Summer Training Update - Summer Goals

We are now four weeks into our summer training.  Many of you have asked and received summer training plans and are following them as suggested.  A reminder to all is that summer preparation is crucial for the high school cross country season.  Summer provides an opportunity to build a strong foundation, develop endurance, and improve performance.  

Cross country running requires a high level of aerobic endurance.  The summer is the time to engage in consistent training and gradually increase your mileage in building that strong foundation.  In this manner your body is able to gradually adapt to the demands of cross country running.  It also helps to prevent injuries and reduce the risk of overtraining during the fall season.  You can develop mental toughness and discipline during summer training and prepare for the challenges fall racing will present.  As I've mentioned countless times, group runs and organized training produce team bonding and a positive team culture, not to mention improvement of team performance.  There is no doubt the teams and individuals that perform summer training have a competitive advantage when the competition gets under way.  Improved conditioning, speed and endurance is an important byproduct of summer training.  Once again, I urge all of you to use your time wisely this summer and continue to prepare gradually for the season ahead.

It is now a great time to consider goals for the balance of your summer and begin to formulate goals for your cross-country season.  In fact, I would be grateful to hear from you with your goal or goals for the summer.  We've got about five weeks until practice starts for real on August 21st.  We will continue to hold strength and conditioning sessions for anybody interested on Tuesday and Thursday at 4:00PM in the school weight room.  In the meanwhile, think about those summer goals.  Write them down and let a coach know what you hope to do in advance of August 21st. Achievement will not go unrewarded! Those goals can be revisited or adjusted when we meet in August.  

But first and foremost, work on that foundation.  Work to improve your fitness and mental resilience along with a competitive edge.  You'll be pleasantly surprised at how quickly you'll reach your goals and your potential.