TRAINING FOR THE 1000 (11-12 year olds) Open Letter by Coach Ed Dear Visitors, We get a lot of letters asking about training for different track events. Here's a suggested program for a young but skilled runners who want to fine tune their training. First, train every other day. On the off days do easy running or other sports. Start with one day of training at a nice easy 2-3 mile run without stopping at a pace that allows you to talk the whole way. Another day mix fast and slow running. After a half mile to a mile warm up run fast and controlled (controlled is very important) for 45 seconds followed by 45 seconds of jogging. Repeat 6 times. Go for a half mile to mile cool down. Mix that up sometimes, try 20 seconds fast with 40 seconds rest jog. A third day should be just fun stuff. Run whatever you want, however you want. I don't suggest doing time trials unless you are trying to qualify by time for an upcoming event. I never set time goals for the youth athletes I coach because too many factors can contribute to not achieving that goal. Weather, wind, nerves, sleep, how an athlete physically feels that day are just some of the problems. Plus as the race develops factors happen that affects the time. If an athlete is capable of winning a race, then a time goal not necessary. The goal becomes "do your best to win the race". I consider 1000 meters a middle distance race. If I have a middle distance runner with a good kick I will tell her to draft the leaders the entire race then drive in the last 200 meters. If the leaders take the race out slow the time will be slow, so what, the goal was to do your best to win the race. Goal accomplished! If you know your competition, strategy not time, becomes even more important. If you think your competition has a better "kick" at the end of 1000m you can keep >throwing in surges (that is where those 20 second fast runs pay off) during the race to wear her down. My final take on TIME goal setting is that youth athletics, under high school age, should be first of all FUN. Fun is running with other kids, especially friends, not against a clock. There is no prouder moment for me, as coach, as when I see my athlete congratulate and embrace a challenger after a hard fought race regardless of where they placed. That is the experience I want my athletes to get out of athletics. No clock needed. Coach Ed. Good luck, Coach Ed Ed Poirier, "Coach Ed", recently was invited by the United States Olympic committee to attend a workshop and training seminar at the Olympic training center in California. Feel free to email the kid's editor at rwedit@rodale.com with comments on this column.