Week of December 21, 2020

Hi, Everyone,

Leah and I have decided to add a half marathon to the Rivanna Full marathon in mid-March, so I’ll be writing mileage and workouts to my weekly training message for those interested in racing a half with chip timing on a certified course. And, just like the marathon, this is an exclusive for you, my athletes, so as to keep the numbers safe and manageable.

A few other things…

-There still time to enter the NYD5K at Foxfield in reserved time slots
-The second event in our RaceFest Series, The Sugar Hollow Frostbite Four Miler (to benefit our friends at the Whitehall Community Center), is tentatively scheduled for February 6. Stay tuned for details.
-Congrats to our Josh T., who finished 5th overall at the Hellgate 50 Miler last weekend!

*NEW to the group? Confused? Don’t understand some of my terms? Then please get in touch with me ASAP. I’m happy to help!

Happy Birthdays this week to Kenny B. (Tuesday), Bill P. (welcome to the Medicare Club) and Anders (Friday) and to Scott D. and Samantha D. (Saturday)!

In closing, I’d like to wish all of you and your families a wonderful holiday week. We’re actually doing something we’ve never done before, by closing the shop from Friday through Sunday this week, as this will give us a stretch of three days to relax with some of our family. I’m really looking forward to it and I hope you get to do the same. If I don’t get to see you before then, please know that I continue to count myself fortunate to have each of you in my life and, even though we don’t get to meet like we did pre-COVID, you’re still always in my heart.

Hugs and high fives,

Coach Mark
434-962-1694 (text)

WEEK of DECEMBER 21
**AHR:
~90 seconds-2 minutes slower than 10 mile pace
~90 seconds-2 minutes slower than HMP
~60-90 seconds slower than MP
*Speedsters RaceFest (RF) = 25-32 miles (90% AHR/10% faster)
*Speedsters Half Marathon (HM) = 27-34 miles (90% at AHR/10% faster)

MONDAY December 21
*Speedsters RF = 4-6 miles at AHR with 6 x 12 second flat surface form surges with a slow 48 second recovery in between each. No sprinting (~107-110%) and make sure the first surge is a warmup.
*Speedsters HM = 5-7 miles at AHR with 6 x 12 second hill form surges with a slow 48 second recovery in between each. No sprinting (107-110%) and make sure the first surge is a warmup.

WEDNESDAY December 23
*Speedsters RF = Cameron Crazies x 4-5. If you can’t make it to Cameron, then find a very hilly loop that’s approximately a half mile in distance and surge the uphills and then recover on the downhills and flats. Try to make each loop slightly faster than the previous one...no recovery in between each loop.
*Speedsters HM = 7-8 miles total as follows:
4-5 miles at AHR
-1 mile at MP (~30 second slower than your HMP)
-1 mile at HMP
-1 mile at AHR
Please note that I’d like for you to run the 2 mile pace portion on a flatter surface

SATURDAY December 26
*Speedsters RF = 8-11 miles at AHR
*Speedsters HM = 10-12 miles at AHR...rolling course