Wednesday, October 28, 2015

November 1st Preview

Prepare to get wet on Sunday's 10.1-mile run. Prepare also for the post-Halloween morning and the switch back to standard time. Our start at the new 8:00 will be the old 9:00.

Our route: 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). Turn AROUND there and come back the same way: Valley River, Ferry and store. GPS distance is 10.15 miles.

Bring a drink for delivery at Skinner Butte playground (about 3.5 and 6.6 miles). Weather forecast: starting temperature in low 50s and rain all but guaranteed.

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 13.1 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.

Sunday, October 25, 2015

October 25th Results (9.1 miles & others)

Rain made today's run feel like it's already November. Speaking of which, the time will "fall back" by an hour next Sunday for our 10-mile run.

Thanks to Shivaun for opening the store for us today.

TODAY'S 9.1 MILES FROM ERC

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

Neal -- 1:44:34 (11:25 pace, -55 sec. per mile)
Gina -- 1:44:32 (11:25s, +1:51)
Jeff -- 1:35:15 (10:24s, +9 sec.)
Jenna -- 1:35:15 (10:24s, no target)
Sean -- 1:18:16 (8:33s, -2 sec.) day's best pacer
Jeanette -- 1:29:20 (9:46s, -5 sec.)
Nobuko -- 1:54 (12:27s, +14 sec.)
Rhonda -- 1:44:32 (11:25s, -55 sec.)

OTHER WEEKEND RUNS

(if reported to me)

Amy -- 8 miles in Portland on Sunday
Stephanie -- half-marathon trail race in Sisters on Saturday, 2:49:28 (12:56s)
Laurel -- 12 trail miles on Sunday
Michelle R. -- 12 trail miles on Sunday
Desiree -- 9 miles early on Sunday
Russell -- 10.15 miles on Sunday, 1:27:25 (8:36s, +10 sec.)

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

October 25th Preview

Last step before double-figure mileage this Sunday (with 9.1). And last stop before EWEB race month (and time change) of November.

The route (with an eight o'clock start from the Eugene Running Company): 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 and turn AROUND. Back the same way: Autzen, Ferry and store. GPS distance is 9.15 miles.

Bring a drink for delivery at Ferry Street, both directions (about three and six miles). Weather forecast: starting temperature in high 40s with rain likely.

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 do soon enough. Our more experienced runners might want to train for speed during the week. I recommend that this come between Tuesday and Thursday 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.

Sunday, October 18, 2015

October 18th Results (8 miles & others)

Marathons done, we now focus on halves for the fall. While the training aims primarily at the EWEB Half, a good number of our teammates will run two weeks earlier at Silver Falls.

Thanks to Shivaun for opening the store this morning. And to Laurel for helping on the course, after organizing a group trail run on Saturday.

Next Sunday's distance is nine miles, with an 8:00 start from the Running Company.

TODAY'S 8-MILE RUN

(with per-mile pace, based on GPS average of 8.00, and comparison to last long run here; target was to match that pace for this longer distance)

Neal -- 1:38:44 (12:20 pace, +38 sec. per mile)
Jeff -- 1:22:02 (10:15s, +10 sec.)
Danuta -- 1:40:56 (12:36s, +11 sec.)
Desiree -- 1:40:56 (12:36s, +11 sec.)
Rachel -- 1:11:11 (8:53s, -1:51)
Jeanette -- 1:18:52 (9:51s, no target)
Nobuko -- 1:37:47 (12:13s, +2 sec.) best pacer
Rhonda -- 1:38:44 (12:20s, +1:22)

OTHER WEEKEND RUNS AND RACES

(if reported to me)

Michele C. -- ran Saturday before Mexico vacation
Gina -- Hop to Hop 10K on Sunday, her birthday!
Jean -- 5.9 miles with us, after trail run on Saturday
Tatiana -- 5.9 miles with us, after trail run on Saturday
Stephanie -- ran in Ashland on Sunday
Laurel -- 10 trail miles on Saturday
Michelle R. -- 10 trail miles on Saturday
Russell -- 17.5 miles on Sunday, 2:39:11 (9:05s)

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

October 18th Preview

After two weeks away for various races, we're back to business as usual here in Eugene: a Sunday run of eight miles with an eight o'clock start from the Running Company.

The route: Oakway and Coburg Roads to Ferry Street Bridge and don't cross. Turn right onto bike path, to Valley River footbridge and across. To Ferry Street and turn AROUND. Then back the same way, Valley River, Ferry and store. GPS distance is 8.10 miles.

Bring a drink for delivery at turnaround. Weather forecast: starting temperature in low 50s with slight chance of rain. 

