• 12 milers: 5 mi & 7 mi
  
• 14 milers: 5 mi & 9 mi
  

• 12 milers: 4.5 mi & 7.5 mi
  
• 14 milers: 3.5 mi & 9.5 mi

ATP

What Makes A Man Run?
By: Glenn Cunningham

People can't understand why a man runs. They don't see any sport in it. Argue it lacks the sight and thrill of body contact. Yet, the conflict is there, more raw and challenging than any man versus man competition. For in running it is man against himself, the cruelest of opponents. The other runners are not the real enemies. His adversary lies within him, in his ability, with brain and heart to master himself and his emotions.
 

Blue / Green

Greetings Blue / Green Group:

Nutrition & Hydration for Long Runs: Okay, so now, we are into double digit mileage for our long weekend runs. It's time for us to get serious about this marathon training thing. Some things to consider when it comes to nutrition & hydration for long runs:

Days leading up to the long runs: Dr. Tierney has given you guidelines on how many grams of carbohydrates per pound of body weight you should be consuming. Now is the time to start taking that advice into practice. You will start doing this by Wednesday, at the latest, with perhaps your two most important meals being lunch on Friday, and breakfast on Saturday. You may want to fine tune what works with your digestive system so you don't have any unnecessary "pit stops" on Saturday morning. Find what works for you, and stick with it.

Also, during the week, you should be concentrating on hydrating properly. By Friday morning, your urine should be fairly clear. Minimize or eliminate the amount of caffeine and alcohol you're consuming toward the end of the week.

During Your Run on Saturday: You should be figuring out what you'll be doing to refuel during the run. Personally, I use the Hammer gels, and I'll take them every 5 miles. This works for me, but perhaps, you'll prefer another brand of gel, or maybe sports beans, electrolyte tablets, etc. Now is the time to figure out which brands and flavors, along with how often you'll be taking these. When you take these, you should wash them down with water, not sports drink, as this might cause some stomach discomfort.

Happy Running!

Coach Rudy

Yellow

"People begin running for any number of motives, but we stick to it for one basic reason -- to find out who we really are." - George Sheehan, M.D.

Red

Red Runners

How did the 10 miler feel last week?  Did you incorporate walk breaks, drink plenty of water, have a carbohydrate/electrolyte replacement drink or gel? Did you remember to refuel your body within 15 minutes after the run?  How did you feel the next day?  This Saturday we have 12 miles, that is almost the half marathon distance.  This distance will probably take most of us at least 2 hours.  Nutrition and hydration are critical at this point of our training.  Hydration is something we should be doing everyday of the week.  In this hot, Texas summer we need even more water on a daily basis, so drink often.  Make sure you are focusing on the right kinds of food to fuel your run.  Stay away from high fat and fiber.  Dinner the night before should be a high carb and low fat meal with some lean protein.  Do not limit yourself to just pasta, there are other great choices out there like rice, potatoes, breads, skim milk, fruits and veggies.  Wake up early enough the morning of the run to eat a light carbohydrate breakfast with at least 8 oz. of water.  Make sure you are getting to bed early at least a few nights a week to give your body the rest it needs to recover.  It always helps to get your things together  the night before a long run or race so you are not rushing in the morning.  Lay out your clothes, shoes, hat, watch, and sunscreen, get your water bottles filled and in the fridge, review the course in the newsletter, pack your fuel belt with gels, chapstick, phone. The less you have to do that morning the more relaxed and prepared you will feel.  Hopefully you are finding someone to share the miles with you.  Conversation can really make the miles go by fast.  Everyone is doing a great job out there supporting each other.  We appreciated all our volunteers at the water stops this week:  The Del Bosque family at RGR and Nat and Richard Salas and Julio Sierra at Tripoint.  A cool drink, friendly faces and some nice words of encouragement really help!  As always, any questions or concerns please feel free to ask a coach!

See you Saturday morning!  The Red Coaches

Orange

Let's be friends!

Facebook friends, that is.  I would love to have you friend me on Facebook (Brian Kathy Seastrunk).  It is our family Facebook page, so we post pictures of our latest vacation or the dogs and other lame stuff.  Sometimes my husband goes on a political or religious rant (never me!) but mostly we keep it fun and clean.

