooms – run a 1200 (3 laps) pretty fast, then jog/recover for 100, then sprint 300, jog a lap and repeat at least 3 times. Did this a couple of times with Cal Running Club and it was pretty fun but also quite hard (though I definitely wasn’t in as good shape back then).
  6. 200 repeats – Do 12 or 16 200s, in sets of 4. Take a minute rest between reps and 3 minutes rest between sets. This seems like a good preseason workout for ultimate because it’s fast but also longer distance. More of an endurance thing than a sprinting thing. I think it would be reasonable to do every run in around 30s.
  7. 150s, 100s, 50s – We ran this a couple of times with Mr. Yuk and it’s always a really tough workout. Usually we do 6 or 8 of each run (i.e. 6×150, 6×100, 6×50). We rest 1 minute between 150s, 45 seconds between 100s and 30 seconds between 50s. We take 30 minutes rest between reach set. Everything should be all out.
  8. 30-60-90 workout – start a timer and don’t touch it for the rest of the workout. On the minute you run either 60 meters and back or 90 meters and back (alternating). Do this for 30 minutes, so that you do each length fifteen times. Target splits should be 24s/36s for the 60s/90s respectively. An alternative version of this workout is 30-40-70 with splits around 16s/26s.
  9. 50s, 30s with decreasing rest – We also did this with Mr. Yuk a couple times last year. You run 8×50 with rest starting at 60s and decreasing by 10s after each rest, so the last 2 sprints you have no rest between. Then rest 3 minutes and do the same thing with 30s. I usually repeat the whole thing two or three times. Everything should be all out.
  10. Deck of cards workout – Take one suit of a deck of cards and shuffle them. Draw a card and the distance you run is the number on the card either times 10 or times 5 (depending on what you want to do). Face cards count as 10. The amount you rest between reps is the min of 60s and the distance you just ran. So if you drew a face card, you would run 100 meters, rest 60 seconds and then run again.
  11. 6x40s with 10s rest between reps, 3 minutes rest between sets. I did this with Corey once and we did 2 sets. This is great because you have so little time to rest, you really have to push yourself on the last couple of sprints.
  12. Sprint ladders – There are two versions, either do sprints from 100m to 10m (by 10m) with 2 reps of each or do 50m to 10m by 10m with 4 reps of each. Rest the min of 60s and the amount you ran. Push yourself. I did this once and remember that it was actually a really good workout. There are tons of variations on this. Mr. Yuk also once did 50s to 30s and back up with 5 reps of each.

Shorter workouts with emphasis on footwork and changing direction. These are more like single drills, you might want to put a bunch of these together to make a more substantial workout.

  1. Agility ladder – I’m a huge fan of the agility ladder. I think it’s really fun and challenging and it works on developing quick feet which is great for a lot of sports. There are a bunch of different exercises you can do here and I like to add a 5m sprint coming out of the ladder. Rest time is usually just jogging back to the other side.
  2. Shuttle runs – These are really popular amongst ultimate players. get three cones in a line each about 10m apart. Starting in the middle pick a direction, sprint to that cone, turn around and sprint past the starting cone to the far cone. Then turn around and sprint through the starting cone.
  3. Box runs — Make a box that is 10-15m on a side. You’re going to go around the box keeping your hips facing one direction. So sprint, shuffle, backpedal, shuffle around the box.
  4. Yo-Yo drill – With a buddy, make a V with cones, starting at one end, cut to the point and out to the other end. Have your friend throw a disc hitting you in stride at the cone. Stop and throw the disc back to him, then turn around and repeat going to the other end of the V. Focus on moving quickly, cutting hard, but also make sure your throws and catches are solid. This is great for working on throwing while you’re tired. Repeat this for 1 minute and then have your partner go while you rest.

Longer runs: like some trails and some nice runs in Saratoga and Berkeley

  1. Rancho San Antonio – The park is off of Foothill expressway right to the west of 280. From the parking lot take the run to the farm, then take the Rogue Valley trail. Follow the trail when it double’s back and starts going uphill, and when you get to the top take the fork right, continue on the ridge for about half a mile and then take at the next fork take a left. Follow this trail back to the farm and then back to the parking lot. 7 miles. Did this a couple of times with Ravi this summer and really enjoy the run. The hill is killer though, it’s really long.
  2. Platinum + Fruitvale – got this crazy idea from Ken. Start from the Saratoga High. Head north on Saratoga Sunnyvale, right on Prospect, Right on Lawrence, Right on Saratoga Ave. Left on Fruitvale, Right on Highway 9, through downtown and back to the high school. About 10 miles, I think a little less but it’s pretty flat so it’s not too bad. This was my first 10 miler this summer
  3. Lexington Reservoir – Start at Los Gatos High, there’s a trail right next to highway 17 that you want to follow up to the reservoir and then you kinda just run around the reservoir and back down the same trail to the high school. Something like 12 miles, pretty hilly and supposedly hard. Haven’t done this yet but plan to do it this weekend.
  4. Indian Rock + MLK – This is in Berkeley. From Southside, run north on piedmont, left on hearst, right on spruce. Go up spruce all the way till Marin, make a left and then a quick right (i think the road is called Indian Rock road or something like that). Take a left at the end and you’ll see Indian Rock. There’s a water fountain and great views over there and you can take a quick break. Then go down past indian rock to the circle. Head down Marin and make a left on MLK, up MLK until Bancroft, Durant (whatever’s more convenient for you) and run up that street back to Piedmont. I think it’s like 6 miles in total but I haven’t done it in awhile. It’s a really nice though.

More to come as I run more…