What is Race with Purpose?

The Race with Purpose team is a national community of active adults of all abilities devoted to helping members achieve their personal goals while raising critical funds for the charities that have a meaningful, measure impact on helping the nation's neediest kids lead healthy, active, and productive lives. This year, Race with Purpose donations will go into a special Race with Purpose fund at the Robert H. Lorsch Foundation, a private nonprofit organization with a long history of supporting youth-wellness causes. A small advisory committee of the team's most dedicated, enthusiastic, and successful members will help to choose charities aligned with the Race with Purpose that are most deserving of 2007 grants.

While enjoying the benefits of participating in one of the most supportive and inspirational training programs available, you can serve a pivotal role in reversing one of the most alarming health crises of our time: childhood obesity.

What is the Race with Purpose program and training philosophy?

Race with Purpose means finding something special that inspires you to be your best and achieve your dreams. There are two parts to this philosophy and hopefully running the marathon to help thousands of children will fulfill the first. The second part of Race with Purpose focuses on applying a training program that, while simple in structure, emphasizes quality over quantity to prepare you for your best marathon ever.

Each of your training runs will have a specific purpose to help you develop the skills necessary to successfully complete your marathon:

• Endurance- train your muscles to use fat as fuel and to work efficiently for multiple hours at a time
• Strength- prevent injuries and develop the ability to run the many hills along the course
• Speed- train your body to race, increasing your ability to utilize oxygen, making you a more efficient runner
• Recover- allow your body to adapt to the stress of your training and repair itself
• Race- learn to remain calm in the most stressful conditions, use emotions to your advantage, and achieve the mental discipline to run your best marathon
• Fun- forget about watches, heart rates, and pacing to enjoy the simpler and more spiritual side of running

What is Commute, Warm-Up & Race?

The Commute, Warm-Up & Race marathon strategy is a simple system that incorporates three running paces (commute, warm-up, and race paces) that you will use to run the marathon. Your training runs will help you determine and practice your three paces.

On marathon day, you will race the most celebrated 10K of your running career. The 10K begins at the 20-mile marker ends at the finish line. Using the three paces you will determine and practice throughout the training season (with the help of our coaches), the Commute, Warm-Up & Race program allows you to arrive at the start of that 10K feeling relaxed and able to race 6.2-miles, getting faster and stronger all the way to the finish.

What are the Novice and Alumni groups?

All participants should identify themselves as either a Novice/First-Time Marathoner or an Alumni and follow the training program for each group accordingly.

Placing yourself in either group is not an indication of your speed.

Novice group participants are those who are new to Race with Purpose, in addition to alumni who relaxed during the spring and need to build up base mileage. The focus of Novice members is on endurance, strength, and injury prevention.

Alumni participants must have used the Commute, Warm-Up & Race training system before and should be comfortable running at least 25 miles per week, including a long run of 12 miles. Team members in this group can set a time goal to run a personal best marathon.

How do I calculate my Commute pace?

Step 1: Record your time for a 5-mile run

Pick a 5-mile flat course or a track (usually 4 laps/mile)
Run the 5 miles uninterrupted at a comfortable and conversational pace (if you have to walk, that's ok)

Step 2: Calculate your pace for the 5-mile run

Take your total time and divide by 5 (round to the next highest whole or half number)

Step 3: Apply your energy expenditure factor

Immediately after completing your run, evaluate how you feel and adjust your time based on the following criteria to arrive at your Commute Pace:

• I feel completely comfortable and I could continue running for at least another hour: Add 30 seconds to your time
• I feel like I worked just a little bit, but it was still conversational, or I haven't run more than 13 miles in the last six months: Add 1 minute to your time
• I definitely pushed and my breathing was labored at the end: Add 90 seconds to your time
• I raced the 5 miles: Add 2 minutes to your time
• I struggled considerably and walked a significant portion of the run: Add no time to your run

Step 4: Record your time in your member profile on the team-member Web site

Record your time so that you can add your information to your member profile.

