A Quarter Done.

We Have Liftoff! Week One:

Following a free four week Jump Start Program for persons new to running or returning to running, the official start of DCRRC’s 2009 Ten-Miler Training Program kicked off at Gotta Run and Georgetown Running Company at 8 a.m. on Saturday, July 11th, on a beautiful, clear and temperate morning. At Gotta Run in South Arlington, after introductions, orientation and a safety lecture, 48 runners and nine Program coaches went out for a three mile run along Columbia Pike by the Pentagon, going past the actual starting point of the target race, the Army Ten-Miler which will be held on Sunday, October 4th. The run was completed in about thirty to forty minutes, and everyone returned to Gotta Run to enjoy the kick-off week with post-run bagels and icy pops. (Left: Program Director Emily passes on some running tips at Gotta Run.)

Sunday was a repeat of the day before at Gotta Run as 16 runners and seven coaches went for the same three mile run on an equally beautiful day for running. In addition to introductions, orientation and the safety lecture, an Army Ten-Miler Race representative gave out race wrist sweat bands to everyone present, addressed the runners and ran along with the group. After the run, everyone enjoyed bagels, icy pops and bananas. Here is the route that we ran in week one:

(Right: The Hole-In-The-Wall Gang. Heading for the pedestrian underpass.) We thank our volunteer coaches this first weekend at Gotta Run: Alex, Elizabeth, Ellen, Emily, Fen, Fiona, Jessica, John, Kathleen, Lauren, Marcela, Peter and Rachel. Other equally committed volunteer coaches were present at the Georgetown Running Company under site director Katie on Saturday, and at Fleet Feet under site director Sasha, with program director Emily filling in for her, on Sunday. And special thanks to hosts Andre at Gotta Run, Max at Georgetown Running Company, and Shawn at Fleet Feet.

Participants were encouraged to run two or three more times mid-week, one and a half to two miles each time. Some group running options offered by the club were the Monday Night FootMall run, the Tuesday night B&B run from Rosslyn into the District and back, the regular Wednesday night track workout at Washington & Lee High School in Arlington, the Program’s own Wednesday night track workout at Yorktown High School in Arlington, and a Thursday morning track workout in the District.

Let The Good Times Roll. Week Two:

Both mornings of the second weekend of DCRRC’s 2009 Ten-Miler Training Program dawned bright, clear and cool. Gotta Run store owner Andre Williams, a premier runner in his own right, spoke to the assembled runners in the South Arlington group meeting location about running shoes and apparel. Afterwards, the group ran from the store past the Pentagon and all the way to Memorial Bridge before turning around at the two mile mark, which was on the bridge’s sidewalk just over the water. Returning the way we came, a distance of four miles was achieved by the 42 trainees and nine coaches on Saturday, July 18th, and the 16 trainees and ten coaches on Sunday, July 19th. Here is the route we used in week two.

(Left: While ATMers run, Arlington is busy generating revenues. Park behnd Gotta Run in the Harris Teeter lot for free, do not park on the street.) We thank our volunteer coaches at Gotta Run who made this all possible: Elizabeth, Ellen, Emily, Fen, Fiona, Jerry, Jessica, John, Lauren, Kathleen, Peter and Rachel.

Several runners ran on both Saturday and Sunday. The preceding week, many runners had run in the group run on the Mall on Monday night, or in Rosslyn on Tuesday night, or at the Program’s Track Workout, a series of 200M legs, at Yorktown High School on Wednesday evening. All of these evening runs will be available every week of the Program. Most are listed on the club’s website under the Weekly Runs button across the top. On Thursday evening, July 16, there was a Program Happy Hour at Sette Bello in Clarendon that many Program participants, and other club members, attended. (Right: The Program's Alternative Track Workout at Yorktown High School on Wednesday evening, attended by about two dozen Program participants the second week. Photo credit Alex.)

Following the Week Two long run, athletes were encouraged to run at least two more times mid-week, two to three miles each time. Also it was announced that all Sunday morning runs will leave from Fleet Feet in the District (Adams Morgan) at 8 a.m. from now on. The Sunday groups were combined at Fleet Feet under Site Director Sasha so that the Program participants could enjoy the beautiful trails of Rock Creek Park and the C&O Canal if they choose to run on Sunday instead of on Saturday.

Thursday evening all Program participants had the opportunity to attend a special club night at the Addidas Store in Tysen's Corner, where discounted Addidas merchandise was avaiable exclusively to club members.

More of the Same. Week Three:

The wonderful summertime running weather continued for at least one more week during the third week’s long run of 5 miles for the DCRRC Ten-Miler Training Group. At Gotta Run in Arlington on Saturday, July 26, coach Peter provided a short lecture and practical demonstration on layering and winter apparel and being thrifty in outfitting oneself for the cold winter months. Then the group ran along the first mile and a half of the actual route of the Army-Ten-Miler Race, running on Columbia Pike past the Pentagon (where the race starts) and over Memorial Bridge to the reflecting pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial and back the same way in an hour, more or less. Everyone kept up well, with everyone having at least a 4 mile base before a few participants had to walk intermittently during the last mile, when the morning really started heating up. Every one of the 39 trainees and six coaches showed good base progression in this five mile run from last week, when we ran four miles.

