Weekly Newsletter

Week 2 – Monday, March 9, 2026

Last week was a great start to the Spring training block. We had an awesome turnout for our first Wednesday session at Trailhouse and another great group out at Annadel for Saturday’s long run. It was encouraging to see the community back together, getting the season underway.

This week brings a couple of shifts that will start shaping the rhythm of the spring schedule. With daylight saving time now in effect, we gain an extra hour of evening light. That gives us a little more room for longer trail sessions and a bit more flexibility in how workouts unfold.

Wednesday we transition to the Channel Drive Parking Lot (Cobblestone Trailhead), which will serve as our primary Wednesday meeting location for the next several months. Saturday we head north to Lake Sonoma, where we will join Healdsburg Running Company for a long run starting from Lone Rock Trailhead.

The early weeks of this block are still about building durable habits. That means reinforcing good movement patterns, gradually extending climbing efforts, and stacking consistent aerobic volume. Nothing here needs to feel dramatic. The goal is simply to keep showing up, run well, and let the work accumulate.

—The Ascend Trail Running Team

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This Week’s Group Runs

Wednesday Quality Session

Location: Channel Drive Parking Lot
Time: 5:45 PM
Parking: Free
Restrooms: None available at trailhead.
Workout Leaders: Eve Ramirez & Rodrigo Vargas
Workout Structure:

Warm-up

• Band activation
• Easy 1.5 mile jog

Drills

• Crazy Feet (side to side)
• A March
• A Skip (focus drill)
• B March or Skip
• Scoops (supplemental)
• 2 Teaching Strides

Main Set

We will offer two options using the same structure and intent:

Workout Options	Workout Details
Option 1 (Compact Set)	5 X 2 minutes uphill
Option 2 (Extended Set)	5 X 3 minutes uphill

Workout Notes

Strides

Strides are meant to help long distance runners improve their overall running form and gain a little speed at very little cost. A stride is just some degree of fast running for a short distance. On Wednesdays we do these before workouts to finish warming up our legs for hard running. These “strides” are 80-100 meters of 1 mile-5k pace. Sometimes a little faster. Take a minute or so to catch your breath after each one.

Strides can also be done throughout the week to sprinkle in a bit of speed. It may not seem like much or worth doing but this volume adds up over time. If you do four 100 meter strides two times a week for one year, that is 41.6 kilometers of basically free speed work. Try adding 2-6 strides before the end of an easy run a few times a week. If you are consistent, you might notice a little extra spring in your step.

Strides are great way to practice good running form. Run fast, tall, and with your hips forward. Let your stride open up behind you. Your cadence will be a bit higher but you are not truly sprinting. Relax your legs and let them cycle through the recovery phase (after your foot leaves the ground). Once your foot hits the ground again crank with your hips and let it flow behind you. 

Try to avoid over striding. If you are landing too far in front of your center of mass you are creating some unnecessary brake force. As soon as you feel your knee pass under you, try actively putting your foot down and applying force into the ground with each step. Try and project yourself both “up and forward”, like you are shooting a cannonball as far as you possibly can. After that initial “push” relax and let your leg go through the rest of the cycle.

Zone 3

Tempo pace. One notch or so faster than easy pace. It is a moderately hard effort that should feel challenging but sustainable. Pace wise it is half marathon-marathon pace. During longer races, this effort is usually experienced during climbs and the latter stages of the race. Practicing this pace will improve your endurance, aerobic capacity, and ensure that you stay strong when the going gets tough. 

Weekend Long Run

Location: Lake Sonoma (Lone Rock Trailhead)
Time: 7:30 am
Parking: Free
Workout Leaders: TBA
Restrooms: Portable Restrooms

Recommended Trail Map

Lake Sonoma Week 1

~ 10 miles

~ 2000 feet

Workout Notes

This week we will be joining Healdsburg Running Company for a community training run at Lake Sonoma. It should be a great opportunity to connect with another strong local trail running group.

The primary route we are sharing is roughly 10 miles, but the course is an out-and-back, which makes it easy to extend or shorten the run depending on your training needs.

Runners who want additional distance can continue all the way to Warm Springs Dam and return, which brings the total closer to 18 miles.

The goal for this run is simple: steady aerobic effort and relaxed pacing on rolling terrain. Choose a distance that fits where you are in your training and focus on staying smooth and consistent throughout the run.

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Tip of the Week

Hydration Basics

Staying properly hydrated plays an important role in maintaining steady effort and good decision-making on longer trail runs. A helpful starting point is to gradually increase water intake in the few days leading up to a longer run or race. Many runners find that aiming for roughly 1.5–2 liters of water per day during that period helps ensure they begin the run well hydrated, particularly as temperatures begin to rise.

During the run itself, the goal is simple: drink regularly and avoid overcorrecting. A few practical guidelines can help:

• Pre-hydrate. Increasing water intake two to three days beforehand can help ensure you begin the run well hydrated.
• Trust Your Gut. Many runners do well by paying attention to natural thirst cues rather than following a rigid schedule.
• Don’t Chug. Take small, consistent sips. Frequent small drinks tend to work better than infrequent large ones and can help avoid stomach discomfort.
• Gear Up. Use a system that fits the run Soft flasks in a vest, hydration bladders for longer efforts, or handheld bottles for shorter runs can all work well depending on distance and terrain.

The key is consistency. Hydration should support the run without becoming something you have to think about constantly.

Additional Maps

Need an additional map? Check out our Annadel Trail Maps here:

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Spring Program Registration (Final Call)

Spring registration is open, but we will be closing enrollment on Sunday, March 15.

The Spring block runs through June and is built as a progression across the season. We start with foundational work around consistency, climbing, and movement, then build toward longer efforts, more technical terrain, and improved pacing under fatigue. The structure is there to guide the work while leaving room for individual goals and race schedules.

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Ascend Gear

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Local Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteering is a great way to stay connected to the trail community. You get a closer look at how events operate, see how runners manage effort over long distances, and spend time around other athletes both on course and behind the scenes. Most events rely heavily on volunteers to make the day work, and it can be a rewarding experience for runners at any level.

Have Questions?

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

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