Weekly Newsletter

Monday, July 21st , 2025

Thanks to everyone who joined us last week. It’s been great to see a wide range of runners coming together and getting back into the rhythm of consistent trail training. Whether you’re preparing for a fall race or just using the summer to rebuild fitness, we’re right on track.

This week we’ll continue building aerobic strength and begin introducing more climbing, both in our quality session and weekend long run. The focus is on form, time on feet, and controlled effort, all of which will carry over well into race season.

—The Ascend Trail Running Team

This Week’s Group Runs

Wednesday, July 23 – Quality Session

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

Workout Structure:

• Warm-up: ~1.5 mile easy jog
• Drills: Heel walks, toe walks, side heel walks, side toe walks, hip openers, hamstring scoops, A walks, B walks, A skips, B skips, C skips, 2 x strides
• Main Set: 6 x 3-minute hill efforts at threshold pace (jog back down for recovery)
• Cooldown: ~1.5 mile easy jog

Coach Rodrigo’s Notes:

Week 2! I just want to thank everyone for their energy last week. You guys are what makes Ascend great, each and every one of you. Together we are an unstoppable force, and we’re going to accomplish great things this year.

I’m going to spend a lot of time writing about running form the next several weeks. I will try and deliver shorter, more digestible advice on this prior to each workout. I believe it is a cornerstone in running both fast and efficiently. It is also something that requires the least amount of work, depending on how you look at it.

This week I want to focus on hip extension. The main source of power in our running stride. Lifting our knee is hip flexion. We want to focus on the opposite motion. It helps to break the running gait cycle into two phases. The active and the recovery phase. The active phase starts once the foot has landed on the ground. The recovery phase starts once the foot has left the ground.

While foot contact is occurring, the emphasis in your mechanics should shift to the hip. This is the beginning of the active phase. The extension of the hip is where the power comes from, not from pushing with your toes or other mechanisms which are commonly cited. The hip should be thought to work in a crank like or piston like fashion. This speed and degree of hip extension is what will partially control the speed. A stronger hip extension results in more force application and greater speed, thus how powerfully and rapidly the hip is extended helps control the running speed. Once the hip is extended, the foot will come off the ground and the recovery cycle will begin.

Once the hip has extended, the recovery phase starts. When the hip is extended correctly it will result in the working of a stretch reflex mechanism. This is best thought of as a sling shot where you stretch the sling shot back and then let it go. The result will be that it shoots forward very rapidly. The hip works in much the same way. If you extend the hip you are putting it in a stretch position. With the sling shot, if instead of letting it go, you tried to move it forward, the sling shot band would come forward much more slowly. The same applies for the hip.

Some common mistakes:

• Getting quick with the feet and pulling them up early.
• Reaching out with the lower leg.
• Lifting the knees at the end of the recovery phase.

Helpful cues:

• Leave the lower leg alone. It’s just along for the ride. Be patient. Don’t try and get quick.
• Focus on the hips. Think of it as a crank. Initiate it and let it go.

Too Long Didn’t Read (TL;DR)
It helps many to focus entirely on the hip joint, and think of the movement coming from there.

Saturday, July 26 – Lawndale Long Run

Location: Lawndale Trailhead
Time: 7:30 AM
Parking: Free parking
Restrooms: None at trailhead

The focus for this long run is Time on Feet by spending more time moving at a steady, conversational effort and gradually increasing duration. This is not the week to worry about pace or pushing hard; the goal is to strengthen endurance, stay relaxed, and begin adapting to more sustained climbs and descents. The Lawndale side of Annadel offers rolling terrain with some technical segments, which is ideal for building that kind of strength.

Recommended Maps

Trail Map (Strava link)	Distance	Elevation Gain
Week 2 Short Route	13.9 miles	1900 feet
Week 2 Long Route	17.4 miles	2341 feet

Coach Matt’s Tip of the Week:

If you’re running long on Saturdays, it’s time to get serious about having your route mapped and accessible. Take a few minutes the night before to review the route and load it into your GPS. Learn how to use the “back to start” or breadcrumb trail features if your watch includes them. If you’re not sure how to do any of this, ask. That’s what this group is for.

We’ll be talking more about gear readiness in the coming weeks. But for now, think of your watch as a basic tool to help you stay safe, informed, and confident during long efforts.

Looking Ahead: Lake Sonoma

Next Saturday we’ll head to Lake Sonoma for our Week 3 long run. Expect long ridgelines, exposed sections, and some of the best views in the county. This area is central to our training; especially for those running the Lake Sonoma races in the spring or a longer fall ultra.

Thinking About Joining?

If you’re new or just curious about Ascend, Wednesday nights are a great way to get a feel for the group. Each workout is designed to benefit a wide range of paces and experience levels. Whether you’re training for a race or just want to run with more consistency, you’re welcome to join us and see what structured trail training is like.

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.