Suggested MILEAGE for the WEEK of JANUARY 21
*5K-10K crew = ~25-30 miles (~85% of total mileage at AHR/~15% faster)

*10 Miler-Half Marathoners = ~30-35 miles (~85% of total mileage at AHR/~15% faster)


MONDAY January 21
5-7 miles at 80-85%. End with 8 x 10 second FLAT surface surges (you ran enough hills during Saturday’s workout, so I’m giving your legs a break)


WEDNESDAY January 23
Come join me at the UVa track parking lot at 5:30am for the following workout.
***Please wear reflective gear and your head lamps.

-3 x 1.25 miles at 102-104% of your 10 miler pace with a slow 2 minute recovery at 80-85% pace in between each. I’ll have a fun course laid out for you.
-finish with 4 x 8 second hill surges

***NEW? Then please stop by or call or text me BEFORE Wednesday morning, so we can best determine what’s the best way to safely get you engaged with “speed”.

SATURDAY January 26
*5K-10K folks = 7-9 miles total at AHR with the last mile at 10 mile-10K pace.
Finish with 4 x 10 second hill surges

*10 Miler-Half Marathoners = 11-12 miles total at 80-85% with the last 2 miles at 93-98%
Finish with 4 x 10 second hill surges

SUNDAY January 27
Please join me and many others for 4-5 social miles at 80-85% pace at 6:45am at Greenberry’s at Barracks.

Greetings!

Click here for my lengthy annual Speedsters message. 

It's a similar letter to the one I just sent my Boston Marathon group. 

I know it's long but I do hope you'll take the time to carefully read ALL of it, not only because it took me many hours to compose but mainly because I hope you'll find it helpful with your overall training experience. 

Thanks for always trusting your coach to have your back!


See you Wednesday morning.

Coach Mark  

WEEK of JANUARY 14
Suggested MILEAGE
*10 mile-Half Marathoners = 25-30 miles or more 
*5K-10K = 20-25 miles or more 
  
MONDAY January 14
The roads and sidewalks will most likely be dicey in the morning, so maybe try to get out in the late afternoon or run indoors on the treadmill or in the pool, if you can. Otherwise, no worries if you can’t get it in! 

*10 Miler crew = 5-6 AHR miles with 6 x 10 second flat surface surges 
*5K-10K folks = 4-5 AHR miles with 6 x 10 second flat surface surges  

WEDNESDAY January 16
**Please, unless you hear from Leah and I on Tuesday evening saying the roads are still with black ice, join us at 5:30am outside the UVa track. 
We will be out on the roads for the next few weeks due to the electric work, so please wear a headlamp!

*“Cameron Crazy Circuits” as follows:
IMPORTANT: Do your dynamic drills over at Cameron just before starting the circuit workout.  
-1 half mile loop at around MP-HMP followed by the same half mile loop but faster, by running it as a fartlek, where you charge the hills and run active recoveries on the descents. 
Run this 1mile circuit three times total. 

After completing the three circuits, run back over to the parking lot right next to the track (the quiet one going up to the baseball stadium) and run 4 x 8 second flat surface surges. Then cooldown for a mile. 

NEW? Then please call me before Wednesday so we can go over the best and safest way to get you started with the group and speed work. 

SATURDAY January 19
***Please meet me at the entrance to Bellair all warmed up (dynamics too) and ready to go at 7:00 for the following workouts (can’t make it to Bellair at that time? No worries…just find another hilly place to do this workout).   
*10 Miler-Half marathoners = 2 x 2 miles at HMP (on the uphills) to 10 mile-10K pace (on the downhills) with a slow 3 minute jog in between each. I’ll have the course all marked for you.

*5K-10K crew = 2 x 1.5 miles at 10K-10 mile pace with a 2 minute jog in between each.  

Everyone should, after finishing their last portion of the workout, run 4 x 8 second flat surface surges.

SUNDAY January 20 
Come join your coach and a pile of folks a lot more fun than me, for 4-5 social AHR miles, at 6:45am at Greenberrys.


P.S.  Those wonderful lights at the UVa track will be temporarily turned off from January 14-February 8, due to electric work for the new softball stadium. Not to worry...your coach will have some fun workouts ready to go on the roads in the neighborhoods near the track and at the UVa Park for the Wednesdays (1/16, 1/23, 1/30 and 2/6) during this brief hiatus. Thanks for always being so flexible!

Suggested MILEAGE for the WEEK of JANUARY 7
***AHR (your Aerobic Heart Rate) should be at least 2 minutes/mile slower than your 10 K-10 Miler pace. If using a heart rate monitor, which I recommend, try to stay in the 130-140 range for this ever important AHR pace.   
 
*Those aiming for the 5K-10K racing distances this spring = ~20-25 miles or more (85% AHR/15% faster)  
 
*Those aiming for the 10 Miler-Half Marathon distances = ~25-30 miles or more (85% AHR/15% faster)
 
MONDAY January 7
4-7 AHR miles with 5 x 10 second hill surges at the very end of your run (focus on form as you use your upper body, arms and backside to lift your knees). These are not sprints, so no straining.
 
WEDNESDAY January 9
**Please join me at the UVa track at 5:30am for the following workout. Have a question? NEW? Then please get in touch with me BEFORE Wednesday morning.
**IMPORTANT: Do lots of dynamics on the track after your road warmup!
 
SPARTAN time!
-2000 (5 laps) on the track at HMP-10 mile pace
-800 off the track at MP (~40 seconds/mile slower than 10 mile pace)
-1600 on the track at 10K pace
-800 off at MP
-800 on the track at
-800 off at MP
-400 on the track at sub 5K pace…fast but relaxed!  
**Immediately after finishing run over to the railroad bridge and do 4 x 10 second hill surges    
 
TWO MILE TIME TRIAL: Have no idea of what pace your current fitness level is and a bit lost on what your race current potential is? Then let’s go ahead and have you run one of my dreaded 2 mile time trials this Wednesday (or a Wednesday in the near future). Please call me ahead of time so we can go over the strategies on how to successfully run this excellent pace gauge.
 
SATURDAY January 12
 
*5K-10K crew = 6-8 AHR miles with 4 x 10 second flat surface surges at the very end of the run
 
*10 Miler/Half crew = 9-11 AHR miles with 4 x 10 second flat surface surges at the very end of the run.
 
SUNDAY January 13
***Come join us for 4-5 social AHR running or walking miles at 6:45am at Greenberry’s in Barracks.