How Top Programs Get Maximum Aerobic Benefits While Preventing Injuries

Extending The Aerobic Stimulus: How to Get 12-Mile Benefits From 10-Mile Runs

Here's the deal: I've been coaching for over 20 years, and I can tell you that the coaches who are winning state titles and sending kids to college aren't just running their athletes into the ground with more mileage. They're training smarter. The gap between your program and the best programs in your area is widening. While you're debating whether to add more mileage or back off to prevent injuries, coaches at the top programs have solved this problem.

A key part of my training system I'm going to share with you for free today and it can help kids have the best season of their lives while dramatically decreasing the chance of injury. And for your program as a whole it can take your injury rate down to zero. If that sounds too good to be true it's not.

Building the aerobic engine is fundamental to distance running success. In my book Consistency Is Key, I use a car analogy and talk about (a) Building the Aerobic Engine, (b) Strengthening the Chassis, and (c) Revving the Engine.

The aerobic system is the engine that powers your athletes through races, especially as race distances increase. For example, even the 800 meters is about 60% aerobic, and as the distance grows—1600 meters, 3200 meters, or 5K—the aerobic contribution climbs to 82%, 90-92%, and 95%, respectively.

Here's what I know about coaching high school kids: it's not rocket science. You need athletes training consistently, staying injury-free, and building that aerobic engine safely over weeks and months. That consistency leads to PRs. Simple ain't easy, but the concept is straightforward.

What Is Extending the Aerobic Stimulus?

When I talk about extending the aerobic stimulus, I mean increasing the total time your athletes spend with elevated heart rates during training—not just pounding out more miles. This approach allows us to maximize aerobic development while limiting the volume of running that stresses muscles, tendons, and bones.

Too often, coaches default to simply increasing mileage to build aerobic fitness. But more miles can mean more injuries, especially if the increases aren't gradual or supported by proper warm-ups and recovery work. Instead, I focus on integrating warm-ups, running workouts, and post-run routines into one continuous session that provides an aerobic stimulus equivalent to longer runs.

Think of it this way: your athletes' bodies are like cars. You want to build a bigger engine (aerobic capacity) while strengthening the chassis (bones, muscles, tendons) to handle that engine. But if you just keep adding miles, you're asking a four-cylinder chassis to handle a V-8 engine. Eventually, something breaks.

My friend Mike Smith, who coached at Kansas State University and now coaches at West Point, introduced me to this concept: "Metabolic changes occur faster than structural changes." Your athletes can build their aerobic engines faster than they can strengthen their chassis. That's why we need a smarter approach.

The Magic of the System: Getting More From Less

For example, a 10-mile run might provide a certain aerobic benefit, but by adding structured warm-ups and post-run strengthening exercises, your athletes can get the same or greater aerobic gains as if they ran 12 miles—without the extra pounding on their bodies.

Here's how I structure the training sessions to extend the aerobic stimulus safely and effectively. The workout breaks down into three main components:

• Jeff Boelé's Warm-Up
• The Running Workout (long runs or progression runs)
• Post-Run Work (strengthening and mobility)

Jeff Boelé's Warm-Up: A 13-Minute Dynamic Start

Jeff Boelé's warm-up is a staple of my training system. It takes about 13 minutes and is designed to elevate heart rate gradually while preparing the body for running. Once you teach it to your athletes, it takes roughly 20 minutes for them to complete the first few times, but after that, it becomes second nature.

The warm-up includes dynamic movements like skipping, backward walks, butt kicks, side shuffles, leg swings, and sprint drills such as A and B marches. These exercises not only get the heart pumping but also improve mobility and running mechanics, which are critical for injury prevention.

For fit athletes, the warm-up might not feel challenging, and their heart rate may stay moderate. For less fit or younger athletes, this warm-up can be quite taxing and will keep their heart rate elevated throughout.

The Running Workout: Long Runs and Progression Runs

After the warm-up, your athletes move into the main running workout. Whether you're coaching cross country or track, this system works for both. In cross country, you're building that base for 5K racing. In track, you're preparing for everything from 800m to 3200m.

