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Long Distance Archive - 2005 (Workout of 12/29/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) Here is tonight's work out-- We are going to do a horseshoe work out. You'll start by heading north on the westside, continue through the 102nd street cut off and head south on the eastside. At the needle (3 1/4 miles) you will make a U-turn and cover the same terrain in the opposite direction back to the statue. The goal is to run marathon pace for the first half and then half marathon pace for the second half. This is a basic lactate threshold work out so focus on pace and patience, particularly the first half so that you can accomplish the goal of running 1 minute faster for the second half. If you worked out yesterday at the armory or are racing tomorrow, you should not do this work out. See you at the statue, Have a safe and healthy New Year! Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 12/28/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) Here is tonight's work out which is going to be at the Armory. Since we are going to have back to back work outs, my recommendation is that you only run 1 of the 2 work outs. I would advise that you do track unless it doesn't fit into your schedule. Here goes--
We'll start at 5k pace and increase pace by one second per interval. An example would be to start at 2:05 for the first 600 and bring your time down to 1:58 by the final 600. The slight increase seems easy but remember that the recovery is relatively short so be patient. Racers for this friday's indoor meet should consult with me as I will recommend a slightly different work out depending on the individual and level of importance. Master's sprinters will do an entirely different work out. We'll discuss your work out during our orientation. Peace, Coach TR (Workout of 12/22/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) Since you ran a steady tempo run on tuesday we are going to switch gears and run a track style work out to keep those gears primed for indoor racing. This work out is unprecedented and is fairly intense. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 12/20/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Devon Martin) approx 4-5 miles steady state + warm up & warm down Warm up a mile (72nd to 88th) (Workout of 12/15/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) We'll start by heading south on the west side. The first pick up will be the Stuart mile which starts just below Tavern on the Green at the S marker and finishes on E 72nd street. Recover north on the east side to the needle. Here you'll start your second pick up which will head north on the east side and finish through the 102nd street cut off. (1 1/2 miles) Recover south on the west side to W 88th street and at the grating you'll complete the work out by running a mile back to the statue. The bookend miles should be done at 5k pace while the middle mile and a half should be done at 10k pace. Although the work out is relatively short, (5.1 miles) it is quite intense so make sure that you devise a plan which is appropriate for the high quality intervals. See you all at the statue, 7 pm. Peace, Coach TR. PS - please call the Armory to voice your displeasure at the timing of the cancellation of work outs, especially after the increased fees. Unless things change, we'll be on the roads on Tuesday at 7pm. Check the website for confirmation. (Workout of 12/13/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) Tomorrow will be our first indoor work out. It will be held at the armory. Master sprinters should come to the 8 pm session until further notice. I will have a different work out for you. In the coming weeks I will post it along with the road work out. Here are the details--
All of the pick ups should be done at 5k pace. No need to change gears for this one. Just nice, solid, consistent effort will do. Remember that you want to work on a solid foundation before switching gears. This is a good time set the foundation as it's too early for indoor racing (at least serious racing) and there are no scoring races for at least a month. Work on strength and stamina. I also like to point out that some work outs don't serve an immediate purpose but in fact are key to setting up future work outs. This is a case in point, you can gain much without testing the limits. Master sprinters will meet with me at 7:45 so I can give you specific instructions. Starting next week I will have an email list so that you can receive the work out through email prior to the work out. I want to get a better idea of who will be training with our group and we will in fact have a formal team work out every Tuesday. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 12/8/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) People racing Sunday's 10K will be given a separate workout tonight from the statue. (Workout of 12/06/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) Tomorrow will be our first indoor work out. It will be held at the armory. Master sprinters should come to the 8 pm session until further notice. I will have a different work out for you. In the coming weeks I will post it along with the road work out. Here are the details--
The entire workout should be at 5k pace. 10k racers should be particularly cautious, as you want to set up your race wisely. These should be run smoothly and in control. Keep in mind that it's your first indoor work out and you want to limit changing gears. Instead focus on your breathing and form. It will take a few work outs before you get comfortable with the air indoors. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 12/1/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) We are going to start by heading north on the west side. At W 86th street you'll start by doing a series of lamppost pick ups; 3 pick up, 2 recovery. You'll start a tempo run at W 102nd st. Start by going through the 102nd street cut off, then head south on the east side. Get your mile split at E 90th. Continue south and get a 2 mile split at the E 72nd street cut off. Go through the cut off and then head south on the west side and complete a lower loop for your 4 mile tempo run. You should run as consistently as possible, with your goal being to run at half marathon race pace. There are no special instructions for this one. No gear changing is required. These types of runs are strictly to recognize pace and find a good rhythm. Avoid the tendency to pick up the last mile as the goal can be accomplished by running in control without gear play. This seems insignificant, but why tear muscle fiber when it can be conserved. And besides, this type of tendency can often lead to injuries. See you at the statue and if not there, then I'll see you on the dance floor at our annual awards ceremony. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 11/29/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) We’ll head to the reservoir and reassemble. We’ll start by doing 10 lampposts pick ups (approximately 300 yds) with 5 recovery for the first loop. Recover to the southern pumphouse. Pick up from that point to E 90th street. (Approximately 550 yds) Recover to the 400yd mark, where you will pick up to the northern pumphouse. (400 yds) Recover to W 90th and pick up to the W 86th street entrance to complete the 2nd loop. (400 yds) Recover once again to the southern pumphouse and repeat the 2nd loop sequence. The first loop pick ups should be done at 5k pace, while the second and third loop pick ups should be done at 3k pace. The key to having success with this type of work out is to be patient for the first loop. Remember that you will be running anaerobically and therefore should be monitoring your expense of energy so that you always have room for slight improvements on pace. This will be the case as you progress through your second and third loops. See you at the statue at 7pm. We will be going indoors at The Armory next week and also remember that there has been a change in venue for the annual awards party this Saturday, Dec. 3, 2005. The new venue is:
See you there! Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 11/22/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) Since it looks like rain we'll probably do some hills. We'll start by heading north on the west side. We'll regroup at W 86th street. (Workout of 11/17/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Stuart Calderwood) We'll start with a two-mile warmup through the 72nd Street Transverse and north on the East Side to the 102nd Street Transverse, with three three-pole pickups (and two two-pole rests) starting at the entrance to the reservoir at about East 86th Street. At East 102nd, we'll start the workout: three one-mile runs at 10K pace, thinking the entire time about the Joe Kleinerman 10K on December 11th and how much Kevin Arlyck would like our men's open team to beat GNY there. (Think about this even if you are Margot Sheehan or Felice Kelly; a subtle transference of this kind of energy amongst a group of people, commonly known as "camaraderie," has been shown to be of value before important contests.). On Mile #1, you'll go through the transverse and south on the West Side to the grating at approximately West 88th Street. For Mile #2, you'll retrace that course the other way. Mile #3 will repeat #1. The rest interval after Miles #1 and #2 is to jog with your reconvened group for one minute in the same way you were running, turn around, and then return to the finish of the last run. (After #2, jog a minute to the south.) The course on which Miles #1 and #3 will be run is approximately 5-10 seconds slower than that for Mile #2. Please adjust your typically overzealous expectations of yourself accordingly. For this workout, let's adopt the standard trail-hiking practice of staying to our own right as we approach other people coming at us in the other direction. Although this will give a better workout to the team's left arms, which will do all the high-fiving, than to the comparatively idle right arms, it will lessen the likelihood of those awkward both-go-left, then both-go-right moments that occur when people approach from opposite directions--and, if Harry Lichtenstein is involved, the likelihood of people getting knocked on their ass. After Mile #3, cruise back down the West Side to the statue (one mile), giving yourself between about 6.4 and 6.6 miles for the whole thing, depending on how far you jog in a given minute. Ride on the Peace Train-- (Workout of 11/15/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) Since rain is in the forecast we will not be on the Reservoir, instead we'll run some intervals on the East Side starting at E 97th Street. Here it is- We'll start by jogging through the cut-off and head North on the East Side. At the needle we will start a sequence of lamppost pick-ups as a warm-up. You'll pick-up 1 lamppost, recover 1, pick-up 2, recover 2, pick-up 3 and jog to E 97th where we will regroup. The first 2 pick-ups will be 1K from E 97th to E 86th (end of straightaway). Jog to the entrance of the Reservoir and back to E 86th. Run the same 1K in the opposite direction back to E 97th. Both of these should be at 5K pace. Recover 3 lampposts heading North and make a U-turn back to E 97th, where you will do your first of four 600's to E 90th. These are to be run at 3K pace. Similar to the 1K's, you'll recover 3 lampposts and make a U-turn, then pick-up the same 600 in the opposite direction back to E 97th. Once again follow the same recovery pattern for the final two 600's. I will assist the groups as we progress through the workout. See you at the statue at 7pm. Peace, Coach TR (Workout of 11/10/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) We are going to run the entire workout on the lower loop. The workout will consist of a tempo run of 3 loops. Each loop is 1.7 miles, so the total run will be 5.1 miles. Although we are looking to run in rhythmic fashion, I want you to focus particularly on the downhill portions of the loop. You will warm up by jogging across the cut-off and back to the statue. Start the tempo run by going through the cut-off and heading South on the East side. As you approach the carousel you will start to change your cadence and slightly lengthen your stride to allow for a balanced flow as you pick-up slightly on the gradual downhill. Once you level off, you will resume your tempo rhythm (half-marathon pace). The slight downhill pick-up should not be exagerrated as you do not want to make a big adjustment from too quick of a pick-up. The goal is to run half-marathon pace but if you've done the appropriate pick-ups, you should wind up running slightly quicker than half-marathon pace. See you at Danny's 7pm. