Claudia Wendt might in better shape than any cross country runner in the state of Maryland as she enters the final month of summer. The reigning WCAC cross country champion from last fall with a 18:42 5K PR certainly has to be considered among the best dozen returning runners in the state, but she is also preparing to compete in U.S. Triathlon Junior National Championship race this weekend in West Chester, Ohio. The rising sophomore at Our Lady of Good Counsel is spending just as much if not more of her time this summer in the pool or on the bike, which the high volume of cross training is certainly benefiting her aerobic base heading into the cross country season. Check out Claudia Wendt's summer training blog entry below for MileSplit! (Photo by Patty Morgan).
Claudia Wendt's Summer Training Blog: Entry #1 (7/20-7/26) - Entry #2 (7/27-8/2) - Entry #3 (8/3-8/9) - Entry #4 (8/10-8/16)
Entry #1: Claudia Wendt's Summer Training Blog, Week of July 20th-26th
Monday, July 20th: Swim practice beginning with a 500 warmup, then 8x50 kick, 8x75 rolling IM, and 4x100 build. Today we had a test set which included 21x100 on a 1:25 interval coming into the wall at about 1:07 every time. We ended practice with a 300 backstroke and 200 freestyle cool down.
Tuesday, July 21st: Did a run workout early this morning including quick speed work. 10 minute warmup spin on my bike, 15 minute warmup run. 6x1 minute 30 seconds all out, 30 seconds recovery and 4x2 minutes 1 minute all out, 1 minute recovery. Then did a run cool down for 15 minutes.
Wednesday, July 22nd: 30 easy minute run with my cross country team at after core and strength (situps, planks, squats, etc)
Bike workout included 15 minute warmup, 4x2 minutes 1 minute fast, 1 minute recover. Then a 10 minute cool down
Thursday, July 23rd: 15 minute warmup, 20 minutes tempo (6:15-6:20 pace), 15 minute cool down
Friday, July 24th: 50 minute run with cross country team (7:50 pace)
Swim workout included 500 warmup,
8x50 kick, 6x200 IM (interval 2:25 first two, 2:20 second two, 2:20 last two),
2x100 fly, 2x100 back, 6x125 (rolling IM), 20x25 sprint, 400 cool down
Saturday, July 25th: 5 minute bike warmup, 10 minutes race pace, then 4 minutes run race pace. Repeated twice and cooled down for 7 minutes.
Sunday, July 26th: Easy 20 minute run
*Side Note- I am also a part of a team that races the Junior USAT triathlon series, so I included my workouts from those training sessions as well. I have nationals for triathlon August 1 and am in the midst of prepping for that race.
Entry #2: Claudia Wendt's Summer Training Blog, Week of July 27th-August 2nd
This week was kind of crazy in preparation for my race. It included a lot of workouts, but also tapering for my race. I was also traveling as well, so some of my workouts were altered whether I was at home or traveling.
Monday, July 27th:
Warm up
15 mins, ride at 90rpms, and shift up a gear every 5 mins
Main Set:
3 x (4 mins hard, 3 mins harder, 2 mins hardest, 6 mins recovery)
20 minute run focusing on finding my legs after the bike and setting a good pace
Swim workout-
500 warmup
8x50 kick
12x25 underwater dolphin kick with fins
8x50 all out free
6x100 free
2x400 IM
8x75 (first 25 fast, last 50 easy; first 25 fast, middle 25 easy, last 25 fast; first 50 fast, last 25 easy; 75 fast) -repeated twice
250 cool down
Tuesday, July 28th: 3 mile warm up 5x1000 fast! with a 2 mile cool down and good stretch
Swim workout-
500 warmup
8x50 kick with fins
8x50 kick
6x75 alternating free and im
1x1000 sprint last 150
1x800 sprint last 200
1x600 sprint last 200
1x400 sprint last 200
1x200 sprint
500 cool down
Wednesday, July 29th: 8 mile run with 30, 15, and 10 second pick ups
Bike workout-
Warm-Up:
5 min easy, small chain ring,
shift up for 5 mins into your big ring
5 x (:30 fast pedal/high cadence, 1:30 recover/normal)
(total w/up is 20 mins)
Main Set:
5 x (2 min gradual build, shifting up every 30-45 secs - make it get harder and harder, but push your legs stronger and stronger, 1 min easy spin)
(total time for this set: 15 mins)
5 x (:15 pick ups - hard/high cadence, :45 recover) Start the pick ups on a slightly easier gear than you might normally select.
(total time is 5 mins)
5 x (:30 build effort - target the hardest gear you can push by the end, 2:30 recover)
15 mins total time for this set
4 x (2 min push hard - ascending effort, 3 mins very easy- use your SCR (small chain ring)
(total time 20 mins)
Thursday, July 30th: 30 minute easy run pre race (traveling day)
Swim-
500 warmup
8x50 (25 kick, 25 pull)
6x100 fast choice on 1:20 (keep times within 5 seconds of best time)
worked on freestyle stroke
300 backstroke cool down
Friday, July 31st: Swim, bike, and run race course preview
Swim- Easy 750 with pickups
Bike- Easy 10k on the course
Run- 1.5 miles easy with strides
Saturday, August 1st: Race day at USAT Junior Nationals!
750 swim, 20k bike, 5k run
Sunday, August 2nd: Team relay at USAT Junior Nationals!
Entry #3: Claudia Wendt's Summer Training Blog, Week of August 3rd-August 9th
This week I was mostly recovering from my race so I tried to keep it easy the first couple days, but also trying to get as much out of the summer with my workouts before school starts up again.
Monday, August 3rd: Rest day
Tuesday, August 4th: Easy 40 minute run at around 8 minute pace and easy 50 minute bike ride
Wednesday, August 5th: 35 minute run at 7:15 pace with 8 hill pickups and
a very short and easy swim workout with 500 warmup
8x50 kick
7x75 rolling IM
10x25 dolphin kick under water
6x100 fast
Drill and stroke work
300 back stroke cool down
Thursday, August 6th: 60 minute run with strength and circuit training afterwards
Friday, August 7th: Easy 45 minute run because later this evening I participated in a local track meet with the Montgomery County road runners, running the 2 mile and a 4x400
Saturday, August 8th: Swim workout as well as a 60 bike workout attacking and breaking away from the pack every 4 to 5 minutes.
Sunday, August 9th: 35 minute run on trails (mostly hills) and an open water swim
Entry #4: Claudia Wendt's Summer Training Blog, Week of August 10th-August 16th
This week was the week leading into my 2 mile time trial for start of the cross country season. The workouts got a little easier at the end of the week to taper for the time trial.
Monday, August 10th: Distance run about 8 miles today, so throughout the run the pace gradually got faster.
Tuesday, August 11th: Today was a fartlek day so I had a 15 minute warmup, then the workout was 1 minute on, 1 minute off 10 times through. Ending with a 15 minute cool down and a good stretch.
Wednesday, August 12th: 20 minute run today after strength training.
1 hour of straight swimming just to get my arms and legs moving. Including 6x200 base speed in between.
Thursday, August 13th: 60 minute trail run. The pace varied because of the obstacles on the trail.
Friday, August 14th: Easy 50 minute run to prep for the time trial.
Saturday, August 15th: 2 mile time trial on the track
Sunday, August 16th: 70 minute distance run easy. Just to shake out the legs from yesterday.
