Ascend Spring Training (Week 15)

Weekly Newsletter

Week 15 – Monday, June 8, 2026

We have arrived at the final week of the Spring 2026 Ascend Trail Running session.

Over the past fifteen weeks, runners have logged countless miles, climbed thousands of feet, tackled challenging workouts, explored new trails, and prepared for goals ranging from first trail races to ultramarathons. More importantly, we have continued building a community that shows up consistently, supports one another, and enjoys the process.

Before looking ahead to race weekend, we want to thank everyone who joined us for Global Running Day last week. We had a fantastic turnout at Sports Basement, met several new runners, and shared the trails with a number of local running groups. It was great to see so many people celebrating the sport together, and we appreciate everyone who came out and represented Ascend.

This Wednesday we return to our normal location for a short threshold session designed to keep the legs moving without adding unnecessary fatigue. Those racing at Cool Moon should feel free to shorten the workout, reduce the number of repetitions, or simply join us for the warm-up and social time.

There will be no official Saturday group run this week as many Ascend runners will be racing, pacing, crewing, volunteering, or spectating at Cool Moon.

Good luck to everyone racing this weekend.

—The Ascend Trail Running Team

This Week’s Group Runs

Wednesday Quality Session

Location: Channel Drive Parking Lot (Cobblestone Trailhead)
Time: 5:45 PM
Parking: Free
Restrooms: None available at trailhead
Workout Leaders: Eve Ramirez & Rodrigo Vargas
Focus: Maintain Threshold Rhythm / Race Prep
Workout Structure:

Warm-up

Band activation
Easy 1.5 mile jog

Drills

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

Strides

4-6 strides

Main Set

Workout Details	Workout Details
Base Group	4 repetitions of 3 minutes
Summit Group	5 repetitions of 3 minutes
Taper Group	2 repetitions of 3 minutes

Recover Notes

Easy downhill jogging between repetitions: All the way down to the gate for the taper group, 60 seconds for everyone else.

Cool Down

Easy jog back to parking lot
Group stretch

Workout Notes

This is the last workout of the spring session. Way to come out week after week and work hard to achieve your goals. I promise your work will show on race day! You guys are an inspiration!!

The workout is either 2, 4, or 6 repetitions of 3 minutes uphill. Choose your workout depending on your needs. If you tapering, I encourage you to come out and do a small workout to keep the legs fresh. Consider it a “tune-up” workout. You just want to remind your legs what it’s like to run hard, while minimizing recovery time. So for those racing this weekend: low volume and full rest!

Those who aren’t racing are doing a true threshold workout: Moderately hard efforts with short rest intervals. Remember to push but don’t strain. If you cant jog after your hill rep, try slowing down on the next repetition. The rest interval for the base and summit workouts is 60 seconds downhill.

Summer is here! Tis the season for early morning workouts and mountain long runs. Keep up your hard work by doing hill workouts regularly. Build on that fitness! Threshold pace and slower is great for consistency over time with very little injury risk. It is considered “high end aerobic” work so it can fit nicely into “base” building seasons as well. Don’t forget your strides!

Cool Moon Trail Runs

Location: Cool Fire Station (7200 Florian Ct.)
Time: 5:00 am (100K / 100 Mile), 7:00 am (25-mile / 50-mile)
Parking: Included in race entry or valid CA Poppy Pass.

Ascend Runners Racing

25 Mile
Margie Al-Ghanim
Liz Cuevas
Eduardo Gomez
Christopher Huerta

50 Mile
Moises Escorcia
Juan Martinez Vega

100K
Scott Atchison

Course Notes

Cool Moon remains one of the most unique and challenging trail races in Northern California. While the event has a welcoming grassroots atmosphere and generous cutoffs, the course itself should not be underestimated.

The race is built around two primary loops:

Trail Map (Strava link)	Length (miles)	Elevation Gain
Cool Moon North Loop	~ 13.5 miles	~2500 feet
Cool Moon South Loop	~ 11.5 miles	~1000 feet

The North Loop is approximately 13.5 miles with roughly 2,500 feet of climbing. This is the more difficult of the two loops and includes both Pig Farm Trail and Salt Creek.