I use five workouts I use to build the aerobic engine

1. Long Runs – These are "steady" runs designed to build endurance over time.
2. Fartlek Runs – We oscillate between a faster pace and then back off to a steady pace (but not an easy pace.
3. Progression Runs – These runs start at a steady pace and gradually increase in pace, with athletes finishing fast but controlled.
4. Aerobic Repeats – These workouts have the athlete running for several minutes at a faster pace, then taking a generous amount of easy running as the recovery before the next repetition.
5. 30-90 Fartlek – An athlete favorite, this is 30 seconds a faster rhtymn - roughly 5k pace or faster - followed by 90 seconds easy. 

I use these workouts in both cross country and track, both in the off-season - summer and winter - as well as in-season.

You can read more about all of these workouts in this article.

For example, in week one of track season, a fit athlete might do a 60-minute long run following the warm-up. This is slightly less volume than their typical cross country long runs, which might have been 70 minutes or more in the fall. The reason for lowering volume initially is to accommodate the time spent warming up and doing post-run work, which together extend the aerobic stimulus.

In week two, the training switches to a 25-minute progression run. This run starts with 7 minutes of easy running, transitions into 8 minutes with three 20-second strides, then moves into a 25-minute segment broken down into 10 minutes steady pace, 5 minutes a bit faster but controlled, and ends with 5 minutes fast but controlled. The run finishes with 5 minutes easy. This whole run is continuous and designed to build aerobic capacity while teaching pacing and finishing strong.

Post-Run Work: The Secret to Injury Prevention

Here's where the magic happens. Immediately after the running portion, athletes transition into post-run work. This is critical for injury prevention and maintaining a strong running "chassis." We categorize post-run work into four levels of difficulty:

• Red – Easiest
• Orange – Moderate
• Yellow – Challenging
• Green – Very Challenging

On easy days, athletes do red-level post-run work, including exercises like push-ups, bodyweight squats, and mobility drills. On harder days, they progress to orange or yellow.

This post-run segment typically lasts 15-25 minutes and keeps the heart rate elevated, further extending the aerobic stimulus without additional running. It also builds strength and mobility that reduce injury risk.

The best part? Your athletes can get all of these post-run routines for free on an app. No complicated equipment, no expensive gym memberships. Just effective, proven exercises they can do anywhere.

Click here to get this free resource.

The Math That Changes Everything

Let's look at some examples of how these sessions extend the aerobic stimulus beyond just the running time:

• Week 1 for a fit athlete: 13-minute warm-up + 60-minute long run + 17 minutes of post-run work = 90 minutes total with about 78 minutes of elevated heart rate aerobic stimulus.
• Week 1 for a less fit athlete: 13-minute warm-up + 40-minute long run + 12 minutes post-run work = 65 minutes of aerobic stimulus, equivalent to running 7.6 miles at their pace, even though they only ran 4.7 miles.
• Week 2 for a fit athlete: 45-minute progression run + 22 minutes of post-run work = 67 minutes of aerobic stimulus, equivalent to about 9 miles at a 7:30 pace.
• Week 5 for a fit athlete: 70-minute long run + 25 minutes of post-run work = 95 minutes of aerobic stimulus, equivalent to about 12 miles, even though the athlete only ran about 10 miles.

This math shows the power of extending the aerobic stimulus through warm-ups and post-run work. Your athletes get the fitness of longer runs without the injury risk that comes from excessive pounding.

Building Their Attention Span for Hard Work

Building aerobic fitness safely isn't just about the physical work. It's also a mental challenge. When athletes finish a long run, their instinct is to rest, hydrate, and socialize. But in this training system, they immediately move into 15-25 minutes of focused post-run work.

This practice builds their attention span for hard work—a skill that pays huge dividends when race pace workouts and competitive seasons begin. The mental toughness developed during these long continuous sessions helps athletes stay strong and focused during tough workouts and races.

