Thursday Track: On Hiatus

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Written by Bwana Bwana

October 10, 2019

Thursday Track is on indefinite hiatus. See the article http://nvrun.com/index.php/training/running-groups/thursday-track/3811-thursday-track-it-s-been-a-good-run

If there is a new upswing in interest in starting a lunchtime speed workout at the IM Fields (with a summer home at the State High track), the workout may resume. For now, runners wishing a speed workout can take advantage of the regular Wednesday Early Morning Workouts (5:40 AM year-round when the track is clear of snow), the lunchtime Tuesday Hill Workouts, or occasional evening workouts at the State High track. If you're interested in any of these workouts, subscribe to our email list (info here: http://nvrun.com/index.php/community/discussion) to get the latest times, and the meeting place for the Tuesday hill workout.

Thursday Track Report: Trying To Gain Track-tion

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Written by Bwana Bwana

September 19, 2019

Summer is ending in a magnificent way this year. Mild temperatures, brilliant blue skies, and relatively dry air have been the norm for the last week or so, and today was no exception. Even the condition of the IM Fields was better than usual, with the grass freshly mowed and no dew to hinder traction. Despite these conditions, only a handful of people showed up at the IM Fields: Mike Martin, Rich Harter, Andrew Tatusko, John Hardy, David Lloyd, and Marty Mazur all showed up today, and a couple of others buzzed by on their run but did not do the workout. Could the rest of the Crew have been kidnapped on Talk Like a Pirate Day? (Why is September 19 TLAPD anyway?)

Bwana called for a double downward ladder: Two sets of 1 lap (about 640 meters) - a half-lap (320 meters) and two long straights (about 260 meters each). The long rep was done at 5K race pace, the progressively shorter reps at a slightly faster pace. The kicker was the rest got shorter through each set: a long straight (260) after the 1 lapper, but much shorter rests (60 meters) after the other reps. This is a nice workout, and a modest volume (2 X 1480, or just under 3000 meters). The workout is easy to scale up if you have the time.

Next week, we hope to Fall into a routine with even cooler temperatures, and more people!

Thursday Track: It's Been A Good Run

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Written by Bwana Bwana

October 10, 2019

The last few months have seen participation in Thursday Track workouts dwindle to less than a handful. Bwana has seen ebbs and flows before. There were times back in the late 90s and early 2000s when he would normally see from 25 to 30 runners. But back then we had the PSU outdoor track, which we lost the use of back in 2016. The IM Fields has been a workable substitute, but it’s not a track. Yet Bwana was still seeing 10 to 15 runners show up at the IM Fields last summer and fall. The loss of the use of the indoor track last winter was another blow to both our workouts and to attendance. And so the ebbs have been “ebbier”, so that even during this past summer, when we had the lunchtime use of the State High track, there were usually at most a few, and never more than ten runners present. Some of this has been due to runners finding better times or different venues for their desired workouts. People interested in track workouts can still use the State High track almost year-round during non-school hours, and Jaimie Wright leads a group that does workouts there at Oh-Dark-Thirty (i.e. 5:40 AM) on Wednesdays. Another group heads over to the flat trails along Spring Creek for some scenic speed workouts. (These are people who have a pretty loose lunchtime schedule!) And there there have occasionally been groups that go to the State High track for evening workouts while we still have the light. And don’t forget the “track-with-gravity” lunchtime Tuesday Hill Workouts led by Mike Zimmerman. If you're interested in any of these workouts, join our listserve (info here: http://nvrun.com/index.php/community/discussion).

So Bwana has decided to put Thursday Track on indefinite hiatus. Note that he used the present perfect continuous tense in the subject line. Thursday Track *has* been a good run, lasting over 25 years. And it may continue to be a good run, in the future, if there is a new upswing in interest. But for now, keep up your training with one of the other workouts our Club members lead. And, as always,…Keep Running!

Thursday Track Report: The Pitts! (Almost)

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Written by Bwana Bwana

September 12, 2019

Bwana must’ve misread the forecast. I thought today was supposed to be nice! Well, I guess it was, compared to yesterday anyway. The temperature was down about 10 degrees, to around 80, but it was still uncomfortably humid as George Lesieutre, Mike Martin, Rich Harter, Andrew Tatusko, John Hardy, David Lloyd, and Marty Mazur headed for the IM Fields. A few others, including Randy Jepson, Costas Maranas, and Torrie Raisch said “Hi”, then went off to do an alternative workout. Some of the fields neighboring the IM Fields were being readied for the onslaught of the Pitt vs. PSU game on Saturday. Should be a fun weekend!

A couple of people were new to the IM Field venue, so Bwana decided to introduce them to the letter L. Not the L with the deep pit, fire, and brimstone, but another kind of L. The workout was to do 6 to 8 X L, an L being a long and short side of the rectangular IM Fields. That’s about 320 meters. (It used to be a bit more than 330, but they compressed the field markings a bit this year.) Run each L at 5K race pace plus (i.e. a little faster than race pace, but not a “kick” or sprint pace). Follow your L with a rest as long as the next side. Since the Field is about 260 X 60, you’re alternating long (260) and short (60) rests. It’s a challenge to keep the Ls consistent!

Things have picked up a little bit, attendance wise, and Bwana hope the trend continues. It was good to see George, Andrew, and Rich back at it. Hopefully we have a regular group of at least a dozen soon!