Week 5 at Fletchers

Last Tuesday evening's 10M/10K Program Alternate Track Workout at the Yorktown High School track in Arlington was well attended with at least three coaches present (Matt, Katie & Rachel) and at least half a dozen Program members participating in the 8X400 workout. For several, it was their first speed workout in awhile. The workout was enlivened by listening to the marching band work out on the infield and the director put some fire into the bellies of the flag-twirlers.

The Saturday morning run at Fletchers Boathouse was also well-attended, with several guest runners coming along. After listening to a brief talk by Coach Peter on gels and Coach Rachel on nutrition, the 10Kers ran 4 miles on the CCT to the MacArthur Blvd. pedestrian tunnel and back in about 40 minutes or less (for some, a little more) and the 10-Milers ran on the CCT to River Road and back, 7 miles, or on the C&O to Rock Creek and back, a similar distance. It was a nice cool morning, an anomaly in August in DC. A visiting nurse from Florida, a publisher, and a lawyer from a government agency all ran along as guests of the group. Afterwards, a few participants enjoyed a repast of bagels and donuts while spread out on a blanket on the bank of the canal in the shadow of the old historic boathouse.

Sunday (8/10/08) at 5 pm is the club 3-mile cross country race and picnic at the Landon School in MD. Next Saturday morning (8/16) the long run of about 7 miles or 4.4 miles will be at Fletchers Boathouse again, before moving off to Bluemont Park in Arlington for two weeks.

Approaching Week 7 (4/7 Fletcher's Boathouse), week 6 in review

(Week 6: Fletchers Boathouse! Last year's Director Coach Kristin leads the runners on a fifty minute run along the scenic C&O Canal Towpath last Sunday in ideal running weather. Photo credit Jeanne.)

2007 DCRRC 10K Training Program, APPROACHING WEEK 7

Remaining 2007 SCHEDULE–9 am Every Saturday:

7. 4/7–Fletcher’s Boathouse http://www.fletchersboathouse.com/directions.htm
8. 4/14–Bluemont Park, Arlington
9. 4/21–Bluemont Park, Arlington
10. 4/28–East Falls Church Metro Parking Lot http://www.wmata.com/metrorail/Stations/station.cfm?station=100
11. 5/5–Stanton Square in DC (near Union Station at Mass & Maryland Aves., C & 4th St.) http://www.capitolhillclassic.com/info.html#Map
12. 5/12–Stanton Square in DC (near Union Station at Mass & Maryland Aves., C & 4th St.)

13. CHC 10K RACE is Sunday 5/20/07 at 8:30 am at Stanton Square.

NEXT WEEK (Week 7):
On Saturday, 4/7/07 at 9 am, we’ll meet at Fletcher’s Boathouse next to the Capital Crescent Trail and the C&O Canal. For Metro access, take the Orange or Blue Lines to Rosslyn and run over the Key Bridge, turn right and gain the C&O Towpath by going towards the river, and then run westbound a little over a mile and a half on the Towpath to Fletchers Boathouse.
Coaches Gary, Arnetta and Kristin dispense running advice at Fletcher's Boathouse.)

Gary and Arnetta's run/walker group is doing a 5K race in Belle Haven Park (VA) this Saturday (4/7) at 8:30 am instead of meeting with the regular TKG group. The registration for this Easter Classic 5K/10K race opens at 7:30 am. Belle Haven is just south of Alexandria off the GW Parkway.

LAST WEEK:
In WEEK 6, about 20 athletes showed up at Fletcher’s Boathouse in perfect weather for a run westward on the hard dirt C&O Canal Towpath. Gary and Arnetta took out the beginner’s group for almost an hour.


(Coach Gary and a runner went out for an hour on a run along the soft surface of the C&O Canal Towpath last Saturday. It was a great day for running. (Photo credit Jeanne.)

Kristin and Peter took out the more advanced runners to Milepost 6 and back, about five miles in about 51 minutes, a negative split, 26 minutes out and 25 minutes back.
(Peter and Amanda hit the trail. Photo credit Jeanne.)

Everybody’s form looks so much more natural since the first week. Tremendous progress is being made!


The 35th Cherry Blossom 10-Mile Race was Sunday April 1st at 8 am in DC and Virginia, starting in West Potomac Park, a world-class race. No fooling. Congratulations to everyone who ran it or went to support it. This year an Ethiopian man, Tadesse Tola, won the race by a mere 3 seconds in 46:01 (4:37), breaking the stranglehold that Kenyan runners have put on the race in recent years. He missed a cash bonus for breaking 46 minutes by two seconds. An Ethiopian woman, Teyba Erkesso, won the woman’s race by over a minute in 51:44 (5:11) She broke 52 minutes and got her bonus. A week after running the National Marathon, Mayor Fenty ran the race as well, finishing in 1:08:47 (6:53). Now that’s fast! Two graduates from last summer’s 10-Mile Training Program, who sometimes run with us, ran and improved their time from the Army Ten Miler in the fall by several minutes each. Sasha ran a 1:20:58 and Mindi ran a 1:21:28. Way to go! (The Cherry Blossoms are at their peak right now! If you live or work near the Mall, use the conditioning you all have been working so hard to acquire or maintain and jog down to the Tidal Basin to view them. Here's what they looked like on Sunday, April 2nd.)

RUN ON YOUR OWN: (A runner enjoying the solitude of the trail. Photo credit Jeanne.)



