March 12th Results (4.9 miles)

With the Cottage Grove Half happening yesterday, along with the Eugene Marathon preview run – plus the time change – our numbers were small this morning. But as I like to say on days like this, we had quality if not quantity.

Welcome to the team, Rachel and Lauren. Welcome back, Renee and Alisha.

Thanks to Lindsey for opening the store this morning. And to Neal for helping on the course.

TODAY’S 4.9 MILES

(with per-mile pace, based on GPS average of 4.87; target was to run at about the effort you’ll eventually continue for a half-marathon)

Manny – 51:36 (10:35 pace)

Bill – 47:07 (9:40s)

Jean – ran untimed

Tatiana – ran untimed

Lauren – 46:14 (9:29s)

Renee – 51:22 (10:32s)

Alisha – 46:25 (9:32s)

Rachel L. – 46:25 (9:32s)

TODAY’S 8.0 MILES

(with per-mile pace, based on GPS average of 8.00; target was either to go faster than your last long run here, for speed training, or same pace, for recovery)

Kyoko – 1:23:15 (10:24 pace)

OTHER RECENT RUNS

(those reported to me; Saturday’s Cottage Grove Half results were in a separate blog)

Jean – hour run on Saturday, to taper for L.A. Marathon

Tatiana – hour run on Saturday, to taper for L.A. Marathon

Gary – 5K race on Thursday in 25:55 (8:21s)

Kyoko – 11 miles on Saturday

Scott – 5 miles on Tuesday in 37:42 (7:27s)

Anna – 13.1 miles on Saturday

Rhonda – 10 miles on Saturday in 1:51:33 (11:07s)

Cottage Grove Half-Marathon results

Good day to run (with the rain pausing for most of the half-marathon race hours). Great place to race (Row River Trail, which is one of the best).

We were well represented here. Eight from the current team ran, with Neal Benson, Gary Hair and Leah Kirkland all placing second in their age group. 

An equal number of team alumni were there. Three of them – Karen and Rex Prater, and Jon Stinnett – trained with our very first team, in early 2005. Sota Yodokawa, from my UO class, placed fifth overall and won his age group while debuting at this distance.

TODAY’S COTTAGE GROVE HALF-MARATHON RESULTS

(with official chip times; target was to go faster than last long training run, which everyone did)

Neal – 2:18:51 (10:35 pace) 2nd in age-group

Bill – 1:57:37 (8:58s)

Rachel F. – 1:49:20 (8:21s)

Stephanie – 2:20:30 (10:43s)

Gary – 1:53:46 (8:41s) PR! 2nd in age group!

Julie – 1:45:49 (8:04s) PR on her birthday!

Leah K. – 1:38:20 (7:30s) 2nd in age group!

Trina – 2:26:18 (11:10s) PR!

Alumni Results

Jan Buhmann – 2:24:19 (11:01s) PR!

Gina Clifton – 1:58:45 (9:04s)

Pete Dolan – 1:36:52 (7:23s) PR! 2nd in age group

Mike Frede – 1:40:44 (7:41s)

Karen Prater – 2:16:36 (10:25s) on her birthday!

Rex Prater – 2:16:38 (10:25s)

Jon Stinnett – 1:34:55 (7:15s)

Sota Yodokawa – 1:2447 (6:28s) 1st in age group!

(Photo: Leah Kirkland with her age-group prize.)

Eugene Half-Marathon Training

Training for a long race goes better if you run with a group that shares your goal and a coach who has helped hundreds runners reach theirs before. You set the goal, and we provide the group support and coaching advice for carrying out our proven plan. This round of training targets the Eugene Half-Marathon (on May 7^th).

The Eugene Running Company has sponsored this training group since its launch in 2005. More than 500 runners have joined us, and their finish rate is 99-plus percent.

The team usually meets at the Running Company on Sunday mornings at 8:00. The fee for our two months of half-marathon training is $50 (payable at the store when your training begins).

We welcome runners of all abilities and experience levels. However, we strongly recommend that half-marathoners have run at least four miles before this training begins.

Contact the coach at: joesrunteam@gmail.com. The calendar for this spring:

March 12 – 5 miles to start Eugene Half training

March 19 – 6 miles

March 26 – 7 miles

April 2 – 8 miles

April 9 – 9 miles

April 15 – 10 miles (on Saturday of Easter weekend)

April 23 – 11 miles

April 30 – one hour

May 7 – Eugene Half-Marathon, at 7:00

March 12th Preview

Our most recent half-marathon program ends on Saturday in Cottage Grove. Our new one, for the Eugene Half, begins Sunday. The latter is a 4.9-mile run from the Eugene Running Company, with an eight o’clock start (on the first day of the Daylight Time switch). The store opens at 7:45, and you can leave your keys there.

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. Turn left, to Ferry Street, across and back to store. GPS distance is 4.87 miles. You’ll run most of this distance with our marathoners, who are continuing to eight miles.

