Bret

Although I'm an advocate of hills, I'm not an expert. A couple of observations, which should, perhaps be taken with a mountain of salt.

The technique aspect of the effort sounds perfect - if you're looking at strength, alone. I wouldn't do the 400m jog uphill after the effort followed by running downhill quickly. I'd do the effort and then jog back down.

People go on about running downhill but I think the risks outweigh the benefits. You have to watch your hammy's and more importantly your I.T. Band. If you upset the I.T.B.(very likely running fastish downhill) and it becomes like a rod, you'll have all sorts of problems. Whereas, uphill is safe and effective.

Also, I'd find a hill that's a touch steeper - 5% to 7%.

I suspect you're going to do the bounding and all the other stuff; if you are, you don't need to do more than two drills of each exercise.

Personally, I'd go for the Canova method rather than the Lydiard (but I'm not going to get into a fight about Lydiard and Canova).

With Canova, you do 8x8 sec's flat out up a steep hill 7% +. This is a supersonic session: easy to do, helps you recover, and the benefits are huge, especially if you do these at the end of a long run, later in your training.

I'd also go for the 10x1min session off a jog back rec - this is a killer, but helps economy, strength, and gets you up in the max heart rate zone - good prep. for purer speed work.

A weekly run over hills is good too, as is a 4-6 mile uphill lactate threshold effort, but I think you live in a flat area, so perhaps the treadmill would be handy.

Anything you do on the hills will help - just be careful on the downhills: you don't want to waste all the hard work with an avoidable injury.

Great session. You'll notice things getting harder now:(. Stay on top of your rest(afternoon naps:), sleep, and food). Food's huge for the recovery stuff. If you're organized, you'll be able to control the food aspect. Highly recommend, plums, raw organic chocolate, and cinnamon: these are topnotch anti oxidants and you're going to need plenty of antooxidants to stop yourself from getting run-down. Keep at it and enjoy.

Many thanks. I have not read through any of the Canova hill training descriptions - will have to do so now. Finding a steep hill of significant length is a bit of a challenge here. The bridge over to the beaches in Clearwater will have to be used.

Logisically could require careful scheduling....

Will back off on the fast downhill per your advice.

I did intend to start the bounding and springing on the next session. Would you limit the sessions to 2-3 times per week or more frequently?

I'd do your 300m efforts with a jog back rec and back it up with one session of the bounding etc and a treadmill, lactate threshold effort over 4 miles with an incline. Then, with your long run (2nd half at mp) and recovery runs, you'll have a good balance and an increase in quality that will prepare you (ligaments, tendons and muscles etc) for the next phase.

You know that treadmills have incline settings for hill running right?

Stadium steps are good. Also, feel free to come to Utah for a week or two.

Thanks Rob - I do know about incline settings :) - but was not sure if it would work well with the bounding and springing drills - mechanically equivalent to outside. Stadiums of course are another option - I think Marty Liquori advocated their use especially for people living in Florida.

If all I had to worry about was training - I would definitely spend several weeks in Utah and stay at altitude for a while. Too bad my avocation is not my vocation too.

In my cycling days down yonder I recall a bridge or overpass over a train track or lake on A19. Not sure how close that is to you now, but I remember it as a nice little challenge. Of course, it may not have a pedestrian section to speak of. Not a whole lot of options down there.

Great improvement since April - got to fill you with confidence. All those miles are paying off and you haven't even started training yet:)