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, with runners who follow this training plan the closest usually doing the best in our designated race of the season. 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.

Sunday, October 11, 2015

October 11th Results (Victoria & others)

We had an impromptu team reunion north of the border this weekend. A dozen of our runners past and present met at the Victoria Marathon, some to run that distance, more in the half and others playing support roles (that's you, Rachel!).

Meanwhile we had runners half-marathoning in California and 10K-ing between Washington and Oregon.  Back home, groups gathered on Saturday or Sunday for training on the Row River Trail and the Dorris Ranch path.

VICTORIA RESULTS

(runners from summer or fall teams, with official chip-timed results)

Neal -- half in 2:35:18 (11:55 pace)
Mike -- half in 1:52:03 (8:36s) 
Joe -- half walk in 2:58:07 (13:39s)
Laurel -- finished half
Lauren -- half in 2:28:27 (11:23s) 

Alumni and others:

Kasey Cutsworth -- marathon in 4:56:59 (11:20s) her first
Jenna Fribley -- half in 2:24:55 (11:07s)
Elissa Gavette -- half in 2:42:35 (12:28s) her first
Stephanie (Weaver) Laurie -- half in 2:24:55 (11:07s)
Steve Laurie -- half in 1:22:18 (6:19s) 
Steve Modee -- marathon in 4:56:59 (11:20s)
Shannon Oliver -- marathon in 4:19:16 (9:54s) PR
Alyse Stone -- half walk in 3:54:17 (17:58s)

OTHER RACES

Amy -- Great Columbia Crossing 10K in 53:12 (8:35s)
Kathie -- Healdsburg, CA, Half in 2:12:02 (10:05s)

TEAM TRAINING

(if reported to me)

Jean and Tatiana at Dorris on Saturday
Nobuko and Russell and Row on Saturday
Stephanie, Michele C., Gina and David at Dorris on Sunday
Jeff, 7.5 miles on Sunday

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

October 11th Preview

With marathon recovery barely started for some of you and races to run this Sunday for others, we take a breather from weekend training in Eugene. The next step up in distance, to eight miles, will come next week.

Elsewhere, Kathie Hledik runs a half-marathon in Healdsburg, California, this Sunday. Laurel Mathiesen, Neal Benson and I go that same distance in Victoria, BC. Amy Goddard runs the Great Columbia Crossing between Washington and Oregon.

Others with team ties to cross the Canadian border are Steve Modee (with support from Rachel and Mike Frede) and Shannon Oliver for the marathon and Lauren Somers (from our speed group) for the half or 8K. Neal's wife Alyse Stone walks the half. Stephanie (Weaver) Laurie comes up from Houston with her new team to run that distance.

I realize that many of you have other agendas this fall besides the Run to Stay Warm Half. But our team's training plan remains focused on that EWEB race. You can adjust yours individually as needed.

Saturday, October 3, 2015

October 3rd Results (7 miles and others)

It's always a good day when we get to run the Dorris Ranch path. With races to run or recover from, we have no scheduled training for the team next weekend. But you could do worse than gather informally back at Dorris.

SATURDAY'S 7 MILES

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

Gina -- 1:06:56 (9:34 pace, -1:24 per mile)
Jeff -- 1:10:41 (10:05s, -21 sec.)
Danuta -- 1:27 (12:25s, +28 sec.)
Kathie -- 1:08:36 (9:48s, -31 sec.) before half-marathon next week
Sean -- 1:00:04 (8:35s, +21 sec.) after 17 miles on Friday
Desiree -- 1:22:33 (11:47s, -10 sec.)
Jake -- 56:10 (8:01s, -10 sec.)
Nobuko -- 1:25:20 (12:11s, -23 sec.)

Guest:
Nick -- 1:13:11 (10:27s)

OTHER DISTANCES

Neal -- walked before half-marathon next week
Laurel -- 6 miles in California, 53:13 (8:50s)
Russell -- 8 miles in 1:07:43 (8:26s, +9 sec.) day's best pacer
Rhonda -- walked before Sunday marathon

Guests:
Dave - 4 miles in 48:06 (12:01s)
Eleanor -- 4 miles in 48:06 (12:01s)

SUNDAY'S PORTLAND MARATHON

(those who've said they plan to train with us for EWEB Half)

Michele -- 5:58:03 (13:40s) marathon debut
Gina -- paced Michele for last 8 miles
Amy -- 4:50:34 (11:06s)
Cindy -- 5:13:43 (11:59s)
Jeanette -- 4:29:09 (10:17s) PR by 20 minutes
Rhonda -- 5:05:21 (11:40s)