September 10th Results (11 miles)

Seems like a long time since this many of us got together this way. The breathing was easy and the air cool for today’s “reunion run,” which peaked in distance for the Florence Half.

Thanks to Lindsey for opening the store this morning. Next Sunday we’ll welcome some new runners for the start of EWEB Half-Marathon training.

TODAY’S 11 MILES

(with per-mile pace, based on GPS average of 11.05; target was to run at pace you expect to hold for the Florence Half)

Neal – ran 11 with us after an earlier 7 = 18 miles

Bill – 17 miles in 3:08:19 (10:54 pace), after race on Saturday

Jan – 2:02:06 (11:02s)

Kristin – 2:05 (11:12s)

Stephanie – 2:05 (11:12s)

Kyoko – 1:55:22 (10:26s)

Renee – 2:03:12 (11:08s)

Carrie – ran untimed, after race on Saturday

Leah – 1:24:18 (7:37s)

Steve – 2:11:25 (11:52s)

Sean – 1:39:12 (8:58s)

Suzy – 2:28:30 (13:05s) longest run ever!

OTHER RECENT RUNS

(those reported to me)

Bill – Sweet Home triathlon on Saturday, ending with 5K run

Michele – 5K race on Monday, 32:44 (10:33s) 2^nd in age group

Jenna – 3.1 miles on Wednesday

Carrie – Canby half-marathon on Saturday, 2:05:02 (9:32s)
Dan -- 6.2 miles on Sunday, 1:04:14 (10:21s)

Steve – 10 miles on Thursday

Russell – Canby half-marathon on Saturday, 1:50:05 (8:23s)

Joe – 3.1-mile walk on Wednesday

Training for EWEB Half-Marathon

Training for a long race goes better if you run with a group that shares your goal and a coach who has helped hundreds runners reach it before. You set the goal, and I provide the group support and coaching advice for carrying out a proven training plan.

This fall we point the EWEB Run to Stay Warm Half-Marathon (November 19^th). The Eugene Running Company has sponsored this training group since its launch in 2005. More than 500 runners have joined us, and their finish rate in halves and marathons is greater than 99 percent.

The team meets at the Running Company on Sunday mornings at 8:00. The training fee is $50 for the two-month program, with reduced prices available for runners who trained with us for this summer’s half-marathons. This is payable at the store before your training begins. If you bring with you a runner new to the team, that person is fee-free.

We welcome runners of all abilities and experience levels. However, we strongly recommend that you have run at least four miles before this training begins. To reserve a spot on Joe’s Team, contact me at: joesrunteam@gmail.com or by text at 541-953-7179.

The schedule:

September 17^th – 5 miles to start EWEB program

(September 24^th – no Eugene run; Florence Half day)

October 1^st – 6 miles

October 7^th – 7 miles (on Saturday; Women’s Half is Sunday)

October 15^th – 8 miles

October 22^nd – 9 miles

October 29^th – 10 miles

November 5^th – 11 miles

November 12^th – 6 miles

November 19^th – EWEB Half at 10:00 A.M.

Our first round of training for 2018 will begin in January. It will mainly target the Eugene Marathon and Half.

September 3rd (Non)Results

The photo tells just about all you need to know about why there was no team run this morning. The orange dot is the sun, rising in a murky sky above the spot and at the time our Sunday group would normally start. I called off the scheduled 10-mile run when air quality from forest fires was rated “very unhealthy.”

Russell asked me early this morning what our protocol is for cancelling or postponing our runs. There isn’t one. It had never happened until this year. Then in January our first training run for the Eugene Marathon was stopped by a snowstorm. Now another first: a bad-air day.

A protocol is developing. I can (and did) send a group email, but it would be better if I had a text number for each of you for late notifications of changes such as today’s.

Also, I’m not saying “don’t run.” That’s your choice, one I don’t want to make for you as a team. On your own, you don’t view the scheduled distance as a requirement and aren’t subject to the peer pressure that might come from running as a group.

