The Gorilla's Season Opener

This Sunday, most of the New Brunswick contigent will meet at GSTC Headquarters, 106 Bayard Street in NB, at 7:30am.  From there, we will pile up in the team van and drive up Joyce Kilmer to the New Brunswick track, where the Jimmy D 5k race starts and ends. 

 

We love this race because:

 

1.  it is local and big and VERY fun

 

2.  GREAT (and free) BBQ afterward (and we mean GREAT)

 

3.  GSTC member Georges Richa is on the race committee

 

More information here: http://www.raceforum.com/09/jimmyd.pdf

 

An added bonus: the GSTC's gorilla will make its NJ fall debut. 

 

Last year was a very fun time....c'mon out and join us this Sunday morning!

 

 

[August 29-September 4]: Welcome Back, Rutgers Students!

Props

While there were no race results this week, much appreciation is owed to many.  First, thanks to Kevin Blanchard for driving around the team van the past two weeks; thank you so much for going out of your way to help transport runners and provide the sprinters with the equipment they need.  Next, props to Tony Harris  for spending endless hours playing coach via arranging runs, workouts, rides, etc. through endless calls and texts.  Finally, thanks to RU junior Zach Spiegel and sophomore Kyle Flyer (with possible help from junior Marcus Gigliotti and sophomore Dan Teichmann) for setting up and running the GSTC table at the Fall Involvement Fair on whatever date they postpone it this week.

 

Oh, and we have forgotten too many weeks in a row: congrats to recent FDU grad Megan Patterson for getting her dream job in the recreation department at Iona College in NYC earlier this month.  Awesome and congrats!  And, it sounds like she's getting ample time to train out there, which is a win-win for everyone...except for her NJ competition, that is....

 

 

Welcome

This week, we welcome back all our Rutgers students back to the tropical, merry campus of New Brunswick.  It feels like just yesterday we were saying, "Well, this is our last run of the spring semester together," yet here we are....fall semester. That said, along with welcoming the old guard from last year, let's welcome some new Rutgers students, including Chris Kempf, Laura Soffer, Alyse Scaffidi, Josh Kim, Thomas Segear, Joe Fessenden, Raquel Rivera, Jason Gulya, Chelsea Mapa, Chloe Wiskow, Brian Doyle, Christina Palumbo, Danielle Owens, Renee Theroux, Nancy Guillaume, and Jamie Sweet.  As you've all heard, we meet daily from campus, and folks come whenever they're able.  We'll discuss off-campus runs, both on the weekend and weekdays, throughout the first few weeks.  We'll have team shirts, etc. for you all soon as well.

 

 

Important GSTC Dates

Saturday, 9/3: Testing day for sprinters.  Time to see what we've done this summer.

Sunday, 9/4:  Jimmy D 5k.  It's right here in New Brunswick this coming Sunday.  With a HUGE BBQ afterward, you can't go wrong!

Sunday, 9/11: Team long run + team BBQ @ Westfield's Tamaques Park.  Always fun to meet and dine with teammates!

 

 

Get the Gorilla 5k

On November 11 in NB's historic Buccleuch Park, the GSTC will be hosting the ONLY race on the East Coast that offers prize money to costumes (top three most creative) AND to speedsters (three fastest men and women): Get the Gorilla 5k.  We are also introducing the HUMAN CENTIPEDE to the East Coast, and offering a $150 prize to the most creative one (for now, we're calling it three adjoined runners; on the West Coast, it's 13!), along with having a gorilla in the race, just because every good race should have one.

 

More info on the race:

http://www.raceforum.com/11/gorilla.pdf

http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=152541514832271

 

Never heard of a human centipede?

http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=22791

 

Rules to Centipede Running

http://zazzlebaytobreakers.com/index.php?page=centipedes

 

 

Team Runs this Week- Distance

(please be on time....if you're running late, text us so so we wait!)