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 11/8/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) This workout will be conducted entirely on the Reservoir.We'll meet at the Daniel Webster statue on W72nd Street and jog up to the Reservoir in groups. The first interval will start at W86th Street and finish at E90th Street (1K). You'll recover to the 440 yard marker (1/4 mile) and start your second pick-up of a 3/4 mile back to W86th Street. Recover 1/4 mile to the Southern pumphouse and pick-up to the Northern pumphouse (.8 mile). Recover 1/4 mile to the 3/4 mile marker (1320 yards) and do a half-mile pick-up to the 1 1/4 mile mark just past the Southern pumphouse. Recover to E90th Street and finish with 2x1/4 mile. The first 1/4 will end at the 440 yard marker, then recover to the Northern pumphouse and start your second 1/4 mile which ends at the 3/4 mile marker (W90th). Jog back to W86th Street and either jog home or back to the statue. The pick-ups should be done at 5K pace throughout the workout except for the final 2x1/4 mile's which should be attempted at 3K pace, or 3 seconds faster per 1/4 than your 5K pace. We will be meeting at the staue at 7pm every Tuesday (as well as Thursdays) for the rest of the month of November. Please arrive on time as I will need a few minutes to recognize the sparkling performances this past weekend, both in the hills of Van Cortland and the streets of New York City! Peace,Coach TR (Workout of 11/3/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) The entire work out will be done on the reservoir-- The first and second pick ups should be done at 10k pace. The final loop will take care of itself as you will not be able to set a goal pace, instead run by feel. Use increments of energy reserves as you feel necessary but never get out of control. You'll be surprised at the final result as the speedplay will force you to run faster than you think. Jog back to the statue or go home from there. See you all at the wall of Orange on Sunday or at the Parlour. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 11/1/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz)
The mile should be done at 5K pace. The 600's should be done at 3K pace and the 300's should be for finishing form and turnover. For Marathoners: 2 mile warm-up These 300's are merely to release nervous energy and elevate the heartrate. All the limited running you do this week should be very easy. (Workout of 10/27/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) Thursday night will be the last quality workout for NYC marathoners. After completing this one you'll have no choice but to taper! We are going to run one of our traditional pre-marathon workouts. The total will be 9 miles. Here goes - You'll break this one into 3 segments. The first 3 will head North on the West Side, around the Harlem Hills and South on the East Side where I will give you a 3 mile split (entrance to E102nd). The first 3 miles should be done at Marathon pace. Once you get your split, you'll change gears for the next 3 miles, continuing South on the East Side and completing the lower loop. These 3 miles should be run at half-Marathon pace. I'll give you a 6 mile split near the statue (W72nd). Now comes the fun part. You'll continue North on the West Side but this time you'll go through the 102nd Street cut-off and head South on the East Side finishing just around the turn at E86th Street. Here you will get your 9 mile split. You'll run the final 3 at Marathon pace. The reason I refer to the final portion as fun is that it will conclude the quality portion of your training and initiate the all important taper and mental preparation that it will take to run a strong marathon next Sunday. I also like to point out that the last segment of your race will be fun as you would have been patiently waiting to slowly release stored energy. If you want to learn more about these principles, be at Richard Kixmiller's tonight where I will go more in depth about these concerns. Hope to see you there tonight. If not, come ready, one last time to rock, sock and shock. It's almost time to take over NY, it won't be easy but you are all soldiers with dignity and heart so we'll be ready. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 10/25/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz)
The 400's should all be done at 5K pace. Marathoners should run this workout with a view to conserving energy for Thursday's Road Workout which will be the last solid effort before the New York City Marathon. (Workout of 10/20/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) A long tempo run which will head north on the west side, two harlem loops and back south on the west side to the statue. It is exactly 10k. We'll warm up through the cut off and back to the statue before starting. The goal will be to run at marathon pace. It's really quite simple and makes for good practice of race pace recognition. Take into account the changes in terrain and make the proper adjustment in terms of how much energy you will expend in order to stay on pace. There will be points where your cadence must change, but be sure not to overcompensate for difficult terrain. Ultimately you'll want to be no more than 10 seconds on either side (faster or slower) of your goal pace. See you at the statue, 7pm. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 10/18/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz)
The 2000's should be run at 5k pace. The 200's are for speed work. Keep in mind that when I say "speedwork," it is relative to what you normally run. Since most of you are training to race longer races, you are not expected to run at top capacity. That will come when you are training indoor for track races. Run fast but in control. Good form work will usually do the trick. I don't want pulled muscles. Stay upright with good knee action. This type of work will help you run with good form while tired. Please arrive on time as we need to get going immediately and as always, flashlights are welcomed. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 10/13/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) Let's start by doing a warm up through the cut off and back to the statue. Here we will start our first pick up which will be 2 miles. Go through the 72nd street cut off and complete a lower loop, finishing back at East 72nd street. Recover (1/2 mile)north to the needle where you will start pick up #2 which will be 1 1/2 miles, heading north and finishing through the 102nd street cut off. After the 2nd pick up you'll recover south approximately 3/4 miles to the grating at W 88th street, where you will finish with a down hill mile back to the statue. Notice the descending lengths of your intervals. While this work out will accumulate some lactic acid, it is not designed to tear you down. The goal should be 10k pace. While that seems pretty quick, keep in mind that the terrain favors you for the 2nd and 3rd pick ups. I want you to run these quick but with control and precision. I like the idea of descnding order for 2 reasons; the first is that at this point you should be in a taper frame of mind so I'd like marathoners to look at this work out as a prelude to the taper portion of your race plan. Three weeks to go, each week should be reduced 25%, similar to the intervals. The second is that with each descending interval you should gain confidence because the next interval is shorter and easier. If you run with precision, then each effort should be less stressful than the previous. And the big reward is a downhill mile. If you are punctual with your pace then this final mile will be a breeze. I really think that most well run marathons have pace, precision, and timing as common threads so use this work out to build confidence in those areas. You have little time to waste so take advantage of even the slightest edge you may have on your competition. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 10/11/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz)
The entire work out should be done at 5k pace. The final 300's are for form work. Keep in mind that the recoveries are relatively short so be precise with your pace work. Try to be rhythmic and avoid changing gears until the 300's. Please be reminded that we are starting promptly and any flashlights would be put to good use. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 10/06/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Stuart Calderwood) You'll start with a 1.1-mile warmup: across the 72nd Street Transverse, back to the Webster statue, then north on the West Side until you reach the half-mile mark, where a coach who has just measured it with his fancy new wheel will be loitering with intent to measure something else. There you'll start a 3-mile pickup at approximately half-marathon pace: around the north end of the park and down the east side, finishing at the East 90th Street entrance. (A hint to the A-group [okay, to Neil Brenner]: no matter how jacked up you may be, your half-marathon pace is not yet in the 5:20s.) From there — and this is important — you'll back off only to about marathon pace and continue from that spot — not coincidentally where the NYC Marathon enters the park — to the marathon finish, on the marathon course. This means that you'll take the exit that leaves the loop-drive to its left at about East 66th Street, follow that to the traffic circle at 59th Street and 5th Avenue, turn right on 59th, run along the sidewalk, refrain from reenacting the legendary German Silva wrong turn at 7th Avenue, reenter the park at Columbus Circle via the north-northeasterly diagonal entrance, and then proceed to the marathon finish at Tavern on the Green (watch for a large topiary gorilla on your left.) Please try to resist the urge to stop your watch until you're well past the line, as your arms can easily obscure your race number and thus deprive you of the opportunity to purchase wildly overpriced finish-line photos from Brightroom, Marathon Foto, or Action Sports International. You may then at least partially recover by jogging back to the Webster statue for a total of about 7 miles. No justice, no peace — (Workout of 10/04/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz)
