Dinner tonight

Tonight's spahgetti dinner for the men is at the Erickson's.
The ladies are apparently going to a restaurant somewhere.
The tables will be outside so dress accordingly.
The house is three blocks from the HS; corner of Newton and Oakland.

The food will be ready at 5:00.

First race

The first race is this Saturday in West Bend. I believe it takes about an hour to get there legally. There is a map on the schedule page but the key exit you want to look for off of 45 is Paradise drive.

This is a "grade level" challenge which means that there will be 8 races. They are bookended by the freshman and the order looks like this:

8:30 Freshman Girls
9:00 Sophmore Boys
9:30 Sophmore girls
10:00 Junior Boys
10:30 Junior girls
11:00 Senior Boys
11:30 Senior Girls
12:00 Freshman Boys

The bus will be leaving the High School at 6:30 am according to Sarah which allows the freshman girls enough time to warm up. Parents can get at least another hour of sleep.

There will be medals for the top 15 in each race.

The course is considered to be very slow, but the competition is usually very good.

A "new parent" primer

This post is for parents who are new to the sport and is intended to answer the "dumb" questions that everyone has but no one asks.

1. Get there early. The pre-race environment can be chaotic, so you should leave some margin to be "flexible" if something happens.

2. There are no bleachers at a CC meet. If you don't want to stand the whole time bring a chair or a blanket to put on the ground.

3. Races cover 2-3 miles; most of which are out of sight of the finish line. If you want to see the race you will have to move around. This requires the proper shoes. I have run in wingtips before and I don't recommend it.

4.The scoring is like golf: Low score wins. The places for the top five runners from the team in each race are added up to arrive at the score. ( i.e. If Dennis is first in the race he gets 1 point, If David is 8th he gets 8 points etc... a perfect score is 15). The sixth and seventh runners do not count towards the score but they do displace other runners which can make a difference ( just ask the girls about last year's conference race).

5. Bring a pair of sunglasses or a baseball cap. The sun can be a real hassle, especially at the Arrowhead meet.

6. Bring a stop watch. It's nice to know what times people are running and to help out with splits.

7. Bring a range of clothing. The temperature can and does swing dramatically at some of these events.

8. Bring your wallet. The admission is free( except at State), but there are always shirts and snacks for sale.

9. Bring your camera and help me take pictures.

Parent's Meeting

The official pre-season "parent's meeting" is tomorrow night tuesday Aug 22nd. The event will take place at the middle school. The SIS commons is the lunch area just inside the main door.

Dom and Sarah will cover the basics and answer questions.

There will also be sign up sheets for the spahgetti dinners and other fund raisers.

This is a great event for parents who are new to the sport.

The meeting will start right at 7:00 pm and can last as long as an hour if there are questions.

What's a really good 5k time?

The oregonian filed this report on UW's Matt Tegenkamp last week:
--------
Tegenkamp came into the meet with the best U.S. mark this season in the 5,000: 13 minutes, 4.90 seconds two weeks ago in Stockholm, Sweden. He came to Hayward looking for some speedwork, and everything went as planned.
Pacesetter Jason Lunn, who had promised to take the field through the first 800 of the 1,500 in 1:54, delivered.
"He was dead-on at every split," said Tegenkamp, who competed for Wisconsin. "It was just easy to get in there, tuck in and follow."
Once Lunn dropped out, the race was Tegenkamp's. He took it, winning in a personal best of 3:36.07. Said Ahmed was second in 3:38.31.

----------
Update: He just posted a 7:34 3k in Zurich ( that = an 8:11 two mile ).

He gives a first hand account of the race here : http://www.kimbia.net/newsarticle000113.html

It is a must read !

Alumni in the news

I'm going to attempt a new "where are they now" type series to try and highlight past Shorewood runners that are still running and running well. First up: I found this recent clipping featuring Ben Schmeckpepper. I believe that I have the right Ben.

---------------------------------
June 5 2006

After several years of sweltering conditions, race day at the 2006 Rhody 5K produced quality racing conditions of low 60's and overcast The race squeezed in between weekend rains, which kept the overall numbers down but saw the largest number of teams scoring in the race. Among those teams, the Boston Athletic Association again led the fields. Construction on the Lincoln Park parking and access roads led to a new course that did not finish on a dog track.

