Class 8

Eugene's weather still can surprise me, even after 30-plus years of running in it. I drove to campus today in a downpour, made the call to change the scheduled run), then left an hour later in sunshine, knowing the switch hadn't been necessary. But I heard no complaints about missing interval training!

Tuesday's run will reach this class's namesake distance, five kilometers (or 3.1 miles).

TODAY'S SLOW/FAST 2 MILES

(with total time, each mile and comparison of the two; target was to go faster/harder in the second mile, ideally at 5K race effort; * = faster than first week's one-mile test)

Kamille -- 10:43 mile*

Bryce -- 17:36 (9:09 & 8:27, -42 sec.)

Alex D. -- 17:41 (9:09 & 8:32, -37 sec.)

Amina -- 20:44 (9:52* & 10:52, +1:00)

Tara -- 17:39 (9:21 & 8:18, -57 sec.) day's 3rd best speed-up

Jessica -- 21:33 (10:42 & 10:49, +7 sec.)

Miranda -- 22:14 (11:07* & 11:07*, =)

Becky -- 18:53 (9:42 & 9:11, -31 sec.)

Anthony -- 16:52 (9:00 & 7:52, -1:08) day's 2nd best speed-up

Max -- 16:06 (9:00 & 7:06, -1:54) best speed-up, earning extra credit

LESSON 8: TAKING TIME

Your second most valuable piece of equipment, after shoes, is.... no, not shorts and not T-shirt. You can wear other clothes than those. Your next most vital item is a watch. Buy a digital model with a stopwatch feature, and make time your main way of keeping score. Time can make you an instant winner by telling exactly how fast you ran a distance, and maybe how much you improved your personal record (“PR,” in runner-talk). Another, more subtle value of the watch: It lets you run by time – by minutes instead of miles. This has several benefits: freeing you from plotting and measuring courses, because minutes are the same length anywhere... easing pressure to run faster, because you can’t make time pass any faster... finishing at the assigned time limit no matter your pace, which settles naturally into your comfort zone when you run by time.

Class 7

This term, I aim to show you many different places to run. Our last two routes have been among the most used by students, and for a long time. Last Thursday's took you up Fairmount Boulevard. Today's led you toward the Amazon Trail, which you'll reach soon. 

Thursday will bring our second set of intervals -- 3 x half-mile with a recovery break between fast runs. You'll run this as a relay team of two, matched with a runner about equal to you in speed.

TODAY'S 2.8 MILES

(with per-mile pace and comparison to your last long run here; target was to match that pace for this longer distance; note the three-way tie for perfect pacing)

Leily -- 24:27 (8:44 pace, =) day's best pacer, tie; extra credit

Bryce -- 23:59 (8:34s, =) day's best pacer, tie; extra credit

Alex D. -- 2:09 (8:37s, -21 sec. per mile)

Soren -- 23:01 (8:13s, +22 sec.)

Amina -- 28:07 (10:02s, -1:28)

Michael -- 21:42 (7:45s, +40 sec.)

Tara -- 24:27 (8:44s, =) day's best pacer, tie; extra credit

Tanner -- 28:20 (10:06s, +8 sec.)

Alex M. -- 27:35 (9:51s, +1:06)

Miranda -- 32:11 (11:29s, -42 sec.)

Becky -- 27:18 (9:45s, +13 sec.)

Sugam -- 26:30 (9:28s, -1:22)

Anthony -- 23:36 (8:25s, +19 sec.)

LESSON 7: GOING EASIER

Pacing isn’t just for a single run. It’s also something you practice from day to day throughout the week. Some runs must be hard if you’re training to race, but most runs must be easy to compensate for that effort. In other words, you run less than your best much of the time – neither long nor fast. You can calculate ideal pace for easy runs several ways: at least one minute per mile slower than you could race the same distance; or about 75 percent of maximum heart rate; or simply whatever feels comfortable, not too fast or too slow. The last of these guidelines is the simplest to use. What feels right usually is right.

