Wednesday, August 31, 2016

September 4th Preview

You pop into double-figure mileage this Sunday, with 10. The first five of those miles will be with our marathoners. Only one step up in mileage remains for all of you before your next race day.

The course (with an 8:00 start from the Eugene Running Company): Oakway and Coburg Roads to Ferry Street Bridge and turn left onto bike path. To Autzen footbridge and across. Turn right, past Ferry Street and Valley River bridges, to “.50” milepost. Turn AROUND there and come back the same way: Autzen, Ferry and store. GPS distance is 10.15 miles.

Bring a drink for delivery at Skinner Butte playground (3.5 and 6.6 miles). Weather forecast: sunny with starting temperature in 50s, rising to an afternoon high in 70s.

WEEK 7 LESSON: YOUR POTENTIAL

Question: What can I expect my half-marathon race time to be?

Answer: The best predictor of the final race result, I’ve found with previous marathon and half teams, is the pace of the longest training run. For a half-marathon, for instance, a runner who trained at 9:00 per mile (for the 11 miles at which our program peaks) can expect to finish the race at very close to that pace. Nearly all of our runners come within 15 seconds, plus or minus – or 8:45 to 9:15 in this example. As with any reliable gauge, this one isn’t based on what you dream of maybe doing someday but instead on what you really have done lately. I don’t say this to drain any of the mystery or surprise from your racing. Mainly I want you to know going into the race what a smart starting pace for you will be. Running at that rate early will assure a better finish.

Sunday, August 28, 2016

August 28th Results (9.1 miles)

Once in a great while, our half-marathoners moving up in distance and marathoners coming down get to meet for the same run. This was one of those times when we truly were a single team. The distances diverge again next Sunday, when they reach 10 and 19 miles.

Thanks to Lindsey for opening the store this morning (after her own 18-mile run the day before). And thanks to Max for looking for a “lost” runner on the course.

TODAY’S 9.1 MILES

(with per-mile pace, based on GPS average of 9.15; target was to run a pace you hope to hold eventually for 13.1 miles)

Jean – 1:37:52 (10:41 pace)
Tatiana – 1:44:24 (11:24s)
Jeff – 1:44:32 (11:25s)
David – 1:19:29 (8:46s) longest run yet!
Norm – 1:12:03 (7:52s)
Trina – 1:53:35 (12:24s)
Max – 9.75 miles in 1:27:47 (9:00s)

OTHER RECENT RUNS

(those reported to me)

Rashi – 20 miles (8:33s) in Minnesota on Friday
Neal – 8.5 miles (10:10s) on Friday
Renee – 9 miles (11:16s) in Portland on Saturday
Leah – ran in Idaho
Laurel – 6 miles in Massachusetts on Saturday
Sara – 1.5 hours in California on Saturday
Jeanette – 6.2 trail miles on Friday; 21.2 trails on Saturday


Wednesday, August 24, 2016

August 28th Preview

Sunday is one of those rare times when our half-marathoners and marathoners are in synch. You all run the same nine-mile course, which is…

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.

Eight o’clock start from the Eugene Running Company. Bring a drink for delivery at Ferry Street (about three and six miles). Weather forecast: sunny with starting temperature in 60s, rising to an afternoon high in 80s.

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 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, August 21, 2016

August 21st Results (8.0 & 17.1 miles)

We marked the end of the Olympics today with a special run of our own. Rio in English means "river," and we took our traditional once-per-training-cycle trip to the Row River Trail.

Thanks to Jean for helping on the course, after running her long one there on Saturday.



TODAY'S 8.0 MILES

(with per-mile pace, based on GPS average of 8.05; target was to run at a pace you hope to hold for your next half-marathon)

Neal -- about 1:30 (11:11 pace)
David -- 1:10:32 (8:46s) longest ever!
Renee -- ran untimed
Rhonda -- about 1:30 (11:11s)

TODAY'S 17.1 MILES

(with per-mile pace, based on GPS average of 17.15; target was to run at a pace you hope to hold for your next marathon)

Bill -- 2:51:17 (9:59 pace)
Leah -- 2:20:41 (8:12s)
Norm -- 2:16:56 (7:59s)
Max -- 2:28:42 (8:40s)
Jeanette -- ran longer, untimed

OTHER RECENT RUNS

(those reported to me)

Rashi -- ran in Minnesota
Michele -- ran Monkey Face Half-Marathon on Saturday
Jean -- 17.1 miles at Row River on Saturday
Tatiana -- 17.1 miles at Row River on Saturday
Laurel -- ran in Massachusetts
Sara -- ran one hour in California

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

August 21st Preview

Each training cycle we make one “field trip” to the Row River Trail near Cottage Grove. This is the week, when the distance is eight miles (and the marathoners go 17). Details about the drive to Row appear in today’s email.

The route is dead-simple: Mosby Creek bridge to “7.0” milepost and back to Mosby. GPS distance is 8.04 miles.

