Class 2

This was the first time for testing yourself here. You’ll get a two-mile or four-mile speed test at mid-term and 5K or 10K at the end.

Tuesday’s runs will step up by about a quarter-mile a week for the 5K group, and a half-mile weekly for the 10K. This will take your run to either 2.25 or 4.5 next week.

My half-marathon training team begins building up for the EWEB Run to Stay Warm race this Sunday with a six-mile run. If interested in joining us, we meet at the Eugene Running Company in Oakway Center for an eight o’clock start.

TODAY’S ONE-MILE TEST

(with comparison to your run on Tuesday at twice today's distance; target was anything faster)

Bryce – 8:16 (-1:43)

Alex – 8:01 (-22 sec.)

Connor – 7:51 (-1:49) day’s 2^nd most improved, tie

Elliot – 8:16 (-1:24)

Rachel – 8:31 (-1:35)

Jake – 5:59 (-57 sec.)

Becky – 9:51 (+11 sec.)

James – 12:04 (no target)

Jonathan – 7:55 (-1:49) day’s 2^nd most improved, tie

Eleanor – 9:01 (-53 sec.)

Sota – 6:06 (-2:00) day’s most improved, earning extra credit

TODAY’S TWO-MILE TEST

(with per-mile pace and comparison to your Tuesday run at about twice today's distance; target was anything faster)

Sam – 14:48 (7:24 pace, -1:45 per mile)

Ella – 14:44 (7:22s, -1:47)

David – 15:16 (7:22s, -37 sec.)

Lana – about 1.8 miles in 15:10 (8:25s, =)

Mariana – about 1.8 miles in 19:46 (10:59s, +13 sec.)

Nathan – 13:26 (6:43s, -1:22)

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 welcome back to many of you who know the routine here. Starting today I’ll post your run result on this blog after each class and will include a mini-lesson on running.

Two first-day glitches slightly altered the intended distances. First, someone removed my cones from the turf fields, resulting in extra yardage there. Later, the longer runners hit a construction roadblock, shortening their course.

Thursday you’ll meet at the now-standard spot, north end of turf fields near 15^th Avenue. It has a restroom and water fountain, benches and a place to leave your belongings under cover.

The run that day, after a good warmup, will be a one- or two-mile test. I prefer that word to “race” because you’re only testing yourself, not needing to beat anyone to the finish line.

TODAY’S 2.1 MILES

(with per-mile pace, based on distance of 2.07 for most of you; you’ll compare this with your one-mile test time on Thursday, trying to go faster then)

Bryce – 20:41 (9:59 pace)

Alex – 17:38 (8:23s)

Connor – 20:00 (9:40s)

Elliot – 20:00 (9:40s)

Rachel – 20:55 (10:06s)

Jake – 14:21 (6:56s)

Becky – 20:00 (9:40s)

Jonathan – 20:10 (9:44s)

Eleanor – 19:49 (9:54s for 2.00 miles)

TODAY’S 3.8 MILES

(with per-mile pace; you’ll compare this with your two-mile test pace on Thursday, trying to go faster then)

Sam – 34:47 (9:09 pace)

Ella –34:47 (9:09s)

David – 30:23 (7:59s) after half-marathon race on Sunday

Lana – 32:01 (8:25s)

Mariana – 40:55 (10:46s)

Nathan – 30:46 (8:05s)

Sota – 30:47 (8:06s)

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.