Next few days...

Ladies,

Tomorrow practice is at 9 AM at the railroad bed, behind the East Lawrence Water Company. We'll run down the trail, out to Foote's Tomb, and perhaps a bit onto the east side of Bedford  before returning. It will be an easy run.

Monday - change of plans. Coach Spence correctly pointed out we need to get a hard workout in, and since we have a meet on Thursday (North Harrison Invite), we need to start the week with the hard stuff. That means Monday we'll meet by the soccer field, then move to the track. Good news is, it will be morning. Bad news, well... do I have to say?

We are getting girls nicked up, and that's normal. We do have to be diligent about caring for the wounds, so ICE! If you don't properly care for the little stuff, don't worry... you'll soon have bigger problems to deal with. Remember, the only way to find out where the line is is to cross it. This is one line we don't have to find.

The weather is supposed to break early next week. Hang in there!

First 800s

Ladies,

Straight to the numbers!

Athlete	1	2	3	4	Total	Pace	Projected 5k
Carrie	3:26:00	3:17:00	3:24:00	3:21:00	13:28:00	6:44:00	20:52:24
Danielle	3:26:00	3:19:00	3:24:00	3:21:00	13:30:00	6:45:00	20:55:30
Bret	3:28:00	3:30:00	3:24:00	3:21:00	13:43:00	6:51:30	21:15:39
Kaitlyn	3:35:00	3:42:00	3:38:00	3:36:00	14:31:00	7:15:30	22:30:03
Morgan	3:35:00	3:42:00	3:38:00	3:40:00	14:35:00	7:17:30	22:36:15
Madison	3:35:00	3:42:00	3:38:00	3:40:00	14:35:00	7:17:30	22:36:15
Diana	3:48:00	3:59:00	3:55:00	3:55:00	15:37:00	7:48:30	24:12:21
Chloe	3:51:00	4:00:00	3:57:00	3:57:00	15:45:00	7:52:30	24:24:45
Carlee	3:50:00	4:02:00	3:56:00	4:08:00	15:56:00	7:58:00	24:41:48

I have omitted Claudia's and McKena's numbers because they did not complete the workout - which is fine, they're still new - but I didn't feel I had enough information to form any conclusions.

Remember, the purposes of the workout are to:

• find the hardest sustainable running speed
• learn proper pacing
• improve efficiency
• develop a legitimate race pace for the next race

This workout is usually twice as long - in fact, the purpose of the first four are to get you to the final four! That's where the real running happens, where things become very clear as to what you really have in you. That said, I never go the full eight the first workout... it's too much. The first paces I give you are only shots in the dark, so some of you found them either to be too easy or too hard. The heat today is another factor... on a cooler day the paces would have seemed much easier. Okay, that's enough to wad into this, and since my rambling is beginning to lose cohesion, let me go on.

Carrie, Danielle, Bret: Well done. Once you got the feel of the pace it wasn't too hard. I was a bit concerned on the fourth one though... you were behind at the quarter and were forced to surge to make it. It might have gotten very interesting if the workout had gone on. Again, is that the pacing or the heat talking? Anyway, the pacing would suggest 21-22 races in your near futures. We just need the right day.

Kaitlyn, Morgan, Madison: Very well done. You lost the pace on the second one a bit, but I think you overcompensated for having gone too hard on the first. After that, it got steadier. Kaitlyn especially seemed to get stronger as it went on. Conservatively we should be seeing 22-23 races in your futures. 

Diana, Chloe, Carlee: You all did well, but special kudos have to go to Diana here. Diana's leadership on the group was rock-solid. Carlee, this was your first 800 workout, and they're tough - some of the toughest workouts we'll do. Way to go! Finally, Chloe, I know you've been discouraged, but you shouldn't be. This is far, far ahead of last year at this time. Besides, once we started 800s last year your times plummeted. I expect the same this year, and am confident it will happen. You ladies should be expecting 25-26 minute races in the near future, but should see that quickly drop as the intervals progress.  

Oh, I know some of you might be concerned about times this year vs. last; don't. We are ahead. Last year (in our first meet) our top-5 runners' times totaled 1:18:58. This year it was 1:17:01. Last year there was 4:15 between runner #1 and runner #5. This year there was only 1:27. When it comes to tournament, you want to have a tight grouping, because gaps are points. Only 10 points kept us out of Semi-State last year. Think about it. 

All in all, it was a solid first interval workout. Great job!

The Book of Bill

The Book of Bill

1. In the thirteenth year, on the 28^th day of the eighth month, while I was among the family in the home, the heavens opened and I saw a divine vision. 2. It was the second year of the reign of Bill, 3. and the word of the Divine Coach came to Bill.

4. As I watched, I noticed a windstorm coming from the north – an enormous cloud, with lightning flashing, such that bright light rimmed it and came from it like glowing amber from the middle of a fire. 5. In the fire there were beings that looked like runners, 6. but they had wings on their shoes. 7. Their legs were powerful, and gleamed like polished bronze.

8. One said to me, “Coach of girls, slip on your running shoes and I will train with you.” 9. He said to me, “Coach of girls, I am sending you forth to the track, for the girls are rebellious and have revolted against me. 10. The people to whom I’m sending you are in need of speed, and you shall give it to them.”

11. “But who am I to train them, master?” I thought the words more than spoke them, though I heard them aloud as if I had shouted them. 12. “Do not fear them!”, said the vision, “speak the words I give you, train as I tell you, and they will know you are the coach!”

13. “They are tired, and it is hot!” I offered, afraid of the response. 14. “Tell them, ‘The coach is your strength!’ They will be sore afraid, and they will obey you.” 15. “What work shall they do?” 16. “They must do the golden 800s. Yea, they must pass through the fire, 17. and when they are done they will know you are the coach!”

