Week Ten, April 26th, at Haines Point

Week 10, April 26, 2008:

Three weeks of training left! We will meet again on Haines Point in the Golf Course parking lot at 9 AM for a run of up to seven miles. Here is a 6.8 mile route that replicates the sixth, and then the first, mile of last year's race course. I recently received information from the race director that the course has been changed, due to security concerns. There is still a run up Capitol Hill, however.

For weeks 11 & 12, we'll meet at Stanton Square by Union Station and practice on the actual course of our target race, the CHC, which starts and finishes at Stanton Square. It's a five minutes walk from Metro at Union Station (Red Line), or there is street parking around the square.

Last week (week nine) John, Kristin, Peter and Bob led a small band of dedicated runners on a six mile run around Haines Point and along the Mall. It was a wonderful morning to run.

Afterwards a group of runners met at Whitlow's on Wilson (WOW) Boulevard in Arlington (Clarendon) and enjoyed brunch with some coaches and participants from the Reebok SunTrust National Half-Marathon Training Program and the dcrrc club president. (Right: TKG runners gather before the run from Roosevelt Island on a beautiful Saturday morning.)

Track was offered on Wednesday evening at 7 pm at Washington & Lee High School in Arlington as usual. The workout was 4 one-mile repeats at 10K race pace on the nearby hilly Custis trail (there was a lacrosse game so the track was closed) with quarter mile recovery runs in between. My splits were 7:26, 7:40, 7:49, 7:51. What were yours? Track work is the fastest way to get better and what you're going to have to do, probably, if you ever want to run a sub-50 minute 10K. The runner in the Reebok SunTrust National Half Marathon Training Program, who always went to track workouts, who went from wishing for a 1:50 to running an actual sub 1:40 half marathon in the race, was there. Go here to find out the track workout schedule.

You all should run three more times this week, at least 12 more miles total for the week, not counting Saturday's long run.

Week 9, April 19th, Haines Point

Week 9: Saturday April 19th:

We are meeting on Haines Point in the Golf Course parking lot at 9 AM for up to a seven mile run. Here in the ninth week we'll try to do our long run for the Program. There'll be no sighting of the giant though (Below: The Awakening Statue), he's gone! Left for PG County.

Afterwards, everyone is invited to Whitlow's on Wilson (WOW) Boulevard in Arlington (Clarendon) at about 10:45 to enjoy brunch with anyone from the Reebok SunTrust National Half-Marathon Training Program who wishes to come. This group recently finished its own race, the SunTrust National Half-Marathon and did quite well.

Last Week (week 8, April 12th): Everyone met at Roosevelt Island and Coaches John (south on the Mt. Vernon Trail, over the 14th Street Bridge, north on Ohio Drive to the Memorial Bridge and back into Virginia and to Roosevelt Island), Peter (same route), Renee (north into Georgetown over the Key Bridge, south to the 14th Street Bridge and back into Virginia, north to Roosevelt Island on the Mt. Vernon Trail) and Bob (south on the Mt. Vernon Trail to Gravelly Point and return) took their charges between 5-6 miles in a little over an hour. Everyone ran really well. (Right: Renee's group meets Peter's group on the 14th Street Bridge from opposite directions. Off to the left you can still see that a few Cherry Blossoms were still in bloom.)

A number of people, including Coach John and Marisa, ran the Cherry Blossom 10-Mile Race last Sunday, April 6th. Congratulations to them.

You all should run three more times this week, at least 30 minutes each time. One run should be faster than you normally go. You could substitute the Wednesday night track workout for this faster-paced run.

Last week (twelve) coming up.

Approaching week 12 (Sept. 29, 2007). The last regular meeting of the TMG will be at 7:30 am on Haines Point, just like week eleven, in the parking lot for the golf course. That's on the eastern side of the peninsula off Ohio Drive, 0.3 miles south of Buckeye Drive which cuts across the northern boundary of the golf course.

This will be a taper week. Linda's group will run seven miles, according to the following route:

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1337908

Route directions will be:

From the parking lot, run southbound on Ohio Drive, keeping the water to your left, around Haines Point past The Awakening statue, NB on Ohio Drive, keeping the Potomac River to your left, to a few hundred yards north of Buckeye Drive to where there are steps on your right that lead up to the 14th Street Bridge. Go up the steps then cross the 14th Street Bridge into Virginia. Run north on the Mount Vernon Trail to the Memorial Bridge, cross the river back into the District, run to the south of the Lincoln to Independence, go east on Independence to 14th Street, south on 14th Street skirting the Tidal Basin which will be on your right to Ohio Drive, run south on Ohio Drive back to the parking lot.

Last week (week eleven, 9/22/07) we met at Haines Point and everyone had an adventure of some sort with several folks getting lost but everyone eventually making it back.

Matt's group ran elsewhere. (Above: Matt & Kristin at Gravelly Point.)

