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Greetings, everyone!
I’m delighted to hear that so many of you not only read my pace adjustment message but also actually practiced it this week. Thanks for listening to and trusting me. And speaking of, more heat and humidity all this coming week, so stay on top of your hydration and electrolytes throughout the day. Maybe add a dash of salt to your sports drink too, so as to avoid any muscle fatigue and cramping. And don’t forget to get something into your system within 20 minutes of finishing your Wednesday and Saturday workouts. Any of the following will help speed recovery: chocolate milk, sports drink, a banana and a clif bar. *I was really impressed with how fast so many of you raced at last week’s DawnBreaker 4K! I took the liberty of calculating your 5K times based on your 4K performances and here’s how you fared. Very impressive, especially considering the humidity! Of particular note was the close age division race between Bob Johnson and Jim Hall, with Bob kicking it in for a scant 1 second blue ribbon grabber! And Sara Neilon’s speedy extrapolated sub 20 minute 5K. Plus, how about 70 year old Linda’s 29:24 5K and 73 year old Jeffrey’s 30 minute 5K time?! Wow! 5K times (based on your 4K times) -Sean (46 years old) 18:44 -William (36) 19:11 -Jay (28) 19:45 -Sara N. (43) 19:49 -Binyong (47) 20:04 -Adele (33) 20:07 -Steve (37) 20:09 -Aaron (24) 20:13 -Matt G. (41) 20:30 -Kristen (40) 21:33 -Will M. (41) 21:42 -Mike W. (21:44) -Charlie (17) 21:54 -Allie (38) 21:58 -Kate (33) 22:02 -Bob J. (63) 22:35 -Jim H. (61) 22:36 -Ben (45) 23:50 -Lee (62) 24:02 -Katie P. (24) 24:09 -Cynthia (63) 24:19 (5K based on 2 mile time) -Molly W. (30) 24:33 -Julia (49) 24:37 -Peggy (65) 24:42 -Molly (30) 25:07 -Peter T. (61) 25:27 -Bill P. (65) 26:04 -Mark F. (47) 26:41 -Heather (43) 29:09 -Linda (70) 29:24 -Jeffrey (73) 30:11 *It makes me so happy to know that we have so many of our former Cville crew, who now live far away, still following along with our weekly workouts (and some of them actually training together too). Folks like Natalie, Mark H., Steve K., Kim, Christy, Jason B., Jenny, Jason V., and Vicky to name just a few. *Recommendations for the week:
*Big thanks to Leah and Rick K. for all their hard volunteer work at the CTC Summer Track meets and to Dr. Bob for all his medical expertise. The meets have been fantastic, with hundreds of folks in attendance! And we still have one last one to host this Tuesday evening. *In closing I’d like to send out a huge THANKS to all the nurses, docs, health care workers and school teachers in our group, who went well beyond the call throughout the pandemic. These selfless folks are to be congratulated for all the many ways they kept us going safely. I have my fingers crossed that they don’t have to face the same challenges again. I hope to see many of you on Wednesday. Be safe, everyone! Coach WEEK of JULY 26 Daily Core Work: situps, pushups, planks, hand weights, balancing exercises, etc. 10 minutes a day goes a long way! *Speedsters 5K-10K racers = 20-25 total miles (or more) *Speedsters half marathoners = 25-30 total miles (or more) *BB October = Recovery week: drop your normal weekly mileage by at least 30% (~30-35 miles) *BB November = Recovery week: drop your normal weekly mileage by at least 30% (~30 miles) MONDAY July 26 *Speedsters = 5-6 miles total with 2 of those miles at 10K-10 mile pace (~100-103% of 10 mile pace). Run the tempo pace portion on very flat terrain. *BB October = 6 miles total with 3 of those miles at 10 mile pace or slightly faster (106% of MP). Run the tempo section on very flat terrain. *BB November = 5 miles total with 1 of those miles at 10 mile pace or slightly faster (106% of MP). Run that tempo mile on very flat terrain. TUESDAY July 27 Last CTC Summer Track meet (and final chance for RaceFest folks to earn 5 last points by racing/running the 2 miler) PLEASE COMPLETE THIS FORM TO CLAIM YOUR POINTS! https://forms.gle/hRarzqJV2MV91ZRY8 WEDNESDAY July 28 ***Come join us at the Albemarle High track at 5:30am for the following workouts. **AHR Option: There is also always a group of folks not in training for anything specific and just enjoy running some relaxed AHR miles. **I’m also offering a 2 mile time trial if anyone wants to see where “you’re at”. AC’s: All three groups will be running “Albemarle