Class 6

The run today served several purposes. One was introducing you to by-time running (which is practical because you don't need to plot or measure a route).

This run also brought some friendly competition. It was the only time all term when I'll give the daily prize to the runner who finished first -- since everyone had an equal chance to do so today.

Mainly, though, I wanted to introduce you to the concept of "negative-split" running. That means going faster in the second half than the first, which everyone did. You won't do that by such a large amount in a race, but best results there will come if the later miles are at least as fast as the early ones.

Tuesday's run will bump up to 2.75 miles. This will take you through the neighborhoods south of campus.

TODAY'S SLOW/FAST "20 MINUTES"

(with actual time and comparison of 2nd half with first; target was to finish faster, running a negative split)

Kamille -- 17:02 (-2:58) day's 2nd best speed-up

Leily -- 17:59 (-2:01)

Bryce -- 19:23 (-37 sec.)

Alex D. -- 17:56 (-2:04)

Soren -- untimed

Amina -- 18:26 (-1:34)

Michael -- 16:58 (-3:02) day's best speed-up, earning extra credit

Tara -- 17:50 (-2:10)

Tanner -- 18:14 (-1:46)

Jessica -- 17:30 (-2:30)

Miranda -- 18:14 (-1:46)

Becky -- 18:40 (-1:20)

Sugam -- 18:04 (-1:56)

Max -- 17:28 (-2:32) day's 3rd best speed-up

LESSON 6: GOING FASTER

A little bit of speed training goes a long way. In fact, a little bit is all you should do because, in excess, speed kills. Most runners can tolerate fast training that totals only about 10 percent of weekly mileage. This can come two major ways and one minor one. The first big way is as intervals – a training session of short, fast runs with recovery breaks between. The other main way to train for speed is the tempo run – at race pace or faster for a shorter distance. The smaller way to gain and maintain speed is with “strides” – ending the warmup by striding out for a hundred yards or so, one to five times, at the top speed that you would ever race. Strides also have value at the finish of a relaxed run, as a reminder to push at the end of a race.

Class 5

A reminder of the promise made at the first day's class. We don't cancel because of weather, but sometimes modify the day's plan. 

With rain falling steadily today, I wanted you limit your time out in it. So the warmup was eliminated and the cooldown was reduced. But the run itself went ahead as scheduled. If you don't run in Oregon winter rain, you don't run outdoors very often.

Thursday's run will be slow/fast, by time instead of distance. You'll go out for 10 minutes easily, then come back faster -- at 5K race effort.

TODAY'S 2.5 MILES

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

Kamille -- 28:47 (11:30 pace, -3 sec. per mile) best pacer, tie; extra credit

Leily -- 21:52 (8:44s, +3 sec.) best pacer, tie; extra credit

Bryce -- 21:24 (8:34s, -38 sec.)

Alex D. -- 22:24 (8:58S, -6 sec.)

Soren -- untimed

Amina -- 28:47 (11:30s, -10 sec.)

Tara -- 21:52 (8:44s, +3 sec.) day's best pacer, tie; extra credit

Jessica -- 25:37 (10:14s, -39 sec.)

Miranda -- 30:29 (12:11s, -7 sec.)

Becky -- 23:52 (9:32s, -24 sec.)

Sugam -- 27:07 (10:50s, -30 sec.)

LESSON 5: GOING LONGER

Distance, unlike speed, is almost limitless. No matter what your level of talent, no matter how many years you have run, no matter how old your personal records are, the possibility of covering longer distances still exists. This helps explain the appeal of the marathon. First-year runners can take pride at finishing one in twice the time the leaders take to finish, and longtime runners can feel good about going the distance an hour slower than their PR. Not all runners can go faster, but just about anyone can run longer. It isn’t a matter of talent, but only of pacing, patience and persistence. However, you can’t take big leaps in distance all at once. The safe limit for progress is about 10 percent per week – for instance, no more than a half-mile added to the recent five-mile run.

