Week 4 of the 2008 dcrrc 10M/10K Training Group

Despite overcast skies and threats of rain, on Saturday 8/2 (Week 4) the 10M/10K Group met in Bethesda at 7:30 am and ran 6 miles (10M Group) or 5K (10K Group) on the Capital Crescent Trail. Afterwards we went out for coffee on Bethesda Avenue and talked a little shop. The second Alternate Track Workout (8X300) the prior Wednesday had evidently been well-attended. Everyone in the Program should be running three times a week, 2-4 miles each time, in addition to the long Saturday run.

For Weeks 5 (8/9) & 6 (8/16) we are meeting at 7:30 am at Fletchers Boathouse west of Georgetown for runs of 6-7 miles (10M Group) and 3-4 miles (10K Group) on the CCT (paved) or the C&O Canal Towpath (dirt). Go here for a full Program schedule (including directions and parking info) or here for a rundown on the week’s events (including upcoming races and the club picnic).

Approaching Week 4 in the 2008 10M/10K Program

Last week the approximately thirty assembled runners from the Program benefited from learning three beneficial stretches from Chris Graf, a premier runner (47:19 at the 2001 Cherry Blossom 10-Miler) and leading proponent of Active Isolated Stretching. He gave a lecture at Gotta Run on injury prevention and counseled individual runners both before and after our Saturday run. The run was 5 miles for the 10M Group, to Lincoln and back, and 2.8 miles for the 10K Group, a run along Ridge Avenue. It wasn't a bad workout for the third week.

(Right: Coach Jeannie leads out a group of athletes near Dangerfield Island in last summer's Program.) On Tuesday evening, July 29th, Rachel & Katie offered the Program's Alternative Track Workout at Yorktown in Arlington. 8X300 was on the schedule.

For Week Four, Saturday August 2, 2008, we are changing time and location! We are meeting at 7:30 a.m. in Bethesda for one week, right by Ourisman Honda at 4800 Bethesda Avenue a couple of blocks west of Wisconsin Avenue, across the street from the Barnes & Noble. There is a public metered parking lot, which is free on Saturdays, right there next to the Capital Crescent Trail. Plans are for the 10M Group to run 5-6 miles and the 10K Group to run 3-4 miles.

You all should be running 2-3 times a week in addition to the Saturday runs, 2-4 miles each time. One run should be a fast-paced run, or a track workout. There will be the Program's Alternative Track Workout at Yorktown on Tuesday evening, in addition to the Bluemont 5K Club Race at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at Bluemont Park in Arlington at the far pavilion past the soccer field. That race (it's free to club members) would be an excellent opportunity for athletes who are handling the Saturday runs well to get in a little racing experience. The club's regularly scheduled Wednesday evening track workouts at Washington & Lee High School in Arlington resume this Wednesday with 4X1600. If you couldn't make it to the W&L Track, you could go to a place (near your house) with a known, measured mile (find a safe 10-block route leaving and returning to your house by driving it first in your car and measuring it) and run it fast. Four times, with a recovery jog of completely around the block between miles.

The Program schedule has been published here. Weekly updates are here. Next week (week 5) we'll be at Fletchers Boathouse for two weeks (August 9th and 16th). The time for Saturday has been changed to 7:30 a.m. until further notice.

See you all in Bethesda. After our run, for anyone who wants to, we'll go get coffee and a bagel at the bagel shop a few doors down from the B&N.

Approaching the halfway point!

This Saturday, March 29th, will be our halfway point, our sixth week. We are meeting again in Bethesda at 9 a.m. There is free parking in the lot right next to the CCT where it runs next to Ourisman Honda, across the street from Barnes & Noble. Coach Bob will take you out on the CCT for six miles, as most other coaches will be at the National Marathon and Half-Marathon Race that morning. (Run 30 minutes down the trail, turn around and come back.) Be aware of street closures! Metro opens at 5 a.m. (Early morning TKG run in week 4 on the C&O Canal Towpath.)

For anyone who can't make it on Saturday, or wants to run again on Sunday, March 30th, Coach Renee will be leading a run from Bluemont Park off Wilson Boulevard in Arlington at 9 a.m. Directions are here. This is at mile marker 3.5 on the W&OD Trail, within half a mile of the hilly Custis Trail.

After that, for weeks 7 & 8, we'll meet at Roosevelt Island.

Weeks 9 & 10, we'll meet at Haines Point.

Weeks 11 & 12, we'll meet at Stanton Square near Union Station. This is where the target race, the CHC 10K, starts and finishes. (Last year's race course. There's been some talk that it might change this year.)

