The South Riding Running Club is a Northern Virginia community of runners and walkers of all levels and ability. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to participate regardless of age, gender, athletic inclination, and goals.
Questions? Comments?
Contact us:
srrunner@srrunners.org
Go for it now. The future is promised to no one. -- Wayne Dyer
Training Helpers
Reaching any kind of goal requires some sort of plan and a way to measure progress. That's often more easily said than done. Running goals that involve distance, speed, or both will demand training over time. Trying to gear up quickly for a race or participating in one without adequate preparation usually leads to disappointing results and, more often than not, the risk of an injury.
The resources here are meant to be only part of a training regimen. No matter what program or method you choose to follow to achieve a goal, the fundamental ingredient to any success is consistency. That means you don't have to run far or even particularly fast all the time. You do need to get out and run every day of your schedule, though--rain or shine. The flabbiest muscle in the body is between our ears, so training that one is the key to success.
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Healthy Lifestyle |
Consistent Training |
Strong Finish |
Training Schedules
Below are some training schedules for 5K, 10K, Half-Marathon, and Marathon distances. All PDFs are courtesy the NikeRunning.com website.
5K |
10K |
Half Marathon |
Marathon |
Track Workouts
SRRC organizes a members-only speed series several times a year. Whether you're preparing for the SR Triathlon, a 5K, 10K, or a fall marathon, speed workouts will help improve your performance. Workouts are held at the Freedom High School track. (Read more . . .)
Coach Al Running Clinic
Coach Al Lyman has provided the club with a PDF document entitled, "Running Better: A Basic Guide to Help You Run Faster and Stay Injury Free" to help runners with running form and technique. The advice is excellent, and it works.
One of the techniques suggested by Coach Al was to run between 85-95 strides/minute. (To determine your current stride number, count the number of times your right leg hits the pavement in a minute.) SRRC member Stefan Raab has provided this MP3 file of a metronome (a device used by drummers for cadence) at a 90 beat/minute pace. (To download the file, right click on the link and "Save Target As...".) While running with MP3 players is normally a little hazardous, spending a few days practicing your cadence while listening to the metronome through one earphone can help give you a feel for maintaining your beat.
Are You Ready for Your Marathon?
Everyone says that the challenge of running a marathon is mostly mental. Maybe that's true, but your mind will only get you over so much matters hydration, fueling, timing, and training. Now that race day is looming, do you have what you need to set out on the course. This graphical feature from the Washington Post may be a good final checklist. (Read more . . . .)
Long Runs
Several routes for longer distance training runs are available at this site. For more options for long runs in Loudoun County and beyond, consult the the LRR Long Run List.
We are what we repeatedly do; therefore, excellence is not an act but a habit. — Aristotle