Here is the actual route that the group ran. As always, we thank our volunteer coaches at the Gotta Run location this past week. Without these folks, none of this would be happenin’: Alex, Ellen, Emily, Jerry, Kathleen and Peter, and special thanks to Andre for hosting us at his store.

Sunday at Fleet Feet, about two dozen runners and seven coaches ran 5 miles into Rock Creek Park where they ran to the Pennsylvania Avenue exit towards Georgetown before turning around to return to Fleet Feet in a little over an hour. Everyone kept up well, and everyone present demonstrated at least a 4 mile base before a few had to walk, especially up the steep Calvert Climb. As always, we thank our volunteer coaches at Fleet Feet on Sunday: Emily, Fen, John, Karol, Marcelo, Mattie and Peter.

A Preview. Week Four:

This coming week, everyone should run at least two more times mid-week, two to three miles each time. The choices are legion, starting with the group run on the Mall on Monday night, or in Rosslyn on Tuesday night, or at the Program’s Track Workout, a series of 200M legs last week, at Yorktown High School on Wednesday evening. The regular club track workout at Washington and Lee High School in Arlington is also available on most Wednesday evenings as well. Most of these club and Program group offerings are listed on the club’s website under the Weekly Runs button across the top. Any of the evening group runs can be counted as a mid-week run.

We'll see you on Saturday, August 1st, at Gotta Run, or Georgetown Running Company with coach Katie, (or Sunday at Fleet Feet with coach Sasha) at 8 a.m. At Gotta Run, we’re doing a run of 5.1 miles through the streets of Crystal City and on the Mount Vernon and Four-Mile Run Trails before tackling a big hill on S. Arlington Ridge Road. The route & directions follow:

The Hill the hard way. Here's Saturday's route at Gotta Run plotted out.

Directions: Go down Joyce Street to Crystal City,

take a right (South on Crystal Drive),

go to the Pedestrian underpass on the left,

Go to the Mount Vernon Trail at National Airport,

go right (South) on the Mt. Vernon Trail,

Bear left, then make a right turn UNDER the Mt. Vernon Trail at 4-Mile Run,

Proceed West along 4-Mile Creek to S. Ridge Road at Glebe Street,

run up the hill (right or North up Arlington S. Ridge Road–Big Hill)

bear right on S. Lynn Street to Army-Navy Drive,

turn rightTurn right at the light on S. Joyce Street and return to Gotta Run, on right.
5.1 miles.

A useful #: Gotta Run 1101 S. Joyce Street 703-415-0277.

Can you believe we’re a quarter of the way through our training for the Army Ten-Miler already?

The 2009 DCRRC Free Jump Start Program

The DC Road Runners Ten-Miler Training Program, entering its fifth year, is the exclusive training program for the Army Ten-Miler Race this year. This is an association DCRRC takes very seriously, so we wanted to make sure that everyone who entered the Program would have the ability to run a quality ten-mile race at the Army Ten-Miler on October 4, 2009.

We were worried about persons new to running, or persons returning to running after a long lay-off, because it is hard to get up to a ten-mile base from zero in twelve weeks (the race being the thirteenth week). Furthermore, the Army Ten-Miler Race has a 15-minute per mile pace standard. If a runner cannot maintain a pace that will ensure a finishing time of 2:30:00 or better, that runner will be directed to the finish line early and will not get an official race result.

In other words, the Program could not accommodate walkers, and would not be offering any run/walk training. The program directors brainstormed how best to ensure that everyone showed up capable of running three miles the first day of the Program in early July.

The Program Director, Emily, came up with a brilliant solution, the Jump Start Program, a free, four-week regimen on Haines Point that would get dedicated participants up to being able to run three miles by the start of the Program. If a person wasn't committed enough to follow that training, or found the activity wasn't for him or her, there would be no reason for that person to pay for and enter the Program on July 11th, the official start.

Emily, a running boot-camp instructor and ultra runner, conducted the Jump Start Program. It kicked off on Saturday morning, June 13th in the Haines Point Public Golf Course parking lot with some food and beverages and lectures. After stretching, the participants went on a 0ne-mile run. For many of the two dozen or so participants, the half mile out and half mile back was a journey. The start of something long and wonderful. The outing was concluded with a cool-down stretching routine.

The same routine was followed in weeks two and three. Twenty-two participants enjoyed the administrations of three coaches in week two and went two miles. Another thirty or so participants listened to Fleet Feet store owner and triathlete Shawn Fenty lecture on running progression, biomechanics and form in week three before running two and a half miles with the coaches.

Week four fell on July Fourth and, wary of the crowds that might be on Haines Point on the holiday, the venue was moved to the Gotta Run store in South Arlington. The two dozen or so participants were given a lecture on equipment by store owner and premier runner Andre Williams, before going on a three mile run through the streets of Crystal City. (Right: Jump Start participants gather outside of Gotta Run on the Fourth prior to going three miles.)

And just like that, a cadre of committed persons was enabled to participate in the Program and prosper from it. Two runners attended all four Jump Start sessions and were recognized at a subsequent Program Happy Hour for their dedication.

The Program itself kicked off with a three-mile run on Saturday and Sunday, July 11th and 12th at four different venues, and has over 170 participants.