This week you should run three or four times on your own, 30 to 40 minutes each time. On Saturday, each coach will take you out on a route they choose that is a little further than we went last week. Our goal race is the Capitol Hill Classic 10K (CHC) on 5/20/07 which has a serious hill in the last mile. We’re more than halfway there now so it’s time to step up your training! 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. http://www.capitolhillclassic.com/

CLUB TRACK WORKOUT:
In the meantime, go to the club’s website and look at the Wednesday evening track workout schedule at 7:15 pm every Wednesday at the Washington & Lee High School Track in Arlington. Speed workouts will make you better.

Also consider a club Hill Workout, also posted on the club’s website. I will be hosting the Hill Workout on Sunday, April 29th at 9 am and I hope to see some of you there getting ready for the hill at the CHC.

MORE INFORMATION:
Visit the program’s Forum link on the club's website. There is much interesting and pertinent information there each week.
Feel free to comment on this blog, also.

REGISTRATION FOR THE ARMY TEN MILE RACE (ATM), held on Sunday October 7, 2007 starting at the Pentagon, is now open. Undoubtedly, the club will offer a 10-Mile Training Group (TMG) Program starting in mid-summer, with the ATM as its goal race, just as it has done in the past. Last year a dozen or more TMG participants ran the ATM and did well. A 10-mile race is a natural progression from a 10K race, so consider this training program offering when it is presented. Keep checking back on the dcrrc site. In the meantime, be aware that the ATM FILLS UP. Registration closed early last year. This year the race promoters are registering 26,000 participants for the race, and in only a few days, almost a third of those spots have been taken already (over 8100). If you think you will run this race, you should consider signing up for it soon.

TRAINING HELP:
Here is a link to John Bingham’s site, aka The Penguin or Penguin running. He’s said to be a back-of-the-pack guru, but he does have a lot of training tips on his site, which is popular, and it’s laced with wit.

See you Saturday. Dress in layers, and no cotton!

Approaching Week Six Sat. 3/31 at Fletchers Boathouse 9 am

APPROACHING WEEK 6, week 5 in review

Remaining 2007 SCHEDULE–9 am Every Saturday:
6. 3/31–Fletchers Boathouse (Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Race is the next day.)

7. 4/7–Fletcher’s Boathouse
8. 4/14–Bluemont Park, Arlington
9. 4/21–Bluemont Park, Arlington
10. 4/28–East Falls Church Metro Parking Lot
11. 5/5–Stanton Square in DC (sometimes called Stanton Park, near Union Station, the start and finish point for the CHC10K)
12. 5/12–Stanton Square (sometimes called Stanton Park) in DC (near Union Station at Mass & Maryland Aves., C & 4th St.)

13. CHC 10K RACE is Sunday 5/20/07 at 8:30 am at Stanton Square.

NEXT WEEK (Week 6):
Next Saturday, 3/31/07 at 9 am, we’ll meet at Fletcher’s Boathouse next to the Capital Crescent Trail and the C&O Canal. If you Metro, take the blue or orange line to Rosslyn and run over the Key Bridge, turn left and gain the C&O Towpath by going towards the river and then run westbound a mile and a half on the Towpath to Fletchers Boathouse.

Race of the Week--The Cherry Blossom 10-Mile Race is Sunday April 1st at 8 am in DC and Virginia, starting in West Potomac Park. This is a world-class race.

LAST WEEK:
(Remember those cold winter days? They're behind us!) In WEEK 5, while most of the coaches were at the National Marathon or Half, about 10 athletes showed up for the dcrrc 10K Training Group on a misty morning. Coach Kristin reported that since it was a little drizzly at 9, there wasn’t an overwhelming turnout. The run was southbound on the Mount Vernon Trail to Gravelly Point and back, about 5 miles in about 50 minutes.

Meanwhile: Coaches Bob, Peter and Gary ran the National Marathon and Coach Rhea ran the National Half-Marathon. At least three of them PRed. 2nd in Charge Jeanne came out to cheer the marathoners on at milepost 24.

(Coach Peter running with a pace group at MP 24 in the 2007 National Marathon. Photo credit Jeanne.

RUN ON YOUR OWN:
This week you should run three or four times on your own, 30 to 35 minutes each time. On Saturday, each coach will take you out on a route they choose that is a little further than we went last week. Our goal race is the Capitol Hill Classic 10K (CHC) on 5/20/07 which has a serious hill in the last mile. We’re almost halfway there now so it’s time to step up your training a little bit. 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. http://www.capitolhillclassic.com

CLUB TRACK WORKOUT & HILL WORKOUT:
In the meantime, go to the club’s website and look at the Wednesday evening track workout schedule at 7:15 pm every Wednesday at the Washington & Lee High School Track in Arlington. Speed workouts will make you better. If anyone is interested in going to a track workout and wants me to be there to give them guidance contact me by email in that instance. Plamberton@ftc.gov or plamberton@yahoo.com. Also consider a club Hill Workout, also posted on the club’s website. I will be hosting the Hill Workout on Sunday, April 29th at 9 am and I hope to see some of you there getting ready for the hill at the CHC.

MORE INFORMATION:
Visit the program’s Forum Commentary on the DCRRC website. There’s lots of interesting and pertinent information there. Why, you could even leave a comment there, or here, http://dcrr.blogspot.com/, about whether you like the program!

TRAINING HELP:
Here is a link to the first stop to check out all things related to marathons. It has pace charts and training tips. http://www.marathonguide.com/
See you Saturday!