Monday         none

Tuesday        5:00 @ Rutgers Student Center (in front of info booth)

Wednesday   5:00 @ Rutgers Student Center

Thursday       5:00 @ Rutgers Student Center

Friday            3:00 @ Rutgers Student Center      

Saturday       none

Sunday          Jimmy D 5k Race (start & finish at NB middle school)

 

 

 

This Week in Training

 

Distance (cjtafelski@yahoo.com)

OK, we're getting close to the good stuff.  There will be some more transition work this week.  First, we will only do one hill workout this week to make room for some other quality work.  Also, I'd like to see most of you hold your mileage.  If you're way under your target, then keep building.  If not, hold it for a week to allow for the step up in quality.  Some of you are running the Jimmy D 5k in NB on Sunday, 9/4.  The plan is the same whether you're racing or not because, to be honest, it's not worth it to sacrifice training for a local 5k.  If you do race, go for a longer cooldown, say 45 mins or so, to get some more mileage in.

Monday - 12% of week's mileage, 6x80m strides

Tuesday - fartlek effort totaling 12% of mileage - 2 x 2:00, 3:00, 5:00, 3:00, 2:00 with 3:00 recovery between each. Not all of the pickups have to be the same intensity - remember that it's more important to keep the recovery segments honest than to run very hard on the pickups and crawl in between   

Wednesday - Progression run, you know the deal - start out very easy and work down to threshold pace by the end.

Thursday - super easy 40-60 mins

Friday - 5x mile at tempo + 10sec with 1 minute rest, 4x200 at 800 pace
Saturday - 12% of week's mileage, 10x8-10second hill sprints on the steepest hill you can find - do not exceed 8-10seconds - more is NOT better for these!
Sunday - Jimmy D 5k OR 20-25% of mileage - groove the last 1/3 of the run - get yourself moving pretty well at the end.

 

Week Five: Sprinters (chuckschneekloth@hotmail.com)

After four weeks of hard general prep work, it's time to see where we are.  We will train hard Tuesday, then take the rest of the week light (light...not off) to prepare for the day of testing (Saturday, 9am).  After this week, we will begin incorporating more specificity such as hill work, track work, and more targeted plyometrics.  Please realize that in less than four months....it's indoor track time!

 

Monday                                                         14x100 stride (knee lift final 20m)           Lift

Tuesday  (@ MHS 6:30)                              3 x (3 x 200 @ 30sec rest) @ full recovery 

Wednesday                                                  15 minute recovery run.  Stretch.        Lift

Thursday                                                       8 x 150 (stride-accelerate-stride)                   

Friday                                                             OFF running; lift

Saturday (@ MHS 9:00am)                         Testing: 600m. Shot put back throw.  150 meters.  3 bounds.  Flying 40m.

Sunday                                                           10 minutes light running.  Stretch.

 

 

--

Garden State Track Club

USATF & RRCA Members

2011 President's Cup &

Penn Relays 5k Classic Team Champions

www.gardenstatetc.org

http://www.facebook.com/#!/GardenStateTC

http://twitter.com/#!/GardenStateTC

http://gardenstatetc.blogspot.com/

[August 22-28]: A Top Ten Finish for M Del M!

Props

A big shout to the lone GSTC racer this weekend, Mark Del Monaco.  He cracked the top ten in the Puma Five Miler yesterday in Westford, MA, finishing in at 26:52.  While prepping for a possible Olympic Trials marathon qualifier this fall, Mark continues to race well throughout the East Coast this summer. 

http://www.coolrunning.com/results/11/ma/Aug20_PUMA5M_set2.shtml

 

Another shout out to Tim Morgan who, thankfully, was able to complete all runs this week without getting lost.

 

Finally, props to Shay Warren and Tyrone Ross who have been acting as player-coaches while I've been on vacation. 

 

 

 

More GSTC Outreach: Essays 4 Equipment

Essays 4 Equipment (E2E) is another outreach initiative by the Garden State Track Club with hopes to bring underserved youth runners in New Jersey  the resources they need to be successful.

During the team barbeque on 9/11, GSTC members will bring any running gear they no longer use (spikes, watches, shorts, hats, gloves, trainers, race shirts, bags, etc.).  The GSTC Board will contact high schools directly in Newark, Trenton, and Camden describing the resources available.  Interested students (not coaches) will need to write short persuasive essays requesting equipment, and after timely board review, the club will disperse available resources appropriately.  Club members are also invited to consider purchasing requests if interested.

