Beginner Distance Running Practice Plan (90 Minutes)

Track and Field·High School·Beginner·90 min

By the PracticePlan Coaching Team · Published June 2026

1.What We’re Teaching Today (And Why)
2.How This Practice Builds a Base Without Overdoing It
3.A Simple Weekly Structure To Explain During Water Breaks
4.The 90-Minute Practice Plan
5.What You'll Need
6.Run The Fartlek Like A Coach, Not A Stopwatch
7.Common Breakdowns And The Fix
8.Adjustments For Roster Size, Space, And Equipment
9.What To Do Next Practice
10.Frequently Asked Questions

Practice context: Track and Field · high school · 90 minutes · Goal: teach brand-new distance runners how to warm up, run with control, and finish a short fartlek feeling like they could do one more rep.

What We’re Teaching Today (And Why)#

If your kids are new to distance, the two biggest problems on day one are (1) they sprint the “easy” parts and crash, and (2) they run tense and beat up their lower legs. This practice fixes both by giving them a repeatable warm-up, a few form checkpoints, and a first interval session that’s based on effort (not exact pace) so everyone can succeed.

We’ll use three effort levels they can actually feel:

Easy: can talk in full sentences, nose-breathing is possible.
Steady: can talk in short phrases, breathing is working but controlled.
Fast (not all-out): can say 1–2 words, posture stays tall, you finish the rep in control.

How This Practice Builds a Base Without Overdoing It#

New runners don’t need a huge workout; they need consistency and joints/tendons that can handle the week. Today’s main set is a short fartlek (surges inside an easy run). It teaches changing gears and learning what “comfortably hard” feels like, without the stress of a track-only interval session.

We’ll also coach a simple cooldown and two quick injury-prevention habits (shin splints and IT band irritations are the usual early-season issues). The goal is for them to leave practice knowing exactly what to do tomorrow on their own: easy run or easy cross-train, plus 5 minutes of strength/mobility.

A Simple Weekly Structure To Explain During Water Breaks#

Keep the message short and repeat it all week:

2 days easy aerobic: conversational running + strides.
1 day “quality”: fartlek/tempo/short intervals like today.
1 day longer easy: build time gradually (not speed).
2 days very easy or cross-train: if legs are sore, bike/elliptical beats forcing miles.

Today is the template: warm up the same way, run with control, cool down the same way, and do the small injury-prep every time.

