Welcome! Now that you have taken your first step towards a healthier lifestyle. Do not let the word Runner in the name scare you! We are a ½ and full marathon training program for both runners and walkers (also 5k, 10k and other distances). With over 50 years combined coaching experience behind us, we have developed programs to train our participants to run or walk a half or full marathon. The marathoners will be heading toward a goal of completing the Rock N' Roll (or other) Half or Full Marathon. Our program will be conducted by very devoted coaches who are committed to helping our members not only achieve their running and walking goals, but also help them get in great shape and meet new friends. Come out and join us in a fun, safe environment where you can feel relaxed and able to fit into a pace group suited just for you.
 With your membership into West Coast Road Runners, you will receive daily training schedules, Saturday morning group runs/walks in various locations around the city, informational seminars and a West Coast Road Runners Training T-shirt (coolmax). In addition, we offer a nutrition program designed specifically for endurance athletes by Janice Davidson MPH, R.D. at a low price of $30. Janice is a top dietician who works with several professional athletes.
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Completing a marathon or half marathon (or 5K and 10K) will surely make an impact on you for the rest of your life. Many people have made this task a lifetime goal and now is the time to make it a reality. This is truly a life changing experience. You will learn so much about yourself not only physically, but mentally as well. We know this is a challenging task, but it is also a very doable one. We encourage you to come out to one of the orientations and ask others who have completed this goal what an impact it has had on their lives. Then, see if you can walk away without signing the registration form. Life is short and now is the time to take a hold of it and get in shape. We will help you get there and show you that you can do it! |
Even if you haven't exercised in years, YOU CAN DO IT! Our program was designed for all pace groups from the veteran who wants to qualify for Boston to the walker who just wants to get into better shape. Don't worry about the word marathon. Just come out and see what we're all about. Then, make your decision.
Not everyone will join our program with the goal of finishing the marathon. Our participants have a variety of goals in mind ranging from getting in great shape to running or walking the full marathon distance. You will have fun and meet other people just like yourself to exercise with and who will help you accomplish your fitness goals.
- Safe and easy to follow training schedules for all ability groups
- Educational seminars at most of the Saturday morning groups runs/walks
- Motivated, educated, and supportive coaches for all pace groups
- Specific walking schedule
- Seminars each Saturday morning at 9:00am
- An optional email weekly newsletter to stay in touch with what's happening for the week
- Race discounts
- Store discounts
- Product discounts
- We also offer great optional programs, such as personal training, 5k and 10k training programs, youth 'Conditioning' programs and nutritional programs.
West Coast Road Runners training programs was developed by a very passionate, enthusiastic individual who loves to run and coach others to do the same. Coach Dan is no slug either. He still stays in top shape by running 1 or more marathons a year. There's no "Beer Belly" on this Coach! The rest of our current coaching staff has been coaching runners and walkers for a combined 50+ years, have run a total of well over 100 marathons, Ultra marathons and even Ironman events. We are committed to the growth of the sport and to helping our members complete goals they never thought were within their reach.
The West Coast Road Runners programs are continually updated and tweaked to provide the most up to date information and training techniques to our members. We have also initiated a nutritional component to all our programs and are committed to providing the best information out there to enhance our runners' performance and fuel them efficiently.
We realize it is not just about running or walking, it is a new way of life for our members. We hope we can contribute in some small way to enhancing the health of those who enter our program. We provide the program, the information, and the motivation. You provide the soul. With all of us working together we know we can bring you along the way and help you complete your goals.
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Coaches Philosophy
We can simulate some of the training techniques of the top elite athletes in the world by running hills, training on grass and soft surfaces, doing long slow distance runs and running according to how we feel.
I am a firm believer in "train smarter not harder". Don't get me wrong, there is a time and place to train hard but consistency in your training is the number one ingredient to reaching your goals. Running easy (able to hold a conversation while running) on your recovery days, running even pace or negative splits on your hard workouts, the weekend long runs and knowing your race pace are all important pieces of the puzzle.
Keys to Successful Running
· My number one goal is to keep you injury free. By remaining injury free you will be able to train consistently, increase your mileage, increase your intensity and increase your fitness level.
· Recovery runs are just as important as hard workouts. One of the biggest mistakes runners make is running too fast on their recovery days. This is one reason I schedule time and not mileage on my training schedules. This way the runner does not have an incentive to run faster in order to finish. An hour run still takes an hour no matter what the pace.
· Running hills is a speed workout in disguise. Hills are a great way to build strength in your legs, buttocks and calves and a great way to improve your running form. Running hills is one of the most important workouts we do. Short hills help increase your sprint speed and anaerobic capacity, while longer hills help build endurance and mental fortitude.
· Long runs should be run at conversation pace unless indicated otherwise in the schedule. Too many runners run their marathon race in training and have nothing left on race day.
· Save your racing for the race. Do not race workouts. When you finish a workout you should feel as though you can do another repetition at the same pace.
· Know your race pace. Running too fast at the beginning of a workout or race will lead to a decline in performance. You need to feel good at the mid point of any workout or race.
· Don't be afraid to take an extra day off if you are feeling overly tired or your legs feel beat up. Consistent, injury free training is the key to improvement.
· Massage, Yoga and Pilates are incredible for reducing and rehabilitating injuries. Pilates has saved my running career and will greatly improve your performance.
· You should refuel your body within 15 minutes of exercise. Have a carbohydrate drink and protein bar ready to eat immediately after running.
· Run on soft surfaces whenever possible.
The Science Behind our speed Workouts
A runner's V02 max, the delivery of O2 to the working muscles, is an important ingredient in determining how fast you can run. Workouts that improve VO2 max generally revolve around the concept of improving stroke volume. This is the actual volume of blood pumped by each beat of the heart. If your heart is able to increase the amount of blood it can effectively pump with each beat, more O2 travels to the working muscles. This does not mean you are faster, it just means the potential is there for improved performances.
The number one way to improve stroke volume and therefore VO2 max is by performing consistent interval workouts such as 200, 300 and 400 meter repeats, short, steep hill repeats, moderate length, gradual hill repeats, etc. These workouts are all designed specifically to increase an athlete's stroke volume.
Workouts that seek to improve anaerobic threshold, the effectiveness with which the working muscles make use of the available O2, are workouts that force the working muscles to make adaptations and become more efficient at making use of the O2 that surrounds them. The main reason for doing anaerobic threshold workouts is to increase the size and number of the mitochondria as well as increasing the aerobic enzymes activity located within the working muscle, all of which results in a greater percentage of the available O2 being utilized. This will allow you to be a more energy efficient runner and will generally result in an improved race performance.
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Our programs are currently based in San Diego. However, we are developing additional programs and we encourage you to check back with us to see our new offerings on our services page. If you are interested in starting your own program, please click on Start a Program in Your Area link.
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Copyright © 2002 West Coast Road Runners LLC.
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