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No TMBC - 6 x 4:00 minutes in 5k pace, 2:00 easy jogs

Fellow Endorphin Junkies

I wanted to thank those of you who have taken the time to write us to thank us for continuing to try to do some small things supporting normalcy, such as this weekly note to our beloved Thursday Morning Breakfast Crew. Heck, I want to thank everyone still READING this weekly missive – it gives Rich and I something to do that makes us still feel connected to our bigger "Family." We love, admire, and respect you all and your dedication to the sport we love – a sport that seems to be one of the few things we all can still largely control – at least the training – races, that's a different story – although I for one am pretty excited about the chance to set some new PW's in the Mile and the 5K! ;-)

On a more practical note, how people feel about changing things up a little? Coach Rich and I both collect running articles, as well as running books, and we could swap the workouts we usually do for some interesting new challenges. If you are down for that, lets us know. We may try one next week just to see what everyone thinks – Coaches do not have all the Wisdom – we learn it from you in large part.

For those in good health, tomorrow will be a more typical warmer May day - between the upper forties and upper 60s, with strong breezes but little chance of rain, – so I'm going to run in the AM when it is cooler. The tracks are still closed, and any workouts will usually need to be done on the Custis/WO&D/Bluemont or other trails, but this one like last week can be done almost anywhere – and perhaps with all the traffic on the trails, your neighborhood streets would be safer – at least coronavirus-wise.

May 14, 2020 – NO TMBC – ON YOUR OWN: 6 x 4:00 in 5k Pace, w/2:00 minute slow jogs in between.

In this workout, the 4:00 is supposed to substitute for the 800, and the 2:00 jog for the 400m jog, but only Keith, Jill and I run that slowly for 800m at 5k pace, so for some of you this will be almost 3/4ths of a mile (closer to 1100 meters or more), so it is challenging – as in you are essentially running a 5k race. Since we want to make this different than your regular workouts, be sure to focus on your form, getting up on your toes, lifting your knees an extra couple of inches, and avoiding the dreaded arm cross-over that rocks your core.

And now the Coach Rich News!

Greetings fellow TMBCers. As the weeks go by and the weather gets nicer and nicer I hope you are all enjoying your running as much as I am. It was just glorious this morning.

In the news this week, the craziness of our girl Liz Ozeki marches on. Very impressive craziness I might add. If you didn't know, Liz works as an operating room nurse in DC. Given the circumstances of the pandemic this is likely enough challenge for most of us, but for the last 24 days Liz has been competing in the Broken Ladder Challenge put on by the sponsors of the Algonquin 50K, which Liz won in 2019 in what I believe was her first ultra. The Broken Ladder Challenge started with 80 competitors 24 days ago. All had to start with 1 mile on day 1 and add a mile each day till the winner was the last man standing. As of yesterday 23 days were complete and there were still 11 competitors left all of course who ran 23 miles yesterday, 22 miles Monday, 21 miles Sunday and so on. So in the 7 days before today Liz has run 141 miles. She has done 10 of the 24 miles needed to stay in contention so far today. There are just 3 women left and one of them is Liz' equal crazy twin sister Thia. Liz is fitting this in around masked shifts at the hospital. To quote her I think yesterday but maybe the day before, "there is no stopping". Needless to say, this is so impressive and Liz, you go girl! Here is a link to the results tracking page.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kiPwQMfsPXQG-FZUdIxXU6ukGL37hmamgGFtl1BLzys/edit#gid=0

More to come next week ...

Monday starts our virtual #dcrrc1milechallenge. I hope you all will participate. Details at dcroadrunners.org and on the DC Road Runners Facebook page.

Happy running!

Coach Big Guy will be doing the workout over on the Bluemont/WO&D trails, and Coach Rich will be out doing some strong running in his Hood.

No TMBC - 10 to 16 x 2:00 in 10k Pace on your own

Fellow Endorphin Junkies -

The conflicting information on opening up the Shelter-in-Place orders is so confusing that even TMBC's brilliant Dr. Kelly O might not be able to decipher it. All I know is that I am sticking with "better safe than sorry," only going out for runs and my once a week "Senior Hours" at Harris Teeter. I would urge you to use your best judgment on how to proceed. As to exercise in the time of a Pandemic, which all medical professionals seem to favor, I still reiterate - unless you feel 100% - DO NOT GO OUT the door, don't run, don't risk infecting others, or getting infected yourself in a time of weakness and pandemic. Do stretching and weights at home until you are in top shape.

For those in good health, tomorrow will be a great day to run – showers end overnight, and then cool and sunny mid-40s to 60 in the afternoon with little wind! The Arlington County tracks are closed (both W&L and the Yorktown), so any workouts will either need to be done on the Custis/WO&D/Bluemont or other trails, or this one can be done almost anywhere – and perhaps with all the traffic on the trails, your neighborhood streets would be safer – at least corona virus-wise. Tomorrow's workout is a variation on the 400m workout we do so often, just using time rather than distance, since you may be on roads or a trail that is not marked well.

May 7, 2020 – NO TMBC – ON YOUR OWN: 10 to 16 x 2:00 minutes ON in 10k Pace, w/1:00 minute OFF slow jogs in between the 2m Intervals.

In this workout, the 2:00 is supposed to substitute for the 400, and the 1:00 jog for the 100m jog, but only Keith, Jill and I run that slowly for 400m at 10k pace, so for some of you this will be almost 1/3 of a mile (closer to 500 meters or more), so it is challenging. As you all will remember, a perfect workout for this regular fixture would be a set where each 400 is slightly faster, while maintaining the same pace on the 100s. Since we are doing this by time, and since we get more rest at a minute than we would have had at 100m on the track, try to focus on going just a little bit farther each 2:00 interval while maintaining the same distance on that 1:00 jog in between. You can do it! Remember to focus on your form, lifting your knees, getting up on your toes, eyes looking strait forward, while avoiding the dreaded arm crossover that rocks your core.

And now for the Coach Rich News!

Greetings once again fellow TMBCers. I hope all are well and faithfully running in week [I-have-lost-count] of the Coronavirus lockdown.

The Big TMBC news this week is that Mikala Whitakergot engaged to Jared Dix! She looks blissfully happy in the pictures I saw on FB, and of course, that is a great thing. Many congrats from all of us to Mikala!

There was a running of the Virtual Providence Marathon this past weekend. Both Hope Seck and Andrew Simpson participated and turned in times of 3:45ish. Many of you know Alex Barrage, and Alex also participated, running the entire way with a mask. So tough! Congrats to all!!!

Sorry to report not a lot of great news for real racing anytime soon. The Army Ten Miler just postponed and registration for this year's race which is supposed to be Oct 11. They will provide more info as the situation unfolds. As of now no permits from Arlington County will be granted through the end of August. I am sure NPS will be similar so this will obviously keep us from doing summer Bunion Derby races. We are working with RRCA to figure out how to have safe group runs and races again once things settle down much more and it is safer. There is lots of work to do there.

Look for instructions for the #dcrrcvirtual1milechallenge on the club website and FB page later this week. It will be held the week of May 18. My plan is to hold one of these again in July so you will be able to measure your progress.

Happy Running!

Coach Big Guy will be do the workout or a variation on the Bluemont/WO&D trails, and Coach Rich will continue his remarkable comeback