The 90-Minute Practice Plan#

9-period beginner high school practice · 90 min

Customize This Plan →

Time	Period	Coaching Notes
0:00–0:06	Team Check-In And Safety	Bring them in at the start line/field edge with water bottles in hand. Quick expectations: where the run route goes, how we cross roads (if applicable), and what “stop” means (everyone freezes and looks at you). Cues: “If you’re unsure, you’re in the wrong place—ask.” “We don’t race in practice unless I say race.” Watch for: shoes tied, phones put away, everyone knows the bathroom/water location. Tell them today’s win: finish the fartlek feeling like you could do one more surge.
0:06–0:16	Dynamic Warm-Up And Easy Jog	Use a 200–400m loop or straightaway. Start with 4 minutes easy jog as a group, then circle up for dynamic mobility. Leg swings (front/back, side/side) 8 each, walking lunges 10, high knees 2x20m, butt kicks 2x20m, side shuffle 2x20m. Cues: “Easy means you can talk.” “Tall hips.” “Arms like you’re brushing your ribs.” Common issue: they take the jog too fast and start breathing hard. Fix: put a talk-test on it—make them answer a question while jogging; if they can’t, slow the group down.
0:16–0:28	Form Basics With Strides	Set two cones about 60–80m apart on a straight, flat surface (track straightaway or grass). Athletes go one at a time or in pairs with plenty of space. Demo once: relaxed jog in, then 15–20 seconds of smooth acceleration (a “stride”), then walk back. Complete 4–6 strides total. First 2 are very relaxed, last 2 are quicker but still smooth. Watch for: quiet feet landing under the body and shoulders staying down. Cues: “Tall chest, soft hands.” “Quick feet, don’t reach.” “Run fast smooth.” Common issue: kids sprint and get choppy. Fix: cap the speed—tell them it should feel like 85%, and make them repeat one stride focusing only on relaxation. If you have a big group, run two lines using the inside and outside of the straight so nobody stands around.
0:28–0:38	Pacing Demo: Easy Vs Steady	On the same loop/straight, do a simple “feel” lesson. Everyone runs 2 minutes easy, then 2 minutes steady, then 2 minutes easy. You run alongside different kids to calibrate effort. Cues: “Easy = full sentence.” “Steady = short phrases.” “If your shoulders rise, you’re too hot.” Watch for: steady pace looks the same at the end as it did at the start (no sprint-then-survive). Common issue: they don’t know what steady is and drift into hard. Fix: make steady a pace where they could hold it for 20 minutes, not 2. If they’re breathing like a test, pull them back immediately.
0:38–0:41	Water Break And Workout Brief	Water on the spot—don’t let them wander. While they drink, explain the fartlek using one sentence: “We’re doing short fast surges inside an easy run to learn gears.” Cues: “Fast is controlled.” “Easy is recovery.” “Finish in control.” Assign pairs/groups now so you don’t waste time once you start moving.
0:41–1:01	Main Set: Intro Fartlek	Set a loop with cones/landmarks every ~100m (or use track marks). Keep it on flat ground; grass is great if shins are a concern. Pair athletes and stagger starts by 10–20 seconds to avoid a giant pack. Run: 8 rounds of 1 minute fast (controlled) + 1 minute easy. Total 16 minutes of work, with 2 minutes at the end to regroup and jog easy. Cues: “Fast = quick feet and tall posture.” “Easy = shake it out, breathe.” “No hero reps—same speed every fast minute.” Watch for: they hit the last two fast minutes with the same form as the first two. Common issue: kids sprint the first fast minute and walk the second. Fix: shorten the fast to 30 seconds for that pair and keep the easy at 90 seconds; once they finish controlled, build back to 60/60. If you have a stronger group, let them do 10 rounds instead of 8, but only if they stay smooth and don’t turn it into a race.
1:01–1:09	Easy Cooldown Jog	Bring them back together and jog easy as a group. This is where you reinforce that the workout isn’t over when the “hard part” ends—cooldown is part of staying healthy. Cues: “Nose-breath if you can.” “Arms low and loose.” Watch for: breathing settles and they can talk again by the end. Common issue: they stop immediately and sit. Fix: keep the group moving—tell them, “We jog until I say walk,” then transition straight into mobility.
1:09–1:21	Injury-Prevention Circuit	Circle up on grass. You’re teaching two things: lower-leg capacity for shin splints and hip strength for IT band irritation. Keep it moving—demo once, then coach while they work. Calf raises 2x12 (straight knee), then bent-knee calf raises 2x12 (soleus). Slow on the way down. Tibialis raises against a fence/bleacher 2x12 (toes up, heels down). Mini-band lateral walks 2x10 steps each way, then glute bridge 2x10. Cues: “Slow down phase matters.” “Knees track over toes.” “Hips level on bridges.” Common issue: they rush reps and bounce. Fix: count tempo out loud: “Up 1, down 2–3,” and restart the set if form is sloppy. If you don’t have bands, substitute side-lying leg raises and bodyweight squats to a box/bench.
1:21–1:30	Stretch, Recap, And Weekly Plan	Finish with 3–4 quick stretches (calf, quad/hip flexor, hamstring, glute) held ~20 seconds each—no long stretching lecture. Then huddle for a tight recap. Ask: “What does easy feel like?” “What’s our rule for fast?” Call on 2–3 athletes. Weekly structure: 2 easy days, 1 quality day like today, 1 longer easy day, and very easy/cross-train as needed. Exit instruction: “Tonight: drink water, eat something with carbs + protein, and if your shins are sore, ice 10 minutes and tell me tomorrow.” Watch for: they leave knowing what tomorrow’s effort should feel like, not just “run hard.”

