Class 12

Today you circled back to where you started in early April – same distance on the same course. The intent was to run it faster today, which a warmup (missing that first day) and five-plus weeks of training show allow.

The next two weeks we'll switch the fast runs to Tuesdays and long to Thursdays. This is because big track meets will crowd us off "our" turf fields late each week. So the run next Tuesday will be a final set of intervals -- 3 x one-third-mile or 3 x two-thirds. 

Good luck to teammates who are competing this weekend: Julian and Arthur in an Idaho baseball tournament… Jessica D. in a Portland-area half-marathon… James in the Pacific Northwest Marathon.

TODAY’S 2-MILE TEST

(with per-mile pace and comparison to first week’s run of this same length; the low-attendance policy took effect today, with everyone who ran earning extra credit)

Rana – 2.6 miles in 21:23 (8:13 pace, -14 sec. per mile)

Maca – 17:47 (8:53s, -40 sec.)

TODAY’S 4-MILE TEST

(same info as above)

Erik – 37:56 (9:29s, +24 sec.)

Jannik – 28:36 (7:09s, -1:28) day’s most improved

Claire – 31:50 (7:57s, -1:13) day’s 2^nd most improved

Scott – 5.2 miles in 45:31 (8:42s, +22 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.