Class 8

This was your final slow/fast run (of two). Next time you go this distance, it will be your midterm test with a faster start.

Tuesday's distances will be 3.1 and 6.2 miles, on the river paths. Available to you Friday is the intramural track meet at Hayward Field, with a five o'clock start... and a one-hour run for my training team, at the Mill Race Path in Springfield starting at 8:00.

TODAY'S SLOW/FAST 2 MILES

(with total time and comparison of first and second mile; target was to finish faster; all these times are adjusted from extra distance accidentally added on second mile)

Lyanne -- 23:32 (11:55 & 11:37 miles, -18 sec.)
Amina -- 20:43 (10:28 & 10:15, -13 sec.)
Brady -- 17:25 (9:37 & 7:48, -1:49) day's 3rd most improved

TODAY'S SLOW/FAST 4 MILES

(with total time and comparison of mile pace for first and second half; target was to finish faster; * = faster than first week's 2-mile test)

Erik -- 35:22 (9:19 & 8:21 pace, -58 sec. per mile)
Alex -- ran untimed
Jannik -- 28:54 (8:15s & 6:12s*, -2:03) most improved, earning extra credit
Daniel -- 35:26 (9:19s & 8:23s, -56 sec.)
Sarah -- 38:01 (9:19s & 9:41s, +22 sec.)
Claire -- 31:05 (8:15s & 7:17s*, -58 sec.)
Jack -- 34:30 (9:19s & 7:56s, -1:23)
Julian -- 33:25 (9:19s & 7:28s, -1:51) 2nd most improved
Arthur -- 35:16 (9:29s & 8:08s, -1:19)

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

If you have thoughts of running the Eugene Marathon or Half sometime (one day soon for several of you!), today's run previewed the beginning of that route. Runners will line up at Agate and 15th by the thousands on May 7th.

If you're thinking of entering the intramural track meet this Friday, the starting time has moved from four o'clock to 5:00.

Thursday's run will be another slow/fast, but now by distance instead time. You'll ease through the first one or two miles, then push the remainder.

TODAY'S 2.75 MILES

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

Lyanne -- 34:12 (12:26 pace, +1:04 per mile)
Rana -- 24:47 (9:00s, +22 sec.)
Brady -- 24:10 (8:47s, no target)

TODAY'S 5.5 MILES

(same info as above)

Erik -- 49:42 (9:02 pace, = last long) day's best pacer, earning extra credit
Alex -- 49:47 (9:03s, -27 sec. per mile)
Jessica D. -- 52:54 (9:36s, +16 sec.)
Jannik -- 41:50 (7:36s, +28 sec.)
Daniel -- 47:54 (8:42s, +14 sec.)
Miles -- 44:46  (8:08s, -51 sec.)
Claire -- 43:02 (7:49s, -9 sec.) day's 2nd best pacer
Scott -- 11.1 miles on Sunday for half-marathon training
Julian -- 45:25 (8:15s, -13 sec.) day's 3rd best pacer
Arthur -- 44:52 (8:09s, -21 sec.)
James -- 42:43 (7:46s, -28 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

Interval training is hardly anyone’s favorite way to start a day. Its rewards come later, when it makes all running seem easier, even as your pace improves.

If you like going fast and want to go even faster, consider entering the intramural track meet next Friday, the 28^th. It’s a chance to run at truly historic Hayward Field – and for free. A wide selection of track and field events are available. The meet starts at four o’clock.

If you need to run long to prepare for the Eugene Half-Marathon, consider joining my training group this Sunday. The team is going 11 miles this week, with an eight o’clock start from the Eugene Running Company.

Tuesday’s class distances will be 2.8 and 5.6 miles.

TODAY’S 2 X HALF-MILE INTERVALS

(with total time for one mile and comparison to first week’s test on the same route; target was to go faster than the nonstop mile, which everyone did)

Amina – 8:10 (-37 sec.)

Maca – 7:57 (-39 sec.)

Brady – 6:53 (no target)

TODAY’S 2 X MILE INTERVALS

(with total time for two miles, mile pace and comparison to first week’s test on same route; target was to go faster than the nonstop two-mile, which everyone did)

Erik – 15:05 (7:32 pace, -35 sec. per mile)

Alex – 15:32 (7:46s, no target)

Jessica D. – 15:40 (7:50s, -22 sec.)

Jannik – 11:19 (5:39s, -41 sec.)

Daniel – 14:53 (7:26s, -40 sec.)

Sarah – 15:53 (7:56s, no target)

Rana – 14:05 (7:02s, -22 sec.)

Claire – 13:56 (6:58s, -50 sec.) day’s most improved

Scott – 12:34 (6:17s, -22 sec.)

Jack – 12:47 (6:23s, -45 sec.) day’s 3rd most improved

Chelsea – 17:18 (8:39s, no target)

Julian – 12:37 (6:18s, -43 sec.)

Arthur – 14:09 (7:04s, -24 sec.)

James – 13:47 (6:53s, -46 sec.) day’s 2nd most improved

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

Beginning week three, we’re now settling into the routine that will continue throughout the term: longer run on Tuesday, alternating between the river paths and the neighborhoods; faster on Thursdays. Next up on speed day will be the introduction of interval training in this class. Instead of running a non-stop one or two miles, you’ll split the distance in half and take a recovery break between segments.

