1 x 1

The May-29th sprint workout will be performed individually as homework. I will be performing today's homework in Hawaii on the same road I once ran during the Hawaiian Ironman.  Kinda excited about it...

We will be meeting next at Foothill for our regular endurance workout on June 3rd.

Sprint Workout:

1 min ON (running hard)
1 min OFF (rest)
x 10 rounds

This workout is best performed on an out and back route.  I typically run the first "ON" at ~90% effort.  I then turn and run back to my original starting point.  Numbers 8, 9, and 10 are tough!!

Congratulations Kedar!!

Today's Memorial Day Workout:  100 yards on the football field x10, x9, x8, x7, x6, x5, x4, x3, x2, x1 (or 5029 meters) at your tempo pace.  Rest 30 seconds after each set.  

However...   Kedar asked if he could run 3000m for time today!! 

The 3000 is the real deal.  It is a true measurement of your endurance capacity.  The 3000 requires superior aerobic conditioning plus a developed tolerance to lactic acid.  I classify the 3000 as a long distance track event.  

Kedar has an incredible endurance story.  He has been extremely committed to getting better at his running and improving his aerobic capacity.  I still remember Kadar's first 400 meter time trial when he ran 2:18.  Kadar works hard every workout and his payoff has been staggering.  

Today he ran his 3000 meters with an average 400m split of 2:10.  Awesome!!

Memorial Day Track Workout - 10:30am at Foothill.

Wow!!!  It has been such an amazing weekend and we still have one more day!!  

I want to congratulate our NorCal athletes that competed in the CrossFit Regionals these past three days.  It was such an incredible experience to watch our coaches and members go up against the best in Northern California.  I was overwhelmingly inspired by the level of competition and sportsmanship exhibited by all athletes.  I'm truly proud to be part of the CrossFit community. 

Yes - We are having a CFE class tomorrow at 10:30am on the Foothill track.  I got a new pair of 2014 Reeboks running shoes from Jason and I must try them out on the track.  

Please come join me for a Memorial Day endurance track workout.  

Stride Rate or Stride Length???

Our workout tonight will focus on the importance of stride rate.

This workout was inspired by Matt Chan - 2nd place overall at the 2012 CrossFit Games.  Although Matt has solid running biomechanics, we have been doing a lot of stride analysis to improve speed and efficiency.  

Speed = Stride Rate + Stride Length

Matt's primary focus has been on increasing his stride rate.  Stride rate is a much more efficient form of running especially for running based CrossFit workouts.  CrossFit athletes that focus on stride length for speed will burn more power and strength.  Increasing stride rate requires a fast ankle pull back under your center of mass.  Sound familiar???  

World class 100m sprinters have stride rates of 300/min.

Wednesday, May-22 Speed Workout:  

Perceived Exertion:  

1 x 100 meters (at 60%, 70%, & 80%) with 100 meters walking rest between efforts.  

***We will be recording times and converting to a mile pace.

Stride Rate and Stride Length:

2 x 100 meters (at 80%, 90%, 100%) with flying start.  Full recovery between efforts

***We will be counting our individual strides during each 100m plus recording our finishing times.  And yes, I will have a table to convert your total strides into stride length plus a table to convert your times into stride rate per minute.  

Great Workout Tonight!!

NorCal CFE crushed another tough endurance workout tonight.  Those sweat drenched shirts tell me that you all got stronger tonight.  Thanks for pulling me into your workout and getting me stronger too.    

Stamina

Our stamina workout on Monday, May-20 is designed to increase aerobic capacity to achieve a more sustainable endurance curve.  Most CrossFit athletes develop excellent 400m personal record times because 60% of the 400m time trial is anaerobic.  However, their equivalent race performances at longer distances quickly fall due to underdeveloped aerobic conditioning.  Stamina workouts, with your oxygen consumption up to 90% of its max (or 85-92% of your maximum heart rate), will increase your lactate and anaerobic thresholds.

7pm, Monday, May-20, at Foothill College Track 

Intermediate Level Runner: 2500m
3 x 300m, 1 x 800m, 2 x 400m
walking 1:1 rest

Long Distance Runner:  4000m
4 x 300m, 2 x 800m, 3 x 400m
walking 1:1 rest

A Workout Dedicated to Dana!!

Dana Newell has been involved with NorCal CFE since Day 1.  Dana is a huge supporter of the NorCal CFE program.  Although Dana is focusing her coaching time at NorCal CF Mt View, I'm hoping she can once again join us at the Foothill track for an occasional speed workout - her favorite.  

Sprint Workout:  Wednesday, May-15, 7pm at Foothill College Track

5 x 150m:  The 150s will have an perceived exertion of 92, 94, 96, 98, 100% max efforts.  These will be flying start intervals - meaning that the interval will start 10m prior to the actual 150m start.  I want you hitting the starting line at top speed.  (400m jog between efforts + 2 min add'l rest)

The purpose of this workout is to give the runner an indication of their 400m speed.  Track athletes and coaches have been using the following formula to predict 400m times for years.  