In the men's race, run first, Ben Schmeckpepper (BAA) came from behind in the final tenth of a mile to over take Brian McGovern of Florida for his first New England Championship victory in a respectable 14:49.
-------------------------------------------
yeah, that's respectable.

Ben also had a respectable career at MIT, making it to nationals as an individual all four years. ( The men run 5 miles in college).

2001 157th 26:22
2002 32nd 25:47
2003 38th 25:55
2004 8th 24:49 - "All American"

If anyone else has any Alumni results please email me and I will get them up. Shorewood has a great tradition and we need to promote it.

Want a banana?

Okay, everybody knows that runners eat bananas because they have a lot of potassium, but why do runners need potassium?

Potassium and sodium ( salt) are the two main chemicals responsible for regulating the flow of water in and out of cells. Say what? Potassium keeps you from cramping up and feeling fatigued during and after a run.

Runners World has an excellent article on it here:

http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,5033,s6-53-84-0-8955-1-1X2X3-4,00.html

Remember Alan Webb?

Webb is of course the skinny kid from Reston Virginia who pegged the US high school mile record at 3:48 a few years ago. He will be running a mile in Scotland tonight and had this to say to a reporter yesterday:
-----------------------
"I tweaked my hamstring just after that 27:34 at Stanford, which is a fast 10k for a miler. A couple of days later I ran 20 x 400 with a minute interval. I started with 61-62s and finished at 57 seconds, so I knew I was fit, but then I found I was iron-deficient. So I've rested, and now I am not at my sharpest. I was only third in the 800 metres at the Scottish Championships, so I'm not in 3:48 shape, but I should still be able to go below four minutes on Thursday.

http://www.theherald.co.uk/sport/68054.html
------------------------

What caught my eye wasn't just the 20 quarters but the part about being iron deficient. It is really important to pay attention to what you are eating and how much you are sleeping when you run high mileage. You must listen to your body.

The keys to running your best are :

1. 8-10 hours of regular sleep every night. Get on a schedule and be consistant.
2. Hydration. Drink water all day long and then drink some more.
3. Nutrition. A good multi vitamin every day can cover a lot of bad habits
4. Bananas every day are the best way to keep your potassium supply stocked

Every world class runner when asked about their routine always starts by talking about how much sleep they get and then they talk about what they eat, and then they lie about how many miles they run.

Are you getting enough sleep?

Is track a fall sport?

well, no but there are some really cool meets going on right now as people are trying to sort out who will be running in the next olympics. last week was the "road to Eugene" meet where uw's very own Tegenkamp took the 1500 from a stacked field.

The recap in the Oregon Duck is pretty well written:

Men's 1500m: Jason Lunn goes directly to the lead, goes through 300m in 42.5. The runners are already in a long line. Lunn 56.3 at 400 meters. Andrew Bumbalough,Matt Tegenkamp, Said Ahmed and Anthony Famiglietti follow Lunn . AJ Acosta is 3rd from the back. 1:40 with 2 laps to go for the lead pack of 6. 800 meters in 1:54.5 for Lunn. The pack is now 4; Lunn, Tegenkamp, Ahmed, and Bumbalough. Acosta is now 4th from the last. Bumbalough drops out with 500 meters to go. Lunn drops out at the bell. Tegenkamp takes over and Ahmed follows through 1200 meters in 2:53.7. Gabe Jennings is moving well down the backstraight, trying to catch Anthony Famiglietti, who is 3rd, with 200 meters to go. Tegenkamp pulls away from Ahmed down the homestraight to win in 3:36.06. Ahmed, looking over his shoulder, holds on for 2nd in 3:38.31 over a hard-charging Famiglietti (3rd, 3:38.61) with Jennings 4th in 3:38.96. Acosta is 10th of 11 finishers in 3:47.48.

Those are some fast boys.

On a related note, these guys do run in local races and you can step up and run with them sort of.
Andrew ran in the "full moon 5k in madison" last night. The race was won by Chris Solinsky in 14:58. That's a little out of range, but a fair number of people ran the first mile with him (4:50). It's a good way to reset your mental pace and maybe move up a notch. A lot of running is mental, and a lot of that is just believing that you belong up front.

My bad

The Hank Aaron race I have been promoting conflicts directly with the new alumni run. My bad.

Of course everyone should go to the alumni run at Kern park. This is the first ever and it is important to start it off on the right foot. It is also an excellent way to show your support for the team.

