I love life's small epiphanies - moments when thoughts I've been carrying around for a while gel into a clairvoyant direction and theme. My run with Katrina on Saturday was just that. While we have been batting around the idea of starting a Saturday running mini-clinic or group, the concept and notion never fully took shape until yesterday.

We are launching the official "Rock to Road Runner Road to Disney" training plan and community. I'm planning to use Saturday morning runs with Katrina and family to specifically aim toward their goals of completing the Disney26.2 Marathon in January 2012. I'm hoping others may join in both to develop their own running and goals, but also to become a growing community around "Rock to Road Runner".

As a general overview I'm proposing the following "rocktoroadrunner road to Disney" plan:

GOAL/OBJECTIVE (Specific to Katrina):
- To complete the Disney26.2, aiming for under 6.5hours
- Aim for average 6.5km/hour using a 9min run/1 min walk strategy = 1.1km every 10min

TRAINING STRUCTURE:
- 4 week cycles: 3 weeks training + 1 week flex/easy to recover and accommodate
- We will start with an initial of 1min slow run + 1min med/fast run + 1min walk strategy
*We will incease running by 1 min every 4 weeks until we reach the 9/1 strategy above.
- Each training week aim for one "long" run (initially 45-60min)
* Each 2 months we will increase long runs by 20-30minutes
* long runs we will incorporate a mix of "tempos" (different speeds)
* We will also include squats and some other proprioceptive drills
* As we get comfortable with format, individuals can vary speeds to suit development
- Each training week aim for 2 or 3 "short runs" (initially 10-15min)
* Every 2-3 months we will increaseing by 5-10min
* short runs can be as slow as needed, ideally trying NOT to walk
* or taking only 30sec to walk. Key is to build "volume" with these slow short runs.
- Flex/Easy weeks can have NO running in them or at most 2 short very easy slow runs.
* It is ideal to incorporate brief amounts (5-10min) cross training several times:
* skipping, squats, drills, stretching or massaging muscles depending on need
- By November 2010 we should be able to to do a 3.5hour run covering 25km
* This will be our "measure" to ensure we are on target for January
* Each training cycle (4 weeks) we will use the first week to guage progress & re-plan

OTEHR CONSIDERATIONS:
- We will work on optimizing pre and post run nutrition as we go along
- Consider buying a pair of "compression" socks from the pharmacy (20lbs compression) to wear after long runs to improve lactate recovery in the muscles.
- Be very very proactive about injury prevention. Pay attention and to vulnerable areas and consider methods to support them (Kenesiology Tape, Tissue Work or time off)

REMEMBER:
- "We overestimate how much we can do in a day or a week but underestimate how much we can change and evolve in a year"
- While running is 'Natural', learning to run is a challenge that requires a great deal of commitment, patience and stepping beyond your comfort zone to grow & evolve

I'm committed to making this journey with Katrina & her family doing as many Saturday/Weekly long-runs with the, as possible. I KNOW she can do it. There will be ups and downs and potentially some set-backs but each of these is also an opportunity not only to learn about running, but learn about one's self.

I'm hoping Katrina and others are as enthused as I am. I'm certainly open to inviting anyone and everyone to join in on the Saturday runs and be a part of Katrina's amazing journey!

Keep Rising!