I suggest you wait until the smoke clears before taking the 10-mile run. Or you can skip ahead to next Sunday when the distance is 11 miles.

If this cancellation had to come, the timing wasn't bad. Most of you ran big miles last weekend at Hood to Coast and earned a “down” Sunday.

RECENT RUNS

(those reported to me)

Neal – 7 miles today
Jean -- ran Saturday
Tatiana -- ran Saturday

Jenna – 3.1 miles on Wednesday
Kristin -- 10 treadmill miles on Sunday
Dan -- 6 miles on Saturday

Leah – 5.7 miles on Wednesday; 22 miles on Saturday
Trina -- 3.2 miles today

Joe – 3.1-mile walk on Wednesday

August 26th Results (9 miles)

High praise to all of you who ran from Mount Hood to Seaside yesterday and today. We took our team run locally on Saturday, in support of your final miles at Hood to Coast.

Thanks to Neal for doing the heavy lifting of organizing Joe’s Team Runs This State. It’s an experience that he’s happy is over, and that none of you will ever forget.

TODAY’S 9 MILES

(with per-mile pace; times are rounded to even minutes because my watch started late; target was to run at a pace you expect to average for a half-marathon next month)

Jan – 1:36 (10:40 pace)

Kyoko – 1:34 (10:24s)

Renee – 1:37 (10:46s)

Steve – 1:36 (10:40s)

Norm – 1:08 (7:35s)

FRIDAY-SATURDAY’S HOOD TO COAST RELAY

(runners averaged 16.5 total miles in three segments, with the team averaging 9:05s for those 199 miles; * = on a team other than the one that “Runs This State”; ours also included Lindsey, AmyLee, Randy and Paul)

Neal

*Bill

Michele

*Tatiana

*Kristin

Stephanie

Leah

Lydia

Sean

Rhonda

OTHER RECENT RUNS

(those reported to me)

Jenna – 3.1 miles on Wednesday

Suzy – 9 miles on coast at 12:14s
Joe – 3.1 miles on Wednesday

(Van One at Mount Hood)

  

(Van Two before Friday's first runs)

August 26th Preview

Most of our current group is otherwise occupied this weekend. Ten of you are running on four different Hood to Coast teams, starting on Friday and extending well into Saturday. The distance per person averages about 18 miles, split into three segments many hours apart.

We still offer a training run locally of nine miles. Besides being few in numbers here, both the day and location will change. It’s on SATURDAY from the MILL RACE TRAILHEAD, with an eight o’clock start.

The route goes to Clearwater Park and back. To come closer to the scheduled length, we need to add some distance at the start and in the middle.

Directions: Head AWAY from Mill Race Path at the start, to 5^th Street, then circle back join the path. Continue to the intersection of the Mill Race and Middle Fork Paths. Turn left, to end of path at Clearwater park. Turn right and continue to end of boat parking lot. Turn AROUND there and come back the same way: Middle Fork to Mill Race to finish. GPS distance is unmeasured but close to nine miles.

Bring a drink for delivery at Clearwater trailhead (halfway). There are water fountains and restrooms at that spot, and at the Jasper trailhead (about two and seven miles). Weather forecast: sunny with starting temperature in 50s, moving toward an afternoon high of 90.

WEEK’S LESSON: YOUR PACE

Question: How fast should my long runs be?

Answer: Let your pace find itself. Don’t try to force an arbitrary pace (such as a half-marathon time goal) onto these runs. Instead, run comfortably, letting whatever happens with your pace happen. Finish with the feeling that you could have gone a little longer that day, which you will do soon enough. Our more experienced runners might want to train for speed during the week. I recommend that this come between Tuesday and Thursday to give enough recovery from the last long run and before the next one. If you run a shorter-distance race during this training period, make it easy. A full effort there would conflict with your weekend long run, which is far more important during this training cycle.