Finding your speed: Meet the SpeedPlay Coaches!

Hey Fleet Feet friends! It's Amy from the store, and I'm excited about our summer SpeedPlay program.

(OK, To say I am excited is an understatement.)

CoachesJohnAndDeb-2017When Leah told us Deb Vercauteren and John Zupanc were coaching our summer SpeedPlay program, my first thought was "NO WAY!" My second thought was "sign me up!"

It's been years (ahem, 22 years to be exact) since I have done a speed workout on the track (way back for my high school track team). So dusting off the rust of those 22 years without formal speed work was going to take me waaaaay out of my comfort zone. But with Coaches John and Deb leading the way, I knew I would walk off the track a stronger runner, and ready for the Fox Cities Half Marathon in September.

So why was I so geeked out about who was coaching this program? I got to work with Deb and John as a reporter for the school newspaper for my college, UW-Oshkosh. They led their track and cross country teams to much success, and I got to cover that success for the paper. It was always a pleasure to talk with the duo and their athletes, and since I loved running so much, it was fun to share the stories with our student population.
(Click here to read more about this coaching duo, pictured above).

There is still time to join us for SpeedPlay. One morning a week (through July 19), get your workout in before you start your day! Early bird catches the worm, and some speed. (Visit here to register and for more details).

What can you expect from SpeedPlay? John and Deb filled me in.

Q: For those new to the speedwork game, what is some advice you can provide?
A: "Be open to try new workouts.  We believe that this can provide some new ways to approach your running.  Be careful not to do too much too soon.  Be conservative early and allow your body to adapt."
Q: Maybe someone is coming into the program with speedwork under their belt, but want to up their game. What advice do you have for them?
A: "The more experienced runner can play around with different variables.  For example one can change the distance of the work interval or change the length of the recovery interval.  Or it is possible to change the speed of the work interval or the speed of the recovery interval.  There are so many different ways to approach speed work.  The fun part is figuring out what works for you."
Q: What is the part about coaching in general do you enjoy the most?
A: "We really enjoy watching runners progress and develop a passion for running.  We enjoy learning new methods, new approaches, and the process of implementing those ideas.  The art of coaching is an often overlooked area that can be overwhelmed by all the science."
Q: What are you most looking forward to as coaches for this program?
A: "We are looking forward to interacting with runners.  We want to see you succeed and in the process learn about a variety of training ideas. Both of us are passionate about running.  It has been a huge part of our lives."

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