April 9th Results (9 miles)

ROur next run will come sooner than usual. This SATURDAY of Easter weekend, we’ll join the Eugene Marathon preview from the University of Oregon campus. It will cover the Springfield and river-path portions of the race course. I’ll supply details in midweek.

Thanks to Kellen for opening the store this morning (in place of Lindsey, who was running a marathon in Washington; she ran 3:16:00 and won her age group).

TODAY’S 9 MILES

(with per-mile pace, based on GPS average of 9.05; target was to run at your expected half-marathon pace)

Bill – 1:23:13 (9:11 pace)

Jan – 1:39:04 (10:17s)

Jean – ran untimed

Stephanie – 1:38:51 (10:55s)

Lauren – 1:17:20 (8:32s)

Renee – ran untimed

Alisha – 5.8 miles in 52:58 (9:04s)

Rachel L. – 1:17:09 (8:30s)

Scott – 1:17:30 (8:34s)

TODAY’S 10.1 MILES

(with per-mile pace, based on GPS average of 10:15; target was to run at your expected marathon pace or better)

Mike – 1:15:59 (7:29 pace)

Gary – 1:34:12 (9:17s)
Kyoko -- 1:43:47 (10:13s)

Leah K. – 23 miles in 3:13:46 (8:25s)

Leah W. – 1:47:29 (10:35s)

Rhonda – 1:51:53 (11:01s)

Guest

Sean – 1:26:00 (8:28s)

OTHER RECENT RUNS

(those reported to me)

Neal – Corvallis Half-Marathon on Sunday in 2:19:33 (10:40s)

Jean – 10 miles on Saturday

Daniel – UO 2-mile on Thursday in 16:13 (8:06s)

Julie -- Corvallis Half in 1:44:20 (7:59s) PR!

Scott – UO 2-mile on Thursday in 13:18 (6:39s)

Trina – 6K race on Sunday

April 9th Preview

It’s your last stop before double-figure mileage this Sunday. You go nine miles, the first 4.5 of those with our marathoners.

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 right onto bike path, to Valley River footbridge and across. Turn left, to east end of EWEB property. Turn AROUND at bike-path exit and come back the same way: Valley River, Ferry and store. GPS distance is 9.05 miles.

Bring a drink for delivery at turnaround (4.5 miles). Weather forecast: starting temperature in 30s with little chance of rain.

WEEK FIVE 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.

April 2nd Results (8 miles)

You earned your team shirts, those of you who ran with us this morning. The rest of you will get yours the next time we meet. Thank Bob Coll at the Eugene Running Company for arranging this prize.

Thanks to Lindsey for opening the store this morning. And to Michele (Shelli) for helping on the course.

TODAY'S 8 MILES

(with per-mile pace, based on GPS average of 7.95, unless you gave me your actual distance; target was to run at your eventual half-marathon pace)

Neal -- 1:32 (11:34 pace)
Bill -- 1:17 (9:30s)
Jan -- 1:28 (11:04s)
Jean -- 4.8 miles untimed
Tatiana -- 4.8 miles untimed
Rachel F. -- 5 miles untimed
Stephanie -- 1:32 (11:34s)
Renee -- ran untimed
Alisha -- 1:10 (8:48s)
Rachel L. -- 1:10 (8:48s)
Trina -- 1:41 (12:42s)

TODAY'S 18.8 MILES

(with per-mile pace, based on GPS average of 18.81, unless you gave me your actual distance; target was to run at your eventual marathon pace)

Mike -- 2:32:04 (8:00 pace)
Gary -- 16.5 miles at about 9:30s
Kyoko -- 3:27:30 (11:00s)
Leah K. -- 2:32:12 (8:00s)
Leah W. -- 3:36:04 (11:36s)
Rhonda -- 3:44:58 (11:58s)

OTHER RECENT RUNS

(those reported to me)

Michele -- trail run on Saturday
Stephanie -- 9-mile trail run on Saturday
Kyoko -- 14 miles on Saturday
Julie -- 22 miles in Salem on Saturday, 3:00 (8:09s)
Leah W. -- Color 5K on Saturday

April 2nd Preview

You go out of town this Sunday, running to Springfield and back. Those eight miles begin at eight o’clock from the Eugene Running Company. You run the first four with our marathoners, who continue to 19 that day.

The route: Oakway and Coburg Roads to Ferry Street Bridge and don’t cross. Turn left onto bike path, to Alton Baker restrooms and onto road. Follow road to the end at ponds. Turn right onto canal path and follow it under I-5, past boat ramp, to end of path at D Street in Springfield. Turn AROUND there and come back the same way: canal path, road, Alton Baker, Ferry and store. GPS distance is 7.95 miles.

