June 28th Results (10.1 miles, etc.)

We caught a break this morning with the temperature, but it won't last. Scorching weather will be with us through next weekend. Plan accordingly for Butte to Butte and our scheduled 11-mile run.

Some of our trail crew ran McKenzie River this weekend. I consider them our "grad students" who have advanced far beyond the standard half and marathon programs. There's little I can teach them about the distances and places they go. Now if you ask me about track racing...

TODAY'S 10.1 MILES, ETC.

(with per-mile pace, based on GPS average of 10.15, and comparison to your last long run here)

Rashi -- 1:23 in Minnesota (8:18 pace)
Neal -- ran 8 miles
Michele C. -- 1:50:16 (10:52s, -18 sec.)
Mike -- 1:39:23 (8:57s)
Rachel F. -- ran 7 miles
Kathie -- 1:43:46 (10:13s, -2 sec.) day's best pacer
Leah -- ran in Florence
Laurel -- ran 8 miles
Jeff M. -- ran 7 miles, after 10+ Saturday on trails
Sean -- 1:28:53 (8:45s, +15 sec.)
Evan -- 11.1 miles in 1:39:23 (8:57s, +43 sec.)
Michelle R. -- ran 5 miles
Desiree -- ran early
Trina -- ran 8 miles in Hawaii
Jake -- 1:28:49 (8:45s, +17 sec.)
Cindy -- ran 10+ miles Saturday on trails
Elly -- 1:37:17 (9;35s, +27 sec.)
Sara -- ran 6 miles
Rachel W. -- ran 8 miles
Jeanette -- 1:50:16 (10:52s, -6 sec.) 2nd best pacer, tie; after 10+ trail miles on Saturday
Joy -- ran 7 miles, after long trail run on Friday
Rhonda -- 1:50:16 (10:52s, -6 sec.) 2nd best pacer, tie; after 10+ trail miles on Saturday

Guests:
Anne -- ran 5 miles
Cregg -- ran 5 miles

June 28th Preview

Summer's here and the heat is on this week, though it looks like we'll get a slight break for Sunday's 10-mile run. Some clouds will keep high temperatures out of the 90s, but the morning will still be plenty warm. Start early if you wish.

The route from the Eugene Running Running Company: Oakway and Coburg Roads to Ferry Street Bridge and don't cross. Turn right onto bike path, to Valley River footbridge and across. Turn left, to Autzen footbridge (brick crosswalk) and turn AROUND. Back the same way: Valley River, Ferry and store. GPS distance is 10.15 miles.

Bring a drink for delivery at 3.5 and 6.5 miles (Skinner Butte playground). Weather forecast: partly cloudy with starting temperature about 70.

WEEK 6 LESSON: YOUR SPEED

Question: Should I train for speed during the week? And can I run short-distance races to improve my speed?

Answer: Do nothing for speed that might interfere with going long. Distance is far more important than speed in this training program. You’re mainly preparing here to go the 26.2 miles, not to meet or beat a time goal. Never substitute fast for long. Add a fast-training day in midweek only if you have recovered fully from the latest long run, or if you can be ready in time for the next one. Run a race only if it replaces one a training run of similar length scheduled that weekend. Running a short race does give you experience in dealing with the race-day atmosphere, which differs greatly from ours during training.

June 20th & 21st Results (9.1 miles, 8K race, etc.)

We greeted summer and celebrated Fathers Day several ways this weekend: on Saturday with training for the largest number of our runners, then on Saturday a good-sized contingent ran the Prost8K. We collected many awards.

The real winners there, though, were Neal, Chris and myself for the early diagnosis and successful treatment we received at the sponsor's medical center. The three of us wore dark-blue shirts with “Survivor” on the back. 

It’s a club that no man joins by choice. But if he does, the Oregon Urology Institute gives the best of care and follow-up support. The Prost8K promotes awareness of our illness and the fact that it’s treatable if caught early.

Saturday's training run was our last stop before reaching double-figures mileage next Sunday. Temperatures are due to soar before that run. You always have the option of starting early on hot days.

Thanks to Tonya for helping on Saturday.

SATURDAY'S RESULTS (9.1 MILES, ETC.)

(with per-mile pace, based on GPS average of 9.15, and comparison with your last long run here; target was to match that pace for this longer distance)

Michele -- 1:42:22 (11:10 pace, +51 sec. per mile)
Jean -- 10 miles in Cottage Grove, 1:43:12 (10:19s, +10 sec.)

