K.I.S.S

Doing a marathon in under 4 hours for me was not what I originally planned to do when I signed up for the Marathon Training Program.  Never doing a marathon before I decided at the beginning of the year that I wanted to qualify for the 2010 Boston Marathon (that was my goal before I even discovered what time I would need to hit even to qualify)... maybe not doing it in San Diego but using this first race to track my progress and get a feel for the longer distance of a marathon distance race.  At my advanced age I would need to break a 3:30:00 time sometime this year so that I would qualify to run the next Patriots Day in 2010... How would I achieve this goal?

I loved the K.I.S.S. principle of the program, the friendship of the other runners and coaches and the blue print on how we, as a group, were going to make it to our goal at the end of May...  I dove right in!  Looking forward to my daily run and getting up early each Saturday so not to be late for our weekly group runs.  I was changing... I was living... I was walking taller, I was easier to work with, to live with... I liked the new "me"!

Week 5 there is a super fun "Super Run 10k"... And the next day I went out and raced another race, a 15k at Mission Gorge and its "1000 steps" Xterra Series trail run... I could not get enough of this sport.

Valentines Day I was met with a cute little card from Nikee and the most thoughful gift I have ever received.... an entry into the 2009 Chicago Marathon!!! Just what I've always wanted... a nice flat course that everyone says is a "great Boston Qualifier..."  and first class airline tickets for the uncomfortable ride back home to San Diego when I was done.  Wow, so supportive of my dream, so wonderful a girlfriend!  My life was falling into place... what else could a guy ask for?

San Diego Track Club

The weekly Tuesday evening track workouts are coached and are preceded by announcements and stretching. Runners will develop proper form and a sense of pace through a variety of exercises, including tempo runs, intervals, fartlek and calisthenics to build core strength. The group atmosphere builds friendships as well as stamina. The group long runs take place at various locations in San Diego County and include some of the area's most scenic routes. You and your running buddies will share runs along the beach, Mission Bay, Coronado, the waterfronts of San Diego Bay, Sunset Cliffs and many areas in the North County. There will be a two-hour marathon pace run held in Mission Bay that will be followed by a family potluck.

SEMINARS

The weekly seminars are held before and/or after the group long run on Saturday mornings. Previous seminar topics have included: nutrition, core training, weight training and cross training for full and half marathoners, injury prevention and treatment, choosing the right shoe, improving breathing patterns and balance, pain relief and sports performance, information on massage and chiropractic, mental preparation for the marathon and motivational speeches by local coaches and athletes. Your family and friends will be invited to join you at a pre-race pasta dinner (a modest fee will be charged for your guests) - a carbo-loading evening that will fill your body and spirit with energy on the eve of the big event. In addition, the track club will have a special meeting place after the full and half marathon for everyone to reunite and rejoice in their victories.

ENROLLMENT

Enrollment opens to the public on October 15th. The program will sell out. Please do not wait until the last minute. By enrolling in the full and half marathon training program you also join the San Diego Track Club for a full year and are entitled to all the benefits of track club membership, including discounts at numerous local running stores and in local races.

ENROLLMENT INCLUDES

* One full year's SDTC Membership and SDTC Newsletters 

* A 22-week training schedule, literature and running seminars 

* Two training locations (San Diego and North County) 

* Saturday Long Run aid station support during the 22-week Full and Half Marathon Training Program 

* Professionally-coached year-round Track Workouts at two locations in the county 

* Rockin' 'n' Runnin' Technical t-shirt and Shoe Tag 

* Pre-Marathon Pasta Dinner 

* Rockin' 'n' Runnin' website for RnR Full and Half Marathon Training Program members only 

* 2 Race Entries: Super Bowl 10K & Sue Krenn 15K

More Information

1st Marathon/ Training Group

The choice for my first marathon was an easy one.  The rock n roll marathon series is such a wonderful idea with music and fun all along the 26 mile course.  You are guaranteed perfect weather in San Diego so that was a no brainer... And it was my home race so plenty of friends and Tri Club members would be running in it as well.  San Diego Rock n Roll Marathon 2009 would be my first 26.2 mile marathon. 

My first triathlon at the Pasadena Sprint two years before was without coaching or guidance.  I was not a fan of that experience.  As soon as I joined the Tri Club San Diego I learned the sport so much quicker and with no injuries or wasted training to slow me down.  I figured I would do the same with running.  The San Diego Track Club is another local historic club in Southern California which is worth so much more than any dues or costs involved in being a member.

The San Diego Track Club  conducts a marathon training program, the Rockin' 'N' Runnin' Full Training Program, which prepares runners of all abilities for San Diego's Rock and Roll Full and Half Marathon the first Sunday in June. SDTC Coach Paul Greer is the director of the training program.