The entire work out is to be down at 5k pace. As you've noticed, I have concluded this work out with a long item. This is of course to keep you honest as you progress throught he 400's. Also, I've taken into consideration that many of you raced Grete's this weekend and would prefer that you not run this work out too hard. Your primary work out this week will be thursday night. It really makes lots of sense to conserve energy for the lactose threshold work out on thursday and I want people recovered to avoid injuries. You will optimize this week of training by shifting your focus to later on in the week, when you have recovered from last weeks race. And remember to be prompt as we will start on time, flashlights are welcomed, they seemed to help some last week. Thanks. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 9/29/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) OK, so you want to get ready for a marathon. This is grit week as you know....well if you didn't know it's time to get dirty, which means boring but neccessary. Pretty basic and geographically accomodating. Here's the trick, you'll be expected to run the first loop at marathon pace, followed by half marathon pace for the second loop. (10-15 seconds faster per mile) This means that you should run between 40 seconds to 1 minute faster for the second loop. Lactate threshold work outs are the most important ingredient to master, if you are to run a good marathon. This is not to take away from the value of your long runs, but those are generally easier because you have more room for error. Threshold running is not as forgiving as long runs and if you are off in terms of your pace early, lactic acid will hamper your ability to respond to the messages which your mind sends to the body, there will be no time to recover. Generally if you run this work out as designed it will produce a feeling of confidence and euphoria unmatched by any style of work out, including track work outs. The reason is quite simple, the demands of your total focus and concentration are spread over an hour of intense running which gives the notion of invincibilty and supreme confidence. Even if you are not successful in your target goals, the physical intesity will improve cardiovascular condition although you'll not gain on the mental front. Be smart, plan ahead and of course be disciplined and you'll really benefit from this one! Peace, Coach TR (Workout of 9/27/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz)
The miles are to be run at 5k pace, as well as the 800. As you can see the recovery is very short so it's imperative that you be as precise as possible. Your approach should be cautious. Pace recognition is the key to this work out. Finding a rhythm is another priority. Use the three miles to gauge your patience and discipline. You'll need all of these characteristics for a successful marathon. The last 800 will test your mettle as you'll be depleted and lactic acid will start to accumulate so be smart. Please be prompt as I will start announcements at 6:30. Also, if you have a flashlight we would appreciate it as we have not had any lights the previous 2 weeks. The lights on the backstraight have been torn down and the other 2 have not been activated. I have spoken to a couple of people who may be able to help with the lights, but until then we have to supply our own and get started as soon as possible. Thanks. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 9/22/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) Start by heading north on the west side. At the w 102nd street cut off you'll start your first pick up. You'll go through the cut off to the east side and go north and complete 2 northern hill loops finishing back at the e 102nd street cut off. Recover south on the east side to 90th street where you will start your second pick up. Continue south and go around the lower loop finishing at just below tavern on the green for a 2.1 mile pick up. Jog back to the statue. The first pick up (5k) will be at 10 mile pace while the second pick up (2.1) will be at 10k pace. As always, be sure to conserve energy, although the second pick up will be easier in terms of terrain. This does not mean that you can hammer the first pick up. It means that your distribution of energy should be measured to accommodate both pick ups. Drink plenty of fluids as it?s still quite hot. See you at the statue. Peace, Coach TR (Workout of 9/20/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Alan Ruben)
The 600's should be done at 3K pace and the 1200's should be done at 5K pace. It is important not to run the first two 600's quicker than 3K pace because that will make it harder to run the two 1200's at 5K pace, which is the meat of this workout. Be there promptly at 6:30pm because with the fading light, we will be starting right away. A warm congratulations to everyone who raced the half-marathon in Philadelphia this past weekend - you have earned yourself a day off and should set yourself up for Thursday night's workout. Timers are always welcome, though. (Workout of 9/15/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Alan Ruben) Head North from the statue. At 86th Street do a warm-up series of lampposts - 3 lampposts on, 2 lampposts off. At the 102nd Street transverse start a 2.05 mile pick-up as follows: contine North and complete a Northern Hill loop through the 102nd Street transverse and start a second Northern Hill loop heading North on the West Drive up the small hill and down the large hill finishing at 110th Street. Recover to the 102nd Street transverse and start your second 2.05 mile pick-up South on the East Drive and across the 72nd Street transverse finishing at the statue. Total distance 6.3 miles. The first 2.05 mile pick-up should be done at 10 mile pace and the second one should be done at 10K pace. The terrain with the hills of the first pick-up is harder so that an even effort distribution should result in a naturally faster second pick-up. For people running this Sunday's Philadelphia Distance Run. Head up to 86th Street then get on the Reservoir and continue to the Northern pumphouse where you get back on the Reservoir after a small detour on the Bridle path due to construction work. Then start a 1 mile pick-up at your half-marathon goal pace to just past the 1.5 mile mark on the Reservoir (a little before you get to 90th Street on the East Side). Then recover to the same point where you started the mile pick-up from (the Northern pumphouse) and do three 1 minute pick-ups followed by 30 seconds recovery. (Workout of 9/13/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Alan Ruben)
The 400m should be done at 5K pace and the 1600m should be done at your goal Half- Marathon pace for this Sunday's Philadelphia Distance Run if you are running, otherwise at 10K pace. (Workout of 9/08/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) OK, it's time to test your mettle. The weathers perfect and the time is now! For Philly pholks, this will be your last high intensity work out, here goes-- The entire work out will be done at the reservoir, so we'll jog up in our normal groups. Once there, you will do 2 x 3.14 miles. (2 loops) The first 3.14 will start as soon as you hop on to the reservoir at W 86th st. When you complete the first pick up, recover in the same direction (counter clockwise) 1k to E 90th street. Once again pick up 3.14 miles or two loops, whichever you prefer finishing at E 90th. Jog back to W 86th and go home or head back to the statue. The pace on these should be half marathon pace. Try to run even for all four of the pick up laps. Be careful not to get too excited as the weather has been really nice. Be patient and remove all volatility from your pace. This means, don't react to others moves. I have to vacate the computer lab so we'll talk more tomorrow. Peace, Coach TR (Workout of 9/06/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz)
The 1k's are to be done at 5k pace. As has been the trend the previous 2 weeks, these should be done in rhythmic fashion. Remember that vo2 max is best attained by running at 5k pace, not faster than 5k pace, so if you are to achieve the desired goal of this type of work out you must be consistent and disciplined. See you at the track. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 8/25/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) We are going to run 2 x 1.4 miles of the harlem loop. This will be followed by 3 x 3 lampposts pick ups. You'll start by heading north on the west side. When you get to W 102 st cut off you'll start your first 1.4 mile interval, heading north on the west side and completing the harlem loop (W 102nd st.) You'll recover through the cut off to E 102nd st, (1/4 mile) where you will head north and complete your second 1.4 mile pick up back to E 102nd st. After your second pickup, head south on the east side to E 97th, where the traffic flows through the park. Here you will start your lampposts. Pick up for 3 lamppost and recover for 2 lamppost. Repeat the sequence three times. The 1.4 mile pick ups should be done at 10k pace. Try and see how close you come in terms of perfect pacing. Remember that the terrain will vary and the first interval will be the tougher of the two so distribute your effort accordingly. In other words, you'll be expected to work at 60% capacity to achieve the goal of 10k pace for the first one, while you can exert 40% for the second one, due to easier terrain. (mostly downhill) This will key in on your ability to distribute energy wisely. Also keep in mind that it may be humid so factor that in also. If it rains then perhaps you can take advantage of the cooling down of your body temperature. Either way, run efficient and conserve a little for those long lampposts. These are seemingly easy by comparison but you want to have a little turnover so that you are confident that at the end of races you will not have major collapses. See you at 7pm sharp. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 8/30/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz)
The entire work out should be done at 5k pace. Find a pace and rhythm and stay true to yourself. Do not let others pace influence your own. This is key when you are looking for consistency in your running. See you at the track. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 8/25/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) Tomorrow we will do an out and back, horseshoe style. You'll start by heading north on the west side, go through the 102nd st. cut off and head south on the east side. You'll complete the first half of the tempo run at the needle and make a U-turn and cover the same terrain in the opposite direction back to the statue. The goal is to run 10-15 seconds slower than half marathon pace for the first half, followed by half marathon pace for the second half. The total distance is 6 1/2 miles. Be sure to measure your effort early on so that you have something in reserve for the final 3 1/4 miles. Lactate threshold running is a key component in successful long distance racing. The best approach is to get early splits so you have an idea of how much effort you are exerting. The first mile mark is the grating at w 88th st. The 2 mile mark is one lamppost after you've cleared the 102nd st. cut off heading south on the east side. See you all at the statue, 7pm sharp. Peace, Coach TR (Workout of 8/23/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) Since we won saturday, we will not do 20 x 1 mile. There were many concerns during the latter part of the game and some even panicked, resulting in some heated arguments. I stood my ground despite Handelman's plea to "get the starters back in." Joe Torre has taught me that cooler heads prevail and that no matter what the boss says, on the field, it's my team. I believed in my players despite the small collapse and felt we would hold on to victory. Josh was courageous on the mound and contributed mightily to our victory. Thanks to all 32 players and our cheerleading section. It was a true team win. And in the end the boss (Handelman) left with a big grin! He just wanted the win, by any means necessary. He extended my contract after blasting me, what a guy. Here we go, as we switch gears a bit from our short road racing season to our x-country, long road portion of the season.