Circuits” (AC’s) this week. These 1200 meter (approximately) long loops are as follows: -1 lap on the track at 104-106% of MP or 98-100% of 10 mile pace -then run out the side gate (if it’s open) and straight into a half mile loop of 20-20 fartlek, where you pickup the pace for 20 seconds and then slow it down for the next 20 seconds -then back on to the track for the start of the next circuit Goal: to run each circuit faster than the previous one. I’ll have the off track course well marked for you on Wednesday morning. *Speedsters = Albemarle Circuits x 4 (5 circuits for half marathoners) *BB October = Albemarle Circuits x 5 *BB November = Albemarle Circuits x 3 SATURDAY July 31 Pace Saturday! *Speedsters 5K-10K = 7-8 miles total as follows -2 miles at AHR -4 mile progression run in Bellair (or some other hilly location). Run the first 2 mile loop at 96-99% of 10 mile pace and then go straight into the next 2 mile loop but run it faster! -1-2 miles at AHR **I’ll try to remember to mark the 2 mile course at Belliar (the loop is actually 2.25 miles around but I only want you to go 4 miles total). You may park in the medical office lot across from Bellair (next to Bellair Exxon), if you don’t want to run all the way to and from the UVa track. *Speedsters half marathoners = similar to above but as follows: 9-10 miles total -2 miles at AHR -6 mile progression run on a hilly course like Bellair. run the first 2 miles at MP (~30 second/mile slower than HMP) Second 2 miles at HMP third 2 miles faster! -1 to 2 miles at AHR (see above information about course markings and parking) *BB October = 15 miles as follows (flatter to rolling course): -2 miles at the same pace you plan to run the first 2 on race day -8 miles at MP -3 miles at HMP -1 mile faster! -1 mile at AHR *BB November = 11 miles as follows (terrain similar to your race course): -2 miles at the pace you plan to run for the first 2 on race day -8 miles at MP -1 mile at AHR SUNDAY Come join us for 4-5 relaxed and social miles at 6:45am at Greenberry’s in Barracks
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Hi, everyone,
IMPORTANT MESSAGE...I know that many of you usually skim over my opening message and skip right to the weekly workouts but I’m asking you this week, to PLEASE take few moments to read the following: Looks like the tough heat and humidity we’ve been experiencing in the early mornings over the past month are finally catching up to us, as many of you have told me that you faced tough pacing and rough runs this past week. So much of this has to do with “locked-in pacing” and not paying close enough attention to “perceived effort”. I know your grump of an old coach is always harping to you about “slowing down your pace when conditions are tough”, so I apologize for reiterating it again but maybe this time in more plain and simple terms: The tougher the conditions the SLOWER you must run! So, when it’s hot or humid or hilly or you’re extra tired from a lack of good sleep, you must slow down the pace so it “feels” just as good as when the conditions are perfect! This is called “perceived effort”, which essentially means that if you’re supposed to run 8 minute place for a workout and it feels really hard because of tough conditions, then you slow it down to whatever pace it takes to “feel” the same “effort” as you feel normally at 8 minute pace, when the conditions are better. Confused? So, using that same 8 minute pace person last Saturday, when conditions were lousy, they would have been “feeling” good if they slowed it down, from the START of the run, to say 8:30 pace or slower! So, the kicker is that if that person ran with the same “effort” and “feel” of 8 minute pace but was running 8:30 pace, they actually get the exact SAME quality workout, the same boost to their training and the same A+ grade from their coach as if they were running 8 minute pace or faster! So, on these tough days, ask yourself the simple questions: “Do I really feel the same as I usually do at my targeted pace?” and “Is my effort the same as usual at this pace?”