And other good information for you.
Below are many of the frequently asked questions. Of course,
if you continue to have questions, let me
know.
What is it?
Yes, I still get asked ;) The Team VAVi Running Club (TVRC)
is an organized running club that trains for half and full marathons
in San Diego. We have two (2) seasons per year: A fall/winter
season that starts in September and trains fro the Carlsbad Half or
Full marathon in January. And a Spring/Summer season that
starts in February and ends with the
Rock n Roll Full Marathon in
June.
Is it limited to "racing" marathons?
No, we have many people join just because they love running and
the camaraderie and friendships they have made and make. But a
majority of the members do have the goal to run (or walk) either a
half or full marathon.
What is this Dual Season thing all about?
Essentially, you get both seasons back to back. You sign
up in the fall, and are a member of the club all the way through to
Summer for the Rock N Roll marathon - and it's done at a reduced
rate, so you save money compared to signing up for two single
seasons. We put together the dual season training program for two
reasons:
1. Over the course of 7 past seasons, we learned that many
runners would have liked to see a more gradual training program to a
Full Marathon. (Many programs are indeed the typical 18 weeks,
like ours) But we wanted to offer an additional program.
2. We have alot of runners that keep coming back season after
season. This is an opportunity for them to do so, and save a
little money too.
What else do I get with joining?
Along with assistance in achieving your goals to run a marathon or
half marathon and the chance to meet great friends along the way,
we're visited by professionals around the county to give clinics
like free sports massages, nutrition advice, goodie bags.
Also, since we're a big group here in San Diego, alot of the local
race sponsors like to give us great deals on race entries and other
goodies.
How many people are in your club?
We have been growing every seasons since we started in 2003.
Our first season in 2003 had a whopping 34 runners ;) Last
season (RnR2006) we had 141 . . . wow! It has seen tremendous
growth. With this, we continue to add coaching staff, clinics and
other great things for you :)
Is there an age limit to your club?
Of course not. We accept all ages (and abilities)
Do you have a half marathon training program in the
Spring/Summer?
No. Unfortunately, the
Rock n Roll marathon is just that,
a full marathon. Many of us running clubs here in San Diego
are faced with this. Many runners train with us
until June, and then continue the training to the popular for the very popular America's Finest City
Half.
http://www.afchalf.com/
It is on my goal list to participate in the RnR for this
year, even though I haven't been seriously running in quite some
time. Do you think that's an attainable goal?
Yes, of course. The program is designed, like many other
marathon training programs to take any walker or runner and attain
the full 26.1 miles after 18 weeks.
But, we have just added the DUAL SEASON training program
where you can join the
fall/winter season, do the 1/2 marathon in January, then continue
with the spring/summer season and finish with the Full RnR in June :)
Can I check you guys out before signing up?
Of course, we welcome it. The running club is a big
investment (like everything is with big goals :) We would love to
have you come out for 1 or 2 sessions (the first week) to test drive
the club. We do ask that you limit your "free" attendance to
the first 2 sessions. See more info below on our first week!
If we've already started, Contact Me if
you want to join us for a run or two before signing up.
You will be added to a
special email list to be notified of the runs. We do cut off
entries at the end of the 2nd week and we will discard the email
list and restrict membership to those who have joined.
If I sign up online today will I have access to the running
clubs schedule?
Yes, once you officially
sign up,
you will get access to the schedule, training materials, etc.
These will be prepared and sent to you separately.
Why won't my VAVi password work here?
The VAVi running club website is managed specifically for the
running club members. Unfortunately, we don't have the two
systems linked together so you will have a separate login/password
for this site.
I won't be at the Orientation, Can I pick up the materials
later on?
Yes, I will have all of the training materials on hand for the
first few weeks.
What will be the schedule for the marathon group?
As you can see in the presentation or
overview, the training plan calls for running 4x per week.
Some do it in 3, but I don't recommend it. We will formally
meet 2x per week on Tuesday nights and Saturday mornings. The
other 2 runs per week are on your own (or with small informal groups
that sometimes form.)
Can I see the Run Schedule?
Yes, when you join the team ;) But, you can also come to
the orientation to see a sneak peak preview of the training
schedule. Seriously, we customize each season's training
schedule to the VAVi running program. It would be fair to make
it available to the general public.
How can I go about signing up for this?
You can visit
www.govavi.com/running and signup online. There is also a
form you can print, mail/fax if you don't want to do it online.
Is the username and password I use for govavi.com the same as
the one I will use for the vavirunningclub.com site?
No, this website is
designed
and maintained specifically for the running club (by me ;)
We may integrate the two in the future, but for now we keep them
separate. Once you
sign-up,
you will receive your username and password. I distribute
those during the first week of training to everyone at once.
Is it OK to miss some sessions and do the training workouts on
my own?
OF COURSE! (Don't forget that 2 of the 4 runs per week ARE
on your own) We all miss sessions here and there. One good
thing about running, however, is that you can pack your shoes and
gear into your suitcase. If you can bring a hair dryer, you
can bring a pair of running shoes. :)
I am interested in signing up for the running club, but will
be out of town this Saturday. Am I still able to join and
start on the first Tuesday
OF COURSE! We allow
sign-ups
well into the season. (Since there is no "team" that we have
to have minimum players, etc. The nature of our club allows it)
We've had runners join up in weeks 2, 3 and even 5. I wouldn't
recommend waiting too long, unless you're a runner in decent shape
already, but it can be done :)
This allows you to join up, see really how FUN it is, then spread
the word to all of your friends, coworkers, classmates, etc. and let
them join next week.
I live in Encinitas though and would like to participate in
any runs that are going on in North County.
If you're in the club, you should participate in ALL the runs
regardless of location (though not required.) We will have
some runs in N. County too, especially in the fall/winter seasons
since we're training for the Carlsbad Marathon. We do many
runs on the actual course.
Is it possible to have an information packet sent to me? I
have a lot of questions about the Running Club.
Hopefully this page will answer them. Further, check out the
orientation page which
includes the presentation and overview.
I have class on Tuesdays and will not be able to make the
first couple of Saturday runs. How will this effect my training?
The training is based on 4 runs per week, 2 with the group, and
2 on your own. Even if you can't run with the group, you
should still try to run on your own. Many runners have to miss
some training, and that's totally okay. I can help you
re-arrange your running schedule to make it fit yours. For
instance, you can do your first few long runs on Sundays, and join
up with us after your Saturday commitments end.
Would part of the training have a nutrition component?
Yes, we have a Nutrition component of the training. It's
broken up into 3 sessions. See the
overview page or the presentation for a breakdown of clinics.
I see that there will be organized runs throughout the county,
what if my fitness level is not equivalent to others in the group?
Great chances are, there will be other runners in your fitness
level. We have totally first time, run/walker beginners join
all the way through to seasoned marathoners. My advice, come
check us out this Saturday and meet your fellow runners :)
Can I join up for a later program?
Of Course, keep in mind we only do 2 seasons per year, one for
Carlsbad Marathon (Jan) that starts in September and one for the
Rock-n-Roll (June) that starts in late January. If you want to get a
head start on RnR, joining the fall/winter group is a great way to
get a full 36 weeks of training in. You can do the 1/2
marathon in January and continue training for the Full marathon in
June.
Ready to go?
Online
By Fax/Mail |
