Week of May 10, 2021

Hi, everyone,
First off, a great big Happy Mother’s Day to all of the wonderful moms in our group! I continue to be in awe of how all of you so beautifully keep your life scales in balance, as you somehow find the time to be both great mother’s and great athletes.

Here are a few things of note for the week…

I know I’m pushing you hard to join us this Tuesday but I can’t tell you just how important it is for us, as a running and walking community, to show Carla Williams and UVa how much we really appreciate them keeping the Lannigan Field track open in the future (with the lights on to boot) early every single morning (the only athletic facility at UVa open to the general public). The more of us on the Trackville Talks zoom call this Tuesday, the more it demonstrates to her (and UVa) just how much that means to us. Coach Vin is pushing for 200 folks and I think if our Speedsters and BB crews show up in force we can make a huge impact on that number. Plus, the talk with her and Margaret Groos (UVa’s first ever female scholarship athlete) is going to be so interesting, as these two historic “firsts” compare notes in conversation with each other.

Thanks so much!
https://www.eventbrite.com/.../virginia-track-fieldcross...

The Bruce Barnes Mile (June 12) is quickly filling up (we’re already over 100...a record crowd), so enter ASAP.
https://runsignup.com/brucebarnes

I’m still aiming to get us back together for our first Wednesday Group workout, in over a year, on May 26. Looks like everyone in our two groups I’ve talked to, over the past several weeks, has either been fully vaccinated or is heading there. This makes your coach very happy, as it will not only keep you, my athletes, safe and healthy but also afford us the “luxury” of a relaxed and “normal” group run (in pace groups of course)! Location is still to be determined...

Happy Birthdays to Lauren R. (Monday), Katie T. (Wednesday), Wendy (Wednesday), James C. (Wednesday) and Jason V. (Saturday)!

Call on me with ANY questions.
Coach Mark
434-962-1694 (text)

p.s. I’ve included a short clip of the last lap of the first sub 4 minute mile ever run at UVa’s track (from last week). That’s our Adrian doing the color (and quite animated) commentating for ESPN. Cool stuff!
https://twitter.com/UVATFCC/status/1390437468579667969

SPEEDSTERS: As we continue our “break”, please keep working on two key things:
1. Building your AHR base mileage. So, increasing your mileage each week by 10-15% with slow and relaxed miles (all in the 135-140 heart rate range). The slower you go the better!
This week (5/10), I’d suggest trying to get in 17-24 miles (or more) with a Saturday long run in the 7-10 range. Adding 4-5 form surges (not sprints) up a moderate hill (12 seconds each with a 48 second slow recovery in between each) to your Monday and Wednesday runs will help with core efficiency.

​2. Speaking of “Core”, that’s the other big thing you can be working on. I’d suggest a DAILY regimen of sit-ups, planks, pushups, hand weights and balancing exercises in addition to daily foam rolling. And watch your sitting duration and posture, as the number one cause of back, hamstring and calf issues is sitting for too long and improper sitting posture!