USA Fit San Antonio

Hey blue/green,

After our run last weekend many of you expressed that this was not your best run. Guess what, they all can't be good runs. Some of your training runs are going to be tougher than other runs. The weekend before many of you ran the 17 miles strong and felt really good afterwards. This would be a good time to look back at your training log and reflect on why you didn't feel as strong this last weekend. There are many reasons for a "bad" run; weather conditions, lack of sleep, not enough recovery, work stress, or eating too much carrot cake the night before. Take the time to think about your week and what you can do before our 14 mile run on Saturday.

So we are halfway through the marathon training season and with our benchmark a month away now is the time to think about pace and predicting times. I've asked some of you about what your goal is for the San Antonio marathon and most of you would like to finish between 3:45-4 hours. One method that works for some is running negative splits; this is where you run the first half of a marathon slightly slower than the second half. The idea is to feel stronger at the end; it also helps with practicing race strategy and pace. I'm not good at running negative splits I've always done well with warming up then hitting my goal pace and maintaining that.

My advice is to practice your predicted time and pace; how else will you know if you can run a four hour marathon. I'm going to stop rambling now. See you next Saturday.

Your coaches,

Jessica, Frank, Mike, Gina, and Lupe

Yellow

Hi there yellow runners-

Hope you all are feeling nice and rested after the "lovely" 11 miler this weekend. I know it was tough out there, as we were so lucky to have the humidity back. I promise at one point there may be more pleasant runs in our future, but right now, we just need to put on our "big girl panties" and deal with it.

You heard me talk a lot in the beginning of the season about the pace that the Yellow group runs. We are the 9:00 - 10:00min/mile pace group, which means that when we run our Marathon we will fall somewhere between those time slots and will give us a finish time ranging anywhere from 3:54h to 4:20h...but again, this is according to your pace group. I try not to talk about this too much because I don't want you all obsessing about your pace. I ran with the yellow group all of last year and was often able to run a sub 9 minutes/mile pace, especially on the shorter runs (10-13 miles). However, when the marathon came around, the weather was very humid, I had had a bad prep week and didn't feel so good at the start. My goal was to run a Marathon under 4 hours for the first time, which meant I needed to maintain a pace right around 9 minutes per mile, but that seemed really hard. So by about mile 12 I threw that theory out the window and decided I just needed to run. The end result a 4:06h marathon (which is my PR) and a pace of about 9:20min/mile.

It is good to know what pace you are running at, because it does help you predict finish times (to some extent) and it does help you stay focused on a constant in the race. However, keep in mind, this is a long distance endeavor, not a sprint. What I forgot last year is that I am a negative split runner, so I went out a little too fast, and paid for it, thanks to the heat and humidity. My overall pace kept slowing, but had I done what I did for the 21 miler three weeks prior, I would have done better. On the 21 miler I finished with a 9 min/mile pace, but I started the morning out running the first 7 or 8 miles at a 9:30 min/mile pace or slower. So, my advice to you is, know what kind of runner you are and then develop a plan that matches up with that. If you are consistent and can run like clockwork, you are going to want to hit the same or similar pace every mile. I use my Garmin to see after the run how my pace changed from mile to mile, which is why I know I am a negative split runner.

For the time being, on the long runs you should continue to run slower than the pace that you are trying to achieve for the marathon. If you are a fairly consistent runner, there are options online where you can print out a pace band and it will tell you what your time needs to be at every mile in order to accomplish your desired finish time. The last option during a race is running with an actual pace group. I know they work, because friends of mine have qualified for Boston running with a pace group. Pacers at a race will run about 30-45 minutes slower than what they would normally finish a marathon in, thus you can be sure they know what they are doing and they are familiar with the course.

Happy running and pacing. If you have any questions let one of us coaches know.

Your coaches - Svenja, Amber, Michelle, Sarah, and Vidal

Red

"Marathon Pace"

We are getting closer to race day and what better time to evaluate your pace and how it can help predict your race day finish time. You are putting in the miles, getting in speed work, tracking your progress, and maybe entered some benchmark races along the way. As you have probably noticed, not every run is created equal. Sometimes we feel like we can run our socks off or other times our socks feel like they must be made of bricks. Thankfully most often your body has a natural pace it finds when things are going your way; your "happy pace". So how do you translate your happy pace to your optimum race day finish?