Being friends on Facebook helps me to put a name to your face and get to know you a little better.  I enjoy catching up with everybody's updates and seeing what they are doing.  How does this relate to preparing for a long run?  I get to find out how you are getting ready for our Saturday runs!  When I get up at 4 on Saturday mornings, I usually sit down at my computer and read up on Facebook happenings that I missed by going to bed at 9 on Friday night.  I know if you've posted about getting your gear ready the night before and eating a good carb dinner or if you are out celebrating margarita Friday's with your work buddies.  And don't try to fool me by posting something about an early bedtime when Facebook records your posting time at 2 A.M.  Just so you know.  It is also a good way of getting in touch with me, by chatting or sending a message.

Friend me if you haven't already (Brian Kathy Seastrunk) and write a comment like, "SAFit Rocks!" or "Orange Zest!" so I know where you are coming from. There is also a little known group of serious runners called, "Run, Beer Run" who host important monthly meetings about Olympic trials and upper body conditioning.  Check them out!

Our Orange TEAM is hosting the water stations this week, so thank an Orange Team member as you refill your water bottle.  We couldn't do this without our "pit crew" so let them know how much we appreciate them!

Orange Zest is the Best!

Kathy Seastrunk

--

The topic this week is something you have all been practicing - preparing for a long run. I am very pleased with the way you have all been making correlations between your training-related actions and the results on your Saturday runs. You are experimenting with sleep patterns, nutrition and hydration before the run, types and flavors of electrolyte and carbohydrate replacement products, etc. Some of you have also discovered that training on a treadmill in air conditioning is much different from doing it outdoors! Doing this now is very wise, as this is the perfect time for trial and error. Some of you have mentioned how nervous you are on Friday night, worrying about oversleeping and other issues related to the Saturday run. This is completely normal, and your anxiety will subside as time goes on. Please register now for our benchmark race, the Fleet Feet Sunrise 10k (http://www.fleetfeetsanantonio.com/#sunrise). Only one month away, participating in this race will be especially beneficial for those of you who have never taken part in something similar before, as you will experience the logistics of an organized race. Keep up the great work, and we will see you on Saturday!  

-Your TriPoint Orange coach

Purple

Greetings, once again, to all our purple runners/walkers!

As another week is underway, it's always good to plan your workout routine for the rest of the week. So, I'll begin with a quick reminder - if you haven't had an opportunity to begin training during the week, we do have Tuesday and Thursday night training sessions in prime locations: Reagan High School (7pm, 19000 Ronald Reagan) and soon at John Stephen's High School (7pm, 600 N. Ellison Dr) starting this week.

If you're a Stone Oak favorite, then Reagan High School is a great location for you. It's very near to Run Gear Run store, and has a 7pm start time that will allow you extra time to get through 1604 traffic. You'll see familiar faces from our Saturday morning sessions, and coaches will be there to put you through your paces. While we usually amp up our mileages on Saturday, your weekday workouts are great for working on your form, pace, and getting quality one-on-one time with us. And who wouldn't want to spend some extra time with us???

Now, if you'd rather mix up your training, and try running/walking over different terrain... we will also soon begin to have training sessions closer to the Sea World/151 area, at John Steven's High School. These sessions will begin next week and will feature one of our returning favorites, Coach Janel... along with myself. I will be brutally honest - I trained with Janel before, starting with last year's San Antonio Inaugural Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon. I know her training style and what you can expect if you attend training at Stevens. You will be running/walking up and down hills, sweating buckets, and earning every inch towards your goal of crossing that finish line on November 15th.

But, whichever location you choose, or even if you decide to train on your own, the important thing to remember is that it's not too late to start adding in weekday workouts. Now is the perfect time to start incorporating weekday workouts. We will soon be getting in the higher mileages, and the weekday training sessions will make such a difference on how you perform on Saturday. We'd love to see you at either location.

Every accomplishment is important - don't sell yourself short.

With Week 8 now upon us, you may be starting to feel a little discouraged. It's to be expected. We've almost completed our second month, and yet November 15th seems so far away. You might even begin to lose sight of all you've accomplished so far. Well, I'm here to tell you that you are amazing, and you should be proud of everything you've done to date. The marathon may seem like a light year's time away, but before you know it, it will be upon us. Until that day comes, it is actually the little milestones that we reach every week that gets us to our goal. You've done great and every Saturday morning you're out there is a giant step towards your end goal: crossing that finish line.

