From Coach Toby….

I’m so excited to see so many new and familiar faces joining us! Welcome to our winter “wildcard workouts”, where we turn the streets of San Francisco into our training playground.

Spanning 3-5 miles, these sessions invite you to conquer diverse challenges, covering flats, hills, stairs, and steps along the way.

In tandem with our Thursday track workouts focused on speed, wildcards will help build your strength, endurance, and mental resilience. Whether you’re seasoned or just starting your journey, I’ve tailored these workouts to help you become a better runner. 

Quick housekeeping notes before jumping into this week’s workout.

Safety first. It’s winter, it’s going to be dark. Equip yourselves with headlamps and reflective gear for visibility. 

Embrace the elements! Rain or shine, warm or cold, our dedication to run stands strong. Let’s commit to the winter season together as a team. Remember, when you show up, you’re not just showing up for yourself; you’re showing up for others.

Know where you are going and run your own pace. Wildcard runs are not about speed so please, always feel comfortable to run your own pace and effort. We have a “no-drop” policy. That means no one gets left behind.

A coach or captain will make sure you cross the finish line. I’ll also share a Strava link to each route, and weather permitting we will mark each course with chalk. Your responsibility is to review the route beforehand. Thanks!

This Week’s Workout 

Strava Links
Warm-up/cool down: https://www.strava.com/routes/3161720036024871640

Workout: https://www.strava.com/routes/3161722952789670514

6:30 Meet-Up: 7th Ave and MLK Jr Drive (Golden Gate Park)

Warm-Up: We’ll start with an easy pace jog including dynamic stretches as we head over to the Panhandle (1M)

Main Workout: Set your watches aside for this one. In the spirit of fartlek, where we play with speed without being tied to the clock, we’ll be running 2 miles. We’ll provide guidance before we start, but here’s the gist: everyone will be running 2 miles of fartlek at an effort that suits you individually. Fartlek, meaning ‘speed play’ in Swedish, is all about alternating between fast and slow paces during your run.

Fartlek Portion (2 miles) – suggested approaches:

Beginner Runners

• Surges: Approximately 30 seconds at a slightly faster pace
• Recovery: Approximately 2 minutes at an easy pace
• Repeat the cycle until the 2-mile mark

Intermediate Runners

• Surges: Approximately 45 seconds at a moderately fast pace
• Recovery: Approximately 1.5 minutes at an easy pace
• Repeat the cycle until the 2-mile mark

Advanced Runners

• Surges: Approximately 1 minute at a fast but controlled and sustainable pace
• Recovery Approximately 1 minute at an easy pace 
• Repeat the cycle until the 2-mile mark

Cool Down: Return to 7th Ave and MLK at an easy pace (1M)

Post Run Fun: Join us for the first social and get to know your teammates, captains and coaches! Fireside Bar is just a few minutes walk. (603 Irving btw 7th and 8th Avenues)