Thursday Track Report: I'll Take My Half In The Middle
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- Written by Bwana Bwana
December 3, 2015
December is here! Bringing some November weather, but I won’t complain about that. But it’s enough of a change to have chased away a few fair weather trackers. Still, the crew of John Domico, Judd and Davis Michael, Ken Davis, Meira Minard, John Wilcock, Mark Lee, Andy Maguire, Mike Renz, Bob Shafer, Mike Zimmerman, Dana Todd, Jim Laudermilch, Seth Senior, Adam Ilgen, David Lloyd, and Marty Mazur all made it to the track despite the chilly temperatures, brisk bluster, and drab skies.
With the Nittany Valley Half just 4 days away, Bwana gave an easy pre-Half-Marathon workout: two quarters with a half in between: 400-800-400, at race pace. Just enough to keep us limber. Those not doing the Half could expand that middle half to two or three more.
Bwana will see all of you who prepared at the Half. He’ll be following most of you. Have a great race! The weather for race day is looking pretty good. And even beyond, through the rest of the 2015 track workout season. After next week’s post-Half recovery workout, we’ll round out the year on the 17th with our annual Jingle Bell Workout. More details coming!
Thursday Track Report: Variations On A Theme
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- Written by Bwana Bwana
November 19, 2015
It never ceases to surprise me the crappy conditions under which we’ll have a good turnout at the track, and the nice days that will see low turnout. I guess Thursday was ‘nice’ for mid-November, but I was still surprise that 25 runners, Jim Myers, John Domico, Bob Cornwall, Tom Cali, Lance Bland, Judd and Davis Michael, Ken Davis, Meira Minard, Esther Prins, Michael Goldfine, Dana Todd, John Wilcock, Mark Lee, Mike Renz, Alex Wouden, Ron Cunfer, Rob Peterson, Mike Zimmerman, Seth Senior, Mike Martin, Melissa Davies, David Lloyd, and Marty Mazur headed to the track under cloudy, breezy conditions with a light mist in the air.
Bwana’s workouts of late have been variations on a theme: Downward ladders of various height, and various volumes. The idea is to do each step in the ladder faster than the last, and to do as much volume as you can (or have time for). But even though they’ve all been similar, no two have been the same. Today’s reps were of medium length, but the rests were short: NX(800-600-400) with 100 meter rests between each rep. With that short rest, the idea is run a little more than a mile at about race pace with a couple of short breaks, getting faster after each break. Take a longer (400m) slow rest after each set and do at least N=2 sets. Ideal Half-Marathon volume would be 3 or 4.
Next week is Thanksgiving, so no Thursday Track. The following week’s workout will be a light, pre-race run. Then we’ll have to start thinking about the Jingle Bell Track Workout! (This year’s will probably be on 12/17). Have a great Thanksgiving!
Thursday Track Report: This, Not That
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- Written by Bwana Bwana
November 5, 2015
A breezy and very unseasonably warm day was the backdrop for this week’s workout. Bob Cornwall, John Domico, Tom Cali, Judd and Davis Michael, Lance Bland, Marty Klanchar, CJ Wagner, Andy Maguire, Meira Minard, Seth Senior, Alex Wouden, Melissa Davies, Mike Zimmerman, Bob Shafer, Dana Todd, Joel Niemann, Adam Ilgen, David Lloyd, and Marty Mazur headed to the track under sunny skies with temperatures in the low 70s. We’ve had warm weather before, even much later in the year. The 1998 Nittany Valley Half-Marathon was held on a record setting day in December when temperatures approached 70. But there has been a pretty long streak of this weather, and I'm not complaining.
Speaking of the Half, Bwana is keeping the Trackers focused on marathon and half-marathon training. Today’s workout was NX(800-400-200): the repetitions should be run at (10K+; 5K+; Mile) race paces with 200 meter rests between reps. Take 400 meters between each set. Do N=2 sets for a light workout and up to 5 for a high volume workout. This is a new workout for Bwana (a new twist after 20+ years of track workouts?!), and a good one. All of the Crew did at least N=2.