18. I trembled from my head to toe; such was my fear in these words. 19. “Master, how many shall I give them?” 20. “One at a time, Coach of girls. You will receive a sign when the proper measure has been taken.”

21. “How will I know the sign?” 22. “There will be much wailing and gnashing of teeth. Walls will crumble, the earth will shake, and the girls will know you are the coach!”

Then he handed me this piece of paper:

Danielle, Carrie, Bret - 3:35

Morgan, Madison, Keeley, Kaitlyn - 3:40

Diana, Lauren, Carlee, Chloe - 4:00

Claudia, McKena - 4:20

Nicole - 4:30

Yeah, it was kind of a buzz-kill for me too!

Another hot day

Ladies,

We have one more really hot day left this week, then we should see some relief. Tough it out! It will all be okay in the end.

We aren't starting intervals until Thursday. Tomorrow will be another easy day on the campus. Make sure you are icing anything that is sore, and let me know right away about any sharp bone or joint pain.

See you tomorrow!

Ted Fox 2013

Ladies,

Well, the first meet is in the books. As I promised, it was very hot out there today. Well, not so much hot as it was very muggy. Dew point was 75 degrees, humidity was 68%, and if that means nothing to you, it should. It means your sweat does not evaporate, so you get no cooling effect. Your body heats up at an alarming rate, and you sweat more to compensate. As a result, dehydration is a serious risk and surprisingly quickly.

Which we found out.

Now that we've been through it, you understand why I wasn't concerned as much about time as I was controlling our individual races. I knew the times would be slow. Everyone's times were slow. I am looking at the meet results, and there is something you didn't know before the meet; both Seymour AND Brownstown had a meet Saturday with both teams fielding multiple girls in the 21-22 range. They are both excellent teams, and you beat one of them. And get this... the top Brownstown girl only went 22:47! Yup, that's how hot it was out there tonight.

That said, let me show you the numbers.

Athlete	Mile 1	Mile 2	Pace	Mile 3	Pace	5k	Pace
Carrie	6:47:00	14:26:00	7:39:00	21:56:00	7:30:00	22:51:00	7:22:15
Danielle	6:59:00	14:27:00	7:28:00	22:00:00	7:33:00	22:56:00	7:23:52
Alli	6:49:00	14:14:00	7:25:00	21:58:00	7:44:00	23:00:00	7:25:10
Bret	7:00:00	14:50:00	7:50:00	22:53:00	8:03:00	23:56:00	7:43:14
Morgan	7:09:00	15:13:00	8:04:00	23:24:00	8:11:00	24:18:00	7:50:19
Madison	7:20:00	15:25:00	8:05:00	23:45:00	8:20:00	24:38:00	7:56:46
Keeley	7:05:00	15:19:00	8:14:00	23:45:00	8:26:00	24:42:00	7:58:04
Kaitlyn	7:41:00	16:20:00	8:39:00	24:33:00	8:13:00	25:33:00	8:14:31
Diana	7:40:00	16:15:00	8:35:00	24:43:00	8:28:00	25:50:00	8:20:00
Lauren	7:32:00	16:30:00	8:58:00	24:52:00	8:22:00	25:52:00	8:20:39
Carlee	7:53:00	16:49:00	8:56:00	25:36:00	8:47:00	26:36:00	8:34:50
Chloe	8:00:00	17:00:00	9:00:00	26:05:00	9:05:00	27:12:00	8:46:27
Claudia	8:08:00	17:23:00	9:15:00	26:49:00	9:26:00	27:57:00	9:00:58
McKena	8:20:00	18:15:00	9:55:00	28:44:00	10:29:00	29:45:00	9:35:48

In spite of the conditions, for some of you returning runners, this was better than last year. For a few it was slightly worse, but remember, I told you to go slower! I felt tactically the race we needed to run as a team was a race of attrition, that is, letting the other teams beat themselves to death. As you see, it mostly worked. Simply put, it was not a P.R. night, and it would have been silly to chase it.

But wait. Someone did P.R. Lauren Mitchell beat last season's time of 27:21. Bret took over a minute off her best time from last year. 

It was an exciting race to watch on multiple levels. You ladies were in the hunt for the win all the way to the end. Then there was the race within the race... which of you would be first on the team? Man, what a dog fight (no offense)! For a while it looked like Alli all the way, then Danielle, then Carrie... it just kept flipping and flopping. I'm glad I didn't bet on it, because there is no way I could have predicted how it would have come out.

Now to overall impressions:

The good. All girls fought, I thought. Though it was a tough night, and though I didn't give you any specific instructions beyond run by feel (85%), I think you managed it well. You fought for shirts, which is exactly what you do in this kind of race. It was great to see so many of you climb like we practiced, and it was really great to see some of you strip time out of people on the downhills. That's smart racing.

The bad. All of you, each and every one of you, were too fast to the 800. What that does is break you down for the rest of the race. Here's how you can tell; look at the first mile, then the overall pace. How close was it? There really shouldn't be any more than a 15-second difference between those miles, and that's something we're going to have to work on. 

We have a baseline time to work from now. Think of it as more of a hard tempo than a race, and that probably will put it in the proper perspective. I meant it when I said I wasn't after time tonight, so let me repeat; it was a race for place, and you girls did your job.

Now to specifics:

Carrie - great job! Of all the top contending girls, I had my doubts about your ability to hold the front against girls who've gotten more miles than you lately. It's great that the knee has come around, and you've gotten a great launch point to begin your season. You're 25 seconds ahead of last year, and you took it easy in the first half!

Danielle - great job to you, too! I could see in your face at times today you were frustrated, but you kept fighting. Patience! Races will often come back around to you, and this one certainly did. Conquer your head, and your body will follow.