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 longer distance; if you didn’t time yourself out at stoplights, you probably ran faster than listed.)

Lyanne – 28:24 (11:22 pace, -6 sec. per mile) best pacer, earning extra credit

Amina – 25:04 (10:01s, +26 sec.)

Maca – 23:17 (9:21s, +21 sec.)

TODAY’S 5.0 MILES

(same info as above)

Erik – 45:12 (9:02s, -10 sec.)

Alex – 47:34 (9:30s, +40 sec.)

Jannik – 35:40 (7:08s, -1:11)

Daniel – 44:39 (8:56s, no target)

Sarah – 46:27 (9:17s, -1:04)

Rana – 43:12 (8:38s, +21 sec.)
Miles -- 44:39 (8:56s, no target)

Claire – 39:51 (7:58s, -19 sec.)

Scott – 13+ miles on Saturday for half-marathon training

Jessica N. – 2-hour run today for half-marathon training

Julian – 42:22 (8:28s, +9 sec.) day’s 3^rd best pacer

Arthur – 42:30 (8:30s, +7 sec.) day’s 2^nd best pacer

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

Running by minutes, as you did today, has two benefits besides the main purpose of teaching you to run faster when tired. First, everyone (in each group) gets closer together after the turnaround – and finishes at nearly the same time. Second, everyone has an equal chance to finish first – as native speed is less important here than how much you speed up on the return trip.

Tuesday’s distances will be 2.5 and 5.0 miles. You’ll run most of those to the north of Franklin Boulevard, along the river.

TODAY’S SLOW/FAST “16 MINUTES”

(with actual time and comparison of second half with first; target was to beat 16 minutes by going faster coming back, defined as running a “negative split”)

Lyanne – 14:26 (-1:34 for 2^nd half) 2^nd best speedup for this run

Jessica N. – 13:42 (-2:18) best speedup for this run, earning extra credit

Katie – 15:40 (-20 sec.)

Maca – 14:45 (-1:15)

TODAY’S SLOW/FAST “32 MINUTES”

(same info as above, except target was to beat 32 minutes)

Erik – 29:36 (-2:24 for 2^nd half)

Alex – 29:42 (-2:18)

Jessica D. – 29:39 (-2:21)

Jannik – 27:01 (-4:59) best speedup for this run, earning extra credit

Daniel – 29:43 (-2:17)

Sarah – 29:09 (-2:51)

Rana – 29:07 (-2:53)

Claire – 28:51 (-3:09)

Scott – ran untimed

Jack – 28:49 (-3:11) 3^rd best speedup for this run

Chelsea – 30:44 (-1:16)

Julian – 28:44 (-3:16) 2^nd best speedup for this run

Brady – 32:15 (+15 sec.)

James – 29:51 (-2:09)

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

You increase the distance by relatively small amounts from Tuesday to Tuesday – a quarter-mile each week for the shorter run, a half-mile for the longer. But these steps will add up to a doubling of the original length by term’s end.

Thursday’s run will be by time instead of distance. You’ll go out for eight or 16 minutes (approximately a mile or two), then come back faster. This will simulates the feel of pushing the pace in the latter half of a race. 

TODAY’S 2.25 MILES

(with per-mile pace and comparison to last Tuesday’s run; target was to match that pace for this longer distance)

Lyanne – ran untimed

Amina – 21:35 (9:35 pace, -1:09 per mile)

Maca – 20:17 (9:00s, -37 sec.)

TODAY’S 4.5 MILES

(same info as above)

Erik – 41:24 (9:12s, +7 sec.)

Alex – 39:48 (8:50s, -16 sec.)

Jessica D. – 42:03 (9:20s, +3 sec.) day’s 2^nd best pacer

Jannik – 37:27 (8:19s, -18 sec.)

Rana – 37:13 (8:17s, -20 sec.)

Miles – 37:56 (8:25s, no target)

Claire – 37:15 (8:17s, -53 sec.)

Scott – 9 miles on Sunday

Jessica N. – 6.5 miles today

Chelsea – 45:24 (10:05s, -16 sec.)

Julian – 37:27 (8:19s, -18 sec.)

Alli – 42:03 (9:20s, +6 sec.) day’s 3^rd best pacer

Arthur – 37:45 (8:23s, -14 sec.)

James – 37:07 (8:14s, +2 sec.) best pacer, earning extra credit; after 8 miles on weekend

LESSON 3: YOUR PACE

Pace has two meanings, one mathematical and the other physical. The first – a key figure for any runner to know – is a calculation of your minutes/seconds per mile. Divide the total time by the distance (remembering to convert seconds to tenths of a minute; an 8:30 mile is 8.5 minutes). The second meaning is even more important: how you find your best pace. On most runs, this means pacing yourself comfortably – neither too fast nor too slow. There are several ways to arrive at that pace. The most technical is to wear a heart-rate monitor and to run between 70 and 80 percent of maximum pulse. Another is to know your maximum speed for that distance, then add one to two minutes per mile. The simplest: Listen to your breathing; if you aren’t gasping for air and can talk while you run, your pace is not too fast. Your effort should stay constant through the run, but your pace-per-mile seldom does. Expect the pace to pick up as you warm up.