One week from NOW

your first practice of the season will be "in the books."  If you've been attending the "core at four" sessions you probably know what to expect.

Coaches and Captains Introduction

Expectations

When you arrive you will be given an index card and a pen or pencil.  You will be asked to provide the following:

Name:
Grade:
Summer Training:
       Type: (Running, Cross Training, etc.)
       How Often:
       Longest Summer Run:
       Pace of your Longest Summer Run:
       Mileage in each of the past 4 weeks:    
       Racing Experience: (Newcomers only)
       Individual Goal for the Season:
       Team Goal for the Season:

Team Warm-up

Familiarizing you with our XC course - Everybody will be jogging our entire 3.1 mile course in segments of approximately .5-.75 miles.  Between segments we will have discussion and some core training.  We fully expect a number of groups will result during this practice.  You will only be asked to run comfortably, and frankly we have NO time expectations for you.  We will however observe everybody and should be able to create training groups almost immediately for subsequent practices.

Discussion/Stretching

Our initial practice should go about two hours and begins PROMPTLY at 8:00AM.

Day 2 workouts will be dictated by what we see on Day 1.  We know we can expect that a group of what we will call for now, Varsity runners, will have their own workout.  This group will consist of those we feel are ready for the rigors of distance running based on our observations and (1) current conditioning, (2) summer training, (3) experience.  This will, in all likelihood be a relatively small group  based on the foregoing.   Others will remain on school grounds, again familiarizing themselves with our course with stops as needed.  Decisions on whether an athlete should run with the "Varsity" athletes will be made on an ongoing basis by those coaches working with this group.  The idea and our hope is that all these athletes will work hard to "move up" for as long as it takes.

I'm getting close to finishing all the talking points of Admiral McRaven's commencement speech (look to previous entries if this is lost on you), but his 7th means of "changing the world" is illustrated in the example he gives of night swims in the ocean during SEAL training.  The trainees are warned that the waters are infested with dangerous sharks and if a trainee comes in contact with one, he/she should STAND YOUR GROUND, don't swim away, and if the shark comes toward you give it a direct hit to the snout and it will back down from you.  McRaven pointedly suggests you steer clear of sharks and those who would bring you down.  You will have already taken a step in this direction by joining this team. Cross Country is, fortunately, replete with good kids who are good students.  But going forward from this point, my suggestion would be to perform YOUR best.  Encourage others, but don't limit yourself or your goals by what others are doing.  I can assure you the starting quarterback on the football team won't make errant passes in order to help the second string player move up.  Likewise you should be working to remain in or replace somebody in that top group.

(Final) Core at four . . .