The entire work out should be done at 5k pace. Keep in mind that the purpose of track works for most of you is to maximize VO2. This means that the closer you are to 5k pace, the greater your chances of improving your VO2. Be patient, stay relaxed, and find your rhythm as these principles are much more relevant in longer races. They will play a huge role in determining whether you race well in the longer races so change the mind set and cadence in order to attain some of these traits. See you at the track. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 8/18/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) Here is the work out for those not racing this weekend. We'll head up to the reservoir and do a tempo run of 2 loops of the reservoir (3.14 miles) or approximately 5k. The first loop should be done at 10 mile pace and the second at 10k pace. You should focus on running in control and in rhythm. Racers should jog 4 miles with 4-6 straightaways in preparation for the soft........I mean race saturday. The softball game will be icing on the cake, although the icing sometimes is more gratifying than the cake! Either way be ready to rock and roll and remember every member counts and of course wear the orange with pride and dignity this weekend. Peace, Coach TR (Workout of 8/16/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz)
These should be run comfortably at 5k pace. Refrain from running faster "just because" it a short work out. This will not serve to prepare you for the 5 miler this weekend. You want to run as smooth and in control as possible. The energy conservation will pay dividends this weekend. And remember to warm up those arms, take some hitting and fielding practice in preparation for this weeks game. Bring any gloves that you may have stored away and any bats as well. If you have some softballs, those will be useful too. See ya'll at the track. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 8/11/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) Here is today's work out-- You will do 3 x 1 mile. Start by going through the 72nd st. cutoff and head north on the east side. At e 85th st you'll start your first mile, running north and finishing at the cutoff. (102nd st) Recover through the cut off and start your second mile, one lamppost past the w 102nd st. cut off heading south and finishing at the fork on w 84th st. When you have completed the second mile turn around and recover on the reservoir counter clockwise and complete the last mile by starting at east 90th st. and finishing at w 86th st. The pace for the first two miles should be at 10 mile pace while the final mile should be at 10k pace. Keep in mind that the first two pick ups will be seperated by a short recovery (1/4 mile) while the final pick up will will be preceeded by a 3/4 mile recovery. This means that if you run patiently the final item will be set up so that you can fly. I want you to get used to this type of race strategy for next weeks 5 mile club championship race. It has been my experience from racing and watching this race over the years that most people die a hard death in the last mile of the race. If you stay conservative you will pick up many "hangers on" as they struggle up cat hill and then you can put them away on the final mile. Remember that it's a competitive race so many runners have the tendency to go with a very fast pace and ultimately pay the price of their inefficiency. So be smart and have confidence that the packs will come back to you. It's the best way to plan for a race of this length at this time of year. I'll see you on the track Tuesday. Peace, Coach TR PS - After this work out you should taper off this weekend, that means no long runs. Max out at 10 miles, Nothing longer than that. (Workout of 8/09/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz)
The 400's and the mile should be done at 5k pace. The final 300's are for good form and turnover. The main focus should be on running a solid mile. The key to running a good mile will be your patience in the initial 400's. See you all at the track. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 8/04/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) Tomorrow's work out will be a loop (6.1 miles)including the harlem hills. We will do a fartlek type work out in a ladder style. You will jog south on the west side to the "S" just below tavern on the green, complete the lower loop and head north on the east side and finish heading south on the west side. You'll do a series of timed pickups. Here is the sequence in minutes: 1,3,5,5,3,1. The recovery sequence will be the following: 1,2,3,3,2,1. These are to be run in tempo fashion. Since it will be scorching, you should not be so concerned with how much terrain you are covering but instead focus on trying to run conservative and finding a rhythm which you can handle in the intense heat. We'll designate group leaders who will be responsible for elasped time. different pace setters can make farlek running easier and less stressful which is advantageous in extreme heat so be good teammates and try not to run each other into the ground....and oh, by the way, try to not melt if at all possible. See you at the statue, 7pm sharp. Peace. See you at 7pm sharp. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 8/02/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz)
We'll run the 600's starting at 5k pace and finishing the final two at 3k pace. The 200's are for turnover and form. Drink lots of fluids on a consistent basis. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 7/28/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) We are going to run 2 x 2 miles. It's going to be very simple. We'll jog south on the west side to just below tavern on the green. At the "S" on west 64th street, we'll start our first pick up which will go south and around the lower loop, continuing north on the east side, finishing at east 90th street. You'll recover by jogging to east 97th and turning around and heading back south. (make a water stop) Start your second 2 mile at east 90th street and head south covering the same terrain in the opposite direction, obviously finishing at the "S". These should both be at 10k pace. They will be pretty quick but you'll be fresh for the first one then you'll get about a 3/4 mile recovery and have favorable terrain for the second one. I know...it's easy for me to say! See you at 7pm sharp. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 7/26/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz)
The 200's should be done at 3k pace. The recovery should be run in the same direction as the pick ups. The final 600 serves two purposes; keeps you honest and tests your ability to run under stressful situations. Remember that the 200's should not be quicker than 3k pace. These will sneak up on you, especially in 95 degree heat. The final 600 should be attempted at 3k pace so you'll need to reserve for the final stretch drive. See you at the track. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 7/21/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) Tomorrow's work out will be done at the reservoir. Here it is-- Head north on the west side to the reservoir. (w 86th st) You'll do your first pick up (counter clockwise) from w 86th to e 90th street. (approx 1k) Recover to the 400 mtr marking. Pick up from there back to w 86th st. (3/4 mile) Recover to the southern pumphouse, (1/4 mile) and start your third pick up to the northern pumphouse. (litte more than 3/4) recover to the 1200 mtr mark (around w 90th st) and pick up to just below the southern pumphouse. (1/2 mile) Recover to the northern pumphouse and finish by doing lamppost pick ups of 3, 5, 7 with 2 recovery. Jog back to the stautue. All of the pick ups should be at 10k pace, except the lamppost which should be done with good form. Each one should be quicker than the previous but do not overextend. Be sure to drink water by the southern pumphouse on the 2nd and 3rd loops. See you at the statue. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 7/19/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz)
The first set should be done at 5k pace. It seems easy enough but take into account that it will be hot and muggy, so use this first set to get used to the air quality and see how much energy you will have to excert to run 3k pace for the final 2 sets. You'll be glad to know that the work out is a bit shorter than what we are accustomed to. I think the timing is right for short and quick, since trying to run longer intervals may be quite frustrating. We also are coming off one of the great weekends in CPTC racing history and there are many tired legs so I'm being considerate to all those who doubled, tripled, and PR'd at the USA track and field club champs. Congrats to both Men and Women on their performances. It was certainly one of the highlights in my coaching career and a meet that I will long remember. There were too many highlights to mention just one, but if I had to, I'd give my purple heart to Alberta Anderson who suffered a sprained ankle on her first lap of the steeplechase and continued to run despite excruciating pain, capturing 4th place and 5 very important points for a women's team that came in 4th place overall. That was a $$$$ position. What a trooper. The men were a solid 6th with many impressive and courageous performances as well. See ya'll at the track. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 7/14/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) Here is the work out for those not competing at Track Club Nationals-- We'll start by heading north on the west side. Your first pick up will start at the grating on w 88th st and finsh at the cut off. (w 102nd st) This pick up is just under a 3/4 mile. Recover north over the Harlem hills to 110th st. Start your second pick up and complete the Harlem loop back to w 102nd st. This pick up is slightly longer than 3/4 mile. Recover south back to the grating at w 88th st. and pick up 1 mile to the statue. (w 72nd st) Recover through the cut off and start your last pick of 1 mile at e 72nd st, (stuart mile) heading south around the lower loop and finishing at the "S" just below tavern on the green. These pick ups should be done at 10k pace. Be wise by conserving energy when the terrain is in your favor. This conservation will pay off, especially in the Harlem hill pick up and the final mile where the terrain is more challenging. If you notice, the terrain shifts are alternating so it is important that you map out a plan for how much effort will be needed to accomplish your goal pace. Obviously less energy is needed for the easier pick ups where as more energy expense will be required for the tougher terrain. As always, hydrate during the day and you will have a chance to stop for water after the second pick up during your recovery south on the west side. Looking forward to seeing you at the statue, 7 pm. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 7/12/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz)
We are going to do some 400's tomorrow. I will assign athletes individually, depending on what I feel is appropriate as a set up for Friday and Saturday races. Some folks may even run shorter. People not racing friday or saturday will run-- 3 x 200, followed by You'll run the first half at 5k pace, followed by 3k pace for the second half. Look forward to seeing you tomorrow. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 7/07/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) We are going to run 3 x 1 1/2 mile repeats. This is how we'll do it-- Jog through the cut off and head north on the east side to the needle. We'll regroup, turn around and set up into groups where you will head south starting at the needle. Go through the 72nd st cut off and head north on the west side and finish at W 84th street. I will be at the finish to guide you. When you are done, you'll recover to the reservoir (W86th st) and jog counter clock wise on the horsepath to the southern pumphouse. Get back on the road and start your 2nd and 3rd pick ups at the needle. The goal will be to run the first 2 pick ups at 10 mile pace and finish the last one at 10k pace. It will be a tough test as you will be running uphill after an exhilerating downhill to start. Stay composed and have reserves as it will be pretty humid and warm. If you can nail that last item at your goal pace you will have run a solid work out. Starting at 10k pace will be a big mistake as you will be hard pressed to match your first time, so beware. See you all at the statue, 7 pm. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 7/05/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz)