One way to find your marathon pace in minutes per mile is to take your finish time you hope to achieve and divide by 26.2, right? Sure if the planets are all aligned and it's one of those "run your socks off" kind of days. This technique doesn't account for hills, water stops, bathroom breaks, or the heat & humidity we had last year. There went that pace bracelet out the door! A more sophisticated way is to learn from your past races and from other runners who have gone before you-just have fun and don't get too caught up on pace =)

One general rule about racing is you cannot hold your fastest pace forever, over time you will slow down, dubbed the "4 second rule" (or the 5 second rule for women). If you race a 10K at your very fastest pace, you will slow down over longer distances by 4 seconds per mile each mile. An example is if you run a 10K at 10:00 minutes per mile (1:02), odds are you will get slower over the long haul and run a Half marathon "at best" in 10:14 min per mile (2:14 finish time), or a Full "at best" in 10:32 min per mile (4:36 finish time). It should be noted that this is only a gauge of optimum performance! I put the quotes "at best" in there because this is based on you racing at the same intensity you raced the 10K. Just use this knowledge as you form your expectations about marathon day. There are many pace calculators on the web following this "theory", here's two: http://www.brianmac.co.uk/frankhorwill.htm or http://www.runnersworld.com/cda/trainingcalculator/ .

Then another general rule about long distance running is your heart rate will go up over time. And even more so if you don't keep your pace in check early in the race. Many a runner gets to the starting line, feels the energy and excitement, and starts sprinting as the gun goes off. Don't let your excitement get you carried away as you will only lose energy you should have kept stored up for later in the race when your heart rate is increasing.

So put the two "rules" together, to combat a decreasing pace with an increasing heart rate, and think more strategically about your pace. Actually start slower from the beginning, keeping your heart rate low, conserve necessary energy for later, and then you will be able to kick it in at the end. This is a hard learned lesson and harder to keep under control with your pent up energy on race day, but it is proven time again by runners before you.

Keep focusing on your end goal and remember to have fun! "Common sense is necessary ... more so than high tech. Race to the finish not from the start, pace yourself, run your own race and don't get sucked into someone else's. Walk when you need too, run when you can, eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we will hurt." Quote by Kevin Sayers, ultra-marathon runner.

~ Signed, Your Red Coaches

Orange

Pacing and Marathon Prediction Times

We've been discussing this a lot in our group lately, so this topic is timely. By now you probably have a pretty good idea about your abilities.

There are several ways to calculate estimated marathon finish times; I want to just mention four here: The Yasso 800s, the 10k finish, the Horwill formula, and the conservative estimate based on average long-run time.

Presently, we're playing with the Yasso 800s on our Thursday night workouts. We're building up to 10 800-yard runs and try to finish each in the time goal we set ourselves. For example, if you want to finish the marathon in 5:53:47, you need to run 800 yards in 13:30. This takes rigorous discipline in the marathon, though. Read more about it here: http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-244-255-624-0,00.html There's a cool calculator here that does the figuring for you: http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/4/4_1/96.shtml

For the 10k finish predictor method, I like Hal Higdon's system which multiplies 10k finish time by 5. The more 10ks you run, the more realistic your calculations will be. Let's say you ran 3 races, and your average finish time was 1:12 (72 min). Multiply by 5 (72 X 5 = 360, 360 / 60 = 6). Estimated finish time is 6 hours.

The third method, using Frank Horwill's formula, adds 16 seconds to base race pace each time when distance doubles. For example, if you ran a 10k at a 13:30 pace, you can estimate to run a half marathon at a 13:46 pace, and a marathon at a 14:02 pace. You then multiply 14.02 by 26.2, giving you a finish of roughly 6 hours 15 min. This method requires a lot of converting into minutes and seconds and kilometers and back to miles - ugh!

Then there's the conservative method that calculates your finish based on the actual long run pace. Using the group's average pace from our 15 miler (13:48), we come up with a finish time of just about 6 hrs (I had to use a chart to figure this out; math is definitely not my thing!)

