Good First Week

We are all tired after a couple of days adjusting to the school schedule. But that also means shorter practices which gives our legs a better recovery time. Rest is just as important as running now the season has hit our first stretch of races.

No practice on Friday! We've earned the break after three hard weeks. Remember that Thursday's sleep and nutrition (eat pasta) is more important than Friday's.

I think we are ready for McDowell.

First Week of School

Some reminders for the first week of school: drink plenty of water (leave a bottle in your locker and drink between classes or get a drink out of the fountain as often as you can); do your Danielle stretches during class; be the best student you can be.

Good luck.

Yessir!

Today was just another one of those days. No, not really. The times for Time Trial #2 were unnervingly fast. Almost all runners dropped their times significantly. We are certainly prepared for the week to come. We will see what happens.

There are a few who are still nursing through soreness and minor injury. Stick with the recovery plan you are on. You will persevere.

Time Trial #2

Tomorrow will be our final time trial. What will happen? Who will improve? Who will not? Our top runners seem to be improving. Our bottom runners are as well. It's the middle group--those who are filling in the important positions of 5, 6, & 7 on the boys team, and the 3-5 positions on the girls that I'm very interested in.

As will all efforts, the race is decided by those who overcome great obstacles.

A shout out to Alecia for coming out this week!

Mental Work

Today's practice was a solid eye-opener. Some runners are putting in the true effort while others are muddling through. This is the time when the work really matters. When you are sore, and tired, and mentally drained, that is when the ability to improve is at its greatest potential. If you can STILL outperform your expectations, then you are on your way. If not, then you are not where you need to be.

HW: Run the course, our home course, where we will race three times this season, in your mind--visualize it. See every corner, every dip and hill, each side-slant sodden section, the start, the gravel finish. See yourself getting where you need to be. Visualization of the course is the best way to make running it become second nature.

Comment on your mental work at the bottom of this post.

Bonus

The first three to add a comment to this post will be excused from 3 of the 5 sprints at the end of practice tomorrow.

Finally--Hills

Reservoir today. And what a hill it is. We looked very good today. I don't recall any walking. And that is something else. Our slogan next year, acc. to Hunter, should be: "Reservoir--a hill of a good time!" I think he may be right.

Congrats to Paige, Danielle, Morgan, Hunter, and Dan especially. All looked great, but today these few looked really loose. Long easy tomorrow. Recovery day.