Welcome to Team Spiridon...

So, since we might have some new visitors to the website, here's a bit of an introduction and explanation...

Team Spiridon is a small training group committed to running as a vehicle for individual and community change. The team emphasizes running fundamentals, hard work, and an atmosphere of mutual support towards common goals, whether it's a first 5K, or a fifth Austin Marathon. The team will train over 24 weeks for the 2009 AT&T Austin Half Marathon or Marathon, beginning in August and meeting twice a week for fully-supported runs.

This group started in the summer of 2007, instigated almost completely by a handful of friends that I had coached previously. At first, we ran together just for the sake of friendship and running a couple of times a week, but more friends, and more friends of friends began turning up, and soon, there were 20-30 people wanting to run and train. And so, Team Spiridon was born.

I'm a big believer in running as a method of learning that we are not as limited as we too often come to accept in every day life. Every time we choose to run, and every time we line up at the starting line, we have the opportunity to choose who we are, the chance to be that better self that we want to be.

And just as in life, there's a lot of work we have to do on our own, but we can't get to our goals alone. So, this group continues as it began - friends inspiring and pushing and sometimes carrying each other to meet our goals. We compete, but we don't do elitism or arrogance. The most experienced marathoners and the brand new runners in our group are all in this together.

We also believe that we have an opportunity and a responsibility to be contributing members to the running community and the community at large. So, we volunteer our time for races, as well as for other charities, and this training season, we'll all commit to raising money for one or two charities that we'll select together as a team.

We are a small team, and I do all the coaching myself. That means there are things you won't get with Team Spiridon, like a ton of people, or a variety of workout times or programs. On the other hand, you get to avoid being lost in a crowd, and being part of a mob mentality. I'm still working on our fee structure, but last year, half marathon/marathon training was $150, for 24 weeks of training. That's about half of what some other groups charge, and that does get you:

• Two organized, coached, fully-supported workouts a week - a more intense, specific workout on Tuesday or Wednesday, and a long run on Saturday;
• A full workout schedule, available on the web;
• A lot of access to and attention from your coach (that's me). Yes, I've even made those early morning phone calls to drag people out of bed;
• Essays and information on this website, and via email. This Blogger site has proven to be an easy and effective site for the team, though I more often tend to email everyone once or twice a week with information and reminders. I'm making an effort to make sure those emails get posted on the site, as well;
• A tech shirt with the team logo and something that may or may not be witty/inspiring/cryptic to anyone but us;
• Discounts to some select local running stores, massage therapists, and other services.

Most importantly, you get a coach and teammates that are committed to making you a fundamentally sound runner, helping get you in condition and to the finish line safely.

This summer, we're meeting on Tuesday nights for quality workouts, and occasionally for long runs on Saturday or Sunday mornings. Feel free to join us (click the "Summer Workouts" button in the left margin of this page). You can also email me if you have any questions, or feel free to leave any questions for the team as a comment, and get the answers from the runners who are already part of the team, many of whom ran their first half marathon or marathon this year.

No matter who you choose to train with, if you're at the point of thinking you want to learn to run, or to run a marathon or half marathon, please do accept that challenge, and get good training. It makes a huge difference, and will help keep you on-track for the long training season. Running a marathon or half marathon will definitely change your life - do it, do it the right way, and have fun with it.

Happy running,

Rob