(Posted - 11 May 2007)
Some of WA's toughest endurance athlete's from the surf & turf are partnering Rapid Ascent to bring you a comprehensive smattering of training sessions aimed at the beginner to intemediate level athlete looking to enhance their skills for the race.
First off the blocks John Toomey, WA's own epic prodigy and tireless champion of cross country running, orienteering and endurance sports will be hosting cross country running sessions for athletes of any ability. An accredited exercise physiologist, there's no one who knows more about building endurance - proving that a little advice will take you a long way..
The sessions are conducted all off road and are geared towards producing specific running benefits with "creative" being the key word.
The details are as follows;
Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday evenings
Cost: $10 per month, any number of runs.
Location: In general Floreat Beach + Bold Park + surrounds
Details:
Tuesday 530pm Bold Park Swimming Pool, The Boulevard, Floreat. Interval and pace-change sessions, mainly hills and bitumen-based (some sessions will be on beach sand) until it begins to get lighter in early August when the sessions will be entirely trail and terrain based. Duration of no more than 1hr including warm-up and cool-down. Generally we run to a location then stay at that spot for the session, then run back at the end.
Wednesday 530pm & 6pm Bold Park Swimming Pool. Long run, usually 90%+ on limestone, sand, trails and grass. Those starting at 530pm will loop back past the pool at 6pm to pick-up those who arrive later. Random routes including Cottesloe, Wembley & Claremont golf courses, Reabold Hill trails, Bold Park, Herdsman Lake and the beach anywhere between Swanny and Scarborough. Fitter people will start slow at 530pm then pick it up once those only running shorter distances head home. Time on feet, not a race. Duration eventually will build to a 2hr+ run for the stalwarts, but up to each individual.
Friday evening Floreat Beach, just south of junction of Boulevard and West Coast Highway. Alternating weeks of core-strength “beach circuit" including lots of body-weight exercises on the beach interspersed with a small amount of running. Excellent to train your body to hold form when fatigued. Alternate weeks will be running training on the beach and in the dunes. Will be lots of informal gatherings before training for those that can make it for an ocean swim or paddle and therefore a longer session. Duration of no more than 1hr including warm-up and cool-down. This session is ad hoc as I’m often away training somewhere fun on the weekends, so don’t rock-up unless you have the programme!
As the winter passes there may be some group runs out in the hills to get used to running through rocks and up and down “real" hills. These will be posted on the site closer to the time!
Contact John to get more details about the location and timings john.toomey@stirling.wa.gov.au or gone4run@iinet.net.au
And if you fancy some work on your terrain running technique in relevant terrain, then fear not, John offers personalised 1-on-1 training sessions based on your objectives and ability. Just zap him an email to register your interest.
Not only has his creator endowed him with a flawless gait John has the tools and work ethic to represent a serious threat to the leaderboard in the individual elite category at Geographe Bay and don't be surprised to see him poised to fly at this year's Anaconda Adventure Racing National Champs in Lorne.