Hi, everyone,

No long-winded video from your coach this week, so please take a few minutes to read my weekly message.

I’m stating the obvious when I say to please be extra cautious with your running during this heat wave. Looks like our cool, beautiful endless spring has now turned into an endless streak of 90+ summer days. The biggest rule of all to follow is stop worrying about pace and to SLOW it down to the point you feel comfortable.

*A big thanks to Matt Haas and the Kiwanis and Leah and Jay (CTC) for helping to set things up for our virtual version of the Independence Day 5K. Looks like many of you jumped in at one of the four courses we offered. And thanks for donating to our friends at BBBS!

*Impressive Improvements: Looks like Coach Adrian is turning many of you into fast milers. I love it, as it’s going to make you all into faster more efficient distance runners this fall and beyond. Here’s just a small sampling from some fast feats summer thus far this summer: Larry S. (8:22 to 7:38), Peter T. (7:35 to 7:05), John C. (6:01 to 5:45), Josh T. (5:18 to 5:08), Chris B. (5:35 to 5:03), Courtney C. (7:15 to 7:01), Jane J. (7:11), Anne C. (6:52 to 6:43) and Erik B. (7:42 to 7:12)! Wow!

*Happy Birthdays to Kristin H. (40 today!), Zen M. (Wednesday) and Sarah W. (30 on Saturday!)!

I’m missing seeing, timing and cheering for you all on Wednesdays but I’m loving how positive you are being. Let’s keep it going!

Coach Mark
434-962-1694 (text)

KEYS to SUCCESS

-Run most of your weekly miles as slow as it takes to feel TOTALLY comfortable (AHR)…the hotter and hillier the slower you need to go! Remember: consistent effort, not pace, is the key!

-Get out extra early (5:00-5:30am) for your runs, especially on Wednesdays and Saturdays

-5-8 minutes of daily core work

-Foam roll every single day, especially on the days you don’t run.

-Make sure you’re adequately hydrated prior to your run

-Replenish your electrolytes during your longer runs

-The first 5 minutes of all of your runs should be the very slowest

-Your long run should never be greater than the sum of all your other runs.

-Try to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep while in training

-New ache or pain? Please communicate with me right away. Don’t wait! Text or stop by outside the shop from 8:30-4:00.

WEEK of JULY 6
***IMPORTANT: AHR = ~70-75% of 10 miler pace or ~80% of MP

*Speedsters:
-5K-10K summer/fall racers = 20-30 miles (80-85% AHR/15-20% faster)
-Oktoberfest Half Marathoners = 30-35 miles (90-95% at AHR/5-10% faster)

MONDAY July 6
*Speedsters = normal AHR miles with 6 x 15 second flat surface form surges with a slow 45 second recovery in between each

WEDNESDAY July 8
*Speedsters = “Cameron Crazies” anywhere you can find a half mile hilly loop.

Surge hard on the ascents and try to work on an “active” recovery (not as slow as AHR…maybe ~85-90% of HMP) on the descents and flats. Run 6 half mile loops, making each loop faster than the previous (key to the workout). Please note that the loop does not need to be exactly a half mile (anywhere from .4-.6 would be fine). No recovery in between the loops! This is like a glorified fartlek.

SATURDAY July 11
*Speedsters (rolling courses):
-5K-10K racers = 8-9 AHR miles
-Half Marathoners = 10-12 miles all at AHR

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Weekly Video Message
https://youtu.be/oBgYkD6UgDg

Hi, everyone,

Thanks for taking the time to fill out the questionnaire. That was very helpful for your coach. If you haven’t done so, please take a few minutes to do so.

This week kicks off the second training “season” of the pandemic. We have lots of fun races and challenges laid out for you, including the Parent/Child Summer Track Challenge this Thursday and the virtual Independence Day 5K this weekend.

Speaking of challenges, the All Central Virginia 100K tentative schedule is as follows:
7/25 = 20K
8/22 = 25K
9/19 = 30K
(all subject to change based on the heat and humidity)  

I’ve included another one of my coach’s video messages this week, so please take a few minutes to listen in.

Happy Birthday’s to Sophie L. (Wednesday) and Lindsey C. (Friday).
 
I’ve been hearing lots of good things from our Miler Club crew. That’s great!
And speaking of the Milers Club, it’s Coach Adrian’s birthday on Monday (tomorrow). Our third child is 31 years old! He told me the other day that he’s having a blast coaching you!

And here’s wishing all of you have a restful holiday weekend. I hope many of you will be able to get out to one of our four 5K courses to race, run or walk our virtual 5K. And thanks for donating to BBBS!

