Greetings, everyone!

Hope you were able to get out for at least a walk in this beautiful snow. I loved being outside today!

And speaking of, please take extra care when running out on this slick stuff, especially as it gets more packed down and frozen in the early mornings, as the week goes on (Wednesday and Thursday mornings look particularly cold). Shorten your stride, bend your knees, engage your quads and stay off your heels by hitting more in your midfoot. And slow down to a walk on black ice!

We have just added one more early time slot for this Saturday’s Frostbite Four Miler, as all 160 spots (a big record) had been filled as of yesterday. So, if you’re interested in participating in the second event of the RaceFest series, signup ASAP!
https://runsignup.com/Race/VA/WhiteHall/SugarHollowBridges5and10KRun

And while we’re talking about races filling up quickly, the 10 Miler slots at Foxfield are already getting reserved.
https://www.cvilletenmiler.com

Our running buddy Linda Scandore is speaking at the Center this Tuesday at 3:00 pm about her amazing walk along the Camino in Spain. To signup for this wonderful free presentation go to The Center’s website.
https://thecentercville.org/calendar/event/15937

Please text or stop by with any new injury issues or training questions. I’m always happy to help!

Happy Birthday to Bernie (today!), Kristen S. (Wednesday… we miss you!) and Ben H. (Thursday) and Ryan S. (Sunday)!

Happy and safe running!

Coach Mark
434-962-1694 (text)

WEEK of FEBRUARY 1
***NOTE: Please use Adrian’s Pace Calculator for Wednesday and Saturdays workouts.

*Speedsters RF (those training for the RaceFest series, including the 10 Miler) = Recovery mileage week: drop your normal weekly mileage by at least 30%

*Speedsters HM (those training for the March Half Marathon) = Recovery mileage week: drop your normal weekly mileage by at least 30%

MONDAY February 1
*Due to the snow, I’d suggest just getting in whatever safe AHR miles you can. No surges!

WEDNESDAY February 3
*Speedsters RF = 8 x 200 in two sets of four, with a slow 200 recovery in between each as follows:
-First set at 104-106% of 10 mile pace
-Second set at 107-110%

*Speedsters HM =
Those racing on Saturday = same workout as above
Those not racing on Saturday = 5 x 1000 (2.5 laps) with a short 200 meter recovery in between each. Start at 102-103% of 10 mile pace and get faster with each set.

SATURDAY February 6

*Speedsters RF = Sugar Hollow race!

NOTE: If the race is postponed (to 2/13), due to the parking field still being under snow, then run the following on a rolling to flatter course (not too hilly):
-2 miles at AHR
-1 mile at 93-95% of 10 mile pace
-2 miles at 100%
-3 miles faster!
-1 mile at AHR
9 miles total

*Speedster HM = 10 miles as follows on a flatter course:
-2 miles at AHR
-1 mile at 95-96% of 10 mile pace
-3 miles at 98% of 10 mile pace (HM pace)
-2 miles at 100% of 10 mile pace
-1 mile faster!
-1 mile at AHR

Hi, everyone,

Hope you’ve all had a good week. I sure have.

I’ll be sending you a video message with all kinds of updates and information on the spring racing scene we have planned for you, so I’ll keep this short.
https://youtu.be/vtkWkGZJ9qc

**We’re thrilled to be hosting the 10 Miler at Foxfield on the weekend of March 27/28. Yes, it’s grass, yes, there are some chambers and yes, it’s slower but it’s no hiller than the road course and it’s a truly beautiful and very safe setting. It will be two and a half loops with the second loop being slightly different than the first.

And remember: racing is all about you versus a course, the elements and the rest of the field! It will be chip timed, so grade it on a curve based on how well you do in your age group. I can’t wait!

And, once again, I’d recommend trail shoes (too far for spikes).
http://cvilletenmiler.com

**If you’re wanting to get involved with the RaceFest 2021 series, I’d encourage you to enter the next event in the series, The Sugar Hollow Frostbite Four Miler, ASAP, as it’s filling up quickly!
http://runsignup.com/sugarhollow
http://runsignup.com/racefest

**NEW and feeling like your personal mileage isn’t up to the current distances I’ve laid out? Please get in touch with me ASAP so I can adjust your mileage to safely bridge you to where we are currently at.

Stay safe and be well!

Coach Mark
434-962-1694 (text)

WEEK of JANUARY 25
*Speedsters RF (RaceFest crew, including the 10 Miler) = 27-32 miles or more (~85% at AHR/~15% faster)

*Speedsters HM (March Half Marathoners) = 32-36 miles or more (~85% at aHR/~15% faster)

MONDAY January 25
***IMPORTANT: prone to hamstring, calf or Achilles issues? If so, then skip the hill surges!

