TRAIN.
RACE.
EXPLORE.
July 14, 2025
Week 4 of Training
Hey MIT runners and walkers,
Can you believe we’re already heading into Week 4? By now, you’re likely settling into a rhythm—but don’t forget, consistency doesn’t mean autopilot. Staying present, flexible, and intentional will help you keep building toward your goals with strength and balance.
🧡 Fit For Life Weekly Reads: Recovery + Summer Vacation Tips
This week’s article from our partners at Fit For Life Physical Therapy is a must-read, especially as mid-summer plans start ramping up. They’re diving into two critical topics:
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Avoiding Overtraining – How to spot the signs, take proactive recovery days, and honor your body when it needs rest.
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Summer Vacation Survival Tips – Heading out of town? This guide will help you plan your workouts before you leave, sneak in intentional movement even if it’s short, and offer tips for how to run without annoying your family or travel companions (hint: get it done early!).
🧠 Train Your Brain: Pacing & Pace Goals
This week’s mental focus is all about pacing—arguably one of the most underestimated skills in endurance running.
We’ll cover:
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How to set your pace goals based on your fitness and race goals
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The mental and physical benefits of running with a pace group
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Strategies for learning how a pace feels, not just what it looks like on a watch
Whether you’re looking to run strong or simply finish feeling proud, finding your rhythm is key.
🗓️ Mark Your Calendars: August 10 Events
Two great opportunities to lace up for a cause (and some fun!):
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Coach Mark (#PartyintheBack) is hosting a 5K & Fundraiser – A celebration of joy, community, and inclusive miles. Don't miss it!
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Run Forrest Run 10ishK & Film Screening – A quirky, beloved local race that’s perfect for recovery miles and joining Forrest Gump on his spiritual running journey.
We hope to see lots of MIT faces at both!
📅 Coach Schedule Update
Coach Hannah will be out of town on Saturday, July 19 and Saturday, July 26. No worries—we've got you covered! You'll be in excellent hands with:
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Coach Dylan and Coach Jeanne leading the charge
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Support from Coach Randy, Carolyn, Mishelle, and Cindy
Keep showing up for yourselves and each other. The energy this season is incredible, and we’re so proud of the hard work you’re putting in. Let’s make Week 4 count!
Run & walk strong,
Coach Hannah
Workout Hub
This Week's Workouts at a Glance
WEDNESDAY GRIT WORK: PLESENTON - YASSO 800s
WHEN
Wednesday, July 16th @ 6:30pm
LOCATION
Thomas Worthington High School Parking Lot
300 W Dublin-Granville Rd
Worthington, OH 43085
(PARKING: There is a lot of construction! Be careful and respectful. The workout will begin in the Plesenton neighborhood a mile away.)
WORKOUT DETAILS:
Named after legendary runner and coach Bart Yasso, this workout is a marathon and half marathon training classic, and here's how it works:
You run 800 meters (or 0.5 miles) at a pace that corresponds to your goal race time—but with a twist.
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If your goal marathon time is 4 hours, you’ll run each 800m in 4 minutes, or a 8:00 min/mile pace.
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If your goal half marathon time is 3 hours, your 800m repeat target would be 6 minutes (which is an 12:00 min/mile pace).
💡 In short: Your 800m time in minutes = Your race goal time in hours (for marathoners) or Your race goal time x 2 (for half marathoners).
Between each repeat, you’ll walk/mill about for recovery (typically for the same amount of time it took to run the interval).
Yasso 800s help develop speed, endurance, and pacing awareness—and they offer a fun (and challenging) way to check in on how your fitness is aligning with your goals.
WARM UP: 1 mile from TWHS to Plesenton
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HALF MARATHONERS:
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4 x 800m @ YASSO
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Effort is HARD, 10k pace
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2 minutes catch-your-breath & reset walk
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FULL MARATHONERS:
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6x800m @ YASSO
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Effort is HARD, 10k pace
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2 minutes catch-your-breath & reset walk
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ADVANCED FULL MARATHONERS: Shoot for 7-8 repeats.
COOL DOWN: 1 mile back to TWHS
Note: Please be sure to bring a hydration bottle or bottle to every Wednesday night workout. Hannah will have a cooler for water, but we are cup-less!
SATURDAY LONG RUN: Westerville Central High School
WHEN
Saturday, July 19th @ 7:00am
LOCATION
Westerville Central High School
7118 Mt Royal Ave, Westerville, OH 43082
WORKOUT DETAILS:
ROUTE: https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1010571
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HALF MARATHONERS:
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5 miles
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FULL MARATHONERS:
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10 miles
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Be sure to bring your own hydration cup or bottle - our water stops are cup-less! Use your MIT Discount at any Fleet Feet Columbus store and snag an amphipod flexible cup, a handheld bottle, or hydration vest.
