SRR Track

You must be a SRR member to participate in the workouts regularly but if you are considering track/SRR and would like to check us out, you are welcome to come to a session as a guest.

During the spring, summer, and fall we meet at the Tufts outdoor track (the “Ellis Oval”) on Tuesday evenings. During the winter we meet at the MIT Indoor track, on Wednesday evenings at 7:30 PM

The MIT Indoor Track is inside the Zesiger Center Building on the 3rd floor. Just enter the building (no earlier than 7:00) and tell the attendant at the main desk that you are with the Somerville Road Runners for the track workout. They will allow you past the desk. From there you go up the steps to the 3rd floor. We meet at the far end of the track from the door. There is a bathroom on the way up the stairs, next to the area that overlooks the pool.

Please contact Coach Joe O'Leary if you have any questions about track workouts.

Pace chart is located here. Look up your 5k race time or pace on the far right and you can see your complete list of recommended paces


About our pace terminology:

We use the pacing system designed by legendary coach Jack Daniels. It assigns each runner 3 sets of paces corresponding to a desired intensity. The paces are:

THRESHOLD - About your one-hour race pace

INTERVAL - VO2 max pace. About the pace you could hold in a race that lasts 10-15 minutes

REPEAT - About the pace you could in a race lasting 3-4 minutes

You can determine your pace set using one of the many online calculators. For example, go here and enter a known race distance and time. Then click on the “Training” tab below to see your paces. (I suggest ignoring the “Easy” tab. We don’t use it in workouts and frankly, I find it faster than I like to run on most days)

Wednesday January 8 - 7:30 PM at MIT

Cruise Intervals: One mile reps at THRESHOLD intensity with 1:00 rests. Everyone should do at least 3. If your mileage permits you should do more. It is up to you but this is a workout where more is better (and harder is not). Do as many as 6 if you are willing.

Wednesday January 15 - 7:30 PM at MIT

This week’s workout is all INTERVAL

  • Group A: 6 x 800, 2:00 rest.

  • Group B: 6 x 800, 2:30 rest

  • Group C: 6 x 800, 2:30 rest

  • Group D: 6 x 600, 2:00 rest

  • Group E: 6 x 600, 2:30 rest

  • Group F: 6 x 600, 2:30 rest

Wednesday January 22 - 7:30 PM at MIT

This week we have a single big, Step-Down set for everyong

Groups A, B:

  • 1 x 1 mile at THRESHOLD (1:00 rest)

  • 3 x 1000 at INTERVAL (3:00 rest)

  • 2 x 400 at REPEAT (2:00 rest)

Groups C, D

  • 1 x 1 mile at THRESHOLD (1:00 rest)

  • 3 x 800 at INTERVAL (3:00 rest)

  • 4 x 200 at REPEAT (1:00 rest)

Groups E, F:

  • 1 x 1 mile at THRESHOLD (1:00 rest)

  • 3 x 600 at INTERVAL (2:30 rest)

  • 2 x 200 at REPEAT (1:00 rest)

Wednesday January 29 - 7:30 PM at MIT

This week we will be doing 200s at REPEAT pace. But instead of taking a set amount of rest, we will be starting at specific time.

First, all groups will do 400 meters at roughly INTERVAL pace. It doesn’t matter what pace you actually end up running for this, I just don’t want anyone to go right into REPEAT pace from nothing. After you have finished this, take as much rest as you want before starting the main workout (below).

Do not even time this part of the workout. Do not start your watch until the main workout begins below.

The main workout is as follows:

  • Groups A & B: Do 3 sets of 6 x 200 starting every minute. Take an additional 2 minutes rest between sets
    - 1st set reps start at 0:00, 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00, and 5:00.
    - 2nd set reps start at 8:00, 9:00, 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00.
    - 3rd set reps start at 16:00, 17:00, 18:00, 19:00, 20:00, 21:00

  • Groups C & D: 6 x 200 starting every 1:10, then 2 sets of 5 x 200 starting every 1:10. Take an additional 2:00 rest between sets
    - 1st set reps start at 0:00, 1:10, 2:20, 3:30, 4:40, 5:50.
    - 2nd set reps start at 9:00, 10:10, 11:20, 12:30, 13:40
    - 3rd set reps start at 17:00, 18:10, 19:20, 20:30, 21:40

  • Groups E, F,: 5 x 200 starting every 1:30, then 2 sets of 4 x 200 starting every 1:30. Take an additional 2:00 rest between sets
    - 1st set reps start at 0:00, 1:30, 3:00, 4:30, and 6:00
    - 2nd set reps start at 9:30, 11:00, 12:30, 14:00
    - 3rd set reps start 17:30, 19:00, 20:30, 22:00

Wednesday February 5 - 7:30 PM at MIT

With the USATF Grand Prix Race #1 (Stretch Lab Super Sunday 4 Miler) coming up this weekend, we will keep this workout simple. Step-Down sets

Groups A, B: Two sets of the following:

  • 1 Mile at THRESHOLD (1:00 rest)

  • 800 at INTERVAL (2:00 rest)

  • 400 at REPEAT (2:00 rest)

Groups C, D Two sets of the following:

  • 1 Mile at THRESHOLD (1:00 rest)

  • 800 at INTERVAL (2:30 rest)

  • 2 x 200 at REPEAT (1:00 rest after the first, 2:00 rest after the second

Groups E, F - Two sets of the following:

  • 1 Mile at THRESHOLD (1:00 rest)

  • 600 at INTERVAL (2:30 rest)

  • 2 x 200 at REPEAT (1:00 rest after the first, 2:00 rest after the second

Wednesday February 12 - 7:30 PM at MIT

Deek Session

This is one continuous 4800 meter run on the track (or 5400 or even 6000 if you feel up to it). The pace alternates between 5k Race Pace (for 400 meters) and "float" pace (for 200 meters". "Float" pace is normal training pace. It is *not* a warmup jog. It is not even a recovery jog. Just go from hard into what you would normally do for an average 10 mile training run. Then go right back into hard.

It is easy to lose track during this workout so think of this as:

8 sets of (400 hard, 200 float). That is 4800 meters total

Anyone running over 50 miles per week, make it 9 sets (5400 meters total)

Anyone running over 60 miles per week, make it 10 sets (6000 meters total

Wednesday February 19 - 7:30 PM at MIT

Cruise Intervals. Just to give you all a nice change of pace

Wednesday February 26 - 7:30 PM at MIT

  • Group A: 5 x 1000 at INTERVAL with 2:30 rests

  • Group B: 5 x 1000 at INTERVAL with 3:00 rests

  • Groups C & D: 6 x 800 at INTERVAL with 2:30 rests

  • Groups E: 6 x 800 at INTERVAL with 3:00 rests

  • Group F: 6 x 600 at INTERVAL with 2:30 rests

Tuesday March 4: 6:30 PM at Tufts (tentative)

TBD: Something easy to get us ready for Paddy’s 5k this weekend (USATF Grand Prix Race #2)

Tuesday March 11 - 6:30 PM at Tufts (tentative)

TBD: Probably Gear Changer s