Alli - to me, this was the run of the night. You've looked powerful lately, dominant at times, and the way you started was exactly what I would have expected to see. Even the second time around the field you were in command, and you were spanking that Seymour girl. You took yourself to the limit and beyond, and don't think for a second I don't know it. You were worried I'd be angry - never! You ran your heart out. There's nothing more I could ask.

Bret - feels good to get that monkey off your back, doesn't it? You dropped over a minute from your best last year, and you weren't even racing full-out. That had to feel GOOD! Have faith, it will get even better as long as you keep yourself in the positive frame of mind. You have all the tools, just believe in it.

Morgan - you might have had a better time last year, but as I recall you also blasted out with a full effort, something I didn't allow this year. You looked great today, and several people commented on that. I'm pretty up on you right now, and I think you'll be too in the next few meets. 

Madison - WOW! We knew you were a keeper, and you didn't disappoint. Your finish was outstanding, by the way! You are a mere 30 seconds or so from the Top-25 board, didn't you know? First meet!

Keeley - consistent practice. There is no other way. Quality in = quality out.

Kaitlyn - very nice first meet. The only thing you lack is conditioning, and that will come. Great job on opening day, the best is yet to come!

Diana - we know you struggle in the heat, but digest this nugget - last year you opened with 26:11. You're almost 30 seconds up on that. And you weren't all-out. 

Lauren - what more is there to say? You were instructed to cut back at the first sign of trouble, which you did, and you still had a P.R. by almost a minute and a half. Bask in it! The weather will cool, and when it does, look out!

Carlee - you were one of the few girls I pulled aside and gave modified instructions. Your job was to kick all the way out of the woods. Look at your last mile split. That tells me you kicked! Great job on your first race. Well done. 

Chloe - it's been a struggle for you lately, but you haven't given up. Don't! Your health can be managed, and you will be stronger again. We'll get through this rough patch, you'll see.

Claudia - you've come a long way! I remember this little blonde girl telling me at the beginning of the summer her goal was to run 5 miles without stopping. Guess what? Goal achieved! After you fell that time out on the road, I didn't know if we'd see you again. Then your hip became a problem, and I wondered if you'd stick it out. I'm glad to say you have, and we've been lucky to have you around. You're getting better all the time, and I think you're going to be surprised where you wind up by the end. 

McKena - once again, we have a runner that is intolerant of the heat. Never fear, this heat will soon end, and you will feel much better again. I think you had a fine effort today, but I don't think we got a chance to see what you can really do yet. 

We will not begin speedwork for a couple of days, so don't worry about that yet. Relax and let's heal a day or two.

First Meet Eve

Ladies,

I'm sure you're all about to jump into bed, nestle into your covers and dream of running glory on the morrow. You see yourselves dominating everyone else, maybe even breaking the ribbon in victory, whereupon every member of your family and community hoists you atop their shoulders in a spontaneous parade, topped off with all the grandmothers pushing forward with home-made pies in their hands.

Wait, that's my dream.

Probably you are thinking about the meet tomorrow with a mixture of excitement and dread. Are you ready? Will you mess up? Will this go right? Will this go wrong.

All normal thoughts and feelings. I've done hundreds of races, and the same thoughts still go through my head. I'm better at handling it, but it is still uncomfortable. Just know that part never goes completely away.

The best way to cope is to focus on what you control. You. You control your effort. You control your pace, your form, and your race tactics. You control your position in the race. You control your will to keep fighting. Anything else is beyond your control and therefore not to be dwelt upon.

It's going to be hot - super hot. Embrace that now, get your mind bent around it, and use it to your advantage. No, this will not be a race that has a lot of fast times. This will be a race of attrition, and the wise runner will let it come to them. Do not, I repeat, do not get caught up in what the rest of the teams do at the start - they will blow themselves up! You'll see from the boys race before us... there will be plenty of boys who go out way too hard and pay the price.

If you will do what we've been doing all along, you will be fine. Tomorrow is not a 95% day (normal racing pace), it will be an 85% day. Run 85% effort through the first half, then make your way through the pack. You will be amazed at what comes back to you by then. Push harder and harder to the end. Believe me, most of the field will be dead by the 2-mile mark. Easy pickings.

Good form on the uphill and downhill. Steady effort. Pick off shirts all the way. Keep your mind right there the whole race.

I can't wait!

Easy run tomorrow

Ladies,

Tomorrow is another easy run. We are starting at the railroad bed entrance behind the East Lawrence Water Company (off Limestone Run Road) at 9 AM. Sleep in! You need your beauty sleep!

We will be running 5 miles only. I want this to be a quick-n-easy deal, no stress, everyone comes out alive and ready to race on Monday. I want to know about any pain right away!

See you then!

The next few days

Ladies,

I'm just getting home at the 9 o'clock hour - I left practice, ate a quick bite, then worked concessions at the BMS football game. It's been a long day, so don't expect a long post tonight.

You are on the verge of the first meet of the year. I cannot decide what to expect, only that we'll have some surprises. Some may be good, some may be bad, but I'm assured things will ultimately work out for you in the end. Whatever happens on Monday, keep the long view.

Some of you are nicked up a bit, and so we'll take it really easy the next two days. We need to run, but I'll likely reduce the miles for most of you. These sore knees, shins, and ankles need a chance to heal before we start speed work next week. I don't want to lose the miles, but I sure don't want to lose the girls, either.

Over the next few days, start to visualize your race you want to have. Be smooth up the hills, stretch out downhill, be strong everywhere else. Be confident. Be in control. Pick your way through a crowd of girls who went out too hard. Get them, one by one. Bring your race home strong in the end.

You gals are great. I can't wait to see what happens. 

Results Verified!

Ladies,

I bit the bullet and used a somewhat effeminate wrist device to good effect this afternoon. I was curious very curious to verify the data recorded this past Saturday on the railroad bed. It's not that I distrust Carrie; however, data that can be verified with an additional device is all the more valid.