The key to this work out is to maintain 5k pace for all of the longer intervals. The 400's in the middle should be run at 3k pace. This type of mid race pick up is important because you should be able change gears but not to the extreme. Short bursts can assure that you still have another gear. Once you have determined that the "gear" is available, you must then position yourself for the sustained drive to the finish which is key to success in shorter races. Be sure to continue hydrating as we are entering the hot months and want to be ready for the heat. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 6/30/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) Here goes-- We'll start by heading south on the west side. Get a solid warm up and at E 72nd street we'll do a 2 mile pick up heading east and finishing through the 102nd street cut off on the west side. Recover to w 88th street and start a mile pick up from the grating back to the statue. Recover south on the west side to the "S" just below tavern on the green and finish with another mile pick up to E 72nd street. Jog through the cut off back to the statue. All the pick ups should be attempted at 10k pace. The terrain in the first 2 pick ups are primarily flat and downhill so while you want to run quick, try to conserve for that last mile which will be the toughest pick up. The total distance is 6.8 miles. I'll see you at the statue, 7 pm. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 6/28/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) We will be meeting at Icahn Stadium instead of our normal work out. Check out the website for more details of the race. Bring your spikes! Take the Lexington Ave line to 125th street and then transfer to the M35 bus to Icahn Stadium. See you at the track. (Workout of 6/23/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) We will be meeting at the Daniel Webster Statue as usual at 7:00pm. The road will be crowded because of tonight's Corporate Challenge race so our entire workout will be on the bridle path and the Reservoir. The Reservoir might also be crowded on such a nice sunny evening so lease be mindful of our fellow users on the Reservoir. We will start by heading South to Tavern on the Green and then doing a u-turn across the road and getting onto the Bridle Path heading North. We will get onto the Reservoir at 86th Street on the West side and start our pick-ups. We will be doing two full loops of the Reservoir and picking up for a number of lampposts as follows: 3, 5, 7, 9, 12, 12, 9, 7, 5, 3. The recovery will always be 3 lampposts except after the two 12 lamppost pickups where the recovery will be 6 lampposts. We will then head back to the statue heading South on the bridle path and rejoining the West Drive at around 75th Street. All the lamppost pickups should be done at 5K pace, that is they are not sprints. It is best to view this workout as a 5K run (2 loops of the Reservoir) where you are changing gears a little for the lamppost pickups and then backing off just a little for the recovery (not a jog - probably closer to 10 mile pace). NOTE: If the number of lamppost pick-ups and recoveries doesn't match the two loops of the reservoir, end the pick-up after exactly two loops and get your 5K split, either by cutting short the sequence or by adding to the sequence (3, 5, ...). (Workout of 6/21/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz)
The first 4 items should all be done at 5K pace. The 3x400m should be done at 3K pace. We are likely to be short on timers so if anyone can come down to the track to help time it will be greatly appreciated. (Workout of 6/16/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) Sorry for my tardiness in getting this work out to you but I was at Yankee Stadium hangin' with Scott Johnson. It was one of those classic Yankee games ending in dramatic fashion. It was my first game this year, the timing was perfect as they needed my energy to restore the magic. Here's what I conjured up on my 2 hour ride back home-- You'll run north on the west side. At W 86th street you'll start your first 1k pick up to W 97th street. Recover to W 102nd street. Do another 1k pick up, heading north on the Harlem hills and finishing at the northernmost tip of the park or 110th st. Recover to E 102nd street and pick up for a 1/2 mile through the cutoff and head north finishing at the top of the hill. Recover down the hill back to 110th street and finish off with a pick up of just over a 3/4 mile, back to the W 102nd st cut off. Once you are done with this last long item, recover south to W 90th street and finish with 3 lampposts pick ups, recovering 2. Repeat 3 times. These should be done with good form. All the pick ups should be attempted at 10k pace. Equal importance should be placed on each interval so be precise. Keep in mind that any extra effort early on will take away reserves for that final climb, which will ultimately determine whether you ran too fast or right on pace. The final lampposts will help you maintain form while running with a build up of lactic acid, which is an art form. So let's hold good form on those last 3 items. See you at the statue. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 6/14/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz)
These 400's should be run in two sets. The first 6 should be run at 5k pace, while the final 6 should be done at 3k pace. Remember to hydrate on a regular basis. As it warms up it becomes more and more important to consider pace. You should always be extremely cautious early in work outs so that you can judge air quality and obviously conserve energy. The accumulation of energy conservation will pay dividends later on in your summer racing season. Dealing with the heat can be very stressful so don't add to the already stressful situation by depleting energy reserves, particularly in work outs. Save those all out efforts for short quick races. See you at the track. Peace, Coach TR (Workout of 6/09/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) Head North up the West Side. At 88th Street (by the grating on the right) do a 1 mile pick-up (slightly short), going through the 102nd Street transverse and finishing at the East Drive. Recover South to 97th Street (the small hill over the traffic) and start a 1K pick-up to 86th Street (at the end of the straight-away). Recover to the needle and start your final 1.5 mile pick-up round the bottom of the park loop finishing at the "S" just before Tavern on the Green. Recover back to the statue. Total workout 5.1 miles. 1 mile and 1.5 mile pick-ups should be at 10K pace, 1K pick-up should be at 5K pace. Women running the Mini 10K on Saturday (most of you we hope) should not do this workout and just do 3-4 warm-ups of 30 seconds to 1 minute on the Reservoir. SPECIAL: If you want your opinions to be read in The New York Times here is your big chance. At Thursday's workout up to twelve people will have the opportunity to test drive a new sports watch. The watch itself will have to be returned either at the end of the workout or a couple of days later. No more than five minutes of your time will be needed to give feedback to a reporter from The New York Times. The article will run in the Thursday's Style section. Coach TR. (Workout of 6/07/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz)
The 800's are to be run at 5k pace and the 300's are for finishing speed with the focus being on good form. The women racing this weekend's 10k should be particularly careful not to run these faster than 5k pace. This is to be used as a set up work out. Excessive lactic acid build up is not a wise thing to do so close to race day. These should be comfortable and smooth. Drink plenty of fluids as we are experiencing our first warm front of the season. Hydration and pace work will be at a premium come Saturday. See you at the track. Peace, Coach TR (Workout of 6/02/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz ) We will start by heading north on the west side. At W 86th street you will start a series of 3 lamppost pick ups with 2 recovery, repeat 3 times. When you get to the W 102nd street cutoff you will start your only pick up which will be 2 loops of the harlem hills. (2.8 miles.) This pick up should be broken up into 2 segments. The 1st loop should be at 10 slower than 10k pace, while the second loop should be attempted at 10k. Use the first loop as a set up to the final burst which we be a sustained effort. While you should be giving an honest effort on the first loop always bear in mind that you want to preserve the appropriate energy to make a solid move on the second loop. Recover back south on the west side and when you are revcovered, finish off with a comfortable pace back to the statue. See you at the statue. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 5/31/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) Here is the work out if the track is available. I received a couple of emails that gave indications that the track may not be available. If this is so, we will meet in front of the track and do a work out along the East River, otherwise, here goes:
The 1200's should be done at 5k pace, the 600's at 3k pace and the 300's at finishing speed. As the intervals get shorter the pace gets quicker so be patient and be sure to that you can reach for another gear as you progress through the work out. See you at the track........hopefully? Peace, Coach TR (Workout of 5/26/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Stuart Calderwood) We'll warm up across the 72nd Street Transverse and north on the Loop Drive. At the Hamilton monument (around east 83rd Street) we'll start a series of three 3-pole pickups with 2-pole recoveries as part of the warmup. At the 102nd Street Transverse, we'll start the first of three 1-mile pickups: from the east end of the transverse back to the Loop Drive, left (south), and to the grating at about 88th Street on the West Side. We'll recover to the 86th Street entrance to the Reservoir; continue easy on the Reservoir to East 90th Street, and then start the second 1-mile pickup, which will finish back where we came in at 86th. (Check your half-mile time at the first Northern Pumphouse building; look for "1/2 Mile" on the eastern wall.) Jog out from the Reservoir to the road, turn RIGHT (north), and continue to the same 88th Street grating; turn around, and start your last one-mile pickup, which will finish at the statue. Try for 10K pace for the mile pickups. The effort should be equal for the three runs, but you'll probably see faster times as you go, since the three miles are, in order, (1) generally uphill, (2) flat, and (3) generally downhill. Work with a group if possible, and try to lead some of the time (to develop a sense of pace), and to follow at other times (so you can say things like "Is that all you got, Paula?" in your teammates' ears). --Stuart (Workout of 5/24/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz)
The mile in the middle should be done at 5k pace. The first set of 400's also should be at 5k pace while the second set of 400's should be at 3k pace. The key to this work out is discipline. Hold back a bit early on and see what the returns are. As you can tell, the recoveries are relatively short, particularly after the mile. This will test your ability to make a strong move and then still have the reserves to run four strong 400's. If you run the work out as designed you will finish strong but if you play around and run amok in the first set of 400's, then the mile will take much more out of you and make it difficult to run the final set of 400's at the goal pace. Always keep in mind that 5k's are short and while you must set a good pace early, history has dictated that more often than not you will crumble from a blistering pace. See you at the track. Peace, Coach TR (Workout of 5/19/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) We are going to take advantage of the good weather by doing a tempo run. It's great that it's not too warm as we can sneak in a few of these longer pick ups for a good endurance base as we approach the summer. As it gets warmer, it will be virtually impossible to run more than perhaps 2 mile pick ups at a time so with that in mind we'll do a 4 mile pick up at half marathon pace. We will start by doing a lower loop to warm up the legs. Head south on the west side and when you get to the 800 mtr mark, after the "S" (I'll explain tomorrow) start a sequence of 3 lamppost pick ups, with 2 recovery. When you finish, complete the loop at a nice comfortable (not jogging) pace. At the statue you will start the 4 mile pick up heading north on the west side, through the 102nd street cut off and head south on the east side, complete the 4 miles by going through the 72nd street cut off, back to the statue. Remember that tempo running should be consistent so ideally you'd run half marathon pace start to finish. But this is not practical due to the shifting of terrain. It would be interesting to see if you could shift gears for the tougher terrain and conserve during the easier terrain and have them equal out. It's a tough challenge, but one that you must master, particularly if most of your races are in the park. (Central Park, of course) Threshold training is a key element to reaching ones peak level but you must be smart and not overextend. If you do, you will often leave your good race at practice in these types of training runs. See you at the statue. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 5/17/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz)
