While running is a year around and weather dependent endeavor, most runners prefer to run when it is nice outside. The club considers the running season to be mid-March through mid-November each year. This is also when most of the running events seem to occur. We do not stop for winter, but the number of options for racing and working out are less.

Always check the home page of the website or Twitter for any last minute updates to scheduled workouts.

Interval Training for Speed: Spring/Fall Tuesday Night Track Workouts

Coached Speed workouts are held every Tuesday evening (Spring: March to May; Fall: September to October) at the Benjamin Franklin Middle School (NOTE: sometimes we move to Veterans Field in Ridgewood if there is a school athletic event that overlaps our scheduled time – Veterans Field is located on Maple Ave. behind the Ridgewood Public Library.) Announcements, Strides, and the workout will start at 6:15pm sharp. Arrive early to warm-up 1-1/2 miles. These workouts are held every Tuesday from March until June, and September to November. A major advantage of our club’s size is that finding a group that will workout at your pace is highly likely: attendance at these sessions can exceed forty runners. See below for a general explanation of this workout, and the Coach’s Corner section which details each upcoming workout.

Interval workouts are intended to increase your race speed. The workout consists of a series of repetitions of an exercise phase and a recovery phase. Our coach determines and directs the workout. The speed at which you run the exercise phase is based upon your 5K minutes per mile running time; it is a guide to selecting the appropriate group. Use the tables below to determine your 5K pace time and the corresponding 400 meter time.

Your goal is to complete the workout feeling good. That includes the warm-up, the workout, and the cool-down. Do not try to compete with others, they may cause you not to finish the workout. Settle in with a group that allows you to run at a comfortable pace. If not, drop back to the next group.

PREPARATION:

Before leaving your home, know your average 5K minutes per mile and 400 meter running time. Use the pace charts below. For example, a 5K running time of 25 minutes translates to about eight minutes per mile or 2 minutes per quarter mile (400 meters). The coach will describe the exercise phase in these terms.

Know how to get to the track and park. Plan on arriving early for your warm-up. Try to be on the track at 5:45 so that you can comfortably do a 10-15 minute warm-up of a mile or more, followed by some stretching. Bring water and appropriate warm-up/cool-down clothes. Finally, know your track.

THE SEQUENCE:

5:45 – 6:10 Arrive relaxed, warm-up, stretch, and socialize

6:10 – 6:15 Coach gathers the members. Be prepared to get to the starting area, you don’t want to miss anything he says. Club officers will make general announcements and introductions. Coach explains today’s workout and sends us out for one mile of “strides”. Strides are short quick efforts where you practice good form. They are followed by easy jogs. After finishing the strides we gather again at the starting line to do “the workout”.

6:25 – 7:00 Usually, a three mile interval workout. It is run counter-clockwise on the inside lanes of the track. The faster groups will go first, followed a few seconds later by the second group, and so on. Stay with your group at the agreed-to-pace in order to get the most benefit. If a faster runner(s) come up behind you yelling “track”, slowly move with the group to the outside lanes, yielding the inner lane(s) to the faster runners.

7:00 – 7:15 Cool-down

Lactate Threshold Training (Tempo): Spring/Summer/Fall Thursday Night Workouts

Coached Tempo workouts are held every Thursday evening at Veterans Field from March until the end of May. The workouts begin promptly at 6:15 PM.

Tempo workouts are intended to help your body understand what different paces feel like and they help improve the amount of oxygen that gets to your muscles. The workout consists of a warm up followed by an assigned amount of time or distance at a pace that you could hold when racing a 10k or half marathon. The workout is completed with a cool down. Our coach designs the workout and will help you figure out the pace at which you should be doing your workouts.