Bring a drink for delivery at four miles (D Street turnaround). Weather forecast: starting temperature in 40s with little chance of rain.

WEEK FOUR 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.

March 26th Results (7 miles)

With spring break from the university and other local schools upon us, I was pleasantly surprised with our turnout today. Eugene seemed to empty out this weekend.

Thanks to Lindsey for opening the store. She's two weeks away from her own spring marathon.

TODAY'S 7 MILES

(with per-mile pace, based on GPS average of 6.95; target was to run at about current half-marathon pace)

Bill -- 1:04:44 (9:18 pace)
Jan -- 1:15:10 (10:53s)
Jean -- ran untimed after L.A. Marathon last Sunday
Tatiana -- ran untimed after L.A. Marathon last Sunday
Renee -- 1:14:14 (10:41s)
Rachel L. -- 1:04:06 (9:13s)
Jessica -- 1:17:55 (11:12s)
Lorrie -- 1:17:55 (11:12s)
Rachel W. -- 1:04:14 (9:14s)

Guest:

David -- 1:04:06 (9:13s)

TODAY'S 9.1 MILES

(with per-mile pace, based on GPS average of 9.15; target was either to run at marathon pace, for recovery, or half-marathon pace, for speed training)

Neal -- 10.15 miles in 1:53:16 (11:09 pace)
Gary -- 1:22:18 (8:59s)
Kyoko -- 1:33:59 (10:16s)
Leah K. -- 10.15 miles in 1:22:07 (8:08s)
Rhonda -- 10.15 miles in 1:53:16 (11:09s)

Guest:

Sherri -- 10.15 miles in 1:53:33 (11:11s)

OTHER RECENT RUNS

(those reported to me)

Neal -- 6 miles on Tuesday
Kyoko - 12 miles on Saturday
Julie -- 20 miles in Salem on Sunday, 2:46:01 (8:18s)
Alisha -- 7 miles on Sunday
Trina -- 7 miles on Saturday
Leah W. -- 9 miles on Saturday in 1:32 (10:12s)

March 26th Preview

You advance to seven miles this week, running the first 4.5 with our marathoners who are continuing to nine. It’s the usual eight o’clock start from the Eugene Running Company.

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 and across. Back to Ferry and store. GPS distance is 6.95 miles.

Bring a drink for delivery at Skinner Butte playground (3.5 miles). Weather forecast: starting temperature in 40s with rain likely.

WEEK THREE 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.

March 19th Results (6.2 miles)

Not all days go as planned, but most of them work out as hoped when we have a backup plan. That one started early today with a call to Neal Benson. He quickly agreed to fill in as coach, a role he has played before with his own groups. Thanks, Neal! Thanks also to Lindsey Taylor for opening the store, and to Gary Hair's wife Susan for helping on the course.

TODAY'S 6.2 MILES

(with per-mile pace, based on GPS average of 6.19; target was to run no faster than your eventual half-marathon pace)

Bill -- 1:00:05 (9:42 pace)

Jan -- 1:10:41 (11:42s) welcome back!

Stephanie -- 1:10:18 (11:21s)

Renee -- 1:10:41 (11:42s)

Alisha -- 57:24 (9:16s)

Rachel L. -- 57:24 9:16s)

Scott -- 1:00:00 (9:41s) welcome to team!

Jessica -- 1:11:26 (11:32s)

Lorrie -- 1:11:26 (11:32s)

TODAY'S 17.1 MILES

(with per-mile pace, based on GPS average of 17.08; target was to run no faster than your eventual marathon pace)

Mike -- 2:20 (8:11 pace)

Gary -- 2:46 (9:42s)

Kyoko -- 3:00 (10:32s)

Leah K. -- 2:20 (8:11s)

Anna -- 2:29 (8:43s) longest ever!

Leah W. -- 2:59 (10:29s)

Rhonda -- 3:25 (12:00s)

OTHER RECENT RUNS

(those reported to me)

Bill -- 10K race on Friday in 48:37 (7:50s); 1st in age group!

Jean -- finished Los Angeles Marathon on Sunday

Tatiana -- finished Los Angeles Marathon on Sunday

Tori -- UO 5K on Tuesday in 23:44 (7:44s)

Rachel F. -- 6 miles on Saturday
Daniel -- UO 5K on Tuesday in 24:53 (8:01s) 

Kyoko -- 13 miles on Saturday, to start 30M weekend!

Julie -- 18 miles in Salem on Sunday in 2:25:40 (8:05s)

Scott -- UO 5K on Tuesday in 22:25 (7:14s)