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10 - 12 x 400m in 5k, 200m jogs

Fellow Endorphin Junkies:

The weather tomorrow morning will be chilly, with temps in the low 30s, humidity at only 52 %, but quite windy at 14 to 18 MPH. Given the lower temps and the rain today there will almost certainly be a few slick spots or even icy patches, so BE CAREFUL. We will meet at Yorktown HS track, around the corner from the school on Greenbriar street (the track is technically in Greenbriar Park) – warm up at about 5:40 am, before the 6 AM start time for instructions. Water breaks are important ALL year round, even when it is cold like tomorrow, so remember to hydrate before, during and after your runs – after each interval, if possible, but at least every other interval! Workout as follows:

February 29 (Leap Day!), 2024 - 10 to 12 x 400m at 5K ("interval") Pace and Faster, w/200m easy jogs in between

Water breaks are important ALL year round, especially when it very hot and humid 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, but if your rates are higher, you need to slow down!

Stallions: 5:30 to 6:30 Pace, 12 Intervals

Wolf Pack: 6:15 to 6:45 Pace, 11 to 12 Intervals

Gazelles: 6:30 to 7:15 Pace, 10 to 11 Intervals

Coyotes/MTP Trainees: 7:00 to 9:30 Pace, 10 Intervals

This week's workout is a tough speed workout –running a 5k for everyone, and more for the Stallions and Wolfies, so it will be a challenge, and we have challenging weather, so pace yourselves. Thus, a note on Pace – Coach Ed wants us to start at 5k pace and get faster as we progress – and for you Wolfies and Stallions, we expect 3k pace for most of these intervals. Since you will be going fairly all-out, be especially focused on good form - up on your toes, knees lifting, core sill, slight lean, eyes forward, and perhaps most importantly, hands at your side to help smoothly lift your knees - no crossing over or chicken wings. Also, no fists (imagine Pringles or an egg in your hand and you don't want to crush them)!

In club news from Coach Rich ...

Coach Rich is busy with Yorktown Track this week, so full two-week race report will be given next week. In the meantime, here is the Coach Big Guy Club news - The last Snowball Series race is on Sunday, March 3 at 10:00. Sign up here for the Burke Lake 12k. On Sunday, March 10, the Club will hold our 2024 Banquet & Membership Meeting. The cash bar opens at 4:30 PM and dinner is served at 5:00 PM. The evening features our annual club awards, elections of a new board of directors, state-of-the-club presentation, and speakers' presentation. Details are linked on our homepage.

Coach Big Guy will be at practice tomorrow, before heading to Las Vegas for U2 at the Sphere!

4 to 6 x 1000m in 5k, 400m jogs

Fellow Endorphin Junkies

The weather tomorrow morning will be chilly, with temps in the low 30s, humidity qt 86%, and only a bit of wind at 5 MPH. Despite the relatively nice weather, you should still bring plenty of fluids. We will meet at Yorktown HS track, around the corner from the school on Greenbriar street (the track is technically in Greenbriar Park) – warm up at about 5:40 am, before the 6 AM start time for instructions. Water breaks are important ALL year round, even when it is cold like tomorrow, so remember to hydrate before, during and after your runs – after each interval, if possible, but at least every other interval!

Good luck at the Club Challenge 10 Miler – I know the TMBC crew will be leading the charge, and I am so sorry business will keep me in Austin so I miss it – I will be with you in spirit! If you are running fast Sunday, don't kill yourself tomorrow – no more than 5 intervals, and take it easy on the first two, using the last ones to sharpen you for Sunday's race.

February 22, 2023 – 4 to 6 x 1000m at 5K ("Interval") Pace, w/400m SLOW easy jogs in between out in Lane 6 to allow recovery.

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

Stallions: 5:15 to 6:30 Pace, 6 intervals

Wolf Pack: 6:30 to 7:30 Pace, 5 to 6 intervals

Gazelles: 7:15 to 8:15 Pace, 5 intervals

Coyotes/MTP Trainees: 8:15 to 10:30 Pace, 4 to 5 intervals

This week's workout is a good speed workout, but given the distance, also an endurance workout. For most of this is a 5k race, so take advantage of the rest intervals in the outside lanes. As with some of our previous workouts, the trick tomorrow is to start at 10k pace on the first interval and to get faster each lap or interval until you are running 5k pace. Focus on form, eyes front, knees higher, arms at side lifting the knees, hands relaxed, on toes. Again - this is a 5k distance race or more for us (albeit with approximately 3 to 5 x 400m jogs added!), so take it easy on the recovery jog/walk/water legs of 400m.

In Coach Rich Club News –

Hi Everyone. I look forward to seeing you all tomorrow morning. Only one result to report on this week ...

The Big Guy returned to the track at TJ for a PVTC winter indoor meet. He ran the mile in 7:15 which was good for 1st M60-69. If you have ever run at TJ you know that effort was good for 5-10 seconds faster on a real track surface. Way to go Big Guy.

Good luck to all racing at the Club Challenge on Sunday. Reminder that miles 6 and 8 are killers so save a little fuel in the tank.

The next club race is the Fort Hunt 10K on March 17. To volunteer or register to run go to www.dcroadrunners.org.

Happy running!

Rich

Coach Big Guy will be in Austin, but Coach Rich will ably take my place at Yorktown tomorrow morning!