 

Team BBQ

September 11- be ready- Tamalques Park in Westfield.  More to come.  Yeah.

 

This Week in Training

Team Workouts: Sprinters

Tuesday- 6:30pm @ Roosevelt (near Plays in Park)

Thursday- 6:30pm @ Roosevelt (" " " ")

Saturday- 3:00pm- @ Roosevelt (" " " ")

 

 

Team Workouts: Distance

Monday- 5:30 @ 106 Bayard New Brunswick (street run)

Tuesday- 5:55 @ 106 Bayard (will drive to Roosevelt Park with sprinters- start run at 6:30)

Wednesday- 5:30 @ 106 Bayard (drive to Six Mile for progression run)

Thursday- 5:55 @ 106 Bayard (will drive to Roosevelt with sprinters- start run at 6:30)

Sunday- 9:00am Six Mile (Canal/Blackwell Mills)

 

Week Four: Sprinters (chuckschneekloth@hotmail.com)

Although volume has been bumped up a bit, this week is quite similar to last for a few reasons.  First, we won't introduce anything new while I'm on the West Coast.  Second, your week of testing is the first week in September, and much of this mesocycle has been geared toward said testing.  Finally, general prep phase calls for us to touch on a variety of systems- leaning more on aerobic than any other time in the plan.  For now, keep all lifting at 10-12 reps, with 3-4 sets.  Tyrone and I will be creating a template of weight room work upon my arrival back to Jersey.  As always, make sure you do all the small things for every session; every workout plays a different role in your fall development.  I'm excited to get back in a week and begin the testing!

Monday                                             8x150 stride (knee lift final 20m)           Lift

Tuesday  (Roosevelt @ 6:30)        Two circuits (plyos, hurdle flexibility); 4 x 600m (broken: 2 x 300 @ :45 rest); 4min/set; two circuits (core, bounding)

Wednesday                                       8 min recovery run,  6 x 50m stride, 8 minute recovery run;        Lift

Thursday (Roosevelt @ 6:30)                    Fartlek 6 x 4:00; four circuits (plyos, hurdles, core, lunges)

Friday                                                             OFF running; lift

Saturday (Roosevelt @ 12:00noon)         Extended warm-up; 8 x 50m starts (acceleration/ push mechanics)

Sunday                                                           OFF

 

 

Distance (cjtafelski@yahoo.com)

Here's the plan for the week - you'll see that it's almost entirely the same as last week.  Build the pyramid.  We're up to 10 hill sprints, and you can extend them to 12 seconds.  Remember - the steepest mofo you can find, and hammer it.  Do not go longer than 12 seconds.  The purpose to to recruit muscle fibers without accumulating lactate.  If you do, it will take you longer to recover from the session.  Neuromusclular recovery is very fast, but metabolic recovery takes much longer.  You want to isolate the neuromuscular work - so no more than 12 seconds. K?  Thx.

Second, with regard to Tuesday's fartlek - it is far more important that you keep the recoveries steady than it is for you to hammer the pickups.  I'd rather you run 6:00/7:00 than 5:30/7:30.  The purpose of an extended fartlek effort isn't to make it a continuous interval session - we will get to that later in the fall.  Run on feel - the recovery shouldn't be slow - it should be honest - push it a bit.  For more on this, check out part III of Jay Johnson's "Fundamentals of Running" talk on www.coachjayjohnson.com.

M - 12% of week's mileage, 10x8-10second hill sprints on the steepest hill you can find

T - fartlek effort totaling 12% of mileage - 2x 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, 2:00, 1:00 with 3:00 recovery between each. Not all of the pickups have to be the same intensity.   

W - Progression run 15% of week's mileage

Th - Super easy 40-50 mins (10% of mileage)

F - 15 min warmup, 4 mile tempo at 10k pace + 10sec, 15 minute cooldown, 6x80m strides

Sat - 12% of mileage plus 10x8-10 second hill sprints on the steepest hill you can find

Sun - Long Run - 20-25% of mileage - groove the last 1/3 of the run - get yourself moving pretty well at the end.