Example:

Run 5 miles in 39 mins./5 = 7.8 (round to 8 )

Apply the criteria:

I feel like I worked just a little bit, but it was still conversational, or I haven't run more than 13 miles in the last six months: 8 + 1 = 9 mins/mile Commute Pace and I am therefore a member of the 9 min/mile Pace Group.

Your Commute Pace is not necessarily the pace at which you will be running the marathon. Please don't 'back into' your Commute Pace by picking a marathon finishing time goal and dividing that time by 26.2 miles. This will only set you up for unnecessary injuries. Please remember that the 5-mile timed run is not a race.

Where do I find our daily training schedule and long-run schedule?

Each week, your recommended training will be posted on the Training Calendar. The long-run schedule is also found on the site in the Training section.

Why are mid-week runs completed by time rather than distance?

The running time for mid-week runs is usually between 30 and 60 minutes, regardless of the purpose of the workout. Depending on your pace, that may range from 3 miles to as many as 9 miles, so we encourage participants to focus on time and adjust their distance according to individual ability.

How do I find out where to meet the group in New York for runs?

Specific instructions for group runs are found via the Training Calendar and also usually included each week in the Race with Purpose e-newsletter.

How many group runs are offered each week in New York?

There are two midweek group runs offered on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and a group long run every weekend. Check the Training Calendar for details and read the e-newsletter for other instructions.

How can I find out who is in my pace group?

All members-no matter where they live-should register their pace group in their member profile. Your pace should reflect your Commute Pace. Use the Pace Group Chatter member forum to reach out to members who are running your pace.

How can I contact a coach if I have a question?

Our coaching staff is available to answer any training, injury, or rehabilitation questions you may have. Contact them at mycoach@racewithpurpose.org.

What is the minimum amount of training I should complete each week?

It is important to regularly complete three quality runs each week. It is equally important to complete at least one day of cross training, because it helps to minimize injuries, provides muscles and systems with a balanced application of stress, and allows you to mentally break up the training program.

Are Metro-NY group runs mandatory?

All team members are welcome to attend, but for those living in or near New York City, it is important to join weekend long runs with your pace group. It's equally vital to stay with your pace group for the entire run, so coaches can evaluate your performance and maintain safety on the course. The group runs are a major benefit for Race with Purpose participants, where you can enjoy individual coaching and develop team camaraderie.

What do the coaches recommend for cross training and strength workouts?

The Race with Purpose training program promotes at least one day of cross training each week. Our coaches recommend that runners should pick non-impact activities, such as Pilates, yoga, swimming, or cycling. The program also emphasizes developing a strong core, which helps prevent running injuries. Twice a week, core strength activities will be incorporated into your workouts, focusing on planks, push-ups, sit-ups, and crunches.

What should I drink during training and the marathon?

Unless you are a diabetic or have some other specific digestive requirement, get used to drinking Gatorade Endurance Formula while training. This is what will be on the marathon course and if you haven't heard the phrase already: don't do anything different on race day. You shouldn't do anything during the marathon that you haven't tried and perfected during your training. The only exception to this rule is that if you train with Gatorade Endurance Formula, you most likely won't have to carry your fuel belt with you on race day.

Do I have to pay race registration fees to train with Race with Purpose, when the training schedule indicates our run is in conjunction with a race?

When Race with Purpose training includes a race, participants must register for the race and pay the registration fee. We encourage you to look at the training schedule and register for races early, to take advantage of discounts that are offered to runners who register before certain deadlines. You will receive additional discounts if you become a member of NYRR (please go to http://www.nyrr.org/ for details). For those who do not wish to pay for races, we ask that you do not run on race courses, and instead make alternative plans to complete your long run.

What's the difference between the finish time and net time listed on our race results?

Your net time, which is measured by the chip on your shoes, starts when you cross the mat at the starting line and stops when you cross the mat at the finish line. You'll often hear people refer to this time as your "chip time." Your finish time starts when the race begins, no matter when you cross the starting line.