April 3rd Preview

Ten miles this Sunday -- aka "only 10." Remember how you once thought of this first step into double-figures mileage as really long?

The course for both you and the half-marathoners, who go the same distance this week (with an 8:00 start from the Eugene Running Company): Oakway and Coburg Roads to Ferry Street Bridge and don't cross. Turn right onto bike path, to Valley River footbridge and across. Turn left, to Autzen footbridge and turn AROUND at brick crosswalk. Come back the same way: Valley River, Ferry and store. GPS distance is 10.11 miles.

Bring a drink for delivery at Skinner Butte playground (3.5 and 6.5 miles). Weather forecast: starting temperature in 40s and sunny!

WEEK 14 LESSON: YOUR PROGRESS

Question: Our long runs from 11 miles on go up by two miles every other week instead of the more common single mile each week. Is this too big a jump?

Answer: The generally recognized as safe rate for increasing mileage is 10 percent per week. Our increase from 11 miles through 21 averages just 6.5 percent weekly. Scheduling the long run on alternate weekends makes doubly sure than you don’t overdo. For most runners, a weekly long run (increasing by a mile at a time) allows too little recovery time in between. Hence, our plan of alternating longer runs on one weekend with those about half as long the next. The shorter ones increase by a mile each time, or the same 6.5-percent-per-week average. In both cases, long or short, we go longer each time to give a necessary sense of steady progress in distance.

March 27th Results

This was a weekend of firsts for our team: first time that Bill, Gina, Sean and Kathleen had gone as far as 19 miles.

Our Eugene runners sampled the marathon course (twice) between race miles 17 and 25+ miles today. Thanks to Rachel Frede and Steve Modee for helping at the "21-mile" mark.

TODAY'S 19 MILES

(with per-mile pace, based on GPS average of 19.00, and comparison to your last long run here; target was to match that pace for this longer distance; results here don't include stop times and detours, so you might have gone faster than listed)

Mike -- 2:44:37 (8:40 pace, +18 sec. per mile)
Jenna -- 3:41:40 (11:40s, +29 sec.)
Leah -- 2:52:46 (9:05s, +9 sec.) day's best pacer
Sean -- 2:52:34 (9:05s, +51 sec.) longest run ever!
Kathleen -- 3:27:48 (11:28s, +1:11) longest run ever!
Max -- 2:52:12 (9:04s, +20 sec.)

Guest:
Shannon -- 3:41:40 (11:40s) congrats on Western State 100 entry!

OTHER WEEKEND RUNS

Bill -- McKenzie Half in 1:52:23 (8:35s) PR, plus 6.1 miles = 19.2 total, longest ever!
Tanya -- 19 miles on Saturday
Gina -- 19 miles in Cottage Grove on Saturday, longest run ever!
Chris -- 9 miles with us in 2:13:27 (14:54s)
Dan -- McKenzie Half in 2:15:25 (10:21s) plus 6.5 miles = 19.6 total
Laurel -- 12 miles in Boston
Sara -- 2.75 hours in Berkeley
Russell -- 11.9 miles with us, 1:42:30 (8:36s)
Rhonda -- McKenzie Half in 2:23:27 (10:57s)

March 27th Preview

Complications abound this weekend. It's Easter and the store won't open, so we'll start/finish at Alton Baker Park. It's McKenzie River Half day, and some runners will choose that race. And I'm due back from a spring-break trip, but barely and could be delayed. If you can make it there, you'll still run the scheduled 19 miles.

The route, from Alton Baker parking lot with 8:00 start: bike path to Owosso footbridge and across. Turn left, to Autzen footbridge and across. Back to Alton Baker, then turn AROUND and repeat in opposite direction: Autzen, Owosso and Alton Baker. GPS distance unmeasured but about 19.2 miles.

Bring two drinks, the first for delivery at Owosso (about 4 and 15 miles), the second for turnaround (9.5 miles) and finish. Weather forecast: starting temperature in 40s with low chance of rain.

WEEK 13 LESSON: YOUR SPEED

Question: Should I train for speed during the week? And can I run short-distance races to improve my speed?

Answer: Do nothing for speed that might interfere with going long. Distance is far more important than speed in this training program. You’re mainly preparing here to go the 26.2 miles, not to meet or beat a time goal. Never substitute fast for long. Add a fast-training day in midweek only if you have recovered fully from the latest long run, or if you can be ready in time for the next one. Run a short race, of 5K to 10K, on the weekend only if it replaces a semi-long training run scheduled for the team that weekend. Running a short race does give you experience in dealing with the race-day atmosphere, which differs greatly from ours during training.

March 20th Results (9.1 miles)

Early warning for next weekend, which is Easter. There'll be no store opening, so we'll use the Alton Baker parking lot as our start/finish area. Details will coming on Wednesday.

