Even though it's hard to tell, we're 12 weeks into 2014.  That means a couple of things: (1) It shouldn't be snowing, (2) The Country Music Half is right around the corner and (3) It's time to run The Nasty.

This is a great run that takes us through the "Rolling Acres" neighborhood of East Nashville.

6 a.m. or 6 p.m at the corner of 11th and Holly in East Nashville.

Important: Right after the 2 mile mark (this is rolling acres by the way…), we turn left onto Eastland from Skyview.   Make sure that you stop at that intersection, and cross to the North side of the Eastland to run on the sidewalk.

Post Race Party

April 26th is a big day for Nashville runners: Country Music Half/Full Race Day.   It is a great day of running, water stops, and celebrating.   There's going to be a waterstop/yard party somewhere around the 19 mile mark (more details later), and that night is East Nasty's annual post race bash.    We've rented out The Pavilion East on Fatherland and 11th for our yearly celebration.   You'll get more details later (think: 7  p.m.,Edley's BBQ, and Yazoo…), and whether you run the race or not, put this event on your calendar.

Weekend Long Run

Speaking of the half marathon…this Saturday or Sunday our training groups are running the entire half marathon course.   (The advanced group will continue on and complete 16 miles)  Just like Wednesdays, our weekend long runs are free and open to anyone.   So if you are looking to run the new course before race day, plan on joining us either day at 8 a.m. at the base of the pedestrian bridge.  (By LP field)

Thursday Workout

6 p.m. at the corner of 11th and Holly.   This is how you get faster.

Mexican Anyone?

If you're going to come to East Nashville to run, we encourage you to stick around and enjoy the neighborhood.   3 Crow offers 2-4-1 beers of course, the Pizza at Five Points is great, in the summer I Dream of Weenie offers specials for East Nasties and now the new Five Points Cocina Mexicana is offering $2.99 margaritas and buy one get one free numbered meal combos for any East Nasty on Wednesday nights.   Just tell them your an East Nasty, and enjoy a great deal on some great food.

We've got a great workout this week! This may be one of the most important weeks in training. It's hard to believe, but we are only 5 weeks out from race day. There's also Brunch Sunday, so be sure to plan ahead, and sign up on the google doc bring something:  Here

When: 

Saturday/Sunday

Full Marathoners @ 7:30am

Half Marathoners @ 8am

Where:  Base of Pedestrian Bridge - East Side

Parking is available in Lot R

The Workout:

Half Advanced:  10 min easy + 8 Miles @Goal Pace + 10 min Cool-Down

Half Standard:  10 min easy + 8 Miles @Goal Pace + 10 min Cool-Down

Full Advanced: 20 miles (10 moderate + 10 @goal Marathon Pace)

Full Standard: 18 miles (10 moderate + 8 @goal Marathon Pace)

Fueling during long runs:

Some of these runs (especially next week) may take you more than 1.5 hours to run. Be sure you bring calories of some kind - granola bar, Gatorade, GU, chomps, etc. to keep your workout going strong. It's also good practice to use what you'll have during the race when training. I recommend if your workout will take you over 2 hours, have between 50-100 calories every 30 minutes, starting after about the first 30-45 minutes of the workout.

We will provide Gatorade and water on the Saturday and Sunday runs. You may want water/Gatorade more often, so you may want to bring your own water bottle, too.

See y'all this weekend! ENFL!!!

Daniel

Wednesday March 19

6 a.m. or 6 p.m at the corner of 11th and Holly in East Nashville

Route #11: Church Run / Duane's Birthday Run

Are you enjoying the new, larger maps on Wednesday nights?  Thank Duane.  How about your East Nasty shirt?  Duane.   The fact that we have any on-line presence at all?  Duane.  Duane is Mr. Behind-The-Scenes for East Nasty, and Wednesday night is his birthday.    His favorite thing to do is hang out on the 3 Crow Porch with friends…after a run of course…  So bring a change of clothes (or not) and plan on sticking around after the run to join him for a drink to celebrate.

Thursday, March 20

6:00 p.m. at the corner of 11th and Holly

Track workout #2:  5 x 1000 meters at 5k pace with a 400 meter jog between repeats.    These workouts are the perfect compliment to your weekend long run.  Not only that, but it looks like it is going to be a perfect night for a track workouts.     See you there!

Wednesday March 12 Well, I'm enjoying the time change and the weather change, but it looks like tomorrow is going to be a wet run.   At least it will be light!

Quick reminder…any time we cross cross an intersection with a stoplight, we HAVE to wait for the light.  I know that this can be annoying, but this is one of those rules that must be followed.    Also, make sure you stop before you cross Shelby at 18th.

Route #10:

6 a.m. or 6 p.m. at the corner of 11th and Holly in East Nashville.

Thursday, March 13

To the track!

Track workouts can be very intimidating, but they are essential in your development as a runner.   Staring the week, we'll be heading to the track for the next 5 weeks.  This week we'll be running 800 meter repeats, with 2 - 3 minutes rest between each one.

Everyone is welcome to join.  Just show up at 11th and Holly on Thursday nights at 6 p.m.

Wednesday, March 5

Route #9: LP Field

6 a.m. or 6 p.m. at the corner of 11th and Holly.

