FLASH! Two of our group featured in Sunday IJ:
>See Sunday IJ in Living Section: Big article on Sister Marion Irvine.
She's an amazing lady and one of the top athlete's I've ever coached. Her last record, that still stands for 60 + year-olds is a 5K in 19:14.
> KAREN BEHNKE right there on the front page of the Business Section featuring her JUICE BEAUTY, an organic skin-care company in San Rafael. The focus is on non-toxic skin-care products. Way to go Karen and Jelissa Jochim. So now you have a perfect gift idea for Mother's Day...Can buy her products at Pharmaca, Elephant Pharmacy, Whole Foods and Juice Organics, the less concentrated version at Longs Drugs.
By popular demand:
See CHANGE in workout again for TUESDAY5/8/07 9am Tenn Valley group; will go to DIPSEA workout intstead of TENN VALLEY. This time for actual full run over the course. I will drive van to finish at Stinson; so those in my 9am groups let me know who to count on for needing a ride back. (some of you may want to do a double. (see below)
For those of you who could not make it keep in mind the HUMAN RACE 5K on Mother's Day weekend, on Sat. May 12th, at Marin Civic Center. I'll be doing course setup and will see you there. The race is close to home so it can work for some of you who want to do a 5K base effort. Just running it is a good fitness workout. By the way another way to calculate your 5K pace is to average your 3 X 1M times and add 15 seconds to it.
To help calculate your 10K time, for say MEMORIAL DAY RACES 10K/2.5M on MAY 28th, take your 5K time, double it, and add a minute = roughly your 10K time.
5/8/07. TUESDAY. 6:30am. TEMPO run at YMCA site.
This time let's have some of the group do the 6.5M course.
Trying to get this group built up again because tempo is so key for develping steady pace running and just plain good fitness for your racing. This applies to Dipsea training also. Depending on where you are with mileage after our 2M warmup, you can do 2M, 4M, 6M or 8M tempo. I always suggest conservative mileage so that you can work a better pace and not be flagging during the latter stages of the session. Light and temperature are good now in the early am. So for those of you without kids, this is a great way to start your day.
5/8/07. TUESDAY 9am. HILL REPEATS. CHANGE! Tenn Valley group is doing DIPSEA meeting at Old Mill Park; I'll see you there to confirm headcount and take duffel bags. Do warmup loop that brings you to start at Bus Depot, do the full course to Stinson.
I'll be in the beach parking lot. Those who have time can pick up a little brunch or I'll have a cooler with refreshments in it.
NOTE: that if time is an issue some of you can run it to Cardiac and back.
5/8/07. TUESDAY. 9am HILL REPEATS. Ross Common group.
(I don't know if Kevin will be there: he just did Napa Half Ironman).
Run to Phoenix Lake parking lot and do 2X30"(B/B); 1X45" on dam fireroad;
Go to Shaver Grade:
do 2X1:30 (1'); 1X3' (back to base); then to Fish Gulch: 6X20" (B/B).
jog over to Mt. Baldy for 1X1:30 (B/B).
Recovery run to parking lot, then tempo to tennis courts. Recovery run to Ross Common.
5/10/07. THURSDAY 7am & 9am. TRACK at COM
Focus this week is pacing with a workout we haven't done in a while for the A&B groups. It's great for a taper as well. Goes like this:
first lap at your 5K pace (or next goal pace), then when you finish the first 400, without break, go into your 2nd 4oo at 20" slower pace. Repeat the pattern for 3-4miles. Take turns leading.
5/11/07. FRIDAY. 9am Circuit Weight Training at COM PE comlex.
I'll be doing HUMAN RACE interior course setup 4pm on this Friday in prep for race day on 5/12/07, so I won't be at Arch Rival in late afternoon.
5/12/07. I will have NO HILL REPEATS due to my working the Human Race. If you missed running Zippy's - here's a fun make-up run - and it's an accurate 5K distance. It's local and also they have Kids' Races. IJ has been running full-page ads for the event. See www.humanrace.org.
NOTE that we will NOT have Saturday Hill Repeats between now and Dipsea: everyone should be on the course now. Tuesday group HR will continue.
