Attending CVRR sponsored runs requires you to sign a waiver. If you are already a CVRR member, you signed this waiver when you joined the club. If you are not a CVRR member, select the CVRR Membership/Waiver link above to go to our Race Roster registration site. Signing the waiver allows you to try club activities for 31 days for free. If you intend to be a regular participant, please purchase a club membership.
Please come prepared in reflective gear, light(s), and shoes with good traction during the fall and winter months!
Perceived effort (1-10 scale) means how hard to push yourself. Using the scale, a 1-2/10 effort is very easy, so you can probably talk when running. Running 9-10/10 effort is hard to very hard with strong breathing, so talking would be difficult.
Please email Neil with any training questions at coach@cvrr.ca. Above all train smart, stay safe and enjoy!
TUESDAY NIGHT TRACK
Welcoming runners of all abilities and ambitions to increase your fitness, form, and speed in a positive and encouraging environment. Tuesday Night Track workouts are suitable for newer, non-competitive runners and experienced runners with specific race goals. CVRR coach Neil Holm leads Tuesday Night Track workouts at the Vanier Track (3001 Vanier Dr, Courtenay).
- 5:00 – Warm-up for at least 10 minutes on your own
- 5:20 – Drills & strides
- 5:40 – Workout, then cool down
- 6:30-ish – Finish
During the workout, it is important to run an effort/pace that matches your current level of fitness without trying to keep up with people who are faster than you, so don’t shorten your rest. Improvement occurs with proper individual pacing and adequate rest between workouts which can be an easy run or cross training session on another day. After each track workout, be sure to do an easy, self-paced cool down run.
If you are a newer runner, start with fewer repeats, such as 2-3 repeats, to build your strength gradually. Improvement occurs with proper pacing and adequate rest between sessions which can be an easy run or alternative cross training session on another day.
CVRR Tuesday Training Sessions from July 8th – October 14th, 2025
July 8th: Vanier Field Cruise Intervals: 2-10 x 1 lap (approximately 750 metre loop) at threshold pace (8.5/10 effort), off 1-2 minutes rest. Focus on relaxed running and not pushing too hard. 4 x 15 second strides on grass, off 45 seconds rest.
July 15th: Track Session 300s: 1- 4 sets of 3 x 300 m at 5k race pace (i.e., 9/10 effort) with 100 metre walk/jog to start between reps. 3 min easy jogging between sets. Run the 300s at a strong pace but not full out!
July 22nd: Glacier Loop Cruise Intervals: 2- 5 x 1200 m at threshold pace (i.e., 8.5/10 effort), off 1-2 minutes jog; 4 x 15 seconds strides, off 45 second rest. Focus on even pacing throughout without pushing too hard.
July 29th: Horse Trails Mono Fartlek: 2 x 90 seconds hard (i.e., 8.5-9.5/10 effort), off 90 seconds easy; 4 x 60 seconds hard, off 60 seconds easy; 4 x 30 seconds hard, off 30 seconds easy; 4 x 15 seconds hard, off 15 seconds easy. Fun and challenging!
August 5th: Track or Horse Track Session: “Counting steps pyramid” at tempo-interval Pace (i.e., 15k-3k race pace or 8.5-9.5/10 effort). Begin with 10 steps easy, 10 steps hard, 20 easy, 20 hard, up to 100 steps easy/hard, and then back down to 10 steps easy/hard. New runners go up to 50- 60 steps maximum. This is a great variable pace workout! As always, focus on relaxed form with good knee lift!
August 12th: Blooming Barn Loop Progressive Tempo: 10 minutes at 7.5/10 effort, 10 minutes at 8/10 effort,10 minutes at 8.5-9/10 effort. New runners can run 5-minute efforts instead and then continue with an easy cooldown run. Optional: 4 x 15 second strides, off 45 seconds.
August 19th: Horse Trails Fartlek: 30 sec,1’, 2’, 3’, 5’, 3’, 2’ & 1’ & 30 sec, off 1 minute easy running between. The efforts are at 8.5-9.5/10, depending on how you feel. Always focus on running relaxed without straining!
