Saturday Long(er) Runs

Saturday run summary

The meeting location alternates between Serious Coffee, Parksville Beach, Springwood Park, Qualicum Beach, Qualicum Elementary, and View Rd. Start time is typically 8:00AM. Distances vary from 8km to 24km to suit people’s training needs. Directions are provided by email to those signed up for the Saturday runs. This is a good-sized group so there is a likely someone to join you at your pace. The runs are guided (coached) by Heather.

An email will be sent out to all registered runners which describes the meeting location, time, and route options.

Generally, this is a slow long run which is a key component of a good training program.

We run in all kinds of weather with the exception of heavy snow or ice. You should be prepared for the weather conditions, be it hot or cold, wet or dry. If you plan to run long, do bring fluids and nutrition.

Sample Saturday morning run route

How the run is organized

Heather will send out an email several days in advance to advise of the start location and suggested distances. Along with a description of each route there are links to these on the RunningAhead website. A sample of a route is shown above.

Where

The runs always loop back to the start. Start locations are:

  • Serious Coffee parking lot
  • Parksville Beach in the Curling Club parking area
  • Springwood Park next to the dog park
  • Qualicum Beach near the rest rooms
  • Qualicum Elementary on Claymore Rd
  • At the west end of View Rd

When

Saturday at 9:00am during the winter. 8:00am as the days get longer.

The Workout

This run should be an easy long run. The pace chart linked below should give you an idea of how fast you should be running. If you are unsure of your race paces then a good rule of thumb is that you should be able talk throughout the run.

Pace Chart (adapted from Daniel’s Running Formula)

Post run

We often meet at a local cafe after the run for some social time.

Requirements

Be prepared for the weather. Layering is recommended in the winter months. Bring fluid and some form of calories if you plan to go long. Review the routes before showing up.

How to join in

Assuming you are member of the club contact Heather Beatty using the form below. For club membership click here.

To ensure we can connect with you, do double check that your email address is correct.
No dashes or spaces.