Thursday, February 2, 2012

Kenyan Way - Marathon and Half Marathon Training - Houston, Texas

I have received quite a number of emails inquiring about the training group that I consistently mention in my training blog posts.  So I thought now was as good a time as any to address those questions here!

As a member of Kenyan Way since the Spring of 2007, I obviously have a 'relationship' with the program and have a love/hate thing with the Coach!  ha!


You can google Sean Wade and find many articles and references to him, his history and his training philosophy.


As now a top ranked Masters runner, recently inducted into the Hall of Fame etc., he brings an approach to training that is unrivaled in the City of Houston, and quite possibly in most larger urban areas.


There is a myth though that the KW program caters to fast runners and while there are PLENTY of fast people on the KW training roster every Spring, Summer and Fall/Winter, some of them weren't always that way.  They got there through training with KW! 


However, KW also has pace groups upwards of 4 and 5 hours for the full marathon (pace groups run in 15 min increments from sub 3 hours to 5 hours), and obviously 1:30 - 2:30+ half marathoners as well.  I will say that it is not a group for those who exclusively walk, but I do know of one lady in particular that I see session after session and she is a walker, and she starts the routes early so she can be done.  So there is that.


When I started Kenyan Way back in the Spring of 2007, I too was a bit intimidated but quickly learned that there was no cause for that.  Even though I was, at the time, still a run/walker at any distance over a 5K, when you are training on hills or doing speedwork, how fast or slow you are makes no difference whatsoever!


I have grown exponentially in my running and my abilities since joining Kenyan Way, and every session I find myself signing back up.  I've made a lot of friends there, I absolutely adore Coach and Katrina, and for the $ you can't beat the training and the amenities that go along with it.


I had toyed with the idea of not signing up for this Spring, but since my goals did change, my decision to sign up again did as well.  I had thought I was just going to drop in on Saturdays (Which you can do for any session for $5 to try it out with no obligation), but instead I am indeed going back to the hill and speed training too on Monday and Wednesday evenings.


I have a couple of hilly half marathons this year, and hill training is speed training in of itself, and with my time goals for 21K and less this year (especially this Spring), I need the structure of the sessions with Coach instead of on my own. 

I really really really want that sub 2 half marathon this year!  And as of right now, I have 5 chances to do it between now and mid-January 2013.  :O)


If you are currently training on your own, or thinking of reaching past your current approach and tapping into your potential, I would strongly suggest giving Kenyan Way a try!

The new Spring race/half marathon/marathon/Boston marathon training starts this Monday, February 6th!  You can join at any time though throughout the 10 weeks!


If you have questions, you can always email me directly or post them in a comment!  And since a lot of my readers do not reside in the city of Houston, its suburbs or even Texas, search your area for a training group that fits your needs!  Training with a group, especially for long runs is fun and rewarding!


Happy Running!!!!

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