*Speedsters RF = 5-6 AHR miles with 6 x 12 second hill form surges (no sprinting) with a slow 48 second recovery in between each.

*Speedsters HM = 5-7 AHR miles with 6 x 12 second hill form surges (not sprinting) with a slow 48 second recovery in between each.

WEDNESDAY January 27
“Patriots”. This continuous workout, which we have done as a group, pre-pandemic, was created by my son Adrian for his athletes at Albemarle…hence the term “Patriot”. It’s a little bit like a Spartan in reverse but is harder in some ways, due to the length of the track section each time. Done in sets, with the expectation that you get faster with each set.

The Patriot
After warming up and doing your dynamic drills here’s how your Patriot should be executed:
-run for 9 continuous minutes off the track at the pace I recommend below
-go STRAIGHT onto the track (NO break) for one mile (4 laps) at the faster pace I recommend below. Make sure to ease into the first 200 of the mile.
-After your faster mile, take a 4 minute slow recovery before starting your second set
***The CHS, AHS and WAHS tracks are great venues for this off/on workout (lane 3 please)

*Speedsters RF = Patriots x 2 (9 minutes off the track at 94-98% of 10 miler pace/1 mile on track at 100-103% of 10 miler pace or faster)

*Speedsters HM = Patriots x 2 (9 minutes off track at 94-98% of 10 miler pace/1 mile on track at 100-103% of 10 miler pace or faster)

SATURDAY January 30
*Speedsters RF = 11-14 miles all at AHR on a rolling to moderately hilly course

*Speedsters HM = 13-15 miles all at AHR on a flat to rolling course (not too hilly)

Hi, everyone,
Long annual message is available online, so I’ll just wish Happy Birthdays Leah W. (today), Lauretta and Mrg T. (Thursday)!
https://www.cvilletrackclub.org/speedsters-overview.html

And, as a heads up, registration has opened for the Sugar Hollow Frostbite Four Miler, the second leg of the RaceFest series.
https://runsignup.com/sugarhollow

Cheers,
Mark
434-962-1694 (text)

WEEK of JANUARY 18
*Speedsters RF (those training for any or all of the RaceFest series) = 24-28 miles or more
*Speedsters HM (those training for the March Half & other spring races) = 28-32 miles or more

MONDAY January 18
*Speedsters RF = 5-6 miles at AHR with 6 x 12 second hill form surges with a very slow 48 second recovery in between each
*Speedsters HM = 6-7 miles at AHR with one of the 2 of the middle miles at 100% of 10 mile pace on flatter terrain.

WEDNESDAY January 20
***Make sure to do your dynamic drills before starting your track workout portion of the day.
*Speedsters RF = 10 x 300 (¾ of the way around the track) in two sets of five with a rolling/active ( no slow jogging) 100 recovery in between each 300 and a 2 minute recovery in between each set. Run the first set at around 103-106% of 10 mile pace and the second set at 107% or faster!
*Speedsters HM = After your 2 mile AHR warmup, hit the track for the following “on/off” Spartan style workout (CHS, AHS and WAHS are perfect for this hybrid workout):
-2 x 400 on track at 103-104% of 10 mile pace with a rolling/active (not a slow jog full recovery)
-half mile off track at 93-98% of 10 mile pace
-2 x 400 on at 104-105%
-half mile off at HMP (98% of 10 mile pace)
-2 x 400 on at 106%
-half mile off at HMP
-2 x 400 faster but still in control and relaxed!
***After each 400 set and after each half mile off take a very brief 30-45 second recovery before starting the next section.

SATURDAY January 23
*Speedsters RF= 2 x 2 miles in Bellair or on a very hilly course. Run the first 2 miler at around 96-100% of 10 miler pace and the second one at 101% or faster. Take a slow 5 minute recovery in between each. I’ll do my best to remember to mark the course this time!
*Speedsters HM = 10 miles total as follows on a flatter course:
-2 miles at AHR
-2 miles at MP
-4 miles at HMP
-1 mile faster!
-1 mile at AHR

This was a week like no other, yet, despite the horrific and unimaginable things we witnessed, in many ways, I feel like we are now an even stronger and closer community than we were before Wednesday. I actually sense that we’re moving forward with strengthened, not weakened, bonds and I find myself, not only taking stock of the freedoms our democracy affords us, but also having an even deeper appreciation for my family and the wonderful people in our community. And I count you, my awesome athletes and friends, among those blessings. Thank you for being such a strong and positive force in my life! Let’s keep moving forward together.

