Mid Week, Mercer Is, and facebook.

The mid week workout are posted with many of you on the mend from great runs at MI this weekend we'll go on the easy side. I don't know if I've been at a race with the group that I saw so many PR's (Personal Records) great job everyone.  The nice thing about this is that most of you are running marathons this spring so that can only mean good things as we really haven't started to rest up for them and you still went out and knocked out a PR. Awesome !! If you didn't pr I would worry about it, like I said we didn't rest very much for this so once we do I'm sure you'll be fine.

I got a little creative with the pictures I took Sunday and added yours if I got it to the mid week workout page by your name as well as your time if I found it. I'l be adding a phot gallery to the web site over the next couple of days so you can see all of the pics I took.

It was also great to see many of you after the race at Dan and Joys for the post race party.  Thanks to them for sharing their home as well as providing some very good post race eats.

For this week for those that ran the race we'll do the workout that is posted but I want you to go on the easy side, I know twist your arms. So if your plan calls for 400's what I want you to do is run them but don't time them. Just run on feel, up tempo but not working too hard.  So run a 400 and jog the next 200 and and then start the next one as you jog into it. So keep moving the whole workout.

Of course if you didn't race over the weekend you'll do the planned workout.

If you received a facebook invite from the Running Network, that was from me. That is my day time job, I maintain their web site among others and I started a faceboook for them as well as a twitter link. Basically I set it up to post links to new running articles that I post as well as photo galleries on their site. You won't find many personal posts from me there. The web site is www.runningnetwork.com, got a ;lot of work to do on it but I think when I finish it will be nice.

Mid Week and Post Mercer Island Party

Many of you survived St. Pats Dash, I hope, weather wise. Well having run in that most anything else will seem really easy now. Myself, you know I'm pretty much a gamer when it comes game time and don't really mind standing in most anything to root on the troops but I woke up at 5:30 saw the pouring rain and then a little later the snow, so I went nack to bed. Figured most of you could really care if I was out there and it was certainly not a day for picture taking. Overall it appears that most had good runs considering the conditions. Good job!

This week we have the Mercer Island Half which for most is a major test for those running marathons this spring or for those who are training for this event. If you're running this as a test of fitness for your marathon, remember that you aren't completely rested up for this as you're still training for your marathon so remember to be a bit flexible with your results. I would also take it a bit easier this week.  Although for the midweek workout I would keep it to business as usual unless this is the event you have your focus on.

Every year for the past few years Dan and Joy Mendes have had everyone over to their house after the Mercer Island Half and will again this year. It's a great time to get together and comapre notes after the event and also to get toegther not having to worry about a long run or a mid week workout. Every one is invited and they cater it so no need to bring anything, except maybe some dry clothes. So here is the info I hope you can make it. I won't be at the run on Saturday but will come back into town for the race.

From Dan and Joy

Please pass on to to all your chuckit members.

Hello fellow chuckit runners. Joy and I will be having our annual post Mercer Island race day party. (We cannot remember how many years it has been, so maybe someone remembers.) We think it is our 7th annual.

We love having everyone over to enjoy the afternoon after the race, but don't feel that running is a prerequisite to coming over to party.

We welcome everyone, spouses, kids, friends, or significant others. There is always lots of food as our friend Bob Cox will be catering the event again and Joy will be making her famous spicy Italian soup.

Don't be shy, come over if you know us or not, the more people the better.

Good luck in your race if you are running, and we hope to see you afterwards.

Daniel and Joy Mendes


PARTY DIRECTIONS

8245 SE 36th St.
Mercer Island, WA 98040
Home phone (206)236-8139
Dan's cell (206)920-9104
Joy's cell (206) 595-9524

Mid week, time for the track

Mid Week workout are up. Many of you are tranistioning back to the track after a few months of strength and base building. Time to add a little speed to that strength.

As you head back to the track it's important to remember that along with speed you also have a great opportunity to work on your pacing.  Meaning trying to get all of your repeats all with in the same time frame. Meaning if you are supposed to run 12x 400 @ 2:00 with 90 sec rest in between then you need to try and get them all in 2:00. This also means that you have to pick a reasonable pace to run them in. Also make sure that the pace you pick is also challenging but also one that you can do. For most of you I would try try run them 3-4 seconds faster then you time trial pace. So if the planned workout is 12x400 and you ran the TT in 16:00 which is 2:00 min per lap then for this workout you would try to do them (the 400's, 1 lap around the track) in 1:56ish.

Remember you're trying to get faster so for that to happen you have to run faster. You are getting 90 seconds rest in between and if you do it right the workout shouldn't get that hard until about the 8th one. The way I look at it is that is when the work out begins. The first 8 are setting you up for the real workout and what you do with your last four determine how good of a workout you're getting.  If you are unable to run the last four at the same pace then: If you're slower, you picked pace that is too fast or you just need to suck it up and work harder (if you went based on your time trial then I think it would be the latter) if you're running them faster than that maybe you're just one tough hombre or you picked a pace that it maybe a little slow to start with which would then make you a sissy ;)

One more thing, the rest is very important if it says 90 seconds then take 90 sec, no more, no less. If your buddy is running them in 1:55 and you're running them in 2:00 minutes then on the next one you'll be starting 5 seconds behind them. 5 seconds isn't much but it adds up and can really put the hurt on you later if you don't get it. If your buddy is egging you on to keep going with them then I might consider getting another buddy. On the other end if you get more than 90 you're more or less cheating the workout, don't like cheaters.

Ok well if you have questions then send them my way if not get out on that track and tear it up.

Weekend Results and Mid Week workout

 Since it's TT/pace run night I won't be posting the workouts.
Now that we are in the spring racing season as I consider March to be the start of that, just look at a race calendar and you'll see many to choose from. Over the weekend many members of the group headed out for some racing with a few going short (10K) at the smelt run in laconner and several heading south to the warmer climes to take part in the Napa Marathon. There were great results in both races. Nice job everyone.(Results for Napa are posted below).

March also happens to be when most of you will be hitting the track in preparation for your upcoming halfs and marathons. So if you ask me that's great timing. Tonight you'll be at with a 2 mi tt which for those getting ready for St. Pats dash and other races comes at a good time. I would follow up you TT with a few (4) 200's or 400's just to stretch you out a bit and get you used to running fast while a bit tired.

Another thing that happens this time of year as thet we'll get a bunch of new or returning memebers, I guess the warmer weather brings them out.  Anyway if you see a new a face please take the time to say hi and make them feel comfortable. Who know they might be a new running partner that you'll be training with. The hardest thing for anyone new to the group is to come out for the first time. If all the of the people of that last tens actually showed up like they said they were I would be a mighty rich man. Many of you know what it was like the first time you came out, it was pretty scary knowing that everyone is much faster than you only to find out that they weren't. So a friendly hi will really make them feel at ease. I always believe that once someone has come for the first time you guys will seal the deal, so it's really important to make them feel welcome.

NAPA MARATHON
Lily Unk       3:49:05
Julie Paone    3:50:38.0
Lisa Miller    3:50:53.0
Melissa Frank    3:59:18.0
Seanna Browder    4:00:48.0
James Cade    4:01:13.0
Paul Thorndike    4:09:06.0
Brenda Borja    4:30:54.0
Martha Koshiyama 4:47:28.0