Warning: Art Students Running!

>> Thursday, May 14, 2009

Yesterday was the first group workout for the “College of Visual Arts Triathlon Club!” We met at 8 (yes, 8 am - they actually got out of bed that early!) for a 2 mile run. We met at CVA’s main building, and then we started with a 0.7 mile warm-up run. Here’s the gang hitting the turn-around of the warm-up near the Cathedral of St. Paul:



We got back to CVA, sat in the yard and stretched. I mapped out a 2 mile route for everyone to run. Here’s everyone starting the run:


And yes, that’s Pharmie on the far right.
She joined us for the workout too!

At the 0.5 mile mark, I snapped photos of everyone heading out. Here’s 4 of them, and I don’t know what Rudy is doing (I don’t condone his form):



Here, I don’t know what Brice is doing:



Joe had JUST quit smoking the day before this workout, so his “salute” and his “Mr. Yuk” shirt both sum up his mood at this point:



And here’s Pharmie running with Rachel, and their pony-bounces match nicely:



I stopped at the turn-around point to encourage everyone. Then we all headed back towards school. Rudy (the one running sideways the second photo in this post) was faster than he thought he was! He kept getting faster, and he negative split his 2 miler and finished under 16 minutes! AND he was just wearing generic Sketchers knock-offs from Target. (I don’t condone that, but they’re all broke art students, so what can I do?...)

Here’s part of the group done running, as we’re waiting for a few more to come in:



Everyone did SO GOOD! Seriously, I was impressed!! After the run, we stat down in the yard again, and talked about our training program. Pharmie and I looked at a bunch of training plans, and we settled on a pretty cut-and-dry training plan from Triathlon Training: Race Programs for Sprint Distance Through Ironman, by Michael Finch. We used Finch’s sprint distance program, but it’s written for a triathlon that has a much shorter bike than the one we’re doing. So we replaced the bike workouts with the workouts from Finch’s olympic distance program. I think it will work!

Now, I’m trying to set up a group swim lesson at our local Y for everyone. If that comes through, I’ll be pumped!!

And remember to check back Sunday or Monday to see if Matt and I (Team Happy Pants) can take the gold at the Gear West Duathlon! Wish us luck!

27 comments:

Kim 9:05 AM, May 14, 2009  

how fun! it looks like everyone had a blast (even including the middle-finger former smoker - that's great that he has quit!)

great job steve!

KodaFit 9:51 AM, May 14, 2009  

Sweet dude! My favorite pic was definitely Joe!

Marlene 9:55 AM, May 14, 2009  

Awesome! Love those pics.

Good luck to Team Happy Pants!

Carolina John 10:18 AM, May 14, 2009  

nice, you actually got the guy to stop smoking and start running? that sounds familiar....

do the students read this blog? they should know if you're putting pictures of them online. rudy's mom would be pround of him, you know.

and 8 minute miles on their first run? how did you find students that were actually fast? good job steve. Who would have thought that you would actually be a good influence?

Missy 11:39 AM, May 14, 2009  

That rocks, nice work with the kiddo-s! I'm sure they appreciate that comment. I love the enthusiasm of flipping you the bird...he's figuring that'll never make the blog;)

Brian 11:46 AM, May 14, 2009  

good turnout for the beginning. hopefully they'll keep showing up. maybe a criteria would be that they have running shoes.

Anne 12:03 PM, May 14, 2009  

Wait till they see how inspirational the bike and swim parts are. I know my creativity ramps up with a good run.

GoBigGreen 12:12 PM, May 14, 2009  

Super run and good turn out:) Stairs at JJ hill next?
Let me know if the pool thing works out, I could come and help you!

The Boring Runner 12:27 PM, May 14, 2009  

LOL. That is great :) Most of these pictures cracked me up, but the one w/ the thumbs up dude was especially funny.

Also funny was everyone's shoes. I started out in my mowing shoes that had to be at least 4 years old (including grass stains) and had so little tread that I actually fell while on a treadmill at one time! :)

Keep plugging away! Based on one of those pictures it looks like you have a GREAT turnout.

kate 1:41 PM, May 14, 2009  

I didn't get to do anything that fun in college :).

Way to inspire us all and get everyone involved!

Chic Runner 2:30 PM, May 14, 2009  

What a great post and what a great coach for taking some sweet pictures! you are going to get these kids addicted :)

Unknown 2:38 PM, May 14, 2009  

What a great coach. Nice job

Unknown 4:06 PM, May 14, 2009  

They all sure looked happy...

...except for Mr. Yuck.

Michelle 6:13 PM, May 14, 2009  

Totally awesome photos!!

They look like they are really into it and having a blast!!! With you, how can they not???

Jade Lady 6:27 PM, May 14, 2009  

Team Happy Pants, huh? Wow, it's so great that you organized this...So, does this mean u guys will have yellow short pants as uniforms?

Unknown 6:48 PM, May 14, 2009  

This is friggin COOL. I like it. I like Rudy's newest running form. The picture of Joe with his birdie cracked me up. Hat off to him for abstaining the recreational mood altering substances, hence, ciggie.

t-odd 7:04 PM, May 14, 2009  

There is no way those are art students. None of them are sullen, wearing all black, chain smoking and hooked on meth or heroin. They are simply "students." And why are they resting in front of the Adams' Family house? It is kind of creepy.

RBR 8:03 PM, May 14, 2009  

Very cool! I think my favorite is the synchronized pony tails picture!

I remember feeling just like Joe for about a year after I quit smoking, but I didn't have a cool tri coach to encourage me.

I just had Twinkies.

Not as motivational, FYI.

teacherwoman 8:08 PM, May 14, 2009  

Looks like a fun group! So cool that you put this together!

BTW, I just gave you an AWARD on my blog!

MizFit 6:42 AM, May 15, 2009  

laughing at t-odd as that was totally my first thought as well.

look at YOU all rolemodely.

Ordinarylife 7:00 AM, May 15, 2009  

Awesome - good luck to all of them.

CoachLiz 7:28 AM, May 15, 2009  

I am going to have to borrow Joe's pose for a few of my runs, lol. Great job to all of them.

Good Luck to Team Happy Pants!

Oh, loved the story on "Running!!" My cousin and his wife have a little girl with Down's Syndrome and she is ALWAYS happy. Your story reminded me of Anna Lee and that I need to give my cousin a call and see how the kids are.

Iron Girl Nyhus 7:32 AM, May 15, 2009  

Looks like fun! I love getting newbies into the sport.

Calyx Meredith 7:55 AM, May 15, 2009  

8 minute miles? Quitting smoking? Negative splits? ALL ON THE FIRST DAY? Wow - what a great group! Best of luck to them and luck to Team Happy Pants!

Irish Cream 9:23 AM, May 16, 2009  

Aw, looks like everyone is having so much fun!! I wish I could have done something like this in school! And seriously, you are changing kids' lives, Steve! Quitting smoking and whatnot--WOW!

Good luck to Team Happy Pants!

Anonymous,  7:26 AM, May 19, 2009  

Quite the Instigator you are!

1010 Chris

sRod 11:04 AM, May 22, 2009  

Dude who quit smoking must have been hating his day.

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