So knock that mud off of your spikes and set your alarm for saturday morning. The weather is guaranteed to be perfect and "big bertha" will be happy to see you.

Race Tonight

There are a ton of good races this time of year. You should be in a couple before the season starts.

Tonight is the "full Moon" run in madison. It starts at 9:00 pm for those of you who work during the day. Details are here : http://www.movinshoesmadison.com/full_moon.htm .

Remember, the first official race of the season is now less than three weeks away.
What are you waiting for?

Looking for a good time?

There is a very decent race coming up this weekend over at Miller park. You can actually bike there on the new bike trails if you can't find a ride. We will unfortunately be in the twin cities at another event but I am sure Dom can put together a carpool if there is enough interest.

The run is at Miller park on the 12th, located by the suasage house in the south east parking lot. It is officially The Hank Aaron state trail 5k. It is all asphalt and tends to be pretty (very) fast. The last mile is all down hill. It is a small race but they hand out some pretty decent munchies and door prizes afterwards. The info is here.
http://www.hankaaronstatetrail.org/Fun%20Run%20and%20Walk%201.html

The run is in the morning (8:30) so you have to actually get up, the bonus for parents is that the last two years they had free bakery and coffee from Alterra in unlimited quanities prior to the run.

Sam D. ran last year (20:07); Andrew ran 17:19; Zach McFall ran 17:10

Learn from the best

Haile Gebrselassie is arguably the greatest living distance runner and maybe the best pure distance runner ever. In a recent BBC sport interview he offered a few tips.

What has been the best advice you have had in your career of athletics?

Actually, there are two important pieces that helped me a lot:

1. Work hard! This is what my father has always told me. Nothing comes for free, so if you want to achieve something you will have to work hard.

2. Take your time! This was the first advice of my manager Jos Hermens. He explained to me that if you work hard and make the right choices, things will come your way.
In the beginning of my career I thought I could run a race every week. I felt great and wanted to show people how fast I could run.
Jos taught me not to run too many races and to train and rest well. When I started to do this, my performances got even better!

What do you do to help you recover from your hardest training sessions? How much sleep do you have each day?

I go to bed early (9.30 pm), but also wake up early (6 am). During the daytime I try to sleep, but this is difficult as my daughters try to keep me awake.
For me it is not so important to sleep, as long as I can take a rest. In the afternoon, I try to rest for two hours.
Next to sleeping a lot, massage also helps to recover well from training. When I train really hard, I make sure that I have daily massages.

---------------------
Work hard and get regular sleep ... that probably sounds like your parents but it's the truth..

The Schedule 2006

The schedule now has it's own page to keep it from getting buried on the post page.
It is the second link over on the right. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You can of course bookmark it under favorites if you are using windows so you can get at it even easier. I will try to link driving directions and maps to each entry. I have most of them up already.

The season starts in less than a week and we actually have two meets before school even starts. Considering that there are only six meets before conference and sectionals that means that a third of the season will be in the books before the boys even get their books.

heh

Sparse

The summer classic at parkside was last night. Shorewood fielded three runners and a soccer player. Yes a soccer player. Come on people, that's pathetic.

It was a little hot and muggy but everyone who came had a good time.

Andrew ran slow but was still in the top 20.
Sam G. arrived after the start but jumped in anyway, no time but definite points for effort.

Heidi represented the girl's and averaged around 9 min a mile.

And Jordan W. ( sprinter/soccer) flashed his "legendary" kick at the finish.

The event ended with a picnic and prizes.
There was also a truck full of stuff from Pond's ( the premiere shoe store in Illinois). Emily bought a pair of very nice spikes for $10. That was worth the drive all by itself.

Plan to be there next year. This is a great event.

Results are up over at Wisconsin Runner ( link is on the right ->)

Amber Alert !!

Officials are still looking for a white van, reportedly full of distance runners from Shorewood High School. Alledgedly driven by one Dom Newman. The van never arrived at the Parkside summer classic last night. Any one with information on either the missing runners or the wayward coach are asked to contact the Shorewood athletic department.

The new lounge

Ben and others have asked for a "chat room". I have been a little hesitant to explore this because I don't want to police it and I don't have the time or expertise to build one.

I have been persuaded to try a limited version on a trial basis. You will notice a new link on the right cleverly titled: "The Lounge". This link is to a dummy blog that I set up just for comments. You won't be able to start any threads but you can comment on and join any that are there. I'll keep this up under two conditions:

1. People actually use it.

2. That it doesn't get abused ( by which I mean no excessive swearing, no unduly scatalogical syntax, and no personal attacks on people on or off the team.

