SpeedPass Paves the Way Back to Running

Anne Halpern

Sometimes in life even the seemingly smallest decisions can evolve into incredibly gratifying and life-changing results.  This is what happened in the mid-1990s after I moved from Long Island into NYC.  

 

Upon moving to the city, I decided to join an up and coming running club – the NY Flyers – as a way to keep up with my fitness and to socialize.  That one small effort of filling out the application form, and sending it in the mail with my check for the nominal annual membership fee, launched the beginning of what became a wonderful and ongoing journey.  

 

I immediately started running with some neighborhood friends and kept up with them on the six mile loop of Central Park.  They were training for the NYC Marathon, so of course I took on the challenge, too – a challenge that felt intriguing yet daunting and completely unachievable. I loved it and quickly caught the marathon bug. 🥳

 

My Long Island friends were amazed and impressed that I took on the challene of running a marathon! Crossing the NYC Marathon finish line in 1995 was pure elation -- an experience that I credit to becoming a Flyer and receiving encouragement from my close NYF running friends and my other teammates, along with the guidance of former Flyers Head Coach Cliff Held.  

Finishing My First Marathon -- NYC Marathon 1996

 Reminiscing about those marathon days, it's amazing to see how much has changed.  GU or other sports gels were not yet on the market, and instead we gulped glucose tablets and gummy bears. With no wrist bands for tracking our splits – only markers – we wrote them up and down our forearms. While racing may have changed, running with my Flyer friends rooted me in my new home, NYC. 

 

My Girls
Liz Greco (Baer), Dorian Romer, Me,
Erin Stoeber (Mulvey),
Betty Margolin (Fuchs)

Over the next subsequent years, I ran a few marathons here and there, and also dabbled in completing a few triathlons.  Life was and remains good! Although my last marathon was in 2011, I continued to lace up my running shoes and stayed fit by training and racing other distances and also by attending NYF speedwork sessions.

 

NYRR Mini10K circa 1986 -- my first of 23
I was so nervous I didn't sleep the night before!

I am now returning to running after an 18 month hiatus. I knew what I needed to do. Start small and work back up with both distance and speed. I reminded myself of when I first started running in the mid-1990s. I set and achieved small goals that will establish the basis for working my way back. Easy for me to set goals, I'm a Capricorn!🌙

 

Thankfully, SpeedPass helped pave the way.  Coming back to running this summer after my hiatus, SpeedPass (or shall we call it "Motivation Mondays") provides me with everything I need to be this year's “comeback kid.”  The prescribed workouts are just what the doctor ordered!  Since it’s a small group, I've gotten to get to know my teammates better, which is – simply stated – so nice! 

 

The encouragement and instruction are invaluable at SpeedPass. I learn something new at each session from Coach Amy and Coach Jim such as improving my running mechanics and pacing myself more productively.  I started running stronger and faster in just a matter of weeks.  SpeedPass combined with strength training 3x per week is really doing the trick for my overall running performance!

 

Maybe One Day Coaches Amy & Jim
Will Take SpeedPass to the Beach! 🏖

Here are some of the details about the SpeedPass Program. Each of us receives two Quality Sessions per week. The first Quality Session is a coached group speed workout and the second is a long run or another speed workout, your choice!  Following a group warmup, we divide into smaller groups so we can run with others at a similar pace. 

SpeedPass Summer/Fall 2022

We meet up every Monday in Columbus Circle for our group speedwork. All workouts are published to each participant’s calendar, which provides our target goal paces based on the VDOT formula --VDOT measures current running ability -- developed by Jack Daniels, PhD.  Coaches Amy and Jim closely monitor how we're doing at each workout, and also online in the training app.   

Practices typically finish around 8 pm with some strength and mobility exercises. Amy and Jim are very accessible in between workouts so I can email them at any time with comments, questions or updates to my calendar.  Often they'll provide us input and feedback with their own comments and questions on our calendars, which helps us to feel held gently accountable, and very loved 💗💕

Working to Get Back to this Most Fit Version of  Me

So for those of you who want to get faster while enjoying the camaraderie and coaching SpeedPass has to offer, I strongly encourage you to give it a try next season!  I can't think of a better way to spend a weeknight. There’s nothing that beats schvitzing (or, in the winter, freezing) in Central Park, heading home with an endorphin smile on your face and then having the greatest night sleep ever. Join us!  Your journey awaits!🌄

-Anne Halpern

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SpeedPass Run Short

Declan O'K.

I signed up for the coached NY Flyers SpeedPass program when it was launched earlier this year and I am just finishing up my second season. I have been doing the Thursday "Go Short" speedwork option. This is aimed at runners training for races in the 5k - 10k range. The workouts are focused on reps and intervals with some threshold work thrown in as well.

I had been a fan of the Jack Daniels approach since I first read his book, Daniels' Running Formula, but I had never really incorporated his methods into a structured program. Flyers Head Coach Brian Rosetti provides a great program that incorporates a coached session on Thursday, and also includes a weekend work-out tailored for each runner to do on their own.

Both workouts are added to our calendar via the Run SMART Project app, which is a great resource. It provides paces for all types of workouts based on the Jack Daniels VDOT score, and we can update it based on recent races and it evens has projected times for future races.

Brian is very involved in the workouts, and discusses the purpose of each workout at the start of every training session, and also provides us our target-time for each type of workout (reps/intervals/tempo). During the workout, he gives us tips on running form and then discusses with us how it went afterwards. And Brian keeps up-to-date on upcoming races to allow for planning workouts with those races in mind.