My borrowed device is nowhere near as nice as Carrie's (nor my former 910XT), but it was more than adequate. True, it took about an hour after I got home to get it to sync to my computer, but when it did, I was able to render the following nugget... the one-way distance as calculated by the Garmin 405 was - drum roll - 1.15 miles. Not only does this back what Carrie said, it also justified my assumption it would be necessary to add a fraction to the overall distance.

That means the 3.45 mile distance is completely conservative. Yes, you really did run that speed. Yes, you really are that good. Numbers collected and verified through satellite data. There is no longer any question.

We're coming to it now... the first meet. Count on it being hot. Forecast says 89 will be the high, and there will be humidity. You won't be able to go full speed, and I wouldn't want you to try. This is a perfect example of the kind of meet where you have to let the race come back to you. You will have runners that take off on the front end at insane speed. Let them. I've seen it over and over. In high heat, runners crack. Don't let that be you.

Conservative run on the front, apply pressure back. That'll be the ticket. Keep that in mind over the next few days. Visualize 85% effort through the first half. Step on the gas in the second, slowly, but steadily. Watch the runners coming back to you.

Up-tempo work tomorrow!

Final Climb

Ladies,

You've done it! This was the last hill workout for the season, at least in terms of a formalized segment of training. We start speedwork next week. Gather yourself for that!

It was a good workout. Yes, it was hot, and yes, you suffered. It will be worth it. You'll all see that soon enough.

I thought you all did a great job under the circumstances, though not all of you completed every one. That's as it should be. You are not all equal in training, fitness, etc. Of course some will be pulled earlier than others. That's our (the coaches) call to make. What am I looking for when I make the decision to pull someone from a hard workout.

Form.

In something as technical as hill training, form is crucial to effective running. If you cannot control form, you are not in control of yourself anymore. If you are not in control, likely you are practicing varying degrees of errors.You know the old saying - practice makes perfect, whatever you practice. Therefore, when you get to the point you can't do it right, I need to pull you before you undo everything we've worked for.

I know that's upsetting. I would be upset to. I want to finish what I start. I don't want to feel substandard. No, that's not true... I always want to be the best in the group. There. I said it. I want to beat everybody. Every. Time. I can't help it. Sure, I'll tell you great job if you beat me, and I'll even mean it. But I like it better when I beat you. I totally understand not wanting to be pulled off a practice. But sometimes it's best in the long run to call it a day.

Remember, we're not infallible. Sometimes the workout scheduled for the day is simply the wrong one. Some workouts just go badly - today didn't start so great, did it? But by the end it all worked out. It's our job as coaches to determine when to call it and when to stick it out. Today we let it ride for most of you, and that was the right call. I think everyone got the appropriate level of training, which is always the primary goal.

Tomorrow is easy. Maybe we'll run down Limestone?

One week to go

Ladies,

Saturday's workout still floats through my mind... it was a glimpse of greatness to come, I'm sure. Still, I want to moderate expectations a bit for our first meet. There are a variety of conditions that will definitely be different then.

You can count on it being hot. It's a late August Monday, and that means upper-80's/lower-90's, with high humidity. If I'm wrong, great, so much the better, but in my experience, that's what you can expect. This would change the way we approach the race. On such a day, you race the conditions as much as the course or even other runners.

The course is hillier than Saturday's run, and that will never change. It's a lot harder to control your effort when the terrain constantly pitches. We will learn to do it by season's end, but it takes practice. We'll still be working the kinks out during the first meet.

Some girls have never raced 5k. That's a new experience all by itself. On top of that, some girls have never raced any distance whatsoever. That alone makes Monday a great big unknown. Some will shine, some will learn hard lessons. It's all part of the process.

What we can take away from Saturday is we are a solid team. We already have 5 girls floating in the one-minute range, and that ladies is the beginning of a pack. Danielle asked me if it was good to have a pack (she asked this right before the tempo on Saturday). I flubbed the answer a bit, so maybe I should clarify that.

Of course it is good to have a pack, but only if it happens naturally, as in the fastest girls are still trying to get fast but the slower girls improve and catch up. That's the only way. Never should the front girls slow to create the pack. That was what I was trying to make clear. If we were running cross-country as in literally across the country, the U.S. that is, yeah, waiting for runners would make sense. Not here. You help your team by being as fast as you can.

I think we'll have a great meet. I even believe we'll likely win. More than anything though, I want to run intelligent races. I'm not perfect, I make mistakes, but I have hundreds of races under my belt from many disciplines and distances. Coach Spence has equally as many races I'm sure, and college running experience to boot. Same for Coach Scott. We'll outline some pretty good plans for you, trust us and stick to the plans as much as you can. When the races are over we'll break them down and see what went well and what didn't, and we'll modify training as necessary. It's a process, and Monday is only the first step.

You are already in great shape, and getting better all the time. Believe in yourselves!

Today's Run

Ladies,

Great workout! Let's start with the data...

Athlete	Time	Pace	Projected	Improvement
Morgan	23:30:00	6:48:42	21:06:57	3:34:55
Alli	23:47:00	6:53:37	21:22:14	4:01:08
Danielle	23:51:00	6:54:47	21:25:50	1:16:39
Brett	24:33:00	7:06:57	22:03:34	3:55:08
Carrie	24:30:00	7:06:05	22:00:52	1:12:42
Madison	25:43:00	7:27:15	23:06:28
Lauren	26:26:00	7:39:43	23:45:06
Carlee	27:30:00	7:58:16	24:42:37
Dianah	27:45:00	8:02:37	24:56:05	1:12:30
Claudia	30:30:00	8:50:26	27:24:21
Nicole	32:30:00	9:25:13	29:12:10
Keeley	32:30:00	9:25:13	29:12:10

Okay, let's explain them...