. If the answer is “No”, then SLOW it down! And use your breathing and your heart rate as guides to. The problem is if you try to run at the same pace when conditions are tough you’re going to feel lousy and risk injuring yourself or burning yourself out before race day. So, when conditions are tough, SLOW it down to a pace that feels just like your goal. And know that when conditions get more favorable (cooler mornings and less humidity) you will be running with so much less effort at a much faster pace (quite often faster than your targeted pace)! I like for my athletes to use a number scale of 1-10 when recording their training logs. A number 1 means feeling “Lousy” and a 10 means feeling “Fantastic”. Here’s where the riddle comes in...I expect you to write an 8-10 for every single run, no matter how bad the conditions are or how hilly the course is. How do you “feel” like an 8-10 even when the conditions stink? Simple: by SLOWING down your PACE! The problem with this old coach who has been at it for the past 40+ years, is that I’ve seen too many cases of burnout and injury and so I’m always thinking of your health and enjoyment LONG TERM. I want you to be healthy and loving your running for as long as possible and I’ve learned that there is no better way to accomplish that than by following the basic principles of “perceived effort”. Thanks for listening...I really do have your backs! ~ On a totally different and very happy note, we shout out a great big Congrats to Heidi and Andrew Zapanta on the arrival of their beautiful baby girl Julia this week! We’re so happy for you! And Happy Birthdays this week to Jerri (Monday), Jane J. (Tuesday), Mike S. (Wednesday) and Tammy M. (Thursday)! I hope to see many of you on Wednesday morning...even if you’re not “working out” or training for anything in particular right now. The more the merrier! Cheers, Coach Mark 434-962-1694 (text) WEEK of JULY 19 *Speedsters 5K-10K = ~20-25 miles or more *Speedsters Half Marathon 27-32 miles or more MONDAY July 19 *Speedsters = 4-6 AHR miles with 6 x 12 second hill form surges up a moderate hill towards the latter portion of your total run. Take a slow 48 second recovery in between each. WEDNESDAY July 21 ***Come join us at the Albemarle High Track at 5:30 am for the following workout or for some relaxed AHR social miles (even if you’re not in training for a specific event): ****We will be running the second leg of our “Summer Dawnbreaker Race series” today. Due to the heat and humidity I’ve downgraded the distance to a 4K. This 4000 meter course will be pretty fast, with a good mix of on/off track surface racing. And the 4K distance actually now gives us a nice symmetry for our triple crown series: 3200 in June, 4K in July and finishing with a 5K in August. Right now (subject to change) I’m planning on the following course: -1200 (3 laps) on the track -1600 off the track (out 800 and back 800) -1200 back on the track ***Want to run a shorter 3200 (2 mile) race? Then feel free to do so. I’ll explain the 2 mile course on Wednesday. SATURDAY July 24 *Speedsters 5K-10K = AHR long run on a hillier course Add 1 mile to your previous longest run and try to run the last mile at 10 mile pace *Speedsters Half = AHR long run on a hillier course Add 1-2 miles to your previous longest run and try to run last 2 miles of the total run at MP-HMP SUNDAY 4-5 mile group recovery run at AHR at 6:45am at Greenberry’s at Barracks Hi, everyone,
I’m jamming today, so I’ll keep this very brief. Congrats to all of our folks who had solid races over the challenging Burn and Turn 5 Miler on the hills of the Boars Head trails yesterday. Folks like Sean, Joe A. and Scott S. looked really good over this extremely challenging course. It was also a day to remember the spirited life of fellow racer Adam Kannapell, who died during this race last year. Race organizer John Anderson read a wonderful message from Adam’s father Joe at the start of the race, which served as a reminder of just how appreciative we all continue to be of the special friendships this sport brings to us, as we take in all of the joys of running while training and racing together. There is a wonderful tribute to Adam in this month’s issue of Trail Runner. -Happy Birthday to Sarah W. (today), Anne C. (Thursday) and Mark H. (Saturday)! -And speaking of Happy Birthdays, here’s wishing Anne Chapin’s husband Curt a very happy 90th birthday this week! Curt continues to amaze and inspire us with each new adventure he tackles along his incredible life journey. -The UVa track is now being resurfaced, so we’re probably looking at late summer to early fall for the grand re-opening. Stay tuned... ***Sneak Preview...Coming next Wednesday (7/21): Daybreaker Race Series #2, featuring a fast 5K race course. Hope you ALL will be able to join us! I hope to see you on Wednesday. Cheers, Coach Mark 434-962-1694 (text) with any questions or new injury issues WEEK of JULY 12 *Speedsters 5K-10K = recovery week...drop your normal weekly mileage by at least 30%. Either run less mileage on each of your normal running days or run less total days. *Speedsters aiming for a fall Half Marathon = recovery week...drop your normal weekly mileage by at least 30%. Either run less mileage on each of your normal days or run less total days. MONDAY July 12 *Speedsters = 4-5 miles total with the middle 1 mile at 10 mile pace or faster (on a very flat surface) TUESDAY July 13 **CTC Track Meet #2- Those wishing to compete in the mile or 2 mile should then skip the workout on Wednesday morning and simply join some of the group for some social AHR miles. YOU MUST REGISTER IN ADVANCE: runsignup.com/track WEDNESDAY July 14 ***Come join your coach and a bunch of other early morning risers at the AHS Track at 5:30am. Please bring a water bottle. Just running? Then join some of the folks for casual AHR social miles. Out of town? Then try to find a loop about 1000 meters in length with a slight flat to downhill terrain in the first section and an uphill terrain for the last portion. *Speedsters = Back over to Charlotte Humphris Park for another workout as follows: -run the downhill portion of the 1K loop at an up-tempo pace in the 10K-10 mile range -then, at the bottom of the hill (at the cone), lightly surge (not sprint!) for 60 seconds. Obviously, the pace you run for the 60 second surge will be much slower than you ran for the 15 second surges a few weeks ago. Pace yourself by not blowing out the first section of the 60 second hill. Run 4 loops total , making each loop faster than the previous. SATURDAY July 17 Everyone has some sort of pace workout this Saturday. I’d like to see you run this on FLATTER terrain. I’d suggest Riverview, Sugar Hollow, Free Union (Wesley Chapel/Chapel Spring Roads) or some place flatter like that. *Speedsters = -15 minutes at 100-101% of 10 mile pace -2 minute slow recovery -5 minutes at 112% or faster -1 minute slow recovery -10 minutes at 103-104% or faster! ***Half marathoners: run 18 minutes (instead of 15) at the start (and 12 minutes (instead of 10) at the end. SUNDAY Come join us for 4-5 relaxed social miles at 6:45am at Greenberry’s in Barracks Happy Holiday to you, my athletes!
Hope you’re all having a wonderful weekend. Looks like we had some excellent performances at the Independence Day 5K yesterday, like Joe A., Erika, Karen DJ, Jake, Fran and Leah. And speaking of great race outings, John Cherry nailed a perfect score in his Army 3 mile test, as he ran a sweet 18:36, which ranks him tops in his age group (45-49)! Congrats, John! ***Attention Fall Half Marathoners: Here are four close-by, fast course choices your coach highly recommends (for those of you who haven’t decided yet): 1. Rivanna Greenbelt Half - Sunday October 3 2. Chessie Trail Half- Lexington- Saturday October 30 3. Richmond Half-Saturday November 13 4. Rivanna Greenbelt Half - Sunday December 5 ***New? Needing some advice as to where to fit in? Feeling lost? Not sure of what pace to aim for your upcoming race season? Then please text me or stop by the shop anytime from 9-2:30(please text ahead of time to make sure I’m in), as I really enjoy the face to face, in person chats with my athletes. Pace advice: If you’re looking to see where you’re at, pace wise, I’m hosting another 2 mile time trial this coming Wednesday morning. Be warmed up and ready to go by 6:00am. Happy Birthdays to Kristen H. (Monday), Zen M. (Thursday) and Sarah W. (Sunday)! And a big welcome back to Katie Walker and Sarah Wymer! Happy running! Coach Mark 434-962-1694 (text) WEEK of JULY 5 ***Remember: most (80-90%) of your weekly miles should be run at your AHR (Aerobic Heart Rate), which is as slow and effortless as it takes to feel like you’re hardly breathing! -Half Marathoners AHR = ~90 seconds- 2 minutes slower than HMP -5K-10K AHR = ~2-3 minutes slower than race pace! **Please keep on top of your daily core work. Give me a shout if you need some tips as to what you should be doing to help strengthen your upper body so as to be more efficient and less prone to injury. *Speedsters-those training to race