Spring 13.1 2014 FAQs

-Do you have any pace groups?

No. BUT, our groups always attract 100+ runners and 'organic' pace groups just naturally form during the course of the season. Something to keep in mind is that your pace will naturally increase over the course of the season. So, you may start out running 10:00/mile and towards the latter stages of training, a more comfortable pace for you might be 9:30/mile.

-What are we doing for the first workout on Saturday, 2/22?

We are doing an EASY 2 MILE RUN (unless you are a 'Race' level runner). You can walk at certain points if you need to, but ideally we'd LOVE for you to cover the entire distance.

-YIKES! 2 Miles sounds like a LOT of running!

We don't expect you to set any landspeed records. Run the 2 miles as slow as you need to. You can take walk breaks if you like. Everyone from our previous program has completed two miles with no problems!

-How do I know which level to train at? The schedule indicates Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, and Race level. I'm not sure which level makes sense for me.

Great question. If you have never done any kind of substantive running OR you have been away from running for a LONG time OR you are coming back from an injury it's likely you would be a good candidate for the 'Beginner' level training.

If you are relatively active and run periodically and have perhaps completed a 5K or 10K here or there, 'Intermediate' may make the most sense for you.

If you already run 3-5 times/week and have been for some time, 'Advanced' may be a solid training level for you. 'Race' level is for folks who are ALREADY in the kind of shape to run 13.1 miles and are purely interested in becoming FASTER.

Let me emphasize that there are no hard/fast rules and feel free to toggle between the various training levels. Maybe you can only handle 'Beginner' level training the first month, but need something a bit more challenging later on. NO PROBLEM! Try tackling the 'Intermediate' or 'Advanced' level training.

Your body will let you know when you are ready for something more demanding or if you need to dial things back.

-Where do we meet for runs?

Here's a detailed breakdown of when/where we meet:

On Tuesdays you have '3' workout locations to choose from (Marina/Presidio, Downtown, and Golden Gate Park):

-Tuesday nights @ 6:30PM across from SF Crossfit and Presidio Sport & Medicine (1162B Gorgas Ave).This is our PRIMARY location on Tuesdays and will be led by me.

-Tuesday nights @ 6:30PM launching from outside PSOAS+Massage/Bodywork (333 3rd Street, Suite 205). These runs will be led by USATF/RRCA certified coach Micah Dickerson. This option is designed to accommodate those working downtown and/or in the Financial District. This is a 'satellite' run, so there likely won't be as many runners as in the Marina in the evening on Tuesdays.

-Tuesday nights @ 6:30PM launching from the baseball fields in Golden Gate Park behind Lincoln/7th 

If you walk on 7th past Lincoln and into Golden Gate Park, you will see a small set of stairs. Walk down these stairs into the grassy area behind the baseball field and you are there. Here is a link for your reference-

Golden Gate Park Rendezvous Point

Thursday workouts are ALWAYS in the Marina/Presidio @ 6:30PM. You have '2' workout options on Thursday nights-

Accelerate bootcamp. For Beginner/Intermediate runners, I would suggest 'Accelerate'. Led by Coach Gaby, this program is geared towards core strengthening/stability. Expect lunges, squats, and a plethora of other great exercises designed to strengthen, stabilize, and stave off running related aggravations/injuries.

Thursday Night Speed. For Advanced/Race level runners, you'll be working with me. We will do a variety of workouts throughout the season designed to increase speed. Expect fartlek, tempo, target pacing, and more!

FYI, you can toggle back and forth between the two aforementioned options depending on how you're feeling.

Saturday long runs are at various locations in San Francisco @ 9:30AM.

We will mix up our run location periodically and venture out to Golden Gate Park, Lake Merced, and/or Ocean Beach.

ANY CHANGE OF LOCATION ON SATURDAY IS COMMUNICATED VIA THE TWICE WEEKLY TEAM EMAIL NEWSLETTER!

-Do I need to sign up for the Sasquatch Scramble (5K/10K/Half), the Golden Gate Relay, or the Western Pacific Half Marathon?

If you plan on participating in these events the answer is YES! You have signed up for TRAINING. The actual half marathons are SEPARATE/DISTINCT events. Here are links to all events-

The Sasquatch Scramble (4/26)
The Western Pacific Half Marathon (5/3)
The Golden Gate Relay (5/3 & 5/4)

-What should I do between now and program launch?

You could head over to A Runner's Mind (3575 Sacramento St) and get fitted for a new pair of shoes, get a digital watch, a few pairs of good running socks, reflective gear (for our MANY runs taking place at night), a headlight (again, for night running), and/or some running shorts/shirts! Make sure to show up ready to run on Saturday, 2/22!

-What should I do to be safe running in the dark?

Great question. Running in the dark can actually be quite exhilarating, BUT given that your visibility is compromised AND the visibility of other runners, cyclists, pedestrians, and DRIVERS is compromised it is CRITICAL that you be hyper-vigilant, tuned in, and aware of your surroundings while you are out.

Pay attention to what's in front of you, what's behind you, and be proactive. Additionally, it would be VERY wise to invest in a reflective shirt, vest or jacket as well as a safety light and or headlight to help illuminate the path in front of you.

LASTLY, I would STRONGLY discourage you from wearing an Ipod or other MP3 player during runs taking place in the dark! I know this may be tough for some of you, but think about it. Your vision is already compromised. By listening to music, you are compromising your hearing as well. It's up to you ultimately, but generally it's probably not the best idea.

-What if it's raining!? Will we still run?

YES. We may encounter inclement weather on race day and I can pretty much promise you the race will NOT be canceled! So, it's actually a good thing to train during inclement weather as you will be prepared should you encounter it on race day and your friends will think you are REALLY tough! :)

Obviously, if there are 'monsoon' like conditions where this a torrential downpour and 50MPH winds, we will likely err on the side of caution and cancel a run. But, this almost never happens.

-Additional Questions/Concerns?

EMAIL COACH MATT-MARATHONMATT@MARATHONMATT.COM!