1/2 Marathon Training

Sunday, April 22: Shelby Park 8 a.m.

We are only a week away from the Country Music race! As Mark would say - "in the final week before a race there is nothing that you can do to make yourself run faster, but there is a lot you can do to make yourself run slower!" So, this week is called a "taper".  Your focus this week should be on being fully rested, hydrated and to stay "sharp" with your running. What does that mean?  Cut all of your workouts in half, but keep a little bit of intensity.

So this week is just an easy 60 minute run in Shelby and is not as long as what we have been doing the past few weeks. Mark will explain more when we meet Sunday morning.

Mark says: "If you think that you have missed too many long runs and want to get on last log run in this week - don't do it!  You will be better off on race day just doing our easy run than if you try to sneak one last 12 miler in. Resting will allow our bodies to fully repair all the damage we've done to our muscles the last 16 weeks, and some short bursts of speed will help to maintain your leg turn-over.  Here is a pretty good article about tapering, and here is another article about the mistakes people make when they taper."

The Post Race Party

Make plans to join us for our yearly post-race party at 5pm on Saturday April 28th!

The East Nasty Post Country Music Half (and Full!) Marathon Bash

Everyone is welcome, even if you didn’t run. We start early (5 p.m) with grilling out, and end late with DJ Zach Barnett. The link above gives details and provides a place for you to sign up to bring something!  (You need to bring your own grill-able item.)

Shirts

There are a few of you who haven't picked up your shirt yet. They will be available after the run on Sunday, and then starting Monday you can pick yours up at Nashville Running Company during their regular business hours.

See you tomorrow morning! -Duane

The Route

This week: Run #3: Musica Out & Back.  This is our one run that is out and back, which means that you can run almost any distance.  The run takes us down Boscobel, across the pedestrian bridge, up Demonbreun to the round-about (if you want to go that far) and back.    The entire run is about 6.5 miles.  Across the pedestrian bridge and back is about 4 miles if you want a shorter option.  Down to 3 Crow and back is about 200 meters if you want a really short option...

The Party

After the race on April 28th, the Competitor group has some sort of concert thing going on,  but we would like to invite you to the real post-race gathering...

The East Nasty Post Country Music Half (and Full!) Marathon Bash

Everyone is welcome, even if you didn't run.  We start early (5 p.m) with grilling out, and end late with DJ Zach Barnett.   The link above gives details and provides a place for you to sign up to bring something!  (You need to bring your own grill-able item...)

Newtons and neutral running

If you haven't heard of barefoot, neutral or minimalist running you haven't been listening.  There had been a movement away from heavy bulky shoes, toward lighter flexible shoes.  Well, if you are interested in learning more about these topics or getting acquainted with these types of shoes, a representative from the Newton Running Company is going to be at our run tomorrow night.

If you want to talk neutral running, or learn more about their shoes, head over to NRC at 5 p.m. before the run.  Or you can catch him at 3 Crow post-run.

Bring Good Neighbors

Twice a year East Nasty does a alley clean up, and this year we are going to do one on the first Wednesday post-marathon.  That means that on May 2, after the run plan on sticking around for about 20 minutes to help clean up five points.  We will provide garbage bags, gloves, and we'll tell you where to go.  All we need you to do if grab a couple of friends and clean up for about 15 minutes.

Thursday Workouts

Back to the track.  This week everyone is doing 3 one mile repeats, with a three minute break between each one.    These repeats should be done at your tempo pace, or a little bit faster.

See you tonight.

Mark

1/2 Marathon Training

It's Saturday evening and I am just returning from a track meet...  So let me just get to the point: show up at 8 a.m. tomorrow morning at Bongo Java in East Nashville for our last structured long run...there you go.

Mark

Wednesday run is Route #4

This week we are doing the old switcheroo. We are going to run Route #4: Big Shelby Loop this week (4.31 miles), and come back to Route #3 next week.  Why?  Because run #3 takes us downtown, at just about the same time that the Predators' fans will be getting to the arena.  So to avoid mass chaos, (and having a hockey fan/runner brawl - we all know how that will turn out...) we're making the change. So check out the map - we're heading back into Shelby Park. As always we meet at 6 p.m. at 11th and Holly

Being Good Neighbors

Learn the route and volunteer.  Managing 200 people on a run each week is not rocket science, but it does require help.  And we need your help.  Even though East Nasty is a labor of love for us, Drew and I are tired of having to beg people to be run leaders.  We need you guys to step up!   There are people who have been running with us for years who always have an excuse not to lead - stop it. We need to take the burden off those folks who seem to lead the run every week.