Thanks to Shivaun for opening the store, to Michele ("Shelli") for helping on the course, and to Michael for his photo work.

TODAY'S 9.1 MILES

(with per-mile pace, based on GPS average of 9.10, and comparison to your last long run here; target was either to match that pace for this shorter distance, for recovery, or to go faster, for speed training)

Bill -- 1:19:23 (8:43 pace, -5 sec. per mile) day's best pacer
Tanya -- 1:37:01 (10:40s, +22 sec.)
Mike -- 1:09:14 (7:36s, -46 sec.) day's 2nd most improved
Amy -- 1:24:03 (9:14s) welcome to the Eugene team!
Dan -- 1:34:38 (10:23s, -1:03) day's most improved
Leah -- 1:19:30 (8:44s, -12 sec.)
Michelle R. -- 1:15:10 (8:17s, -6 sec.) day's 2nd best pacer
Sara -- 1:15:10 (8:16s)
Kathleen -- 1:32:01 (10:06s, -11 sec.)
Max -- 1:15:45 (8:19s, -25 sec.)
Russell -- 1:13:16 (8:03s, -21 vs. Napa marathon) 

OTHER WEEKEND RUNS

Bill -- 5K trail race, 25:52 (8:20s) 2nd in age group
Michele C. -- Half-marathon trail race, 2:36:15 (13.9M at 11:24s) 3rd in age group
Gina -- Half-marathon trail race, 2:10:12 (9:57s) 2nd in age group
Laurel -- 20 miles in Boston
Jeanette -- 19 miles in Cottage Grove; 8 miles with us, 1:20:35 (10:08s)
Joy -- 19 miles in Cottage Grove
Rhonda -- 8 miles with us, 1:34:33 (11:53s)

March 20th Preview

So far, you haven't ventured onto the Springfield street portion of the Eugene Marathon course in Sunday training. That will change (slightly) this week, when you cover the 12th mile there -- twice.

The course (from Eugene Running Company with an 8:00 start): Oakway and Coburg Roads to Ferry Street Bridge and don't cross. Turn left onto bike path, to Alton Baker parking lot and onto road. Continue past Autzen Stadium to end of road ponds. Turn left on canal path, under I-5, to end of path in Springfield. Turn right onto D Street, to 4th Avenue. Turn AROUND there and come back the same way: canal path, road, Ferry and store. "Mile 12" of the marathon is I-5 to 4th Ave. Sunday's GPS distance is 9.10 miles.

Bring a drink for delivery at Springfield boat ramp, about 3.5 and 5.5 miles. Weather forecast: starting temperature in 50s with light rain likely.

WEEK 12 LESSON: YOUR TEMPO

Question: Is all the running at marathon pace or even slower?

Answer: You sometimes run faster than that, just not on long-run days. Taking these too fast makes them too hard to repeat as often as you need them. We schedule a so-called “tempo run” every other weekend from the second month on. You can run faster then than in your latest long run, for about half that distance (11 and six miles, 13-7 and so on up to 21-10). How much faster? Roughly your half-marathon race pace instead of expected pace for the marathon – or as much as one minute per mile faster when you run shorter. These runs aren’t meant so much to increase your raw speed as to make the pace of the marathon feel “slower” and more comfortable.

March 13th Results (17.1 miles)

Good running under tough conditions this morning: rain plus wind plus early start. Thanks to Shivaun Black for opening the store an hour sooner today. And to Rachel Frede and Nancy DeSilva for weathering the storm to help on the course.

TODAY'S 17.1 MILES

(with per-mile pace, based on GPS average of 17.08, and comparison to your last long run here; target was to match that pace for this longer distance)

Tanya -- 2:56:10 (10:18 pace, -8 sec. per mile) day's best pacer
Michele C. -- 3:31:27 (12:22s, +1:04)
Gina -- 3:22:48 (11:52s, +51 sec.) longest run ever
Mike -- 2:22:48 (8:22s, +24 sec.)
Jenna -- 3:11:11 (11:11s, +52 sec.)
Chris -- 4:08:58 (14:34s, +49 sec.)
Leah -- 2:32:48 (8:56s, -12 sec.) day's 2nd best pacer
Michelle R. -- last 6 miles, of her 17, with us
Jeanette -- 3:04:52 (10:49s, +31 sec.)
Max -- 2:29:15 (8:44s, -25 sec.)

