Class 17 (no 18)

You've come a long way this term. Your distance has doubled, without a corresponding slowdown in pace or increase in effort. This tells me how much fitter you are now than when we first met.

Happy and safe Thanksgiving. Tuesday you'll meet in front of the Rec Center for your 5K or 10K test. Today I emailed the class quiz, to complete by the final day of class.

TODAY'S 4 MILES

(with per-mile pace and comparison to term's first long run; target was to approach or better that pace for twice the distance)

Erica -- 32:39 (8:10 pace, -50 sec. per mile) term's 3rd most improved

Teja -- 26:26 (6:36s, -48 sec.)

Juan -- 38:07 (9:32s, -1:02) term's 2nd most improved

TODAY'S 8 MILES

(same info as above)

Sara -- 1:15:30 (9:26s, +36 sec.)

Joe -- 1:06:18 (8:17s, -3 sec.)

Anna -- 59:00 (7:22s, -12 sec.)

Owen -- 57:21 (7:10s, -1:40) term's most improved

LESSON 17: EQUAL TIMES

You can predict fairly accurately what you’ll run for a certain distance without having run it recently. You can base the prediction on races at different distances. Pace obviously slows as racing distance grows, and speeds up as it shrinks. But how much of a slowdown or speedup is normal? A good rule of thumb is a five-percent slowdown as the distance doubles, or that much faster pace as the distance drops by half. Multiply or divide by 2.1 to predict your time for double or half the distance. For instance, a 22:00 5K equates to about 46:00 for 10K.

LESSON 18: RACE PACE

Even if you’ve done everything right in training, you can cancel all that good with as little as one wrong move on raceday. The first and worst bad move is leaving the starting line too quickly. 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. Keep your head while runners around you are losing theirs. 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 kilometers. This is where you reward yourself for your early caution, by passing instead of being passed.

Class 16

This is more like it! No one complained today about the 20-degree rise in temperature since Tuesday.

Just three classes remain: next Tuesday, four or eight miles (from Rec Center)... final Tuesday, 5K or 10K test (from Rec)... that Thursday, a relaxed run (from practice track) to end fall term. I won't teach in winter, but will coach a marathon/half training team (from February on into May), then return for another 5K/10K class in spring.

TODAY'S SLOW/FAST "26 MINUTES"

(about 5K in length; with actual time and comparison of 2nd half with 1st; target was to finish faster, running "negative splits")

Erica -- 25:41 (-19 sec. for 2nd half)

Teja -- 20:23 (-5:37) best speed-up for "5K," extra credit

Dameri -- 24:31 (-1:29)

Eleanor -- 27:51 (+1:51)

TODAY'S SLOW/FAST "52 MINUTES"

(about 10K in length; with actual time and comparison of 2nd half with 1st; target was to finish faster, running "negative splits")

Sara -- 46:19 (-5:41) best speed-up for "10K," extra credit

Joe -- 49:50 (-2:10)

Anna -- 50:00 (-2:00)

Owen -- 49:50 (-2:10) 

LESSON 16: 10K TRAINING

The 10K program resembles the one for 5K (Lesson 15), but the distances naturally go up for a race twice as long. Again mix over-and-unders – fast runs below the 10K distance (totaling two to three fast miles, not counting warmup, cooldown and recovery intervals, running the fast portion at 10K race pace or slightly faster) and long ones above it (seven to nine miles, at least one minute per mile slower than race pace. Average about a half-hour, at a relaxed pace, for each of the three or four easy runs per week. By slightly modifying this plan, you can run races at two other popular distances – 8K (or five miles) and 12K (about 7½ miles).

Class 15

This is almost as cold as it gets during fall term. The sub-freezing temperature discouraged a long stay outside, so I dropped today's 7.5-mile run.

Meet on Thursday at the practice track. What we do there -- long, fast or a blend of the two -- will depend on what the weather brings that day.

I was asked today about Thanksgiving races. The recommended one in Eugene is the four-mile Turkey Trot at Valley River Center. You can find details at... eclecticedgeracing.com. That site also tells of another good race opportunity, this Sunday's Run to Stay Warm 5K or 10K at EWEB. 

TODAY'S 3.8 MILES

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

Erica -- 32:33 (8:34 pace, +28 sec. per mile)

Sara -- 32:30(8:33s, -11 sec.)

Joe -- untimed

Teja -- 26:40 (7:00s, +34 sec.)

Anna -- 26:46 (7:02s, +4 sec.) day's 2nd best pacer

Owen -- 27:55 (7:20s, -2 sec.) day's best pacer, extra credit

LESSON 15: 5K TRAINING

You routinely run 5K and beyond in training. The quickest way to improve your race time, then, is by upping the pace one day a week for a distance well below 5K (one to two fast miles total, excluding warmup, cooldown and recovery intervals). Run at projected 5K or slightly faster, so you become familiar with that pace. On another day, extend the length of one weekly run to above the race distance (four to six miles). Run at least one minute per mile slower than race pace, to make the 5K seem shorter. The three to four easy-day runs each week average about a half-hour each at a relaxed pace.

Class 14

Speaking as one who has lived here longer than any of you has lived anywhere, I can say this was a rare Oregon day. Near-freezing temperatures and rain don't often go together here, which is why we skipped the scheduled interval training. Keeping the run short and swift minimized your time out in these conditions.

Tuesday's run will be 3.75 and 7.5 miles. This will leave just one longer step up in distance. We'll try to pick up the final set of intervals next Thursday.

