FREE Pack Run Group
If you just want to have some friendly folks to run with, this is your group! We meet every Saturday morning at 8:30 AM at the Covent Garden Market downtown London Ontario (corner of King and Talbot St.) and run as a group for 5, 7 or 9k depending on the route you choose. Then we meet back at the market for a coffee or your favourite market beverage to discuss all things running — plus a wide range of intellectually stimulating topics that changes every week.
5K / 5K Learn to Run
Whether you’ve never run more than 100 metres or you’re a seasoned shorter-distance runner, this clinic is a great way to set your personal best in a 5K race.
We split this group into two or three sections, depending on the running experience of the participants:
Level 1: Learn to Run / Couch to 5K: If you want to get fit but have not run since you were a kid, this is your level. We will start you by walking and running (with more walking than running). Even if you can only run for 15 seconds, you do what you can and we get you through it. The more you do it, the more that you will improve over time. By the end of the clinic, if you’ve done all the workouts, you’ll be amazed at how much you have improved and you will be able to walk/run a 5K work.
Level 2: Walk/Run: If you can already run a couple of minutes without stopping, this is your level. These workouts will help you extend your distance between walk breaks and may get you the ability to complete a 5K run without walking at all!
Level 3: Faster Race Time: If you can already run 5K without a walk break but would like to do your first race, or if you’d like to improve your race time, this your level. These workouts will build both your strength and endurance to help you get your best (or first) 5K race time!
Half Marathon Clinic
You have a 5k or 10k race under your belt and you’re looking for a bigger challenge. The Half Marathon (21.1 kilometres) is a very achievable distance within a single running clinic, especially if you’ve been getting in some 5k and 10k runs on a semi-regular basis.
Coach John’s Half Marathon Clinic meets at the same times as the Marathon clinic participants. Even people who have many marathons under their belts like the Half clinic because it isn’t as hard on your body, and yet you get to have as much (or more) fun as the Marathon participants!
Marathon Clinic
The marathon is one of the toughest challenges that most people will ever complete in their lifetimes. Training for a marathon on your own — without a training and support group — is even tougher.
Coach John has been running marathons for over 4 decades, and has helped thousands of people reach their running goals — be it simply completing the marathon, qualifying for the Boston marathon, or achieving a personal best time in the marathon.
Speed Clinic
Completing a half or full marathon distance is one thing. Completing the race in the fastest time you are able is a whole different ball game.
To run fast, you need to train fast. Not every run, but once per week you should be running at a sufficiently fast pace that your body adapts — both your muscle strength and your cardiovascular capacity.
The Winter Speed Clinic sessions start at 6:05 PM from Citi Plaza, upstairs from GoodLife. From there, we do the repeats of sections of the (roughly) 1 KM loop around Victoria Park or the (roughly) 600 m. Canada Life block. These routes are well-salted, well-lit and are generally sheltered from the wind, so these speed repeats are quite civilized. You can get your Speed Work in and then get home for a late supper — or some of us go to Crabby Joes for some rehydration.
The Summer Speed Clinic sessions alternate between TD Stadium’s track and Gibbons Park for June, July and August, and wrap up with mile repeats at Gibbons Park in September and October.