Class 4

Interval training isn't necessarily your favorite type of training. But notice how much difference the rest break makes in how fast you can go, without seeming to work any harder. Everyone sped up by a half-minute or more per mile compared to last Thursday.

Tuesday's distance will step up to 2.5 miles. You'll run to Autzen Stadium and back.

TODAY'S 2 X TWO-THIRDS-MILE INTERVALS

(with total time for 1-1/3 miles and comparison to last week's non-stop mile test; target was to go faster for this slightly longer distance)

Kamille -- 13:32 (10:11 pace, -46 sec. per mile)

Bryce -- 10:03 (7:33s, -45 sec.)

Alex D. -- 10:02 (7:32s, -38 sec.)

Amina -- 11:34 (8;45s, -1:33) day's 2nd most improved

Michael -- 7:26 (5:35s, -40 sec.)

Tanner -- ran untimed

Jessica -- 11:59 (9:00s, -1:30) day's 3rd most improved

Miranda -- 13:23 (10:04s, -1:21)

Becky -- 11:20 (8:30s, -33 sec.)

Sugam -- 10:31 (7:54s, -1:47) most improved, earning extra credit

Anthony -- 8:58 (6:44s, -40 sec.)

Max -- 7:42 (5:47s, -31 sec.)

LESSON 4: BIG DAYS

Most runs need to be easy. This is true whether you’re a beginning racer or an elite athlete. (Of course, the definition of “easy” varies hugely for these groups; easy for the elite would be impossible for the beginner.) Training for the distance and pace of races, and actually running these events, is a prescription item, best taken in proper, well-spaced doses. New racers are wise to limit themselves to one big day a week. On this day, run longer than normal (as long as the longest race distance but at a slower pace) or faster than normal on this day (as fast as the fastest race pace but for a shorter distance), or go to the starting line in a race (combining full distance at full pace). Experienced racers can put a long run AND a fast run into the same week, but don’t want to squeeze both of these PLUS a race into one week.

Class 3

For now on, you leave campus on longer Tuesday runs. We alternate between runs to the south, through town, and north, toward the river. 

Thursday's run will be faster. For your first set of intervals (of three this term), you'll run two-thirds of a mile twice, with a recovery break between. Meet at the same spot as today.

TODAY'S 2.3 MILES

(with per-mile pace and comparison to last week's mile test; target was to go slower/easier, with +1:00 per mile ideal)

Kamille -- 26:35 (11:33 pace, +36 sec. per mile)
Leily -- 20:00 (8:41s, +16 sec.)
Bryce -- 21:12 (9:12s, +54 sec.) day's 2nd best pacer, tie
Alex D. -- 20:57 (9:04s, +54 sec.) day's 2nd best pacer, tie
Soren -- 18:04 (7:51s, no target)
Amina -- 26:49 (11:40s, +1:22)
Michael -- 16:19 (7:05s, +50 sec.)
Tara -- 20:00 (8:41s, +54 sec.)
Alex M. -- 20:08 (8:45s, +55 sec.) day's best pacer, earning extra credit
Miranda -- 28:19 (12:18s, +53 sec.)
Sugam -- 26:06 (11:20s, +1:39)
Anthony -- 18:40 (8:06s, +42 sec.)
Sara -- 18:18 (7:57s, = last Tuesday's pace)
Max -- 17:56 (7:47s, +1:19)

LESSON 3: RACE DISTANCES

Nearly all road races now run by the metric system, so if you grew up under the mile system you must learn to interpret these distances. One kilometer is 1000 meters or .62 mile. One mile is 1609 meters or about 1.6 kilometers. Here are the most popular road racing events and their mileage equivalents: 5K = 3.11 miles; 8K = 4.97 miles; 10K = 6.21 miles; 15K = 9.32 miles;  half-marathon (21.1K) = 13.11 miles; marathon (42.2K) = 26.22 miles. This odd mileage complicates the computing of pace per mile from metric races. Grab your calculator.

