Running and Empowerment  By Whitney Price (I Pooped Myself and I’m Proud of It) I joined Southwest Endurance Training during the height of the COVID pandemic in late 2020, on the suggestion of a friend. I figured that maybe beyond helping me meet a running goal that I’d had for quite some time, I’d make some friends. When I first joined, I wanted to run a 10k. I had no other goals beyond that. I am, objectively, a sub-average runner. I started with the Running Start 5k group with no aspirations or time goals. And it was during this time, that I was introduced to a brand new concept for me ..read more

SWET is always looking to keep our training options fresh and challenge our runners, so we are proud to introduce 5kP Our strategy behind 5kPerformace is that we will be performing 2 time trials, one at the start and mid point of the training cycle.  Using this information, we tailor your pacing targets for training and racing.  Training starts on March 14, 2023.  We will be using the Meet Me Downtown 5k on May 27, 2023 to test your new found 5k speed. 5kP meets three times a week, a Tuesday evening interval run, Wednesday evening track session and a Saturday morning long run, w ..read more

Fall Running Groups Begin in August! Coronavirus has disrupted running events, causing the cancellation of most events over the last few months.  Race directors are still scheduling Fall events, but the pandemic is still evolving and putting uncertainty into upcoming events.   We’ve selected our goal races for fall, but there is no guarantee that these events will go as planned.  Racing or not, SWET is still training this fall.  Scientific knowledge about Covid-19 is still growing, but we feel that with proper social distancing, running and training outside is relative ..read more

But SWET is a running group! Why Power walking?  Sometimes you need to walk before you run!  We are bridging the gap for individuals who are just beginning on their movement journey. While our Running Start 5k is a beginner program, we still have a prerequisite of being able to briskly walk three times a week. If you aren’t doing that, getting started can be challenging! That is where we want to help.  Our groups provide professional accountability, a sense of community, and support all while providing coaching on areas such as proper pre/post workout stretches, form techniques ..read more

Results from the 2022 SWET Strength Track and Trail Session Yet another group of intrepid runners have survived my torture whilst going fast.  Not all of the pain was my idea, sometimes the bad ideas were Sean’s fault. Luiz S was most improved in both overall time and percentage improved, besting his previous mile time by a disgusting 52 seconds.  I smell a sandbag. To date, 65 runners have completed STaT, with an average program improvement in the mile of 6.2% Results: Initial Mile Final Mile Seconds Improved % Improved Alma Rose 0:07:42 0:07:03 00:39.0 8.4% Andrea  0:0 ..read more

…or SWETrats. (I couldn’t settle on a title). As we are wrapping up our 2021 Fall running sessions (not you Ultra runners – keep getting up at ugly o’clock to do your miles), we are faced with having too much year left at the end of our running.  So we’ve devised something a little different to cap off the year. The RunAround Tucson Relay will be held on January, 1 2022.  This race is a team relay race around the Loop.   There are up to 11 legs in the race, ranging in distance from 3.5 to 8.5 miles. We at SWET are going to set up training teams for the RAT, and run the rac ..read more

Another Great STaT Session! We just wrapped up our third STaT – Strength Track and Trail session.  This was the biggest “graduating” class  yet (runners who recorded an opening and closing mile).  A recap for those of you who don’t know what STaT is: STaT is a 4 week program that focuses on short distance speed and strength.  We do this in the heat of the spring or summer, and start with an opening mile to set a baseline, followed by testing at the end to see how much we improved.  Wednesday evenings we do speed work for 30 minutes, and a HIIT style workout for the bal ..read more

Spring is in the air, vaccines are going in arms, let’s go run!   I, for one, am happy for it to be warming up outside.  I am happiest running when it is warm, my running gets lazy when it’s cold and dark outside.  It also looks like a good chance that racing will return to semi-normal this fall, as more and more people are vaccinated.  That doesn’t mean we can drop our guard.  SWET will continue to practice masking and social distancing on our group runs, until the smart people with PhDs tells us it is OK to unmask and hug non-family members. Here’s our spring plans ..read more

Marathon and Half Marathon Route Link 50K Add On Route Link   We are a week and a half out from the SWET “Run From Covid” 50K, Marathon and Half Marathon.  Here’s how this is going down: The Run From Covid is happening on Decemeber 5th. The race is a point-to-point race.  It is net downhill.  Links to the route map are above. Because this race is low budget, this is not a closed course race.  You must follow SWET guidelines for running facing traffic. Your safety is paramount.  All motor vehicles have the right of way, or your race may end with an ambulance ride ..read more

Take Social Distancing to a New Distance With the pandemic raging all around us,  we need to be taking care of ourselves.  The vaccine for Covid-19 is months away, but your physical and mental health can’t wait for that.  Go outside and run.  Lets recap the benefits of running: Running makes you healthier. This study of 230,000 people over 35 years found a 23% lower chance of cancer mortality, 30% lower chance of cardiovascular mortality and a 27% lower chance of all-cause mortality.  Better yet, this study found that the amount of time spent running, distance ran or ..read more