Interval Training with the Reston Runners: It’s a Family Affair by Karen & Jessica Ashworth
Karen: It was rabbit run (aka indian run, drafting , etc) day at the women’s training program. As we ran through the woods on the trails behind South Lakes high school, our coach said “if you like this type of training , You should consider signing up for the Interval training program. You will do this type of speed training on the track”. Well, I liked the rabbit run and the speed work… the only thing I didn’t like were the hilly trails…. So AWESOME. Rabbit running on a track… No ups, no downs, no sharp corners, no roots. WHATS NOT TO LOVE? I had never run on a track before, but it sounded glorious. I went home and convinced my daughter to sign up with me.
Jessica: I signed up with my mom and dad (a long time Reston Runners member and Ultra-Runner) for the Interval Training Program to get more running experience, and hopefully some speed. I had not run laps on a track since high school gym class, so it seemed a bit daunting at first. Each week the group starts out with a 20 minute warm up on the trail behind the school, admittedly this is my favorite part because I enjoy running leisurely through the trees. But then the real work begins. Each week is a different work out designed by the coaches. As you run you often find your pace group, and although my mom and I tend to be pulling up the rear on most runs, we work hard and enjoy the friendly atmosphere of the Reston Runners. It is definitely a challenging program, but if you push yourself it will make you a better runner.
Karen: So maybe “glorious “ is a strong word. It is definitely not the “easy peasy” speed work I was expecting, but, as my daughter said, it is challenging. And I suppose I’ll survive. Ellen runs a great program and the coaches and participants are incredibly supportive of each other! But, then again, that’s Reston Runners. A Fantastic group of people who LOVE what they do, challenge themselves, and celebrate each runner’s accomplishments.