distances from 5K-10K this summer and fall = ~20-25 miles total *Speedsters-those training to race the half marathon this fall = ~25-30 miles total MONDAY July 5 *Speedsters 5K-10K = 4-5 miles total at AHR with 6 x 12 second hill form surges, focusing on using your upper body core to lift your knees. Up a moderate hill and No sprinting! Take a slow 48 second recovery in between each. *Speedsters Half = 5-6 miles at AHR with the same hills as above but 8 of them. TUESDAY July 6 CTC All-Comers Track Meet #1 If you decide to race the Murphy Mile or the 2 miler, then please skip the Spartan on Wednesday. (BTW: it’s free but you must register ahead of time) runsignup.com/track runsignup.com/murphymile WEDNESDAY July 7 ***I’ll be at the AHS track to greet you at 5:30am. Not able to make it to join the larger group? Then try to find a track close by to where you’re at. **Looking to see where you’re at pace wise? I’ll also be timing a group of folks for a 2 miler on the track. *Speedsters = “Spartan” as follows (all continuous...no break in between the on and off): -2000 (5 laps) on the track at 98-100% of 10 mile pace -half mile off at 93-94% of 10 mile pace -1200 on the track at 103-104% -half mile off at 93-94% or faster -800 on at 107-108% or faster -half mile off at 94-95% or faster -400 on at a fast but relaxed pace! SATURDAY July 10 *Speedsters 5K-10K = 8-10 miles at AHR with the middle 2 miles at 93-98% of 10 miler pace (no faster!) *Speedsters Half Marathoners = 11-13 miles at AHR with the middle 2 miles at MP-HMP (no faster!) SUNDAY Come join us for 4-5 relaxed recovery miles at 6:45am at Greenberry’s in the Barracks Shopping Center Hi, everyone,
Wow, was I ever impressed with how many of you raced the 2 miler, the first of our DawnBreaker series, on Wednesday morning and, even more impressive, was just how fast many of you ran! And what great attitudes I witnessed throughout the event, even though I know many of you hate the pain of this shorter race distance. This made me very happy! As promised, I’m compiling Age Group (with mixed gender) points for our Daybreaker series. Here’s the scoop after our first event: 15-19: Charley Hall (1 point) 20-24: Alex (2), Katie P. (1) 25-29: Anders (2), Jay (1) 30-34: Lauretta (3), Alysa (2), Molly (1) 35-39: Dusty (4), Emily B. (3), Steve L. (2), Jim (1) 40-44: Sara N. (4), Matt (3), Kristen (2), Heather (1) 45-49: Sean S. (3), Ben (2), Mark F. (1) 50-54: Jake (2), Vicki (1) 55-59: Mike W. (1), Nicolein (1) 60-64: Ian (7), Bob J. (6), Jim H. (5), Cynthia (4), Lee (3), Anne C. (2), Tom (1) 65-69: Harry (3), Bill P. (2), Larry (1) 70-74: Jeffrey (1) Our next event will be a fast course 5K on July 21. And here’s a rough guide to help you determine your paces based on how fast you ran your 2 miler (or any other distance): 5K pace = ~10 seconds/mile slower than 2 mile pace 10K pace = ~15 seconds/mile slower than 5K pace 10 mile pace = ~15-20 seconds/mile slower than 10K pace HMP = ~10 seconds/mile slower than 10 mile pace MP = ~25-30 seconds/mile slower than HMP Stay on top of your daily hydration (~70-80 ounces/day), especially now that the humid mornings of summer are upon us. I hope to see many of you this coming Wednesday morning. Coach Mark 434-962-1694 (text) WEEK of JUNE 28 *Speedsters = ~20-30 total miles MONDAY June 26 *Speedsters = 5-6 total miles with a 2 mile tempo run in the middle. Run the 2 miles at 10 miler pace or slightly faster on flatter terrain. WEDNESDAY June 30 Please join us at 5:30am at the AHS track for the following: ***NOTE to Speedsters and BB October: We will be over at Charlottes Humphris Park for some hilly CH (Charlotte Humphris) 1K loop repeats as follows: Run the first downhill section of the 1K loop at a brisk but very controlled pace (no sprinting or surging as that’s not so good for your knees!) and then, when you hit the base of the hill, at about 600 meters into the 1K, start a fartlek of 15 seconds faster followed by 15 seconds slower. The 15 second fast pickups should NOT be a sprint but rather a controlled surge focusing on form as you use your upper body to lift your knees. I’ll place a cone at the base of the long uphill, where you should start the 20-20 surges. And then there will be another cone back up at the top of the hill at the start of the next loop. *Speedsters = CH loops x 4 SATURDAY July 3 *Speedsters = Two choices:
Hi, everyone!
