Following a productive practice today we'll change it up a little on Saturday morning. For the past two days you have been running on asphalt which over time takes a toll on those legs and feet, not to mention your running shoes. Tomorrow we will head off-site and run off-road at Burridge Pond in Hanson. Practice gets under way at 8:00 AM and we will be holding what will be a regular segment of your training . . . the long run.
The benefit of the long run simply put is the development and strengthening of your cardiovascular system. Your heart will become stronger and your blood flow will improve along with it. It only stands to reason that your running efficiency and capacity will increase as well. One objective of your long run is to build stamina while preparing you for more intense workouts down the road. I was asked today, "when is our first workout." The term workout in Cross Country generally refers to the uptempo and speed work which supplement and build on your endurance and play a major role in your race speed and results. For many of you the "workouts" will begin on Tuesday. Although many of you will continue to work on base mileage, some of the more seasoned and conditioned runners will be asked to run long repeats or do some tempo running. Before long, nearly all of you will be doing the same. Everything in time.
Generally speaking, what I am looking for tomorrow is for you to extend your longest run of the summer. For example, if you've completed a long run of 7 miles this summer I will be looking for you to increase that distance by approximately 10%. The math is far easier than the running. I understand. But extending your long run is the next step in progressing in this sport once you've established a base. Sunday will be a day off for recovery and Monday will be a relatively easy day.
A reminder that if you have friends (or enemies even) who have been cut from other sports please let them know they are welcome to join Cross Country. I have coached kids who have gone from "worst to first" with some even becoming scholarship athletes. I can assure you that there are some kids of similar abilities who will be heading home to Yodels and Mountain Dew every day following classes. You could be saving their life by pointing them in the right direction . . . 2:30 on the Track each afternoon!
See you all in the AM at Burridge. Directions can be found at the following link:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Whitman-Hanson+Regional+High+School,+Franklin+Street,+Hanson,+MA/15+Hawks+Ave,+Hanson,+MA+02341/@42.0504553,-70.9004533,14z/am=t/data=!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x89e4996289132a11:0xbbfb2e682f55a39e!2m2!1d-70.9063805!2d42.0708831!1m5!1m1!1s0x89e4983543095d19:0x275a42e1afe0a13b!2m2!1d-70.8572464!2d42.0300302
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