Don't sell yourself short. Take a moment and pat yourself on the back. You've accomplished so much, so far - and we still have 18 more weeks to go! There is no limit to what you can do in that time. Think back for a moment, to the very first Saturday you showed up for training. Did you ever think you'd be able to do what you've done already? For many of you, this will be your first time attempting a marathon or half marathon. The first of possibly many. Dig deep, believe in yourself, and repeat this mantra every day: I am capable, I am determined, and I have the strength to do what so many others have never even thought of doing. Every day you put in miles is another success in your training book, and it brings you that much closer to November. While a medal is always a great souvenir, nothing beats the feeling of accomplishment and pride you'll feel in yourself. That is something no one will ever be able to take away from you.

Connect and stay connected

I'll admit it... before I began training for my first half marathon, I had this misconception that all one had to do to walk was to get out there and walk. Seemed simple enough, right? But, we all know the truth by now. There is so much more involved from form, to nutrition, footwear, to hydration... any one of these can either help or hinder your performance. Another thing that you may not have factored is the connections you make during the training program. Do you know who you're running/walking with? Can you name at least five different people in our group - and not those that you may work with? If the answer is no, then here's a personal challenge to everyone out there. During your next training session, during the week or on Saturday, make a point to say hi and introduce yourself to at least three new people. I am a natural introvert, so this challenge would definitely send chills and fear through me, but going through this training program several times - I can honestly tell you that the connections you make during the program go beyond training. I've met such great people in the year since I first began my marathon adventures. Some of which have returned for a second year, and some that haven't. But, we all have the same stories, the same bruises, the same pain and joy. We know how it feels to have doubt, to struggle... we also know what it is to lean on one another, to push each other on, and to celebrate in each other's accomplishments. We became a family of sorts. And this could be you, too. We're together for 26 weeks; let's get to know one another.

Josie :)

--

Tri Point Purple

Hi everyone,

You are doing a GREAT job incorporating what you've learned about good form, pacing, hydration and nutrition during our Saturday walk/run sessions. As the mileage increases on our routes, it becomes imperative that we give more thought to our pre-workout preparation. By this, I mean both physical (body & gear) and mental (attitude & imagery) preparation.

We have our first benchmark 10k race on August 22. A benchmark is a good indicator of how we're doing at that point in our training. It will help us make any necessary adjustments to help improve our performance.

Now is the time to experiment and create a pre-workout routine that keeps you organized and stress-free on race days. Get in the habit of staying hydrated all week long by carrying water with you wherever you go. Train yourself to get more rest before (and after) your long distance walk/runs. Keep your muscles fueled by carb loading before raceday.

I find that laying out my gear the day before a race insures that I won't forget any necessary items. A checklist works well for this purpose and allows me to focus on other aspects of mental and physical preparation. Make sure you have the proper shoes for your gait, and synthetic sox & sportswear to wick moisture away from your body. As mileage increases, cotton t-shirts & sweats are a real liability, since they hold moisture close to your body-- making you hotter and more susceptible to heat illness and chafing. Don't forget to include supplies to prevent or treat any hot spots that may blister or areas that may chafe.

As part of your warm-up and throughout your workout, pay special attention to your breathing. Breathing deeply from your diaphragm (through your nose) will help oxygenate your blood, promoting mental alertness and stamina. It will also calm your heart and parasympathetic nervous system. Try to synchronize your breathing with your movement.

Each of us has our own personal intention or motivation for taking on the marathon challenge. Remind yourself of your intention at regular intervals throughout your walk/runs. There are many personal coping strategies that can assist you through difficult moments. In addition to focusing on your breathing, listening to music can lift your spirits and help you keep a steady pace (use only one bud for safety). Mantras or words can be powerful in evoking images to carry you across the finish line. Words such as "fluid", "floating", and "smooth" for example can increase your relaxation en route. Use your imagination to choose words and images that will move you closer to reaching your goals.

Walk with Intention,

Coach Nancy

Aqua

Great run last Saturday! We missed a lot of you and hope you got your three or four miles in sometime over the hot weekend.

As you will note in articles above, once your mileage increases substantially, so will your need for carbs and electrolytes. Because the Aqua group is still running under an hour, we will just remind you of your hydration needs at this time and keep you advised when you should typically begin adding additional electrolytes and carbs to your Saturday endurance runs.

Here again are some guidelines on the amount of water to consume during your workout:

• About 4-8 oz every 15-20 minutes
• Don't solely rely on your thirst -- you are already dehydrated by then -- but don't over do it either (use common sense!)
• Probably the biggest cause of not drinking enough is not being prepared with fluids! They need to be available when you need them.
• For workouts longer than 1 hr, be sure to have some electrolytes, either in the form of a sports drink (with sodium and potassium) or electrolyte capsules or gels.

Coach Laurie, Rose and Andy