What You'll Need#

Flat agility discs (12–20) for landmarks
Two stopwatches or a stopwatch app
Whistle (optional for start/stop cues)
Foam rollers (6–10) or lacrosse balls
Mini bands (8–12) for hips/glutes
Chalk or tape to mark a 100m segment (if no cones)
Water cooler and cups/bottles

Run The Fartlek Like A Coach, Not A Stopwatch#

The fartlek period is the most important block today. Your job is to keep it controlled so new runners learn pacing instead of “survive and stagger.” Put athletes in pairs (similar ability if you can) and give them one rule: the fast segments must look smooth—tall posture, relaxed hands, no wild sprinting. Stand where you can see faces and shoulders; when they get tight, they’re going too hard.

Script it out loud: “Fast means quick feet and tall chest, not a sprint.”
Use landmarks: cones every ~100m so you can call, “Fast to the next cone, then easy past two cones.”
Finish check: after the last surge, they should be able to jog 2 minutes. If they can’t, next time shorten the surge or slow the surge.

Common Breakdowns And The Fix#

Breakdown: Kids blast the first surge and fall apart. Why: they only know “run hard.” Fix: make the first 2 surges “controlled fast” and require a partner check: if you can’t say your partner’s name at the end of a surge, you went too hard—slow the next one.
Breakdown: Overstriding/heel striking with a loud slap. Why: they reach for speed instead of increasing cadence. Fix: cue “land under hips” and have them do 10-second quick-feet in place before the next rep; then restart the surge focusing on quieter steps.
Breakdown: Shoulders up, fists clenched, jaw tight. Why: anxiety + effort. Fix: give a reset cue: “Drop your shoulders, open your hands, exhale.” If they can’t relax, they run the next surge at steady instead of fast.
Breakdown: Shin pain shows up mid-practice. Why: too much too soon, stiff ankles, hard surfaces. Fix: switch them to grass for the rest of the run, shorten the fast segments, and make sure cooldown includes calf/soleus work. If pain changes their stride, they stop running and bike/walk instead—no limping reps.

Adjustments For Roster Size, Space, And Equipment#

8–10 athletes: run the fartlek as a single pack with you calling changes. Put your best “steady” runner in front as the pace car and rotate the leader every 2 surges so nobody turns it into a race.

12–14 athletes: pairs work best. Start pairs 10 seconds apart so you don’t get a giant clump at the cones. You can coach individuals as they pass you each rep.

16–20+ athletes: make three groups (A/B/C) based on current fitness (not ego). Give each group its own start cone and loop so faster kids aren’t weaving through everyone. If you only have one loop, stagger starts by 20 seconds and assign one captain per group to repeat the call: “Fast now—easy now.”

Limited equipment: no problem—use painted lines, fence posts, or the corners of the field as landmarks. If you don’t have a track, do the fartlek on a flat grass loop to reduce shin stress.

If a kid can’t run continuously yet: they do run/walk with the same structure (example: fast = 20 seconds run, easy = 60 seconds walk). They stay in the workout and learn pacing without getting buried.

What To Do Next Practice#

Next practice, keep the warm-up identical and add one new piece: 4–6 x 200m relaxed with full walk-back recovery (or 6 x 30-second relaxed pickups on grass). The first thing that will break down is still pacing—kids will race the 200s—so keep the standard: smooth form, finish in control, and you should be able to jog afterward.

Frequently Asked Questions#

What if I don’t have access to a track?

Run everything on a flat grass loop or a safe sidewalk loop. Use cones/landmarks for the surge points. Grass is actually better for brand-new runners because it’s easier on shins.

How hard should the “fast” parts of the fartlek be for beginners?

Fast is strong but controlled—never a sprint. They should finish each surge able to jog the next easy segment. If they’re gasping or form falls apart, shorten the surge or slow it down.

What do I do with athletes who are already in good shape and get bored?

Give them the same structure but a tighter standard: smoother form, quicker cadence, and slightly faster “steady” pace. You can also add 2 extra surges at the end while the group cools down, as long as they still finish controlled.

How do I keep the group from turning the fartlek into a race?

Start pairs/groups at different times, and make the rule that passing is only allowed during the easy segments. If someone sprints to pass on a surge, they drop back behind that runner on the next rep.

A runner says their shin hurts—do they keep going?

If it changes their stride, they stop running that day and switch to walking or biking. If it’s mild soreness and they can run normally, move them to grass, shorten the surges, and make sure they do the calf/soleus work in the cooldown.