MCRRC LONG RUN SCHEDULE WINTER 2006

by Paul Friedman

The MCRRC organizes group long runs to assist people training for marathons or other distance events. While the Winter long run schedule is targeted for the Boston Marathon (4/17/06), with some adjustments it should also be useful for people training for other more local Spring marathons, such as the MCRRC Greenway Trail Marathon (3/4/06), B&A (Severna Park, MD, 3/5/06), Shamrock (Virginia Beach, VA, 3/19/06), Washington DC Sport Alliance (3/25/06), Ocean City, MD (4/8/06), Charlottesville, VA (4/15/06), or Frederick, MD (4/30/06).

The long runs are meant to coincide with the club’s regularly scheduled Sunday runs from Ken-Gar Palisades Park in Kensington, MD (Beach Dr. north of Strathmore). While the Ken-Gar Sunday morning runs typically start at 8:00am, the extra long runs we call “point-to-point” will begin at 7:00am.

The point-to-point runs, spaced about 3 weeks apart, are between 15 to 20 miles long, starting at one metro parking lot and ending near another distant metro location. When starting from either the Forest Glen or Grovesnor metro, we run south along the Rock Creek bikepath, Beach Dr., and Rock Creek Parkway to downtown Washington D.C., finishing usually at Union Station. One of our point-to-point runs starts in Bethesda and follows the Capital Crescent Trail to downtown DC. Another starts at the Shady Grove Metro in Gaithersburg, and generally follows the old Marathon-In-The-Parks course to Bethesda.

At the end of the point-to-point runs we typically gather at an eatery to nosh and josh, before using metro to return to our cars. Even in cold weather you will need to bring with you water or a sports drink for proper hydration. It is recommended that you wear a fanny-pack containing energy bars/gels and fluid; money for food and metro fare; cell phone; and a change of clothing.

The long runs are open to people of all ability levels. There is no designated leader for the Winter Sunday morning long runs. Paul Friedman will occasionally lead the point-to-point runs if he is in-town, the kids don’t have a soccer game or swim meet, and his wife lets him (Paul and Jodie Friedman are training for the London Marathon 4/23/06). Since the long runs are voluntary events, there is no guarantee that anyone will show up, given weather, and people’s personal training schedules. If enough people show up, we usually break into groups by pace time, so you can run with others of similar speed. If you do not know the course, find someone who does to run with.

The long-run schedule provided below assumes that you have an adequate running base by the beginning of the New Year (1/1/06) to complete a run 12 miles long comfortably. It is suggested that all long runs be done at an easy pace; at least 1-1/2 minutes per mile slower than your average 10K per-mile race pace. For example, if you race a 10K in 48 minutes (ave. ca. 7:45/per mile), your long runs should be done at about 9-to-10 minutes per mile pace. These are not races, and you should be able to hold a conversation while running and not be out of breath.

There are a couple of races included in the schedule. These races should be considered optional. Depending on your goals, you can use the races to practice running at your predicted marathon pace. (This is about 1-minute-per-mile slower than your 10K race pace).

For more information you may contact Paul Friedman via e-mail at jopaul@comcast.net or call him at his office at 202-502-8059.