We've got some fun stuff before/after the run.

First, our friend Magut will be at the run with some samples of his new energy bar.

Then after the run head down to NRC for pint night.   This month's pint is sponsored by the competitor group and they'll be there with prizes and will be raffling off a free race entry!

Thursday, March 6

Get faster by coming back on Thursday nights.  This week's workout is another 30 minute tempo run.  The weather looks like it is going to cooperate, so come on out and join us.   6 p.m., same location.

It's week 9 of the Country Music Marathon and Half Marathon training. That means we're now halfway done with this training cycle!

 

Where: 

We'll meet on the East Side (Titans Stadium side) of the Pedestrian Bridge, run over and run part of the course. One of the best things you can do to prepare mentally for the race is to run the course.

 

Parking:

Park in Lot R at Titans Stadium- should be open and free.

 

When: 

Full Marathoners - 7:30am Saturday/Sunday

Half Marathoners - 8:00am Saturday/Sunday

 

The workout: 

Full Advanced: 18 miles

Full Standard: 16 miles

 

Half Advanced: 10 miles

Half Standard: 8 miles

 

Route Options:

To get to the course from our meeting spot and Lot R- 

Everyone runs over the pedestrian bridge to the downtown side, past the Symphony Hall, left on 4th, then up Demonbreun - then begin the course:

 

http://runrocknroll.competitor.com/nashville/course

(select the half marathon or the full marathon in the drop-down)

 

Be sure to check your email (sign up HERE) for exact details on the route options for this weekend's training runs so you know how to get back to your car!

 

Have a great run this weekend! ENFL!!

 

-Daniel

Wednesday, February 26

Rick's Market - coldest beer in town!

Join us at 6 a.m. or 6 p.m. at the corner of 11th and Holly.

Being Good Neighbors

Nashville is growing, and there is bound to be conflict as neighborhoods become denser.     More cars, more people, bike lanes, pedestrian walk ways, less parking etc….  There is a real push on a city level to become a very pedestrian friendly city, which we vigorously support,  but we need to do our part.   I was talking with some friends this week about intersections.   The fact of the matter is, that pedestrians always have the right of way at intersections, period.   But for us, we need to remember that running with 200 people, is different than running with 5 people.    So even though we may have the right of way, it's important to be courteous to cars.    First, always cross at intersections.    Next, periodically stop and let cars go.   If you see that a car has been waiting patiently as a stream of runners go by, stop and let them through the intersection.   Third, err on the side of safety.  It's not worth getting hit to assert your right of way...

ENFL

Mark

Due to the weather forecast tonight for strong storms, we will NOT meet for the hill workout tonight (Thursday Feb 20). Join us this Saturday or Sunday morning for our weekend long run in Shelby Park.

Wednesday, February 19

6 a.m. or 6 p.m. at the corner of 11th and Holly

Thursday, February 20

6 p.m. Long Hills.  (I know that hill workouts are scary and they hurt, but along with tempo runs, are the best running workouts.  period.)

This is our last week out at Percy Warner Park. We'll start just inside the stone gates in the median (map here).  

Meeting time:

Full - 7:30am Saturday/Sunday

Half - 8:00am Saturday/Sunday

The Plan

Full Advanced:

18 miles - 30 minutes on the boulevard before + 11.2 mile loop + 4 miles

Full Standard:

10 miles -  30 minutes on the boulevard before + 5.8 mile loop + 1 mile

Half Advanced:

120 Minutes Trails or

11.2 mile loop + 3 on the Boulevard

Half Standard:

90 Minutes Trails or

5.8 mile loop + 3 on the Boulevard

See you all this weekend! ENFL!!

-Daniel

Wednesday, February 12

6 a.m. or 6 p.m at the corner of 11th and Holly in East Nashville.

Route #6

Thursday, February 13

So I understand it's no longer exciting to run in the cold….  It's kind of fun in January, when it's new and different, but right now it's hard to get out the door.   That is why you should come on Thursdays!  It demonstrates the power of community.

The next two weeks are long hills.  We'll be doing repeats up the Shelby hill coming out of the park.  Hills and tempo runs are two of the most effective workouts, but also the most misunderstood.  These hill workouts are not sprints, but sustained 5k race-type efforts.    (And most people runs their tempo runs too fast or too slow.)

To learn more, show up Thursday at 6 p.m. at the corner of 11th and Holly.  Everyone is welcome!

 

Where: Percy Warner Park, just inside the stone gates in the median.

 

Meeting time:

Full Training: 7:30am Saturday/Sunday

Half Training: 8am Saturday/Sunday

 

The Plan:

 

Full Advanced: 16 Miles

Full Standard: 14 Miles

 

Half Advanced: 100 min Trails or 11.2 +1

Half Standard: 75 min Trails or 5.8 +1

 

Also, the new course was announced! Check it out

 

 

 - The start is now downtown

 - There are some extra turns as you work your way to the Musica statue at the roundabout

 - You'll continue further on Clifton than normal and head back to 12th via Leland and Kirkwood

 - There's some additional turning off music row coming back to Musica

 - There is a little less of Metro Center for the Full marathon! I won't get too excited until they cut that out entirely...

 

See you all this weekend! ENFL!

 

Daniel