Linda's group led by Karen ran 9.5 miles in about ninety minutes following the ATM route in the District, with some runners running a half mile extra either because they were lost or because they wanted to. Sasha, an alumni from last year's Program joined us, having completed the hot, hilly and humid Annapolis 10-Mile race last month in 1:24, a sub-8:30 per mile effort. She enlivened her run by including a jaunt up Capitol Hill as part of it. You can run just as well as her if you keep your training up. (Above: WW2 Memorial, Pacific Column. The wonderland we run through. Some veterans visiting the Memorial while some of us ran by in week eight.)

Jeannie's group ran about eight miles around Haines Point and the Tidal Basin.

Everyone is running really well!

We handed out the technical Program racing singlets. Next week will be the last opportunity to pick up your shirt before the ATM race, which is Oct. 7.

Thanks! I want to thank everyone involved or the wonderful black long sleeve training shirt you all gave to me from OMM running apparel company which has the impression "Will run for Beer". Amen to that and thanks! (Remember--members of this Program will receive a 20% discount from OMM--see post for week eight for details.) It's been my pleasure to make your acquaintances and have the opportunity to run with you all.

Peter

Penultimate Week Eleven meet on Haines Point

Week 11 Sept. 22 of the TMG Program will be at Haines Point in DC. The meeting point at 7:30 am will be in the Golf Course parking lot (it's a double lot, really) to the west side of the eastern length of Ohio Drive SW, a quarter mile south of Buckeye Drive SW which runs across the northern part of the golf course. Here are directions.

We'll meet at Haines Point (same parking lot) for week twelve Sept. 29 also, the final meeting of the TMG before the ATM on October 7th.

Jeannie's group will run around ten miles, Matt's Group will run around 12 miles, and Linda's group will run 9.5 miles following this route:

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1320302

This will cover the entire ATM race course as it runs through the District (but not the Virginia parts).

The directions are:

NB on Ohio Drive, WB on Buckeye, NB on Ohio Drive to the Lincoln, run on the East side of Lincoln and NB on Henry Bacon Drive to Constitution. EB on Constitution, then WB on Virginia to Rock Creek Park (got that, Christal and Michael?), SB in Rock Creek Park to the West side of Lincoln, cut down the marble stairs towards the Potomac until you hit Independence, EB on Independence to 3rd Street, NB on 3rd to Pennsylvania (Constitution), EB on Pennsylvania Avenue to 1st Street, SB on 1st running past the front of the Capitol, WB on Independence to 14th St., SB on 14th to Ohio Drive, turn left on Ohio and run SB to the parking lot just off Ohio Drive.

That's 9 1/2 miles. If you want to do 10 miles or more, run past the parking lot another 4:30 for every extra half mile you want to go. It's 1 1/2 miles down Haines Point to the tip where The Awakening statue (soon to be removed) is.

Last week (week ten, Sept. 15) at Gravelly Point, the technical program t-shirts were given out. They will be available for the next two Saturdays also if you didn't get one.

Thirty-three athletes showed up on a beautiful morning for running. Jeannie led her group about ten miles in about two hours, running up the Mount Vernon Trail to Key Bridge and back. With Christal in the lead, Kristin went with her group while they ranged over the entire ATM course in the District, from the Virginia side of the Memorial Bridge (MP1) to the Virginia side of the 14th Street Bridge (MP9), about eleven miles in about 110 minutes. Matt's group ran about 13 miles in the District, at one point they were sighted blazing up Capitol Hill. Everyone looked terrific! (Below: A rare photo of Matt (left, holding the beer) and his group at rest.)

Army is three weeks out. Keep running regularly this week, through next weekend, then start to taper. The last Saturday (Sept. 29) we'll run less mileage than what we're now accustomed to. And after enjoying yourselves and taking a well-deserved week off after Army, keep up your training. You can continue to run long on Saturdays with the club's Saturday Long Run (SLR).

Some further races you are ready for that you might consider:

Baltimore Marathon weekend Half-Marathon (sold out) 10/13/07

MCM 10K near the Pentagon on 10/28/07

Turkey Trot 5-Miler in Alexandria on 11/22/07

Gar Williams Half-Marathon in Belle Haven (Alexandria) 12/1/07

A Metric Marathon in Columbia (MD) on 12/2/07 (this would require more training)

The club's Bread Run 10K in Glen Echo (MD) 12/9/07

In other doings: Jeanne ran the Philly Half-Marathon on Sunday and finished at a 12-minute per mile pace. Congratulations! Is she ready for Army? I think so!

Week Two will meet at Lincoln at 8 am.

Week Two of the DCRRC 10-Mile Group Training Program ("TMG") is almost here!

Saturday 7/21/07 at 8 am we'll meet on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, just like last week. Come a few minutes early to join the program, cost $35. You must be a member of the DC Road Runners Club (annual fee $20). The time and location will change after this week's meeting. Check the Twelve-Week schedule in a prior posing on this blog.

(Find Waldo! I see Lisa, Linda, Kristin, Jeanne and others. Who do you see?)

Last week 40 runners and six coaches ran on the National Mall. Matt took his group out around Haines Point for a six-mile run. Linda and Kristin took their group out to the Smithsonian Castle and back, a three-mile run. Jeannie and Jeanne and Peter took their group out at a slightly slower pace three miles, to the Carousel and back.

We hope you can join us!