Wednesday Track Workouts

Welcome to the DCRRC Wednesday Night Track Workouts. In conjunction with our year-round distance-specific training programs, and our regular Saturday Long Runs, these workouts aim to give runners of all abilities the fitness to reach their goals. For the novice or casual runner, these workouts will challenge you to a higher level of running fitness. For the competitive runner, track workouts are an essential means to reaching personal bests and to succeed at whatever level you are competing.

Where & When

Unless otherwise noted, workouts are held on the track at Washington-Liberty (formerly Washington-Lee) High School in Arlington. We meet near the concession stand (northwest corner) at 7:10pm and start the workout at 7:15pm. Warmups, drills, etc. are on your own.

Philosophy

Our workouts focus on two of the three forms of speed work used by distance runners from the 5K to the Marathon: Stamina Training (10K race pace or slower) and Interval Training (around 5K race pace). We also do a limited amount of Speed Training (faster than 5K race pace) especially during the summer.

Do not worry if this is new to you, and especially if you feel that track workouts are for "fast" runners. Our posted workouts are suggested "maximums," and can be individually tailored to your current level of fitness and specific running goals. Our coach, Ed Grant, has been leading these workouts for 20 years, and is happy to customize a workout plan to meet your needs.

Paces

To get a sense of how fast you should run during these workouts, we encourage you use the McMillan Running Calculator. You can plug in a recent race time and a goal race time, and the Calculator will churn out Training Paces (click on that term) for everything from long runs to speed paces. We recommend applying Mark Hadley's temperature + dew point adjustments in warm and humid weather. Temperature and dew point forecasts are available from the National Weather Service.

Upcoming Notes on Track Workouts

Written by Edward Grant

Tuesday, 05 May 2015 17:43

1.  Coach Ed will not be present at the May 6 and May 13 workouts.  The May 6 workout is on the Custis Trail, and the May 13 workout is on the track (W-L schedule still shows the track as available that night).  Workouts are posted below. 

2.  There is a possibility that the W-L track will not be available for several weeks this summer due to resurfacing of the infield.  We're interested in your preference regarding an alternate location:  (A) YorktownHS/Greenbriar Park; (B) Wakefield HS; or (C) Other (please specify).  We have no formal word from the County at this point on track closure, but we do know the resurfacing will take place.  

Ed 

 

 

Wednesday Track Workouts for March-May 2015

Written by Edward Grant

Tuesday, 03 March 2015 17:23

Members & Guests, 

As usual, we enter the Spring with some uncertainty regarding the availability of the track, due to high school lacrosse, soccer, and track.  Based on the best information available, Washington-Lee will be available to us most weeks through mid-April (including one Tuesday night workout, on March 10). Things get a bit tight from April 22 forward.  Fortunately, by then, there will be plenty of light available to do workouts on the Custis Trail, and we will be able to do one workout (April 29) at the Yorktown/Greenbriar Park track.  

Here's the schedule, with annotations on track availability: 

March 4:  2 x 400M @ 5K pace.  200M recovery. Then, 4 x 1000M at 5K pace.  Slow 400M recovery.  NOTE: There is a Winter Storm Advisory starting Wednesday at 7 PM. If predictions/conditions deteriorate, we will cancel the workout and post that information on the main DCRRC web page. NOTE: The following week's workout is on TUESDAY night due to a scheduled game on Wednesday.  

TUESDAY March 10:  6-8 x 800M @ 5K pace.  Brisk 400M recovery.  IF March 4 workout is canceled, we will do that workout instead.  

March 18: 12 - 20 x 400M @ 10K pace; 100M jog recovery.  

March 25: Track not available.  We will do a workout on Custis Trail -- Mile Repeats.  Sun sets at 7:25 PM, so we will start promptly (out the stadium gate) at 7:15 (Trail is lighted, but wear reflective gear if possible).  (For Thursday morning, mile repeats).  

April 1:  8 x 600M @ 5K pace. Alternate recovery jogs -- 200M after first repeat, 400M after second repeat, 200M after third repeat, 400M after fourth, and so forth.  

BOSTON PEOPLE:  Feel free to extend this to 8 - 10 x 800M, slow 400M recovery.  

April 8: 4 x 5:00 @ 5K pace. 5:00 recovery.  

April 15: 10 x 500M @ 5K pace.  300M jog recovery. 

April 22: W-L Track not available. Custis Trail Mile Repeats.  Sun set at 7:52 --  we will depart the stadium promptly at 7:15 PM.  (For Thursday morning, do mile repeats). 

April 29: W-L Track not available. We will move workout to YORKTOWN H.S./GREENBRIAR PARK track.  Workout TBD based on turnout -- likely 400M repeats at 5K pace, 200M recovery.  

May 6: W-L Track not available.  Custis Trail workout.  8 x 3:00 "on" (fast pace) and 2:00 "off" (slow jog).  (Equivalent for Thursday morning would be 800M repeats).  

May 13: Back on the track (we hope)! 4 x 5:00 @ 5K pace, 5:00 recovery.  (Repreating this workout especially for those who could not make it on April 8).  

May 20:  Workout TBD.  Will depend on availability of track (currently scheduled for tentative tournament use).  

May 27:  Workout TBD.  Will depend on availability of track (currently scheduled for tentative tournament use).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Directions to Track

Track workouts are held on the track at Washington-Liberty (formerly Washington-Lee) High School.

From Washington DC: take I-66 east to the Glebe Road exit, turn right on Glebe, right on 15th Street for about 0.4 miles, to Stafford Street, turn right and cross over I-66 and the school is on your left.
From Vienna and points west in Virginia: take I-66 east to the Fairfax Drive exit, follow Fairfax Drive for about 0.8 mile to Stafford Street, turn left for about 0.3 miles and the school is on your right.
From Alexandria: take Glebe Road going north until turning right on 15th Street, and proceed as from DC.
Metro: Washington-Liberty is a short walk from both the Virginia Square and Ballston Metro stations (Orange/Silver lines).

 DCRRlogotypeRRCA member

The DC Road Runners Club is a member of the Road Runners Club of America and is also affiliated with USA Track & Field. We provide a year-round schedule of running events that offer everyone a chance to participate regardless of age, gender, or athletic ability.