Let’s keep this positive attitude going!
Happy Running,
Coach Mark
434-962-1694 (text)

WEEK of JUNE 29
For those still looking to “workout” or “work towards” a goal…

SPEEDSTERS:
-5K-10K crew (those training for the Summer Single Age Group Series, Women’s Four Miler, Pepsi 10K, etc.) = 20-25+ miles (~85% AHR/15% faster)

-Oktoberfest Half Marathoners and All Central Virginia 100K Club folks = 25-30+ miles (~85% AHR/15% faster)  

A few reminders:
1.    AHR (very relaxed, conversational pace) is what most of your miles should be run at (see my percentage suggestions above). I suggest at least 75-90 seconds/mile SLOWER than your targeted MP or about 2-3 minutes slower/mile than your targeted 5K-10K pace! And when it’s HOT and HUMID, like it will be all this week, please slow it down even more. Worry less about PACE and more about EFFORT! The slower and more relaxed you go the stronger you’ll become.    

2.    Make your first 4-6 minutes the slowest pace of your total run.  

3.    Core work at least three days/week (every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday). I’d suggest pushups, situps, hand weights for upper body work, planks and balancing work. All of this can be done at home or at an outside gym scenario. The stronger your core is the mor efficient a runner you’ll be. Plus, the risk of injury will be greatly reduced.

4.    Hydrate throughout the day so you’re not dehydrated going in to your run.

5.    Use Electrolytes during your Saturday longer runs. I recommend Gatorade or those great NUUN tablets.    

6.    I’m now available for face-to-face (masked of course) consultations outside the shop. I’m there pretty much every day from 8:30-4:00. Text ahead of time to just to make sure. Love to SEE you!    

MONDAY June 29
*Speedsters = normal AHR miles with 5 x 12 second hill form surges with a slow full recovery of 48 seconds

WEDNESDAY July 1
***Those “racing” the July 4th 5K = Fartlek of 15 seconds faster followed by 30 seconds slower x 10.  Flat terrain     

*Speedsters not racing 5K = Fartlek of 30 seconds faster/followed by 30 seconds slower x 15. Break into 3 sets of 5. Run the first set at /2nd set at /3rd set faster! Rolling terrain.   

THURSDAY July 2
CTC Parent/Child Summer Track Series #1 (Parent races alongside child):
***Please make sure you’re warmed up and do lots of extra dynamic strides!
-Race 200 meters (half a lap)
-10 minute break
-Race a 100 meters (quarter lap)
-5 minute break
-race 300 meters (3/4 lap)     

4 laps to the mile area tracks open:
-CHS
-AHS
-WAHS
-MHS
-Meriwether Lewis
-Walton Middle School  

SATURDAY July 4
***Virtual Independence Day 5K
https://runsignup.com/kiwanisjuly4

*Speedsters 5K-10K = 2 x 1.5 miles at 100-102% of 10 mile pace with a slow 4 minute recovery in between each. Rolling course (Bellair would be great!)
 
*Speedsters Half Marathon = 8 miles total with the middle 3 miles at 96-100% of HMP. Rolling course!

Hi, everyone,


Well, our Spring Triple Crown was a huge success, as so many of you laced up your shoes to participate. Several dozen of you completed the TC and many more of you went ahead and nailed the Triple Dare. This made me feel so happy, as your energy and enthusiasm throughout the TC, kept me engaged with each of you, because I’m really missing those special Wednesday morning group get-togethers and the Saturday races. I was in awe of the number of you that ran 5K and 10K p.r.’s too.


And I was also warmed by the number of you who donated to the causes I suggested with each leg. These worthy local organizations really need the funds right now, so your dollars made a difference!


And, as a reminder, PLEASE get your TC results to Jen Hochrein, who has kindly offered to compile them on a spread sheet. Thanks, Jen! 
jhochrein@gmail.com with the subject line “TC Results”


This is a BREAK WEEK, so drop your mileage and enjoy sticking as close to AHR as possible.


So, what’s next? Here are just a few of the things I’ve been working on to keep you on your toes and still enjoying your training during this very unique and unsettled time…