August 26th: Track Session 600s and 200s: 2-5 x 600 m at 5 km race pace (i.e., 9/10 effort), off 2-3 minutes rest (i.e., walk/jog back to start); 2-6 x 200 m at repetition pace (i.e., 9.5/10 effort), off 1-2 minutes’ walk/jog back to start. Splits will be provided.
September 2nd: Vanier Field Cruise Intervals: 2-10 x 1 lap (approx. 750 m loop) at threshold pace (i.e., 8.5/10 effort), off 1-2 minutes rest. Focus on relaxed running and not pushing too hard. 4 x 15 seconds strides on grass, off 45 sec rest.
September 9th: Track Session Broken km Repeats: 1-5 x 1000 m, off 2-3 minutes rest; 200 m at mile race pace (i.e., 9.3/10 effort, splits provided) alternating with 200 m at a fast recovery “float” run (i.e,. 5-6/10 effort, taking approx. 45-65 seconds). This is a great multi paced session for all distances.
September 16th: Vanier Fields Ins & Outs: 6-12 x 1 minute fast (i.s., 8.5-9/10 effort), off 1-minute easy running. Focus on light rhythmic running form with good leg turnover.
September 23rd: Track Session: Ingebrigsten Mini: 4-14 x 400 metres at 10 km race pace (i.e., 8/10 effort), off 30-60 seconds rest with 3 minutes rest between sets (when you reach half of the session). Half of a session means if doing 4 x 400 m, then take 3 min after 2 x 400 m. Splits will be provided. Focus on even pacing – not too hard!
September 30th: Blooming Barn Cruise Intervals: On Dove Creek Road, 2-5 x 5 minutes (i.e., 5 min in each direction) at threshold pace (i.e., 8.5/10 effort), off 60-90 sec. rest; 4 x 15 second strides, off 45 second rest.
October 7th: Track Session 1200s: 2-6 x 1200 m at threshold pace (i.e., 8.5/10 effort), off 2 minutes rest. If racing RVM or full or half marathon, do 3-4 x 1200 m. Splits will be provided.
October 14th: Horse Trails Fartlek: 4-5 sets of 1 minute and 2 minutes hard (i.e., 8.5-9.5/10 effort), off 1 min easy between. Fun and challenging; focus on quick and relaxed leg turnover! If you raced last weekend, do an easy recovery run of 30-45 minutes.
COACH NEIL HOLM
Coach Neil brings a wealth of experience as well as expertise and boundless enthusiasm to our Tuesday Night Training sessions. He has been a nationally ranked runner from 1500 metres up to the marathon distance. He started competitive running at age twelve with the Norwesters Track & Field club in West Vancouver. He later ran for Simon Fraser University on an athletic scholarship and the Richmond Kajaks Track Club. Over the years he has been very fortunate to receive good coaching that helped him excel at various distances on the track, cross country and the roads. Some highlighted performances include a 3:56 for 1500 metres; 30:49 track 10,000 metres at the Harry Jerome Track Classic; 1:07:32 half marathon personal best and also winning the 2003 Vancouver First Half Marathon in 69:55. Neil was also the first Canadian finisher in the 2000 Boston Marathon in 2:32. In 2003 Neil ran the Chicago Marathon with a personal best time of 2:26 adding to his total of five marathons under two hours and thirty minutes. Neil still competes as a masters runner. He was the winner of the 2007 California International Marathon (masters division) in 2:32 at age 42.
As a master Neil also placed 7th overall in the 2008 Victoria Marathon in 2:36.
Neil continues to be passionate about running and endurance sports in general and believes in long term development and performance over one’s life. As a coach he fosters consistent and progressive training practices that acknowledge the uniqueness of each athlete in order for them to reach their goals. More recently Neil has become actively involved in Nordic ski racing during winter months. He is also a NCCP community ski coach for the Strathcona Nordics that includes coaching his two children.
Neil and his family are avid outdoor enthusiasts that enjoy hiking, cycling, swimming and exploring the beautiful BC coast during the summer months. Neil works as an instructor at North Island College and holds a Masters degree in education.
Please contact Neil Holm with any questions at coach@cvrr.ca.