This Week's Workouts
getting ready for a workout
It bears repeating, these speed workouts are geared toward improving your ability to jump into a 5K, 10K, or half marathon just about anytime of the year. These workouts help marathoners, but they need to supplement the miles.
Upcoming Races:
5/25 No excuses 5k
6/20 Blue Mile, Sacramento
We are in mid cycle of spring training. We will be focusing on some shorter distances with the new Blue Mile Race marking the end of the season and the start of training for XC.
4/7/2020 Tuesday Speed Workout - 2 mile farm field loop
GVH'ers, In an abundance of caution while following the advice of the White House to limit gatherings and mirroring our fellow running club the Buffalo Chips we're going to suspend our normal weekly workouts. Group gatherings are to be limited as of today. Please refrain from meeting at Fleet Feet for our normal Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday runs. Feel free to contact your friends to run workouts. We'll continue to post these on our website.
Wash your hands and stay safe!
The heat will be here sooner than we think, which brings up the topic of hydration. I went out for 8 miles Saturday morning in cool weather and decided to weigh myself before and after. Even though I did not feel that I sweated heavily at an easy 9:20 / mile pace, I lost 4 pounds. If that 4 pounds was all sweat, that would be equivalent to a half gallon! Think of the potential loss on a warmer day at a faster pace. Most of us have worked out adequate hydration over the years, but you should try weighing yourself before and after a run to get an idea of how much fluid you lose.
I contacted my friend who owns Wildhorse and he said that we can’t run on the golf course. He is a great guy and allowed UC Davis to host a big XC invitational meet on the golf course last year. However, the state has told him that he could be fined $5,000 if people play on the golf course. Unfortunately, it is vague enough that it could be interpreted to mean non-golf activities. Crazy since Sacramento golf courses are considered essential and are allowed to stay open. Nevertheless, people are getting fined for accessing closed beaches and parks where too many people tend to congregate. Let’s hope the state opens up by May.
This week’s workout takes you out to a favorite of the Thursday morning group and Davis HS XC. Start by the pool in Community park and go to the two mile loop just north of the cannery. Beware of homeless encampments along F street just to the south of the loop. If the loop is muddy, the walking trail around Wildhorse is always good to run on
4 x 200 meters at R pace with 200 meter jog recovery
2 x 400 meters at R pace with 400 meter jog recovery
1 x 800 meters at R pace with 800 meter jog recovery
4 x 200 meters at R pace with 200 meter jog recovery
Total workout is about 7 miles.
You can look up paces at: https://www.goldenvalleyharriers.org/training-paces
Additional workouts this week (members receive additional meet-up notices):
Thursday morning crew departs from the corner of Mercedes and Grande at 0555 for 5 - 7 miles.
Thursday evening departs FF at 1755 for about 7 miles.
Saturday Morning:
7 - 10 miles from FF at 8 am
Farm field 2 mile loop
West leg is 0.55 mile
North leg is 0.55 mile
East leg is 0.54 mile
South leg is 0.4 mile
Coaching:
At the moment, GVH does not have a coach. I have been sending out the workouts which loosely follow Jack Daniels' 5K to 15K training plan phase II or III. These workouts should enable you to run a decent 5K or 10K anytime of year. I also go by the dictum that the best training plan is to avoid injury. I do not do individualized coaching, but most runners will find that they can adjust the distances and intensity to fit their needs. If you have questions, contact: Craighton, GVH treasurer
These are the regular workouts that occur just about every week:
Tuesday nights - 5:45 p.m. - The Speed Workout
This workout changes every week, but it usually includes a 1 - 2 mile warm-up, 2 - 4 miles of tempo or intervals, and a 1 - 2 mile cool down. If you are a slower runner, you can usually keep up with the warm up and cool down, then adjust the speed portion to your ability. If you want to become a faster runner, this is the workout to make. The specific workout details are announced on club e-mail distribution list or the website.
Thursday Morning - 5:55 a.m.
This group meets at Mercedes and Grande in North Davis and departs promptly at 5:55 am. The workout usually has a 2 mile warm up, a 2 - 3 mile tempo, and a 1 mile cool down. We try to be finished by 7 am since most of us have to go to work.
Thursday nights - 5:45 p.m. (meeting time); 5:55 p.m. (departure time)
These tend to be easy mileage and/or recovery runs. There are two standard loops of 6-7 miles. The main loop goes on the west UC Davis campus, and the "winter loop" goes East into Davis on a route that has good lighting and light traffic. Occasionally people will do hill repeats or another workout but start at the same time/place.
Saturday mornings - 8:00 a.m.
The standard distances are 7 or 10 miles, usually at a social pace. Marathoners often tack on additional miles before or after. GVH members will receive emails on runners wanting to meet early to tack on extra miles.
Additional workouts: GVH members receive notices by email of meet-ups, trail runs, racing, social events, retreats, and trips.