Ascend Spring Training (Week 7)

Weekly Newsletter

Week 7 – Monday, April 13, 2026

Lake Sonoma weekend is now behind us, and for many in the group it was one of the bigger efforts of the spring so far. Between racing, volunteering, pacing, and crewing, Ascend had strong representation across the event, with an incredible presence on course from start to finish. There were also some very strong performances across all distances, especially given the weather and trail conditions. The rain made an already difficult course more demanding, forcing adjustments in footing, pacing, and overall effort throughout the day. It was a long day for a lot of people, whether you were on course for a race effort or spending hours supporting others.

Efforts like that carry over into the following week in ways that are not always immediately obvious. This is where pacing, fueling, and decision-making from race day start to show up in how you recover and return to training. Some of you will feel relatively normal, while others may still be carrying fatigue or small aches from the weekend. Both are expected. The focus this week is simple: recover where needed, settle back into routine, and continue building into the second half of the block without forcing anything that is not there.

—The Ascend Trail Running Team

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: Rodrigo Vargas & Eve Ramirez
Workout Structure:

Warm-up

Band activation
Easy 1.5 mile jog

Drills

Crazy Feet
A Skip / A March
B Skip / B March
C Skip

Strides

4 strides

C Skip Foundations

This week we return to the C skip, which brings us back to one of the most important foundations in efficient running mechanics: active ground recovery and quick turnover.

The C skip emphasizes heel recovery underneath the body, helping reinforce efficient backside mechanics and smoother stride cycling. The goal is not exaggerated height or range of motion. Keep it compact, rhythmic, and controlled. Stay tall through posture, maintain slight forward lean, and focus on crisp, intentional foot movement rather than speed alone.

Like the A and B skip, the C skip is only useful when done with purpose. Stay relaxed through the shoulders, coordinate opposite arm and leg cleanly, and think about recovering the foot quickly back underneath your hips.

Main Set

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

Workout Options	Workout Details
Option 1 (Base Group)	6 repetitions of 3 minutes with 90 seconds rest
Option 2 (Summit Group)	8 repetitions of 3 minutes with 90 seconds rest

Recovery guidelines:

90 seconds jog downhill (not back down to the gate)

Cool Down

Easy jog back to parking lot
Group stretch

Workout Notes

This week’s workout is 6-8 repetitions of 3 minutes with 90 seconds rest. The target effort for the workout will be threshold pace, like last week. There is one key difference for today’s workout! The rest interval will not be all the way back down. Instead, jog downhill for 90 seconds after each hill repetition. After 90 seconds, turn around and run uphill.

This short rest interval is more typical of threshold work. The idea here is to let your heart rate come down, clean out some of the waste products of cellular respiration, and assess how you are holding up. If you feel like the rest interval isn’t long enough, slow down a bit on the next rep. Think simmer, don’t boil.

Below is an example of how your heart rate should look during threshold intervals.

Start out conservatively for the first 1-2 reps, then speed up a bit and plateau in your effort until the end of the workout. In this example, the first rep was a little conservative (high zone 3) and the rest of the reps were done in zone 4/threshold pace. Take care not to cross into a VO2 max effort. Zone 4/threshold should feel hard but not unsustainable. Even if the pace/effort is the same the rest of the workout, you’ll experience what’s called heart rate drift. Once your heart rate starts to drift close to the threshold line, stop and cool down. You want to end the workout feeling like you can do 1-2 more reps.

Weekend Long Run

Location: Annadel State Park (Lawndale Trailhead)
Time: 7:30 AM
Parking: Sonoma County Parks pass or day-use fee required
Restrooms: Restrooms available at the trailhead
Workout Leaders: Cruz Esparza

Recommended Trail Maps

Recommended Map	Distance	Elevation Gain
Week 7 – Lawndale	~18 miles	~2500 feet

Course Notes

Lawndale gives us access to one of the quieter and less frequently used sections of Annadel, and it is a great chance to explore a different side of familiar terrain. Expect rolling singletrack, steady climbing, and technical footing in sections.

Please note that the Annadel Half Marathon will also be happening that morning on the opposite side of the park. Some of our runners will be racing or volunteering there, and the event is still looking for additional volunteers if you are available.

For those coming off Lake Sonoma, this is a recovery-focused long run. Keep effort easy, shorten distance if needed, and let your legs dictate the day.