LAST WEEK (Week 5): We met in Bethesda and ran for 50-55 minutes, 4-5 miles, on the CCT. Some group members went out for coffee afterwards at the Starbucks inside Barnes & Noble.

I didn't see any of you at the track workout last night. That is how you can get better and run a sub-50 minute 10K. The w.o. last night was a minute of 5K race pace running followed by 30 seconds of slow recovery run, 10 reps, after a 2-mile warm-up. (Rockin' and rollin' on the Capital Crescent trail in week 5.)

Announcement. The Army 10-Mile Race (ATM) registration opens on April 1st. The club has a 10-Mile Group Training Program (TMG) which will start on Saturday, July 12, 2008, with the ATM as its goal race. Announcements will be made during the early summer on the club website about the training program. ATM fills up quickly, in a matter of weeks last year. If you finish the TKG training, you will be suitable to take the TMG if you keep up your running. Do not get closed out, register for the ATM in April if this is the course you intend to follow, and you plan on taking the training and running the race.

Week 5, March 22d coming up!

Wow. We're a third of the way through! Can you believe it? Last week Troy ran in the St. Patrick's Day 8K (4.971 miles) in downtown DC and cruised to the finish in 39:46 (7:59 pace). That's fast! Congratulations, Troy.

Last week the TKG had a special speaker after our runof about five miles on the dirt trails around Fletcher's Boathouse, led by Bob, John and Kristin. Renowned local runner Jim Hage spoke for about half an hour on running and related topics, taking questions at the end. He is a two-time winner of both the Marine Corps Marathon (1988 & 1989) and the Army 10-Miler (1990 & 1993). In 2002 he won the JFK 50-Miler, and in 1987 & 1988 he won the Washington’s Birthday Marathon, among his many other accomplishments.

Jim said there are no answers in running and training for races, only approaches and application. He advised speaking to more experienced runners and listening to what worked for them. If it seemed suitable for you, try it. This can move you towards the attainment of your goals. Then, to become the best, you must work diligently and well, be confident, and then do even more work.

Although he is a double winner of the MCM, Jim pointed out that he was only partially successful. He ran the MCM in 1984 & 1985 also, expecting to win, but he finished third each time. Although he was in the final pack until the end, he faded. Reassessing, he took some time off and then came back in 1988 with a plan. He ramped up his training from 70 miles a week to over a hundred, and won. The next year he trained even harder, and won again. During those races he was totally focused, he said, constantly assessing his place, pace, condition and strategy throughout the races. He had the fortitude, after twin failures, to redouble his training efforts and win. (Below: Jim Hage spoke to the 2008 TKG about conditioning and race strategy.)

More importantly, even participating in the endeavor said a lot about lifestyle choices that runners make. He spoke of the importance of continuing on with these lifestyle choice beyond the attainment of the next objective, the race two months hence. He urged eliminating the yo-yo effect of losing such hard-won conditioning through sinking into inactivity once the objective is achieved and the race is run. Continue training even when the race is over, to avoid having to start all over again when the next season comes. Take the day after the race off, but then go out for and loosen up with a jog. The next day take a longer run. Get back into training in some degree, don't stop training altogether, as is common. Put a summertime race on the calendar, he suggested.

Speaking on technical matters, Jim stressed the importance of sustenance during races in the form of consuming energy gels. He said energy during a race is very important, as it keeps you thinking more clearly and helps you maintain your focus while your body draws down its readily accessible energy in the form of stored glycogen. Replenish your body with frequent energy gels before it starts depleting the more inaccessible energy stored in muscle, which breaks down the body when it withdraws this energy source. The result is the effect of hitting the wall that marathoners usually encounter after two hours of running.


He said wearing headphones during races was a bad idea because it robbed you of the focus you need to do well. Pace yourself, he urged, and know the course beforehand. For the Capitol Hill Classic, you have to know the big hill is coming up in the sixth and final mile. Run at an even pace and be ready for it.

NEXT WEEK, week 5, Saturday, March 22:
The group will meet in Bethesda at 9 am in front of the Barnes & Noble bookstore on 4801 Bethesda Avenue, a few blocks west of Wisconsin Avenue (Rockville Pike or Route 355). This is near where the CCT goes by the Ourisman Honda Dealership and crosses Woodmont Avenue. There is a public parking lot there, check to see whether the meters require money on Saturdays.

We will run six miles on the Capital Crescent Trail.

You should run three times during the week, at least 25 minutes each time. Consider going to the club's Wednesday night track workout.

Check out the last post for the remaining schedule.

Finally, for training tips and information, check out the McMillan Running Calculator website here.