Are you toying with the idea of running a half marathon this
spring or early Summer? Has it been a long winter with limited miles on foot?
Are you a person who does better running or training with a group? Do you want to add miles to your running
routine while being coached for safety and motivation? If you answered yes to
any of these questions the FootZone half marathon training group might be the
perfect fit for you.
The FootZone half marathon training group is a fun,
energetic, educational and motivational experience that helps individual
runners improve their abilities and reach new heights in their running
routines.
What if I don’t have a running routine? This training group
is not a learn to run class. It is preferred that runners entering the group
have a base of 3-4 miles that they can run comfortably at least once a week. If
you are not quite there, that’s OK! You still have 5 weeks to work your way up
to it; one step at a time. If you have a more established base that is great! The
benefit of the training group for you will be the commitment to the increasing
miles and healthy challenges to improve your speed and techniques on the
running course.
My first experience with a training group, outside of
organized team sports, was last Fall when I coached this group. I was honestly
amazed at the beautiful friendships and camaraderie that developed over 8
weeks. For those who are “social runners” the light hearted chatting and
encouragement filled the air with an energy that facilitated improvement and
fun. For the more independent personalities I could sense their focus and
determination to achieve their goals. Although these individuals were not very
verbal on the course I know that being around other runners who could push them
and give them something to keep up with was a major inspiration and key to
their improvements. Training groups are a great way to meet like minded people
with similar goals and interests. Many runners walked away from our first training
day with contact info. to meet up mid-week for workouts.
When you sign up for this training group you will be
provided with a detailed training manual that includes an 8 week training plan
that incorporates running, speed work, cross training and rest. The manual is
filled with information and definitions of running terms that will educate you
in many areas of being a successful runner. On day one we will run a “magic
mile” that will establish your pace. From here you will be assigned a pace
mentor that will be your direct link to information, motivation and running
tips. Your mentor will keep in close contact with you each week via emails;
they will also be the person running alongside you on course. I will be your
coach and look forward to helping every person in the group make this
experience positive, uplifting and educational. I will be in contact with the
group via email twice a week providing feedback and in depth information on the
topic of the week. I will run the course with the group and it is my intention
to provide as many running strategies and tips as possible to each runner I
come into contact with along the trail.
The training courses will be a mix of trail and road. I am a
trail junkie and love getting away from cars, however, with the unpredictable
Spring weather in Central Oregon we may have to rely on the roads occasionally
to provide a safe course for our training group. I scout trails and routes
throughout the week. On Friday mornings I go out and mark the running course using
reusable flagging on clothes pins. I am diligent about marking the course to
the best of my ability, looking for any cross-roads or tricky areas to keep the
entire group safe and together. The course flags will be pulled on Saturday by
our last mentor off the course. So, for those of you who are on the fence about
the training group because you might have to miss a couple of Saturdays you
have the option of running the course before the group, either on Friday
afternoon or early Saturday morning.
The training group meets every Saturday for 8 weeks at 8am
at the FootZone store. Occasionally we will meet at a trailhead, but for
carpooling reasons the FZ store is typically our meeting ground. When you
arrive in the morning your pace mentor will be there to greet you, check in
with how you are feeling that day, how your runs through the week have gone and
to answer any questions you have about the course of the day. Each morning we
will begin with a short 10 to 12 minute presentation from a local professional
on a different topic related to running. This topic will be incorporated into
emails and discussions throughout the week to offer more depth and personal
investigation into the topic at hand. Examples of topic we will cover running
nutrition, good form running, strength training for runners, speed work, injury
prevention and care and so much more.
Who is leading this group? My name is Caitlin Mastenbroek
and I will be your coach; the mentors for each pace group are invaluable
resources for runners as well. I love trail running, I work as a personal
trainer and yoga instructor and am amazed everyday at the beauty and light that
presents itself on my personal journey of life. I make it a priority to honor
my body, learning from its whispers to avoid hearing its screams. A thought I
am working with at the moment is, “Prioritize the cultivation of your highest
potential” Unknown.
The FootZone half marathon training group is a wonderful
opportunity for runners of all ages and speeds to come together and form
community around our sport. Myself and the FootZone family make it a priority
to express our love for running through reaching out to fellow runners, by
offering up our knowledge and encouragement with the intention of making you a
better runner. Whether you are a decorated racer or new to running I invite you
to try our training group to improve where you are today and hopefully set new
goals for tomorrow.
Thank you for taking the time to learn more about this
training group. If you have any questions, concerns or would like to sign up
for the group please contact me at caitlin@footzonebend.com
or visit the FootZone website. I will get back to you as soon as possible.
Gratitude!
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