Date (2006)	Distance	Location/Event
1/1, 8am	12 miles	Ken-Gar Palisades Park, (Kensington, MD): run south along the Rock Creek path to Meadowbrook stables, then turn around and return to Ken-Gar. Happy New Year.
1/8, 7am	12 to 16 miles	Point-to-Point #1, Bethesda (Woodmont and Bethesda Ave.), down Capital Crescent Trail south to Georgetown waterfront, then along Potomac River past Kennedy Center to Lincoln Memorial and along National Mall to Union Station. If you are training for Greenway Trail or B&A Marathon, you may need to add miles here with a loop around Hains Point/East Potomac Park.
1/15, 8am	14 miles	Ken-Gar : run north along Rock Creek path to Lake Needwood, then turn around and return to start.
1/22, 8am	12 miles	Ken-Gar: run south along the Rock Creek path to Meadowbrook stables, then turn around and return to start.
1/29, 7am	16 to 20 miles	Point-to-Point #2, Forest Glen Metro (Silver Spring, MD, just off Georgia Ave. north of the beltway): run south along Rock Creek path to Beach Dr., to Rock Creek Parkway to downtown DC, National Mall, to Union Station. If you are training for Greenway Trail or B&A Marathon, you may need to add miles here with a loop around Hains Point/East Potomac Park.
2/5, 8am	5 to 10 miles	Super Bowl Sunday - MCRRC County Road 8K, Olney Swim Center. Do the race at projected marathon pace, and add miles with either a long warm-up and warm-down or do the course a second time (but slower than race pace).
2/12, 8am	14 miles	Ken-Gar: run north along Rock Creek path to Lake Needwood, then turn around and return to start.
2/19, 7am	12 to 26.2 miles	Point-to-Point #3, Grovesnor Metro (Kensington, MD): run south on Rock Creek path, Beach Dr. and Rock Creek Parkway to downtown Washington DC, National Mall to Union Station. If you are doing the Greenway Trail or B&A Marathon, you may want to cut this run short at the National Zoo. For those in great shape, there is also the G. Washington B-day Marathon in Greenbelt.
2/26, 8am	12 miles	Ken-Gar: run south along the Rock Creek path to Meadowbrook stables, then turn around and return to start. Do the second half (last 6 miles) at projected marathon race pace.
Sat. 3/4, 8am	26.2 miles	MCRRC Greenway Trail Marathon. For those in great shape, ultra-marathon trainers, or perhaps as your targeted Spring marathon. If you do this marathon, skip Sunday 3/5 run and the 3/12 Point-to-Point.
Sun. 3/5, 8am	14 miles or 26.2 miles	If you did NOT run the Greenway Marathon, go to Ken-Gar and run north along Rock Creek path to Lake Needwood, then turn around and return to start. There is also the B&A Marathon in Severa Park, MD.
3/12, 7am	19 miles or 26.2 miles	Point-to-Point #4: Do this if you skipped the Greenway Trail & B&A marathons, you have no interest in doing Shamrock, and your targeted Spring marathon is in April or May. Start in Bethesda (Woodmont and Bethesda Ave.), run south along Capital Crescent Trail to Georgetown waterfront (Water St. under Whitehurst Fwy.), then along Potomac River to Thompson’s Boathouse. Turn north on path along Rock Creek Parkway to Beach Dr. and continue north on Beach Dr. past East-West Hwy to Jones Mill/Jones Bridge. Turn west on the Georgetown Branch trail back to Bethesda. If you are doing Shamrock, go to Ken-Gar and run 8 miles total.
3/19, 8am	12 or 26.2 miles	Shamrock Marathon, Virginia Beach, VA. If you skipped the Greenway Trail, B&A, and Shamrock marathon and are aiming for a April or May marathon, go to Ken-Gar and run south to the stables and back to start.
Sat. 3/25	26.2 miles	Washington DC Sport Alliance National Marathon. Limited to sub-4:30 runners 49 yrs or younger and sub-5:00 for 50 and older.
Sun. 3/26, 7am	19 miles	Point-to-Point #5: Shady Grove Metro – east on Redland to Needwood – to Lake Needwood and path along Rock Creek - south to East-West Hwy-east toJones Mill/Jones Bridge – north to Georgetown Branch Trail – west to Bethesda. Do this point-to-point if you are training for April or May marathon, and did NOT run the Shamrock or DC marathons.
4/2	10 miles	Cherry Blossom 10 Miler, Washington DC (do this at projected marathon pace). Or, go to Ken-Gar and run north 5 miles and then back to the start.
4/9/05, 8am	8 miles or 18 miles	If you are training for Boston or Charlottesville Marathon, go to Ken-Gar and run south for 4 miles and then back to start. If, instead your goal is the Frederick Marathon, then do Point-to-Point, from Grovesnor Metro to Union Station.
Sat. 4//15	26.2 miles	If you did not qualify for Boston and want to try a local marathon, run Charlottesville, VA.
Sun. 4/16	10 miles	If you are not doing Boston or Charlottesville marathon, and are training for the Frederick Marathon, go to Ken-Gar and run north for 5 miles then turn around and return to start.
Mon. 4/17	26.2 miles	THE BOSTON MARATHON!
4/23 8am	8 miles	If your targeted Spring marathon is Frederick, go to Ken-Gar and run south for 4 miles then turn around and go back to the start. London Marathon.
4/30	26.2 miles	Frederick Marathon