No drink service will be provided on the course this week, but get in the habit of bringing one for afterward. Weather forecast: starting temperature in 40s with small chance of rain.

WEEK ONE LESSON: YOUR PROGRAM

Question: What is the rationale behind this training program?

Answer: This half-marathon program is, fittingly, almost precisely half the one that our marathon teams follow successfully. You train as the marathoners do early in their program – except that 13.1 miles is your end point, and 11 miles is your longest training run. You also train under conditions that mimic those of the race. Our group runs are nearly flat. If you want hill training, add some to your midweek runs. Our Sunday runs are on hard surfaces, because that’s where the race is run. You can seek out softer ground during the week. You run no faster in Sunday training than you will go in the race. Practice for speed elsewhere.

Cottage Grove Half preview

Our first half-marathon buildup for 2017 peaks this Saturday for many of you at the Cottage Grove Half. You can find details of this race at… http://www.cottagegrovehalf.com/index.php.

The essentials: early packet pickup at Run Hub on Thursday, 2 to 7 p.m., and at the Village Green Resort in Cottage Grove on Friday, 2 to 6 p.m. Race-day pickup at Bohemia Park in downtown C.G. until 8:15 a.m.

Buses leave for the Dorena School start at 8:30. The race starts at 9:30, with the course running back to Trailhead Park (near Bohemia), mostly on the Row River Trail.

I’ll be Bohemia Park by about 7:30 and near the halfway point (“7.0” milepost). Bring drinks if you’d like one besides what the event offers at its stations.

If you’re NOT running Cottage Grove, come to our regular Sunday session. It’s five miles (to start Eugene Half training) or eight miles (for marathoners) this week. I’ll preview it later this week.

WEEK 9 LESSON: YOUR RECOVERY

Question: What should I do in the days or weeks after this race?

Answer: One of the most important phases of a training program is also one of the most overlooked. This is what to do AFTER the race. It doesn’t end at the finish line but continues with what you do – or don’t do – in the immediate and extended period afterward. One popular rule of thumb is to allow at least one easy day for every mile of the race (about two weeks after a half-marathon). One day per kilometer (or three weeks post-half) might work even better if the race was especially tough. During this period, take no really long runs, none very fast, and avoid further racing. Run easily until the prospect of training for another race excites you.

(Photo: Leah Kirkland in last year's Cottage Grove Half)

March 5th Results (6.2 miles)

It’s only a rumor (reaching me in the Napa Valley of California), but I hear your run today was a challenging one. Praise to those who met that challenge.

And thanks to Lindsey for opening the store, plus Jean, Tatiana and Shelli on the course.

I helped down here where longtime teammate Sara Tepfer ran 20 miles of the Napa Valley Marathon as training for next month’s Boston. She’s fit, averaging about 7:45s!

TODAY’S 6.2 MILES

(with per-mile pace; target was to run at your current half-marathon pace, as taper for next week’s race)

Neal – 7 miles in 1:24:02 (12:00 pace)

Bill – 1:01 (9:51s)

Stephanie – 7 miles in 1:24:02 (12:00s)

Trina – 4 miles untimed

Rachel W. – 6.2 miles untimed

TODAY’S 15 MILES

(with per-mile pace; target was to run at your eventual marathon pace)

Rachel F. – 2:14 (8:55 pace)

Gary – 11 miles in 1:50:28 (10:02s)

Leah K. – 2:14 (8:55s)

Leah W. – 2:41:03 (10:44s)

Rhonda – 2:55:06 (11:40s)

OTHER RECENT RUNS

(those reported to me)

Jean – 10 miles on Saturday
Tatiana – 10 miles on Saturday

March 5th Preview

I’ll sneak out of town this weekend, but the running here will go on as planned – with the store opening as usual. That is, you’ll have plenty of support – with Shelli on course for your run.

The distance for runners now tapering for the Cottage Grove Half will come down to 6.2 miles (starting with our marathoners, who are continuing to 15). 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 “1.5” milepost at senior center. Turn AROUND there and go back the same way: Autzen, Ferry and store. GPS distance is 6.19 miles.

Bring a drink for delivery at halfway. Weather forecast: starting temperature in 30s with rain likely and snow possible.

WEEK EIGHT LESSON: YOUR STRATEGY

Question: What is the best way to pace myself during the half-marathon?

Answer: Even if you’ve done everything right in training, you can cancel all that good with as little as one wrong move on race day. The first and worst bad move is to bolt from the starting line far faster than your training pace. Crowd hysteria and your own raging nervous system conspire to send you into the race as if fired from a cannon. Try to work against the forces of the crowd and your natural desires. Pull back the mental reins at a time when the voices inside are shouting, “Faster!” Be cautious in your early pacing, erring on the side of too-slow rather than too-fast. Hold something in reserve for the late miles. This is where you reward yourself for your early caution, by passing instead of being passed. Being the passer rather than the passee is a lot more fun.