Hope you’ve had a good week of running. Some things of note... -Congrats to Rick K., who, on the spur of the moment while on a work trip in Philadelphia, jumped into a marathon last weekend and ran a sweet 3:20, while winning his age group and qualifying for Boston! -I hope you’ve had a chance to watch some of the Olympic Track Trials. They’re on NBCSN every night. We’ve got several locals who have a good chance of making the Olympic team. How thrilling would that be?!! -We’ve decided to add one last event to the 2021 RaceFest Series but with a slight ending twist to it. You may race any 2 miler at any of the four CTC Tuesday evening track meets in July. But instead of awarding points for age groups, all you have to do is cross the finish line of one of the 2 milers and you will automatically pick up your last 5 points, which we will then add to your current (post BB Mile) RaceFest points total. In late July we will then announce the final results of this year’s series. I hope you had as much fun racing in the series, as we did organizing it. -And speaking of race series, I’m kicking off our “DawnBreaker Race Series” with a fast 2 miler course this Wednesday morning. I know many of you shy away from these short and painful 2 milers but they can serve many purposes: It gives you boots-on-the-ground race experience, which can really help you get over the race day jitters and all within the friendly confines of our group setting. Provides that race experience without all the frills or stressers of a normal Saturday race. Give you a very accurate read of where your current fitness is so you know the exact paces to shoot for in future Wednesday and Saturday workouts. Plus, letting you know what your race pace potential is for this current training cycle. Have some fun while getting you fitter! And, as a bonus, we’ll have a points system, similar to, yet slightly different than the RaceFest. Here’s how it will work: 1. You’ll report your name, age and time to me immediately (on the spot) after each race. 2. You will earn points within your five year age groups (20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39 etc.) but this time, as a twist, while mixing the genders together within each age group (so men and women score together). 3. No points for overall and no points for participation but everyone will earn points at every race, no matter your finish. 4. The number of points awarded/age group depends on how many total people ran in your specific age group in that particular race. So, for example, if five folks total (both male and female) finish in your age group, I’ll award 5 points for 1st, 4 for 2nd, 3 for 3rd, 2 points for 4th and 1 point for 5th. And if three finish in your age group, then it’s 3 points for 1st, 2 for second and 1 for 3rd. But if you’re the only person to finish in your age group, you only get 1 point. 3. I’ll tally up the age group points after the third race in the series to see who is tops in each individual age group. I hope we have a big crowd for this first DawnBreaker race! -Big Happy Birthdays to Melynda Z. and Christian M. (Monday), Cynthia (Wednesday) and Zach S. (Thursday)! -Questions? New ache or pain? Feeling extra fatigued? Looking for a Wednesday morning workout partner? Lost? Then please give me a shout (text or stop by). Your coach is happy to help. -Binge worthy Department: And on a completely different note, for what it’s worth, here are my favorite television series of the pandemic… Ted Lasso Mare of Easttown Big Little Lies Queen’s Gambit Bridgerton Outer Banks (a grown-up Goonies...pure fluff fun!) I hope a bunch of you will greet the dawn with me this Wednesday morning. Cheers, Coach Mark 434-962-1694 (text) WEEK of JUNE 21 ***Everyone should be doing some sort of core work on a regular basis (at least 4 days/week). Ask me for details. And foam roll as often as possible, especially on your non-running days when you’re most likely to tighten up! *Speedsters = 20-30 miles or more (~95% AHR/10% faster) MONDAY June 21 *Speedsters = 4-6 AHR miles with 5 x 12 second hill form surges with a slow 48 second recovery in between each. These are not sprints...just moderate pickups focusing on upper body form. WEDNESDAY June 23 ***Come join us at the Albemarle High track at 5:30am. Some folks will simply be running some relaxed AHR miles too. NOTE: Can’t get to the AHS track this week? Then try to find a flat course, wherever you're at, so you can stay in sync with the workouts. Think of it as a 2 mile progression run. Start slowly and keep picking up the pace as you proceed further into the 2 miles. *Speedsters = DawnBreaker Series #1: I’ll have a flat and fast 2 mile course set up for you. The first 3 laps will be on the track. Run the first 200 very slow, so as to gently ease into race mode. Try to push the half mile road portion, so you can be in a good position to really race the last section back on the track. SATURDAY June 26 *Speedsters = Long AHR run...add 1 mile to your previous longest run. Should probably be in the 7-10 range or longer. NOTE: If you’re racing a 10 Miler of Half in the fall, we will eventually be getting up into the 16-17 mile range by October. If your longest race distance is 10K, then we’ll be getting up to the 10-11 mile zone by late summer. SUNDAY ***Please join us for 4-5 relaxed recovery miles at 6:45am at Greenberry’s in Barracks Road. Hi, everyone,