Obviously the first column is the order of finish. Next column is the running time today. The pace (3rd column) is per mile pace calculated using the distance (estimated, but very close). Projected stands for the race you could have run today using your effort. Finally, Improvement is how much better you are running the 3-mile distance than last year at this time.

So returning runners (who ran the tempo on 8/20 last year), if you have a number next to your name, it means you ran the tempo last year AND you got faster. This is how much better you are this year! There is no disputing this... as we say, the math doesn't lie. 

Another word about the distance... though this is estimated, it's not far from being exact. Our distance today was based off Carrie's Garmin, which had a one-way distance of 1.14 miles. Garmins never measure long - they always measure short, at least a bit. Even adding .05 per mile, though insignificant in the grand scheme of things, matters as we calculate pace. Multiplying 1.14 x 3 we get 3.42. I assumed .03 more (.01 per mile) and wound up with a conservative distance of 3.45 miles. That's a pretty safe number... about the only way to be more precise would be to take a wheel down and measure the exact distance in meters or feet. To come to the point, this course is about as accurate as any race you would run as far as distance is concerned. 

Now the meat... this was an outstanding workout. Every single one of the returning runners who ran the 8/20/12 tempo improved significantly over last summer. HUGE improvement! Bear in mind, this was a perfect day on a perfect course, but also remember it's the third workout this week that was hard. You are not fresh, yet you ran great. You are getting strong, and you should have faith in that strength. This is where all those summer mornings begin to pay the dividends, and why we do it. You are ready to begin the final stages of the hard stuff that will carry your season on.

Hey, look at that data again... if we had those top-5 times at Regional you girls would have sailed on to Semi-State. And you have them now. This will only get better as we move along. Here's another thought for you... the top-25 board is missing a few names. Many of you are already on it, but... some of you who ran well today ran times that would put you on it, and you AREN'T on it yet. See where this goes? 

You are definitely one of the strongest teams to run through BNL in a few years. You may not have that superstar way out front (yet), but you are solid top-to-bottom team, and for my money, that's always better. You girls should be setting your sights further down the road now... not towards Semi-State, but State. We aren't there yet, we have a lot of ground to cover yet, but it is quickly becoming a very realistic proposition based on running like today. How is that possible? Imagine the top-5 girls on this list drop 45 seconds from their projected times by the end of season. That's all it would take. 

Don't misunderstand me, there will be ups and downs throughout this season. That will happen on the team level and personal level, but our progress will be steady overall. Keep the faith you are a great runner and this is a great team. I've said I don't know who the top-7 runners are on this team, much less the top-3, and I mean it. There is not such a gap of times here that it might not change from meet to meet. I will absolutely assure you the top spot will rotate all season long, as will the top-3. It's the type of team you are. In the end, it will make you all better, because you will have that girl *just* in front of you that you will try to beat. Don't take it personally - after all, that person is doing her job. Congratulate her. Support her. Then beat her butt in practice and at the next race. 

Our first meet is a little over a week away. It likely won't be a perfect day. It certainly won't be a perfect course. Don't expect your times will necessarily match what we did today - our course is much harder. However, a couple of weeks after that we go to Brown County. That course is VERY similar to what we did today, and it happens to be where Semi-State is hosted. Get it? 

I am absolutely thrilled with where this team is. You are all part of something special and amazing this year. I can't wait to see how it plays out!

Miscellaneous

Ladies,

This is going to be a bit of a scattershot post, mainly because I can't focus. It's been a pretty hectic week on a lot of fronts, and by now I'm completely frazzled. Hang in there, and maybe something will make sense. At the very least you should have something to club me with in the morning.

First, we are practicing on the old railroad bed tomorrow behind the East Lawrence Water Company. This is located just west of Limestone Run Road. You know where I'm talking about... we park past the pole barn and we'll run straight in. It's about a mile to the back, and I figure we can run that a few times to get our distance. I like the idea because it is flat and short enough that, even if we split up, we'll be close throughout the run. We also have water every 2 miles if necessary. Should be a nice run.

Second, we'll have to do some of it hard. We have our first race in a little over a week. We need some longer, steadier running before then so it won't be a shock when we race. I think you are fit, I think you are strong, but we need something a bit more race-specific. The timing is about right. Let's do it.

Next we come to rotating captains. I am going to list them in alphabetical order, assigning a number correspondingly... like this...

1. Alli
2. Bret
3. Carlee
4. Chloe
5. Danielle
6. Lauren

Now I'll ask the redhead to pick a number. Whichever number she says will be the first captain. Here we go... <sound of footsteps to staircase>...

"Hey Leisa, give me a number between 0-7!"
"5."

<footsteps back to computer>
Lessee... Alli... Bret... Carlee... oh, the suspense is KILLING me... Chloe... DANIELLE! Danielle is number 5. That means Danielle gets the first turn as captain this season. Here's how it will work - Danielle is now captain until our first meet is over. Then we draw again, and a new person is drawn. No one gets another turn until everyone has gone. At the end we'll allow you to vote your captain(s) in.

So Danielle... any little trick or activity you've been DYING to try, this is your time!

Something different, eh?

Ladies,

We talk all the time about running uphills. I thought I'd surprise you today with something we don't spend a lot of time learning - downhills. As you found out today, running downhill is harder to do than you might first imagine.

It is a balance issue first of all. You have to bring your weight forward far enough to feel as if you are falling over. Then you have to let your legs open and go as fast as they can. As I warned you, this is easier for the fast-twitch girls, and if you are so blessed, you'll absolutely explode downhill with no effort. If you are slow-twitch, you can still make the hill work for you.

It's also a strength issue. Running downhill is stressful to your quadriceps muscles. The first couple of times down the hill were probably relatively easy; after that, it got harder and harder. I noticed by the end some of you were beginning to "sit down" near the bottoms of the drop, that is, you compressed downward to reduce the stress on your legs. You're probably not even aware of what you were doing, but it was visible to the observer - if they knew what they were looking for.

