Hello Runners!
We want to officially welcome to the kickoff of the Black Flag Running Clubs Spring 2020 season. You are receiving this post because you have signed up for one of the following training programs:
- 20 week San Diego Half Marathon Training Program
- 19 Week Spring Season Training Program ( La Jolla and Rock N Roll Full/Half)
- 30 Week Dual Spring & Summer Season Program (La Jolla, Rock N Roll Full/Half and AFC Half)
The intent for this post is to provide a centralized place where you can find all the information you need for the upcoming season and what to expect on the first few runs.
And with that let's get started.
Attitude is everything
You will get the most out of the club and its training if you approach it with an open mind and a willingness to meet new people. The success of the club is built on the community of runners that make the Black Flag Running Club.
Keep the following in mind:
- Try and not to stand by people you know and introduce yourself to someone new.
- New runners should seek out our alumni runners to partner with
- Alumni runners should seek out new runners
- Attend the happy hours and social events when you can. These are not required but the best way to connect.
- Stay engaged, If you miss a couple of runs don’t fade away, Just come back out.
- Support your fellow runners. Tell them a great job when you see them out of the runs and hang out after the runs until the rest of the runners return.
Get Connected
Stay on top of what your fellow runners are up to and join the following social media links or download the apps as we will reference these often
Black Flag Running Club – Facebook page (like and follow)
Black Flag Running Club – Facebook group (join and follow)
Instagram @blackflagrunningclub
Twitter @blackflagrc
YouTube- Black Flag Running Club Channel
Strava – Black Flag Running Club (join the group) (log in > Explore > Run Club)
Run Keeper – CLICK (download / Required for the run-walk group)
Schedule
Below is the link for the schedule.
- Page 1 – Over Page: Indicates where we will be running on both Tuesdays and Saturdays along with target mileage for each group.
- Page 2 to 5 – Individual Plans: These are the training plans for each of the training groups. The name of the training plan is located on the top right-hand corner.
It is also important to note that you are not obligated to stick with one group. Feel free to jump in and out of the groups as you see fit.
Club Texts and Meeting Location
On Mondays and Fridays mornings you will receive a text message detailing all the important information for the upcoming run. If you are interested in looking at where future runs will be you can find that information on Page 1 of the schedule.
At any point if you stop receiving text messages or if you change cell phone carriers you can reactivate receiving messages but texting BlackFlag to 258-27
What to expect on the first day!
The first few runs of the season are always a lot to process as you will meet a lot of new people and there is a lot of information to review but general this is an outline for the first few runs:
- Coaches arrive early to answer question
- Quick icebreaker
- Coach Aaron will make announcements and review the course.
- Group dynamic warm-up
- Pair off into our smaller subgroup for more detailed direction for the run.
- Take off for your run. The first few runs are not based on the distance of speed but time on our feet. We will start with a 40 min and build up over time, 20 min out and 20 min back.
- Run Walkers will start with 4 min walk / 1 min run or 4 min walk / 6 min run for a total of 40 min
- The intermediate group will start off with an easy job 20 min out and 20 min back. Regulate your pace, if you can’t carry on a conversation slow down.
- PR Chasers will start off with an easy job 20 min out and 20 min back. Regulate your pace, if you can’t carry on a conversation slow down.
- Everyone will return back to the starting point at or around the same time
- We will do a group lead cool down and stretching routine (highly encouraged that everyone participates)
- We conclude the workout and head to happy hour or coffee
What should I bring?
- Comfortable clothes and shoes to run in. If you don’t have running shoes yet don’t worry we can guide you on selecting the right shoes.
- If you bring a sweatshirt of jacket we will have bins available you can put them in while you are running.
- We also offer a key bin and will hold your keys for you while you are running.
- You are encouraged to bring a headlamp with you for our Tuesday runs. Most of the places we run are well lite but occasionally there will be a street light out and having a headlamp makes for a safer experience.
- Leave an extra bottle of water in your care so you can hydrate after your run.
- We also see a lot of people bring yoga mats for the core exercises and the cool-down post-run stretches.
Spread The Word!
Do you have a friend, family member or coworker who may be interested in joining a great group of friends, training for a half or full marathon or similar?
Have them join us for one of our free group runs.
- Register at:https://blackflagrunningclub.com/collections/all-products
- Test Drive us for Free for 2 weeks: https://blackflagrunningclub.com/pages/calendar
More Questions
There is a very extensive FAQ’s on our website too:https://blackflagrunningclub.com/pages/faqs
The coaches always arrive early and stick around as long as needed at the group runs.
Can I Get Running Early?
Finally, for those anxious to get going early, or a bit concerned about your current level of fitness, feel free to get going early! NO, do not go run a 10K this weekend, but you can get your heart going to help you with your overall training. For those new to running, one of many rules of your thumb is "Gradual Build Up". With that, feel free to go out and get an easy jog or two before we start next week. For run/walkers, start by simply doing a few 30-45 minute "brisk" walks. Do not feel the need to be running on day 1! Many of you have seen and downloaded our Pre-Training Program so you can get an idea of a gradual buildup.
That’s it for now.
Congrats again on joining the club!
See ya out there!
Coach Aaron