And read the blog for cryin' out loud.

Thursday workouts

Thursday, 6 p.m.  Meet at 11th and Holly.  This week we will be heading back to the track for some quicker repeats.

Advanced/Intermediate/Novice: 5 x 1000 (@ 5k pace) 3/4 or 5 minute jog between each one.

Alternate workout (if you don't want to go to a track): 4-5 x 5 minutes fast / 5 minute jog

The Green Wagon & '5 Points 2nd Saturday'

Here is a message from The Green Wagon:

"For the next '5 Points 2nd Saturday' we'll be drinking the beer we brewed at our Craft Beer Week Homebrew Kickoff, we'll feature local artist, Hunter Mize (see his work on the current cover of The City Paper but imagine it with east neighborhoods!), and we'll be donating 10% of sales to East Nasty Running Club! Don't miss it!"

Sweet!  Environmentally friendly products, craft beer, art... - sounds like a great way to spend a Saturday.

1/2 Marathon Weekend

One of the best days of the year for East Nasty is the day of the Country Music Marathon.  April 28th this year. We run in the morning, meet up after the race to celebrate, and then get together that night for the real celebration.  Thanks to Andy & Heidi for offering to host the post-race party this year at 'Camp MossyWilson'.  It will be on Saturday night, April 28 from 5 till ???   We're going to need your help, so stay tuned for more details and what you can do to help.

Shirts

If you didnt pick up your shirt last week you can pick it up after the run this Wednesday.

See you Wednesday! - Mark

1/2 Marathon Training

Now is not the time to skip a long run...but it's Easter.  So we have Saturday morning or Sunday morning training options this week.  Either way, we are all doing slow mileage...time on your feet.  This run should be completely conversational the entire way - if you can't talk to the person next to you, you need to slow down.  Your heart rate should average 70-75% of your max, and you should never exceed 80%, even on the hills.

The meeting places and routes are different, so please keep reading if you are planning on joining us this weekend...

Saturday, April 7.

8 a.m. at Centennial Park.  Here is the facebook invitation.  We are going to run the entire half marathon course.  There will be four places to get water, and there will be transportation back to Centennial.  Unless, of course, you are in the advanced group - your transportation back to Centennial will be your own legs.  Steve Lundy Lund will be there to lead an advanced group, Mark Charlton and Jennifer Eberle will lead the novice/intermediate groups.

P.S.  If the link to the facebook invitation does not work, just show up at 8 a.m. at Centennial Park.

Sunday, April 8

Meet at Bongo East at 8 a.m.  We will be running a modified Bongo-to-Bongo loop.  12, 14 or 16 + miles.   We'll follow this route out past Bongo @ Belmont, and then follow the 1/2 marathon course back to Bongo East.  Here is the route that we are following...(we will shorten it for the novice group.)

Happy Easter!

Mark

The Route

This week we are running into Shelby Park: Route #2.  Be sure to check out the map.

Being good neighbors...

These "being good neighbors" segments have become a weekly portion of these posting.  This is because we all need to be reminded that we have to behave differently because there are 250 of us.   So please take these reminders to heart, and apply them to your running...

This week I want to talk about before we run... Bottom line, as we are gathering at 6 o'clock stay out of the road!   Everything will go smoother if we just stay on the sidewalk.  I know that it is crowded, and we are working on some ways to streamline the process.   But milling around all over the place is not only unsafe - it slows the traffic down which slows everything down.

Pint Night at Nashville Running Company

Wednesday is the NRC monthly East Nasty pint night.  This week, 110% compression gear is going to be doing some demos at the store.  So head over to the store for a mobile "ice bath" and a beer post run!

