Things to remember...

• Our Saturday workouts (except ATP, at times) should be at an aerobic pace
• Heart rate should generally be no more than 80% of max HR
• Perceived exertion should be approx. 3-5 on a scale of 1-10
• Formulas for calculating max HR are not highly accurate. A VO2 max test gives you an estimate of your max heart rate and also gives you a specific heart rate range for aerobic workouts.
• Anaerobic training is also important for marathon and half marathon training, and it is incorporated in speed work sessions (TTh). It's important to know the difference! 

• LSD: Long slow distance - This is the backbone of your endurance training. On Saturdays, we are all about LSD, working on building your aerobic endurance by running or walking at a comfortable, aerobic pace. We push the mileage each week in order to expand your base.

• Fartleks - This is a Swedish term that means "Speed Play". This is a less structured form of interval training (as opposed to sprints) where you work on varying your pace from "easy" to "moderate" to "hard". It is a good tool for creating pace awareness as well as building strength and speed.

• Interval Training - This type of speed work is highly structured, with specific number of repetitions of hard running or walking with recovery after each repeat. This type of training is often done at the track and is ideal for pushing the anaerobic threshold up higher.

• Tempo runs/walks - This type of workout is at a faster pace for a longer period of time than interval training. The goal is to complete a moderate distance, say 2 - 4 miles, at a pace that is about 10% faster than your LSD pace.

• Hill work - Hills are another great form of speed training because they challenge you aerobically. Hills also make you stronger -- specifically make your legs stronger -- which has the effect of increasing your overall speed.

• Speed Work: "8x30-30" means "30 seconds fast, 30 seconds slow, eight times in a row." After a thorough warm-up, run for 30 seconds at about 90-95% intensity, then do a 30-second recovery jog. Make sure that you don't slow down during the workout, so you are running your last 30 seconds about as fast or even a little faster than your first 30 seconds. Run on a soft surface if you can, rather than on concrete or asphalt. When you are done, jog or walk slowly for a while to cool-down. Both the number of repeats, and the duration of the fast and slow intervals, will change from week to week.

• Tempo: "35/tempo" means "35 minute tempo run (plus warm up, cool down)." After a warm up for about 5 - 10 minutes, maintain a pace about 10 to 15 seconds per mile slower than 10-K race pace. The last 5 to 10 minutes should be a cool down period. Another way to gauge the pace of tempo runs: a pace about midway between short-interval training speed and your easy running pace.

• Easy: "30e" means "easy 30 minute run or run/walk." This should be a slow run done at a conversational pace.

• Hillwork: "45/hill" means "45 minutes of hill work." Hills prepare the muscles for faster running without going anaerobic. Hill training will enable you to run better on all types of terrain. Find a hill with a moderate grade, about 10-15%. Run at about 85% effort and jog slowly down to recover. Start with about 4 hills and increase by 1 a week until you can run 8-12 hills.

• Power Walk: "10.10.10" means "10 minutes of warm up, 10 minutes of walking a faster pace, 10 minutes of cool down." Incorporating a faster walking pace on one workout per week helps to build your overall endurance. You want to increase the pace enough to feel like it's a push, but not so much that you can't hold it for the specified time period. As the "fast" interval gets longer, do the best you can to maintain the faster pace, but if necessary slow it down a bit or incorporate recovery periods within the interval.

Note Location Change: Due to sports camp being held at the Alamo Heights HS Track, ATP workouts will move to the University of the Incarnate Word track starting Tuesday, June 14.

• Soler's Sports Alamo Heights: Monday & Wednesday @ 6:00 pm (free and open to all) 
• Soler's Sports Stone Oak: Tuesday & Thursday @ 6:30 pm (free and open to all)
• Soler's TriSports Helotes: Tuesday & Thursday @ 6:00 pm (free and open to all)
• Brandeis High School: Wednesday @ 7:00pm (Crossfit-type track workout; free and open to all)
• Alamo Heights High School: Tuesday & Thursday @ 6:30 pm (restricted to ATP members)
• Lions Field: Tuesday @ 6:30 pm beginning June 7th (restricted to City of San Antonio employees and guests)