Cynthia and I had a wonderful vacation but, as usual, we missed our friends and life back in Cville. And you, my athletes are among those that I looked forward to seeing when I rolled back into town after a week away. I was so pleased to see so many of you at the BB Mile on Saturday and was impressed by your performances. Here’s just a small sampling of some of our speedy milers: -Alex (4:57) 3rd overall female! 1st place in AG -Andrea (5:47) -Will M. (5:11) -Ian H. (5:25) -Sara N. (5:29) -Kiyoko (7:00) -Bonnie (7:06) -Jeffrey (7:46) -Linda (7:43) -Suzanna (6:56) 2nd place AG -Karen DJ, Leah, Heather C., Karen T., Harry, Joe A., Attila, Laura S., Allison B. and Michael. Plus, very solid races turned in by Peter T., Ronda, Larry, Bill P., Fran C. and Craig. And a huge thanks to our wonderful volunteers, who helped Lindy and I with the 31st running of this special event: Leah, Audrey, Christian, Cynthia, Marti’, Sana, Charlie H., Gretchen, John L., Megan M., Kristen, Harry F. and Will J. Many of you will, for the first time in this training cycle, be starting your tempo runs tomorrow and your hilly fartlek workouts this Wednesday. You will need to know your personalized pace plan for these. Here’s a template to use: 2 mile pace = ~ 10 seconds/mile faster than your 5K pace 5K = ~15 seconds/mile faster than 10K 10K = ~15-20 seconds/mile faster than 10 mile 10 mile = ~10 seconds/mile faster than half marathon HMP (half marathon pace = ~30 seconds/mile faster than marathon pace MP (marathon pace) = ~60-90 seconds faster than your every day AHR (aerobic heart rate) The “tempos” will be run every other Monday and should be at a pace that’s somewhere in between your 10K and 10 mile pace. Run a few warmup miles first (3-4 if your total run is longer) and find a flat place to run the tempo portion. Cool down afterwards with 1-2 AHR miles. The hilly fartlek workouts are to help build your upper body strength and should always start with at least a 2 mile warmup (longer if your total run is more than 7-8 miles). After warming up and before starting the actual workout, always do your dynamic drills, which I’ll go over with you this week. The fartlek section is timed surges, where you focus on using your upper body core to pick up the pace. These are NOT all-out sprints but rather, controlled pick ups. The goal with all Wednesday workouts is to progress (pickup the pace as the workout proceeds). After the actual workout, always cooldown at your slow AHR pace for at least a mile. Within 20 minutes of finishing, drink some chocolate milk or a sports drink (Gatorade, etc.) and eat a banana or nutrition bar, as this will help speed recovery. ***And remember: Any questions about the Wednesday workout (especially any personal pacing questions) should be asked BEFORE Wednesday morning! I’ll be hosting the first event of our Summer “Daybreak Race Series” next Wednesday (6/22). This first one will be a fast 2 mile course starting with 2 laps on the track and then running off the track for a bit and then coming back to finish up on the track. I’ll have timed results for each race. I’d strongly encourage all of you to use these monthly mid week “races” as simulators to help prepare you for your bigger races later this summer and fall. They’re free and conveniently at your fingertips! New and feeling confused? If so, then please reach out to me by text or, even better, in person at the shop (I’m usually in from 9-3). Our heartfelt condolences go out to Mike G. on the recent loss of his mother and to Kendall T., who lost her father over the weekend. Happy Birthdays to Johnny W. (Monday), Ian (Tuesday) and Andrea (60 on Friday...say what?!). A fond farewell to our Kim V., who will be moving to NYC this month.. We’re really going to miss you, Kim!! And a big welcome back to longtime BB friend Katie Walker, who will be moving back to Cville next week to work at UVa! I hope to see many of you this Wednesday! Coach Mark 434-962-1694 (text) WEEK of JUNE 14 *Speedsters = 23-30 miles MONDAY June 14 *Speedsters = 4-6 miles total at AHR, with the middle mile at 10K-10 mile pace on flatter terrain WEDNESDAY June 16 We will meet outside the Albemarle High School track at 5:30am...come join us! ***Please note for those running the hilly fartlek that I’ll have the loop course marked. *Speedsters = 4 x Hilly fartlek loops over on the paved paths at Charlotte Humphris Park as follows: 1 loop at 20 seconds faster followed by 20 seconds slow 1 loop at 30-30 1 loop at 60-30 1 loop back at 20-20 Try to make each loop faster than the previous one. The key is to focus on form for the faster sections. Use your upper body/core (torso and arms) to lift your knees. Always keep your mechanics under control, so no straining! SATURDAY June 19 *Speedsters = 8-9 miles total as follows: -2-3 miles at AHR -14 minutes at HMP (half marathon pace)-10 mile pace -2 minute slow recovery -8 minutes at 10K pace or faster -1 minute slow recovery -4 minutes at 5K pace or faster! -1 mile cooldown at AHR Flatter course SUNDAY **Come join us for 4-5 relaxed and social miles at 6:45am in the Greenberry’s parking lot in Barracks Road. June 15 — One more episode of the Zoom-based Trackville Talks coming up tomorrow evening (Tuesday at 7:00 pm). This time, they're featuring Mikaela Meyer, the newly crowned NCAA 800 meter champ, will be on, in addition to the Reebok Team and the legendary Paul Ereng, UVa's only Olympic Gold medalist (1998 Seoul Games in the 800).