TODAY'S FAST ONE MILE

(with comparison to your last long-run pace here; target was to go faster for this shorter distance)

Teja -- 5:37 (-49 sec.) faster than first week's mile test

Dameri --  8:38 (-1:40) day's most improved

Juan -- 7:42 (-1:38) day's 2nd most improved

TODAY'S FAST TWO MILES

(with per-mile pace and comparison to your last long run here; target was to go faster for this shorter distance)

Sara -- 15:28 (7:44 pace, -1:00 per mile)

Joe -- 17:39 (8:49s, +29 sec.)

Owen -- 14:18 (7:09s, -13 sec.) 

LESSON 14: SUPPLEMENTAL SPORTS

You might not always be able to run... or might not always want to run... or might sometimes want to add activities to your running. Alternatives abound. You can bicycle, swim, “run” in water (wearing a flotation belt), cross-country ski, snowshoe or simply walk (one of the best but least appreciated options to running). In most of these activities, duplicate your running time to gain similar fitness benefits. If walking, double your usual running time.

Class 13

You runners are tough. On our coldest day so far, attendance was perfect for this term.

On Thursday we'll meet again at the practice track for the final set of intervals: 4 x quarter-mile or 4 x half-mile.

TODAY'S 3.5 MILES

(with per-mile pace, based on GPS reading of 3.47, and comparison to your last long run here; target was to match that pace for this longer distance)

Teja -- 22:23 (6:26 pace, -23 sec. per mile)

Dameri -- 35:45 (10:18s, +13 sec.) day's 2nd best pacer

Eleanor -- 48:00 (13:50s, -15 sec.)

Juan -- 32:24 (9:20s, -32 sec.)

TODAY'S 7.0 MILES

(with per-mile pace, based on GPS reading of 6.94, and comparison to your last long run here; target was to match that pace for this longer distance)

Erica -- 56:17 (8:06s, -2:46)

Sara -- 1:00:39 (8:44s, -24 sec.)

Joe -- 57:52 (8:20s, -1:26)
Anna -- 48:21 (6:58s, -42 sec.)

Owen -- 51:09 (7:22s, +5 sec.) day's best pacer, extra credit

LESSON 13: EXTRA EXERCISES

Running is a specialized activity, working mainly the legs in straight-ahead movement. If you’re seeking more complete fitness, you need to supplement the runs with other exercises. These strengthen the muscles that running neglects, and stretch those that running tightens. The older you are and the more years you’ve run, the greater the tightness and imbalance become – unless you take corrective action. Give attention to strengthening the upper body, and to stretching the legs. Add a few minutes of extra exercise – after the run when these exercises do the most good or take the least energy away from your main activity.

Class 12

All of you who posted times today did what I'd hoped: run much faster than your Tuesday long-run pace. That was your test, and you all passed it.

Tuesday's distances will be 3.5 and 7.0 miles. Meet near the Rec Center entrance.

TODAY'S "2-MILE" TEST

(actual distance 1.9 miles, or about 3 kilometers, with per-mile pace and comparison to your last long run here; target was to go faster; * = faster than first weeks one-mile test)

*Erica -- 14:00 (7:22 pace, -3:30 per mile) most improved, extra credit

Teja -- 11:25 (6:00s, -49 sec.)

Anna -- untimed

Eleanor -- 23:07 (12:10s, -1:55) 3rd most improved

Juan -- 14:48 (7:47s, -2:05) 2nd most improved

TODAY'S "4-MILE" TEST

(actual distance 3.8 miles, or about 4 kilometers, with per-mile pace and comparison to your last long run here; target was to go faster)

Sara -- 30:08 (7:55s, -1:13)

Joe -- 31:47 (8:22s, -1:24)

Owen -- 25:49 (6:47s, -30 sec.)

LESSON 12: COOLING DOWN

When the run ends, resist the urge to stop suddenly. Instead, walk to cool down more gradually. If the warmup shifts gears between resting and hard running, the cooldown period is a necessary transition from racing to resting. Continued mild activity gradually slows down the revved-up metabolism, and also acts as a massage to gently work out the soreness and fatigue products generated by the earlier effort. The pattern and pace of recovery are set in the first few minutes after the running ends. Some advisers will tell you to run easily during the cooldown, but walking gives the same benefits with much less effort – and you’ve already run hard enough. After this walk is the best time for stretching exercises, which loosen the muscles that running has tightened.

Class 11

When one of you goes off course, I can claim the runner wasn't listening. But when half the class misses turns, I'm to blame for describing the route poorly. I failed half of you today, so those distances are guesses and paces aren't given.

It looks like we'll meet at the Rec Center (today's spot) on all remaining Tuesdays, and at the practice track on Thursdays. Which means we'll be near the 18th Avenue gate for our next run. It will be the two- or four-mile test.

TODAY'S RUNS

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

Erica -- about 6 miles in 51:10

Sara -- about 6m in 50:02

Joe -- 6.6m in 1:04:30 (9:46s, +1:10)

Anna -- 6.6m in 50:38 (7:40s, +15 sec.) best pacer, extra credit

Owen -- about 6 miles in 50:13

Juan -- 3.5 miles in 34:14 (9:52s, +37 sec.)

LESSON 11: WARMING UP

Don’t confuse stretching with warmup. Stretching exercises don’t start you sweating or raise your heart rate. You warm up by moving – first by walking or running slowly, then by easing into the full pace of the day after a mile or so. Recommendation: Walk five minutes (about a quarter-mile, not counting this in your run distance or time), then start to run. Treat the first mile of running as your warmup, making it the slowest mile of the day. The faster you plan to run that day, the more you warm up. For relaxed runs simply blend the warmup period into longer runs by starting slower. On fast days warm up separately by running a mile to several miles – perhaps adding some “strides” at the day’s maximum pace, taken before speed training or racing. Strides prepare the legs and lungs for what you’re about to do.