The Heartbreakers Running Club

The Heartbreakers are the official USATF certified running club of Heartbreak Hill Running Company and South End Athletic Company.

RECRUITING EVENT HAPPENING 11/20 at 6:30PM FREE – RSVP HERE

Here’s Dan Fitzgerald, co-owner of SEAC | HHRC & Chief Heartbreaker, on why he created the team:

Chief Heartbreaker, Dan Fitzerald, with the team tent after winning the West Suburban YMCA Angino 5K in September 2014.

I’ve seen so many runners make the commitment to themselves to show up each week at SEAC SPEED and HHRC’s Hill Club and get faster. At the same time, I’ve seen so many new friendships blossom over the course of running circles on the track, up and down the hills, and over beers post run. This was the natural next step.

Within the Heartbreakers as in SEAC SPEED & Hill Club, I strive to make the environment low key but at the same time allow you to compete with yourself and others to get stronger and faster – whatever that means to you. If you’re running your first 5K or 20th marathon, training with the support of new friends and teammates with like minds will make you a better runner.

Now, the name, “The Heartbreakers”, and my goofy title, “Chief Heartbreaker”… I want you to smile when you think about this team and get my email each week (see below). It’s all in fun. We’re not taking ourselves too seriously.

We all run for different reasons: sometimes we run just to get outside, sometimes for fun, sometimes to win, sometimes to see if we can do it better than the last time, and often to challenge our body and clear our mind of the stresses of daily life. The Heartbreakers are here to support YOUR run.

Membership in the club has it’s benefits. Here’s the list:

– Choice! Choose a premium HHRC or SEAC singlet

– Premium Coaching Services! Dan is the official coach of the Boston Marathon teams for Mass General, the Red Cross, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and the Joslin Diabetes Center. With your Heartbreaker membership, you’ll be armed with programs tested and proven by hundreds of runners over one of the most challenging courses in the game. Access Dan’s proven beginner and intermediate marathon training programs.

– Access! Question about an upcoming race? Ask Dan anything you need to know! He can help with a key workout suggestion, fine tune your taper, or outline your post race recovery. He’s here for you!

– Support! Get a weekly email from Dan with the “Workout of the Week”, team news, event updates, and more (sample email below)

– Office Hours sponsored by Harpoon Brewery! The 4th Monday of every month is Harpoon sponsored coach’s office hours. Join the team for a social easy run from either store to a bar in the middle where your first Harpoon is on the coach!

A running club needs a beer sponsor. Harpoon Brewery is the official beer sponsor of The Heartbreakers.

– Discounts! Get priority or discount access to events like SEAC Elite and more!

If that sounds like something you’d like to be a part of, you can sign up here.

Happy Running! – Dan

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Here’s an example of the weekly email from The Heartbreakers Vol.1 #11:

Hello Heartbreakers!

How many PRs did we have this weekend? I know we had at least 2 go down in
NH, another on the Firehouse course, some great runs on the Cape, and Lou
even grabbed a win in Southie today. Check out the attached photos. Don’t
know these people? Why the hell haven’t you come on one of the Harpoon
sponsored pub runs?! Next chance is on 10/27.

This is a big week! For many, the BAA Half is a focus race. With that in
mind, for those of you running the race, here’s how I map out a race week:

Monday: just like every Monday
Tuesday: Run Like an Animal (see workout of the week)
Wed: 20% less than my normal Wed and faster
Thurs: Warm up jog 10-15 min; strides; 1.5 miles on the track @ 5K pace;
cool down
Fri: OFF
Sat: EASY jog 10 min to track, stretch, warm up drills, 4 x strides, 10 min
EASY jog cool down
Sun: RACE! Hit it!

Upcoming Events:

Tuesday 10/7 – FREE SEAC ELITE, 6:30PM @ SEAC, FREE for Heartbreakers
only, learn the warm up drills & “run like an animal”, or do a 2nd option
on the track for those of you not racing this weekend. Two different
workouts this Tuesday.

Sunday 10/12 – BAA Half – many of you are flying the flag that day. If
you aren’t, join me via bike as a mobile cheering squad!

Sunday 10/19 9AM, Franklin Park: Urban Stride 5K
http://www.urbanimprov.org/?page=highlights&topic=Urban%20Stride

Monday 10/27 7PM: Harpoon Coach’s Office Hours (TBD)

Workout of the Week:

Run Like an Animal

When it comes to race week, there is a lot of stress around. There’s time
and pace obsession, taper nerves, and the realization that all of the work
you’ve been doing has been pointing toward one day and
thatdayisalmosthereOHMYGOD… AAHHHH!!! To quell the anxiety and to connect
with my body, I like to get off the track, off the pace target, and into
the woods. The workout is simply 10-15 min warm up, stop stretch, 4 x
strides, then begin 6 x 30 seconds strong with a walking easy recovery
(option to do lunges after the 1st two or 3 30 sec intervals), 10-15min
cool down. What makes it different is that I’d suggest doing it in the
woods (Cold Springs park, the fens, etc), somewhere that removes all of
your markers and pace guides. Also, guestimate the 30 seconds. Just do a
warm up, hit a nice longish up tempo pace until you think you’ve hit 30
seconds then walk until you’re 75% recovered and do it again. Keep it
simple. Keep it fun. Don’t stress. Just run in the woods like an wild
animal – a cool wild animal that wears a heartbreaker singlet and hydrates
with Harpoon rather than running around naked and eating bugs & garbage.

– FREE SEAC ELITE THIS WEEK – TUESDAY @ 6:30 at SEAC – learn the warm up
drills & run like an animal, or do a 2nd option on the track for those of
you not racing this weekend. Two different workouts this Tuesday. All fun!

– Let me know if you want the marathon programs and I’ll forward them.

– There’s a lot of fun happening in the Facebook group. Fight FOMO and
join us here: https://www.faceboo[sorry, heartbreakers only]

– Singlets reminder: you can pick up the SEAC or HHRC branded singlet of
your choice at your convenience at either store. I didn’t want to be a run
club “Bridezilla” picking ultra-matchy bridesmaid singlets so, you can pick
your favorite and show off your own personal style while still being a
Heartbreaker You can wear a Rainbow SEAC>>>>, the classic white singletwith
the red heart, or whichever you like best! We’re all Heartbreakers.
Out-of-towners, we’ll ship it to you! You can review your options here.