Odds and ends, here and there

We’re pretty dang lucky to live where we do. Our running community is so supportive of our athletes, local events and collegiate efforts. It's truly inspiring. And with a busy spring and summer ahead of us, here's a quick roundup of what's happening this time of year.

Boston Marathon roundup

In case you missed it, about a dozen runners from Butte County traveled to run in the Boston Marathon last Monday. Michael Daily finished in under 2 hours, 50 minutes. Robin St. Clare placed second in her age group. And finishing arguably the world’s most prestigious race fulfilled dreams.

Fleet Feet was even featured on Action News broadcasts throughout the day. Here’s the TV spot we appeared in at the top of the newscast: http://bit.ly/chico-boston-tv.

Oh, and Ric Ortner? He decided to not only run Boston last Monday, but also run the Big Sur Marathon yesterday. Simply amazing and inspiring, Ric!

Is it summer yet?

As the spring marathon training programs culminate with the Eugene Marathon on May 10, some of you may already chomping at the bit to get into the next program. Good news!

Training programs for the Summer Sizzler 5k and 10k are right around the corner. The programs include intermediate 5k, intermediate 10 and advanced 10k levels, beginning June 13 (don’t worry, we’ll keep reminding you).

The Summer Sizzler (which takes place August 9) is currently open for registration.

The No Boundaries 5k training program is also open for registration. We’re not jiving you when we say that this training program is a LIFE CHANGER. This summer’s NoBo program begins June 3, it also targets the Summer Sizzler, and registration is open.

Road trip anyone?

And the Chico State track and field team begins its quest for postseason excellence at the California Collegiate Athletic Association conference meet. Just a short drive to San Francisco State University, the meet runs from Thursday, April 30 through Sunday, May 2, as the Wildcats try to lock up as many NCAA qualifying marks for the NCAA Division II National Championships, which take place May 21-23 in in Allendale, Mich.

As you can see, there’s a lot going on locally this time of year. Be sure to keep up to date with local happenings by visiting our race calendar. 

Practice proper pacing...period!

“Proper pacing prevents poor performance.”

That’s the mantra of Fleet Feet Chico’s Coach Susan Zepernick, as it relates to pacing—pacing during a long easy run, pacing during a speed workout, pacing during a race. If you’re putting forth effort in any type of workout, proper pacing is absolutely crucial.

When you join a Fleet Feet training program, one of the many benefits is that we educate you on the reason for and benefits of running at different paces and work with you to meet your goals and improve your racing capabilities. Your coach has evaluated you, discussed goals and prescribed a pace he or she feels is appropriate for you—and it wasn’t just to hear the words come out of his or her mouth.

Within the training plan, and during each group workout, we have you run a pace to help you achieve specific objectives. Stay on that path, and you’re upping the chances of success. Stray from that too much, and you’re risking inconsistency, frustration and injury—none of which are good, by the way.

Believe me, I know what it’s like to feel good on a long run. You’re cruising along, halfway through long run, and you feel like you could pick up the pace a little—just a few seconds per mile, what could that hurt? And sure, maybe it’s time to turn the dials and tweak your training workouts and pace a little. But if you increase the pace of your longer runs, you’ll have to do the same for your speedwork, for consistency sake. And if you’re not ready to do that, you’re not ready to increase the pace of the long runs.

So, when it comes to pacing during a workout: be patient, be consistent and be mindful of how fast you’re running. Align yourself with a group of runners that runs at the same pace. Find a running partner you can count on. And practice proper pacing now, and it’ll pay off big time when you toe the line on race day. 

Training group basics

When you join a Fleet Feet training group, you'll have plenty of company

So, you say you’ve taken the leap and joined a Fleet Feet training group, huh? Well, that’s fantastic, congratulations! Maybe it’s your first, maybe it’s not. Either way, no matter what distance you’ve signed up for (and we offer quite a few), there are a few basics you can expect throughout the course of your training.

First and foremost, you’ll get sage, valuable, time-tested advice from our coaching staff (remember, we’re talking more than 2,000 runners through the training programs over nine years of doing this). These folks have been educated and trained to work with runners of all levels, and their acumen is theirs to share. And their support and knowledge will help you achieve your race goal safely (and, you may have a little fun, if you’re not careful). So, use them. Ask them questions. Listen to them. They are there for you.

