If you’re a new runner or have more marathons under your belt than you’d like to admit, this group is for you. Come and put in those training miles with old, and new, friends. Especially this time of year, a little company sure makes the miles pass more quickly. Runs will be varying distances up to 20 miles – you choose your distance and pace. Click here for the official 2010 Winter/Spring Training Guide.
Kick Off Meeting
On Thursday evening Jan. 14th we will be gathering at the Des Moines Marathon Office to review and discuss the schedule for this Spring. We typically have between 50 & 80 runners of all levels of ability and this is a great opportunity to meet the others who will be sharing your Saturday mornings. The program will start at 7 PM. We’ll will also ask you to fill out a release form and turn it in.
Location
All runs will start at Meredith Hall on the Drake University Campus. Parking is available in the large lot right in front of the building – there is no charge on the weekend. All routes will end up back at campus – it’d be kind of silly to run you out to the fairgrounds and just leave you there. The building is usually open so we can wait inside and use the restrooms. There may be times when Meredith Hall is still locked at the time we start, so be prepared for that possibility. Please be courteous if any classes are taking place. Maps of that day’s routes will be provided each Saturday as well as posted in advance below.
Starting Time
The training runs will be every Saturday from January 16th through May 29th – the next Saturday is Dam to Dam. In the dead of winter (the first two months) we’ll start at 8:00 a.m. to allow for more light and, hopefully, a little warmer temperatures. Beginning in March, the start time moves to 7:30 a.m..
Schedule
Click on a date to download a map of that day’s routes.
| Week | Start | Date | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8:00 | January 16 | 5/8 miles |
| 2 | 8:00 | January 23 | 6/13 miles |
| 3 | 8:00 | January 30 | 5/14 miles |
| 4 | 8:00 | February 6 | 6/12 miles |
| 5 | 8:00 | February 13 | 6/16 miles |
| 6 | 8:00 | February 20 | 7/17 miles |
| 7 | 8:00 | February 27 | 7/12 miles |
| 8 | 7:30 | March 6 | 8/16 miles |
| 9 | 7:30 | March 13 | 7/20 miles |
| 10 | 7:30 | March 20 | 7/13 miles |
| 11 | 7:30 | March 27 | 11/20 miles |
| 12 | 7:30 | April 3 | 12/12 miles |
| 13 | 7:30 | April 10 | No group run today – Loop the Lake |
| 14 | 7:30 | April 17 | 9/15 miles |
| 15 | 7:30 | April 24 (Drake Relays) | 5/13.1 miles |
| 16 | 7:30 | May 1 | 7/12 miles |
| 17 | 7:30 | May 8 | 10/16 miles |
| 18 | 7:30 | May 15 | 8/20 miles |
| 19 | 7:30 | May 22 | 10/12 miles |
| 20 | 7:30 | May 29 | 9/17 miles |
| June 6th – Dam to Dam – Good Luck! | |||
And If That’s Not Enough…
If you’re looking for just a couple of more miles to add onto your weekly Saturday runs, try the maps listed below. All of these routes also start and end at Meredith Hall on the Drake campus.
| 2-mile loop | 3-mile loop | 4-mile loop |
| 5-mile loop | 6-mile loop | 7-mile loop |
Water/Restrooms
Water will be available on the course in at least one location. Longer runs will have two or more water stops. Restrooms are available at the start in Meredith Hall (if open) and on the course as you can find them – retail establishments, public facilities, etc.
Who Can Participate?
All are welcome. Please make sure you are medically able and have a fitness level commensurate for the distance you will be running. We ask all participants complete this release form and bring it to your first run. Remember, your safety is ultimately your responsibility.
Training Programs
Although not all are training for marathons, there are probably as many marathon training programs as there are runners. However, for your edification, here are some links that may be of help and interest. These site also contain great training tips no matter what distance you run.
| Runner’s World | Marathon Training |
| Art Liberman | State of the Art Marathon Training |
| Hal Higdon | Marathon Training Program |
| Jeff Galloway | Injury-free Marathon Training |
Volunteers
Volunteers are needed each week to help with the water stops. It’s easy and the rewards are great – the runners really appreciate it. To sign up, contact Steve Bobenhouse at
fits…@earthlink.net or 515.277.4785.
Questions & Info
Interested in helping out, receiving a weekly e-mail announcement about each run, if you have a question about the training sessions?
Contact: training@capitalstriders.org
You may also want to join the Capital Striders Google Group where we discuss all things running, this training group included.
