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Midweek Workouts
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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)
University of the Incarnate Word: 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)
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Join Our List
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| Local Sponsors | Interested in becoming a sponsor? We are now accepting applications for the 2011 season.
Send us an email for more information!
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National Sponsors
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Issue: Week 21
| October 12, 2011 | |
Greetings!
It's here! The long-awaited USA Fit / Soler's Sports San Antonio Newsletter ~ Final Benchmark edition! It's the answers to all of the questions you didn't even know you wanted to ask.
Happy Training!
- Roger, Ashley, John & your USA Fit SA coaching team
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The Basics
| |  Who, what, when & where Here are the nitty gritty details about our final benchmark event this weekend. See you there!
WHO
All USA Fit / Soler's Sports San Antonio members, from all four locations.
WHAT
Our last long run/walk of the season! Full marathoners will do 21 miles and half marathoners will do 12 miles.
WHEN
Saturday, October 15, 2011
7:30 am - all runners
6:30 am - all walkers
WHERE
Soler's Tri Sports
14405 Old Bandera Rd
Helotes, TX 78023
210-695-6430
Map and Driving Directions
PARKING
There are plenty of parking spaces in the area of Old Town Helotes. You will find perpendicular spaces all along Old Bandera Road on either side of Soler's Sports. Beyond those you can parallel park along the road. You can also turn on Riggs Rd at the traffic circle. On Riggs there is a large public parking lot and additional perpendicular spaces. Further down is an elementary school with large parking lots as well.
FACILITIES
In addition to the restrooms inside of Soler's Sports, there are additional "facilities" available on Saturday morning. There is a port-a-potty outside on the driveway next to Solers and a public restroom with flush toilets for both men and women behind the Helotes Marketplace. Finally, our friends at Floore's Country Store have agreed to move some of their port-a-potties outside of their gate for our use on Saturday.
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Building Blocks
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| Benchmark Basics
This weekend is our final benchmark... it's the last long run/walk that we do before our goal race in November. In addition to being a key milestone in our training progression, this is also the time put it all to the test -- what we wear, what we eat, and how we tackle the miles.
Keeping that in mind, here is some advice from Everyone's Guide to Distance Running by South African runner and coach Norrie Williamson. An excerpt from the chapter titled "It's not just the training. . . it's being prepared!"
Logistics After the effort of training, it's important not to leave logistical details to chance. Make your travel arrangements well before a major race, particularly if the race is in another city and you need to book a hotel room. If you'll be sleeping in a strange bed, it's preferable to take your own pillow, as others are never as comfortable as your own. Use a "blindfold" and earplugs (the sort they provide on international flights) when sleeping, to ensure that light and noise do not disturb you. It's worth sleeping with both of these ahead of a race so that you're used to them. What about eating arrangements? Will you be able to enjoy your favourite pre-race meal where ever you are staying? Should you take food with you? If you intend eating out, make a restaurant booking, so you don't have to wait for find that it's fully booked. In short, try to maintain your normal schedule wherever you go. It will pay off. Even if the race is local, logistics are still important. Ensure that you arrive with enough time to enter, have one last visit to the look and warm up and change for the race. Have you put out all your kit the night before? Is the entry fee ready? Do as much as possible the night before. Finally, on the subject of sleeping, don't worry too much about a restless night before the race; rather, ensure a good sleep two nights before. Few runners sleep well immediately before a race, but many of them lie in bed worrying about it. This additional worry makes sleep less easy, and the vicious circle continues. If you find yourself unable to sleep, lie back in the knowledge that it is the excitement of the race that is making it hard to sleep. Remind yourself how well you slept the previous night. Accept that you might not sleep much and tell yourself that you can simple lie there an relax. When you remove the pressure, you will be surprised how quickly you fall asleep. Race Day Have a plan for race day. Know the route to the start. If you use the lift in the hotel, remember that there will probably be many other runners doing the same thing and that will take time. What about your position at the starting line? Do you know where you want to stand? All these things need to be planned. Helen Lucre tells a marvelous story of her 1985 Comrades. Although she lived in Westville, she thought it best to stay at the Royal Hotel, Durban, the night before. The starting line was right outside the hotel and she reasoned that staying there would be the easiest way of ensuring a good position, yet still allow time to lie in late. All went well until the morning of the race, when she opted to use the fire escape rather than wait for the lifts, which were full of other runners. Out on the fire escape, the door closed behind her. A few flights down she tried to open the door to go back inside and found that it would not open from the outside. Panic! Luckily she found an open door into the kitchen, which ensured her freedom, although it gave the chefs a start. She reached the starting line in time and wen on the win that Comrades, but it could have been very different. As you an see, planning is vital. You must know beforehand whether you will need to eat and make sure that you have a bottle of water to take with you to the start. Check that the fire escape doors open!
You have heard us say over and over, "treat these benchmarks as races" and practice your routine! You need to take seriously the practice nature of this benchmark. If it doesn't go well, don't worry -- instead figure out what you need to do differently. If it does go well, great!!! Make sure to write down exactly what you ate, when you slept, etc. Finally, remember that this is training and not racing. You should still keep your long and easy pace on this one, save the adrenaline for Nov 13th!
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| Route Notes | |  Know where you're going...
one course for all groups and members! Here are the specific details so that you can be prepared for Saturday morning.