Next, as you start your program, you’ll discover the different phases of training. Fleet Feet Chico utilizes four phases:

• Base building
• Strengthening
• Sharpening
• Taper

Each phase is important and has its specific purpose, whether it’s getting the base mileage in the tank, strengthening through increased mileage and intensity, sharpening through a focus on speed, or safely decreasing mileage.

That segues nicely into a discussion about safely ramping up mileage. No matter what distance I’ve run through the years (whether it was the mile in high school or the marathon in my adult years), there’s always been a concentration on safe increase in mileage (if you’re an experienced runner chasing a new PR, the safe increase in intensity, as well). And I’ve always respected and taken that very seriously.

Increasing the mileage is part of the training program. It’s when your body acclimates to the required distance, and when your body is at its most vulnerable to injury—especially if the increase isn’t done safely. Follow the advice of your coach, as he or she has mapped your training program out specifically for you. If you feel you should be doing more mileage (or less), discuss this with your coach. Training programs are long endeavors that require patience and consistency.

Finally, let’s talk about consistency. Coach Susan Zepernick feels that consistency is key, and adds these lil’ tidbits regarding safety:

• Train consistently through the week—don’t be the weekend warrior
• Train according to the training plan Fleet Feet provides them. In other words, run the mileage at the pace provided on the days the schedule indicates—there’s a method behind the madness
• Be consistent with your warm up and warm down
• Be consistent with core strength training
• Be consistent about hydration and proper nutrition

You and your coach want you to train safely and remain motivated throughout your training. And sure, who doesn’t get a little frustrated and lack motivation every once in a while during the grind leading up to a race? It’s natural. But maintaining your consistency will give you a better chance of completing the program safely and killing it on race day (maybe even knock some time off your old PR).

We’re all different runners, and we all have different race goals, training styles and running paces. The training programs are here for you. When you build on the basics of the programs, you’ll have a better chance of coming out the other end safe and healthy.

Why try a Fleet Feet Training Program?

Fleet Feet Training Programs offer a structured program, certified coaches and unparalleled camaraderie

So, you’re a runner, and you have a race or two (or seven) under your belt. Or maybe you’re more of a newbie and want to finally run that race you’ve been eyeing like a puppy in a window.

Wherever you are in that spectrum, rest assured there are plenty of others out there who are in the same boat. And one of the best, safest and most fun ways of reaching your race goals is doing it through a training program offered by Fleet Feet Chico.

Not sure if there’s a training program for you? You haven’t seen a lineup this varied since the one in The Usual Suspects: marathon, half marathon, trail half marathon, beginning and advanced 5k, and the Walk Fit Program.

So, what can one expect from a Fleet Feet training program?

First, you’ll be part of a program that’s structured. The programs didn’t just throw themselves together, y’all. They’ve been developed by an RRCA-certified coach with 30 years of running experience, and refined through nine years of programs and over 2,000 team members. You get that experience with the two weekly coached group runs!

Next, the coaches. They come from varying backgrounds. Some have RRCA and/or USATF coach certification, some have participated in the training programs in the past and felt strongly enough to coach. There are those who have run every conceivable distance Fleet Feet training programs offer. Regardless of the distance, the coaches share what they’ve learned (through coach training with Coach Susan and their own running experience) and set the tone of the training environment with passion, knowledge and support—all of which come into play when you just don’t feel like doing that long run or you could use some extra encouragement on that last bit of speedwork.

Additionally, the coaching staff is constantly tweaking the dials and adding the latest in training science to make it a more enjoyable and effective way of training.

                                                                                

Finally, Fleet Feet training programs are not just a passing trend. They’ve reliably been cutting into PRs and changing lives since 2005. So, after thousands of runners over the years, they kinda have this program thing dialed in. Coach Susan, who’s in charge of the training programs, says she looks at three different metrics to determine success:

• The growing list of runners who have done 15 or more programs
• The huge number of new participants (40 percent!) that come from referrals
• How participants who have gone through the program evolve as human beings and emerge with a new sense of self-confidence, growing ambition and a passion for running and fitness

Running’s not for everybody, we know that. But for those of us who are crazy enough to invite it into our lives, there are others around us who want to be part of a larger group. Whether it’s setting a marathon PR, meeting new friends or something in between, there are plenty of reasons to join a Fleet Feet training program. And over the next couple of weeks, we’ll get more specific and learn more about certain aspects of the programs.