Ladies-
That course we did today? That's called the "Optimist 10k" course. If you climb into your wayback machine and set the year to 1985, you would find there used to be a 10k race in town called the Optimist 10k. I think you can put the rest together for yourselves!
It was a milestone run today. This was the first time as a team in the time I've been coaching where we as a unified team have run 6 miles or more (in summer training). Yes, we had individuals go beyond 5 miles last year, even some that went to 8, but it didn't happen that often. We were too hurt to get there.
Are miles important? YES! Miles give you strength, and strength lets you hold onto speed longer. You are all naturally fast enough to run a great 5k - after all, a 6:30 pace will put you right at 20:00. The bigger question is are you strong enough to hold that pace? With the help of a good summer of training, hopefully the answer will be an emphatic "YES!"
Not everyone will be vying for a 20-minute 5k this year. Some will be nowhere close. It doesn't matter. Sure, I would love it if everyone broke 20, but the reality is we are all at different stages of running, different abilities, and different health. Instead of asking for the impossible, I'll go for something far more attainable - improvement. In short, I want everyone to improve this year from beginning to end.
Those that are near the front will necessarily improve less than those near the back. It should be obvious why - there is a theoretical end to speed possible for a girls' 5k. The closer you get to that maximum, the less time you have left to drop. When you first start running, you drop minutes; after a couple of years, you drop seconds.
Remember, 10 points kept us out of Semi-State last year, right? That's 10 places. In certain areas of the running pack, 10 places could be 5 seconds. So I ask, is a 5-second drop important? YES! I will take absolutely any improvement. Always.
You are all getting better. You are all working hard. Know that I must push you harder, even in the summer. Know that the pain you suffer now is no worse than the pain your opponents around the state are facing. This is the price runners must pay to be great.
Tomorrow we will tempo again, and I am extending the distance again. Don't be afraid of it - face it. Embrace it. Accept the challenge.
That course we did today? That's called the "Optimist 10k" course. If you climb into your wayback machine and set the year to 1985, you would find there used to be a 10k race in town called the Optimist 10k. I think you can put the rest together for yourselves!
It was a milestone run today. This was the first time as a team in the time I've been coaching where we as a unified team have run 6 miles or more (in summer training). Yes, we had individuals go beyond 5 miles last year, even some that went to 8, but it didn't happen that often. We were too hurt to get there.
Are miles important? YES! Miles give you strength, and strength lets you hold onto speed longer. You are all naturally fast enough to run a great 5k - after all, a 6:30 pace will put you right at 20:00. The bigger question is are you strong enough to hold that pace? With the help of a good summer of training, hopefully the answer will be an emphatic "YES!"
Not everyone will be vying for a 20-minute 5k this year. Some will be nowhere close. It doesn't matter. Sure, I would love it if everyone broke 20, but the reality is we are all at different stages of running, different abilities, and different health. Instead of asking for the impossible, I'll go for something far more attainable - improvement. In short, I want everyone to improve this year from beginning to end.
Those that are near the front will necessarily improve less than those near the back. It should be obvious why - there is a theoretical end to speed possible for a girls' 5k. The closer you get to that maximum, the less time you have left to drop. When you first start running, you drop minutes; after a couple of years, you drop seconds.
Remember, 10 points kept us out of Semi-State last year, right? That's 10 places. In certain areas of the running pack, 10 places could be 5 seconds. So I ask, is a 5-second drop important? YES! I will take absolutely any improvement. Always.
You are all getting better. You are all working hard. Know that I must push you harder, even in the summer. Know that the pain you suffer now is no worse than the pain your opponents around the state are facing. This is the price runners must pay to be great.
Tomorrow we will tempo again, and I am extending the distance again. Don't be afraid of it - face it. Embrace it. Accept the challenge.
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