Shirts Are In

The shirts that were ordered will be available tomorrow!  Remember, unless you specified differently, you'll have to pick up your shirt.  We'll have them on Wednesdays and Sundays from here on out.  Tonight we will be handing them out at NRC after the run. Thanks to the East Nasty design crew for putting together a great shirt this year!

Girls on the Run

Girls on the Run, one of the organizations that we are proud to support, is looking for volunteers to help at the Girls On The Run 'Practice 5K' on Thursday, April 12 from 3-5 pm. They need people to help with water stops, timing and course direction. Easy stuff! If you can help GOTR, contact Erin Taylor (ehb.taylor@gmail.com).  Also, registration is open for the Girls On The Run 5K in Shelby on May 5th (www.gotr5k.com). Anyone can run the 5K - not just girls.

See you tonight! - Mark

1/2 Marathon Training

Sunday, April 1: Shelby Park 8 a.m.

We are about a month away from the 1/2 marathon, and our run this week is an extremely important one: 6-8 miles at goal 1/2 marathon pace.   This run is a very specific race-simulation type workout, and it will help you go into the race with a realistic goal.   For example, if on Sunday you have trouble running 6 miles at 9-minute pace, then you certainly won't be able to run 13.1 miles at 9-minute pace in a month!  Conversely, if 8 minute miles feel comfortable for 8 miles, then you are probably right on track for a 1:45 half-marathon.

This run will be back at Shelby Park.  We're meeting at 8 a.m.  Once again, we'll be running the 3 mile (actually 4.9 kilometer) loop through the park.

Novice: 10 minutes easy + 6 miles @ goal pace + 10 minutes easy

Intermediate: 15 minutes easy + 7 miles @ goal pace + 10 minutes easy

Advanced: 2 miles easy + 8 miles @ goal pace + 2 miles easy

* Note: the 3-mile"ish" loop is probably about 80 meters longer than 3 miles.   So for every lap subtract 20 - 40 seconds (depending on pace) to get your 3-mile time.

Brunch

Brunch is back on for this week!  Allison Miles lives on the East Side over by KIPP Academy Nashville.  Here is more information, including her address, but more importantly a place for you to sign up for something to bring!  (Love those waffles!)

See you on Sunday!

Mark

Back to the Start

This Wednesday we are back to Run #1.  An easy 5k that goes down Shelby, through the park, and comes back up Holly.  5 turns total.  We meet at 6 p.m at the corner of 11th and Holly in East Nashville.

Being Good Neighbors

99% of the time we need to run on the sidewalk where they are available.  But as we get into the warmer months and our neighbors become more active there are certainly some situations where we can veer off the sidewalk.  Use your best judgement, but please be courteous when you see people walking on the sidewalk - especially families.

Thursday Tempo Workout

This week we are running tempo miles.  You can run an entire mile or you can run for a particular amount of time, if it takes you longer than 6 minutes to run a mile.

Advanced:  6 x (1 mile or 6 minutes T / 1 minute rest)

Intermediate: 5 x (1 mile or 6 minutes T / 1 minute rest)

Novice: 5 x (5 minutes T / 1 minute rest)

We meet on Thursday at 6 p.m. at the corner of 11th and Holly.

Brunch On Sunday

Brunch is back this Sunday! All are welcome - but, please sign up here to bring something and get details if you are planning to come.

See you tonight. -Mark

1/2 Marathon Training

This week we continue running the course at Centennial Park.

Where:  Centennial Park

When: 8 a.m.

What: We are running on the 1/2 marathon course.  Here is a map.

Advanced: 16 miles.  Run the entire 1/2 marathon course and then jog back to Centennial Park from LP field.

Intermediate: 13ish.  Run the first 10.5ish miles of the course, run through the Gulch on 11th, turn left and run up Charlotte back to Centennial Park.

Novice: 11ish.  Follow the course back to the round-a-bout (mile 9.5).  Go "straight" through back to Broadway, turn left and run back to Centennial.

Once again, we are just logging miles.  We'll have fluids on the course, and (thanks to Lisa from Competitor Group) some of the actual gels that will be used on race day.   Bring some sort of rehydration/calories for after the run, and please carry a water bottle with you if you tend to get dehydrated.

See you on Sunday 8 a.m.

Mark

Earn your stripes!