1.  The 1st Annual (and maybe last) Oktoberfest Half Marathon. We’re going to host a very socially safe Half in early October on four fast courses. I’ll be writing weekly workouts to prep you for this. Shirts too!
2.  The 1st Annual (and maybe last) Central Virginia Marathon (CVM). Very much like the socially safe half, we’re going to host a marathon on four separate courses. It will be held the same week as Richmond (unless the weather looks hot, then we’ll move it one week earlier or later), so, on the off chance that they end up having Richmond, you can pivot to that popular event instead. I’ll be writing weekly workouts for that too but you must contact me ahead of time, as those workouts will only be on the Boston Bound email. I’ll also continue to write weekly workouts for those of you training for the virtual Boston Marathon.  
3.  “Summer Single Age Group 5K Championships”. Every four weeks, starting with the Independence 5K on July 4th, we’ll be setting up four 5K courses for you to see how well you can do against the competition. The unique aspect of this fun competition is that it will be scored by SINGLE ages and GENDER. So, if you are a 39 year old female, you’ll be “competing” with other 39 year old females. Just a variation of the traditional age groups with a virtual twist to it! As you train for these 5K’s, I’ll also be prepping you for the fall virtual racing season, like the Pepsi 10K.
4.  The Women’s Four Miler! We’re still working on the details but, rest assured, there will be a Women’s Four Miler on Labor Day weekend. It won’t look exactly the same as the past but we’re hoping to have something special for you and my weekly 5K-10K workouts will be prepping you for this.  
5.  The 100K Challenge! Those of you who completed the Triple Dare will have an opportunity to earn a limited edition 100K race shirt by carrying on with a 20K, 25K and 30K this summer. I’ll be marking out four courses every four weeks starting with the 20K (12.4 miles) on the weekend of July 25th . Because it’s summer, unless it’s unseasonably cool, I’ll be suggesting that you run these as pace workouts and not all out races.
6.  Adrian’s Summer Mile Club continues for those of you who signed up a few weeks ago.
7.  Parent/Child Summer Track Challenge! Every week, throughout the month of July, we’ll be setting up a series of track challenges that you can do with your kids. Ribbons will be awarded to those who do 3, 4 or all of the 5 weekly challenges (Blue Ribbon to those who complete ALL 5)!  


As your coach, my number one goal has always been to help you stay injury free…in keeping with that mantra, I also want to continue to be as safe as possible. So, despite the Governor’s push into Phase 3 of “reopening”, tentatively set for this Friday, I’m still going to encourage you to stay responsibly distanced when it comes to group running and racing. I do not yet feel safe having us do our normal Wednesday morning workouts together, where, in the past, we usually would have anywhere from 60-100 folks running close to each other. I dearly miss those group workouts every single bit as much as you.


However, until this virus situation is behind us, I will continue to do my best to create, what I hope are fun scenarios, like the ones I laid out above, to help keep all of us as safe as possible. Some of you may not agree with me and that’s fine. I know you’re not high schoolers and are free to do whatever you like but, as your coach, I have the responsibility of creating the safest environment possible for you, my athletes. Thanks for understanding and respecting this.


I care deeply about each of you, more than you can imagine, and I look forward to the day that I can pat you all on the back, shake your hand, high five and even hug you. Until then, let’s make the best and keep having fun in our new world.


No video this week as this was an extra long email message. I want to personally thank Captain Harry and Leah for all their ongoing hard volunteer help with getting you my messages, plus maps and videos. Simply put: I could not do it without them!


And thank to Jen for compiling all the data from your TC races. Please keep sending them to her.
jhochrein@gmail.com with the subject line “TC Results”
 
***And please take 2 minutes to fill out the questionnaire below. Please return it by Friday. Thanks!


With much affection, 
Coach Mark
434-962-1694 (text) or stop by out front to see me. 
p.s. Happy Birthday to Zach S. this Wednesday!


Summer/Fall Training Questionnaire
DEADLINE: June 26
https://forms.gle/p2cHiLS25fs1URXJ8
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Greetings, everyone!
​
Enclosed please find the three new 15K maps. They are to be added to the original 2 mile and 5K maps we used for legs 1 & 2. I’ve marked the Green Springs and Sugar Hollow courses but not the Locust/Riverview. Sorry. Please use my map and your Garmin (if you have one).
The Sugar Hollow start is at the Mt. Olivet church half way down the first hill on the left. The Green Springs start is .2 miles down E. Jack Jouett.

I’d suggest racing these now through Saturday morning, although my markings may wash off by then, if it rains.

Please consider donating to one or more of the local organizations I suggested in Sunday’s email message. These are local groups already hard at work on equity and justice issues within our community.

And don’t forget to get your results to Jen jhochrein@gmail.com with the subject line “TC Results”

Thanks and enjoy the last leg of the spring TC!
Coach Mark
434-962-1694 (text)

​LEG 3 DONATIONS: Love to see you donate to any of our local organizations who are already actively working on justice and equity challenges within our community. Folks like PHAR, Legal Aid, 100 Black Men and 100 Black Women are just a few of the local causes already hard at work to dismantle systemic racism. If interested, please go to their websites for more information on how to donate.

​LEG 3 DONATIONS: Love to see you donate to any of our local organizations who are already actively working on justice and equity challenges within our community. Folks like PHAR, Legal Aid, 100 Black Men and 100 Black Women are just a few of the local causes already hard at work to dismantle systemic racism. If interested, please go to their websites for more information on how to donate.
​
http://www.pharcville.org/
https://www.justice4all.org/
https://www.100bmocv.org/
​http://www.100bwcville.org/