Weekly Newsletter

Monday, June 2nd, 2025

You’ve made it to Week 5 — the final stretch before Cool Moon. This is the time to shift gears into taper mode. Over the past weeks, you’ve built fitness, strength, and resilience through long miles and steep climbs. Now, your focus moves to maintaining sharpness while prioritizing recovery. Trust the work you’ve done — the hay is in the barn — and let your body heal up so you arrive on race day rested, fueled, and ready to perform.

We also want to send out a huge congratulations to all of our runners who completed the Sonoma Coast Trails races this past weekend. That was a tough course with tons of vert and rugged terrain. You should be proud of pushing through such a demanding challenge — excellent work!

—The Ascend Trail Running Team

This Week’s Group Runs

Wednesday, June 4 – Quality Session

Location: Channel Drive
Time: 5:45 PM
Parking: Free parking along Channel Drive
Restrooms: None at trailhead

This is a short, focused workout designed to keep your legs activated without adding fatigue. It’s meant to keep you sharp during taper week and remind your body that you’re still in the game — while letting recovery take priority.

Workout Structure:

• Warm-up: 1.5–2 mile easy jog
• Drills:
  Toe walks, heel walks, side walks, hip openers, hamstring scoops, A skips, B skips, C skips/frog skips
• Main Set: 3 x 3-minute hill repeats at controlled, strong effort
• Cooldown: 1.5–2 mile easy jog

Rodrigo’s Notes:
It’s almost race time. You’ve spent the last couple of weeks sharpening up, and now it’s time to taper off. This tune-up workout will help maintain your fitness and keep the taper tantrum at bay. Don’t overdo it! Your focus now should be on recovery, eating well, and getting 8+ hours of sleep every night. See you at Cool Moon!

Saturday, June 7 – Lake Sonoma Long Run

ocation: Grey Pine Trailhead, Lake Sonoma
Time: 7:30 AM
Parking: Free lot, vehicles can be used as aid stations
Restrooms: Available at trailhead

We’re making a location change this week — instead of running at Fitch Mountain, we’ll be meeting at Lake Sonoma and joining forces with Healdsburg Running Company (HRC). This is a better setup for your final long run before Cool Moon: it offers flatter, more runnable terrain, and it’s a great chance to connect with another local trail community.

We’ll have two route options, both relatively flat (especially by Lake Sonoma standards). We’ll also be providing food at the finish, including vegan and non-vegan lumpia — a fun send-off before race week.

Recommended Maps

Trail Map (Strava link)	Distance	Elevation Gain
Flat 6	6 miles	363 feet
Flattest Known Ten	10.4 miles	514 feet

Running in the heat

Cool Moon can be hot — sometimes brutally so — and heat is often the single biggest factor in how the day unfolds. Being ready for the heat can mean the difference between a tough, grinding experience and a strong, confident finish. Here’s how to set yourself up for success and manage the heat wisely. Here’s how to set yourself up for success:

Heat Adaptation:
If you haven’t already, gradually exposing yourself to heat during your runs can help your body adjust. Heat adaptation usually takes 7–14 days and improves your ability to cool efficiently by increasing sweat rate, expanding plasma volume, and lowering heart rate at a given effort. Even if you’re late to the game, every bit of exposure helps.

Hydration Strategy:
Start each run (and race day) well-hydrated. During your run, drink early and regularly — don’t wait until you’re thirsty. Include electrolytes if you’re sweating heavily, especially if the day is humid. Remember, dehydration combined with heat can derail performance and put you at risk for heat illness.

Pacing in the Heat:
Heat demands respect. On hot days, your pace will naturally be slower even at the same effort level. Focus on running by perceived effort, not numbers. Slow down on climbs, walk when needed, and keep your internal thermostat in check.

Cooling Techniques:
The most successful heat runners know how to keep themselves cool. Here are key tactics:

• Cover Up: Light-colored, loose-fitting, breathable clothing helps shield your skin from the sun.
• Douse Regularly: Pour water over your head, neck, and arms at aid stations to cool the skin.
• Ice Bandanas or Buffs: Stuff ice into a buff or bandana and wrap it around your neck for prolonged cooling.
• Arm Coolers or Sleeves: These can help with evaporative cooling when wet.
• Ice in Hats or Sports Bras: Simple, effective ways to carry extra cold between aid stations.

At Cool Moon, we will have buckets of water with sponges available at the Ascend tent at the start line — use them! Start the day cool, and continue cooling throughout. These little strategies can make a big difference over many hot hours on the trail.

See you out there,

—The Ascend Trail Running Team

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Have Questions?

We’re here to help! Reply to this email, or reach out to us via ascendtrailrunning@gmail.com.