RECOVERY & SUMMER VACATION TIPS
FIT FOR LIFE PHYSICAL THERAPY
As we roll into the heart of summer, this week’s resources are all about staying strong, balanced, and mentally sharp—especially as schedules get busy and the heat kicks in. This week’s article from our partners at Fit For Life Physical Therapy is packed with insights to help you train smarter, not harder. They’re diving into two important mid-season topics:
Avoiding Overtraining – Learn to recognize the signs of burnout, build in effective recovery, and listen to your body when it needs rest.
Vacation-Friendly Fitness Tips – Traveling soon? Discover how to plan ahead, fit in short, intentional workouts, and (most importantly) get your run done early—so it doesn’t interfere with family fun or ruffle feathers with your travel companions.
Whether you’re staying local or hitting the road, this guide will help you stay consistent without burning out.
🧠 Train Your Brain: Pacing & Pace Goals
Our mental focus this week? Pacing—one of the most essential, yet overlooked, elements of endurance training.
We’ll explore:
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How to set realistic pace goals based on your current fitness and race targets
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The benefits of joining a pace group (and how it can boost both confidence and performance)
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Strategies for developing pace awareness—so you can feel your pace instead of relying solely on your watch
Dialing in your pace helps you run smarter, stay in control on race day, and finish strong—whatever your goals may be..
Fit For Life Physical Therapy are proud to be the Official MIT and Fleet Feet Columbus Medicine Partners. We care for people of all activity levels — to help prevent, recover from, or rehabilitate athletic injuries.
Michael Sean Huffman MS, ATC, PT
Fit For Life Physical Therapy
MIT Medical Resources Coach
RUN FORREST RUN 10(ish)k
A Fantastic Event Where Running-Meets-Cinema
🎬 Ready to run like the wind blows?
Join your MIT teammates on Sunday, August 10th for one of the most unique race experiences of the summer: the Run Forrest Run 10ishK!
This movie-meets-mileage mashup is a celebration of the iconic film Forrest Gump, featuring:
🏃♂️ A 6ish-mile point-to-point run between two local theaters (Grandview Cinema & Drafthouse and Studio 35 Cinema and Drafthouse).
🍺 A free beer + custom pint glass waiting for you at the finish
👕 A race shirt, naturally
🎞️ A full Forrest Gump screening—half before you run, half after
🎟️ And yes, plenty of feathered hair and 90s nostalgia -- COSTUMES ENCOURAGED!
Here’s the breakdown:
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8:00–9:00am: Packet pickup at your starting location
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9:00–9:30am: Forrest Gump Pt. I
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9:30–11:30am: Run ~6.5 miles to Grandview Theater
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11:30–2:00pm: Forrest Gump Pt. II, with your beer in hand 🍻
Whether you're gunning for a pace goal or just looking for a great time with Coach Hannah and other MITers, this event is the perfect way to mix fun and fitness.
If you'd like to join Coach Hannah on this adventure, choose the GRANDVIEW TO STUDIO 35 OPTION and use code MITLOVESGUMP for $5 off!
🎟️ Spots are limited—sign up soon!
And remember… We "just feel like running. "🏃♀️🏃♂️
From Coach Mark:
A little back story on me. I was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma cancer in Oct 2020. Multiple Myeloma is the second most common form of blood cancer and has a 5-year survival rate of about 60%. By March of 2021, they were able to get it into remission, it will come back. On March 24, 2021, I was admitted into the James and received my dose of Chemo.
On March 26, 2021, I received some of my Stem Cells back and then was released 10 days later the cancer being in remission. It is still in remission today, I know the cancer will come back, as there is no cure as of today, and this is where MMRF comes into play. They are searching for a cure for Multiple Myeloma, but as of today, there has been great progress in keeping the cancer in remission, but no cure. Before the cancer, and for the past 14 years, I have done many races. Anything from the London Marathon to the Spartan Beast. 5k's, 10k's, 15k's, half marathons and 25k's. I wanted to keep going after my treatment and 11 months after the treatments, I was able to complete the Warmup Columbus Half Marathon and 2 weeks later the Ft. Lauderdale A1A Half Marathon.
The Wipe out Cancer 5k is being organized as a fundraiser for the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF), and all proceeds will be donated to the organization. In return for my fundraising, I was given an entry into the NYC Marathon on November 2, 2025. This will be my 2nd World major, with London being completed in April 2024. I intend on making this an annual event and hope that many will run, to show their support for the MMRF and their research to find the cure for Multiple Myeloma.
WIPE OUT CANCER 5k
Local Race (OR VIRTUAL RACE!) for a Great Cause