I will be just slightly more restrictive than dyestat.

If this proves popular it can be expanded.

-The management

Next race : Parkside Aug 5th

I don't know how many of you are running and or racing this summer, but sometimes it helps to run some of the courses that you will see during the season in a more relaxed low stress setting.

Last year Andrew ran in the Parkside CC Classic at the beginning of August. The meet is run on the parkside course which we will race on twice. There were a lot of good high school runners there as well as some people who were lucky to finish. It was a lot of fun and includes a free cook out afterwards ( hot dogs and chips etc..). The cost is $8 in advance and $10 at the gate. I think it would be great if we could get a dozen guys and girls to go down and compete. I would be happy to take a van full if anyone needs a ride. The race is on AUGUST 5TH

The link for the info and the sign up sheet is here.

http://www.wisconsinrunner.com/wccca/UWP_CC_Classic.pdf

This is of course still pre season and totally on your own.
Remember you can't wear your school uniform at any of these events.
Last years results are here if anyone is curious.


Also there is a race on August 12th

There is a decent run at Miller park on the 12th. The Hank Aaron state trail 5k. It is all asphalt and tends to be pretty fast. It is a small race but they hand out some pretty decent munchies and door prizes afterwards.

The info is here.
http://www.hankaaronstatetrail.org/Fun%20Run%20and%20Walk%201.html

You can't enter these once the season starts on the 14th so this is pretty much the last legal warm up.

Mark Your Calendars now.

The Schedule for 2006

Monday, August 14  Season begins
 
Saturday, August 26 West Bend Grade Level Challenge 8:30 am
 
Saturday, September 2  Rebel Invite- UW Parkside  9:30am
 
Thursday, September 7  Arrowhead Invite 4:15
 
Friday, September 15  Marquette Invite 4:00pm New course and a new date!
 
Saturday, September 23  Griak Invite, only the top 10 guys will go.
 
Saturday, September 30  Eagle Invite- UW Parkside
 
Saturday, October 7  Shorewood Invite, we will need help from the parents with meet management
 
Friday, October 13  Conference Meet @ Sheridan Park 2:30pm
 
Saturday, October 21  WIAA Sectionals  Only the top 7 will run.  New sectionals.
 
Saturday, October 28 WIAA State Meet, Only if the team places in the top 2 the week before.

The longest day

Andrew is on his way back from China today. He will have already left Beijing at 4:30 pm this afternoon and will arrive in Milwaukee at 8:30 pm tonight. That's a long afternoon. And yes for those of you who are keeping track he may just get here in time to storm the bastille at 9:00... unless he whimps out.

Good luck to everyone else who is running ( after they help Dom out at the bike race of course).

UPDATE: Back in time. Andrew and Dennis ran together at the front and represented Shorewood well. Dennis came in around 15:50 and Andrew at 16:07. Not bad. Not bad at all.

Keep the memories not the uniform

Dom wants all of the uniforms back so that they can take inventory and order replacements if neccessary. He will be outside of the high school on June 22nd collecting. Please make arrangements to drop off your uniform at that time. He is threatening unspecified retaliation for people who forget or just can't be bothered.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Summer weights

WEIGHT TRAINING FOR ENDURANCE ATHLETES

To reach your maximum potential as a runner you need to go beyond simply logging miles on the road or trail. Competitive runners of all levels lift weights in the off-season and many continue throughout the year. The truth is that optimum performance demands entire body strength. For those whose limiter is Force, weight training should be a priority. A weight-training program should be progressive and specific to your individual needs. Utilize the concept of periodization to allow for adequate rest and recovery. Conditioning running-specific muscles can provide an increase of 10 to 33 percent in muscular endurance, the difference between finishing on the podium or the back of the pack.

CONTINUED

The ability to push for long periods is what separates elite runners from the rest. Strengthening slow-twitch muscle fibers permits them to do more work and reserves fast-twitch fibers for when you really need them. Lifting weights is also important for injury prevention and rehabilitation. It is recommended that during the season you complete no fewer than two weight lifting periods.