SPLITS:
>Kevin, David, Gayle all had a good race at Lake Berryessa's Napa Triathlon today (5/5/07) though the wind was fierce and the course very hilly.
GAYLE won 2nd in her age group with a 6:42:57 (46:42-3:41:21-2:06:54)
KEVIN, won 1st place in 50+: 6:46:27 (54:46-3:38:09-2:03:32) If he hadn't taken about 9 minutes in transition (couldn't get wetsuit off) he would have with the group.
DAVE, 45-49, 12th: 6:43:12 (43:07-3:41:37-2:07:08)
Leigh, Linda,Melissa, Carolyn are at WildFlower Triathlon. Linda Lindsay not only did the Sat. Half Ironman(and suffered through two flat tires), but starts Sunday night with the NEVADA PASSAGE COMPETITON (wwwnevadapassage.com/competitor) - 7-day event including runs over tough terrain, dune buggy racing, back roads cycling (her specialty), back country skiing. check out the site. I'll have to hear how that goes later; tough to do after a half Ironman at Wildflower!
Apparently Carolyn had back trouble and could not do the entire event.
> As the weather warms up remember to keep water and electrolyte drink nearby (even in the car) so you can keep up with the fluids you need -especially necessary for those training for long distances.
> Remember to put in, and make those rest days count, as you cram for Dipsea: the quality hill running, track, and long runs provide the stress of training, but it's during the days off that the adaptations take place. Days off have their place - especially when you're over 40. Don't get sucked into "cram training" mode. Do your hill days well, still keep your 1 1/2 hour long run, track work and rest days. I'll be mixing up the hill work, e.g. next Tuesday with 9am group we'll be doing RRGrade (5/15/07) at 9am or so.
> If you want to try a lighter trail shoe for the race, come by the shop to see how the NB 790 , Asics Trail Attack, Asics 2120 trail fit.
>Remember to check wwwTHESCHEDULECOM for some good coverage on Boston and London Marathons. Larry Eder attended both events and does the write-ups.
> JANET BOWMAN Women's Racing Teams article, all the info you need to know:
Women’s Team Racing Program for 2007
By Janet Bowman
Last year, Tamalpa tried an experimental incentive program to encourage better participation in women’s team racing. This article will recap the results of that experiment and present a slightly revised program for 2007.
Tamalpans, male or female, who participate in team racing are the club’s standard bearers. Yes, we’re a large club with many members who race infrequently or not at all, and team racers represent just a small minority of all club members. Yet our team racers are the ones who carry the flag for the club. They are the face of the club seen by the outside world. As such, their contributions are highly valued and encouraged as a matter of club policy. It’s a longstanding goal of Tamalpa’s Board to try to get more members involved in team racing each year.
Team racing is more than wearing a Tamalpa shirt in the Dipsea. Of course, we like to see the club colors in that very popular race. But even though the Dipsea offers a club award, it is not part of the race circuits that REALLY count: the USATF Pacific Association’s Road, Cross Country, and Ultra Grand Prix series.
As many long-time members are aware, Tamalpa’s club-vs-club competitive efforts have waxed and waned many times over the years, and there always seems to be room for improvement. In 2006, there was a mixed bag. Most of our success came in the older age groups. In the Masters (40-49) division, both our men’s and women’s teams finished the year in the middle of a large field of club teams. And in the Open (39 and under) division, despite a valiant attempt by the Tamalpa men in the Roads series, we were basically off the charts due to defaults.
Tamalpa is one of the largest clubs in Northern California, and many members feel that with our numbers and our talent, we can and should be doing much better. Hence the development of the Women’s Team Racing Program last year.
The program is an initiative to encourage participation in team racing in Tamalpa. The emphasis is on including as many members as possible rather than focusing solely on winning. Therefore, we’re not simply looking to recruit the fastest runners. Instead, we want to encourage every member who enjoys racing to turn their attention to the races that matter most. Because the three Grand Prix series encompass dozens of races, we’ve whittled the list down to 15 “targeted” races of particular interest. These were chosen because they are relatively nearby and therefore more accessible to more of us. The majority are in the Cross Country series, which was felt to be an ideal fit with Tamalpa’s historical strength and interest in trail racing. However, some road races are included, and this year, by request of our intrepid ultrarunning contingent, so are some ultras. We are encouraging all members to consider making some or all of these the focus of their personal racing goals for 2007.
