Class 4 (slow/fast 16 & 32 minutes)

Today’s by-time run served several purposes. Introducing a friendly element of competition (with each of you having an equal chance of finishing first in your event) was one of those, but the lesser one.

More important was the lesson in starting slower and finishing faster. Most runners make the mistake of doing the opposite, beginning too fast and paying later with a slower finish. Here the emphasis was on slow then fast. Though this was a “time” run, it gave you about one or two miles fast, as is usual on our Thursdays.

Tuesday’s distance will step up to 2.5 or 5.0 miles. This will take the river route.

TODAY’S SLOW/FAST “16 MINUTES”

(with actual time and comparison of second half with first; target was a minus time for your return, which indicated a “negative split”)

Amina – 15:49 (-11 sec.)

Tyler – 15:11 (-49 sec.) 1^st to finish this event, earning extra credit

Elizabeth – 15:35 (-25 sec.)

TODAY’S SLOW/FAST “32 MINUTES”

(same information as above)

Alex – 30:29 (-1:31)

Daniel – 31:02 (-58 sec.)

Gentry – 30:29 (-1:31)

Noe – 30:08 (-1:52)

Philip – 28:57 (-3:03) 1^st to finish this event, earning extra credit

Wyatt – 33:58 (+1:58)

Bill – 31:34 (-26 sec.)

Calvin – ran extra time

Omar – 29:33 (-2:27)

Kyle – 29:14 (-2:46) 2^nd to finish this event

Colleen – 30:32 (-1:28)

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 (2.25 & 4.55 miles)

Two notes on distances: (1) They advance by the widely recommended 10 percent per week, which is a quarter-mile increase each Tuesday for the 5K class and a half-mile for the 10K runners. (2) The routes will become easier for you to follow -- and for me to explain -- as the term progresses, with routes to the river and through town on alternate Tuesdays starting out the same way and only gradually going farther before turning back.

Distances aren’t wild guesses. Five-K class lengths begin where my Jog/Run class leaves off; 10K where my 5K class peaks. Distances advance by the widely recommended 10 percent per week. That’s a quarter-mile increase each Tuesday for the 5K class and a half-mile for the 10K.

Thursday’s run will be by time, not distance. You’ll go out for either eight or 16 minutes, then come back faster (finishing under 16 or 32 minutes with a so-called “negative split”). This type of running gives everyone an equal chance to finish first. More importantly, it teaches how to push faster when tired.

TODAY’S 2.25 MILES

(with per-mile pace and comparison to last Tuesday’s run; target was to come close to matching that earlier pace)

Amina – 20:51 (9:17 pace, -30 sec. per mile)

Olivia – 19:32 (8:24s, no target)

Mike – ran untimed

Maca – 19:38 (8:43s, +8 sec.) 3^rd best pacer, tie

Elizabeth – 26:30 (11:46s, no target)

TODAY’S 4.55 MILES

(same info as above)

Alex – 33:56 (7:27s, +6 sec.) best pacer, tie; earning extra credit

Gentry – 5.2 miles in 43:41 (8:24s, +6 sec.) best pacer, tie; extra credit

Noe – 32:24 (7:08s, -26 sec.)

Philip – 30:42 (6:44s, -28 sec.)

Mak – 30:38 (6:44s, -28 sec.)

Wyatt – 36:55 (+15 sec.)

Bill – 42:57 (9:26s, -8 sec.) 3^rd best pacer, tie; after Cottage Grove HM on Saturday at 9:12s

Calvin – 47:50 (10:30s, no target)

Kelly – 41:58 (9:13s, -25 sec.)

Omar – 32:24 (7:08s, -25 sec.)

Kyle – 30:37 (6:43s, -29 sec.)
Tyler -- 8 miles on Monday night to celebrate his birthday

Colleen – 37:05 (8:08s, +8 sec.) 3^rd best pacer, tie

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.

Class 2 (1 & 2 mile tests)

Today’s test – a term I prefer to “race” because you’re not so much competing against others as testing yourself – was the first of three such time trials. The others will be two or four miles at midterm, and 5K or 10K in week 10.

This was the first time I gave a prize. It’s extra credit to the person who improved most over Tuesday’s run. Wyatt scored best today.

Tuesday’s distances will advance by a small but steady amount: to 2.3 miles or 4.6 miles. This will leading to a doubling of the length this term.

TODAY’S ONE-MILE TEST

(with total time for this distance and comparison with mile pace from Tuesday’s run of twice this length; target was to go faster)

Amina – 8:59 (-48 sec.)

Leah – 9:27 (-19 sec.)

Gentry – 7:26 (-53 sec.)

Olivia – 7:53 (no target)

Wyatt – 6:05 (-1:46) most improved, earning extra credit

Samantha – 8:49 (-47 sec.)

Tyler – 5:34 (-1:01)

Maca – 8:05 (-1:10)

Elizabeth – 9:58 (no target)

TODAY’S TWO-MLE TEST

(with total time for this distance, per-mile pace and comparison with pace from Tuesday’s run of twice this length; target was to go faster)

Alex – 13:09 (6:34 pace, -59 sec. per mile)

Daniel – 15:48 (7:54s, no target)

Noe – 13:02 (6:31s, -1:03)

Philip – 11:47 (5:53s, -1:19)

Mak – 11:57 (5:58s, -1:14)

Bill – 16:10 (8:05s, -1:29) 2nd most improved

Kelly – 16:35 (7:47s, -45 sec.)

Omar – 12:17 (6:08s, -1:25) 3rd most improved

Kyle – 11:54 (5:57s, -1:15)

Colleen – 14:44 (7:22s, -38 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 (2 & 4 miles)

Welcome to this bittersweet day for me. Sweet because it’s my first time to teach this favorite class since spring term 2017. Bitter because this is the last time the combined 5K/10K class will be offered. I’ll do my best to make it fun for you and a fitting sendoff for me.

Starting today, I posted results on Canvas and also the class blog. Each day’s report includes a mini-lesson on running.

Sorry there were a couple of misdirections today. They all worked out in the end, and Thursday I’ll give more and clearer directions.

Thursday’s run – and all further runs – will meet outside on Turf Field 1. Our next class will start with a good warmup, then move to a test effort of one or two miles. I’ll compare your time with today’s pace, for half that distance.

TODAY’S 2.0 MILES

(with per-mile pace; target was to run relaxed, saving faster effort for Thursday; these are “raw” times from my watch and yours might have been faster)

Amina – 19:35 (9:47 pace)

Leah – 2.1 miles in 20:30 (9:46s)

Gentry – 16:38 (8:19s)

Wyatt --- 15:43 (7:51s)

Hailey – 18:21 (9:10s)

Samantha – 19:13 (9:36s)

Tyler – 13:10 (6:35s)

Maca – 18:30 (9:15s)

TODAY’S 4.0 MILES

(same info as above)

Alex – 30:14 (7:33s)

Noe – 30:17 (7:34s)

Philip – 28:51 (7:12s)

Mak – 28:51 (7:12s)

Bill – 38:15 (9:34s)

Kelly – 34:07 (8:32s)

Omar – 30:14 (7:33s)

Kyle – 28:15 (7:12s)

Suaote – ran longer, untimed

Colleen – 32:00 (8:00)

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.