Monday, February 17, 2025

We’re heading into another great week of training with a mix of trail miles, threshold work, and race-specific preparation. Wednesday night’s quality session will focus on sustained hill efforts at lactate threshold—an essential workout for building strength and endurance. Saturday’s long run takes us to the Marin Headlands – starting at Tennessee Valley – offering a chance to work on race-specific climbing and descending while enjoying some stunning views.

If you have any questions, reply to this email—we’re here to help.

The Ascend Trail Running Team

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This Week’s Group Runs

Wednesday, February 19 – Quality Session

Location: Parktrail Drive (Parktrail Open Space). Please note there are no bathrooms at this trailhead.
Time: 5:45 PM
Parking: Street parking available
Reminder: Bring a headlamp, as it will be dark by the time we finish.

Workout: Threshold Hills
This week, we’re focusing on sustained efforts at lactate threshold—a key intensity for building endurance and strength. These efforts should feel challenging but controlled, at a pace you could sustain for about an hour in race conditions.

Workout Structure:

• Warm-up: Two miles easy
• Dynamic drills: Heel walks, toe walks, hip openers, hamstring scoops, bouncy hops, A-skips, strides ×2
• Main workout: 5 × 3-minute threshold hill repeats with an easy jog down for recovery
• Cool-down: One mile easy

Rodrigo’s Notes on Wednesday’s Workout:
Lactate/anaerobic threshold refers to 1-hour pace. It is an effort level than can vary depending on terrain or weather. Threshold work should be hard but comfortable. A race-pace you can hold for about an hour. One key part of threshold work is it’s important to not go too hard. It’s usually better to do it slightly below your true threshold than slightly above it. 

TIP: If you cannot jog comfortably after the first few threshold intervals you are probably going too fast. Use the rest interval to help assess your effort level during the hard interval. 

When done correctly, you can accumulate a lot of volume in just a few weeks. Its key benefits are building immense mental strength and muscular endurance. Finally, check out Rodrigos 10 Stability Exercises for Runners:

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Saturday, February 22 – Long Run

Location: Marin Headlands (Meeting at Tennessee Valley Trailhead)
Time: 7:30 AM
Parking: Available at the trailhead, but carpooling is encouraged as it can fill up quickly.

This route provides a great opportunity to practice sustained climbing and technical descents—essential skills for race day. Expect a mix of fire roads and singletrack, with sweeping coastal views.

Race Distance	Map
Half Marathon	Week 3 – Half Marathon Training Route
Marathon / 50K	Week 3 – Marathon Training Route
LS50	Week 3 – 50 Mile Training Route

Matt’s Notes on the Saturday Run

• Half Marathon Route – Mileage is a little long, wanted to get everyone to the beach. If you’re feeling like 12 is too much skip the out and back to the beach for a shorter run. 
• Marathon Route – Mileage is a little short back to the starting point, run a short out and back from parking lot to capture 16 miles.
• LS 50 Mile Route – Tons of vert, capture 18 miles by running out and back from parked lot at finish. If you are serious about completing the LS50 put the time and effort into this training run.

Recovery Tips:

Listen to Your Body and Prioritize Smart Recovery

Recovery is just as important as training—without it, your body can’t adapt and improve. The most important thing you can do is listen to your body. Soreness and fatigue are normal, but persistent pain or extreme exhaustion are signs that you may need extra rest. Ignoring these warning signs can lead to injury and setbacks.

Key strategies for effective recovery:

• Refuel properly – Eat a mix of carbohydrates and protein within 30-60 minutes post-run to replenish glycogen stores and support muscle repair. A 3:1 or 4:1 carb-to-protein ratio is generally effective.
• Stay hydrated – Replenish fluids lost during your workout. If you sweat heavily, consider adding electrolytes to avoid dehydration.
• Prioritize sleep – Quality sleep is the most effective recovery tool. Aim for 7-9 hours per night to allow your body to fully repair and adapt.
• Use active recovery – Gentle movement like walking, easy cycling, or yoga helps maintain circulation and reduce stiffness.
• Be careful with NSAIDs (like ibuprofen and naproxen) – While these medications can reduce inflammation and pain, they do not fix underlying injuries and may mask pain that signals a bigger problem. NSAIDs can also increase the risk of stomach issues, kidney strain, and delayed healing. If you’re consistently relying on them to train, it may be time to reassess your recovery strategies.

Taking the time to recover properly will keep you healthy, consistent, and able to train at your best over the long term.

Looking Ahead:

Lake Sonoma Course Preview – Saturday, March 1

Our first Lake Sonoma course preview run is coming up! This will be a fantastic chance to get familiar with the terrain and key sections of the course for those of you the are running one of the Lake Sonoma races. For everyone else, it will be excellent training as those trails offer unique challenges. More details, including route options and logistics, will be shared next week. You can also find our long run schedule here if you would like to look even further ahead.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out. See you on the trails!