Weekly Newsletter

Week 8 – Monday, September 1, 2025

Welcome to Week 8 of the training cycle. We are now at the midpoint of our build, a phase where the early foundation begins to translate into noticeable strength and efficiency on the trails. The workout this week focuses on threshold running, one of the most effective tools for building long-term endurance and the ability to sustain higher efforts without fatigue setting in too early. These sessions may not feel flashy, but they are the type of work that pays off across all distances, from shorter races to 100-mile efforts.

Saturday’s long run at North Sonoma Mountain offers a slightly shorter distance compared to recent weekends, but the elevation gain and sustained climbing will make it a demanding outing. This terrain is well-suited for practicing steady pacing on long ascents, dialing in efficient hiking and running transitions, and keeping form relaxed when the trail points uphill. With its mix of shaded sections, open ridgelines, and technical footing, this run provides an excellent chance to reinforce the skills needed for the longer and more challenging weekends that lie ahead.

—The Ascend Trail Running Team

This Week’s Group Runs

Wednesday, September 3rd – Quality Session

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

• Warm-up: Band activation + 1.5 mile jog
• Drills: Heel walks, toe walks, side heel walks, side toe walks, hip openers, scoops, A-skips, B-skips, C-skips
• Strides: 4 × relaxed strides
• Main Set: 5 × 5 minutes uphill at threshold effort, 2.5 minutes downhill jog recovery
• Cooldown: ~1.5 mile jog

Week 8 is a bit of a doozy. We are going to keep building on our fartlek style threshold workout with 5X5 minutes of uphill running at lactate threshold, with 2.5 minutes of downhill jogging in between each rep. These should feel comfortably hard or comfortably uncomfortable. Take the jogs nice and slow to let your heart rate simmer down in between reps.

Threshold reminders

Remember, we don’t want to start at lactate threshold at the beginning of the workout. We want to start significantly below that line and as we progress through the workout, we will naturally (due to muscle and heart fatigue) work towards that line. Take these reps just a tad slower than the 3 minutes reps, to ensure you aren’t crossing the lactate threshold line at the end of the each rep, or the workout. We want to avoid crossing that threshold during these workouts. Doing so for even a rep or two will leave you feeling significantly more fatigued or beat up. You will still get most of the benefits of threshold work even if you only hit 90% of your lactate threshold. Remember, this type of work is meant to be done consistently, 1-2 times a week. It’s not very glamorous, but with a bit of patience will lead to tremendous gains across all distances from 1 mile to 100 miles.

Recovery reminders

Try doing an easy double run the day after this workout. When I say easy, I mean easy peasy, lemon squeezy. Go for 2-6 miles in the morning and another 2-6 miles in the evening (depending on your mileage). Space these at least 6 hours apart. Most importantly, stay in zone 2 or lower. On any given recovery run, try and keep your heart rate in the 120’s. If you need to take walk breaks to do this, that is fine. The main goal the day after a tough workout is to get the blood circulating to your fatigued muscles. If you can do this twice in a day, even better. The main purpose of splitting up 4-12 miles worth of miles the day after is to avoid further beating up your legs while still getting the aerobic benefit.

Foot stuff

Foot Fists

While sitting on the ground with your feet in front of you, squeeze your foot into a fist and hold for a count of 3, then open up your toes and splay them out as far as you can. Do this 25 times for each foot. Try and push through any foot cramps.

Arch builders

While standing barefoot on both feet, focus on one foot and flex your arch while rotating your body and lower leg slightly towards that foot’s side. You should feel your toes pressing down into the ground and the top of your arch engage. Hold for 3 seconds before relaxing. Do this 25 times on each foot. Try and push through any foot cramps.

Toe taps

While standing barefoot on both feet, focus on foot at a time. Take your big toe and lift it up without lifting your other 4 toes, 25 times. It helps to try and press your other toes downwards while you lift your big toe. Then press your big toe downwards and lift your other four toes 25 times. Now lift all your toes and press only your big toe downwards while keeping your other four toes in the air, 25 times. Then while keeping your big toe in the air press your other four toes downwards, starting with your pinky toe and letting the others follow, 25 times. Switch feet.

Bonus

A little ball with tiny rubber spikes is excellent for some morning foot activation before an early run or before bed massage. Use while standing, really press down on it as you roll in under your foot. Just google “foot massage ball with spikes” and you’ll get a ton of options. These cost anywhere from 5-10 dollars and hurt so good.