We will be starting at Soler's Sports and doing a double out & back course. Half marathoners will do a 6 mile out & back only, while full marathoners will do the 6 mile out & back followed by a 4.5 mile out & back on the same route. Structuring the course in this way cuts out some of the more ominous Helotes hills!
PDF version of map with elevation and notes
Mile by Mile Directions- START: Mileage begins at mailbox in front of Soler's Sports; head towards Floores Country Store.
- 0.2 mi: Turn right on Scenic Loop.
- 0.3 mi: Obey traffic signal to cross Bandera Road (no pedestrian signal, so wait for green light).
- 1.0 mi: At footbridge.
- 2.0 mi: WATER STOP at edge of first bridge.
- 2.5 mi: Enter Grey Forest -- narrower road and reduced speed limit for traffic; stay 2 abreast.
- 3.0 mi: At first red fire hydrant after Grey Forest fire station.
- 3.9 mi: PORT-A-POTTY at green fence.
- 4.0 mi: WATER STOP at corner of Escondido Rd.
- 4.5 mi: [SECOND LAP ONLY -- TURN AROUND for full marathoners.]
- 5.0 mi: At Babcock stop sign.
- 6.0 mi: WATER STOP and TURN AROUND for all groups at yellow sign before Cross Mountain Trail.
- Return to start at Soler's Sports.
- Half Marathoners - FINISH
- Full Marathoners - repeat route and turn around at 4.5 miles.
WATER STOPS There is a water stop at the start as well as at miles 2, 4 and 6. Here is how that shakes out mileage wise for both full and half marathoners: Half marathoners - Miles 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 Full marathoners - Miles 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 17, 19, 21 All waters stops will have first aid (vaseline, bandaids, sunscreen), water, Cytomax and cups. Unlike our normal training days, you are not required to carry your own hydration on the course. Cups will be available at all aid stations in order to simulate race day. However, there are still good reasons to carry water, even on race day. Races have been known to run out of water on the course, and those who came prepared with their own hydration were happy they did! We will also have some GU available at the aid stations, but not enough for everyone. We urge you to consider this a safety net, not your nutrition plan! On race day you need to be carrying your nutrition with you -- it's important to race with the same products you train with. REST ROOMS There will be restrooms available at the start/finish area as well as a port-a-potty at mile 4 on the course. Half marathoners - Miles 0, 4, 8, 12 Full marathoners - Miles 0, 4, 8, 12, 16, 17, 21 |
After Party
| | In Soler's Backyard
After you finish your miles on Saturday, it's time to PARTY! Come on back to Soler's Backyard and revel in your success! Here's what we have in store for you!
PDF Map of Backyard Party
Plan to bring a towel, yoga mat or lawn chair so that you can sit back and relax and cheer on your teammates as they finish their mileage!
FOOD & DRINK
The grill will be hot and the food fresh! USA Fit / Soler's Sports will be supplying the meat, and your coaches are bringing the sides and desserts. YUM!!
Local sponsor RB Worldwide will be out back with samples of their sports drinks and nutrition products.
In addition, our friends at Helotes Creek Winery are providing one free glass of wine for everyone! What a great way to toast all of your hard work!
RECOVERY & THERAPY
On the basketball court we will have all of your therapy needs taken care of including an area for stretching out and foam rolling those aching muscles.
Nydia's Yoga Therapy will be here to help with your post-workout stretching. Ask Nydia about her Yoga for Runners classes, too! Myofascial Therapy Concepts will be providing post-workout massages! The first 5 minutes are FREE, $1 per minute thereafter (cash and credit cards accepted!) Our medical sponsors will be on hand as well. Both the Nonsurgical Treatment Center and Airostti Rehab Centers will have staff available for Q&A.   VENDORS
After you've fueled up and stretched out, visit with some of our favorite vendors and get geared up! ASICS, GU and Superfeet will be there to name a few!
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| Member Shirts | |  Get yours Saturday!
If you haven't picked up your member shirt yet we will have them available at the USA Fit tent on Saturday. Sizes are running out, so make sure to get yours!
City of San Antonio employees -- your TEAM COSA shirts are due in as well! Stop by the USA Fit tent to pick yours up!
We will also have previous season shirts available for $5 each. What a bargain for technical shirts!
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Register for Rock 'n' Roll
| |  Sign up today!!
Time is running out!! Don't wait too long to sign up for the Rock 'n' Roll San Antonio Marathon & Half Marathon! It is possible that it will sell out before race day.
SAN ANTONIO MARATHON AND HALF MARATHON
· Thursday, October 13th - Last LUCKY13 promotion of the year
· Sunday, November 6th - Online Registration Closing
o Marathon -$120 until November 6th - increases to $145 at the expo
o Half -$105 until November 6th - increases to $145 at the expo
ING KiDS ROCK San Antonio (DISCOUNT DOES NOT APPLY)
· Sunday, November 6th - Online Reg Closing
o $25 until November 6th
o $30 at the expo on Friday, November 11
Bike Tour - San Antonio (DISCOUNT DOES NOT APPLY)-ALMOST SOLD OUT!
· Sunday, November 6th - Online Reg Closing
o $60 until November 6th
o $75 at the expo on Friday, November 11
http://runrocknroll.competitor.com/san-antonio
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Thank you for joining San Antonio's premier marathon and half-marathon training program!
Sincerely,
Roger Soler, Ashley Rosilier & John Ruibal
Organizers, USA Fit San Antonio
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