Every 12 weeks, we cycle back to run #12, The Nasty.  It's our 6-mile trademark run, where completion = entrance into an exclusive club....well, not really "exclusive" but you do get a bumper sticker.  There is a shorter option, (alas, no sticker) so please join us even if you don't have 6 miles in you.  This is a longer route, and the pace groups get strung out - so make sure that you have looked over the map before you come.  In fact, print it out if you don't know your way around the East Side.  Just to sweeten the deal this week, we've ordered up perfect weather and we have a couple of special additions

A New Sticker

There is a ton of graphic design talent in our group, and their collective brains have come up with some great stuff for the spring.   One thing is a new bumper sticker...be there Wednesday night to find our more details...

First round is on the Competitor Group

Post run plan on heading down to 3 Crow. Why?  Well, in addition to the normal reasons of building community and getting to know some fellow endurance athletes, the folks who put on the rock'n'roll marathon series want to buy us a round.  Bring a change of clothes and enjoy a great spring evening together!

Cups

We need cup washers!   Please sign up.

Thursday Tempo

Our Thursday workouts continue with more tempo running.  These next two weeks are our toughest tempo runs.  Remember to keep your effort level in the prescribed levels...

Advanced: 2 x 20 minute tempo (5 min slow jog) 85% max heart rate.

Intermediate: 3 x 10 minute tempo (2 min slow jog) 85% max heart rate.

Novice: 20 min tempo 90% max heart rate

Thursday - 6 p.m. corner of 11th and Holly.

See you on Wednesday. - Mark

Country Music Marathon / Half Training

We are doing the exact same thing that we did last week except we'll start at 8 a.m. In fact...

FROM NOW ON, OUR SUNDAY RUNS WILL START AT 8 A.M.

Where: Centennial Park - meet at the parking area half way between West End and the Parthenon.

When: 8 a.m.

What:  Long slow distance on the course.  If you don't know the route, please print out a map.  We will run the first 8ish miles of the course, then continue straight down Wedgewood, turn right on Natchez Trace - run past the track and the stadium cross West End to enter Centennial Park.

Novice: 10 miles

Intermediate: 1 mile loop of Centennial + 10 miles = 11 miles

Advanced: 2 loops + 10 miles + 2 loops = 14 miles

Remember, this week is just time on your feet.   Learning the ups and downs of the course is going to pay big dividends on race day, but Sunday is not race day.  So keep your heart rate and effort level low.  Run with other people, even if it means that you have to slow down a little.  This is also a great week to invite friends if they are interested in running the race course with a big group.

Nutrition / Hydration

We will have gatorade on the route as well as some Gatorade G1 - gel type things.   But please bring some of you own calories/hydration for after the run.   Every so often we will run out of fluids for after the run, and this will be our first long run where it is a little bit warmer.

See you on Sunday at 8!

Mak

Wednesday 3/14 - Π Day Run

March 14th (3/14) is Pi Day - so we should probably run 3.14 miles.  But instead we're going 4.4 miles as we run Route #11: Churches.  This route takes us by some beautiful architecture, so now that we have some more light for our runs (yay!) be sure to slow down to take a look  - especially Tulip Street Methodist church at 6th and Russell. Also, this is a figure 8 loop, so beginners could cut this run short.

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

NCAA Bracket

Join the East Nasty NCAA bracket challenge.  $1.  Winner take all, last place gets their money back.  Play in games don't count.  First round picks get 1 point, then each round the points double.  We understand that the play in games won't be finished by tomorrow night, but I don't think any of those teams are getting past the first round anywhere...   So fill out a bracket, and give it and $1 to Drew Jones on Wednesday night.

Thursday Night Workout

Last Thursday, 5 souls braved the rain to do hill repeats.   To those people - you are champions.  This week we are going back to tempo running.   We meet at 11th and Holly at 6 p.m.

Advanced - 35 minutes tempo running.  85% max heart rate.  45 seconds per mile slower than 5k pace.

Intermediate - 25 minutes tempo.  85% max heart rate.  40 seconds per mile slower than 5k pace.

Novice - 20 minutes tempo.  90% max heart rate. 25-30 seconds per mile slower than 5k pace.

See you Wednesday!

Mark