Warm up and stretch before each session, and cool down for 10 to 15 minutes and lightly stretch afterward. An adequate cool down decreases blood lactate levels and muscle soreness. Wait at least 48 hours between sessions, and remember to replace carbohydrates and fluids

1. Guidelines:

3 sets of each exercise from 8-25 reps. Light weight. Speed of lift is medium, with 30 seconds to 1.5 minutes recovery between sets.
Start with a conservative weight for your first session.
Ideally, you should be sore after the first session. If you are still sore for session #2, push it to later in the week. Soreness + Recovery = Adaptation. This is exactly what we want. Sessions 3 and 4 continue this adaptation.
Core Strength: rather than try to explain a routine in text, I would recommend asking a personal trainer for some recommendations. I will find some good references and post them. Core strength exercises are performed throughout the entire season.

1. Form: if you are unfamiliar with form for the exercises above, now is the time to learn. Ask a personal trainer or qualified friend to show you proper lifting technique for each of these exercise.

1. Guidelines:

For squat/leg press, lat pull-down, and seated row, your objective is to get strong by lifting a heavy weight. Period. Nothing fancy.

1. 1st Set: Warm-up, very light. Stretch and rest 2-3 minutes.


2. 2nd Set: Intermediate, heavier, but still light. Stretch and rest 2-3 minutes.


3. 3rd Set: Work Set. Get aggressive with the amount of weight by picking a load that you can only lift about 8-25 reps. With a spotter, go to failure (you are unable to lift the weight by yourself), and then use the spotter to get 2-3 more reps.

A good goal would be to increase the weight of the work set by 10-15 pounds every other session.
Men’s Cross Country/Track Weight Lifting Schedule

Characteristics:

1. Lift 2-3 times a week.


2. Intensity levels will “parallel” your mileage.


3. If there is an easy week of running, lifting that week will be backed off of.

Week of June 12th- July 9th
{rest periods = 1 minute}
Bench or Vertical Chess Press (2x8)
Upright rows or shoulder press (2x8)
Seated Rows (2x8)
Bicep Curls (2x8)
Tricep extensions (2x8)
Dumbbell Swings (2x15-20)
Plate lifts (2x15-20)
Leg Sled (2x15) use light weights
Toe raises (sled 2x15)
Knee Drives (2x10)
Abdominals





Men’s Cross Country/Track Weight Lifting Schedule
Characteristics:
1. Lift 2-3 times a week.
2. Intensity levels will “parallel” your mileage.
3. If there is an easy week of running, lifting that week will be backed off of.
July 9th- August 13th:
Schedule #2
{rest periods = 45 seconds}
Bench or Vertical Chess Press (2x12)
Upright rows or shoulder press (2x12)
Seated Rows (2x12)
Bicep Curls (2x12)
Tricep extensions (2x12)
Dumbbell Swings (2x25)
Plate lifts (2x25)
Leg Sled (2x20) use light weights
Toe raises (sled 2x20)
Knee Drives (2x15)
Abdominals




Men’s Cross Country/Track Weight Lifting Schedule
Characteristics:

1. Lift 2 times a week.


2. Only major change is your total volume should be decreased progressively.


3. No leg sled or knee drives after October the 1st.


4. During easy week of training, incorporate an easy week of lifting.

In-season workout schedule: August 14th-October 23rd
Rest periods will equal 30 seconds. Weight level will progressively drop.
{rest periods = 45 seconds}
Bench or Vertical Chess Press (2x20)
Upright rows or shoulder press (2x20)
Seated Rows (2x20)
Bicep Curls (2x20)
Tricep extensions (2x20)
Dumbbell Swings (2x25)
Plate lifts (2x25)
Leg Sled (2x20) use light weights
Toe raises (sled 2x20)
Knee Drives (2x15)
Abdominals

Injuries aren't fun

The Shorewood Boy’s Cross Country Guide to Preventing Injuries

We had an inordinate amount of injuries this last season, and we need to adjust what we’re doing to ensure that the incidence of injury – an inevitable part of running – is severely limited within our program. While winning championships is important and fun, it pales in importance to an athlete’s overall health. With that said, here are a few thoughts about general injury prevention…

CONTINUED

1. Make sure the coach isn’t an idiot. Or to put it a different way, make sure the workouts are structured to allow for a gradual increase in overall volume of training. While athletes can handle large volumes and high intensities of training, too much, too soon is a major cause of any injury. Don’t worry – I’m working on this aspect of it!