OTHER RUNS

Bill -- 5K race on Thursday, 22:52 (7:22s)
Bill again -- half-marathon race in San Diego on Sunday, 1:53:01 (8:38s), then 4 more miles to = 17.1 (overall average 8:48s)
Dan -- 17 miles in Seattle, 3:14 (11:26s)
Laurel -- 18 miles in California, 8:54 pace
Sean -- 11 miles with us
Max -- 5K race on Thursday, 23:06 (7:26s)
Rhonda -- 14.9 miles with us, 3:01:10 (12:13s)

March 13th Preview

We're back together in greater numbers this Sunday, and I'm back where I belong, as you advance to 17 miles. You run the first 4.5 with our half-marathoners.

The route (with an 8:00 **DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME** start from the Eugene Running Company): Oakway and Coburg Roads to Ferry Street Bridge and don't cross. Turn left onto bike path, to Autzen footbridge and across. Turn right, to Owosso footbridge and across. Back to Alton Baker Park. Turn AROUND in parking lot near restrooms. Back to Valley River and across, to Autzen footbridge and back to store. GPS distance is 

Bring two drinks: the first for delivery at Ferry Street (three and 14 miles), the second for Owosso (6.5 miles) and turnaround (10.5 miles). Weather forecast: starting temperature in 40s with rain and wind likely.

WEEK 11 LESSON: YOUR WARMUP/COOLDOWN

Question: When is the best time for stretching exercises, before or after the run?

Answer: Don’t confuse stretching with warmup. Stretching exercises don’t start you sweating or raise your heart rate. You warm up by moving – first by starting the run gently, then by easing into the full pace of the day. Treat the first mile as your warmup, making it the slowest mile of the day. If the warmup shifts gears between resting and hard running, the cooldown period is a necessary transition from racing to resting. When the run ends, resist the urge to stop suddenly. Instead, walk to cool down more gradually. After this walk is the best time for stretching exercises, which loosen the muscles that running has tightened.

March 6th Results (8.0 miles)

Saturday’s inaugural Cottage Grove Half was a midway stop on the road to the Eugene for our marathoners. This training group alone accounted for eight percent of the finishers.

Thanks to Shivaun Black for opening the store on Sunday. And to Neal Benson and Rhonda Zimlich for taking over team support in my absence.

TODAY’S 8.0 MILES

(with per-mile pace, based on GPS average of 8.00, and comparison to your last long run here; target was either to match that pace for this shorter distance, for recovery, or to go faster, for speed training)

Bill – 1:09:00 (8:37 pace, -8 sec. per mile) day’s best pacer

Mike – 58:37 (7:19s, -39 sec.)

Jenna – 1:21:19 (10:10s, -9 sec.)

Leah – 1:15:30 (9:26s, +18 sec.) after 13.1 on Saturday

Sean – 1:03:05 (7:53s, -21 sec.)

Jeanette – 1:18:45 (9:48s, -30 sec.) after 13.1 on Saturday

Max – 1:06:00 (8:15s, -54 sec.) day’s most improved

OTHER WEEKEND RUNS

Tanya – 7.5 miles in Eugene on Saturday

Michele C. – Cottage Grove Half in 2:17:07 (10:28s, -50 sec.)

Gina – CG Half in 1:58:33 (9:02s, -1:59)

Amy – CG Half in 1:50:26 (8:25s, -1:43)

Leah – CG Half in 1:54:09 (8:42s, -26 sec.)

Laurel – 10 miles in Boston on Saturday

Elly – 8 miles in California

Sara – 16 miles in Napa, California, on Sunday

Jeanette – CG Half in 2:07:34 (9:42s, -36 sec.)

Russell – Napa Marathon on Sunday in 3:40 (8:23s)
Rhonda – CG Half in 2:31:54 (11:35s, -16 sec.)

March 6th Preview

I’m away this weekend, but our Sunday eight-mile run will go as scheduled. Several teammates who are running the Cottage Grove Half on Saturday will take good care of you with directions, drink service and results-taking. Help by making sure they write down your time at the end.

The route (from Eugene Running Company with 8:00 start): Oakway and Coburg Roads to Ferry Street Bridge and don’t cross. Turn right onto bike path (being careful not to follow half-marathoners, who turn the other way), to Valley River footbridge and across. Turn left, to Ferry Street Bridge. Turn AROUND there and back the same way: Valley River, Ferry and store. GPS distance is 8.00 miles.

Bring a drink for delivery at halfway. Weather forecast: temperature in 40s with light rain likely.

WEEK 10 LESSON: YOUR HEALTH

Question: What happens if I get sick and have to stop running?

Answer: The most common ailments are the flu and colds. Never, ever run with the flu’s fever. Don’t just rest while feverish but take an additional day off for each day of the illness, or you risk serious complications and much-delayed recovery. Colds usually pass through you in about a week. Rest during the “coming-on” stage (usually the first two to four days). Then run easily (slowly enough not to cause heavy coughing and nose-throat irritation) during the “coming-out” stage. Throughout recovery, obey your fatigue signals. You got sick in the first place by overtiring yourself.