Ladies,
Well, that was quite a workout! Sorry to pop it on you like I did, but that's why they pay me the big bucks. It was a judgment call, and in hindsight, I'm happy with it.
Running isn't just about lacing up your shoes and going that way fast - it's a thinking man's (or woman's) game. There is a great deal of science to optimizing your abilities as a runner, and never, ever do you neglect your mind. Let me go over some numbers with you, and let's see if you can agree.
Remember last week? That's right, we started off the season with a tempo run. We had some decent numbers, but it was a struggle for some. A few girls didn't even make the full distance. There is a decent place to start - this week, all who started the tempo finished the full distance. That's progress all by itself.
The fastest time we had last week was 23:13. This week it was 20:28. That's a 2:45 drop in one week!
Now let's look at pace. If I add up the total times from last week and calculate the average I get 8:16 mpm average pace. This week the average pace dropped to 7:52 mpm. That's over 28 seconds drop in one week! And, let's not forget, that's per mile, which means the overall average time dropped almost a minute and a half!
I'd like to point something else out, in case you haven't picked up on it yet... I predicted these times yesterday based on your speed workout. I was close on Alli, and nailed it on Danielle and Shelby. Lest this sound a lot like bragging, that's not the point - the fact is, if you know how to read your numbers, you can figure out where you should be racing at any given time for any given practice level. This is a skill you all need to learn, because it gives you confidence. The numbers never lie.
I don't know how these particular points were coached to you last year (if ever), but if not, it will be a marked difference in our styles. I am a numbers freak. I will be asking you about your splits incessantly. I want to know what the numbers tell you. I want to know you're thinking, adapting, seeing your opportunities and capitalizing. Stay focused on your numbers and you will stay focused on your race.
If I'd told Danielle and Shelby to run 6:49 pace today on their own, they would have been daunted to the point they may not have made it. They didn't believe it was possible. Even late in the run it seemed there were moments when it might not work out. That's why I wanted to be there - to provide that focus. Shelby looked outstanding all the way through. Danielle struggled starting about halfway, but fought her way back into it. Both runs have a great deal to commend them. And it's only the beginning.
Alli wasn't happy with her run at first. I know she wants to be on the front, that's the competitor in her, and I love it. But consider her one-week progress. Last week it was 7:50 pace. This week is was 7:35, and more importantly, the pain in her quad is lessening day-by-day. Go ahead, drop 15 spm on your pace week after week. That's a 45 second drop in overall time each time. I'd take that. ;)
Bret and Carrie held fairly consistent from tempo to tempo, but there are reasons for both. Bret is still getting over the foot pain, and Carrie is recovering fitness from her trip. Both looked solid on the run, and from appearances ran this run far more comfortably than last week. That itself is progress.
Summer and Diana finished the three miles and lowered their paces significantly. It is a very big deal.
Morgan... as of this writing I didn't have her time. I know she was faster, but how much so I cannot say. I know she's suffering shin splints, so even holding even would be fine.
I won't lie; we're not where we need to be yet, not even close. But we have time, and that's always been part of the plan. What we want is progress, week by week, even if it's only a few seconds per mile. A five-second per mile drop translates into a 15 second faster overall run. Over 10 weeks, that's a huge drop, wouldn't you say?
We have base times from which to work. We'll be improving our speed and fitness. Let's watch these times drop! Have the confidence to be aggressive in the workouts, to fight for positions. We're friends and teammates, but concede nothing to anyone. It's the job of the girls on the front to be as good as they can be at all times. It's the job of the girls at the back to close the gap between themselves and the front - in other words, to be as good as they can be! Everyone is necessary, everyone is important, but try to beat the pants off every other member of the team!
Easy run tomorrow - I promise!
Danielle's Run Data
Well, that was quite a workout! Sorry to pop it on you like I did, but that's why they pay me the big bucks. It was a judgment call, and in hindsight, I'm happy with it.
Running isn't just about lacing up your shoes and going that way fast - it's a thinking man's (or woman's) game. There is a great deal of science to optimizing your abilities as a runner, and never, ever do you neglect your mind. Let me go over some numbers with you, and let's see if you can agree.
Remember last week? That's right, we started off the season with a tempo run. We had some decent numbers, but it was a struggle for some. A few girls didn't even make the full distance. There is a decent place to start - this week, all who started the tempo finished the full distance. That's progress all by itself.
The fastest time we had last week was 23:13. This week it was 20:28. That's a 2:45 drop in one week!
Now let's look at pace. If I add up the total times from last week and calculate the average I get 8:16 mpm average pace. This week the average pace dropped to 7:52 mpm. That's over 28 seconds drop in one week! And, let's not forget, that's per mile, which means the overall average time dropped almost a minute and a half!
I'd like to point something else out, in case you haven't picked up on it yet... I predicted these times yesterday based on your speed workout. I was close on Alli, and nailed it on Danielle and Shelby. Lest this sound a lot like bragging, that's not the point - the fact is, if you know how to read your numbers, you can figure out where you should be racing at any given time for any given practice level. This is a skill you all need to learn, because it gives you confidence. The numbers never lie.
I don't know how these particular points were coached to you last year (if ever), but if not, it will be a marked difference in our styles. I am a numbers freak. I will be asking you about your splits incessantly. I want to know what the numbers tell you. I want to know you're thinking, adapting, seeing your opportunities and capitalizing. Stay focused on your numbers and you will stay focused on your race.
If I'd told Danielle and Shelby to run 6:49 pace today on their own, they would have been daunted to the point they may not have made it. They didn't believe it was possible. Even late in the run it seemed there were moments when it might not work out. That's why I wanted to be there - to provide that focus. Shelby looked outstanding all the way through. Danielle struggled starting about halfway, but fought her way back into it. Both runs have a great deal to commend them. And it's only the beginning.
Alli wasn't happy with her run at first. I know she wants to be on the front, that's the competitor in her, and I love it. But consider her one-week progress. Last week it was 7:50 pace. This week is was 7:35, and more importantly, the pain in her quad is lessening day-by-day. Go ahead, drop 15 spm on your pace week after week. That's a 45 second drop in overall time each time. I'd take that. ;)
Bret and Carrie held fairly consistent from tempo to tempo, but there are reasons for both. Bret is still getting over the foot pain, and Carrie is recovering fitness from her trip. Both looked solid on the run, and from appearances ran this run far more comfortably than last week. That itself is progress.
Summer and Diana finished the three miles and lowered their paces significantly. It is a very big deal.
Morgan... as of this writing I didn't have her time. I know she was faster, but how much so I cannot say. I know she's suffering shin splints, so even holding even would be fine.
I won't lie; we're not where we need to be yet, not even close. But we have time, and that's always been part of the plan. What we want is progress, week by week, even if it's only a few seconds per mile. A five-second per mile drop translates into a 15 second faster overall run. Over 10 weeks, that's a huge drop, wouldn't you say?
We have base times from which to work. We'll be improving our speed and fitness. Let's watch these times drop! Have the confidence to be aggressive in the workouts, to fight for positions. We're friends and teammates, but concede nothing to anyone. It's the job of the girls on the front to be as good as they can be at all times. It's the job of the girls at the back to close the gap between themselves and the front - in other words, to be as good as they can be! Everyone is necessary, everyone is important, but try to beat the pants off every other member of the team!
Easy run tomorrow - I promise!
Danielle's Run Data
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