The 2008 DCRRC 10-Mile Training Program was a success!

After the tropical storm washout in week 9 of the DCRRC 10-Miler Group Training Program, with Army as its goal race, training picked up in earnest again in the last three weeks of the Program.

Week 10, Saturday September 13, the 10M/10K group met at Roosevelt Island and ran down the Mall and up Capitol Hill for its long run of about nine miles. Members of the 10K Program turned around earlier around 7th Street to return. Because TNT was running from the same location and took all the parking spots, some Program members had to park in Rosslyn and got in some extra distance by jogging from there to the Island.

Tuesday's alternate track workout at Yorktown was 4X800 and was well attended by runners getting their game faces on.

Week 11, Saturday, September 20, 2008 the Program moved to a new time and an old location, meeting at 8 a.m. at the Gotta Run running store in Pentagon Row in South Arlington, the same location where we met the first three weeks of the Program. It seemed like so long ago! Remember doing only two or three miles the very first day? Now everyone in the TMG threw down 10 miles on much of the actual ATM Race course while the TKG ran 7 miles in hilly South Arlington.

(Left: David and Sasha, two Program coaches, run the hills of South Arlington.) Congratulations to Coach Emily who ran a BQ last Sunday (3:40) at the Erie Marathon. Other coaches have been busy as well, John (and Fen) have been hashing in Great Falls, and Peter ran two noontime 3K Tidal Basin Races this week at a 7-minute per mile pace or better.

The Program's distinctive short-sleeve technical t-shirts were handed out to participants. (Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?)

The Alternate track Workout on Tuesday evening was 4X800 as Program runners started to fine-tune their conditioning for Army.

Week 12, Saturday, September 27, 2008 the Program met for the last time at at Gotta Run and ran about about nine miles, much of it on the actual ATM course. Coach Sasha took the 10K Group out for their six miles.

The Alternate track Workout on Tuesday evening was 4X400 with 200M recovery as Program runners tapered for Army. And . . .

Army: After twelve athletes from the Program carbo-loaded at Vapiano’s in Ballston the night before, a pre-race dinner arranged by Coach Rachel, Sunday morning October 5, 2008 dawned cool and clear–perfect conditions for running the Army 10-Miler, the largest 10-mile road race in the country and the 2nd largest in the world. (Right: Coach Lauren, on the right, with his pace group at the pre-race dinner at Vapiano's.)

At least twenty-six Program participants ran in the Army race, nineteen trainees or guests and seven coaches. At least four Program participants ran in the National Capital 20M/5M club races the prior weekend (Coach Matt won the 5-Mile race), while three more Program participants provided volunteer help for those races. An additional Program participant ran the Baltimore Half-Marathon the following weekend. Several Program participants ran the Rediscovery 10K two weeks later.

It was a rousing end to a successful 10M program. Below is a list of the Program participants who ran in Army, and their time range. Congratulations, runners!

Joy sub 1:29
Rachel coach, sub 1:39
John coach, sub 1:35
Lauren coach, finisher
Alyson sub 1:49
Chelsea sub 1:49
Adam injured but ran Army strong, sub 1:29
Melinda Army strong also, sub 1:49
Avery sub 1:49
Heather sub 1:59
Beth sub 1:39
JoAnna sub 1:39
Emily fastest coach, 1:15:41 (7:34)
Linda injured coach, finisher
Kara sub 1:49
Susie sub 1:39
Katie coach, sub 1:34
Catharine only came once, but a race finisher
Krista reduced her race pace from 10:18 (10K in May) to 9:42 (10M)!
Tyler strong finisher
Erin this runner only came once but was fast!
Brie sub 1:59
Sasha coach, 1:19:29 (7:57)
Olu sub 1:49
Kevin 1:20:36 (8:04), fastest regular Program participant.
Kristin strong finisher

Rediscovery 10K: After two more weeks of meeting at Gotta Run to run Saturday long runs on the hills of South Arlington, several participants of the 10K Program finished the Rediscovery 10K Race on Sunday, October 19th on Haines Point in fine form. Coach Matt came in 4th in the race. Sondra and Fen finished. John ran a sub-50-minute race. Coach John won his age group while coach Peter volunteered at the race. (Left: Lining up for the Rediscovery 10K race on Haines Point two weeks after Army.)

The 2009 Army Ten-Miler Race will be run on Sunday, October 4, 2009. DCRRC will be offering a training program for it, starting in the summer of 2009. Watch the club's website for further information. Race registration opens on April 1, 2009, and Army has been selling out quickly in recent years. Make sure you register early for the race, in the first couple of days even, or you might get shut out of the race. The training Program, however, has no requirement that you actually run the ATM or be signed up for it (in case you're shut out of the race).