Naturally, your finish times will be impacted by the weather, the temperature, the humidity, the terrain, the lines at the port-a-potties, the ... (fill in the blanks). And, of course, all the calculation methods in the world won't help you if you don't know your pace! J

Coach Ute

Purple

Now that you have been training for the last few months for your half or marathon race, you may be asking yourself what your pace should be on race day? It's a tough question to answer because there are so many variables, such as physical and mental preparation for the race, weather, course conditions, We have slowly increased your long walks with the pace being found out a lot by "hit or miss" methods. You have found out, the longer you walk, the slower the overall pace has to be to be able to finish your walk at a reasonable "comfortable" training pace for that distance. Some of you were able to increase your distance walks by adjusting your pace, others have been able to complete the long distance by occasionally putting in some running periods during the workout. Both methods of "slower walk pace" or walk/run achieve the same goal, keeping you in the aerobic (marathon pace) zone of 65-75% of your aerobic threshold zone. Your aerobic threshold zone is approx. the zone or pace you can hold for 10-15 minutes (2-3 mile race pace). This is the maximal limit of pace you can hold where you can metabolize waste products by bringing an optimal level of oxygen to your working muscles. The more fit you are, the more oxygen you bring to your system, higher level can be metabolized and the higher your aerobic threshold (equaling faster race times for the same effort).

There are tons of calculators you can use such as http://www.runningforfitness.org/calc/rp.php

There's definitely a margin of error when using race time predictor calculators, but I still think their helpful to have a rough estimate before a race, rather than going into it blindly. Remember that on average your pace may change during the race depending upon your overall fitness level. There is however one big thing that can ruin your race day goals. Going out too fast (quicker than your planned race pace) in the first few miles of the race will most likely lead to an extensive slow down in the later miles. As you think about the race day that's approaching ask yourself. What is my pace? What do I need to work on to complete my goals?, and am I on track? If you're unsure, then talk to one of your coaches. As we keep reminding you now is the time to find the right practice routine and stick to it because minor changes can have an impact on your pace. If you missed some practices it's ok but it may mean you need to get refocused on these last few months before the big day. Remember you have all put in so much work and have trained hard to be the athlete that you are. You are an athlete, a walker and soon will be a marathoner. "If you set a goal for yourself and are able to achieve it, you have won your race. Your goal can be to come in first, to improve your performance, or just to finish the race - it's up to you."

Walk on Walk strong

Coach Janel

Aqua

We are past the halfway point in training and completed our 10K benchmark race in August. As our mileage increases and our runs get longer, you might be wondering what type of pace you will keep during the actual race. Will it be double the benchmark time at the Sunrise 10K or will it be the same as your Saturday long run time?

There are several factors to consider while trying to determine your race day time. Your overall fitness and health will be a key factor in your time. If you are properly fueled, properly rested and have allowed proper recovery during the week, you will be ready to conquer the mileage. On the other hand, if you are tired, feel poorly or are dehydrated, this will contribute to a slower pace and longer rest stops. Another thing to consider is your training. Have you completed your mid week mileage in addition to your group run mileage, or are you just showing up on Saturdays? Your endurance level will certainly be a key factor in your overall pace during the race. Another race time predictor will be your benchmark time. Although you cannot expect your pace time at the half marathon to be the same as your 10K time due to the longer mileage, it will probably be very close. There are several websites to help determine your race day pace. One is www.marathonguide.com/fitnesscalcs. You can enter your 10K time and it will predict your half marathon results. You do have to consider the above factors, as well as the course. This year's course should be relatively flat with only a few hills, unlike the 10K hilly course and our Saturday courses along Loop 1064 and in Stone Oak. Your Saturday group runs are usually done at an easy pace, although some of our runners try to "beat" their time from the week prior at the same mileage. If you run an easy 10.30 pace on Saturday, barring any negative factors, your pace should be faster on race day. Not only does the excitement of the crowds and event pump you up for a faster start, but that surge will continue with your race time anticipation, the music and crowd support, and the overall feat of accomplishment knowing you are through with this final anticipated run! So check out the website above for fun and set your race day goal realistically. Most often, we do better than we thought we could! If your goal is just to finish, that's okay too---your hard work, time and dedicated training will take you to the finish line and beyond! If you need help in pacing, please see one of our coaches-we will help keep you on pace within your pace group. (And some of us will let you know many calories you burned too!) See you Saturday for eight to ten miles (and 900+ burned calories)!

Happy running, Coach Laurie, Rose and Mary