The Bakersfield Track Club

The donut shop group is a rather loose assortment of runners that has grown over several decades. Several of the founders are still there... some now walk, some run at somewhat slower paces (Dorsh Sanders, Leslie King and Ray Miranda among those). We now have a core group that in the past 5-10 years has formulated a training regimen breaking the year into four meso-cycles of roughly 12-14 weeks each. We have 2 cycles with the full 12 weeks scheduled, culminating in a spring race (Carlsbad 5000) and late summer race (Paso Robles 10K from 2003-2007, now Smokey Bear run in Bass Lake, part of the Valley Runner of the Year Series). In between are less structured periods, with emphasis on still maintaining an element of speed, some racing with focus on base mileage. Lately we've blended that with half marathon training. The heart of all the programs is the Donut Shop classic Country Club 11.2 miler. Used to be you'd have to finish that course to earn the "Donut Shop" shirt people would be seen wearing in races. With the Fairfax Rd interchange project underway the Country Club loop has been severed so you’ll see different options for the weekday long runs. When it re-opens we may opt to pick this loop up again.

Monday, 7/6//09 starts our structured 12 week program focusing on speed and racing, culminating in the Smokey Bear 10K on 9/26. Click here for more info on the race. Anyone who wishes to join us for this program, feel free (Click here to see the program). The traditional meeting times of 5AM for Tues/Thurs at the donut shop are followed most of the time, the other days vary depending upon the workout. This traditional meeting time is more loose during the summer with most of use being on either a teachers or a retired persons schedules, so sleeping in a bit has become common. If you are interested in receiving emails about where and when we'll be meeting, you can contact Bruce Deeter at bejayde@bak.rr.com . He may start sending out regular emails if enough people are interested.

A bit about the program. It has evolved from a program Bruce obtained from Rick Mayberry, Highland High School's Cross Country coach used to train his runners for 5K cross country season. Originally it was followed as is but has been toned down since most of the runners, competitive as they may be, are many years past high school age and have tailored the program to suit their needs. In recent years Bruce and Pam Boyles have been tweaking the program and added favorite workouts from many sources getting to what you find now. It is intended for those interested in racing.

An expanded pace chart is included with goal paces for speeds based on current race times ranging from 17 to 24 minute 5K. If you are faster or slower than these charts provide, custom charts can be structured for your current race level. PI (Pace Interval) are intervals based on 5K pace and generally the rest period after those is half the duration of the run interval. SI (Speed Interval), are about 8 sec per track lap faster than PI and rest time equals run duration. For intervals 1200 and above the 10K pace is used. The program online now is focused on a 10K; Bruce also has past programs for both the 10K and the Carlsbad 5K. The 12 weeks generally builds in 4 week segments with each fourth week's mileage dialed back slightly

A last note, one workout that might not be familiar to you is called "Segments". Segments are a time structured high tempo ladder/speed workout; each one of the numbers is minutes at a tempo pace (Bruce on flat ground was doing about 6:15 mile pace). We do the segments on hilly road terrain. Between each timed segment the dash (-) is 1 minute of an easy jog along the route. So it goes 1 hard, 1 jog; 1 hard, 1 jog; 2 hard, 1 jog; 2 hard, 1 jog; 3 hard, 1 jog; 3 hard 1 jog; on up and down the ladder.

Rev 7/5/09