Coaches Tip: Post-Race Absorption

Lake Sonoma is the kind of effort that creates a meaningful amount of stress on the body, whether you were racing or out there supporting for hours. That stress is part of the process, but it is only half of it. Adaptation happens when that stress is followed by adequate rest. This week is about giving your body the space to actually respond to the work you just put in, not trying to immediately return to normal training or prove anything in workouts.

Expect things to feel a little off as you settle back in. Legs may feel flat, climbs may feel harder than usual, and paces may not line up. Let effort guide the week rather than pace, keep the Wednesday session controlled, and approach Saturday’s long run with flexibility. Shorten it if needed and stay relaxed. You are not losing fitness here. You are allowing it to take hold.

Congratulations Lake Sonoma Runners and Volunteers

Lake Sonoma was a major weekend for Ascend, and the group showed up across every part of the event. We had a 100% finish rate across all distances, along with several standout performances despite the added challenge of rain and difficult trail conditions.

Lake Sonoma 100K Finishers
Garret Evans (Western States Qualifier)
Shelby Hinte-Rogers (4th Female & Western States Qualifier)
Adrian Ramirez (Western States Qualifier)
Angel Rizo (Western States Qualifier)

Lake Sonoma 50K Finishers
Scott Atchison
Abel Carrera
Moises Escorcia
Allan Kelly
Elizabeth Kelly
Dylan Peterson
Kelly Ridgeway
Deborah Rigney

Trail Sisters Half Marathon
Steph Britt
Joy Cole
Lizette Miranda Cuevas
Evelin Ramirez (1st Female)
Jackie Ramirez (2nd Female)
Laura Zavala Ramirez
Sarah Swymeler

Beyond the results, Ascend had a strong presence throughout the course with runners, volunteers, pacers, crew, and aid station support. That level of involvement matters and is a big part of what makes weekends like this successful for both the group and the broader trail community.

Thank you to everyone who showed up in any capacity. It made a difference. A special thank you as well to the Lake Sonoma race staff and Healdsburg Running Company for putting on a well-organized event and continuing to support the local trail community.

Looking Ahead: Marin Headlands

Next week we head to the Marin Headlands for our Saturday long run, starting from Tennessee Valley. This is one of the most scenic routes of the spring block and offers a different kind of terrain from what we have been seeing locally, with sustained climbs, coastal exposure, and long stretches of runnable trail. Full route details will be included in next week’s newsletter.

We also have a schedule update for June: on Wednesday, June 3, Ascend will join Sports Basement for their Global Running Day event in place of our regular Wednesday workout. More information will be shared as we get closer, but we are excited to be part of it.

The full spring training calendar remains available here for all upcoming runs, locations, and schedule details:

Spring Ascend Schedule

Last Call for Annadel Volunteer Support

The Annadel Half Marathon is this Saturday, April 18, and there are still a few volunteer spots that need to be filled.

This is one of the signature local trail events in our backyard, and volunteer support is what keeps these races running smoothly. If you are not racing and have a few hours available Saturday morning, this is a great way to help support the local trail community.

The remaining open aid station assignments are:

Aid Station 1 – Louis / Richardson
April 18, 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Aid Station 2 – Marsh / South Burma at Buick Meadows
April 18, 9:15 AM – 12:30 PM
Aid Station 3 – Canyon / Marsh
April 18, 9:15 AM – 12:30 PM

If you are available to help, please consider signing up.

Volunteer for Annadel Trail Races

Good Luck Angelica at Boston

Next Monday, Angelica Lero will line up at the Boston Marathon, a milestone she has worked hard to reach.

Angelica has become an important part of the Ascend community over the past year, and qualifying for Boston is a significant achievement that reflects how much progress she has made in just a few years of running. She has built steadily, raced well, and earned her place on one of the sport’s biggest stages.

As she gets ready for race day, Angelica shared this about what the opportunity means to her:

“I am so looking forward to running the Boston Marathon and feeling the energy on the course. I’ve been training hard this season and I’m aiming to finish strong. Whatever happens out there on race day, I’m just so excited to be able to experience something I’ve been working towards for such a long time.”

The Boston Marathon will be televised on ESPN2, with coverage beginning at 9:00 AM Eastern Time. If you’d like to track Angelica directly on race day, download the B.A.A. Racing App, select Boston Marathon, choose “I’m a spectator,” and search bib number 16659.

Good luck, Angelica. We will all be cheering you on.

Have Questions?

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