Pig Farm is steep, technical, and rugged, but benefits from at least some shade. At the top, runners are treated to the final third of the K2/Training Hill climb, which is notoriously difficult. Fortunately, The Ranch aid station appears shortly afterward and offers a chance to regroup before heading deeper into the course.

Salt Creek is often where runners begin to feel the effects of the day. The descent is rocky and technical, while the climb back out consists of a long series of exposed switchbacks that can become extremely hot during the afternoon. Runners who fail to manage hydration, fueling, and core body temperature will often struggle here.

The South Loop is approximately 11.5 miles with about half the climbing of the North Loop, but much of the terrain remains exposed. The signature climb is Knickerbocker, which is steep and technical, but thankfully not very long. Runners encounter it almost immediately after crossing the creek. Depending on the time of day, this section of the course can also be quite hot and exposed. Leave every aid station with plenty of fluids, and do not hesitate to use cooling strategies whenever possible.

Course Navigation

One of the biggest challenges at Cool Moon has nothing to do with fitness. Every year runners miss turns on this course.

The course is typically marked very well, but there are multiple trail intersections where the North and South loops share sections of trail. Every year runners miss turns, follow the correct trail in the wrong direction, or accidentally continue onto the wrong loop.

Do not rely exclusively on your GPS watch for navigation. Because portions of the course overlap, watches can occasionally become confused about which loop you are on. Trust the course markings first.

Aid Stations

North Loop
The Ranch (mile 4.5)
Top of Dam Switchbacks (mile 8.8, water only)
Knickerbocker (mile 10)
The Ranch (mile 12.3)
Cool (mile 13.5)

South Loop
Knickerbocker (mile 16)
Pilot Hill (mile 19, water only)
Catecroft (mile 20.5)
Knickerbocker (mile 23)
Cool (mile 25)

Aid stations are frequent and well stocked. Take advantage of them.

Current forecasts suggest temperatures could be very warm this weekend. Fill your bottles at every aid station, stay ahead of hydration, and do not wait until you feel thirsty to start drinking. Make sure you are also replacing electrolytes throughout the day, especially if temperatures climb into the upper 80s or beyond. Currently the forecast calls for a high of approximately 95 degrees in Cool on Saturday.

Cool Moon rewards patience, good decision-making, and steady effort. Manage the heat, stay on top of fueling and hydration, pay attention to course markings, and enjoy one of the toughest and most rewarding race weekends of the year.

Volunteers Still Needed

Cool Moon is still looking for volunteers throughout race weekend.

If you have friends, family members, or fellow runners who plan to be in the area and are looking for a way to be involved, volunteering is a great option. Aid stations, course support, and finish-line duties are all critical to making an event like this happen. If you know someone who might be interested, please encourage them to reach out to the race organization.

Race Director Spotlight: Martin Sengo

If you are attending Cool Moon this weekend, take a moment to thank Race Director Martin Sengo.

Martin has been a fixture in the Auburn trail running community for years and is one of the primary reasons events like Cool Moon continue to thrive. Directing a race of this size and complexity requires an enormous amount of work, and Martin has built a reputation for doing it with professionalism, energy, and an amazingly positive attitude.

Outside of race directing, Martin is an accomplished ultrarunner in his own right. He is a multiple-time Badwater 135 finisher and has completed events such as Cocodona 250, Moab 240, Arizona Monster 300, and countless other races ranging from local trail events to some of the most demanding endurance races in the country. In a few weeks, Martin will also be running Western States.

What stands out most, however, is his willingness to share what he has learned. Whether answering questions from first-time ultrarunners, helping athletes prepare for difficult races, or simply encouraging people along the trail, Martin has spent years giving back to the community that surrounds these events.

If you have the opportunity this weekend, introduce yourself and say thank you.

Spring Session Wrap-Up

This Saturday officially marks the end of the Spring 2026 Ascend Trail Running session.

Thank you to everyone who joined us this season. Whether you attended one workout or every workout, completed your goal race or simply built consistency, we appreciate the time, effort, and energy you brought to the group.

Information about our summer and fall programming will be forthcoming. Until then, enjoy race season, enjoy the trails, and keep showing up.

Have Questions?

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