In my book Consistency Is Key, I write about this concept extensively. Chapter 2 is called "Build Your Attention Span for Hard Work," and it's one of the most important skills your athletes can develop. When they can focus for 90 minutes straight—warm-up, run, and post-run work—they're building the mental skills they'll need to handle anything you throw at them during the competitive season.

Think about it: if they can stay mentally engaged for a 70-minute long run and then immediately transition into 20 minutes of challenging post-run work, what's a 20-minute tempo run going to feel like? What's a 5K cross country race going to feel like? They'll be mentally prepared for anything.

Getting Your Athletes Bought In

You're going to have to get your kids bought into this and explain to them that there is a better way to train. If kids have been injured, it should be a pretty easy sell. For kids who've had some success and haven't done this, tell them that the best programs in the country are doing things like this, the best professional athletes are doing things like this.

I understand that convincing athletes to run fewer miles while promising better fitness can be a tough sell. They might be watching their Strava or Garmin data and seeing other teams logging higher mileage. It's natural for them to think more miles equal better fitness.

That's why it's important to educate your athletes on the concept of extending the aerobic stimulus. Explain how the warm-up and post-run work add aerobic benefits that traditional mileage alone can't provide. Emphasize injury prevention and long-term improvement.

With time, your athletes will notice they feel stronger, stay healthier, and run faster—even with less pounding on their legs. The testimonials from coaches who have adopted this system show consistent injury-free seasons and PRs across the board.

The Urgency: Close the Gap Now

The best programs in your area are doing this, and the best programs in your state are doing this. The gap between you and them, just like in a race, is widening, and it's time to close that gap.

While you're still debating whether to add more mileage or wondering why your athletes keep getting hurt, these programs have moved on. They're building bigger aerobic engines, keeping their athletes healthy, and watching them run PRs consistently.

The sophistication of high school coaching right now is at an all-time high. If you're not doing sophisticated coaching in 2024, you're not going to have kids making the state meet in individual events, and you're not going to be able to qualify your 4x800.

Free Training to Get You Started

Let me tee this up for you. I've got five weeks of free training that you can learn more about. Whether you're coaching cross country or track, these systems will work for both.

You can get the Summer XC Training Essentials or the Track Training Essentials. These include everything you need to implement this system: complete workout plans, video demonstrations, and progressive training schedules.

Getting Your Athletes Started: Free Resources and Tools

If you want to implement this system, I've made all the essential resources available for free. You can access Jeff Boelé's warm-up videos and post-run work routines via a free app or YouTube. This makes it easy to have your entire team follow the same structure, whether you're at practice, on the track, or on the road.

Once you sign up with your email, you get access to PDFs and videos that break down every exercise and workout. This ensures your athletes do the movements correctly and safely, maximizing the benefits and minimizing injury risk.

The warm-up videos cover all the key movements, from lateral drills to sprint mechanics. The post-run work videos range from the easier "red" days to the more challenging "orange" days, with detailed instructions on hip mobility, strength circuits, and core exercises.

Final Thoughts: The Path to Injury-Free Excellence

The key takeaway is this: to help your athletes run PRs consistently, you must build the aerobic engine as big as possible—but do it safely. Being injury-free is a crucial part of being good in both cross country and track. And doing this is going to build the aerobic engine and keep them injury-free, which leads to consistency. Consistency over weeks and months leads to PRs.

Extending the aerobic stimulus through a combination of warm-ups, running workouts, and post-run strengthening is the best way to do that. By focusing on progressive volume, elevated heart rate time, and injury prevention, you'll keep your team healthy and motivated all season long.

This approach is not just about physical training; it's about building their attention span for hard workouts and being consistent with their training—two essential traits for success in distance running. Remember, coaching high school kids isn't rocket science. You need athletes to train consistently, stay injury-free, and build that aerobic engine safely over weeks and months.

Remember, the goal isn't just to run more miles—it's to run smarter, safer, and ultimately faster.

