Wednesday 8/1/12 Workout

It’s official–Joe Wiggy is back! After spending several months wandering the running dessert, Joe demonstrated that he’s ready to get to work with his 4:19.4 mile at the DC Road Runners track meet. Joe was the top GRC finisher at Clubs in 2010, and with a few months of training under his belt before we head to Lexington, Joe will once again be a major factor in 2012.

Speaking of track meets, I’m eagerly anticipating the meet in London that starts this weekend. I’ll admit that synchronized diving, skeet shooting, and team handball make for compelling viewing, but the track events should be at least as worthwhile.

Duly inspired by the Olympics, we’ll continue our summer program of relaxed volume. According to the current forecast, we should have reasonable conditions on Wednesday, so hopefully we can get in the workout without too much difficulty. The men will do 2 x 2k, 4 x 1k, all with a 3:00 rest. The targets for the A group will be 77s on the first 2k, 75s on the second, and the 1ks will be at 73s, 72s, 71s, 70s. The B group will go 80s on the first 2k, 78s on the second, and the 1ks will be 2 @ 76s, 2 @ 74s.

We’ll start at 7:30, so plan to meet for the warmup at 6:45.

I’ll see you Wednesday.

- Coach Jerry

SAFETY ALERT: ASSAULT REPORTED ON CCT

Last week a woman was attacked while running down the Capitol Crescent Trail near Fletcher's Boathouse.  Please be careful on the trails by running in groups and finishing your run before nightfall.   

Run safe by running with a partner, letting someone know where you'll be running and when you should return, turning down or leaving the music at home, and always be aware of your surroundings.

Employment Opportunity

The Chevy Chase location of the Running Company is growing and we're looking for some weekend help.  I need reliable folks that are available Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays through the school year.  It's a fun environment and great perks if you're a runner or fitness enthusiast.  And spread the word!  If you are interested, or know someone who might be a good fit, please email me at emily@therunningcompany.net. 

Joe Wiegner runs swiftly

Joseph Wiegner III (nickname pending) ran 4:19.4 for second place at the DC Road Runners Championship mile Wednesday night at Washington-Lee High School. he ran 67, 65, 63 high and 62.5 with a lustrous tan. Brian McCabe and Chuck Kacsur followed in 4:25.4 and 4:35.9, respectively.

9 am at The Line

Sunday Sunday Sunday.  Meet at the Line, 9 am.  Post if you plan to be there and we will wait for you.

Saturday Shop Run

A group of the GRC men will be running from the Georgetown store tomorrow morning, 9am. Come join up to send some easy miles on TRI and/or the towpath. Punch it in the comment section below if you plan to attend.

Wednesday 7/18 Workout

I'm certain that you're all as excited as I am by the prospect of GRC getting back into action this weekend.  We're going to have a crew of women at the Crystal City Twilight 5k, and a crew of men at the Rockville Twilight 8k.  I know that all of you who are not racing are losing sleep trying to decide which race to watch, as both promise to be glorious victories for our athletes.  The good news is you can't go wrong whichever race you pick, so get out there and support our runners in their inevitable moment of triumph!

It's going to be hot on Wednesday, so we'll adjust the workout accordingly.  For the men, the plan for now is 8 x 800 w/ a 2:30 recovery, 2 @ 2:32, 2 @ 2:30, 2 @ 2:28, 2 @ 2:26.  Depending on the conditions, we can add on a couple more reps at the end for those of you who want to do some extra volume, and/or go a tad faster the last couple of reps for those who want a little more intensity, but given the current forecast, this will be plenty.  Men that are racing on Saturday may want to stop after 6 reps. 

I'll send the women's workout separately.

We'll roll at 7:30, so meet for the warmup at 6:45. 

I'll see you at BCC on Wednesday.

- Coach Jerry

Sunday Long Run: Riley's at 9

Sam, Karl, Murph, and others plan to run ~90 min on Sunday at Riley's Lock.  Comment if you plan to join so we wait for you.

GRC at Cherry Blossom

Jerry and Dave are chased by a possessed Chris Sloane at the Cherry Blossom Ten Miler:

Coach's Corner - Is it too hot to run?

