The Little Things . . .

a Going the Distance newsletter

Late December 2015 || issue #39
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Only One Hill

The GTD winter site has only one hill.
It is your friend.
On a sunny Sunday morning it looks inviting, eh?
On Tuesdays evenings, beginning January 5, it's the same hill.
Run it.

Maintenance Training

Not running a marathon? No big races on your schedule? Winter is the perfect time to establish a fitness level that will be your foundation for all of 2016. With good running ahead, give yourself a maintenance program and goal with either Fernando's Seasonal Program or the One-on-One coaching model.

Marathon Training

All marathon training programs use the One-on-One coaching model. If you are running a marathon in April or earlier, you should begin training now. If you have questions on which program to choose, contact Dave.

Coaching Options

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GTD: Each onsite conditioning session this summer had phases, and each of the 18 sessions was a bit different. What drills did you look forward to? Were there ones you would like to forget about it?

AJ: I didn't look forward or dread any workouts but Jesus hills were definitely the most memorable of the workouts.

GTD: When you race, do you have routines that you always do to prepare, leading right up to the start?

AJ: Usually I like to stay relaxed and get out for a warmup run and then start a routine of dynamic stretches and strides.

Abby Walsh

[At the Eastern Mass. Division 2 XC Championship on November 21, Abby was 6th in 18:38. A week later at All States, Abby was 9th in 18:24 in the Division 1 Championship.]

GTD: This was your 3rd summer training in Coach Braz’s program. Has the program changed over the years?

Abby: I started coming to Coach Braz’s program the summer going into my freshman year and it's always a great way to prepare for my xc season. It keeps me focused all summer and provides structure. This year especially we focused a lot on core and becoming stronger runners. Each year I continue to grow with the program. Coach Braz always brings in new, and fun workouts to do.

GTD: The last phase of each training session this past summer was devoted to core work, flexibility, and strength. Tell us about it.

Abby: It was always really tiring to do strength after our long runs or workouts. Although the core and strength were tough, I could definitely see a difference in my races and workouts after. I felt much stronger especially at the end of the races which I had struggled with before. Coach Braz always reminds me how important the little things are and kept me motivated all summer with these exercises.

GTD: When you race, do you have routines that you always do to prepare, leading right up to the start?

Abby: Yes, I like to do the same things leading up to a race. Usually for the morning meets I’ll eat a piece of cinnamon raisin toast with peanut butter and bananas. Then I have a few bites of a power bar about an hour before the race. I like to listen to music to keep my mind off the race. After I eat I start warming up and stretching. On the line I do dynamics and strides up until the start of the race.

GTD: What were some of the highlights of your xc season?

Abby: This season started off on a high note with my relay group winning the Clipper relays after coming in second for the past two years. It was also very exciting for us to break the meet record. My Beverly team won every dual meet and defended the NEC title. After a disappointing state meet last year, I was happy to have helped my team place 4th and make it to the All States meet. At All States I ran a new PR and my team placed 5th overall. It was rewarding to have ended this season stronger than the beginning.