2. Wear good shoes. New running shoes should be purchased at least three times per year for the normal year-round runner. Further, try to find a shoe model that works well and stick to it. Make sure it accounts for variance in your foot type (high arches, low arches, etc). As a general rule, “lightweight trainers” are not good for the amount of volume we do.


3. Try to run on soft surfaces when possible. While it isn’t always possible, when you do have the chance, run on the grass on the side of the sidewalk (the street side – it’s public property) or on trails. Softer surfaces alleviate some of the pounding that causes injury.


4. Eat a well-balanced diet. A diet consisting of regular water consumption, lots of fruits and veggies, dairy products and other carbohydrates can serve to keep runners healthy and help them recover faster when injuries do crop up. RUNNERS NEED MORE CALORIES THAN NORMAL PEOPLE DO! Make sure you eat a lot! THREE MEALS A DAY (AT LEAST!).


5. GET CALCIUM! Make sure that you’re drinking enough milk and/or getting calcium in some other way. There are many good supplements out there – ask a doctor for the best ones and best ways to take them. Bone health is really important, and it starts with calcium!


6. Get iron in your diet. Although this does not have much to do specifically with stress fractures, young runners are especially susceptible to anemia, a condition characterized by low iron levels. Its onset often means the loss of several weeks or months of quality training and racing. Red meat is the most direct source of iron, but other foods (spinach, beans, etc) and supplements can be used. Consult a doctor if supplementation is the preferred option. Most iron supplements should be taken with orange juice to speed absorption.


7. Stretch regularly. Regular stretching can head off many injuries before they become a problem. Doing our normal drill work is also excellent flexibility work. These can be done on your own any time!


8. Do regular core work. Our normal abdominal circuit should be part of any runners year-round core work. A strong core (abs, back, obliques) will head off numerous injuries.


9. Get sleep. Sleep is often neglected by busy high schoolers, but regular sleep is always necessary for performance in school and in running. Eight hours is optimal, but not always possible. 6-10 is a good range, while always aiming for eight!


10. Take a regular ice bath. This is in the “nice-but-not necessary” category. A regular bath, filled with about 6-8 inches of cold water and lots of ice for about 20 minutes can really help to speed recovery after long or hard efforts. Quick recovery helps reduce injury! Filling your top with cold tap water works just as well.


11. Do yoga. Again, in the “nice-but-not-necessary,” but yoga has the potential to increase both strength and flexibility, which minimizes the risk of injury. (Andrew) ;)

Nothing can guarantee perfect health, but attention to these details can definitely help tremendously. These are all quick and most are relatively-easily done remedies that can deal with injuries before they start. Please NEVER hesitate to contact Coach Newman at: drnew@hotmail.com

The season starts on June 5th

There will be a short meeting on June 5th right after school for everyone who is planning to run next fall. The coaches will be handing out the summer work out schedules and we will be looking to recruit some new runners. mark your calendars and be there if at all possible !!

New season...New site

Okay, I started a new site for Track. It's cleverly called Shorewood Track and Field. There is now a link for it on the side bar. I tested it, it works. I've been cross posting a little on both sites but I will try to keep Track in one place and Cross country here. If you go, you will notice that the color scheme is a little garish ( ugly). If anyone wants to work on the color scheme let me know and I will give you access to the template.

Hopefully everyone is running again by now. The season is much closer than you think and it is a lot shorter than CC.

Cheers.

How far did you really run?

The following link has been around for a while but may not have gotten enough attention. It is an off-shoot of the new google mapping technologies that lets you plot and measure your favorite running routes using the latest in satelite and GPS technology.
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/

It's not really obvious how to use this.
You need to center the map on Wisconsin by double clicking and then zooming in on Shorewood. Once you have the area you need posted, hit the start mapping button; then double click on each point on the map that you want to mark. The rest is automatic.

You can see an example here: http://tinyurl.com/8jdl6

Enjoy!

Cross Country or Mud Wrestling?

Apparently the conditions at NTN this year were a little wild. The oregon course ran about a minute slow. Heh.

Dom's list

Dom is under the impression that some of you might be running this winter. Even more implausibly he thinks that you might be actually running outside in the cold. Naturally he is concerned that you don't know how to dress yourselves. So for those of you who have been waiting to start running because you were unsure of the dress code... Dom has the following suggestions.


1. Dress in layers.
Dressing in layers will allow you to peel off or add layers as the temperature, wind,
and other conditions change.

