Frontrunners Spring 2023 Half Marathon, Marathon & Learn to Run 5k & 10k Training Programs

Welcome to our training programs! We love to run together - building community while training is our goal. This Spring we have the marathon, half marathon, and return to running/maintenance options meeting twice per week, and the Learn to Run 5k and 10k option meeting once per week.

MARATHON AND HALF MARATHON PROGRAM

WITH RETURN TO RUN/MAINTENANCE OPTION

The Marathon, Half Marathon (Half) and Return-to-Run/Maintenance (RTR) training programs will begin on Wednesday January 11, 2023 and build towards the BMO Vancouver Marathon and Half Marathon, the TC10K (RTR), and the Oak Bay Half Marathon & 10k (Half & RTR). We also offer customized schedules for other race goals. We work hard to support our runners through our run leaders, weekly emails and private Facebook group. We provide a Frontrunners technical shirt, participant store discount, training tips, editorials, and speaker events (as allowed) to keep you motivated!

Marathon and BMO Half Runners: Wednesday January 11, 2023 - Wednesday May 3, 2023

Goal Race: BMO Vancouver Marathon and Half Marathon (May 7, 2023)

Half Runners: Wednesday January 11, 2023 - Wednesday May 24, 2023

Goal Race: Oak Bay Half Marathon (May 28, 2023)

RTR Runners: Wednesday January 11, 2023 - Wednesday May 24, 2023

Goal Race: TC10K (April 30, 2023) and/or Oak Bay 10k (May 28, 2023)

Cost of all clinics: $99.95 (includes technical shirt)

Race registrations are not included with clinic

Our program includes:

A complete training schedule from day 1 to race day, with weekly breakdown consisting of self-directed “homework” runs, plus our twice weekly group runs. Our group runs happen on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Wednesday workouts focus on hills, speed and tempos. Saturday morning long runs will be run-leader led and focus on building distance and endurance.

Meeting Spots: There are four Wednesday Workout meeting options: Downtown Early Morning 6am, Downtown Evening 5:30 pm, Shelbourne Evening 6:00 pm, Westshore Evening 6:00 pm. Wednesday evenings will meet from the various Frontrunners’ stores and from other locations as specified from week to week. On Saturdays, we meet at 8:00 am in two groups: the Marathon runners meet together, and the Half Marathon and Return-to-Run/Maintenance runners meet together. The Saturday meeting locations vary week-to-week in the Greater Victoria region. We try to spread out our Saturday start locations throughout the region, acknowledging that we have runners from all over the community.

RTR Option This group supports runners who are returning to running after a break due to any number of reasons (injury, illness, busyness of life, children, etc.) and/or runners who just love to run and maintain their endurance fitness, but don’t want a long marathon/half marathon training run on Saturday. This option provides a structured, social group meeting twice per week to build and maintain a strong running base and, for many, an hour or so of running just fits the bill!

The RTR group has its own training schedule that follows the structure of the marathon and half marathon training schedule with self-directed “homework” runs, plus our twice weekly group runs. At Wednesday workouts, RTR runners have the option of running easy, doing a shorter workout, or completing the same workout as the marathon and half-marathoners. For Saturday long runs the group will build from ~ 40 mins (~5 to 8 km) to ~75 mins (~10 to 12 km). These runs will be led by experienced run leaders and will offer paces between 6 min/km and 7:30 min/km.

Some RTR runners set a TC10K race goal or an Oak Bay 10k goal, and others have different fitness goals or races in mind. If your running goals change during the clinic, you can move into the half group, or the Tuesday night Beginner Clinic, at any time.

Half/Marathon/RTR Prerequisites:

Marathon - Participants should feel comfortable running at a steady pace for at least 75 to 90 minutes and be running at least 4 times a week. If you are unsure if you meet the requirements for this group, please contact Jonathan Foweraker at foweraker@shaw.ca.

Half - Participants should feel comfortable running at a steady pace for at least 40 to 50 minutes and be running at least 3 times a week. If you are unsure if you meet the requirements for this group, please contact Wendy Cohen at wenco55@gmail.com

RTR - Participants should feel comfortable running at a steady pace for at least 35 to 40 minutes and be running at least a couple times a week. We will accommodate a number of paces, but you must be able to run 5 km in under 40 minutes at the start of the clinic. Runners not meeting the prerequisites are welcome to join the Beginner Clinic being offered by Frontrunners on Tuesday nights. If you are unsure if you meet the requirements for this group, please contact Wendy Cohen at wenco55@gmail.com

If you don’t meet these prerequisites, please check out our Learn to Run 5k and Learn to Run 10k programs (below)!

LEARN TO RUN 5K & 10K PROGRAM

The Frontrunners Learn to Run 5K & 10K training is a 14 week program that will run from Tuesday January 24, 2023 - April 25, 2023. The Learn to Run 10K goal event for the clinic is the TC10K on April 30, 2023 and/or the Oak Bay 10K on May 28, 2023. (*race registration not included)

Our program includes:

A complete training schedule to prepare participants to build up to running either 5k or 10k by the end of the 14 week program. This program will focus on a gradual walk/run progression to help you achieve your goals injury free. Participants will be introduced to a range of running topics including injury prevention, motivational techniques, proper footwear and apparel and pre and post-run stretching. There will be two groups - the 5k group for those who have not run before or who haven’t run for a while and want to start from scratch, and a 10k group for those who have completed the Learn to Run 5k clinic or who can run/walk for 25 minutes at the start of the program. The clinic will meet once a week as a group, with two other ‘homework’ run/walks to be done during the week.

Note: the clinic is a run/walk program for the duration of the 14 weeks. There is currently a plan to host a clinic from all 3 locations depending on participation numbers. SHELBOURNE LOCATION IS BEING AMALGAMATED WITH FRONTRUNNERS DOWNTOWN SESSION. If this doesn't work for your schedule we are happy to offer a refund.

PLEASE NOTE: LANGFORD CLINIC SESSION HAS BEEN CHANGED TO THURSDAY EVENINGS AT 6PM (instead of the original Tuesdays).

Cost: $89.95 (includes technical shirt)

Tuesday evenings at 6pm

Pre-requisites:

5K: Able to do a moderate to fast walk without difficulty for 25 minutes

10K: Able to do a run / walk for 25 minutes