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4 to 4 x 1600m + 2 x 400m

Fellow Endorphin Junkies -

The weather tomorrow morning will be cold, with temps at 38 degrees and relatively high humidity at 60%, but very windy at 16 MPH, so dress for it, and as always you should still bring fluids.

Accordingly, the Thursday Morning DCRRC Track Practice in Arlington will begin at the Yorktown High School track tomorrow at 6:00 AM sharp, with announcements before 6 - so please get there early at about 5:40 on the track to warm up for the workout at 6, which is around the corner from the school, at the intersection of North 28th and Greenbriar streets.

February 27, 2020 - 4 to 5 x 1600m in Cruise Interval Pace (10k pace) with 400m easy jogs in between, Plus 2 x 400m to finish at 5k Pace, 200m jog in between

Water breaks are important ALL year round, even when it cooler 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 High 80% of Maximum range, and if your rates are higher, you need to slow down!

Stallions: 5:45 to 6:30 Pace, 5 x 1600m Intervals

Wolf Pack: 6:30 to 7:15 Pace, 4 - 5 x 1600m Intervals

Gazelles: 7:15 to 8:00 Pace, 4 x 1600 m Intervals

Coyotes/MTP Trainees: 8:00 to 10:00 Pace, 4 x 1600m

The posted workout is 1600M repeats at 10K pace (McMillan "cruise intervals") with a 400M-recovery jog. Recommended number of repeats is 4 to 5. The goal of this workout is volume, not speed. Those running early spring marathons should definitely aim for 4 or 5 repeats. The way to get there is to control your pace, factoring in that while conditions are comparatively good for winter, the wind will slow you, particularly if you are not following a Clydesdale like Coach BG. So, aim for volume, not speed, within the pace guidelines set out above, and this will be a truly productive workout. The 400s, as always, are a great way to finish strong and prepare for your quick at the end of races. As Coach Ed noted in his email today, if you threw down on Sunday, you might want to slow your pace a bit or cut back an interval or two from the workout.

Here is the Coach Rich Club News this week:

Hi Everyone. Since Keith likes retirement so much I have decided to join him! In fact, today is my first day of retirement. I am very excited and especially for no more 4 AM alarms to go running. Vicki and I will be spending the month of June hiking the Coast-to-Coast Trail across northern England from the Irish Sea to the North Sea as our first adventure. I loved running my workout this morning down at Hains Point and at 8AM. Sorry I won't see you tomorrow as I worked out a day early for an added day of rest before Sunday's race. See you there and at the banquet. I'll be back on the track next week.

Great work by tons of club members at this past weekends Club Challenge 10M. The weather was so good. Cold, clear and no wind. At least for a winter race of course. DCRRC had 94 runners finish. 4th largest behind MRRC, HCS and BRRC. DCRRC teams had 3 podium finishes. All 3rd places. Female under 40, which was led by Liz and including Christie and Bonnie. Men's Masters led by Ze. Men's Grand Masters which included Steve. Here is how our crew members ran and this tremendously challenging 10M course.

1:00:02 - Rodrigo Vellon
1:00:55 - Alex Cooke
1:01:42 - Liz Ozeki, 3rd OAF, PR

1:01:53 - Christie Wetzel
1:02:16 - Ze Dagher
1:04:53 - Chris Walsh, PR (I think?)
1:05:32 - Kyle Edgerton
1:05:39 - Will Hernandez
1:05:47 - Steve Peterson

1:06:39 - Hai Nguyen

1:10:36 - Bonnie Harvey
1:10:50 - Melinda Metz
1:11:18 - Hope Seck
1:14:59 - Kevin Cunningham
1:15:00 - Rich Mendelowitz
1:15:06 - Li Fang
1:15:37 - Kate Scott
1:19:45 - Mark Borgeois, PR
1:27:37 - Dara Schulman
1:35:47 - Keith Campbell
1:52:37 - Clara Lau

This Sunday March 1 is the Burke Lake 12K. Race number 7 of 8 in the Snowball Series. Sign up at dcroadrunners.org
The DCRRC Annual Banquet is also Sunday starting at 6PM. Please attend. You must sign up in advance at dcroadrunners.org. Sign up tonight, as the cost goes up $5 tomorrow! As part of the event, we are running a healthy cereal drive for the Capital Area Food Bank. Please bring sugar free or low sugar boxes of cereal to donate. Everyone that donates will be eligible for a door prize drawing.
The last race of the Snowball Series is Sunday March 8. It's the Fort Hunt 10k which is a flat fast course.
Sign up for a free Tread & Train class at Formula Running Center in Clarendon. First-come, first-serve for this DCRR-members-only class on Saturday, February 29th at 9:45am. Sign up here: https://formularunning.com/login/

Mikala is raising money for a charity run at the NYC Marathon. She is holding a benefit night at Pupatella Pizzeria. (Perhaps my favorite pizza in Arlington). Visit Pupatella Pizzeria (5104 Wilson Blvd) on Wednesday, March 11 from 3-9 p.m. and 25% of money spent will go towards Mikala Whitaker's NYC Marathon fundraiser for Rising New York Road Runners, which gives free running programs to kids across the U.S. Make sure to tell the restaurant that you're there for the fundraiser. RSVPs are encouraged but not required: https://bit.ly/3a4UGE1

Coach Big Guy will be there in the morning, but Coach Rich is taking it easy having run a hard workout today on his first day of retirement!

5 x 1000, 5K pace, 400 rest

Hi Everyone. Back to a more normal winter morning for track tomorrow with temps around 30' but not too much wind. Workout is 5 x 1000, 5K pace with a slow 400 jog between each rep. Goal of the workout is for speed development but If you are running the Club Challenge 10M on Sunday you should consider a much easier pace.

As always, we will group up at 6AM for workout instructions and announcements. Please be warmed up in advance. We will be at our normal Yorktown High School Track location.

Only one race to report on from last weekend, the George Washington's Birthday Marathon. Steve Peterson and Yuko Takakusaki took on this annual challenge. It is an extremely hilly course and congrats to both of them for Age-Group podium finishes!!! Steve in 3:17:30 for 1st 50-59 and Yuko, 3:43:08 which was good for 2nd 50-59.

This weekend is the Club Challenge 10M. Registration is closed so I look forward to seeing many of you there. There is still one seat left on the bus if anyone wants to go up there with group. Sign up at http://decroadrunners.org.

If you are registered for the Cherry Blossom 10M, we want you to run on one of our DC Road Runners Club teams. You can sign up via the link on the club homepage.

Next Sunday March 1 is the Burke Lake 12K. Race number 7 of 8 in the Snowball Series. Sign up is of course on the website

The DCRRC Annual Banquet is that same Sunday, March 1 in the evening. Please attend. You must sign up in advance on the website. As part of the event, we are running a healthy cereal drive for the Capital Area Food Bank. Please bring sugar free or low sugar boxes of cereal to donate. Everyone that donates will be eligible for a door prize drawing.

The last race of the Snowball Series is Sunday March 8. It's the Fort Hunt 10k which is a flat fast course.

It will just be me tomorrow as Big Guy is away on travel. Look forward to seeing you all on the track!

Rich