Onward!

 

--

Garden State Track Club

USATF & RRCA Members

2011 President's Cup &

Penn Relays 5k Classic Team Champions

www.gardenstatetc.org

http://www.facebook.com/#!/GardenStateTC

http://twitter.com/#!/GardenStateTC

http://gardenstatetc.blogspot.com/

--

Garden State Track Club

USATF & RRCA Members

2011 President's Cup &

Penn Relays 5k Classic Team Champions

www.gardenstatetc.org

http://www.facebook.com/#!/GardenStateTC

http://twitter.com/#!/GardenStateTC

http://gardenstatetc.blogspot.com/

[August 145-21]: Puma, Ambulances, & Essays 4 Equipment

Welcome!

Let's welcome five new runners to the GSTC email list this week: Jasmeen Horne, David Alston, Scott Migliore, Ravell Batchelor, and Isaiah Hampton.  Three of them- Jasmeen, Ravel, and Isaiah- will join the sprint group.  Jasmeen is a former standout at JP Stevens, while Isaiah (half miler) and Ravel (11.7/23.5) attend Bergen County and Middlesex County Colleges, respectively.

 

David is a masters runner who got into running after attending Newark Arts HS during his stay in the military, while Scott, a current graduate student at Rutgers GSE and student-teacher at Westfield in the fall, has come painfully close to breaking 20:00 for a 5k.  Welcome everyone.

 

Props

First, props to Marl Del Monaco for picking up Puma as a sponsor.  The GSTC now has two sponsored runners, as Jeff Perrella is backed by Saucony.  Next is our team deal....coming sooner than later, no doubt.

 

Next, props to Jake Nevius for being the first GSTC member to be taken away from a practice in an ambulance this past Wednesday.  Okay, perhaps we should be commending him on calmly responding to a head cut from a low-hanging tree during out 70-minute progression run.  We're glad you're okay, and we're impressed you were back on your feet and running just two days later!  Who said running isn't a contact sport? 

 

Finally, congrats to Mike Dixon. Yesterday, he cruised to an easy win in the Mahlon Mayhem 50k up in Mahon Dickerson Reservation.  In preparation for the upcoming VT50 race, Mr. Dixon rolled through the 31 miles over rocky trails in 3:31- not a bad training run, solo, for the win.  And how does he celebrate the next morning?  With an hour run.  Wow.

 

Wait...one more result just came in, but Tim Morgan isn't picking up his phone to verify Mike Anis' claims regarding Mr. Morgan's trail half marathon today.  He allegedly ran 1:50, took a few wrong turns, lost a few minutes, and placed tenth.  Hmmmm....pick up your phone, good sir, so we can hear all about the wrong turns!

 

 

More GSTC Outreach: Essays 4 Equipment

Essays 4 Equipment (E2E) is another outreach initiative by the Garden State Track Club with hopes to bring underserved youth runners in New Jersey  the resources they need to be successful.

During the team barbeque on 9/11, GSTC members will bring any running gear they no longer use (spikes, watches, shorts, hats, gloves, trainers, race shirts, bags, etc.).  The GSTC Board will contact high schools directly in Newark, Trenton, and Camden describing the resources available.  Interested students (not coaches) will need to write short persuasive essays requesting equipment, and after timely board review, the club will disperse available resources appropriately.  Club members are also invited to consider purchasing requests if interested.

 

This Week in Training

Team Workouts: Sprinters

Tuesday- 6:30pm @ Roosevelt (near Plays in Park)

Thursday- 6:30pm @ Roosevelt (" " " ")

Saturday- 3:00pm- @ Roosevelt (" " " ")

 

 

Team Workouts: Distance

Monday- 5:30 @ 106 Bayard New Brunswick (street run)

Tuesday- 5:55 @ 106 Bayard (will drive to Roosevelt Park with sprinters- start run at 6:30)

Wednesday- 5:30 @ 106 Bayard (drive to Six MIle for progression run)

Thursday- 5:55 @ 106 Bayard (will drive to Roosevelt with sprinters- start run at 6:30)

