May 28th Results (7 miles)

This was a final run together before Saturday’s Newport racing. We’ll have at least a half-dozen of us running the half or marathon there.

Thanks to Lindsey for opening the store today. She won’t need to arrive so early the next three Sundays – as we take next week off, then run the Mill Race Path on June 11^th, and move to Saturday on Father’s Day weekend.

TODAY’S 7 MILES

(with per-mile pace for GPS average of 6.95; target was to run at eventual half-marathon pace)

Neal – 1:20:09 (11:32 pace)

Bill – 1:08:08 (9:48s)

Stephanie – 1:20:09 (11:32s)

Leah – 1:01:21 (8:49s)

Lydia – 5 miles in 58:13 (11:38s)

Sean – 58:13 (8:22s) welcome back to team run!

Trina – 1:26:54 (12:30s)

Jeanette – 1:26:41 (12:28s) welcome back to team!

Nobuko – 1:26:54 (12:30s)

Russell – 1:01:40 (8:52s)

Rhonda – 1:19:29 (11:26s)

OTHER RECENT RUNS

(those reported to me)

Michele – Saturday 10 miles on Row River Trail

Jean – Saturday on Pre’s Trail

Tatiana – Saturday on Pre’s Trail

Scott – Thursday 8 miles in UO class at 7:54s

Lydia – Saturday 10 miles on Row River Trail

May 28th Preview

I hope many of you can squeeze our seven-mile run into your holiday weekend. We’ll run on the usual schedule, with an 8:00 start from the Eugene Running Company.

The distance will be a big shy of seven miles, for good reason. This places our turnaround point at the memorial wall in Skinner Butte Park, which honors the original meaning of this holiday.

Our route: Oakway and Coburg Roads to Ferry Street Bridge and don’t cross. Turn right onto bike path, to Valley River footbridge and across. Turn left, past playground to memorial site. Turn AROUND there and come back the same way: Valley River, Ferry and store. GPS distance is 6.95 miles.

Bring a drink for delivery at turnaround. Weather forecast: starting temperature in 50s and dry.

The following Sunday we build a pause into the schedule. That allows several of us to extend our weekend at the Newport Marathon and Half (which fall on Saturday, June 3^rd).

May 21st Results (6 miles)

Summer doesn’t start officially for another month. But today began our training for summer races, and our adapting to the warm/hot sunny days coming soon.

Thanks to Lindsey for opening the store this morning. And to Michele, Lydia and Neal for supporting the Grapes of Half runners today, including our Bill.

TODAY’S 6 MILES

(with per-mile pace, based on GPS average of 5.98; target was to run at a pace you can eventually hold for a half-marathon)

Jean – 1:05:10 (10:53 pace)

Tatiana – 1:05:46 (10:59s)

Trina – 1:08:23 (11:26s)

Nobuko – 1:17:17 (12:55s)

Russell – 10 miles in 1:31:23 (9:05s)

Rhonda – 1:03:26 (10:36s)

OTHER RECENT RUNS

(those reported to me)

Neal – Saturday 11 miles at Row River Trail

Bill – Sunday Grapes of Half race in 2:03:17 (9:25s) 3rd in age group

Michele – Saturday 11 miles at Row River

Stephanie – Saturday 6 miles

Scott – Thursday 7 miles at UO
Lydia – Saturday 11 miles at Row River

May 21st Preview

Six miles is our distance this Sunday. Our numbers will be somewhat small – what with Bill running Grapes of Half, and Michele and Neal volunteering there (and training their longest on Saturday for the Newport Half).

The crowd on the river paths could be large, as hundreds of dogs lead their two-legged runners and walkers through Bark in the Park. We’ll do our best to detour around them and their 8:30 start at Alton Baker.

Our course (with an 8:00 start from the Eugene Running Company): Oakway and Coburg Roads to Ferry Street Bridge and don’t cross. Turn right onto bike path, past Valley River footbridge to “0.75” milepost. Turn AROUND there and come back the same way: Ferry and store. GPS distance to be checked but close to 6.0.

Bring a drink for delivery at Valley River, about 2.5 and 3.5 miles. Weather forecast: starting temperature about 50 (afternoon high in 80s!) with little chance of rain.

Looking ahead, we’ll run as usual on the Sunday of Memorial weekend (seven miles). Then we will skip the first Sunday in June, while others and I are at Newport, before resuming (with eight miles) on the 11^th.

May 14th Results (4.9 miles)

Away we go again, starting summer training in conditions that don't yet qualify as "summery." I'm posting this for the spring team as well, but will revise the active team list by next Sunday. Let me know, if you haven't already, if you want to remain on it.

Thanks to Lindsey for opening the store this morning. And to Russell for keeping me company on the course.

Previews and results for the summer half-marathon team will appear at on a different blog site... joesrunteam.blogspot.com.

