Winter 5K-I and 5K-II Class

PERU 331 (CRN 24948) & 332 (26822) for winter 2017; Tuesday and Thursday; 11:00 to 11:50 A.M.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: (1) introduce you to many types of running and many places to run; (2) increase your distance; (3) improve your pace; (4) avoid or minimize injuries; (5) make running a lasting habit.

REQUIREMENTS: (1) attend 16 or more of the 20 scheduled class sessions if registered for credit; (2) inform the instructor if you are ill or injured and can’t attend class; (4) perform modified activity, assigned and supervised by the instructor, if you have a minor ailment; (5) pass the class quiz, your only written assignment here, if a for-credit student.

INSTRUCTOR: Joe Henderson. Email: jhender@uoregon.edu (or joesrunteam@gmail.com). “Office”: day’s run site, about 15 minutes before and after each class. Class reports appear on www.uorunclass.blogspot.com. You’re also invited to join the Facebook group Joe’s Team Runners, and read his reports at uorunclass.blogspot.com.

LOCATIONS: Meet in the new Rec Center classroom 87 off the turf playing fields (enter through the pool deck) on first day only. All other days, meet outside near the Rec’s east entrance. We always run outdoors, but modify the scheduled training when weather conditions (snow-ice, heavy rain, high wind) might create hazards. However, class always meets unless entire university is closed. A restroom is available at our meeting spot. If you leave belongings in the covered area there, security can’t be guaranteed. Putting at least your valuables in a nearby day-use locker is strongly recommended.

EQUIPMENT:  Running requires minimal equipment. Most important are shoes designed for running and a digital watch with a stopwatch feature. Dress for the activity and the day’s weather. Running starts the first day, so come to that class prepared for activity following a brief introductory talk. P.E. department policy dictates that you don’t listen to a music player during class and that you do wear a shirt.

RUNS:  The classes meet only twice a week, but you’re wise to run at least one more day each week on your own. This not only meets the accepted minimum requirement of three sessions a week for improving fitness, but also starts establishing a habit of independent running. Our Tuesday run builds up your distance, increasing by about 10 percent per week and nearly doubling in length during the term. Our Thursday run improves your speed, with a series of short-distance tests to measure progress. These include “races” (among yourselves) in the first, fifth and 10^th weeks. Recommended additional runs are no longer than that Tuesday’s distance, at a relaxed pace.

TESTS: Each run tests your endurance or speed. You run to improve yourself from one run to the next. In addition you take a written quiz at the end of the term to see how well you have absorbed the lessons that every runner should know. A brief lesson, containing answers to the quiz, is posted after each run, along with the day’s results.

SCHEDULE: Classes begin promptly at 11:00, at turf fields unless announced otherwise. Please arrive on time, to hear the day’s instructions and to avoid starting the run alone. Most of class time is then spent warming up, running and cooling down. Wait to leave until the last runner at your distance finishes. You self-report your results to the instructor, for his compiling later that day on the class blog.

Weather conditions might alter a day’s run. Warmup running is included in the long runs, and you warm up separately for fast ones.

Day/Date – Scheduled Run

(Shorter run is for 5K-I, longer is for 5K-II)

Tuesday, 1/10 – intro & long 2 or 3 miles

Thursday, 1/12 – test 1 or 2 miles

Tuesday, 1/17 – long 2.25 or 3.25 miles

Thursday, 1/19 – fast 2 x half-mile or 2 x mile

Tuesday, 1/24 – long 2.5 or 3.5 miles

Thursday, 1/26 – slow/fast 24 minutes for all

Tuesday, 1/31 – long 2.75 or 3.75 miles

Thursday, 2/2 – fast 3 x one-third or 3 x two-thirds mile

Tuesday, 2/7 – long 3 or 4 miles

Thursday, 2/9 – slow/fast 3 miles for all

Tuesday, 2/14 – long 3.25 or 4.25 miles

Thursday, 2/16 – test 2 miles or 5K

Tuesday, 2/21 – long 3.5 or 4.5 miles

Thursday, 2/23 – fast 4 x fourth-mile or 4 x half-mile

Tuesday, 2/28 – long 3.75 or 4.75 miles

Thursday, 3/2– fast 1 or 2 miles

Tuesday, 3/7 – long 4 or 5 miles

Thursday, 3/9 – easy 2 or 3 miles

Tuesday, 3/14 – test 5K for all

Thursday, 3/16 – quiz due; easy 30 minutes for all

ATTENDANCE: Department policy is firm and clear on this matter if you are a for-credit student. You’re allowed no more than four absences for any reason (including medical, family emergency or class conflict). If you are ill or injured, let the instructor know immediately so he can suggest alternate activity or possible treatment. If your medical condition becomes chronic and you miss too many runs, he will urge you to withdraw from class to avoid receiving a no-pass. Certain types of runs and races may earn you extra credit, erasing an absence. Ask the instructor what qualifies for a bonus this term.

