First Week 10KG

The DCRRC 10K Training Group got off to a good start on Saturday, with about 40 hardy participants braving the freezing temperature to come to the steps of the Lincoln Memorial by 9 a.m to sign up for the program. Then three groups of runners went out along the Mall, a beginners group with Arnetta and Gary, an intermediate group with Kristin, and an advanced group with Rhea.

Gary and Arnetta, both long-time 10K coaches, took their group out at a walk until they warmed up, then they did some running. They were gone over half an hour. Not bad for the first day’s work! Here's a picture of Coach Arnetta waving hello at the party last fall celebrating the successful end of the DCRRC's summer-time training program for the Army 10-Miler, a race run in early October. Several of last year's 10K participants went on to undertake the 10-Miler training, and some have progressed on to running half-marathons or marathons.

Kristin, who was the 10K Training Group Program Director last year as well as the 2006 DCRRC Volunteer of the Year, took her charges out on a run along the Mall from the Lincoln Memorial alongside the drained reflecting pool, past the Korean War Memorial, the World War I Memorial, the World War II Memorial, the Washington Monument, and to the Carousel before coming back. They went about 2 1/2 miles in a little over half an hour.

Rhea, a 10K coach a year ago, went out all the way to the Capitol and back with her group which included a couple of graduates from last year’s program who are currently preparing for the Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Race. This group ran 3.6 miles in 40 minutes or so.

Everybody looked really good. There were liquid refreshments at the end of the run and some runners swapped email addresses.

This week you all should have run once or twice easily on your own time, 20 to 25 minutes each time, or three times if you are in better shape. You can substitute in a DCRRC Wednesday night Track Workout at 7:15 p.m. at the Washington & Lee High School track in Arlington for a regular run. Speed workouts will really improve your running. Last night the routine at the track workout was six to ten 800M (about half a mile) repeats with a slow 400M recovery jog after each one. I was there to help any 10K Program participants but I didn't see anyone from the program. Hopefully Kristin or I will be there at the track most Wednesday nights during the program.

Next Saturday, March 3, 2007, we’ll meet on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial at 9 a.m. again. Anyone who missed this week and wants to sign up for the program can come a few minutes early to fill out the applications for the program ($30) and the club ($20) (if you’re not already a member). Please bring payment. We expect that at least two more volunteer coaches will be on hand. We will meet at Lincoln on the following Saturday, March 10th, at 9 a.m. as well.

Meanwhile Jeanne created this blog of our exploits. Feel free to comment, and please comment on the forum link also. On Saturday, each coach will take you out from the Lincoln Memorial on a route they choose that is a little further than we went last week. The advanced group might do this 5-mile route up Capitol Hill which is the same infamous hill the racers tackle in the fifth mile of our goal race, the Capitol Hill Classic 10K Race (CHC) on 5/20/07. If you want to run the race in the spring at the conclusion of the program, you must sign up at the CHC website for the race and pay the entry fee on your own.

We'll see you Saturday!