Where and When:

Saturday or Sunday.   9 am   Shelby Park outside the nature center.

(marathoners meet at 8:30)

Workout.

5k time trial.

Why?

I'm glad that you asked.  Most new runners (and even many experienced ones...) get to the starting line of a race and have no idea what to expect.  Basically, they just start running without a plan, and hope for the best.   This is especially true when you are attempting a new distance, a 1/2 marathon for example, and it is certainly not a good way to race.  You need a plan when racing.  Every distance is a little bit different, but for 1/2 marathon and marathons, that involves starting a little bit slower than your goal pace, running most of the race right on pace and speeding up as the race near the end.  (I'll blog more about this as the race gets closer.)

But how do you determine a realistic goal pace?   Well, the only way to truly find out your 1/2 marathon potential is to run a 1/2 marathon.  That is a bad idea.  The next best way to evaluate your potential is to run a shorter race and extrapolate that result.   So by running a 5k or 10k time trial, you can get a pretty good estimate of your half marathon potential.  And that is what we are doing this week, running a 5k time trial.

Obviously, you cannot run a half-marathon at the same per mile pace as a 5k.  So how much will you slow down?   Let me introduce you to the McMillan Running Calculator.   This is an amazing tool that allows you to input a recent race result, (or to make one up I guess) and it will estimate your race times for other distances.   Not only that, it will determine your proper training paces based on your input.

So let's try.  Click on the above link and type in 26 minutes for a 5k and press calculate.  You should see that it gives you estimated race outcomes of 7:29 for a one-mile race, 54:00 for a 10k, and (most important for us) 2:00:23 for a 1/2 marathon. (There are lots of others you can see by clicking on "show all" which is located on the right corner of the box below your results.)  Clicking on the "training paces" in the upper left corner, you will see that you should run your long runs between 9:35 and 10:52, your tempo runs at 8:37 - 8:52 and you mile repeats at 8:08 to 8:25 pace.

So what is the bottom line?  Running a 5k gives you great feedback on (1) your current 1/2 marathon potential and (2) the paces that you should be training at right now.  That is why we are doing a time trial.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

We still have 14 weeks of training ahead of us, and we will gain fitness.  So if your 5k time trial this weekend is slower than it needs to be, don't worry you will get faster.  BUT...if your 5k time is WAY slower than it needs to be, you may need to rethink your time goal for the half...

We will not do any more time trials as a group, but I would encourage you to do a race sometime in March.  A March race will give you a realistic goal time for CMM in April.

We will NOT be doing our time trial on the greenway this year.  We will run a 5k loop around the ball fields and the lake (and up a hill...) that more accurately simulates the 1/2 marathon course.

See you this weekend!

ENFL

Mark

Hello Winter...

Just a reminder that we meet every Wednesday, regardless of temperature, at 6 p.m. at the corner of 11th and Holly.   This week is Run #3: Musica.  This is our only out and back route, meaning that you can make it as long or as short as you want.   The entire run (all the way to the musica statue and back) is over 6 miles, but if you want to make the run shorter here are two landmarks: over the pedestrian bridge and back is 4 miles, and out to Demonbreun and 8th and back is about 5 miles.

Below is the route created by architect Josh Gruner.  Amazing.

What to wear, what to wear...

In the south, your running attire is usually going to be shorts and a t-shirt (or less), making choosing what to wear pretty easy.  But when the weather gets colder, it's a little bit more complicated.  You want to be warm, but in order to avoid being cold, many people will overdress on these colder days.  My rule of thumb is to dress as though you are going for a hike in weather that is 20 degrees warmer.   So for example, if it is 40 degrees outside, dress in what you would wear on a hike in 60 degree weather.  You may be a little chilly at the start, but once you get going you'll be perfect.

Take that for what it's worth, and here are a couple more suggestions:

1) Wind and rain change everything.  Especially when you are going into the wind.  In the wind or rain, layers are essential.   A short sleeve shirt over a long sleeve shirt (as opposed to long-sleeve over short-sleeve) is a great go to combination.

2) On a cold night, your body will cool off very quickly after a run.  Always have a dry sweatshirt to put on after a cold run.

3) Cold weather technical running clothes are amazing, but not necessary.  (Just check out what immaterial John is wearing!)  But if you do want to treat yourself, go see the folks at NRC, Fleet Feet or Lululemon and they can suggest something that can keep you warm in almost any weather conditions.

4) Keep your head and hands warm.  As far as hands go, an old pair of socks works well for me!