If you haven’t been a part of a club Racing Team before, here’s a brief introduction to the subject:
Team races exist in three yearly Grand Prix series mentioned above, hosted by the Pacific Association of USA Track and Field. (PA-USATF is Northern California’s branch of the governing body for running in the US.) All three feature club-vs-club competition in two sexes with five age group divisions each, so being older is no problem — you are only competing against others in your own age group. The age groups are Open (20-39), Masters (40-49), Seniors (50-59), Super Seniors (60-69), and Veterans (70 and over).
Scoring in these races is done two ways: individually, in order of finish time, which is independent of club affiliation; and by team. The team competition is the fun part! A club needs a minimum of five men or women for a men’s or women’s open team, and three for each of the older age groups (exception: masters men’s teams require four). If fewer runners show, the team defaults and the club scores no team points for that age group in the Grand Prix. To score for Tamalpa, a runner has to wear a Tamalpa uniform and have a current USATF card declaring his or her club as Tamalpa. (If you are switching from another club, you must run “unattached” for 90 days before being eligible for your new club. This rule discourages club-hopping.) Runners in the older divisions have the option of being “dropped down” by their team captains. This means that if we have, say, 5 masters women but only 4 open women, one of the masters women can be dropped down to the open team so that it has its required 5 runners. Whether the one dropped down is the slowest or the fastest master is a decision made by the captain after the race. It will depend on which division she feels we have a better chance of winning or placing high. This is an important part of team strategy.
Let’s take a closer look at the Cross Country (XC) series, since it’s our major focus. Unlike the other Grand Prix series, XC is seasonal (all races are in September, October, and November). This is ideal for those who want to periodize their training — i.e., try to get to peak form for a few months once a year, while cutting back at other times to a base level or to enjoy other sports.
Cross Country races are very different from the familiar weekend 5K-10K road races. They are more like XC in high school or college. Almost everyone runs for a club, everyone wears a uniform, and teams start together on a very wide starting line. There are separate races for open men, masters men, and women. Scoring is based on place, not time, so anyone in your age group you can manage to pass, no matter how far back in the pack, helps the team effort. The whole scene is very colorful, with team banners and picnics set up everywhere. The competition is tough, but the fact that you score for a team, not just for yourself, makes it feel very different — like a group endeavor. A slow runner never hurts a team — at worst, she provides insurance against a default, and at best, if she only beats another club’s slowest runner, she may be the deciding factor between her team winning or losing.
The PA XC series comprises ten races. Our target list includes seven of them, one more than the maximum number that a team can count for scoring. Teams and individuals can score their best 5 out of the first 9 PA races, plus everyone must score the final race (the PA Championship) in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. Most of the races are in the Bay Area. In fact, one — the Johnny Lawson Tamalpa Challenge — is put on by Tamalpa and is held at China Camp.
We often arrange car pools to the XC races, providing both transportation and an excellent opportunity to get to know teammates better. The club provides a bagel picnic after many races. For 2007, our primary goal will be simply to avoid defaults by having full teams in each division at the targeted races, and to make each race more fun by showing up in strength.
Our Team Racing Program borrows some good ideas from the other Pacific Association clubs that have been more successful at this than we have. One thing we’ve learned is that making commitments helps people stay more in tune with the goal. Another is that incentives help. In 2006, the club adopted a program unlike anything we’d tried before, but quite common with the other clubs. This program was developed by a group of Tamalpa women racers. The Tamalpa Board approved their proposal. Ultimately, a similar program could be extended to the men. All that would be needed would be one or more male Tamalpans to step forward and put their own proposal to the Board. Such a proposal could be the same or different from the women’s, and would need a volunteer or two to do the administrative work.
Here’s how the 2007 women’s program will work:
The commitment: Women wanting to participate are asked to commit to six or more of the 15 targeted races (see list below). A “commitment” in this sense means having the intention to train for and run these races as an eligible member of Tamalpa’s racing teams. The commitment may be made online, at the Tamalpa web site, www.tamalparunners.org. Go to the “Race” menu at the top, and click on the Team Signups link. This will take you to a form where you can enter your name and click off your six races. A password is required, which is the same for everyone. To avoid misuse, don’t tell anyone outside the club what it is. The password is “wilddog”.
