This summer I change the emphasis for our track training and other workouts to more solid base training and a break from racing so you’ll be prepared for the Fall season of events. Steady mileage, hill training, maintaining turnover, some RRGrade Runs and extra long tempo work will prep you for either the XC Series of races Sept-Nov; the half marathons, such as Humboldt Half or Nike Half and triathlons. This is the time to learn new trails and take a break from racing so you’ll be refreshed and anticipating some of your Fall race choices. See if you can get in a solid 10 weeks or more of training – it will work wonders for your Fall races.

Last Friday we had some of the group run a 2-hour time trial to see how the base is progressing;. We will do the RRGrade run on Sunday 19th; another extended 13M time trial in August (say 8/14 or 8/16)  using our extended China Camp tempo course; then on Sept. 20th the DSE Half marathon around Lake Merced 2.5 times; then Humbold Half in October.

> COM TRACK site: The track at COM is open for now; I’m sure they will come around to condemming it officially. So in the meantime, I’m contacting Redwood HS to see if we can transfer our workouts to their location before the anticipated closure of the COM facility. I thought someone from the club had contacted Redwood HS, but I’m not sure if that’s been done, so I’ll follow-up this week. For now, we will continue to meet at COM for this Thursday….I do know we cannot use Redwood during the school year. I see no reason to “condemn” the track at COM: works for us!

> Intro to KETTLEBELL TRAINING: basic techniques for KB Swing, Deadlift, Clean & Press, how to breathe and generate power. JULY 19: 2-4:30pm with Gregg and Kelly at Edgewater Clubhouse on 1583 South Novato Blvd (see map on site: www.kettlebellinstructor.com) cost is $55 with plenty of hands-on help. You can contact them through their web site directly and ask any questions: his email is corefitnesstraining@yahoo.com. I’m suggesting that you learn the basics correctly and use the KB training to help with hamstrings, back, hips and core training – a very “functional” strength training tool.

LOOKING AHEAD: > Next Tuesday, July 14th: we will do our TEMPO practice repeats at China Camp. Mark it down! there will be a workout for all levels. Gives you a new venue, every half mile marked, and a chance to practice 2-8 miles of 10K to half marathon pace effort. We’ll do 2M warm-up, then do 1.5M pickup followed by .5M recovery run and repeat the process fro 2-4 bouts depending on distance you will be running.

> looking to do RRGrade, 8M on 7/19, Sunday in early am for those gearing up for the half marathon in Fall

> Note: I will be out 7/26-7/29th while daughter, Annelies and grandson , Bjorn are here!

7/6/09. MONDAY. bike ride from YMCA of Marin…35-60 miles…

7/7/09. TUESDAY. 6:30am TEMPO. China Camp location; more accurately just past Buck’s Landing at pull-off area in the dirt. I’ll be on the bike. Here’s a suggested workout: 2M warmup, 1.5M pickup to the 3.5M mark; then easy run to 4M mark, then do 2.5M tempo (to 6.5M mark); easy run to 7M mark; then 2M pickup to 9M mark; easy .5M to 9.5M and finish with a .5M pickup to 10M.

7/7/09. TUESDAY. 9am HILL REPEATS/TEMPO combo, but meet at Tenn Valley hiking parking lot.(1.5M west of church parking lot).

7/7/09..TUESDAY . 11-7 Kees will be at Arch Rival. (normally I’m off on Tuesdays).

7/9/09. THURSDAY. 7am & 9am. TRACK at COM. Two kinds of relays: 800’s and 400’s. We’ll have teams of two similar pace partners and do:

3 x 800 each: one runs while the other rests; (if there are extra people, simply run with group that is your pace)

4 x 400 each: one runs while the partner rests;

7/11/09. SATURDAY. 8am ED’s TRACK SESSION . (same as TH group)

7/11/09. SATURDAY. 7:30am. HILL REPEATS at base of hill by “VILLA MARIN: located on west side of Northgate Shopping Center. Do warmup at 7am, then be ready to go for the structured hill repeat and exercise session.

1) 1 x 10 BURPEES: Half-2 x Short – 1 x Sprint

2) 1 x 8 BOX JUMPS: 2 x Short – Half – Sprint

3) 1 x 10 “HALOS” with KB/Grip Plate: Long – Short – 2 x Sprint

4) 1 x 20 JUMPING JACKS:  3 x sprint – 2 x Half.

more to come, but this will get our basic training week going.