Bring a drink for delivery at the turnaround. Weather forecast: sunny with starting temperature in the 60s, warming quickly toward an afternoon high in the 90s.

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, August 14, 2016

August 14th Results (7 & 8 miles)

I’m trying to schedule our traditional summer trek to the Row River Trail in Cottage Grove. Let’s take a vote on which would work better: next Sunday (for eight and 17 miles) or September 4th (10 and 19 on Labor Day weekend)?

Thanks to Lindsey for opening the store this morning. This after she finished as first woman at Saturday’s Scandia 10K.

TODAY’S 7 MILES

(with per-mile pace, based on GPS average of 7.00; target was to run a pace that you expect to hold in your upcoming half-marathon)

Jeff – 1:17:24 (11:03 pace)
Rachel F. – 7.4 miles in 1:15:23 (10:14s)
David – 6 miles in 53:28 (8:52s) welcome to the team!
Renee – 1:15:30 (10:47s)
Trina – 1:25:30 (12:12s)

TODAY’S 8 MILES

(with per-mile pace, based on GPS average of 7.95; target was either to match last week’s pace for this shorter distance, or to go faster for speed training)

Bill – 1:14:53 (9:24 pace)
Jenna – 1:20:30 (10:07s)
Leah – 1:03:24 (7:58s)
Norm – 8.1 miles in 1:01:59 (7:41s)
Max – 1:06:52 (8:24s)

OTHER RECENT RUNS

(those reported to me)

Rashi – ran in Minnesota
Bill – 5K race on Thursday at 7:56s; 5K race on Saturday at 7:28s
Jean – Scandia 10K race on Saturday at 10:33s
Tatiana – Scandia 10K race on Saturday at 11:12s
Laurel – 15 miles in trail relay in West Virginia, Friday-Saturday
Sara – ran for 1:30 in Richmond, California
Max – 5K race on Thursday at 7:32s
Jeanette – 21 miles in Bend on Friday


Wednesday, August 10, 2016

August 14th Preview

Half-marathoners and marathoners and come back together (or almost) this Sunday. The shorter distance is seven miles, the longer one just a single mile more. Eight o’clock start for all from the Eugene Running Company.

The seven-mile route: Oakway and Coburg Roads to Ferry Street Bridge and don’t cross. Turn left onto bike path, to Alton Baker restrooms and parking lot. Continue on road to end at canal path. Turn right, under I-5, to boat ramp in Springfield. Turn AROUND there and come back the same way: canal, road, Alton Baker, Ferry and store. GPS distance is 7.00 miles.

Bring a drink for delivery at near boat ramp (about 3.5 miles). Weather forecast: sunny and starting temperature in 60s, but warming quickly toward day's high in 90s.

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, August 7, 2016

August 7th Results (6.2 & 15 miles)

We’re in peak vacation season, when turnout on Sundays is small. We’ll soon welcome you back from wherever you’ve gone recently (and probably run while there).

Thanks to Lindsey to opening the store today. And to Jean, Tatiana and Sara for helping on the course.

TODAY’S 6.2 MILES

(with per-mile pace, based on GPS average of 6.20; target was to run at a pace you eventually hope to average of a half-marathon)

Jeff – 1:08:00 (10:58 pace)
Rachel W. – 58:43 (9:28s)
Rhonda – 1:14:15 (11:58s)

Guest:

Renee

TODAY’S 15 MILES

(with per-mile pace, based on GPS average of 15.00; target was to run at a pace you eventually hope to average for a marathon)

Rashi – 18 miles in 2:30:19 (8:21 pace)
Bill – 2:27:13 (9:48s)
Norm – 15.26 miles in 2:04:29 (8:09s)
Max – 2:10:13 (8:41s)

OTHER RECENT RUNS

(those reported to me)

Neal – in Lincoln City
Jean – 15 miles on Saturday
Tatiana – 15 miles on Saturday
Rachel F. – 5.5 miles in Sisters
Amy – in Roseburg
Dan – 6 miles in Florence, 1:00 (10:00s)
Leah – 15.8 miles on Saturday, 2:27:46 (9:20s)
Laurel – in Massachusetts
Sara – ran for 1:45 on Saturday
Jeanette – 12 miles on Friday, 8 miles on Saturday

Wednesday, August 3, 2016

August 7th Preview

We’re back at it with Florence Half training this Sunday, and we’ll stay at it every weekend through the September 25th race. You will run the first 3.1 miles this Sunday with the marathoners, who are going on 15.

The 10-kilometer route (from Eugene Running Company at 8:00): 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 “1.5” milepost at senior center. Turn AROUND there and back the same way: Autzen, Ferry and store. GPS distance is 6.19 miles.

Bring a drink for delivery at turnaround and finish. Weather forecast: starting temperature in 50s and partly cloudy.

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.