Class 2

When you say you're a runner, one of the first questions you hear is, "What's your mile time?" Now you know.

I mentioned trying to go a minute faster than Tuesday's pace, but don't take that goal too seriously. The greater value of today's result was telling you how to adjust your pace next week. If your gap between those two runs was less than 1:00, consider slowing down a bit on Tuesday.

Tuesday's distance will step up slightly to 2.25 miles. Meet at the now-standard spot near the Rec Center's east entrance (off turf fields).

TODAY'S ONE-MILE TEST

(with comparison to mile pace from Tuesday; target was to go faster)

Kamille -- 10:57 (-44 sec.)

Leily -- 8:25 (-31 sec.)

Bryce -- 8:18 (-13 sec.)

Alex D. -- 8:10 (-22 sec.)

Amina -- 10:18 (-37 sec.)

Michael -- 6:15 (-49 sec.)

Tara -- 7:47 (-1:11) day's 3rd most improved

Tanner -- 9:09 (-49 sec.)

Alex M. -- 7:50 (-1:30) day's most improved, earning extra credit

Jessica -- 10:30 (-23 sec.)

Miranda -- 11:25 (-7 sec.)

Becky -- 9:03 (-53 sec.)

Sugam -- 9:41 (-1:14) day's 2nd most improved

Anthony -- 7:24 (-58 sec.) after fast 2-mile with Army this morning

Max -- 6:28 (-58 sec.)

LESSON 2: WINNING WAYS

A great beauty of running is that it gives everyone a chance to win. Winning isn’t automatic; you still have to work for success and risk failure. But unlike other sports there’s no need to beat an arbitrary standard (such as “par” or an opponent’s score). You measure yourself against your personal records. To the runner, a “PR” does not stand for public relations or an island in the Caribbean. It means “personal record,” and this PR may represent the greatest advance in the history of this sport. The invention of the digital stopwatch worn on the wrist turned everyone into a potential winner. Here was a personal and yet objective way to measure success and progress. It didn’t depend upon beating anyone, but only upon how the new numbers on the watch compared with the old ones.

Class 1

Welcome to my class -- or for a few of you, welcome back. I aim to make it productive and enjoyable, while keeping the atmosphere low-key and the runs low-tech. I'll introduce you to many different places to run and many types of running this term.

Starting with today's post, I list results and add a mini-lesson on running. Meet Thursday at the same place you ran today -- near the east entrance to the Rec Center. You'll start with a good warmup, then run one quick mile.

TODAY'S 2 MILES

(with per-mile pace; target was relaxed running; today's pace will become your target to beat in Thursday's one-mile test)

Kamille -- 23:22 (11:41 pace)

Leily -- 17:52 (8:56s)

Bryce -- 17:03 (8:31s)

Alex D. -- 17:05 (8:32s)

Amina -- 21:50 (10:55s)

Michael -- 14:08 (7:04s)

Tara -- 17:56 (8:58s)

Tanner -- 19:56 (9:58s)

Alex M. -- 18:40 (9:20s)

Jessica -- 21:46 (10:53s)

Miranda -- 23:05 (11:32s)

Becky -- 19:52 (9:56s)

Sugam -- 21:50 (10:55s)

Anthony -- 16:42 (8:22s)

Sara -- 15:54 (7:57s)

Max -- 14:52 (7:26s)

LESSON 1: WHY RACE?

Running in races is not a requirement for calling yourself a runner. Running is easier and safer without this added effort. Racing is hard, and moderately risky – but also exciting, challenging and motivating as it pushes you farther and faster than you could go alone. The race itself puts you on the line – not just the starting line but at the red-line of your abilities, where you can push no harder without breaking. Racing puts your training and resolve to their final test. You don’t take this test alone but in the company of dozens, hundreds or even thousands of runners like yourself. You aren’t competing with them; you’re cooperating. The competition isn’t with others but with the distance, the course, the conditions and the voice inside that pleads with you to ease off. Everyone else in the race is tested the same ways. You push, pull and pace each other.