Womens Academy - Foot Traffic – Northwest Running & Walking Shoes

Fall/Winter 5K, 10K, and Half Marathon Training is underway! Contact us today to find out WHERE OUR NEXT MEETING location is!

Join Foot Traffic Women’s Academy as we train for an October 5k or 10K or a December Half Marathon or 10K!

SAFE and FUN OUTDOOR TRAINING! Weekly group meetings with staggered starts for each pace group, coaching and training schedules, zoom coaching and special topics meetings, weekly marked courses, pace mentors for over 12 pace groups including walkers, walk/joggers, and runners, member shirt or tank top (your choice), a pair of performance running socks, exclusive discounts and offers, and lots more! Read below for specific details!

HALF MARATHON TRAINING

Sept. 11th to Dec. 12th

$95

MEMBERSHIP INCLUDES:
GOAL EVENT: Holiday Half on Dec. 12th
Member shirt or tank top
Free pair of technical socks
Exclusive discounts for races and to Foot Traffic stores
Weekly emails & coaching.
Weekly (Saturday morning) small-group training for women only!
Staggered pace starts, keeping it small and spread out!
Pace group leaders for over 12 paces, including walkers & joggers

VIRTUAL ONLY TRAINING HALF

Sept. 11th to Dec. 12th

$60

MEMBERSHIP INCLUDES:
GOAL EVENT: Holiday Half on Dec. 12th
Receive weekly emails and training plans
Virtual coaching Zoom calls each week.
Member shirt or tank top
Exclusive discounts for races and to Foot Traffic stores
Free $14 technical running socks
Email access to coach and pace mentors

5K/10K TRAINING

Sept. 11th through October

$65

MEMBERSHIP INCLUDES:
GOAL EVENT: Late-October 5K or 10K
Member shirt or tank top
Free pair of technical socks
Exclusive discounts for races and to Foot Traffic stores
Weekly emails & coaching.
Weekly (Saturday morning) small-group training for women only!
Staggered pace starts, keeping it small and spread out!
Pace group leaders for over 12 paces, including walkers & joggers

VIRTUAL ONLY TRAINING 5K/10K

Sept. 11th through October

$50

MEMBERSHIP INCLUDES:
GOAL EVENT: Late-October 5K/10K
Receive weekly emails and training plans
Virtual coaching Zoom call each week.
Member shirt or tank top
Exclusive discounts for races and to Foot Traffic stores
Free $14 technical running socks
Email access to coach and pace mentors

SMALL-GROUP TRAINING EXPLAINED

All-Women’s training program!
Weekly Saturday morning GROUP meetings with workouts that are OUTSIDE! Weekly meeting locations rotate each week between Foot Traffic stores for variety.
Pace groups will have staggered starts each Saturday morning beginning at 8am through 8:30am according to pace (timing subject to slight changes).
Over 12 different pace leaders to keep you safe and organized.
Our head coach will help get each pace group and pace mentors out on the course safely and provide any morning updates to each group as they arrive.
Our coach and guest speakers will also “report live” either via zoom each week to connect with all members including our virtual only members.
Group meetings will require masks before and after workouts when members are preparing or cooling down and during the route if you are not able to safely maintain distance between another pace group member.
Your goal event will be either a late Fall 5K or 10K or the Holiday Half on Dec. 12th, depending on what program you sign up for.

VIRTUAL ONLY OPTION EXPLAINED

Receive weekly emails and training schedule for your chosen distance.
Weekly Friday coach zoom meeting (recorded each week for reference later if you can’t make it).
Includes member shirt or tank top!
Exclusive race and store discounts.
Free technical running/walking socks.
No group meetings. Train on your own with expert guidance and motivation and access to coaches via email and phone!

ABOUT FT WOMEN’S ACADEMY

Introducing the most established and popular all-women’s training program in Portland! ALL abilities of runners and walkers are welcome to join. Whether you are a woman just trying to start to get active again or you are looking to improve upon your existing fitness, the Foot Traffic Women’s Academy is for YOU! Women of all abilities and ages will be represented in the program and joined by “pace mentors” and coaches for all paces. The program emphasizes developing lifelong running and walking habits, while also helping women meet performance goals. The women’s training program partners with local businesses, fitness professionals, dieticians and physical therapists to help members navigate the world of fitness. With an overall “wellness” focus, this training program goes beyond simply training for a particular event and is a great opportunity to meet with like-minded women to start or maintain a healthy lifestyle. The weekly weekend meetings include tips and discussions from dieticians, trainers, physical therapists, and representatives in the running & walking apparel and footwear industries.