Stephanie -- ran in Ashland
Kathie -- 1:33:48 (10:15s, +37 sec.)
Laurel -- ran in Bend
Leah -- 1:22:36 (9:01s, +1 sec.) day's best pacer
Jeff M. -- 1:16:54 (8:24s, +23 sec.)
Sean -- 1:17:54 (8:30s, +6 sec.) day's 2nd best pacer
Desiree -- 1:57:51 (12:52s, +1:07)
Trina -- 9.6 miles in 2:00:35 (12:34s, +21 sec.)
Jake -- 1:17:25 (8:28s, +9 sec.)
Cindy -- ran in New York City
Elly -- ran in Hawaii
Sara -- ran 2.5 hours for San Francisco Marathon training
Jeanette -- ran Friday on McKenzie River Trail
Joy -- ran Friday on McKenzie River Trail
Rhonda -- 1:42:48 (11:14s, +40 sec.) during 16.2-mile run

SUNDAY'S RESULTS (8K RACE, ETC.)

(with official times and per-mile paces from Prost8K and Vancouver Marathon)

Neal -- 5K in 27:03 (8:43 pace) 1st in age group, 2nd overall
Michele -- 8K in 48:32 (9:46s)
Tatiana -- ran Vancouver Marathon
Jeff D. -- 11 miles in 2:03:31 (11:13s, +38 sec.)
Stephanie -- 8K in 48:32 (9:46s) 3rd in age group
Chris -- 8K in 49:37 (9:59s)
Laurel -- 6 miles at Smith Rock
Jeff M. -- walked 5K with dad on Fathers Day
Sergio -- 8K in 31:42 (6:23s) 2nd in age group
Evan -- ran 9 miles
Trina - 8K in 54:15 (10:55s)
Jake -- 8K in 37:48 (7:37s) 2nd in age group
Russell -- 8K in 35:27 (7:08s)
Rhonda -- 8K in 45:33 (9:10s) 2nd in age group

June 20th Preview

We move just this once to a SATURDAY run this week. The reason is Sunday's Prost8K, which has special meaning to three of us on the current team. (If you're running that race, it starts at 8:00 at the Oregon Urology Institute in Springfield and finishes at the Gateway Mall.)

Saturday's distance is 9.1 miles, with a 7:30 start. The route: Oakway and Coburg Roads to Ferry Street Bridge and don't cross. Turn left onto bike path, to Autzen footbridge and across. Turn right, to Valley River footbridge. Turn AROUND there and come back the same way: Autzen, Ferry and store. GPS distance is 9.15 miles.

Bring a drink for delivery at about three and six miles (Ferry Street). Weather forecast: sunny with starting temperature in 50s, rising quickly toward at afternoon high in mid-80s.

WEEK 5 LESSON: YOUR PACE

Question: How fast should my long runs be?

Answer: Let your pace find itself. Don’t try to force an arbitrary pace (such as a half-marathon time goal) onto these runs. Instead, run comfortably, letting whatever happens with your pace happen. Finish with the feeling that you could have gone a little longer that day, which you will soon enough. Our more experienced runners might want to train for speed during the week. I recommend that this come between Tuesday and Thursday (when organized fast-training groups, independent of ours, are available) to give enough recovery from the last long run and before the next one. If you run a shorter-distance race during this training period, make it easy. A full effort there would conflict with your weekend long run, which is far more important during this training cycle.

June 14th Results (8 miles, etc.)

This was big weekend for our team. Two of the current crew went long -- Laurel Mathiesen in her first Half Ironman triathlon at Victoria, BC, on Sunday, and Jeff McKay in his longest run at the Bristow 12-Hour race.

Plus we had teammates take their graduation walks. Michaela Alamillo, Osbaldo Escatel, Leslie Johnson and Juan Carlos Yglesias from my spring UO class (and the Eugene Marathon or Half) completed their journey there. Tonya McKay took her final steps at LCC.

Amid all this activity, plus the school year's end and the vacation season's start, we still had an even dozen teammates running from the store today.

TODAY'S 8-MILE AND OTHER RESULTS

(with per-mile pace and comparison to your last long run here; target was to match that pace)

Neal -- 6.1 miles in 1:01:08 (10:03 pace, -23 sec. per mile)

Michele -- 1:22:08 (10:03s, +8 sec.)

Jean -- 1:20:43 (10:09s, -23 sec.) after 13.1M on Saturday

Tatiana -- one hour in Portland, before marathon next Sunday

Jeff D. -- 10 miles in 1:45:23 (10:35s, =) day's best pacer

Stephanie -- 1:22:04 (10:19s, -47 sec.)

Kathie -- 8.2 miles in 1:18:43 (9:38s, -5 sec.)

Leah -- 1:11:38 (9:00s, -1:08)

Laurel -- 13.1 miles to finish Victoria Half-Ironman Triathlon, 70.3M

Jeff M. -- 54.4 miles in Bristow 12-Hour (13:13s) 2nd overall

Sean -- 1:06:55 (8:24s, -2 sec.) day's 2nd best pacer

Desiree -- 1:33:25 (11:45s, -33 sec.)

Trina -- 1:37:10 (12:13s, +14 sec.)

