From Coach Toby……
I wasn’t able to be at Saturday’s kickoff so I wanted to share a quick intro and give you the scoop on Wildcard Tuesdays – what they’re about, why they matter, and what’s on deck this week!
I design each Wildcard workout with the intent to keep things explorative and fresh. You can expect hill climbs, stair sets, off-the-beaten-path routes, urban trails and other challenges. These are strength and endurance-building sessions and are often as much a mental push as they are physical. They are strength and endurance focused and meant to help you build and maintain a strong running foundation, and complement our Thursday speed and Wednesday strength + mobility workouts.
For those more focused on performance these sessions target key training adaptations – like improved running economy, muscular endurance, and neuromuscular coordination; all of which support stronger, more efficient running across all distances.
This week’s workout: 5K Time Trial
We’ll kick things off with a 5K time trial in Golden Gate Park. This isn’t about racing or going all-out, but rather a simple way to see where your running fitness is right now. Run it at a steady effort that feels right for you. That way you’ll see where your fitness lands and start to get a sense of what“easy,” “steady,” and “hard” efforts mean for you.
Whether you jog it, push the pace, or land somewhere in between, you should come away with a clear baseline you can use to guide your training and track progress over the fall season.
Meet: 6:30pm at 7th Avenue and MLK Jr Drive, Golden Gate Park
Workout begins: 6:35pm
Route:
https://www.strava.com/routes/3392563238063779352
About me (quick version)
I’ve been coaching runners of all ages ~20 years through clubs, schools, charity orgs, and 1:1 coaching. As a runner, I’ve done a bit of everything from 5Ks to marathons to longer trail ultras. A few years ago, I ran every single street in San Francisco – not for a medal (there wasn’t one!) but just to better understand the city I live in. It became a kind of love letter to San Francisco, written in miles instead of words. That same sense of curiosity and connection is what fuels our wildcard runs each week.
If we haven’t met yet, I’d love to hear more about you: why you run, what you’re working toward, or what keeps you coming back to the sport. Feel free to say hello before or after a workout, and join the #wildcard-runs Slack channel. We also host post-run wildcard socials at local restaurants and bars each week, so hope to see you all at those too!
See you Tuesday night!
Toby