5) If your shoes get wet, remove the insole and CRAM them full of newspaper. (Does anyone actually get a newspaper anymore??) The next morning, the newspaper will be soaking wet, and the shoes will be bone dry.

Thursday workouts

Remember, if you want to improve your fitness and running IQ, join us on Thursday nights at 6 pm at the corner of 11th and Holly.  This week we will continue with our hill repeats down at the pedestrian bridge.  Download the 1/2 marathon training guide if you want to full list of workouts.  If you have any questions, please email Valisa Thayer or Michaela Poizner at michaela.poizner@gmail.com or valisa.berber.thayer@gmail.com.

ENFL

Mark

Location / Time

Time: 8:30 am for marathon training, 9 a.m. for 1/2 marathon training

Location: Shelby Park nature center

Date: Saturday or Sunday

Workout:  60, 70 or 80 minutes conversational pace + 8 x (20 second) strides.

(We do a lot of our runs based on time and not distance, but you should add at least a mile to what you ran last week.  So if you ran 6 miles last week, shoot for at least 7 this week.)

We should have water, but always throw something to drink in your car just in case.

Finally, don't let the rain scare you away!  We meet rain or shine and if your shoes get wet, just cram them full of newspaper, and the next morning they will be bone dry.  It's really amazing.

A note on pacing...

Long runs are difficult because they are long, not because of the pace.   During most of our endurance runs you should start at about 2 minutes per mile slower than 1/2 marathon pace and end at about 30 seconds per mile slower than 1/2 marathon pace.  (I say "most" because some of our long runs will involve some faster running.)   This pace should be "conversational". i.e. you can talk to the person next to you without gasping for air.

See you this weekend!

Mark

Rain or Shine...

Workouts are beginning tonight!   We meet at 6 p.m. at the corner of 11th and Holly. (Same place as Wednesday nights.)  Tonight we will be running hill repeats on the pedestrian bridge.  Not only is this a great workout, but it is a very unique way to experience the city at night!   The total amount of running for this workouts will be between 5 and 7 miles.

If you have any questions, please email Valisa Thayer or Michaela Poizner at michaela.poizner@gmail.com or valisa.berber.thayer@gmail.com.

ENFL

Mark

Cups

I am pasting the below paragraphs from our volunteer section...I want to highlight two needs: washing cups and leading routes.  Please read, and help out if possible!

I recently heard about several different models of organizations. There were several bad examples…  One is the bus model – where if the leader is not driving, the bus doesn’t go anywhere. Another is the football model – where 80,000 people all cheer as 22 people work really hard. The organizational metaphor that is optimal is the “body” model. Everyone uses their particular talents to do something, and no one does everything.

While not rocket science, getting 200+ people together every Wednesday for a run does take some coordination. And since no one makes any money, East Nasty relies entirely on volunteers. I’m not saying that everyone has to do something, but there are some areas where we could use some help. There are a lot of special activities and we will recruit your help for those, but here are some ways where we need help every week:

Washing the Cups. The first year that East Nasty existed we probably went through 150+ cups every week. So we decided that we would purchase plastic cups to reduce the amount of trash that we were producing each week. The only challenge is that we have to wash them every week. So we need volunteers to wash the cups.

Here are your responsibilities: 1) Take the cups home. 2) Wash them. 3) Bring them back the next week. Easy stuff. Please sign up for a specific week here.

Lead A Route. One thing that is different about East Nasty is that we have 12 different routes. For those of you who have never done a group run before, this is pretty unique. We also have 8 different pace groups. This is also very unique for a weekly fun run. The challenge is that we need to find leaders for each of those groups each week. This is nothing that you need to sign up for, just learn the routes, find us on Wednesday night, and pick a pace that you are comfortable with.

Wednesday's Run

Run #2.  Thanks to Meg Willoughby for the great design!

Thursday's Workout

Are you ready to move your running to a new level?  Do you need to shake up your run routine?  Then Thursday night workouts are for you.  Thursday nights at 6 p.m. at the corner of 11th and Holly we will meet for a variety of running workouts:  hills, tempo runs, marathon goal pace runs, and track workouts.

This week, we are jogging down to the pedestrian bridge and running either 4 or 6 "short" (~60 seconds) hills.   Everyone is welcome to join us (even if you're not training for the 1/2 marathon) but there is one caveat: you need to be able to run 5 miles without stopping.   If you are not to this level, these workouts will be a little too aggressive.