The benefits are many, but for us the main one is race advantage. It's our course. It rolls up and down constantly. Knowing how to run up AND down gives us a major advantage over other teams. As State Series approaches, we certainly need to be keenly aware of any opportunity to take easy time out of our opponents.

It's also useful to be mindful of hills as you scout other courses. Understanding the undulations may provide the right clues to unlocking the course for you. Always, ALWAYS use your head when you race.

Great workout today. 

What a GORGEOUS day!

Ladies,

I was glad to get to run with you again today - seems like forever since I have! It couldn't have been a better day, either. Cool weather, blue skies, and we even went off campus a bit into the hinterland.

Limestone Run Road is a great road, once you get to it. I wish it wasn't so hilly and busy to get out there, but the trip was worth it. And the railroad bed! OMG, there's 4G! Excuse me, I mean, it was fantastic out there.

I let you gals group up a bit. Again, expect that more and more as you develop. My goal this year, especially as long as there is help on board, is to let you run to your ability.

Tomorrow we do some pickups. It won't be super hard, but it will be harder. Rest up!

Hills Again

Ladies,

That was a fine job I saw out there today. Both Coach Amy and I were impressed with the way you guys handled that. Those that you would expect to lead did for the most part, but those that were behind didn't let too much space open up. Form is improving a great deal from week to week. Overall, you ladies just look stronger.

About form... today we took some time to make an adjustment to form as you climb a hill, specifically as you top. What we are looking for are opportunities to steal time. A little here, a little there, all of it adds up. Nothing can be ignored. Truly great athletes pay attention to these small things, because taken as a whole they amount to great advantage.

Take Michael Phelps. In the 2008 Olympics he won the 200 meter butterfly by thousandths of a second. I will tell you as a swim coach it came from a properly timed stretch to the wall. He was losing that race all the way until the end, but let's face it, the only lead that matters is the one in the end. It would have been easy to overlook such a technique in practice, and most swimmers would; instead Phelps wound up with 8 gold medals. You can't cut the margin any closer than that.

A little after-practice ride

No one every feels the same throughout a race. You will have moments of supreme confidence and moments of despair, yet you must fight all the way. Understanding what makes you tick gives you a leg up on your competition. Always ask yourself, "how do I feel in this part of the course?" and, "what is the worst thing someone could do to me at that point?". And then you work to do just that. Work so that weakness is no longer a weakness, in fact, something you look forward to because you know tactically that's where you can make a move your opponent will refuse to cover. That's easy money.

Everyone hurts when racing. Your choice is to determine how long you can put up with it, and how long you have to. To oversimplify, run faster and you hurt for a shorter length of time!

Two weeks and counting

Ladies,

In only two weeks we have our first meet. A lot of questions are going to be answered at that point, but it will probably raise as many as it answers. I'm getting pretty excited already!

New girls! I should leave more often! If we are going to get quality girls in my absence, well, I should be... absent! It's great to get McKenna back, and I'm very happy to see Kayla again, too. If you don't remember, Kayla ran with us a bit last summer. She's an athlete for sure, and should fit right in. McKenna is sure to be a great asset down the road as her fitness grows. Rumor has it we have another runner coming, too. It just keeps getting better and better.

We still have time to get enough practices in so that everyone can run the opening meet. I really want to do so, too. This is the one meet a year where there is no Varsity or JV - everyone runs! The top seven girls score, simple as that. There is no better way to compare you all to one another than to have you all in the same race.

Seniors... we are going to rotate the captain position starting next week. That gives the first girl a week to get us ready for the first meet. Take this seriously. I do!

Hills tomorrow. It's going to be hard. Don't be afraid, look forward to it. If you can't conquer hard, you can conquer anything.

The song I tried to freestyle today:

"Second time, we're 'round this track,
And the others teams, are startin' to crack,
They keep on fallin' back, girls,
They keep on fallin' back, girls..."

That gets you started. Let's hear this cadence out there, and add your own verse. That's how you play! 

Day 2 Post-Bill

Ladies,

Don't get too used to Coach Amy - I'm coming back on Monday, ready to go! I hate that I'm gone, and I'm sorry for that. Hopefully it will be worth it.

I'm not sure how things have gone with you the last two days. I'm sure it's been hot. Stick with it. The weather will cool soon enough. You'll get the reward then.

Someone contacted me today asking if we are still taking runners for the team. Yes! Of course we are - in fact, I was counting on the fact we would probably get a few. We're trying to get Coach Amy on the staff, paid... more runners makes that more and more likely. We can use the help, and she (and Coach Jo) has/have certainly helped a bunch.

Enjoy the Saturday off - I feel comfortable doing this because you've had a great summer, you are in a transition week moving to the tougher BNL course, and it has been unbearably hot. Sleep in if possible, and make the most of it. It likely won't happen again this season.

Take care, and I will see you all again soon!

General Stuff

Ladies,

I know it was hot today - I ran after you did. I know it was tough. Take heart. The heat won't last much longer. Stay after it, and you will be rewarded.

Today's workout got spread out over several subgroups, and that's likely to continue for a while at least. Between the multi-sport girls, the injured, and those that have chronic injuries, we are having to make adjustments to the plan. Not to worry. Things are still coming along quite nicely.

Our first meet is Monday the 26th. Bet on it being warm that afternoon. If we are pleasantly surprised by cool weather, all the better, but be prepared. So if we suffer a bit of heat right now, it's only preparing us for racing in the short term. I think once September rolls around things will quickly cool off.

Tomorrow you are going to do some pickups, the exact nature of which will be determined by our stalwart Coach Amy. Distances will be similar to today, but you will have a bit more speed involved. It shouldn't be terribly difficult, other than the weather.