Coach's Corner 

With Coach Jerry Alexander

Because of dedication or stupidity (I’d like to think it was the former, but it probably was the latter), I repeatedly re-learned the lesson that running in the heat is a perilous endeavor. Every year, during the first heat wave of the season, I’d train as though the weather was not a factor, and every year, towards the end of a run, I’d start to feel light headed, then nauseous, then cramps would set in, and before I knew what hit me, I’d be on my way to heat exhaustion. Believe me, you do not want to experience this first-hand. The only guaranteed way to avoid running yourself into heat-related illness this summer is to stop running until Labor Day.

But if you’re reading this, you’re not likely to take three months off. The good news is that if you develop the proper habits, you can run safely this summer. Those habits include proper hydration (water and sports drinks are good, coffee and soda are bad); avoiding the heat of the day by running in the morning (the earlier the better); running in the shade as much as possible (stay off the track, which offers little or no shade); and adjusting expectations for your performance (elite athletes are not at their best when it’s 95 degrees and sixty percent humidity, and you should not expect to be either).

The most important habit, however, is to exercise good judgment. I can’t stress enough that you should always, always err on the side of caution when it comes to the heat. If you think it’s too hot to run on a particular day, don’t. It’s far preferable to miss a day now and then than to risk heat-related illness. 
 
Jerry Alexander is the famed coach of the Georgetown Racing Team and can be seen leading some of the area's most talented athletes.  For more information about the Racing Team, visit  www.grcrunning.com

Wiggy runs 4:21 at MCRRC Mile!

UPDATE: Joey Wiegner, known affectionately in this running circle as "Wiggy", places 2nd at the Midsummer's Night Mile in Rockville with a 4:21.6.

When asked to comment, Coach Jerry reportedly said "He's got to be happy with that."

Vegas, sports agents eye autumn comeback... 

MORE: McCabe places 4th, runs 4:26

1    1/119    1/9     2712 Chris Barnard         M 23 Olney MD                   4:20.7 
2   2/119    1/8     1051 Joe Wiegner           M 30 Germantown MD       MCRRC  4:21.6 
3   3/119    1/21    2714 Chris Sloane          M 29 Rockville MD               4:26.5 
4   4/119    2/21    2672 Brian McCabe          M 26 Washington DC              4:26.9 
5   5/119    3/21     997 Leo Smith             M 25 Gaithersburg MD     MCRRC  4:29.7 
6   6/119    2/9     2711 Russell Speiden       M 21 Brookeville MD             4:36.5 
7   7/119    4/21    2686 Dj Palmer             M 26 Columbia MD                4:39.8 
8   8/119    3/9     2703 Nathan Austin         M 20 Rockville MD               4:42.9 
9   9/119    4/9     1024 Rob Delviscio         M 24 Morten PA           MCRRC  4:46.0 
10  10/119    1/8     2692 Kyle Tockman          M 18 Olney MD                   4:46.5 

Saturday at The Line

Sam and I are meeting tomorrow morning at 8:30 for a shady trail run. All are welcome, but "comment" if you are coming so that we don't start without you.

Midsummer Night Mile

Hey Everyone,   Who is planning on running this year?  It is a low key race but its fun to get on the track for a short race to change it up during summer training.  I hope to see some GRCers out there on friday
       -Wiggy

Friday, July 06, 2012 - Rockville

• 7:00pm 1mi race (CS,JP)

Dust off those spikes for the Midsummer Night's Mile at Rockville High School. It is a track mile, run in heats, and part of our Championship Series.

The anticipated heats are:

1. Runners with expected times greater than 8:45.
2. Runners with expected times greater than 7:50 up to 8:45.
3. Runners with expected times greater than 7:00 up to 7:50.
4. Runners with expected times greater than 6:15 up to 7:00.
5. Runners with expected times greater than 5:45 up to 6:15.
6. Runners with expected times greater than 5:20 up to 5:45.
7. Runners with expected times greater than 4:50 up to 5:20.
8. Runners with expected times of 4:50 or less.

The race is part of our low-key club race series and is free for MCRRC members, $10 for non-members 18 and over, and $5 for non-members under 18. Registration is race-day only starting an hour before the race.

Location & Directions

Rockville High School
2100 Baltimore Rd, Rockville, MD 20851

From I-270, exit onto Rte 28 toward Rockville. Cross Rte 355. Turn left to stay on Rte 28/1st St. Turn right at the traffic light onto Baltimore Rd. Continue for 1.1 miles. Rockville High School is on the left.