Hi, everyone,
Cynthia and I are getting away (6/4-6/11) for our first vacation since before the pandemic, so I’ll be missing you on Wednesday but you will be in very good hands with Captain Harry. And while on vacation, I’ll be away from my phone throughout the day but will check my texts in the evening, if you should have a new injury crop up. It’s been so great to have so many of you coming out on Wednesday morning these first few weeks back and I’ve been especially impressed with the number of new folks joining us. Please give me a shout, if you’re new and feeling lost. Some of you will be running your first workout this Wednesday (Speedsters and October marathoners) and I ask that you please, after warming up at AHR and doing your dynamic drills, run the first lap of the fartlek gently, so as to safely ease your body into the actual speed section of the workout. So, make those first three to four 30 second surges your SLOWEST. And remember: surges are NOT sprints...they’re simply very controlled pickups, focusing on form and using your upper body to lift your feet off the ground, at a designated pace (use Adrian’s pace calculator and my pace chart below as your guide). Captain Harry will get you into your pace groups once you’re down at the cinder track. VOLUNTEER call: I could still use a few more volunteers for the Bruce Barnes Mile on June 12th. Please text me at 434-962-1694 if you can lend a hand. Thanks! Happy Birthdays to Susan H. (Monday), Katie R. and Patrick M. (Wednesday) and Brian H. (Thursday)! See you at the BB Mile or next Wednesday! Coach Mark 434-962-1694 (text) WEEK of JUNE 7 *Speedsters = Recovery week, so drop your normal weekly mileage by about 25-30% MONDAY June 7 *Speedsters = 4-5 AHR miles with 6 x 12 second hill form surges (towards the latter portion of the run), focusing on using your upper body to lift your knees. No sprinting and please use a moderate hill. Take a slow 48 second recovery in between each. WEDNESDAY June 9 2 mile pace = 10 seconds/mile faster than 5K pace 5K pace = 15 seconds/mile faster than 10K pace 10K pace = 15-20 seconds/mile faster than 10 mile pace 10 mile pace = 10 seconds/mile faster than HMP (half marathon pace) HMP = 25-30 seconds/mile faster than MP MP = about 60-90 seconds faster than your AHR AHR = as slow as it takes to keep your heart rate around 140 and you feeling VERY comfortable! ***I’ll miss seeing you, as I’ll be away, but please join Captain Harry at the AHS track at 5:30am for the following: *Speedsters = Run down to the Jack Jouett flat cinder track and, after doing your dynamics, run the following flat fartlek in pace groups: 5 laps of 30 second surges at 107-110% of 10 mile pace (~5K-2 mile race pace) with a slow 30 second recovery in between each. IMPORTANT: Ease into the actual workout by making your first lap of surges your very slowest. This will allow your body to safely warmup properly. The cinder track is about 3 laps to the mile. SATURDAY June 12 *All the best to those racing the Bruce Barnes Mile! *Speedsters NOT racing the BB Mile = 6-8 miles total as follows: -2-4 miles at AHR -3 mile progression run (on a flat course): 1st mile at 98-100% of 10 mile pace /2nd mile at 102-103% /3rd mile faster. No break in between the miles. -1 mile at AHR SUNDAY June 13 Come join us for 4-5 relaxed social miles at 6:45am at the Greenberry’s parking lot in Barracks Road. |
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