Please make your commitments as soon as possible. You can go back and change them at any time if you need to, using the same password.
Note: The online commitment form is available to all Tamalpa members, including men. Everyone even considering running one or more of the Grand Prix races, whether on the targeted list or not, is encouraged to enter their name and races of interest. This will prove to be a valuable aid to the team captains of both sexes in their efforts to fill out as many teams as possible.
The incentive (note that this is different from last year’s): Women who fulfill their 6-race commitment will receive a new team uniform and a check for $100 to offset entry fees for the targeted races. Checks will be sent out next January, at the conclusion of the 2007 season. Under another club program, regular team racers, both male and female, may be eligible for the club to pay their USATF card fee. For women who qualify, this could amount to as much as $130 in reimbursements plus the cost of the uniform. Not a bad deal for a $20 membership!
Pacific Association rules require that all racing team members wear club uniforms in team competition. Tamalpa uniforms consist of singlets and black shorts. Our Tamalpa Clothing committee, Ana Braga-Levaggi and Laila Rezai, have designed a new blue Nike women’s uniform line consisting of coordinated singlets, short, and long sleeved tops in several styles. Any of these can be worn in races to satisfy the uniform rule, and we are asking all women racers to get at least one of these in 2007 so we can all look good together! They should be available sometime this month (March) from Ana, or at Fleet Feet in San Anselmo (which also stocks men’s uniforms.) Please buy the top you want, and the club will reimburse you at the end of the season if you run the 6 races.
Also, USATF membership is required for eligibility. To get a 2007 USATF card, see Frank Ruona or visit the PA web site (http://www.pausatf.org/) and click “Join Now”. Make sure your application shows Tamalpa Runners as your club affiliation.
Last year’s program was similar though it didn’t include the new uniform. Twelve women qualified for the incentive by completing their commitment to six targeted races. The majority of these were women who had not previously been regular team racers. As a result, our standings in the Masters and Super Seniors divisions were much improved over 2005. So the experiment was considered a modest success and worth trying again.
Remember, it’s not necessary to commit to six races, or to any races at all, to participate. Everyone is welcome to join the team effort whenever they can. Every man or woman interested in racing is a valuable asset to our Open, Masters, Seniors, or Super Seniors Women’s teams, even if he or she just runs one or two Pacific Association races a year. The only difference is that women unable to commit to a full six of the targeted races must pay their own expenses.
A final word to those many readers who love the TCRS and the Dipsea and see no reason for any of this other racing team stuff: No one is asking you to give up what you love. What is suggested is that instead of making the TCRS the focus of your training and competitive drive for the year, you consider the bigger, wider world of Pacific Association racing. If you only have a certain number of races in you, save some energy for the races that truly define what club running is all about. It’s true that PA races are very competitive and you will finish farther back in the pack. That’s because these are the races for serious runners. That’s precisely what makes them so much fun. You will feel a degree of excitement at being part of a team, wearing the team colors, that is absent from the weekend warrior events like Bay to Breakers or Bridge to Bridge. We’re saying, come celebrate the essence of being a club runner. Come carry Tamalpa’s flag. Fast or slow, your presence as part of the team will enhance the experience for all.
The 15 Targeted Races for 2007 are:
Road Grand Prix
Across the Bay 12K (Sausalito) 3/18/07
Zippy 5K (GG Park) 4/29/07
Marin Memorial Day 10K (Kentfield) 5/28/07
Banana Chase 5K (GG Park) 9/16/07
Christmas Relays (San Francisco) 12/16/07
Cross Country Grand Prix (exact dates have not yet been announced)
Empire (Santa Rosa) Sept
Golden Gate Park I Sept
Garrin Park (Hayward) Sept
Presidio (SF) Oct
Shoreline (Mountain View) Sept
Johnny Lawson Tamalpa Challenge (Marin) Oct
GG Park PA XC Championship (SF) Nov
Ultra Grand Prix
Way Too Cool 50K (Cool) 3/10/07
GG Headlands 50K (Marin) 8/25/07
Quad Dipsea (Marin) 11/24/07