Saturday, September 6 – Long Run

Location: North Sonoma Mountain Regional Park
Time: 7:30 AM
Parking: $7 fee at the park entrance (Sonoma County Regional Parks pass accepted)
Restrooms: Available at trailhead

This week’s long run shifts to North Sonoma Mountain. While the mileage options are shorter than recent weekends, the course offers steady climbing and a significant amount of vertical gain. The climb to the ridge delivers wide-open views and plenty of practice in managing sustained uphill efforts. This is an excellent chance to focus on efficiency, with smooth form, relaxed upper body, and controlled effort on the ascents. There is limited access to water on these trails. Please plan accordingly.

Recommended Maps

Trail Map (Strava link)	Distance	Elevation Gain
North Sonoma 9	8.88 miles	1631 feet
North Sonoma 11	11.27 miles	2369 feet
North Sonoma 14	14.12 miles	2899 feet
North Sonoma Lollipop	16.06 miles	3519 feet

Matt’s tips for a Mindful Trail Run

• Leave your headphones at home: Let rhe natural sounds of the trail saturate your senses.
• Start with Gratitude: Take a moment before your run to appreciate the opportunity to move and explore.
• Engage Your Senses: Notice the colors, sounds, and textures around you. Feel the ground beneath your feet and the breeze on your skin.
• Breathe Deeply: Use your breath as an anchor to stay present, especially during challenging sections of the trail.
• Reflect Post-Run: After your run, take a few minutes to journal or meditate on how you feel.

Looking Ahead

September 13 – Marin Headlands and Lawndale
Next weekend we will split between a destination run in the Marin Headlands and a local option in Lawndale. The Headlands route from Muir Beach features iconic coastal climbs, sweeping views, and rugged terrain that is perfect preparation for fall races. For those staying closer to home, the Lawndale option provides challenging climbs and technical singletrack right in Sonoma County.

September 20 – Auburn Long Run and Annadel
The following weekend is our Auburn training trip. On Saturday we will join Sacramento Ultra Crew and other regional groups for a long run on the Rio Del Lago course with multiple distance options. On Sunday we will host a relaxed run from Rattlesnake Bar. For those not attending, there will also be a local group run in Annadel.

September 27 – Sugarloaf
To close out the month, we will head to Sugarloaf Ridge State Park. The park offers sustained climbing, technical descents, and some of the best views in the region. This is an excellent chance to practice long, grinding ascents and dial in pacing strategies before we move deeper into the training cycle.

Auburn Training Weekend – September 19–21

For those attending, our Auburn training weekend will include runs on both Saturday and Sunday covering key sections of the Rio Del Lago 100 course.

• Saturday, Sept 20: Long run options up to 32 miles, covering the toughest section of the course. Hosted in partnership with Sacramento Ultra Crew (SUC) and some regional running groups. Routes start and finish at Overlook Park with options ranging from 5 to 30 miles. All paces welcome. Full event details are on Strava here: SUC 916 — Rio Recon x SRW
• Sunday, Sept 21: Recovery and social run from Rattlesnake Bar at 10 AM. Scenic out and back along the lake with rolling terrain. Choose your distance.

If you have expressed interest, you should have received an email with more details today.

Local Race Highlight

The Empire Runners Club is hosting the Annadel Loop this Sunday, September 7. This is a challenging 6.45-mile trail race in Annadel State Park that begins at 8:00 AM from the main State Park parking lot. Note that the start location is different from previous years and is not at the Cobblestone Trailhead.

Registration remains open through Friday, September 5, with no race day sign-ups. The event uses staggered starts based on age and gender. Empire Runners membership is $36 for adults and $12 for youth, which includes free entry to multiple races throughout the year. This is a great way to support a long-standing local running community and take part in one of their signature events.

Support Friends of Trione-Annadel

We are proud to support the Friends of Trione-Annadel, the official nonprofit fundraising partner for Trione-Annadel State Park. They play a vital role in preserving the trails we use each week.

Their annual fundraising gala, Trails to Tomorrow, is coming up on September 27. This event helps fund trail work, maintenance, youth education, and more. It is an excellent opportunity to give back and connect with the broader outdoor community.

Thinking About Joining?

If you are new or curious about Ascend, Wednesday nights are a good entry point. Each workout is structured to benefit a wide range of paces and experience levels. Whether you are training for a race or simply looking to run more consistently, you are welcome to join us and see what structured trail training is like.

See you on the trails,
The Ascend Trail Running Team

Have Questions?

We are here to help. Reply to this email, or reach out via ascendtrailrunning@gmail.com.