Friday will be easy. Saturday will be off.

I will be gone the next two days due to Nationals. I really hate missing, but it's pretty much a once-in-a-lifetime deal for me. I hate that I'll miss school and practice, but this is when it's scheduled. Not much to be done about it.

Inspirational thoughts... I was talking with some folks painting their parking spaces, and I happened upon a young man, a senior, who is a member of one of our fall sports. I listened to him talk for a bit, and the tone got a bit odd. Ever one to delve into the absurd, I queried him on his viewpoint. The thrust of his comment was he had no responsibility to help guide the team because he didn't really care that much about the sport, and he would do better in this other sport he liked better.

Oh. Perfect. So it's okay to do a crummy job in your current position in life so long as it's not where you really want to be, right? Uh-uh. Crummy work is crummy work, no matter where you are. And if you have aspirations to move up from your, er, crummy position, doing crummy work won't get it done.

That's the beauty of sports - they perfectly reward/punish your relative effort. If you try very hard, you will get better - not always as much as you like, but you will get better. More than that, those around you will notice. Your teammates know who works hardest on the team - you know it too, right? Maybe you won't be the best, but you will have the respect of all the team, and the coaches too.

My comment to the seniors is you are all leaders - every one of you. You can choose to be a good leader or a bad leader, but you have no choice about being a leader. Accept that responsibility and rise up to it. Be worthy of the title.

Hills!

Ladies,

I know it must have come as a surprise to you today. We did hills, which shouldn't have shocked you, but you didn't know we'd do so many. The reason for that is simple; you are in much better shape this year than last. As a result, I will be expecting more from you.

Last year I didn't restrict your effort on an uphill because I knew it would take care of itself. It was enough for you to concern yourselves with getting over the top. Now we have to be more careful, to use ourselves effectively.

What you did today was a full 2 miles of uphill running. Let that sink in. Uphill for 2 miles. And you ran it with authority. Sure, it wasn't fun at all. But you did it. And you did it well.

You must start to believe in your training, and challenge what you can do. It will never be easy, nor should it be. While you are working hard you will from time-to-time ask yourselves if it's worth it. It is. Oh, it is! But what you get out of this whole process is directly proportional to what you put into it. The harder you work, the greater your gains. Time is our enemy, so we can't afford to waste a single opportunity.

So for now, consider what you just accomplished. It was sticky and sweaty out there this morning, and you completed what was probably the hardest workout we've done all summer. On top of that, the last one looked strong. Believe it or not, that was what I was waiting for, to see how well you'd run on the back end of the workout. Yes Danielle, I saw how powerfully you ran by on the last one, and I was duly impressed. In truth, I was impressed with everyone. Maybe I did wipe the smile off Danielle's face for a while, and maybe I was the topic of much hate speech on the way down each hill - wouldn't be doing my job if that didn't happen once in a while - but you gals channeled it the right way and turned it all into a positive. It'll pay off, sooner or later (or both!).

Before I close, I would like to reiterate something I mentioned this morning... on cross-country courses there is much variety in terrain - hills and flats, corners, trails, etc. - and as individuals you will find areas in which you excel and others in which you fall short. This helps to explain why you might always run well in a particular place and not so well in others. Courses sometimes just suit your style of running better. However, and don't forget this, we always have to race.

So, as I told Diana, maybe you can't stay with someone to the top of the hill, but read the course... almost always there will be a portion that follows that will allow you to get yourself right back into the race. You have to be aware of the points where people weaken. Runners on our course always try to smash the uphills and glide for a while after. That's when you hit them. Hard and decisively. Project strength and you will smash the will of people around you.

FWIW, this is one of the reasons running the course before a race is so critical. You should all be looking at the tactical possibilities provided to you that day. They will be there if you are sharp enough to spot and use them. 

First Day of 2013 Season!

Ladies,

It's here! The season has officially begun, (yes, that's grammatically correct). It's 13 weeks until State, 12 until Semi-State, 11 until Regional, around 10 until Sectional, 8 until Conference... you get the idea. We have had 9 weeks of summer training, and that flew by. You can bet this time will too.

Let me thumbnail this season for you as I see it... bear in mind I've not spoken to Coach Jo or Coach Amy about this yet, and my thought process may easily change. At least I can relate my logic as to how I construct a competitive season...

First, the goal race. If our primary goal as a team every year is to progress as far into State Series as possible (and that is our goal), then I must build the training around the choke point - that place in the series I believe where it's do-or-die. That's an easy call... Regional. We're too strong a team even in our tough bracket to get put out at Sectional, but as we know, we can get put out at Regional.

Back 2 weeks off that point for taper. Yes, we'll do a 2-week taper, because our base is very good.

Back 6-8 weeks off that point for speed work.

Back 2 more weeks off that point for hill workouts.

See where that puts us? That's right, that's the outline of our season right there. It might have seemed odd doing organized hill repeats so early, but you should now see why it was done. Those of you that ran practice today can really see why it was done - our course is pretty tough when you're not used to hills! Don't worry, it'll come back quickly.

The pattern established over the last few weeks of having primary and secondary stress days will continue throughout the season. Before the meets start they will both occur in practice. After the meets start, one stress day will be racing, the other will be a workout.

This would be an excellent time to review some team rules:

• Practice is required. We will practice 6-days a week, Monday-Saturday. Practice will last no longer than 2 hours, usually less than 1 1/2 (especially if you are dressed and stretched by the time I get there). If you can't make it, contact one of the coaches. 
• You must wear a shirt at all times while practicing. No jog bra-only running, no exceptions. 
• No drinking, smoking, or abusing drugs. There will be immediate punitive actions, including and up to expulsion from the team.
• You are students first, athletes second. Grades must be maintained.
• You are ambassadors for our school wherever you are. Behave as such.
• You will respect the rights and property of every member of this team. There is no room for bullying.

