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Week 2 Newsletter

It's On!

We are underway

It's great to have so many familiar faces back. Some of you are coming into it with a great running base and there are are those of you are just getting back into the swing of things with your running. 
 

If you are coming into this RaceTeam with a good base our advice is that you go for big intensity right from the start.


If you haven't done any intensity running for a while, we recommend that you don't push the intensity too hard for the first couple of weeks. Intensity is hard on your body so we want to make sure you have some good conditioning first..take it easy for the first couple of weeks. 

Below is the Vdot pace app for your Pace and Saturday sessions so you can now you have your 5km time you can  work out your "race pace", 10km and 5km paces for your sessions. 

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If you didn't do the 5km Time Trial with the team, make sure you do this on your own, it's an important start to the programme so you can see where you are at with your paces. 

Week 2 Sessions

MORNING GROUP

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  • Wednesday 26 January, 6.00am
    Meeting Point: South Hagley Park
    Map of Meeting Point: Netball Courts
    Track Session

EVENING GROUP

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  • Tuesday 25 January, 5.40pm
    Meeting Point: South Hagley Park
    Map of Meeting Point: Netball Courts
    Track Session

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  • Thursday 27 January,  5.40pm
    Meeting Point: South Hagley Park
    Map of Meeting Point: Netball Courts
    Pace Session

BOTH GROUPS

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Course Description:
Please run on the path at all times and keep left. Please don't run any more than 2 abreast and be responsible for your own safety.
 

  1. From Barnett Park, run along Main Road to McCormacks Bay Road. Turn left

  2. Run around McCormacks Bay Road to Bridle Path Road. Cross over at the pedestrian lights and run up Bridle Path Road. 

  3. At Martindales Road cross over where we indicate with cones and run up Martindales Road to Port Hills Road.

  4. Follow our cones that will take you into Heathcote Domain, through the Domain up to Bridle Path Road. The 7km marker will be here. 

  5. KM markers out: 1km, 2km, 7km (the other km markers are for our Club10k team)
     

14km runners: Out and back to 7km marker

16km runners: Out and back to 7km marker then out and back to BLUE  1km marker*
18km runners: Out and back to 7km marker then out and back to BLUE 2km marker*
 

* When you do your out and back section at the end, turn around at the cone marked “turnaround” which will be before the pedestrian lights opposite New World.  We have mapped the 1km and 2km BLUE markers from this point heading back towards McCormacks Bay Road and both are on McCormacks Bay Road. 

Saturday's Course: Click on image to enlarge

This weeks quick tip: 

'Have a gear bag that stays in your car for those unexpected moments..vaseline, bandaids, warm clothes, a towel, emergency coffee money...be a good girl guide/boy scout and always be prepared!.' - Jennifer

Paces and Track Sessions

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Know your paces and tips for track sessions

VDot Calculator
 

Just a reminder to use the VDOT calculator to work out your minute/km paces for your Pace Sessions (refer to your programme). Remember that this isn't an exact science, if you have a GPS watch keep track of your min/km times and if you feel that these paces are too challenging or too easy use your breathing as a gauge.


Download the VDOT app:
Apple App
Android App
Enter in your 5km time and the app will calculate your paces for 10km, 5km, and race pace.
Swipe (right to left x 2) across to find your per min/km pace for each of these.

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If you don’t have a GPS watch, use “perceived exertion” with your paces - ie: how you feel:

Easy Running:
Easily hold a conversation, breathing easily - “gossip pace”.
 

Race Pace:
More difficult to hold a conversation but could still talk, slightly heavier breathing.
 

10km Pace: 
Can’t hold conversation, concentrating and pushing self but not extremely hard.
 

5km Pace:
Can’t talk, heavy breathing, focused and really pushing yourself.
 

All Out:
Running as fast as you can.

Education

Technique Tips: Track Sessions

In the track sessions, there are a couple of things we need to think about and remember:


The intensity gauge: As you are building your pace each set...you want to look at your paces on your watch, stop your watch after each set and try to improve on your average pace each set. 

Technique under intensity:
As we get tired, our form drops. So be mindful that when you start to get tired in these sessions think:

1. Posture (eyes up)
2. Chest lifted
3. Relaxed upper body
4. Cadence
 

Using mental cues can help us be more efficient when things start to get a little tough. Remember, if you are new to intensity running then just take it easy in the first couple of weeks to figure this stuff out.
 

Remember the magic number of 180 when we look at cadence?
Where are you sitting right now? Maybe it's time to do a test on yourself over 1 minute and count your footfalls - are you close to 180 footfalls per minute?


When runners hit 180 foot falls per minute they are naturally decreasing the up and down heights of their vertical displacement, this means they will be able to run faster with less energy.
 

What does 180 bpm sound like? 

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Tip: It's pretty fast! Try downloading music with a slight increase in beats per minute (bpm) you are aiming for and put on your ipod and practice running in time to this.

Other News

  • On Time Starts
    You know we always start on time! Please make sure you are at the sessions a few minutes early so you can "check in" for roll call and hear the session briefing. We don't wait!
     

  • A reminder about the Club10k and RaceTeam private Facebook group - it’s a great place to connect with your team: Click here to request access (we will respond within 24hrs).
     

  • Consistency is key team..get to the sessions. 
     

  • Well done in getting through the first week. You are doing great!

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