Thursday Morning Track

Identical to Wednesday night track workouts. This is simply an alternative to those that cannot make Wednesday night or prefer morning running. The workouts each week are designed by Coach Ed who leads the Wednesday night group and can be found on the Wednesday night track workouts.  

Group leaders for this workout are Coach Stephen "Big Guy" Easley and Coach Rich Mendelowitz.  Both are USATF and RRCA certified coaches. Thursday morning Track Workouts are held at the Yorktown High School track. The Address is 5201 N. 28th Street in Arlington, and the track is around the corner from the school on N. Greenbrier in the Football Stadium. The workout starts promptly at 6:00 AM. Most people arrive to do an easy warm-up together starting around 5:40 and then all do an easy one mile cool-down together after the workout.

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Questions can be emailed to Coach Big Guy or Coach Rich.

3 to 6 x 1600m in 10k, 400m Jogs = 2 x400m in 5k, 200m jog

Fellow Endorphin Junkies

The weather tomorrow will be changeable, with Temps at 65 degrees but higher humidity at 90%, with little wind at 8 MPH, but a good chance of rain, and even though it has supposed to be raining all day for the past two days you may have noticed it is off and on, and usually only for 20 or 30 minutes – we shall see! You should still remember to bring fluids because you need them whenever you run – tomorrow after every other interval! Accordingly, the Thursday Morning DCRRC Track Practice in Arlington will begin at the Greenbriar Park around the corner from Yorktown High School at our sweet new track tomorrow 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:

July 22, 2021 – TMBC: 3 to 6 x 1600m in 10k Pace, with 400m jogs between, then 2 x 400m in 5k pace with 200m jog

Stallions: 5:45 to 6:30 Pace, 15 to 30 seconds faster on the 5k Pace, 4 to 6 x 1600m

Wolf Pack: 6:30 to 7:15 Pace, 15 to 30 seconds faster on the 5k Pace, 4 to 5 x 1600m

Gazelles: 7:15 to 8:00 Pace, 15 to 30 seconds faster on the 5k Pace, 3 to 5 x 1600m

Coyotes/MTP Trainees: 8:00 to 10:00 Pace, 15 to 30 seconds faster on the 5k Pace, 3 to 4 x 1600m

When your track intervals lengthen to a mile, it is sometimes difficult to remember that you really want to change your form, style, cadence, etc. from your standard runs, but you really should. It makes a big difference if you switch your form to speed work – focus on lifting your knees, getting up on your toes, and using your arms in sync to lift the opposite leg. Don't fall into the trap of lengthening your stride – cadence should increase measurably on the track as opposed to the road and trail. Keep your core still and relaxed, and do not cross your arms over your body mid-point – this will swing your core (thus not still) and throw your stride off. On these longer intervals, mentally break them down – for example, on Lap 1 focus on form – "Am I up on my toes and lifting knees?" Lap 2 – "Am I relaxed – am I pushing while not getting to tense?" Lap 3 – "How is my breathing – through my nose and mouth - deeply?" Lap 4 – "Let's Finish strong" – but remember we are doing the traditional 2 x 400m in 5k Pace to complete the workout, so let's try to leave a little in the tank for those.

... and the Coach Big Guy Club Report –

Lots of Truly AMAZING Performances this past week! A BIG contingent of Club Runners ran the DC Half, with several TMBCers PR'ing and a couple of truly amazing splits for Elise, Christie and Rodrigo!

DC Half

Rodrigo Vellon – 1:14:30 – PR and 5:39 pace for a Half Marathon – WOW!

Elise Mullinax – 1:25:47! PR and 6:30 till she died – but she didn't!

Christie Wetzel – 1:26:56 PR and Hot on Elise's heels!

Jack Phillips – 1:26:00 – A GREAT effort – don't know if it was a PR

Ken Strazzeri – 1:29:20 PR, and 8th in his 45 – 49 AG - Superb!

BTW – Ken has a Bib for the Army 10 Miler he can transfer if anyone is interested – contact me and I will let him know. All I can say is that I could not be prouder of the TMBS Group at the DC Half – they were incredible!

These Speed Demons were not the only ones racing this past week – The Club ran the postponed Bastille Day 4 Miler on Sunday – same day as the DC Half:

Yuko Takakusaki 31:35 2nd AG

Paul Ryan 33:54 1st AG

Anne Coia 39:31 3rd AG

Lisa Towell 41:23 4th AG

Great work for the Thursday morning group at the Club race!

Admiral Paul actually pulled a double this past weekend, with Paul running the Parkrun 5k at Fletchers on Saturday, winning his age group – so a Double Age Group win over two successive days – way to go – a Wardian Double!

The National Capitol 20 Miler is in a couple of weeks, along with the Janet Braunstein 5 Miler. The entire schedule of races is on the club Website at dcroadrunners.org. All the series races are free to club members but we do need volunteers for all the races as well. You can sign up to run or volunteer at the above link.

See you all tomorrow morning. Happy Running!

Coach Big Guy will see you at 6 AM after warmup tomorrow!

 

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

Fellow Endorphin Junkies -

The weather tomorrow will be excellent, with Temps at only 59 degrees but higher humidity at 98%, with little wind at 5 MPH, and no chance of rain, but still remember to bring fluids because you need them whenever you run – tomorrow after every other interval! Accordingly, the Thursday Morning DCRRC Track Practice in Arlington will begin at the Greenbriar Park around the corner from Yorktown High School at our sweet new track tomorrow 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:

September 12, 2024 – 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 high 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

Coach Ed suggests a variation on the workout – 4x 1000m + 4x 800m – which I would agree with for those not racing on Sunday and with a later marathon – Marine Corps or after – particularly if you like a little variety – but only for Stallions and Wolf Pack – the rest of us should stick with the main workout, with less intervals if racing Sunday or if you are new to track work. This week's main 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 Big Guy Club News –

Bonnie Harvey ran the Parks Half Marathon, with a great time of 1:36:08, good enough for 3rd in her age group. Kristin Hume also ran the Parks Half Marathon, and her time was 1:34:27, was again good enough for 3rd in her group. Great Work Gals! I did not see nor receive any more results this week – and these are probably only a few of their TMBC results – so please let me know when you are going to race so I can let everybody support you - PLEASE send me your results!

Much more important than her great Half-Marathon time was Bonnie's walk down the Matrimonial aisle, when she recently married TMBC's own John Peruski – The Bride was Beautiful – of course! – the Groom Handsome – and both of them and several TMBCers Boogied Down at the Reception – congrats to Bonnie and John!

The DC Roadrunner's final Bunion Derby race, the rescheduled Bastille Day race, is set for this Sunday September 15th at 9 AM - Details and to register – or volunteer – your last chance to volunteer for Bunion Derby points – so go to the club website: dcroadrunners.org

Happy Running!

Coach Big Guy will be at Yorkton Thursday morning trying to keep up with you all after a Big Night tonight at Wolf Trap for Jason Isbell!

 

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Upcoming Events

Lancer 5K
Sat, Apr 26th, 2025, @8:00am
Kenmore PTSA 5K
Sat, May 10th, 2025, @8:00am
Hero Dogs 5K9
Sat, May 17th, 2025, @8:00am
Jamestown 5K
Sat, May 17th, 2025, @8:00am
Women's Distance Festival and Run After The Women
Sun, Jun 8th, 2025, @8:00am
Rock Creek 5K
Sun, Jun 22nd, 2025, @8:00am
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The DC Road Runners Club is a member of the Road Runners Club of America and is also affiliated with USA Track & Field. We provide a year-round schedule of running events that offer everyone a chance to participate regardless of age, gender, or athletic ability.