All of the various workouts are listed on our 1/2 marathon training plan.  Valisa Thayer and Michaela Poizner will be in charge on Thursday night. Contact them for more information at michaela.poizner@gmail.com or valisa.berber.thayer@gmail.com.

1/2 Marathon Training is about to begin... Just a couple of notes for our first week...

1) This week we are at Shelby Park.  We meet by the nature center.  A good landmark is the train trestle (bridge), the nature center is basically under the bridge. Saturday or Sunday morning at 9am.

2) The workout this week is 50, 60 or 70 minutes of steady running, with 8 20-second (60 step) surges thrown in at the end.  These are not sprints.

3) Our Sunday morning brunches are back with Gunjan in charge.  This week is being hosted by Polly and Rich Alexander.  Please sign up to bring something - we do it pot luck style!

See you this weekend!

Mark

January 2013.

It's time to make our resolutions.  I usually don't make any, but this year I am going to try and run at least 1 mile every day in 2013.   My longest streak ever is 92 days, and that was about 20 years ago.   Any one want to join me?

Starting over...

As always, we're starting the year with run #1.  It's almost exactly a 5k, so it is a good place for new runners to start.   As always, invite any friends who are trying to start the year off in a healthy way.  6 pm at the corner of 11th and Holly in East Nashville.

We are going to start featuring the run maps that were created for our 2013 training log.  The above map was created by  Sara Spencer.

1/2 or Full Marathon Training

First, the link to our training plan has been fixed (thanks Duane!), so you can now download the training plan.  Now, it's time to get started!   Our weekend runs start this weekend, and our Thursday workouts start next week.  Our Saturday and Sunday runs are exactly the same regarding start time, location, distance, etc...  You can join us on either day, (or both) all you need to do is show up.  Take a moment to read the details here.  If you are planning on joining us for full marathon training, you need to email Daniel Hudgins: hudginsdj@gmail.com.

See you on Wednesday.

Mark

Well, we're still here. Must be awkward to be a Mayan right now. I guess this means we have to keep training for all these spring races coming up!

Wednesday Night Run

Yes - we will be running as usual this Wednesday (the day after Christmas). Mark is out of town, but dont worry - Drew and I will be there to get things going. We will run our most popular route - Run #5: Walking Bridge. As always, be at 11th & Holly at 6pm to join us. FYI - today, December 24th, is Drew Jones' birthday. Be sure to wish him a happy one if you see him this week!

Next Wednesday - Back to the Beginning

Next Wednesday, January 2nd, we will start over our cycle of 12 runs with Route #1. Its our shortest route (3.1 miles) and a great night to bring out a new runner, or perhaps a friend who has made a New Years resolution to run more or get in shape.

Half Marathon Training Starts January 5th/6th

Our annual Half Marathon (and Full Marathon) Training program starts the weekend of January 5th/6th. Get all the details on the Half Marathon Training page. We will meet at 9am in Shelby Park on both Saturday the 5th or Sunday the 6th - you choose which day you want to run.

Merry Christmas to East Nasty Nation! We hope you all had a great 2012, and we look forward to working together to further our mission in 2013: to make East Nashville a great place to live and run, and to make running accessible to everyone in our community.

See you on Wednesday!

-Duane

The Nasty

This week we're doing run #12, The Nasty: our most difficult, longest run...and the run that cements you as an East Nasty.  (And gets you a sticker.)   6 p.m. (or earlier, read below) at the corner of 11th and Holly in East Nashville.   Please check out the map - or look at the map in your new East Nasty training log before you come on Wednesday!

Cup Washers

We need volunteers to help wash the cups.  Let's see if we can get the next 10 weeks filled before Wednesday's run.  Please consider helping out in this way!  Click here for details.

Lasty Nasties

I've heard that many people feel intimidated to join our Wednesday night group because they feel like they aren't fast enough.   And while I would not encourage folks to come if they have just started a walking program,  there is a good sized group of run/walkers who average 12-15 minute miles on Wednesday nights who have proudly adopted the name "Lasty Nasties".  No one gets left behind, and they leave a little bit early so that they can finish with the main group.   They even have their own facebook page where they organize runs outside of the scheduled Wednesday night gatherings.

Important:  On Wednesdays they leave early.   In fact, since this week is our longest, hardest run, some of them are going to start at 5:00, and some at 5:30.  (On a typical Wednesday, they start running at 5:45)

Half / Full Marathon Training

During the holidays, it is often hard to make running a priority...and that's fine.  Just make sure that you run occasionally and be ready to join us in January.   If you are going to train with us, download the training plan and then just show up January 5th or 6th (Saturday or Sunday) at 9 a.m. outside the Shelby Park nature center.