The women’s training Academy serves all levels and abilities starting at age 18 and up to seniors and will have motivating mentors of all ages and running and walking backgrounds. Membership includes a free super-cute women’s specific shirt, professional coaching both for runners and walkers, tons of free gear and exclusive discounts on related gear, organized weekly meetings, as well as weekly schedules delivered via email for each pace group’s specific workout to do on your own. What really separates this program from any other is the unparalleled camaraderie of an all-women’s environment discussing topics and issues of the utmost importance to women of all ages. We can’t wait to see you there, so register now and bring a friend!

Sincerely, The crew at FTWA

Feel free to send an email here to our wonderful coach, Diane Lechner with any questions about Women’s Academy!

Thanks to all of our wonderful sponsors:

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS!

can't make the first meeting or I may miss some workouts or even the goal event. Is that a problem?

Nope! The first day is a fantastic time to get acquainted, but the workout is brief and you’ll be able to pick up where we left off the next week with little problem. The rest of the workouts are absolutely imperative to your success, but we all miss a few weekend because of tough schedules every now and then. You will get weekly workouts emailed to you, so you can always do some on your own! And the final event…well, you can choose any event to work towards! The events we chose just happen to be great for first timers.

Where and when does this program meet?

Women’s Academy (WA) meets most Saturday mornings at 8am. We meet all over the Portland/Vancouver area and alternate locations each weekend, allowing us to see different pedestrian-friendly courses throughout the city. All of the weekday workouts can be done on your own, or you can join us for group runs/walks around town during the week (offered through the three Foot Traffic locations).

I have NO idea what pace I am. How do I know what group to join.

Here’s a secret: Even returning members have difficulty figuring out their pace the first few meetings! The 2nd weekend, we will be heading to a track for a pace evaluation to get familiar with your natural per mile pace. We have tons of pace groups and it is expected that you will start in one pace group and switch to a different one after a few weeks of training. We have pace groups going from 8:00-20:00/mile, including three run-walk interval groups (3:1, 2:1, and 1:1).

I can't run the whole time, but I'd like to try. Is there a jog/walk combo group?

YES! Our walk/jog groups will be following the “Galloway” model with respects to the exact walk/jog ratio.

Do I have to attend every meeting? I'll be gone on certain weekends?

No! We understand that we all have busy schedules and family and jobs often take priority. FTWA is meant to compliment your busy life, not become another source of anxiety. Most of the workouts you can do on your own. Of course, the more meetings you make, the better success you’ll see!

Can a friend show up with me the first day to see if they like it and pay afterward?

Absolutely! The first day is a TON of fun and a great way to find out what you’re in for! If they decide that it’s not what they’re looking for, no problem! But we think they’ll like it!

Are there weekday workout options?

YES! They are completely optional. However, we encourage everyone to look into our group runs/walks going from our three different stores and join other members at these workouts.

I'd love to find training partners from this group. How do I do that?

We LOVE the sense of community FTWA provides and we want to encourage that. As a result, we HIGHLY recommend members join our Facebook group (click here) to post their progress, look for training partners, post pictures, and ask questions. We can’t give everyone’s email out, so this is the best way for participants to communicate outside of the group in a safe way. In addition, we work on facilitating communication at the meetings as well.

My friend has much more/less experience than me. Do we start at the same mileage?

Nope! We have THREE separate workout plans for beginners, ‘tweeners, and advanced/returners. Everyone hits the reset button the first few weeks, but you’ll notice that returning members follow a more demanding schedule than someone that’s just starting out. We have plenty of people in EVERY group!

How do I find out what mileage to do each week? How do you contact me?

You will receive a weekly email with a detailed workout summary with EXACT workouts you need to train at. The email will also remind you about where we’re meeting the next weekend and what the mileage/topic/course will be as well.

Are jogging strollers welcome?

Absolutely! In fact, we encourage you to bring your kids if it’s feasible for you to do so. Feel free to email us if you have any specific questions about bringing your kid(s)!