2. Choose a highly-breathable base layer.
This is the layer of material that you wear closest to your skin. It should be made of a high-
tech polyester that "wicks" sweat away from your body. (cool max, dri-fit or polypro)
Wicking material will wick sweat away and decrease the chances of a severe chilling effect
if the temperature turns cooler and windier, or if you slow down or have to walk.

3. Wear a looser, second layer of breathable material.
The second layer adds extra insulation between your base layer and your outer layer.
Vents and zippers gives you maximum comfort in a wide range of temperatures. (pit zips)

4. Wear an outer layer of breathable, wind-resistant, water-resistant material.
Vents and zippers gives you maximum comfort in a wide range of temperatures.

5. Wear a breathable hat that can be pulled over your ears.
During cold weather, you lose up to 50 percent of your body heat through your head.
A breathable hat will decrease the amount of body heat lost.

6. Protect your ears and hands.
Mittens keep hands warmer than gloves.
Earmuffs and a hat that can be pulled over your ears are great tools to keep your ears
warm.

7. Wear Sunglasses ( esp. at night)
Sunglasses will provide protection against snow glare and wind.

8. Wear reflective gear.
Reflective gear will help you be seen by other pedestrians and motorists.
This is extremely important if you run at dawn or dusk.

9. wear running shoes with good outsoles/treads.
Winter roads are often slippery. Good outsoles will help you avoid slips and falls.

Good luck this winter with your training. Keep meeting as a group for a safe and fun run!

Dominic

Apparently colors are still up to you.

State Video

Remember all of the FOX reporters and cameras at the meet this year? While apparently they aired the segment last night at 6:30. I missed it so i can't comment on the quality. However you can own your own official copy. That's right FOX is selling copies for $29.95 the link is :

http://gallery.bcentral.com/GID5132219P4666391-Boys-cross-country-tournament-highlight-film.aspx

It seems a little steep, but it could be good. Who knows. Please let me know if anyone actually saw it.

UPDATE: DR. Mahn purchased the DVD and was gracious enough to send me a copy. I would be happy to loan it out to anyone who is interested. Ask Andrew or give me a call.

State Pictures

The official poster of the meet with everyone's times and picture can be found at VIP's web site. There is a 10% discount if we order in the next ten days. The cost is around $4o.oo unframed. the link is :

http://vipis.com/store/e-store.html

This shows all of the pictures taken not the poster. I assume that Dom is organizing the actual poster.

Indoor mile

For those of you who can't wait for track to start... UWM is hosting a pair of indoor "meets" apparently anyone can show up, pay $10 dollars and run. It could be fun. The first one is this saturday.

Details:

UWM Open/Developmental Track and Field Meets
@ Klotsche Center, 3409 N. Downer Ave.

Saturday, Dec. 3, 2005 - 9 a.m.Friday Jan. 20, 2006 - 6 p.m.

Running Events
3000m
55m dash
55m high hurdles
Mile run
200m
600m dash
Field Events (will start after completion of running events)
High Jump
Shot Put
Pole Vault (MUST BE 18 YEARS OLD TO COMPETE - BRING PROOF OF AGE, Jake)
Triple Jump - Jan. 20
Long Jump - Dec. 3

*** An entry fee of $10.00 per athlete will be required on race day. Awards will be given to men's and women's champions this year. Doors will open one hour before the start of the meet. ¼" spikes only. Men's and women's heat races will be run in each event, unless entry numbers or time constraints warrant combining given races. Call ahead if weather conditions are questionable at (414) 229-2567 or (414) 229-5149.
Entries will be accepted at the door.

OPEN THREAD

Remember to turn off your pop up blockers if you want to view the comments.

Thank you!

I just want to take a moment to say thank you again to all of the people who helped with this site by providing pictures and stories and technical advice ( you know who you are). I would also like to thank the coaches who put so much effort and time into the season. I'm not sure everyone realizes just how little they are paid for what they do. And I want to thank all of the parents who hosted or helped out with the dinners. The CC teams do spaghetti dinners better than any other team I have ever seen. It's a great tradition.

Thanks everybody!

Like the athletes this site will take the winter off. I will be making some format changes in January that I hope will make the site a bit more user friendly and easier to get around. If you have any specific requests or pet peeves please let me know so that I can address them with the overhaul. I plan to start posting again when the indoor season starts which for me coincides with the Shorewood Invite at UWM. Track is a bit tricky though because the team is so much bigger and because there are a number of 'teams' within the team. I plan to focus on the distance runners because I understand their events. It would be nice if someone would volunteer to follow and write about the sprinters and field athletes. Let me know if you have an interest.