The idea here is to run 5k pace for the 1k, 600 sequence. The 400's should be run at 3k pace. As you see, the recovery is relatively short so it would prove beneficial to stay on pace. The 400's play a big role since you will want to run those fairly quick. In order to do so, you'll have to be precise on the longer items. Again I'll repeat that the recovery will only be 200 mtrs throughout so think about your plan of attack beforehand. As always, exhibit good form or I will put you in the indignified list. 5k racing, although short, can be very stressful if not approached properly. You should be attempting to do these work outs on the balls of your feet. It isn't as efficient as the rolling motion we are used to using (for efficiency)but generates more speed and allows you the ability to switch gears quicker. This changing of gears is invaluable in shorter racing. See ya at the track. Peace, Coach TR (Workout of 5/12/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) Here we go-- First of all, if you are racing this weekend (Saturday) you should be jogging easy and resting. At a max you should only run 4-6 pick ups or straightaways and do some good stretching. Perhaps have a couple of beers, but that's it! The rest of you will start the work out by heading through the cut off and heading north on the east side. You'll start your first pick up at the needle. Continue north and complete a 1 1/2 mile pick up by finishing through the 102nd St cut off. You'll recover south to W 97th St, then make a U-turn and go back to W 102 St. Do the same 1 1/2 mile pick up in the opposite direction back to the needle. Of course you'll be heading south on the east side. The whole idea of this work out is to run a quick first pick up (10k pace) followed by a quick second pick up. The problem is that the terrain on the 2nd pick up is tougher since you will be running a good portion of that pick up, up hill. So the key will be how close you are to true 10k pace on the first item. The tendency will be to run hard because the terrain favors you, so while you will want to take advantage be sure to keep telling yourself, "must conserve," for the second one. This is one of those situations where you can attain your goal on the first one with minimal effort, so why expend more energy when you'll need it later. I know it's easier said than done but I'm hear to tell you, it can be done. I'll be interested in your splits so keep that in mind as you prepare your plan. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 5/10/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz)
This work out should be used as a set up for Saturday racers. This means that you should be especially conservative on the 600's. 5k pace for the 600's should be fairly conservative for most. Then you can gradually run the 400's quicker. If you are honest at 5k pace, you should be able to run each 1/4 about 1 second faster than the previous one. If you are not able to hold back then just run the 400's at 3k pace. What you want to accomplish is a solid work out withouts pushing your lactate threshold limits as it will take days to recover. Not a good idea, particularly if you're doing the half marathon. See you at the track. Peace, Coach TR (Workout of 5/05/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) Here we go-- We'll start by heading north on the west side. We are going to run a 2k pick up which starts at W 90th, goes through the 102nd street cut off and heads north on the east side. You'll finish 3 lampposts after the hanging traffic light. Recover to the northernmost tip of the park (110th st) where we will regroup and start our classic hill repeats. You will start at 110th and pick up to the peak of the hill at the traffic light. (about 600 mtrs) Recover back to the starting point and repeat 2 more times. After the 3rd long hill, recover to the W 102nd street cut off where we will regroup and start a series of short hill repeats. We will start from that point and run to the peak of the hill. This hill (about 400 mtrs) will be repeated 3 times. After the 3rd one head south back to the statue. The 2k pick up should be at 10k pace. The hills should be done 2 seconds faster than your previous one. Remember that hill training does require that your body lean forward but be careful not to lean forward in an exagerated position. Your whole body should lean forward from the ankles, not your lower back. This can cause serious injury to the lower back and is one of the reasons why I do not recommend running hill repeats too often. Form is very important and essential to have a successful work out. Also remember that as you approach the peak of the hill, you will be fatigued, this is where you will want to straighten up so you can lift your knees and pump the arms. See you at the staute, 7pm. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 5/03/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz)
The entire work out should be done at 5k pace. Please be honest and precise as the recoveries are relatively short. Also, keep in mind that the entire work out is 3 miles! If you run 3k pace at any point in this work out it will hamper your chances of running a strong finishing mile. Since it will be a bit cool I've decided to give you more of a strength based work out. As it heats up, I will not have the opportunity to hit you with as many long intervals. These also work well for any runners interested in running the Queens half.(May 14th- scoring race) We need some bodies so if it fits in your plan come talk to me or email me and we'll discuss possibilties and options. See you at the track. Peace, Coach TR (Workout of 4/28/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) Here goes-- We are going to do 3 x 1 1/2 mile repeats. We'll start by going through the cut off and head north on the east side. We'll break up into groups at the needle. Our interval terrain will be the same. We'll start at the needle head south, go through the cut off and finish by heading north on the west side to W 82nd. When you finish the interval, jog to the reservoir (w86th st) and continue your recovery on the horsepath. Jump back onto the road at the entrance near the southern pumphouse and jog back to the needle where you will regroup and complete 2 more sequences. The goal should be to run the first 2 intervals at 10 mile pace, followed by 10k pace for the last one. Of course you can see that the terrain offers some challenges, such as the finish on the west side. This will test your ability to resist temptation on downhills for the trade off of having reserves for the final climb. It should be fun watching you on that last pick up. Actually this work out will strengthen you both mentally and physically if done correctly. See you at the statue. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 4/26/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz)
The 800's should be done at 5k pace and the 400's at 3k pace. This is a basic, simple work out but be sure not to underestimate the value of the short items (400's) as we approach 5k season. I want consistency for the 800's (the meat) but also want to see some turnover and sting to finish off. Keep in mind that 5k racing will require a quick efficient first mile, then you must sustain in the middle, followed by a strong last mile. The last mile is a must if you are to optimize your 5k ability. And remember, the quicker the 5k, the easier it will be to hold that marathon goal pace. See you at the track. Peace, Coach TR (Workout of 4/21/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) We'll start by heading north on the west side. At W 86th St you'll do a 3 lampost pick up followed by 2 recovery. Repeat 3 times. After the final lamppost, recover to W 102nd St and start a 1 loop pick up (1.4 miles) of the harlem hills. (continuing north) When you've finished, make a U-turn and recover through the cutoff to E 102nd St. There you will start your second pick up, heading north on the east side and once again completing a loop pick up (1.4 miles) back to the E 102nd St. cutoff. Recover south on the east side and start your final pick up of 1k, starting at E 97th St (where the traffic flows) and finishing at E 86th St. Continue south and finish through the 72nd St. cut off back to the statue. The two harlem loops should be done at 10 mile pace and 10k pace, in that order. While the final 1k should be done at 5k pace. In order to ensure that you finish with a strong 1k, you must be smart in the back hills. Even though you should be giving a solid effort, I want you to measure your reserves. Keep in mind that when you are racing 5k's, you must have some sting particularly at the end of races. If you attempt the harlem loops at say....5 mile pace or even 10k pace for both, you will more than likely not be able to sustain 5k pace for the final item. Although the meat of the work out are the harlem hills, you should save a few dollars for desert as this portion is often the most gratifying.See you at the statue, 7pm. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 4/19/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) I'm Baaaack! I want to first thank Sid and Stuart for assuming coaching duties last week. I enjoyed my down time, although a good portion of it was spent icing my son's severly sprained ankle. What a bummer, his first at bat in his loooong awaited H.S. career ended up in him tripping over 1st base and sparining his ankle. He is doing much better though and at least I could be there for him during this very disappointing time. Anyway, what is sport without the challenge? What is success without failure. I'm not a philosopher, but if I were, I'd say something like, "success without failure has no redeeming value to the human spirit." OK, enough of that, here goes tomorrow's work out--
Lets start off by running a smooth 5k pace for the first 2 items. (800's) We will then knock off 3 seconds (per 400) from our 800 pace for the 600 pick ups. We'll follow that by running 5 seconds faster than our 800 pace for our 400's. Then we'll finish with the classic 3 x 300, which should focus on form more than speed. Keep in mind that most of you will be racing sunday so try to be honest in terms of pace and don't overextend on the 300's. Finishing speed is usually determined by good form and high knees, particularly in road races so there's no need to show off your Carl Lewis speed. See ya at the track. Peace, Coach TR WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Stuart Calderwood) We’ll begin with a 4/10ths-of-a-mile warmup jog down to the start of the Stuart Mile. Pickup #1 will be the first three-quarters of that mile; a coach, or some lackey in his charge, will be at the 3/4-mile mark to keep you from running on into oblivion. You’ll recover for about 6/10ths of a mile to the crosswalk where the Loop Drive and the 72nd Street Transverse meet and, occasionally, play cards. Pickup #2 will be the half-mile from the transverse up Cat Hill and to Cleopatra’s Needle (the large obelisk in Central Park, not the jazz club on Broadway and 92nd Street—this way we’ll avoid the cover charge.) Collect your groupmates and recover north to an asphalt trail (just before the stairway up to the Reservoir) where a svelte team spokesmodel will direct you westward toward the Delacorte Oval. Continue the recovery along the northern edge of the Oval counterclockwise (“anti-clockwise” in some circles—but not ovals) until you reach a similar asphalt trail, where a coach will be standing and tapping his foot impatiently. Start Pickup #3 here: one lap of the Oval (a half-mile). Regroup and jog out that second asphalt trail to the West Side bridle path, then continue north to the usual 86th Street Reservoir entrance; run onto the Reservoir and continue counterclockwise to the Southern Pumphouse, where you’ll start Pickup #4: 8/10ths of a mile to the Northern Pumphouse. Recover on the Reservoir to complete your lap, return to the Loop Drive, and continue about 100 yards south, whereupon the coach will send you off on your fifth and final pickup (not “last and final,” which phrase, although common, is redundant): one mile—south to the Webster statue, left onto the 72nd Street Transverse, and to the vicinity of the Bethesda Fountain, which point, not coincidentally, is the finish line of the next scoring race, the Thomas Labrecque 4-Mile, to be run on April 24th. The total distance is very close to six miles; it’s hard to measure it precisely. As usual, rather than competing with teammates, gently admonish any showoffs and exhort and cajole any laggards. The pickups should be at approximately 10K pace—nothing near as fast as you’d do for similar distances on the track. The recoveries, therefore, aren’t jogs; they should be more like the pace that you’d do on a moderate training day—maybe one minute per mile slower than the pickup pace. Peace, love, rock ’n’ roll— (Workout of 4/12/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) Ladder Workout: All items to be done at 5K pace. Be sure to run in control to get used to the outdoor track and to be able to dodge any flying soccer balls. (Workout of 4/07/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) Start out by heading south on the west side. Just below tavern on the green, at the "S", begin the Stuart mile around the lower loop to E 72nd street. Recover through the cut off back to the statue and do a 4 mile pick up by heading north on the west side, through the 102nd Street cut off, then head south on the east side and finish through the 72nd Street cut off back to the statue. Once again head south on the west side and do the Stuart mile that begins just below tavern on the green, finishing at E 72nd Street. Jog back to the statue. The bookend miles should done at 10 mile pace repectively. The first mile is more to set up the meat of the work out. The 4 mile loop should be run at half marathon pace and the final mile will test your HEART, particularly if you are marathon bound. There will be a point or points during the marathon where your legs will not repond to commands from the mind, but if your heart is strong then you will run a special and rewarding race. The last couple of miles of the marathon often seperate an average race from a good one and it's true, that how badly you want it will be the determining factor. It is a cliche but the person with the heart of gold will prevail. Test your heart on that last mile and proclaim yourself ready to rock! See ya at the statue. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 4/05/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz)