Other things to clarify:

• The top-7 runners at meet time run Varsity, all others run JV event.
• I don't know who the top-7 runners are right now.
• Any team member that completes the season doing all the practices as asked will receive Varsity points. 
• Only the top-7 runners and 2 alternates run after State Series begins.

To sum this up, complete the season doing what I ask and Varsity points are guaranteed. However, you have to earn the privilege to run in Conference and State Series. You MUST be running one of the top-7 fastest times, or be in the next 2 times as alternates, to be considered. 

This is something to remember every single step of practice... you all want one of those spots. You all have a chance to earn one. Give it all you have every day, and your odds of winning a spot really go up. Even if you don't succeed, you'll never look back and regret actions undone. 

Musings of a coach poised on the precipice of a new season

Ladies,

Excuse a tired old horse. The long train of winding thought about to pour through these tracks of virtual ink may seem disconnected, or at the very lease cobbled together in some inscrutable pattern. Be brave! In the end, perhaps, the train will pull into the station of reason, and quite possibly usable wisdom.

Those who've been around this team a while have no doubt heard it expressed, "One of the best ways to win a fight is to dictate the terms of the conflict". It's a core tenet of an ancient Chinese warlord by the name of Sun Tzu, author of "The Art of War" - essential reading for any military leader.

Ignoring the cliche of comparing athletics to war for just a second, it might be useful to ply the existential application a bit deeper. What is war? What is athletic competition? Boiled down to their essence, it's when people want the same thing and are willing to go to extreme lengths to get them. Simply put, these are venues when extreme selfishness is not only a virtue, it's glorified.

Wow.

It may sound mercenary, but the absolute truth is each and every one of you want the same thing. You want to have your hand raised in victory above all others, team members and opponents alike. You can't all have it; that's a mathematical certainty. Only one person can win. Yet you engage every day in the act of pursuing this goal, to be the winner. This would seem to be insanity defined, and it would be if things were so simple.

Yes, you all want the same thing, yet you also all understand none of you has a chance to get it on your own. This is the foundation of cooperation, the symbiotic relationship of shared need and benefit. Day by day you work side by side, everyone helping everyone, but it's understood that when race day comes, everyone goes for the win. Point blank, that's the way it has to be. Nothing personal, no hard feelings, but there can be only one.

Sun Tzu's most famous tenet of war is quoted as, "To know your enemy is to conquer him". The obvious application would be to learn the strengths and weaknesses of your opponent and then work the situation into your favor. Dictating the pace of the race is a great example, as are other tactical moves like sprinting over the top of a hill, surging late in a race, etc. There is however another enemy to be considered.

You.

That's right, the truth is you are usually your own worst enemy. You are the one in charge of you, and often you have failed to do something necessary or misapplied your energies or made a tactical error mid race, or simply broken down mentally. Your mind is your most powerful weapon, but if you don't use it properly, it's like turning the weapon upon yourself.

You must be able to think throughout a race. Clearly. You have to be able to assess the competition, review your race plan, measure your effort against that plan, monitor your form, urge yourself to endure the pain, be sensitive to changing conditions and adapt, decipher clues of weakness around you, all the while focusing on the goal - to win.

One thing is true; your mind will quit before your body does. Your body is dumb, it only does what the mind tells it. There are certainly limits to what the body will do, but mentally most people have a buffer zone, the difference between what you can do and what you are willing to do. Most of you have probably been in a situation where you knew you could do more, but you chose not to. THAT is the part of the mind that has to be conquered.

That brings us back to the body. Biologically, our bodies prioritize need at all times. Energy is distributed to where it is needed, but under times of stress the body will begin to limit energy from lower-prioritized areas and martial it for the most necessary regions. For example, this is why most of you can't eat and run at the same time. Blood that would be necessary for digestion is shunted away to the muscles so they can sustain effort. That's why your muscles pump up when you exercise - more blood is more oxygen and glycogen in the cells.

Put your body under enough stress, and another very vital organ begins to lose blood flow... your brain. Your higher-level thinking processes begin to take a hit, and focus becomes far more difficult. Some of you may have even run hard enough to experience tunnel vision. Instinct takes over at this point, overriding your cognitive processes. Now this is very important - whatever you have imprinted during your training is the most likely outcome at this point. If you have fought for everything in practice, you will fight for everything at this moment. You won't think about it, there won't be a decision, you'll just do it. The wild animal takes over.

While there is a time and place for the animal, your best race won't start there, nor will it be there mid race. You have to be able to think. How then to take advantage of both? Easy - "To know yourself is to conquer yourself". By the time we get to State Series, you need to know yourself so well that you know exactly where that line is between the thinker and the animal, ride that line, the very edge, until it's time to unleash the animal. When you can do that, you have reached the apex of what your body and mind can do. That may or may not place you on the podium, but it will have been an absolute victory in your private war, and in the grand scheme of things a far more substantial step in the development of you as a complete individual.

Swim tomorrow

Ladies,

Okay - you've earned it. Tomorrow is the last practice of the summer, and if you want to swim, then swim it is! That's simple and direct enough, no? No? BNL pool, 7 AM. There ya go.

Good workout today. It was slightly shorter than I'd planned, but that had to be... too many girls having to finish up errands before school starts next week. I get it.

We have really come a long way already in a few short weeks. I can only eagerly anticipate the growth that is yet to come. You should be proud - I know I am.

Get those physicals! Your count does not... er, COUNT, until you have your signed physical submitted. I know Coach Roberts has a few, but we are still short. Get it done.

Seniors, find a time when at least most of you can get together to make a decision on the uniforms. That has to be done ASAP. Make this a priority, or I will be forced to do the ordering. Nobody wants to see that...