Cindy -- 8.2 miles in 1:17:30 (9:29s, +29 sec.) after 100M bike on Saturday

Elly -- ran in Hawaii

Sara -- ran in Berkeley

Jeanette -- 1:27:12 (10:58s, +1:04)

Rhonda -- 14M in San Diego, 2:28:08 (10:34s, +8 sec.)

June 14th Preview

Luckily, despite the past week's weather, a long hot summer isn't here yet. Sunday looks pleasant for our eight-mile run. We're back at the Eugene Running Company for a 7:30 start.

The route: Oakway and Coburg Roads to Ferry Street Bridge and don't cross. Turn left onto bike path, to Alton Baker parking lot (at restrooms). Onto road and follow it past Autzen Stadium to canal path. Turn right, and follow canal under I-5 to end of path at D Street in Springfield. Turn AROUND there and come back the same way. GPS distance is 7.95 miles.

Bring a drink for delivery at Springfield boat ramp (about 3.5 and 4.5 miles). Weather forecast: starting temperature in 50s and sunny.

WEEK 4 LESSON: YOUR EXTRAS

Question: If I have raced this distance before, can or should I do more training than this program lists?

Answer: More isn’t necessarily better. For these months, please buy into this program of long runs as written. It has a proven record of success. Stick to the scheduled distances on Sundays, neither shorter nor longer, and take as many of these runs as possible with the group. The average increase of one mile week already pushes the safe limit of 10 percent, and one of the goals here is to keep you healthy throughout the program. Adding extra miles could put you at risk of injury, and a goal is to get you safely to the starting line.

June 7th Results (7 miles, etc.)

Today's run served several purposes (besides the official and traditional start point for marathon training, and a "field trip" to Dorris Ranch). It was recovery from Newport and taper for big events coming soon (Jeff's 12-hour, Laurel's half-Iron, Tatiana's marathon).

Thanks to Tonya (who has a big event of her own this weekend, her LCC graduation) for helping with these results.

TODAY'S 7.0 MILES

(or other distance if different; with per-mile pace and comparison to your last long run here; target was to match that pace)

Neal -- 1:13:08 (10:26 pace, -40 sec.)
Michele -- 7.8 miles in 1:19:33 (10:11s, -29 sec.)
Jean -- 1:13:45 (10:32s, +35 sec.)
Tatiana -- 1:14:05 (10:35s, -7 sec.) 3rd best pacer, tie
Jeff D. -- 9 miles in 1:35:20 (10:35s, +9 sec.)
Stephanie -- 7 miles on Saturday
Chris -- 1:13:45 (10:32s, no target)
Kathie -- 1:08:06 (9:43s, no target)
Leah -- 1:11:00 (10:08s, no target)
Laurel, with Jessica -- 4 miles in 36:20 (9:05s, no target)
Jeff M. -- 7.8 miles in 1:02:36 (8:01s, -25 sec.)
Sergio -- 7.8 miles in 56:24 (7:14s, no target)
Sean -- 59:19 (8:28s, -7 sec.) 3rd best pacer, tie
Evan -- 57:38 (8:14s, -44 sec.)
Trina -- 1:23:55 (11:59s, =) day's best pacer
Jake -- 7.8 miles in 1:04:55 (8:19s, -33 sec.)
Cindy -- 1:03:08 (9:00s, -25 sec.)
Elly -- 1:03:59 (9:08s, -14 sec.)
Sara -- 2 hours in Berkeley
Russell -- 1:02:36 (8:01s, -24 sec.)
Rhonda -- 1:13:07 (10:26s, +3 sec.) 2nd best pacer

June 7th Preview

Half-marathoners continue upward in distance this Sunday with seven miles. For marathoners it's our official and traditional start of the next training cycle -- at that same distance.

We'll take the first our our two "field trips" of the summer, this one to the Dorris Ranch path in Springfield. Start time is 7:30.

The route is simple: from the trailhead parking lot (with restrooms and water fountains there),  "0.0" milepost to "3.5" and back. 

No drink service on course because there are no access points by car. This could be a concern because the forecast calls for a starting temperature in the 60s, rising quickly toward the day's high near 90. If worried about running dry, tank up before starting or carry a drink.

A gentle reminder that this new training season carries a new fee. You can pay at the store whenever it's open, or hand it to me.

WEEK 3 LESSON: YOUR WEEK

Question: What should I do during the week, between long runs?

Answer: On weekdays “rest” and “easy” are the key words. The biggest mistake half-marathon trainers make is trying to increase all their running. The longer you go on Sundays, the less you can or should do the other days. My recommended easy run is one lasting 30 to 60 minutes (usually closer to the half-hour than the hour) at a relaxed pace, totaling no more than two hours of running between Sundays. Training by minutes instead of miles encourages you to run easily, because you can’t rush time the way you might do with distance. I also urge you to take a day or two off (easy cross-training is okay those days) after the long run and one rest day before the next one.