Brian Rosetti Instructing Flyers Group

The program definitely has worked for me.  Despite not being able to train as much as I would have liked because of work commitments, I set new 5k, 5-mile and half marathon PRs since I started the SpeedPass training.

I would recommend SpeedPass to any NY Flyer who wants to get faster, and the Thursday Run Short sessions are especially great for anyone who is focusing on distances shorter than a half marathon, or even for those who want to build speed before switching to a half/full marathon-based program in a later session.

-Declan O'K.

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SpeedPass: Running as Sport

Bill N

The first season of the Flyers new speedwork program, called SpeedPass, has made running a lot more fun and interesting for me. I took up running later in life, and my first formal coached running was with the previous Flyers speedwork program.  

When training with the prior speedwork program, workouts were almost always all-out short intervals, and I carried that all-out approach over to my long runs. It wasn’t improving my race times and it seemed that the program was due for some changes to reinvigorate it.

The variety and camaraderie in SpeedPass are the main attractions for me. Each week, we do one prescribed workout with the group and one prescribed workout on our own. Instead of always all-out, as a group we will run “easy” (for warm-up and cool-down together) “threshold” and “interval” paces.  

Coaches Brian and Joe provide each runner with goal paces based on our current fitness levels as demonstrated at recent races and from how we handle our prescribed work-outs, so they keep us honest. We do the group workout in a wave of runners with similar paces, so we get to know our wave pretty well (I’m slowest in the wave, so I get to know their behinds pretty well). During the “easy” warm-ups and cool-downs, which we do religiously, we actually talk to each other, a new experience for me when running!  

Conversational Pace, With Actual Conversation
-On Easy Run to the Week's Workout Spot-

Depending on the pace, the distances vary accordingly from 150 meter (e.g., for hill repeats), to longer distances such as or quarter mile repeats, or repeat loops of the upper or lower loops of the park, as well as tempo runs for one or more miles. And the coaches mix it up, such as hill repeats at the end of a threshold run.  

Rehydrating After a Challenging Workout

With the workout that we do on our own, the assignment may get even more creative. When I was directed to run 200 meter intervals at V02 max pace in the middle of a five mile run, I did mine on top of the Queensboro Bridge, which has a nice flat stretch with great views at the top. We regularly get assigned longer distances that I would not normally do at this time of year (e.g., 13 miles), but they’re also at a slower pace than I would ever run in keeping with the training principles of the program, so I do the distance.   

I find that I’m anticipating Sunday evening so I can learn what the assigned workouts are for that week. Running’s has again become a sport for me.

-Bill N.

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Get Your SpeedPass!

Brian Rosetti

As the new Flyers’ head coach my first task was revamping the club’s speedwork program. 

In consultation with Flyers President Alan G and club training coordinator Jonathan L, we launched SpeedPass in June 2014. 

[Hat tip to Alan for coining the name.]

What Is SpeedPass?

As I was designing this new speedwork model, I had a few goals in mind. 

• First, every member should have custom workouts when they do speedwork.
• Second, speedwork should be structured more closely to the types of races the member is training for, and, therefore; 
• Third, there should be more workout options for members depending on what their goals are that particular season.

With these goals in mind I broke up the calendar year into three seasons. Within each season there are two separate training options. Members can select one training group per season:

1.    Tuesday nights (Go Long) - designated for half and full marathon training

2.    Thursday nights (Go Short/Fast) - designated for beginners and experienced runners focusing on shorter races (e.g. 1-mile, 5k, 10k, etc.)

Structure Your Training

By breaking the year into three seasons (Spring/Summer, Summer/Fall, Winter/Spring) members can now structure their training/racing. I find that many runners get caught up running one race after another regardless of how it fits into their racing goals for the year (unless that goal is to race a lot!).

With a more structured approach, our SpeedPass members will achieve greater results. For instance, if your goal for the year is to PR in the New York City Marathon, then before you start your marathon build-up, the best approach would be to spend time getting faster for shorter distances in the Spring. 

The workouts we do in the “Go Short/Fast” group puts an emphasis on improving your economy. Most runners get hurt training for a marathon due the repetitive stress of a long run or by spending lots of time pounding the pavement with bad mechanics. By becoming more economical, marathon pace will feel easier with less risk of injury.

Custom Group Training

Most running/speedwork groups are fun and motivating, but they may lack individualization needed to help runners stay healthy and maximize their potential. Unlike other running group options in New York, SpeedPass provides custom workouts and paces depending on what your focus is for that season.

All SpeedPass members receive:

1.     One in-person group/coached practice session per week

2.     Invite to Dr. Jack Daniels VDOT Training Calendar Log

3.     Two custom quality-workouts/paces per week added to your training calendar

Season 2, Coming Soon!

Season 2 is 16 weeks long starting July 29th and July 31st.  It costs $125. The Tuesday night option is highly recommended for those with fall half marathon and marathon goals. Thursday night is a great option if your next marathon isn’t until the winter or next spring. Have some fun and focus on getting faster in shorter races this summer/fall. You’ll be a lot more economical for your next marathon build-up!

Instructing Some of the Group Members
Before A Recent SpeedPass Workout

Hope to see all members try out at least one season this year. Long-time Flyers speedwork coach Joe Yates will be assisting and we’ve got plenty of new workouts/locations in store for the rest of the year.

For more information visit the Speedpass registration page. Any questions please email me at brianr@nyflyers.org.

-Brian Rosetti

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