YHC has been reading a lot of running books lately. There are many common themes, but one that stands out is that people run better if they run with a group. Ten mile Tuesday at The Rabbit has become a great venue for this – The Rabbit, in general, has done so much for me as a runner, but on ten-mile Tuesday it’s a little different. Lately we have had double-digit numbers every month; most everyone knows the route, so we can splinter into our own pace groups; it’s two laps (for the 10-milers) which means you can run one fast and one slow, both fast, or both slow; you can run with different people for the first 5 and second 5; you can run on your own between groups. Ultimately, with the numbers we have had, you can make this run whatever you want – but the best part about it is that you can run with PAX that have similar goals and you can take turns pushing each other to hold the pace so everyone in the group gets a better workout.

Doing this consistently is what will make the PAX faster and faster with each passing month. It is what will make the 5-milers into 10-milers.

The numbers at The Rabbit have been very good, but it would be a great thing for all of us if they would continue to climb, especially on TMT. F3 is all about picking up the 6, and this is extremely important. But when the 6 is a group of 5 PAX that know the route and are pushing each other to run their best, or just deciding to have an easy day and some solid mumblechatter, they’re good – don’t worry!

Anyway, YHC has been on the IR for a week or so and things have been getting a lot better. I hesitated to hold onto my Q, but I’m glad I did. The leg ultimately held up fine and it was great to see a good crowd of 12 PAX out in the gloom today. we had 5 for 10 and 7 for 5.

Warmup

• SSH x30 IC
• Hairy Rockettes x15 IC
• Hacky-sack things x15 IC
• Butt-kickers x10 IC
• Slow Merkins x10 IC

Next, 6 PAX ran around for 5 miles.

Following this we met up with the 0530 crew and headed out for another 5. We dropped Nescafe after 1 additional mile and Beaujolais* after 3. *Great that PAX will come out and do what they can when they are recovering from injury!

Mary

• Flutter kicks x30 IC
• American hammers x30 IC

COT

• Announcements
  -The Mustang is no more. The AO we once knew and loved has been combined with The Wall and will meet at 0530 every Friday morn’.
  -The Gambler III CSAUP will be held on May 16th, 2020
  -Brotox indicated everyone must show up for The Big House
  -The Goat/Rabbit convergence will be held March 31st (Rabbit AO will be closed)
• Name-o-rama
• BOM
  The traits that predict a good runner are the traits that predict success in life, as well. One might say what makes a good runner is Strength and Endurance (obvious), Patience, Creativity and Intelligence (less obvious). Having patience and allowing your body to adapt to training is key to avoiding injuries. YHC was bit by this in the last couple of weeks. I felt fantastic because of a great training cycle and starting skipping rest days and pounding workouts and races harder than I needed to. This led to an injury. Creativity and Intelligence are helpful in planning and creating workouts, in knowing your limits and intelligent goal setting.
  
  Contrast all of this with an anecdote about many Kenyan runners, arguably the most successful runners in human history. While the typical American runner will pick a pace well before getting to the starting line and deliberately hold back, saving for the later, tougher miles of a race, a Kenyan athlete is more likely to latch onto the front group and run as hard as he or she can with this group until, either they can’t maintain the pace anymore, or the race is over, and they have won, or come close.
  
  The latter scenario will be much more likely to lead to a breakthrough performance that you didn’t know you had in you, but patience and intelligent goal setting is more likely to make you successful on average. There are merits to both, and it might be interesting to think how both can apply in running and life.
  
  Thanks for coming out! Aye