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Track Jan 11 - 12-14 x 400, 100 rest

Fellow Endorphin Junkies,

The weather tomorrow morning will be warmer than last week - how could it not be! Temps at 34 degrees and much higher humidity at 94%, with little wind at 2 MPH and only 10% chance of rain, but still remember to bring fluids because you need them as much in the winter as in the summer!

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 to warm up.  Workout as follows: 

12 - 14 x 400m in Cruise Interval Pace (10k pace) - with 100m  jog recovery in between

• Stallions: 6:00 to 6:30 Pace
• Wolf Pack: 6:30 to 7:00 Pace 
• Gazelles: 7:00 to 7:45 Pace
• Coyotes/MTP Trainees: 7:45 to 9:30 Pace

This should be a familiar workout, as we do this one several times each cycle, and it is a good one.  Thesw 400s build both speed and endurance.  Remember that 100m recovery jog is not sufficient to fully recover from these 400s, so lactic acid and fatigue will build, and therefore you want to pace yourself through these, not going out too fast on the first few.  A perfect workout on these has a runner building speed through these intervals, with each just a shade faster than the previous one so that your last 400 is 7 to 10 seconds faster than the first.  As always, when you are running 400s, you want to get up on your toes, lift your knees, and lean forward - not from the waist, but a full body lean, of perhaps 8 to 10 degrees. 

Here is the Coach Rich Club News this week:

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Club Challenge 10M registration is open.  Lots of the crew already registered and lots still not registered.  The race is Sunday Feb 25 and this is a major club / team activity for us.  Please participate.  Here's a link for all the info and to register.

Registration is now open for our Annual DCRRC Meeting and Banquet. It is Sunday evening March 4. This is one of our signature events.  Our guest speaker this year is Mike Wardian speaking about his 7 marathons in 7 days on 7 different continents.  We will elect a new board of directors and honor our 2017 club award winners.  This is a hugely fun event and always well attended.  Please show your support and sign up now.  Here is a link to all the details and to register for the dinner.  Thanks!

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Coach Big Guy is in Austin this week and next, but Coach Rich will be out there to coach tomorrow. 

Track Jan 4 - 6 x 800m, 10k Pace, 400m jog

Fellow Endorphin Junkies -

The weather tomorrow morning will again be bitter cold - 25 degrees and a little humidity at 60%, with a lot of wind of 15 MPH, so a wind chill of 12 degrees, and some chance of snow flurries.  It is easy to forget to hydrate in the fall and winter, but our bodies still need it for active recovery, so you should definitely still remember to bring fluids! If you want to help in case of appreciable snow, bring a broom and get there early to help the Big Guy sweep the first lane all around.

Stallions: 6:00 to 6:30 Pace

Wolf Pack: 6:30 to 7:00 Pace 

Gazelles: 7:00 to 7:45 Pace

As with last week, everybody should take some time tomorrow during these runs to focus on those form issues I continue to stress - lifting knees, keeping your core still, slight lean from the ankles, and no crossing your arms over your chest.  Since these 800s will be buffeted by winds, try to make sure you get enough recovery in between on your 400 jogs.  Coach Big Guy always makes New Year’s “resolutions” about race time goals, and encourages all of you to do so - and to make me honest, here are my 2018 goals: Break 6 minutes for the mile (BIG stretch goal, but want to join Admiral Paul as an All-American in one of my old events), break 25 minutes in the 5k (missed it by 1:01 on New Year’s day - see below - close, but no cigar!), break 50 minutes in the 10k, break 80 minutes in the 10 mile (Cherry Blossom!), break 2 hours in the half marathon, and break 4:10 in the marathon (if I run one) - you all can hold me to these goals!

Please sign up for the Club Challenge 10 Mile race - details on the Club website - and the next Snowball race is Saturday, January 6th - the Al Lewis 10 Miler.

Only Coach Big Guy will be at the Track tomorrow.