Sunday- 9:00am Six Mile (Canal/Blackwell Mills)

 

 

Week Three: Sprinters (chuckschneekloth@hotmail.com)

Monday                                             12x100 stride (knee lift final 20m)           Lift

Tuesday  (Roosevelt @ 6:30)        Two circuits (plyos, hurdle flexibility); 3 x 600m (broken: 200m- 30s rest-200m-30s rest-200m); 4min/set; two circuits (core, bounding)

Wednesday                                       15min recovery run,  6 x 50m stride        LIft

Thursday (Roosevelt @ 6:30)                    Fartlek 3 x 6:00; four circuits (plyos, hurdles, core, lunges)

Friday                                                             OFF running; lift

Saturday (Roosevelt @ 12:00noon)         Extended warm-up; 8 x flying 50m w/ 20m lead-in; NO circuits

Sunday                                                           OFF

 

Week Three Notes:  

Monday we continue to work on stride length in the final stages of a sprint race by consciously lifting our knees in the final 20m.  Tuesday's speed endurance session brings us closer to the 600m test in late August; Thursday we continue to build our capillary bed and develop our aerobic capacity.  While last Saturday we worked on acceleration and push mechanics, this Saturday we work on maximum velocity- the middle part of a sprint race. Biomechanics are different here, as we emphasize stride frequency and an erect running posture with chin-to-pocket arm action.  Again, it is imperative that we continue to develop our top-end speed in the midst of our heavy-volume-season build-up. 

 

Saturday's Acceleration/ Push Mechanics Session

Please watch below videos for arm drive, powerful (not fast) & long stride length, neck/head alignment, triple extension,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZXoEF7ou0k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcnDLefRF8A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9N48OCgr9Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4UVWAtRrEs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVHXv4Z_ios

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qq3ulGrBaT8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShXkQcD_OBY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stLEA2HH2hA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZD04632UyI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tCHE3yUR9M

 

Distance (cjtafelski@yahoo.com)
 

Here's the deal for the week - you should be elevating your mileage according to what we've been doing for the last few weeks - very few of you have -mailed me with your weekly mileages and your max from the last few years, so I'm going to try something different.

If you are at your peak mileage form the last 2 years, hold it for a week and repeat last week's work. We are still far away from races of significance so it is important to take the long view. Base training is unprofound and unexciting, but it will pay tremendous dividends if you are loyal to it. Do not run too fast on the "comfortable" days. As a friend of mine who has run World Cross, World Indoor, and World Outdoor told me about her post-collegiate training, the most important thing she learned post-college is how to run easy without pushing the pace. If you are undisciplined in this regard, you will complete the base phase feeling physically and mentally fatigued at a time when we will be looking to fire up the intensity.

Again, most of this running is comfortable. Start out easy and let the pace work itself out. If you are concerned that this is too loose and you want to talk about it more, e-mail me and we'll work out some specifics.

M - 12% of week's mileage, 8x8-10second hill sprints on the steepest hill you can find

T - fartlek effort totaling 12% of mileage - no times/paces to hit, just get 10-15 minutes of uptempo running in - break it up however you want.

W - Progression run 15% of week's mileage

Th - Super easy 40-50 mins (10% of mileage)

F - 12% of week's mileage, 8x8-10second hill sprints on the steepest hill you can find

Sat - 12% of mileage plus 6x80m strides

Sun - Long Run - 20-25% of mileage

So for a 70 mile week, this will be:
M 9 + hills
T 9 w/fartlek work
W 12 progression run
Th 7 super easy
F 9 + hills
Sat 9 + strides
Sun 15

Tailor it to your goal mileage total. Again, if you need a day, take it and move on. Your job is to train consistently, not to take a day off if you need it and try to make up for the lost mileage on the otehr 6 days. If you need a day off, the mileage is not "lost." There are too many distance runners out there who are slaves to their training logs. If you aim for 55 miles for a week and you need a day off on Thursday and only do 48 as a result, so what? The day off will make you a better runner, but running for the sake of hitting a mileage total will not.

Sent from my iPhone

The GSTC sprinters prep for their final 5:00 fartlek session in today's practice.