Period Dates Description Objectives Details (3 core training sessions per week, at least 1 complete rest day per week)
Junior Senior Elite
Base Training Winter Low intensity, high quantity increase cardiovascular fitness, increase endurance, repair injuries, build strength 1 long distance (60-90 mins easy), 1 middle distance (20-30 mins moderate to hard), 1 aerobic intervals (3-6 mins hard), strength training (1 times per week) 1 long distance (75-120 mins easy), 1 middle distance (30-45 mins moderate to hard), 1 aerobic intervals (3-6 mins hard), strength training (1-2 times per week) 1 long distance (115-180 mins easy), 1 middle distance (45 mins moderate to hard), 1 aerobic intervals (3-6 mins hard), strength training (1-2 times per week)
Technical Training Spring High intensity, orienteering technique learn new skills, perfect existing skills 1 long distance, 2 an/aerobic intervals (60-90 secs, 1-3 mins or hills) 1 long distance, 2 an/aerobic intervals (60-90 secs, 1-3 mins or hills) 1 long distance, 2 an/aerobic intervals (60-90 secs, 1-3 mins or hills)
Competition Period Summer Peaking, race analyzing, technical adjustments increase race performance, analyze races, race planning, mental training 1 race, 1 aerobic intervals (30-90 seconds), 1 endurance (30 mins), recovery type sessions( 80m strides, threshold runs 10- 25 mins) 1 race, 1 aerobic intervals (30-90 seconds), 1 endurance (45 mins), recovery type sessions( 80m strides, threshold runs 10- 25 mins) 1 race, 1 aerobic intervals (30-90 seconds), 1 endurance (45 mins), recovery type sessions( 80m strides, threshold runs 10- 25 mins)
Base Training Late summer Low intensity recover from summer races, improve endurance and strength 1 long distance (50-90 mins easy), 1 middle distance (20 mins moderate), 1 aerobic intervals (3-6 mins), strength training (1-2 times per week) 1 long distance (60-100 mins easy), 1 middle distance (30 mins moderate), 1 aerobic intervals (3-6 mins), strength training (1-2 times per week) 1 long distance (90-120 mins easy), 1 middle distance (45 mins moderate), 1 aerobic intervals (3-6 mins), strength training (1-2 times per week)
Technical Training Fall 2003 orienteering technique improve o technique, prepare for fall races 1 long distance, 2 an/aerobic intervals (60-90 secs, 1-3 mins or hills) 1 long distance, 2 an/aerobic intervals (60-90 secs, 1-3 mins or hills) 1 long distance, 2 an/aerobic intervals (60-90 secs, 1-3 mins or hills)
Competition Period Fall 2003 Peaking, race analyzing, technical adjustments increase race performance, analyze races, race planning, mental training 1 race, 1 aerobic intervals (30-90 seconds), 1 endurance (30 mins), recovery type sessions( 80m strides, threshold runs 10- 25 mins) 1 race, 1 aerobic intervals (30-90 seconds), 1 endurance (45 mins), recovery type sessions( 80m strides, threshold runs 10- 25 mins) 1 race, 1 aerobic intervals (30-90 seconds), 1 endurance (45 mins), recovery type sessions( 80m strides, threshold runs 10- 25 mins)
Rest Late fall Recovery and energize recover from injuries, get ahead in school, build immune system, build motivation, analyze season 3 easy runs, pool running, cycling, hiking, walking 3 easy runs, pool running, cycling, hiking, walking 3 easy runs, pool running, cycling, hiking, walking
Training comments:  Canadian orienteers have tended to place all their training emphasis on the warmer months of the year, training only during orienteering season.  International level elite athletes train all year round and as much as 1000 hours per year with 600 hours as a minimum.  We on the other hand normally train half that quantity or less.  We also tend toward a "daily run" which is a standard run of 45 minutes to an hour which we "run" every day on a more or less regular basis.  With this kind of training you become very good at running slow.  It is time to change the way we train.  We need to find training partners and we need to increase the intensity at which we train to mimic the same intensities we race at.  If you want to run faster you need to train fast.