GRADES: This is a pass/no-pass class if registered for credit. Grading is based on these three criteria, set by the department: (a) skill – 60% (60 possible points for participation in scheduled runs); (b) knowledge – 20% (20 possible points for the written quiz); (c) affective – 20% (20 possible points for regular attendance, honest effort and positive attitude toward fellow runners and the instructor). A passing grade is 70% or higher, or 70 points of a possible 100. If you show up and put in good efforts, you’ll pass. If you run regularly, you’ll get better at running. If you don’t, you won’t.

Class 20 (and last)

That’s it for this term. My fondest hope (and my chief measure of my success as a teacher) is that it won’t be the end of running for you. I’d love to see you in a future class, at a race, or on the streets and trails of town in years to come.

For the third term in a row – and this had never happened in the previous 15 years of teaching – no one ran into trouble with absences. Attendance was never better than this fall, when TEN of you had zero misses (after extra credits were added). 

Sam and Alex took every scheduled run – Alex winning the attendance prize on a tie-breaker with her three extra-credits. As a non-credit student, she didn’t even have an attendance requirement, but ran every day because she chose to do it. That’s the spirit I strive to teach.

Students often teach me as well, with lasting lessons that will help future students. Yours was to simplify the long-run routes so fewer people will get lost. I’m sorry if you were one of them, but the next class thanks you.

Now that your running class has ended, I won’t suddenly forget you. I’ll remain available indefinitely to answer any running questions or concerns.

TODAY’S 30-MINUTE RUN

(only runners’ names listed; no exact times or distances recorded, or paces calculated; this was meant to be a relaxed run to recover from Tuesday’s test and to end the class on an easy note)

Bryce

Alex

Rachel

Jake

Becky

Jonathan

Eleanor

Sota

LESSON 20: RACE RECOVERY

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. How long recovery takes depends on the length of the last race. The longer it was, the longer the rebuilding period. One popular rule of thumb is to allow at least one easy day for every mile of the race (about a week after a 10K). One day per kilometer (or 10 days post-10K) 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.

Class 19

This was your first “final exam” of fall term. I hope it will stand as one of the most satisfying and least stressful.

Thursday’s run will be easy, for recovery. Everyone will do the same thing: going for about 30 minutes.

If you still owe me a quiz, email the answers by Thursday. Grades will be submitted that night.

TODAY’S 5K TEST

(with per-mile pace for 3.1 miles; target was whatever you wanted it to be; * = faster than first week’s one-mile test; + faster than midterm two-mile test)

Bryce – 29:22 (9:28 pace)

+Alex – 26:47 (8:38s)

Lana – ran untimed

*Mariana – 31:58 (10:18s)

Rachel – 28:18 (9:07s)

+Jake – 19:10 (6:11s)

*James – 28:37 (9:14s)

Jonathan – 28:18 (9:07s)

+Sota – 19:32 (6:18s)

TODAY’S 10K TEST

(with per-mile pace for 6.2 miles; target was whatever you wanted it to be; * = faster than first week’s two-mile test; + faster than midterm four-mile test)

Connor B. – 48:20 (7:47 pace)

+Sam – 54:38 (8:48s)

+Ella – 54:38 (8:48s) after 5K race on Thursday at 7:23s

David – 49:01 (7:54s) welcome back to health!

Nathan – 44:02 (7:06s)

Eleanor – half-marathon run on Sunday

LESSON 19: EVEN PACING

Talking about even-pace running is easier than running it – or calculating it. The problem is that races in the U.S. combine two measurement systems. While most events are run at metric distances, such as 5K and 10K, splits are often given at MILE points and pace is usually computed in PER-MILE terms. So you need calculate metric-to-mile and vice versa. Even-paced running is most efficient, and slightly negative splits (faster second half) are preferable to “positives.” The two halves of a race are best run within a few seconds per mile of equal time, plus or minus. In a 45-minute 10K race, for instance, plan to run the first 5K in a few seconds either side of 22:30.

Class 17 (with no 18 this week)

You’re back where you started the first week, with today’s test that repeated the initial one. I hope it went faster for you this time, or at least felt no harder than before. That’s what training is supposed to allow.

This re-test came during a big week of racing: Jake in a local half-marathon on Sunday; Eleanor and possibly Lana running one in Seattle this weekend; Ella in a holiday 5K in Los Angeles, and Jonathan in an Army two-mile test yesterday.  

Your assignment for the weekend is to enjoy Thanksgiving and its aftermath, and to come back safely. Next Tuesday’s run will be the 5K or 10K test.

Separately I’ve sent the class quiz. You received it only if required to complete it – because you’re taking this class for credit AND for the first time from me.

TODAY’S ONE-MILE TEST

(with comparison to first week’s time; target was to go faster)

Bryce – 7:59 (-17 sec.)

Alex – 7:33 (-28 sec.)

Mariana – 9:01 (no target; ran 2 miles earlier)

Elliot – 8:18 (+2 sec.)

Rachel – 7:48 (-43 sec.) term’s 2^nd most improved

Jake – 5:43 (-16 sec.)