TODAY'S 4.9 MILES

(no times or paces recorded; purpose was to relax and let the miles flow, and for many of you to pay a return visit to Hayward Field's gate)

Neal
Michele (10 miles for Newport Half training)
Jean
Tatiana
Lydia (10 miles for Newport Half; welcome to the team!)
Leah
Anna
Rachel W.
Nobuko (welcome back to the team!)

OTHER RECENT RUNS

(those reported to me)

Jan -- Sunday half-marathon race at Smith Rock in 2:32:27 (11:38 pace)
Stephanie -- Sunday 5 miles
Gary -- Thursday 5K race in 26:06 (8:29s)
Renee - Sunday 10K race at Smith Rock in 1:05:26 (10:33s)
Scott -- Thursday 5.2 miles at UO in 45:31 (8:42s)
Trina -- Sunday 5 miles
Russell -- Saturday 19 miles for Newport Marathon training

(Photo: Making Lydia's -- and her August's -- first day with the team complete was a run up "Joe's F-ing hill.")

May 14th Preview

It might be a little too soon to think about what’s next in races, so I’ll do no heavy selling on that this Sunday. We’ll get together for a reunion and celebration, with an easy run from the store at eight o’clock.

The route will take you back to the start/finish of last week’s race: Oakway and Coburg Roads to Ferry Street Bridge and across. Turn east on path, past Autzen footbridge to end of path at Agate Street. Continue on Agate, across Franklin to Hayward Field main gate (now locked). Turn AROUND there and come back the same way: south bank bike path, Ferry and store. Distance is unchecked but about 4.8 miles.

This run will remind you of your final mile(s) a week before. Turning around there symbolizes starting to leave that race behind and think about your next one – whenever and whatever that might be.

Bring a drink for delivery at halfway. Weather forecast: starting temperature in 40s with rain possible.

Coburg Half-Marathon Training

(Photo: Some of our runners from summer 2016, at the Row River Trail.)

PURPOSE: This training targets the Coburg Summer Classic Half on July 16^th. (You might also choose other races – or none at all – and adjust training distances accordingly. We don’t offer marathon training at this time of year, but running with us through the Coburg Half is a good start at building mileage for an October marathon.) We gradually increase the length of weekly long runs, preparing you for a safe and satisfying finish. The Eugene Running Company has sponsored and hosted Joe’s Team since 2005.

LOCATIONS: Most of our runs start and finish at the Eugene Running Company (116 Oakway Center, 541-344-6399). The store opens 15 minutes before our start. About 1½ miles of each run is on city streets. The remainder follows the scenic and safe riverside bike path with its marked distances.

COSTS: The fee is $50 for these two months of training. Bring a friend who’s new to the team, and it’s two of you for the price of one. This fee covers coaching services. Other benefits of team membership are discounts (at the store) or donated goods and services (by sponsors and friends). You pay your own race entry fee. If you haven’t already entered, do so soon. This step is important, because early entry not only saves you money but also seals your commitment.

Enter the Coburg race at… http://www.pinkbuffaloracing.com/shc.html

ADVISER: Joe Henderson planned this program and is on hand to advise you most weekends. Experienced runners on staff at the Running Company are also available to assist you. You can reach Joe anytime by text (541-953-7179) or email (joesrunteam@gmail.com). Previews and results appear at joeshalfteam.blogspot.com. You’re also invited to join the Facebook group, Joe’s Team Runners.

PREREQUISITES: We want no one to go too far, too soon. A recent run of four miles or longer is highly recommended before entering this program. We also advise that you come into the program with no injury that might interfere with increasing your distances. If you already train beyond the scheduled distances for our early weeks, you can join the group training later.

GROUP RUNS: We focus on the long run, the most important one by far for a would-be half-marathoner. Runs increase by one mile per week. The pace of the runs is meant to be relaxed, especially if you are running these distances for the first time. Walk breaks are an option to make the distances more manageable.

You benefit the most from this program if you take all of these runs with the group (at the prescribed distances and no farther). However, we realize that conflicts come up. If you miss running with us, try to run a similar distance on or near the same day it is scheduled here.

TRAINING PROGRAM

Runs begin at the Running Company, at 8:00 A.M. on Sundays. Bring your preferred drinks and other supplies for delivery during your runs.

May 14^th – 5 miles to start Coburg training

May 21^st – 6 miles

May 28^th  – 7 miles

June 4^th – (no team training; Newport Marathon & Half weekend)

June 11^th – 8 miles (at Mill Race Path)

June 17^th – 9 miles (on Saturday before Prost8K on Sunday)

June 25^th – 10 miles

July 2^nd – 11 miles (Joe is away)

July 9^th – 6 miles

July 16^th – Coburg Half at 8:00 A.M.

The next round of training after Coburg will target the Florence Half-Marathon (September 24^th). Our mileage build-up will begin on July 23^rd.

OTHER RUNS: We urge you to run at least three days during the week. With distances increasing quickly here, you need to keep all other runs easy (even easier than they normally might be) to allow full recovery between long ones. The recommended length, in time, is 30 to 60 minutes – or a total of one to two hours for the week, not counting the Sunday run.