The 600's should be run at 5k pace and the first and second 200's should start at 3k pace, followed by the 3rd and 4th, two seconds faster and the 5th and 6th, two seconds faster than the 3rd and 4th. Remember to hold your form as these are for turnover and should not be approached as a speed workout. Also remember that next week we will be outdoors. The location of the workout has not been determined. Please refer to the website for further information. I will probably announce the location at thursday's workout. Peace, Coach TR (Workout of 3/31/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Stuart Calderwood) This is primarily a marathon-preparation workout for people who'll be running Boston or another spring marathon. We'll start with a counterclockwise lower loop (1.7 miles) during which the goal is to build up gradually to just under your projected marathon pace--maybe 5 seconds per mile faster. When you reach the statue again, you should be at that pace, which you'll then try to maintain for one clockwise 4-mile loop. (The mile splits will alternate, slow-fast-slow-fast* because of the terrain, but the average (and thus the effort-level) should be steady at just under marathon pace. Remember that the "4-mile loop" is really 4.038 miles, which adds about 10-15 seconds to the final mile split and the total time.) When you reach the statue again, you'll finish the workout with one more lower counterclockwise lower loop at a significantly faster pace: maybe 20-25 seconds per mile under your 4-mile-loop average. (Use the "Stuart Mile" quarter-mile markers** to get a read on this.) This last loop should NOT be a race; instead, you should plan ahead to stay with group-members and work together on staying calm and controlled while running quite hard. The goal is to keep people up with you, not to drop them. When you reach the statue for the 4th and last time, you'll have 7.45 miles. * Mile marks: 1M--grating at ~88th Street. 2M--eastern end of the 102nd Street transverse. 3M--approximately the bottom of the stairway that leads up to the southern pumphouse on the Reservoir. 4M--78 yards before you reach the end of the loop at the statue. ** Quarter-mile marks (written in white paint on the road or curb): Peace in Our Time, (Workout of 3/29/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz)
These 1200's are to be run at 5k pace. The recovery will hopefully keep people honest. Remember that running these faster than 5k pace will be almost impossible since you'd be running 3k pace with very short recovery. Marathoners would gain more by running consistent and steady. Find a rhythm and be solid, as opposed to trying to run as fast as you can. Longer intervals are particularly useful since you will have to focus on pace which is your primary concern during a marathon. Discipline is at a premium when tackling this distance and these types of work outs can improve your confidence and knowledge of pace. See you all at the Armory. Peace, Coach TR (Workout of 3/24/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) Start by heading north on the west side. At W 88th st you'll start your first 2 mile pick pick. This one will head north, go through the 102nd st. cut off and head north on the east side and finish by completing the harlem loop back to w 102 st. The recovery will be through the cut off. A very short recovery indeed. At The east side of the cut off you will begin your second 2 mile pick up by heading south on the east side and finishing by using the 72nd st cut off back to the statue. The goal should be to run the first 2 mile pick up at half marathon pace, followed by 10k pace for the second. The key will be how honest you can be on the first one as you will only have approximately a 1/4 mile recovery. The second 2 mile flatens out at E 97th st and then finishes with a fast mile so if you run smart you will end on a high note. On the other hand if you are too aggresive early on, you will be hard pressed to match that effort for the second one. The work out is only 5.4 miles but four of those miles will be at high intensity. Look forward to seeing you at the statue, 7pm. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 3/22/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) Yes, tomorrow is the day to come out and nail that teammate who gets on your nerve, and in front of everybody to boot! It's intrasquad relay night. Legs range from 200 meters to the mile. Teams will be picked from a hat and I'll make sure that the best milers are on different teams. It's a great time to make your track debut or show off your skillz in front of your teammates. I can personally vouch for how much fun this relay is. And while it is fun, it is also competitive so you might just run a PR! Can you imagine? Time: 7:00 pm Be there early so that you can put your name in the hat then warm up and be ready to rock and roll. After the relay, there will be an abbreviated work out for those not racing Thursday. Peace, Coach TR PS-I'm not sure that they'll let us run in spikes, so I would bring another light shoe just in case. (Workout of 3/17/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) Well, for those who are not having a pop or two in honor of St. Paddy, here's the gig-- One quick reminder: if you are racing saturday, you should take an easy run and get some rest. It's a long race and it's 2 days away. There's nothing you can accomplish tomorrow that will help you saturday. We are going to run 4 lower loops. Every loop you will do the Stuart mile which starts just below Tavern on the Green and ends at East 72nd St. The goal is to run the first mile at half marathon pace. The second at 10 mile pace, the third and fourth, at 10k pace. The recovery should not be a jog. This is not a track work out so be diligent in your approach. If you run the pace which you should be running, your recovery should be about a minute and a half slower than the pace you just ran. In others words, if your half marathon pace is 6 minute pace, then after the first mile, the next .7 miles should be at 7:30 pace, which is not exactly a jog. Be smart and you'll have a great work out to bank on. Be overly aggressive early and I'll be picking up body parts as I circle the loop in the opposite direction! Total distance is 6.8 miles. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 3/15/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz)
The racers this weekend should run these in sets of four, start off at 5k pace, and knock off 1 second for each one. Then start the 2nd set of four, again start at 5k pace and repeat the sequence. For non racers, you will run two sets of six. The first set at 5k pace. The second set at 3k pace. Be consistent and try to duplicate pace and effort as this will prove to come in handy when racing long. Remember that long races such as a half marathon and marathon do not require instant gear changing. Subtle changes are preferred and much more efficient so keep that in mind when determining your goal pace. You should NOT be jumping around in terms of pace. This really is counterproductive and serves no purpose as you hopefully will not do this in a race situation. See Ya'll at the track. (Blame Sarah Rivlin for the ya'll thing) I think it sounds so cool with that southern twang. Ya'll take care now. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 3/10/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) Two 4 mile loops, heading north on the west side, through the 102nd Street cut off. Head south on the east side and through the 72nd St cut off. Repeat loop Goal: You guessed it! Run the second 4 mile loop 10-15 seconds per mile quicker than the first. So a good guide would be to run marathon pace for the first loop and then half marathon for the second. Keep in mind that you are not racing so the effort is what's important. If your actual pace is 5-10 seconds slower than your actual marathon pace; that's ok. The key is to have something in reserve for the second loop. I was kind enough to prepare you for this work out by giving you a similar work out last week, (say thank you) at least conceptually, so you should be at least mentally ready to roll. I rarely give back to back lactate threshold work outs to this degree, but I think it's appropriate at this time, and at the very least you will serve as my experimental subjects. Of course I'm kidding (a little), and this will prove to be very beneficial for half marathoners and fall marathoners. This one will be tough but if you get through it in one piece it will serve as a great confidence builder. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 3/08/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz)
The 800's should be run at 5k pace, while the 400's should be at 3k pace. The recovery, just like last week is relatively short so conserve energy so that all four 800's will be evenly run. The 400's will be a little quicker and the recovery will be the same, although relative to the interval you are getting more recovery. On the other hand you'll be a little more fatigued at this point and running faster.The key will be to sustain a rhythmic effort early so that you have a little bit of a gear left for the shorter items. See you on the track. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 3/03/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) You are going to do an out and back or horseshoe work out. Head north on the west side, go through the 102nd St cut off and head south on the East Side until you get to Cleopatra's Needle. At this point you will make a U-turn and head north on the east side and cover the same terrain in the opposite direction back to the statue. The goal in this type of work out is to negative split on the way back. It is 3 1/4 miles one way and 6 1/2 for the entire work out. The first 3 1/4 mile should be about 10-15 seconds slower than your half marathon pace and ideally you'd run half marathon pace on the way back. If done correctly you will have run a negative split of 30-45 seconds. Be patient on the way out but do not jog! Give an honest effort so that you will test your lactate threshold. This can only be accomplished if you run a the pace which has been prescribed. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 3/01/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz)
First, I want to congratulate the team on it's current efforts. We've had some impressive races in the last couple of weeks by Kevin Arlyck, (10 mile PR) Stacey, (1st age, Snowflake) Alan Ruben, (1st age, Snowflake) John Roberts (4.21 mile, PR) and so many others, both on thursday night and at Snowflake. You guys have put on quite a show in the past couple of weeks and I am both impressed and proud of these wonderful accomplishments. But there is one that stands out: And the Oscar for the month of February goes to our National winning Womens Distance Medley relay, this past sunday. This was truly a team effort as all 4 women ran their little hearts out for the Orange and Blue. Led by the OUTRAGEOUS lead off leg of one, Kate Irvin, who clocked a club record 3:32 1200 meters, Central Park TC won it's first ever USATF Open National title! The other 3 legs were Micah on the 400, Allison on the 800 and the 2004 CPTC MVP, Andrea Haver, AKA, DRE. We should all be proud of their efforts and proud to say: I'm a member of CPTC. Go Orange! Are you ready for some more? Ready or not here we go: The 1k's should be ideally run at 5k pace. Be consistent on these and I'll remind you that the rest is only 200 mtrs. The 300's are for form work so don't try to sprint these. It's more important to have smooth form and control than sprint on these. It's obvious that this work out is more strength based than our more recent one's. That's because our focus will start to shift a bit as we have some longer races coming up. Take advantage of these by setting a goal and sticking to your plan despite the tendency to run each one faster. Consistency and rhythm are the goals for this one. See ya at the track. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 2/24/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) Here is the work out for those who are not running tomorrow indoors or racing Snowflake on Saturday. You are going to do an out and back or horseshoe work out. Head north on the west side, go through the 102nd St cut off and head south on the East Side until you get to Cleopatra's Needle. At this point you will make a U-turn and head north on the east side and cover the same terrain in the opposite direction back to the statue. The goal in this type of work out is to negative split on the way back. It is 3 1/4 miles one way and 6 1/2 for the entire work out. The first 3 1/4 mile should be about 10-15 seconds slower than your half marathon pace and ideally you'd run half marathon pace on the way back. If done correctly you will have run a negative split of 30-45 seconds. Be patient on the way out but do not jog! Give an honest effort so that you will test your lactate threshold. This can only be accomplished if you run a the pace which has been prescribed. Since you will be doing this work out I will not see you. I will be doing some coaching and cheering (or barking instructions) at the Armory. I though expect that you will be out cheering your fellow athletes at the Snowflake race on Saturday and hope that you will join us at the Parlour afterwards! Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 2/22/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz)
