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Distance Ladder 800/1200/800/1600/800, 400m jogs

Fellow Endorphin Junkies -

The weather Thursday will be a little challenging, cool with Temps in the mid 50s and with High humidity at 99%, with wind at 5 MPH, and significant chance of rain – although it looks like there may be a drier window between 6 and 7 – just in time! Do still bring water for hydration, no less than every other interval. The Coach is back in Austin this week preparing to fly to Honduras to speak on AI law, so Coach Andrew Golden will step in to do a better job than I could ever do leading the workout! Accordingly, the Thursday Morning DCRRC Track Practice in Arlington hopefully will begin at the Greenbriar Park around the corner from Yorktown High School at 6:00 AM sharp, with announcements before 6 - so please get there early to warm up – say by 5:40 AM. Workout as follows:

October 30, 2025 – Distance Ladders – 800m/1200m/800m/1600m/800m, all followed by 400m easy jogs – 800s in 5k Pace, 1200/1600 in 10k Pace

This is a great workout to build Speed AND Stamina, but you still do NOT want to go out fast, as the benefit to this sort of workout is increasing your speed, cadence and pushing past your lactate threshold, particularly on the 1200 & 1600m in the middle of the workout. At these medium to long distances, correct speed form is the key. 8 to 12 degrees lean, lifting knees higher, core still, no crossover with your arms, and do not clench your fists. Make sure you are up on your toes, and increase speed by increasing cadence, which counter-intuitively may involve shortening your stride.

And now the Coach Big Guy Report!

Greetings Thursday Morning Track Fans. I hope you all have been enjoying the fall weather, we are having a lot less trouble than our Caribbean neighbors. Winter racing is right around the corner, and signups are on the Club website for the first couple of Snowball races, as well as the rescheduled National Capitol Race, now a 10 and 5 miler. Details on the Club website: www.dcroadrunners.org.

I only have one result this week, one I missed, congrats to Brian Young who had a Masters PR at the Army 10 Miler in 64:40. Please send me your results!

Happy running!

Coach Big Guy will be in ATX so Coach Andrew Golden will be at the workout at Yorktown tomorrow!

3 to 5x 2000m w/400m jogs, + 2x 400m

Fellow Endorphin Junkies -

The weather Thursday will be almost perfect fall weather with Temps in the upper 40s, with lower humidity at only 65% and wind at 7 MPH. Despite the great weather, you should still remember to bring fluids because you need them whenever you run – especially tomorrow after every 2000m interval! Accordingly, the Thursday Morning DCRRC Track Practice in Arlington will begin at the Greenbriar Park around the corner from Yorktown High School at 6:00 AM sharp, with announcements before 6 - so please get there early to warm up – say by 5:40 AM.

If you are running Marine Corps – let me know! Also – your workout tomorrow should be your last one, an easy 4 to 6 x 400m at Marathon pace, with 200m jogs in between, and standard 1 mile warm up/warm down. For the rest of us, workout as follows:

October 23, 2025 – TMBC: – 3 x 2000m in Cruise Interval Pace (10k pace) with 400m easy jogs in between, then 2 x 400m in 5k pace, 200m jog

Water breaks are important ALL year round, even when it is nice like tomorrow, so remember to hydrate before, during and after your runs - tomorrow after each interval!

NOTE: I expect to see your heart rates in the Mid 80% of Maximum range, and if your rates are higher, you need to slow down!

Stallions: 6:00 to 6:45 Pace

Wolf Pack: 6:45 to 7:15 Pace

Gazelles: 7:15 to 7:45 Pace

Coyotes/MTP Trainees: 7:30 to 10:30 Pace

This week's workout is a base workout for those who have already run their fall marathons, aimed at building strength and endurance for your winter races. For Marine Corps runners, see above. For later marathons, this is a nice workout to maintain and build your fitness. As always, don't go out too quick on the first one, and try to make each interval a bit faster than the last. Since these intervals are pretty long, it's important to maintain a good but not insistent stride and pace until the last 400, where you can slowly accelerate to finish strong. While you can mentally divide each 2000 into 5 parts – it's probably easier to start these like a Tempo run and accelerate to 10k pace, holding it for the first 1600, and for last 400, accelerate slowly to finish strong! Again, as with the 1600s a few weeks ago, remember to leave something in the tank for your last interval, as these segments can be very challenging, even at 10k pace. The final two 400s at 5k pace will help sharpen you for the shorter races of the fall/winter.

Here is the Coach Big Guy Club News this week:

OK so nobody let me know their race results – c'mon people – you are due praise, let me give it! ;-)

It looks like the Club with be doing the National Capital race, but in a 10 mile and 5 mile variety instead of the traditional 20/5 milers, and out at Hains Point – details will be on the Club web page soon. Also, the Snowball series and dates, and some signups, are also on the DCRRC Homepage - check it out at dcroadrunners.org.

Happy running!

Coach Big Guy is back from the ACL Fest and the US Gran Prix, 10 Pounds heavier, but he will be at Yorktown tomorrow!