Where to Go From Here

There are three things you can get:

1. The Summer XC Training Essentials - 5 Weeks of Training - Free
2. The Track Training Essentials - 5 Weeks of Training - Free
3. The XC Training System (XCTS) - 24 Weeks of Training for All Levels of Athletes - Lifetime access
4. The Track Training System (TTS) - 24 Weeks of Training for All Levels of Athletes - Lifetime access

To dive deeper into this training philosophy, you can explore my full XC Training System and Track Training System. These are the best training systems I have to offer, and they're an exceptional value when you consider that you have lifetime access. They provide comprehensive plans for every level of athlete, plus live classes where you can as me questions. Join hundreds of coaches who have adopted these methods and seen their athletes stay injury-free and run PRs.

Feel free to reach out anytime at [email protected] if you have questions or want to discuss how to implement these concepts with your team.

And don't forget to subscribe to my newsletter for weekly tips, insights, and updates designed specifically for high school coaches, athletes, and parents.

Let's build that aerobic engine safely and effectively—your athletes deserve it.

XC Training System (XCTS)

“I have coached for 25 years, and I can confidently say the XCTS is the best value and input I've received in my coaching career and was effective both as far as results and injury prevention.

My 25 runner freshman program was 100% on the "no prior training" XCTS plan and for the first time in my coaching career no athlete was injured during the entire season!!!  

The top runner set the school record for the 3K and 5K and the team overall did well by historical standards.

The high school cross country training system for my varsity was greatly influenced by the XCTS. The 16:09 team average at our Divisional meet was the fastest in school history and every member of our team had a PR at Divisional or States. Injuries were much less frequent.

Overall, the team was in the trainer's room less and was highly competitive in the most competitive division in the state of MA. Part of this was actually backing off of some of the intensity in my program and more importantly progressing ALL ELEMENTS of the training stimulus.” - Seth Kirby, Massachusetts 

"Using Jay's pre and post-work has markedly improved the number of girls that are injury-free. Many parents and athletes have mentioned to me this year that compared to what we have previously done, there are fewer lower leg injuries, i.e. the dreaded shin splints.

When joining XCTS, you are getting A LOT. I have been using it for almost 3 years now and am still learning and finding ways to better implement the system across my girls' XC and track programs.

Jay has made a very concerted effort to update the systems as he sees areas for improvement and to enhance the program, all at no additional cost and benefit to the coach/athletes.

We had the most successful year in our school's history in XC (5th at D1 state) with an outstanding track season as well.” - Glen Gardiner, Wisconsin

Track Training System (TTS)

"Just wanted you to know how beneficial the TTS has been to me this track season.   

I’ve purchased other digital books and courses to help me become a better coach. Sadly, most of them have ended up as unused digital file on my computer because they weren’t easy to follow or implement. 

Jay has designed TTS to be easily usable. Available on an app, the videos and training plans are broken down into easy to find sections within the TTS, making it quick to find what you need, print or watch, and implement. Many of the videos I’ve watched multiple times; and, as I learn from Jay and become more experienced with the principles of training, the videos become more helpful. 

The TTS also included several live webinars. Jay’s excitement and passion for helping high school athletes is evident especially during the webinars.

He is eager to answer questions, clarify details of how to execute a specific workout, and share the “why” behind so many of the principles he teaches. 

I’m still fairly new to coaching and needed help being certain that the volume and intensity I assigned an athlete was right. Jay helped me figure that out and was always available to help me adjust the plans to fit my meet schedule. 

Everything Jay said would be in the TTS was there - the training plans, pre and post work, webinars, videos...even the PR’s! Can’t wait to get going with the XC season training!" - Nanette Fawcett

"The TTS was a game changer for our program. 

In our first season using it last spring our athletes, both JV and Varsity, ran PRs and many did so multiple times. They were prepared and executed their fastest performances late in the season. We had athletes qualify for the State Meet for the first time. 

The training helped increase athlete confidence and successes from it helped create excitement for the sport that then carried over into summer training and fall cross country. 

To see our kids succeed from top to bottom and have a blast was worth the cost of the program.  I would highly recommend it to any coach." - Sara Schwendinger, Iowa