New for this year: (1)  Saturday and Sunday morning long runs.  It will be the same workout, but your choice of which morning.  (2) Pace groups for 1/2 marathon goal times of 1:30, 1:45, 2:00, 2:15 and 2:30.    I am sure that some other groups will form to fill in the gaps. (i.e. sub-1:40 or maybe 2:10.)  What is not different is that the training is still free!

Remember, there are also a bunch of East Nasties training for the New Orleans half or full marathon.  Here are more details.

Lots of great stuff this week.

Christmas Party

We are having our annual Christmas Party after the run this Wednesday.  It will be hosted by Phil and Gretchen Zimmerman who live at 1306 Woodland.   To get there, just walk down to 3 Crow, turn right on Woodland, pass NRC and a block later you'll be at their house.  We'll have Christmas music, food and beer.   Everyone is welcome.  Don't be shy, this is a great chance to meet your fellow East Nasties.

We need you to bring $5 and a bowl and spoon.  The $5 is for us to pay for our yearly insurance, the bowl and spoon are so we don't throw away 200+ bowls.  (We will have extras if you forget...)   We will also have about 75 of our training logs available for $5 a piece.  They are sweet.  Of course, if you forget your $5, or just can't afford it - no worries, just show up and enjoy a night with friends.

TribEndurance

At the Christmas party, you will have a chance to sample Magut's new energy bars.  Wednesday night, he'll be available to answer your questions, or for more details, check out his kickstarter here.

12/12/12 promo

Do not sign up for the country music half or full marathon...until Wednesday.   The competitor group is having their biggest promotion of the year.  This deal will not be replicated so don't go to bed that night until you sign up!

Speaking of which, we've posted most of the details of our 1/2 and full marathon training.  We'll have the training plans attached soon.

The route

We are on run #11.   This is a figure 8 route (sort of), so there is an opportunity to run the full 4.4 miles or you could cut it short at 2.1.

See you on Wednesday.

Mark

The Run

This week we are enjoying run #10, Benji.  This takes us to a great part of East Nashville (the other side of Eastland), but we have to navigate a couple of tricky intersections.  Please check out the map, and pay attention to the route leader!

As always we meet at 6 p.m. at the corner of 11th and Holly.

Christmas Party

Next week, 12/12/12, is our annual Christmas Party .  What a perfect day for a holiday party.  Not only is it the last of the triple dates for a long while, it still leaves us 9 days to visit loved ones before the world ends.  (Even though those crazy Mayans are backtracking and saying that 12/21/12 is going to be some sort of spiritual transformation and not actually the end of the world.)

The party will be at Phil & Gretchen Zimmerman's house which is at 1306 Woodland, (basically across the street from MadDonnas).  Everyone is welcome, so even if you aren't running that night - you are invited to come.  We'll have soup, beer and holiday music.  We need you to bring $5 and a bowl and spoon.  East Nasty has no membership fees, and we do not charge for any of our runs or training programs.  But since we are part of the Road Runners Club of America, we have to pay membership dues to maintain our insurance.  That's what the $5 is for.  The bowl and spoon are for your soup - because we don't want to throw away 200 plastic bowls.

If you are willing to part with $10, we have about 80 copies of the 2013 East Nasty training log for sale.  It is amazing...

1/2 Marathon / Full Marathon Training

If you are planning on running the Country Music Full or half marathon this year, plan on training with us.  The training is free, and we'll have Saturday or Sunday morning long runs, and Thursday night workouts.  (As well as our normal Wednesday night run.)

ENFL.

Mark

Tonight's Run

Tonight we are running Route #9 - LP Field. Meet as usual - 6pm at 11th & Holly.

Christmas Party

On December 12 after the run, Phil and Gretchen Zimmerman are hosting our annual Christmas party.  We'll have soup, beer and holiday music.  We need you to bring $5.  East Nasty has no membership fees, and we do not charge for any of our runs or training programs.  But since we are part of the Road Runners Club of America, we have to pay membership dues to maintain our insurance.  That's what the $5 is for.

If you are willing to part with $10, we have about 80 copies of the 2013 East Nasty training log for sale.  It is amazing...

Hoodies Are In!

They came in a week earlier than expected. Yay! So, if you ordered a Hoodie, you will be able to pick it up at tonight's run!

See you tonight! ENFL! -Mark