July 16, 2014
For immediate release
Program helps runners achieve marathon goals
Ready to run your first marathon, savor a personal-best effort or maybe even land a Boston Marathon qualifying time?
Check out the Sacramento Running Association’s California International Marathon Training Program, which offers runners individualized attention, excellent coaching and a chance to experience the camaraderie that comes with taking on a challenge together.
The 15-week program begins on Aug. 24, with a mandatory kickoff meeting set for Aug. 20 at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in Sacramento. The cost of $175 includes Wednesday night and Sunday morning workouts under the guidance of SRA Head Coach Scott Abbott, a former runner at Jesuit High School and UCLA and the cross country coach at Sacramento State for six years.
Runners can register at www.runsra.org. SRA members will receive a 10 percent discount.
“The one thing we tried to do is create a program that’s a catch-all for anybody interested in running a marathon, or maybe they’ve run a marathon before and are after a best time and maybe a potential Boston qualifier,” Abbott said.
“It’s very goal oriented … It makes it easier if you have a target, whether it’s breaking five hours or four hours or getting a Boston qualifier.”
The CIM is set for 7 a.m. on Dec. 7.
Workouts will move around the area, with speed work set for Wednesday nights and long runs for Sunday morning. There’s a special emphasis on getting everyone ready for the CIM course that winds from Folsom to the state Capitol.
“We try to move it around, create some variety,” Abbott said.
Abbott also emphasized the importance of bringing people together to train for a common purpose.
“The other advantage of our group is the esprit de corps, bonding through battle,” he said. “The support group, that’s big … We want people to come together.”
The SRA’s CIM training program began in 2011.
The Sacramento Running Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to finding ways to encourage people of all ages and abilities to run. The SRA is committed to developing new, quality running events that appeal to a broad variety of runners.