This weather is a blessing, but it won’t hold out. We may have a great day for the Half, but don’t count on it. Some of the best Novembers have turned south pretty quickly, leaving race day for the Half with blowing snow and icy roads. But every day it’s like this is a day it’s not like that (unless you’re from Buffalo, where both can happen in a day). So enjoy!
Thursday Track Report: Irish Spring
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- Written by Bwana Bwana
November 12, 2015
Conditions are changing, but it’s still a mild Fall. It was mostly cloudy and breezy with temperatures in the mid-50s as Bob Cornwall, Tom Cali, Judd and Davis Michael, Lance Bland, Ken Davis, Meira Minard, CJ Wagner, Dave DeGroote, Andy Maguire, Seth Senior, Mike Martin, Mike Renz, Mike Zimmerman, Ryan Burke, newcomer John Kennedy, Dana Todd, Adam Ilgen, David Lloyd, Joel Niemann, and Marty Mazur headed for the track. High winds and cooler temperatures held off until the evening (and weekend!), but still no flurries forecast.
Bwana welcomed newcomer John (not F.) Kennedy, brought aboard by Ryan Burke over at the All-Irish Gym. With an Irish Spring seeming not too far-fetched, Bwana kept the NVHM conditioning going with a little volumizing workout. 1200-800-400 at Half-10K-5K race pace, with 400 meters rest between reps.. Lather, rinse, and repeat for 2 reps, or 4800m total workout. Bwana was complimented on the fullness of the workout, in the mane, anyway: he heard complaints that it was too long for people who have to cut it short to get back to work. Remember, just like the label on the shampoo bottle, the workout is a suggestion. Do as much as you have time for. But if your training for a Half, 4800m of pace workout is what you should be doing about now (minimum).
We’re just 3 weeks out from the Half. Maybe one or two more high volume workouts to go. If you keep them up, you’ll be head and shoulders above the rest!
Thursday Track Report: Conquering Heroes
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- Written by Bwana Bwana
October 29, 2015
The conquering heroes returned from Tussey Mountain to talk about their mOUnTaiNBACK conquests and get their training going for late Fall races. John Domico, Bob Cornwall, Tom Cali, Lance Bland, Judd and Davis Michael, Ken Davis, Michael Goldfine, Meira Minard, Lucas Harris, Joel Niemann, Tari Helmers, Jim Laudermilch, Dana Todd, Tony Kwasnica, Rich Harter, Adam Ilgen, David Lloyd, and Marty Mazur headed to the track, where sunny skies and stiff autumn breezes welcomed them.
In fact, though there were many heroes, there were only four of today’s Trackers were conquerors: Dana Todd was part of Martha Nelson’s DCR Championship team. It was Martha’s first ever DCR victory. Dana was the oldest person on his team, by 17 years! Dana will be trying out for the JV squad of the Old Men of the Mountains next year. And though their team finished well back among DCR teams, Judd Michael and Michael Goldfine were on a team that took first among Standard Men’s Masters teams. This despite the team being captained by Costas Maranas (not present today), who did his customary injury dance. And Adam Ilgen was part of a Supra Team. They finished well back among the Supras, but anyone who does a Supra, especially the even Legs like Adam did (most miles, hardest Legs), is a conqueror.
Bwana got the Crew going on some late Fall marathon/half-marathon training. The call was 4X800 at 10K pace with a short, very slow 200m rest between reps. If you’re training on your own, do this workout at least once a week, working up to 8 or 10 reps at consistent pace. We’ll be continuing with long reps next week, though for workouts as long as 8 to 10 X 800, you're on your own. The key is consistency, and getting used to the volume. Soon enough, Winter will be here, and the training will switch to shorter, faster reps indoors.