The people racing Snowflake this weekend are going to run six to eight, 400's. You will start at 5k pace and run gradually quicker for each one. People racing on Thursday will run four, starting at 3k pace and also gradually running each one quicker than the previous. Both groups should do good warm ups and warm downs, especially racers for Thursday night. See you all at the track! Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 2/17/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) Hello members.....here we go as we prepare for snow flake-- Start by heading north on the west side to W 86th St. Here you will do 3 lamppost pick ups with 2 recovery, three times. You will do your first pick up of 1k, heading north on the harlem hills and finising at 110st. Recover past the skating rink and start another 1k at the traffic light closest to the E 102nd St. cut off. Start by heading south then through the cutoff and south on the west side to W 97th St. (Where the traffic flows underneath) Recover to W 88th st and do a mile pick up to the statue (W 72nd st). You'll recover through the cut off to E 72nd St. and finish by cranking one last mile to E 90th st. The pace on these should be 5k pace for the 1k's and 10k pace for the 1 mile pick ups. If you paid attention to the terrain you will notice that the last 3 items are in the direction in which the 4 miler (snowflake) will be run. This is a great time to simulate race tactics and also visualize certain moves. The last mile is the toughest part of this work out as will be the case in the 4 miler. (well almost) The climb of cat hill 2 1/2 miles into the race will determine the outcome of your race because at this point you will have to excert the most energy so be sure to set up this part of the race. After todays work out you will have a good idea of what energy expense is feasible in the arly portion of the race. Ideally, you'd like to divvy up each mile with a 25% effort, unfortunately, due to the challenge of terrain distribution you may not be able to do this. What I do recommend is no matter what style or race tactic you use, be sure to focus the most energy on the mile which presents cat hill as the challenge. Often, the competition will try to blast through this mile since it's a short race but find out that the legs do not answer the call. Be ready to gobble them up as their quads become spaghetti. You'd be surprise how a strong mile here will even things out and then it's harder for them to recover than for you to sustain since you are feeling confident after having passed a few people, hopefully more than a few! See yo'll at the statue. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 2/15/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Stuart Calderwood )
The plan is to start with about 5K pace for the 1200 and accelerate slightly from each run to the next--about one second per lap. Remember, most world records are set by people who run "negative splits"--the second halves of their races faster than the first halves. This workout gives you the experience of speeding up gradually throughout, which should feel good as you loosen up and get a sense of the pace. It should also help you run a great Snowflake -- if you go out on-pace and then smoke the last mile. Three example workouts:
The last four runs might even be fun! --Stuart (Workout of 2/10/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) First of all keep your fingers crossed as there is a possibilty of snow. Either way, we'll be out there doing something. Keep in mind that the armory has a thursday night at the races, so it might behoove you to take your show indoors and get a solid work out by possibly doing a double, I know I would! We'll start by heading south on the west side. When you get to W 66th St (below Tavern on the Green) You'll start your first pick up of two miles, completing the lower loop, and heading north on the east side and finishing at E 90th St. This is slightly longer than 2 miles. Recover north on the east side and at the E 102nd St. cut off start a 1 mile pick up and head south to W 88th St. (the grating) You'll finish by recovering to W 79th St and run a 3/4 mile pick up to Tavern on the Green (W 65th St.) This will be your last long item. Recover to 59th St. and cap of the work out by doing 3 lamppost pick ups with 2 recovery. The 2 mile pick up should be done at 10 mile pace, the mile should be at 10k pace, and the final 3/4 at 5 mile pace. Although your pace increases, the distances get shorter, the tough part is that you'll be a bit more fatigued. Although, if you run the pace as prescribed you'll feel strong and keep the energy reserves necessary to run a solid work out. The terrain varies as the 2 mile will be a bit of a climb, but you get a reprieve on the mile, while the 3/4 is primarily flat but climbs a bit toward the end. The lamppost at the end are for form work so don't worry about those. (Easy for me to say) All in all, it looks like fun. After reading this, I'm hoping that you'll opt to go indoors if it snows. Although if I had to wager, I'd bet you're all salivating at the thought of this one. Either way, Statue at 7 pm. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 2/08/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz)
This work out should be done at 3k pace with the exception of the first and second 600 which should be at 5k pace. If you are racing Thursday, you'll run the first 600 at 3k pace, then run 3x200 with 200 recovery. Non-racers should be careful not to run 3k pace from start to finish. The recoveries are relatively short so don't underestimate the damage that these short items can dole out. See you at the track! Coach TR. (Workout of 2/03/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) We are going to head north on the west side. At W 84th st. you'll do your first pick up of one mile heading north, which finishes 1 lamppost before the W 102 st cut off. Recover through the cut off and head north on the east side. When you get to the first traffic light you'll do your second mile pick up back to the W 102 st cut off. Recover through the cut off once again and repeat the same mile pick up at the traffic light. When you get to W 102 st recover due south to W 97th st. and finish with a 1k pick up to W 86th st. (entrance to reservoir) jog back home or the statue. The first 2 miles should be done at 10 mile pace, while the final mile and 1k should be at 10k pace. Try to hold back a bit on the second mile because The goal is to be able to have enough energy reserves to finish the last 2 items at 10k pace. This work out may seem easy but the recoveries are shorter as you progress through your pick ups. (Approximately 600, 500, then 400) So in essence you will be in greater oxygen debt but have less time to recover so be meticulous in terms of your energy expense, oh and by the way the terrain is slightly unfavorable unless you like uphill running! Don't underestimate this one, it's a tough one, but then again we are a tough team. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 02/01/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) We are going to run a fartlek type of work out beginning from the statue. We'll start by warming up one mile heading north on the west side to the W 88th street grating. Here we will start our fartlek by picking up 2 minutes, recovering for 1 minute, pick up 4, recover 2, pick up 6, recover 3. Then you will go down the ladder by starting with a 6 minute pick up, recovering 3, then 4, with 2 recovery followed by a 2 minute pick up. You will do a 6 mile loop which will cover the northern hills and head south on the east side. The meat of this work out are the two 6 minute pick ups and they should be attempted at 10k pace. The 2 and 4 minute pick ups on the first set can be used to set up the meat of the work (the 6 minutes) while the 4 and 2 going down should be run at about 10k pace or slightly quicker. These last couple of items will be on favorable terrain, (that's flat and downhill)that is, if you don't like up hills, so they will naturally be quicker. See you at 7:00 pm. at the statue. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 1/27/2004) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) You are going to run 2 x 2 miles amd you'll start by doing a little warm up heading north on the west side and turning around at W 79th St back to the statue. Start your first 2 mile here by going through the 72nd St cut off and completing the lower loop back to E 72nd St. Recover north on the east side to E 90th St.(1 mile) Turn around and start your second 2 mile pick up from here, heading south on the east side, continuing on the lower loop and finishing just below Tavern on the Green (stuart mile start) The first deuce should be at 10 mile pace, while the second one should be at 10k pace. I'll be indoors at the armory so Joe Tumbarello and/or Alan Ruben will be running the show. Have fun; I'll be having a blast watching our troops burn the track! Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 01/25/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz)
Do not be fooled by the relatively short intervals, this work out will prove to be quite challenging. Sets 1 and 2 should be done at 5k pace. Sets 3 and 4 at 3k pace. Remember that this is still a strength based work out due to short recoveries. The BIG secret here is to run under control on the 300's. While they can be quick, refrain from the temptation to speed through these. Once again, racers for thursday should run 5k pace for the 600, 3k pace for the 400 and mile pace for the 300. See you at the track. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 1/20/2004) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) We are going to do a tempo run, partly because you need it and partly because weather conditions may limit the type of running that we can do without chancing possible injury. We'll start by heading north on the west side. At W 88th St you will begin a 4 mile tempo run continuing north on the west side then going through the cut off and heading south on the east side. Go through the 72nd St cut off and finish the 4 mile loop by heading north back to point of origin at the west 88th st grating. Go back to the statue for a total of 6 miles or go home from West 88th St. The tempo run should be done at half marathon pace. We will adjust the pace depending on the footing. Remember that if slippery conditions are prevalent the whole idea is to run safely and take precautions by holding back on downhills and shortening your stride overall. See you at the statue. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 01/18/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz)
The first three 800's in each sequence should be done at 5k pace while the final 800 should be done at 3k pace. The 400's should be done at 3k pace. The key to this work out is to run that final 800 at 3k pace. In order to have the proper reserves to run a quick final 800 you must be patient and precise. Especially since you are only getting 200 meter rest throughout the entire work out. The idea is to find a nice rhythm early and be consistent. The 400's in each sequence will test your ability to throw in a short burst while not consuming too much energy. If you make the mistake of getting too excited and run mile pace for the 400's, you will be hard pressed to run 3k pace for the final 800. This work out can boost your confidence and focuses on changing gears without expending energy foolishly. Remember, that unless you are training to specifically race a mile, those gears will not come into play for longer racing, so try to use the right muscle groups as an assimilation to racing conditions. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 1/13/2004) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz) Tonight we will head north on the west side. At W 86th st we will start a series of 3 lamppost pick ups with 2 recovery; repeat 3 times. At W 102nd St you will do a pick up of 2 loops of the Harlem hills heading north. (2.8) miles. The first loop should be at 10 mile pace and the 2nd loop at 10k pace. The key will be to hold back early so that the energy reserves will be there when needed. When you finish this pick up head south on the west side and recover to W 88th St, where you will finish with a mile, starting at the grating and finishing at the statue. Attempt this one at 10k pace. Although the terrain is in your favor, I want you to remember that the key to this work out are the 2 loops in the back hills so plan this out right. Even if your reserves are low you should be able to run relatively fast so use this to your advantage when planning your plan of attack. See you at the statue, Peace, Coach TR (Workout of 01/11/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz)
This work out shoud be broken up into 2 parts. The first six 400's are to be done at 5k pace, while the final six should be done at 3k pace. Real simple right? OK, if you are racing thursday, you should do the first 3, then take off one and run the next 3 for a total of six. Run these at 3k pace...no reason to run them at mile pace since you'll be doing that on Thursday night. (hopefully) Come see me prior to the start of the work out and we'll group runners who are racing so that the rest of the groups can focus on their own pace. See you at the track. Peace, Coach TR. (Workout of 01/04/2005) WORKOUT DESCRIPTION (from Tony Ruiz)
The first two 800's should be run at 5k pace. The third 800 at 3k pace, followed by 3k pace for the 400's. As you can tell the recovery is relatively short for the 800's so be wise and conserve energy as the meat of the work out starts at the 3rd 800. I want this one quick, leading into the quarters. As always be efficient early and focus on quick turnover on the 400's with out straining......ok, so you might strain a little, just don't let on that your straining. The secret: good form. Peace, Coach TR. |
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