(Editor’s word: this function appeared within the August situation of AW journal and earlier than Katie Snowden ran 3:56.72 to beat Kelly Holmes’ English 1500m report on the World Champs in Budapest).
Katie Snowden was a “little bit gutted” when she noticed the clock cease at 4:00.04. “I feel with how coaching had gone the time wasn’t an excessive amount of of a shock, so once I noticed I bought so shut [to running sub-4] it was initially a bit disappointing,” she says of her season-opener in Los Angeles in Might.
Expectations have shifted for the 29-year-old British 1500m champion in recent times and her response to such a considerable private finest – her earlier finest was 4:02.77 from the Tokyo Olympic Video games – is reflective of the athlete she’s turn out to be.
Going into the UK Championships closing, Snowden was assured she might end inside the highest two, though she hadn’t essentially anticipated to beat Olympic silver medallist Laura Muir.
Her plan was to commit and preserve with the defending champion’s tempo because the race constructed to a crescendo, and Snowden executed with tactical perfection, powering previous the British record-holder within the dwelling straight earlier than pulling away for the win.
Katie Snowden (Getty)
“It was a type of issues when you recognize that your coaching has been actually constant and it’s gone rather well, and also you’re hoping that all of it comes collectively in a race to point out the laborious work you’ve been placing in,” says the Herne Hill athlete who was fourth in final summer time’s European Championships and most lately ran a 1:58.00 800m – a near-two second PB – on the London Athletics Meet.
Snowden joined the Flagstaff-based Below Armour group in late 2021 and is coached by Stephen Haas. She credit her progress to larger endurance power, assist from a diversified group of coaching companions and elevated time at altitude.
“I got here from a 400m/800m background so naturally I’ve all the time had the velocity, however my endurance was undoubtedly missing in order that’s one thing that Stephen and I’ve labored actually laborious on – doing these longer, much less pleasurable classes, however the ones which have in all probability made the distinction,” she says.
“I feel that by taking that strategy I’ve additionally stayed extra injury-free and had larger consistency. There have been a number of years [between 2018 – 2020] the place I had so many niggles and ups and downs, and I feel that by really taking away a little bit of the depth, and I suppose coaching extra from a 5km perspective, it has actually helped when it comes to preserving niggles at bay.”
“House” stays south London, and whereas the busy streets of the capital supply little in frequent with Arizona’s Darkish Sky Metropolis, Herne Hill’s Tooting Bec monitor – the place Snowden nonetheless hyperlinks up with membership members for classes when she’s dwelling – is a welcome and pleasurable reminder of the place all of it started.
READ MORE: AW’s how they prepare collection
Snowden relies in Flagstaff for round 18 weeks of the 12 months, throughout three blocks. Her coaching schedule incorporates cross-training to minimise damage threat. Her gymnasium classes are overseen remotely by Loughborough-based Rob Miller (British Athletics).
“After I have a look at the week we’re not doing something particular or completely different, however it’s constantly doing it week upon week and backing it up, that’s what finally accumulates to good outcomes,” she says.
Katie Snowden with Laura Muir (Getty)
Monday: (am) 6 miles simple; (pm) 4 miles simple adopted by drills and strides on the monitor, plus often quick hills of 10-15sec. “Despite the fact that we’re doing a bit extra power and mileage, we need to preserve the shorter hills and strides going simply to ensure we don’t go too far-off from the velocity stuff,” she says.
Tuesday: (am) session on street loop or monitor akin to mile reps or 6 x 1km off 60-90sec. “If it’s meant to be at threshold,” she says, “we attempt to preserve it at threshold.”; (pm) gymnasium plus 30min cross-train (elliptical).
Wednesday: 8-10 miles group run at simple tempo.
Thursday: (am) one hour cross prepare; (pm) 4 miles simple run plus drills and strides as per Monday
Friday: (am) monitor session at Northern Arizona College or dropping down in altitude to Sedona or Cottonwood – for instance 6 x 600m, 5 x 400m, 4 x 200m; (pm) gymnasium plus 30min cross-train (elliptical).
Saturday: relaxation or cross-train.
Sunday: future as much as 13 miles.
Favorite session
“Something quick and quick. I get pleasure from a lower down session – it’s extra of a particular pre-race session – the place you begin with a 1km then cut back the gap to 800m, 600m, 400m, 200m and improve the tempo with every rep, or one thing like 3 x (4 x 400m). I did that lately the place I elevated the restoration all through the units so the 400s bought faster, so I began simply exterior 1500m tempo and tried to get right down to 62s. I all the time sit up for classes that get faster with elevated restoration.”
Least favorite session
“There’s a session we do in Flagstaff – Neil [Gourley] loves it! – the place we begin with a 1km hill (and I feel the truth that we’re at 7000ft, any hill at altitude is brutal) then we do 3 x (400m-300m-200m) the place the jog down restoration is half the size of the subsequent rep, then you definately end with the 1km hill. That second 1km hill you completely dread, it’s so laborious.”
» This text first appeared within the August situation of AW journal
» Particular Supply: Subscribe at the moment and get your first three months for simply £24.99 right here
