SOME FINAL THOUGHTS . . .

The Cross Country season was rewarding on so many levels it makes me wonder why I am so happy it is over.  The season  commenced in June when a handful of team members (as well as several field hockey players and alum) met on the track on the first of two a week strength and conditioning sessions.  These sessions were not intended to be rigorous but to give an indication where the program was headed.  The focus for Cross Country should, and will continue to be, on running.  But there is a need for a component which addresses overall fitness, strength and injury prevention.  In June, it was fairly evident the teams would lack depth.  With only four or five accomplished runners on each team, it became important to keep each one healthy and strong for the long season. Thirteen races in less than ten weeks can be grueling.  Pushing athletes hard between races can be counterproductive.  It is essential therefore that alternative methods of training be incorporated into the program.  To a degree that effort was made.  It would be safe to expect that it should continue in the future.

It is said that Cross Country is a summer sport which is played out in the fall.  Nobody can deny the need and utility of summer training and the role it plays in a successful season.  But how much training is optimal, and how can team members be motivated to commit to an optimal amount of training?  The most successful Cross Country coach I know, Bobby Van Allen of Johns Hopkins University, which just won its third straight Women’s Division 3 National Championship,  instituted accountability for his runners by (strongly) suggesting each athlete adhere to a strict regimen during the summer and maintain a log to record his/her training.  These two elements, i.e. the summer training program and the recording mechanism, obviously have helped develop Coach Van Allen’s teams into national powerhouses in the sport.  Following his lead, and prior to my coming to Whitman-Hanson, I followed a similar program which too, led to moderate success.  This past season, it was obvious; many of our athletes had trained quite differently in preparing for the season.  Unfortunately, the requirement for a training log, while suggested at our very brief spring meeting, was never implemented.   Training logs were distributed, but apparently not maintained.  The suggested training plan was followed by a very small number, if at all.  Moving forward it would be safe to expect you will be asked to follow a summer training program which will be provided and to maintain a log (via a program like etraxc.com  .)  

When athletes come into the initial practice sessions in August, every athlete should be adequately prepared.  We hope to expand our participation in invitational meets like Martha’s Vineyard during the season.  Those that are ready will be involved.   This approach necessarily requires the establishment of numerous training groups.  What was a common request heard through this past season . . . to run with somebody of comparable ability, will not be optional.  Several athletes never achieved their own potential by training with teammates who had not reached a comparable training level.  Team members can expect a number of different training groups, each with its own specific workout, every day during the 2015 season.

So, why am I so happy the 2014 season is over?  Not because it lacked success or drama.  Not because it lacked exhilarating races or phenomenal results.  Not because it failed to produce some resounding victories.  Not because goals established were never met.  And certainly not because there were not a lot of dedicated youngsters who gave 100% every day and did all that was asked of them.  I’m happy because I know 2015 will be an even better season, with even more success stories and accomplishments.  My preparation started on the way home following the year-end banquet.  Yours can wait until June . . . but not one minute more!