As example, my flying start 150m time is 20.3 seconds which gives me a flying start 200m of 27 seconds (20.3 x 1.333).  To calculate my predicted 200m time with starting blocks - I would add 1sec of time for a total of 28 seconds.  To get my 400 predicted time, I would double my 28 second (200m predicted time) + add 4sec for a total time of 60 seconds.

Come out to the Foothill track and let's get your 400m predicted time!!

Magician

INTERNAL PACING

At NorCal CFE we teach the importance of pacing.  In fact, every workout & every interval has a prescribed pace range based on the athlete's current capabilities.  We often time our interval splits down to 100m sections to confirm we're on target.  Our athletes never just run because we are constantly monitoring our environment and ourselves.  This is why our athletes are seeing such amazing results.  

Timed intervals on the track are easy to monitor.  How does this pace setting translate into road races?  What do you do in a race without mile marks?  How about that 11k run in Camp Pendleton at the 2012 CF Games?

Anyone that has ever run on the track with me will confirm that I can hit 400m lap times at any pace range without a watch.  I'll never forget that perplexed look from Jason after our 2nd track workout when we ran together and hit split after split, over and over, again and again.

"It's like you're a magician" - Jason Khalipa

Answer:  The repetitive interval pacing will burn into our memory system creating the ability to "feel" pace.  In time, every runner will develop a range of paces that they can hit without a watch.

Our Monday, May-13, track workout will test our internal pacing clocks.  We will be using watches for the 200s to dial in our paces.  Then, without watches, we will replicate the same paces for the longer distances.

Intermediate Distance Runner:  2600m
2 x 200m w/ 100m walk followed by 1 x 800m w/ 200m walk

1 x 200m w/ 100m walk followed by 1 x 600m w/ 200m walk
1 x 200m w/ 100m walk followed by 1 x 400m 

Long Distance Runner:  4400m
2 x 200m w/ 100m walk followed by 1 x 1000m w/ 200m walk
2 x 200m w/ 100m walk followed by 1 x 800m w/ 200m walk

2 x 200m w/ 100m walk followed by 1 x 600m w/ 200m walk

2 x 200m w/ 100m walk followed by 1 x 400m 

Is it only Wednesday??!?

This has been an amazing week at NorCal CFE.  

My CFE week started with a relentless series of intervals with the NorCal coaches.  Then, that night, the NorCal CFE class took over the Foothill track and our runners crushed the very same 4500 meter endurance workout.  Tonight the NorCal CFE class learned how to race a shuttle sprints then chewed through a 1.75 mile speed workout.  I want to thank our CFE athletes for inspiring me to jump into tonight's class and run side by side.  Our workout was tough but I'm still feeling really good about my efforts.  Thank you!!

PLAN

What is your running plan?

Although one of the primary goals of NorCal CFE is to create running speed, strength, and endurance, I'm equally focused on creating a more intelligent and strategic runner.  

Every NorCal CFE athlete runs with a plan...for every workout...for every interval.  As an example, the NorCal CFE athletes have learned how to race 400 meters by attacking those first 5 steps, then settle into a pace that's 2 seconds slower than your 200m PR time by the 50 meter mark, then maintain that same pace for the next 150 meters, then drive the final turn hard (knowing this is where everyone quits because you're now anaerobic), and finally push that final straight to the finish.   

Question:  Where is your vision as you reach that final 100 meters?  

Tomorrow we will be focusing on the shuttle sprint.  Yes - we will focus on technique and developing a plan for the fastest results.

Intermediate Running Distance
2 x 300, 1 x 400, 3 x 200 at your 800 goal pace
Walking 200m rest between intervals

Long Running Distance
4 x 300, 2 x 400, 3 x 200 at your 800 goal pace
Walking 200m rest between intervals

6, 4, 3...

NorCal Endurance Workout

When:  7pm on May-6
Where:  Foothill College Track

Short Distance Athlete
2x (600m, 400m, 300m)

Middle Distance Athlete
3x (600m, 400m, 300m)

Long Distance Athlete
3x (600m, 400m, 300m, 200m)

The rest between intervals is 1:1 (work to rest)
The rest after each set is equal to your first 600m time

This is an amazing endurance workout that has three (3) distance options that is based on your individual goals, mechanics, and experience.  I will provide each athlete a pace range for each specific distance.  The pace range will be based on your recent PR times. 

This workout will begin getting difficult during the second set.  Our 6 x 600m workout from last week will give you the mental strength to stay within your targeted pace.

Remember...Pacing, Pacing, Pacing!!!