It was so great to see so many of you enjoying the beautiful 5K course out at Foxfield yesterday and many of you had excellent races. I must say that it seems like you all are getting used to racing on grass and your positive attitude, about this new surface, really makes your coach happy! And once again, my rough guess is that you’re adding about 20-30 seconds/mile versus a similar terrained road course.

A huge thanks to our volunteers who helped make it happen like Dr Wilder, Deb, Leah, Audrey, Marti’, Katie P., Rick W., Adele P., John, Scott and Sid W., Tim W. and Craig! And a big round of applause to our friends at Foxfield!

So, the NYD5K was the first of our RaceFest series and many of our folks racked up a pile of points right out of the starting blocks! To remind you, this is how it works: 5 points for crossing the finish line. 3 points for first in your age group, 2 points for second in your age group and 1 pint for 3rd. Then an extra 3 points for first overall, 2 points for 2nd overall and 1 point for 3rd overall. So, here’s a small sampling of point tallies, after the first race, from some of our folks who had very impressive outings:

Andrea W. - 10 points (5 for participation + 3 for 1st in age group + 2 for 2nd overall)
Ashley T- 9
Kathleen B. - 8
Jeffrey P - 8
Bonnie W. - 8
Suzanna T - 8
Jason B. - 8
Bob J. - 8
Linda S. - 8
Chris B. - 8
Michael G. - 8
Becky B - 8
Harry L.- 7
Dan M- 7
Megan M- 7
Emily V - 7
Karen D.J. - 7
Melissa B. - 6
Bill P. - 6
George R. - 6
Jerri E. - 6

Next race in the RaceFest series is the “Frostbite Four Miler” out at Sugar Hollow on February 6. Stay tuned for details…

I’m still working on my annual long message and hopefully will be getting it to you sometime this week. In the meantime, please call on me with any training questions or any new aches or pains.

NEW? Confused? Feeling lost? Don’t understand my workouts? Then please text me or stop by ASAP. I’m really happy to help!

Happy Birthdays to Kristen and Becky K. (Tuesday), Jessica Z. (Wednesday), Meg C. (Thursday), Mark F. (Friday) and Leah W. (next Sunday)!

I hope to see you in the coming days.

Let’s keep this going!

Mark

WEEK of JANUARY 11
*Speedsters RF (those looking to participate in some or all of the RaceFest series, including the 10 Miler) = 26-33 miles total

​*Speedsters HM (those wishing to race the Rivanna Half Marathon and other shorter races along the way) = 30-36 miles total

MONDAY January 11
*Speedsters RF = 4-5 miles at AHR with 6 x 15 second hill surges (not sprints!) focusing on your upper body form. Take a 45 second slow recovery in between each.

*Speedsters HM = 5-6 miles at AHR with 6 x 15 second hill surges (no sprinting!) focusing on upper body form. Take a 45 second slow recovery in between each

WEDNESDAY January 13
**SPARTAN time! I’d suggest the track at CHS, AHS or WAHS. For your half mile “offs”:
-At CHS it’s roughly a half mile to come off the track and go up to and around the first big circle behind the school and back again.
-At WAHS you can come off the track and go up the driveway to the entrance and back again.
-At AHS, come off the track and run around the school until you come out onto Lambs Road, where you turn left. Run down Lambs Road for about 50 meters and turn around and come back.

***IMPORTANT: use my son Adrian’s Pace Calculator to figure out your paces.
https://www.albemarlexc.com/coach-lorenzoni-s-calculator

*Speedsters RF = Spartan as follows:
-1600 on the track at 98-100% of 10 mile pace
-half mile off at 93% of 10 mile pace
-1200 on at 102-104%
-half mile off at 93% or faster
-800 on at 104-107% or faster
-half mile off at 93% or faster
-400 on at a fast but relaxed pace!

*Speedsters HM = Spartan as follows:
-1600 on the track at 98-100% of 10 mile pace (10 mile pace is about 10 second/mile faster than HMP
-half mile off at 93% of 10 mile pace
-1200 on the track at 102-104%
-half mile off at 93%
-800 on at 104-106%
-half mile off at 93% or faster
-400 on at 107-110%
-half mile off at 93% or faster
-200 on at a fast but relaxed pace!

SATURDAY January 16
*Speedsters RF = 10-13 miles at AHR on a rolling to hilly course
*Speedsters HM = 12-14 miles at AHR on a rolling to hilly course