Jonathan – 6:56 (-59 sec.) term’s most improved

Eleanor – 8:23s (-38 sec.) term’s 3^rd most improved

Sota – 5:38 (-28 sec.)

TODAY’S TWO-MILE TEST

(with per-mile pace and comparison to first week’s; target was to go faster)

Sam – 14:52 (7:26 pace, +2 sec. per mile)

Ella – 14:52 (7:26s, +4 sec.)

Nathan – 12:15 (6:07s, -36 sec.)

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

Most of you peaked out in class distance today. The climb upward wasn’t too steep, yet the scheduled runs doubled in length these past nine weeks.

Only two challenging runs remain: a re-test of one or two miles on Tuesday, and your final 5K or 10K test on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving vacation. The last day’s run here will an easy one.

For Tuesday’s run, you’ll take the same warmup as the first week, then go the same distance on the same route. This will measure how much you have improved in speed this term.

TODAY’S 4 MILES

(with per-mile pace and comparison to your first long run here; target was to approach or better that pace for this longer distance)

Bryce – 36:03 (8:10 pace, -59 sec. per mile)

Alex – 33:39 (8:24s, +1 sec.)

Lana – 33:53 (8:28s, +3 sec.)

Rachel – 33:57 (8:29s, -1:37) term’s most improved, earning extra credit

Jake – 27:19 (6:50s, -6 sec.) before half-marathon race this Sunday

Becky – 41:45 (10:26s, +46 sec.)

James – 35:55 (8:59s, -30 sec.)

Jonathan – 33:57 (8:29s, -1:15) term’s 3^rd most improved

Eleanor – 41:45 (10:26s, +32 sec.)

Sota – 26:45 (6:41s, -1:25) term’s 2^nd most improved

TODAY’S 8 MILES

(with per-mile pace and comparison to your first long run here; target was to approach or better that pace for this longer distance)

Sam – 1:05:20 (8:10 pace, -59 sec.)

David –half-marathon race this Sunday

Nathan – 1:02:38 (7:49s, -16 sec.)

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

It’s fitting, I suppose, that our last run toward Amazon Trail was as confusing as the first. Distances varied widely today, and I take blame for not giving good enough directions (again!).

Partly because of that confusion – also because of the upcoming half-marathon race this weekend and the holiday next week – I’ll make a switch this Thursday. You will go the longest this term, four or eight miles (on the river path) that day, then take the one- or two-mile retest next Tuesday.

TODAY’S RUNS

(with your distance, as best I could tell, plus per-mile pace and comparison to your last long run here; target was to match that pace for this longer distance)

Connor B. – 4.0 miles in 28:52 (7:13 pace, -6 sec. per mile) 3rd best pacer

Sam – 6.6M in 1:05:02 (9:51s, +1:14)

Ella – 6.6M in 1:05:02 (9:51s, +1:14)

Bryce – 3.8M in 36:38 (9:38s, -22 sec.)

Alex – 3.8 M in 33:41 (8:52s, +29 sec.)

David – 6.75M on Sunday

Mariana – 3.8M in 38:19 (10:05s, +1 sec.) day’s 2^nd best pacer

Elliot – 3.4M in 36:49 (10:49s, -17 sec.)

Jake – 4.0M in 32:26 (8:06s, +1:21) after 7M on Sunday

James – 3.4M in 37:17 (10:58s, -2:34)

Nathan – 3.8M in 27:17 (7:10s, =) day’s best pacer, earning extra credit

Eleanor – 3.8M in 38:00 (10:00s, -40 sec.) after 12M on weekend

Sota – 4.2M in 29:16 (6:58s, +17 sec.)

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

That’s it for interval training. It will pay off for you later, in the final 5K or 10K test.

Tuesday’s distance, at 3.75 or 7.5 miles, will be one small step below the longest this term. The optional run on Sunday is six miles, from the Eugene Running Company.

Registration begins on Monday for winter term. I'll teach a class that runs shorter (5K training only) and later (11 o'clock Tuesday-Thursday) than the current one. The 5K/10K combo will return in spring.

TODAY’S 4 X QUARTER-MILE INTERVALS

(with total time for one mile and comparison to your midterm two-mile test; target was to go faster)

Bryce – 6:57 (-1:26)

Alex – 6:30 (-2:20) day’s 2^nd most improved

Mariana – 7:12 (-2:02)

Elliot – 7:07 (-3:40) day’s most improved, earning extra credit

Rachel – 6:43 (-1:50)

James – 7:12 (-1:21)

Eleanor – 7:20 (-2:14) day’s 3^rd most improved

TODAY’S 4 X HALF-MILE INTERVALS

(with total time for two miles and comparison to pace of your midterm four-mile test; target was to go faster)

Connor B. – 11:45 (5:52s, -1:02)

Sam – 13:40 (6:50s, -1:58)

Nathan – 11:05 (5:32s, -1:13)

Sota – 11:05s (5:32s, -59 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.