I will leave an "open thread" at the top if anyone wants to use it as a message board. I think that some people had trouble with this feature because it uses a pop up box and gets disabled if you have a pop up blocker running on your system. You will have to disable the pop up blocker until I reconfigure the pages.

Finally, all of the pictures here and in the slide shows can be downloaded and printed. On the slide shows, after the show loads you can click on the "album" feature which has a download option. Once you have them on your computer you can save them on a disk and take it in to Wallgreens. They have a machine that accepts any and all types of discs. It costs 29 cents a print for the one hour option. Conversely you can send them electronically to Wallmart and pick them up later in the day. Wallmart charges 19 cents per print.

See you all in the spring !

State Champions again

Banquet news

Mark your calendars for

Tuesday November 8th.

We will be getting together at the SIS commons to eat some food, hand out awards, and reflect on a great season. If you have pictures to share this would be a great time to do so.

Cost is $2 per head payable at the door.
Desserts and salads were assigned alphabetically, if you aren't sure bring whatever you do best.

Beverages will carry a nominal fee this time.

Please RSVP to Susan Flanders so they can order the right number of Pizzas.

See you there!

Fashion Alert

PINK ... It's the new black. or something

Three time champions !!

The third time was golden as the men's team easily defended their title in the premiere race of the day. Dennis led the squad as per usual. He shadowed eventual winner Andrew Lacy through a blistering first mile around 4:53. They had some company but none of it was serious. Lacy finished the course in 15:55 and Dennis took second in 16:16 ( times are from memory which can be foggy). Jake stepped up and finished 13th overall, second on the team just under 17:00. Andrew was 14th overall, third on the team and did not break 17:00 leaving unfinished business for next year. He did pick up 12 spots in the last quarter mile. Andrew was followed closely by David ( 17:17), Brian (17:22), Doug(17:47), and John (18:40). If they looked nervous at the starting line... they looked twice as stressed waiting for the official results after the race. All year they had watched the numbers from Monroe, who looked tough until their best runner broke his leg; Then they had monitored Mcfarland who vaulted to the top of their sectional when Lacy returned from injury; And finally they considered a late surging bid by catholic memorial. On paper any one of these four teams could win the whole thing. All anyone knew for sure was that it was going to be very very very close. And we were all very very very wrong. The men scored an astonishing 55 points. Catholic memorial placed second with 102, followed by McFarland and Monroe dropped all the way to eighth. It wasn't just a win, it was a dominant statement. The guys reacted with more emotion then they have ever shown. They yelled, they laughed, they hugged, the coach cried. It was awesome. They have now won THREE STRAIGHT STATE TITLES and they will return four of the top five finishers next year. Maybe this year the school will find a place to display thier latest state championship trophy because I'm pretty sure that Dom is running out of room at his place. Congratulations guys!

The women also had a day and a season to be proud of. Claire was the fastest girl of the day in any division. She led gun to tape with confidence and style. She finished first with a personal best time of 14:15. A new D2 state record and ~4 seconds faster than the D1 race went in. The balance of the team finished in a tight pack and scored well enough to take ninth. Not what they were hoping for but a huge effort and a moral victory. early in the season they lost four varsity runners to injury and looked in disarray. The bean counters consistantly ranked them in the mid twenties in all of the polls. However, against the odds, Coach K rallied the girls and helped them to overcome the early set backs. Winning sectionals is not easy. Just getting to State is not a given. And finishing ninth in what was a very fast race means that they were competitive right to the end. Congrats Ladies !

Results should be up at Wisconsin Runner.

or here: http://www.wisconsintrackandfield.com/index.html

Pictures are up, see the slide show bar. There aren't many because the race was just too good.

Feel free to brag a little over on the Dyestat board.

See you all next year.

Jake... the babe magnate

No one draws a crowd quite like Jake. The team just won't be the same without him next year.

Strange fan

Details

The students will be leaving in three waves.

The varsity girls will leave at 11:00 on friday. they will eat lunch in Madison and proceed to the Elizabeth Inn in Plover at about 3:00.

The varsity boys will leave at 1:00 and go directly to Wis. Rapids to pick up the race packets and T-shirts. Apparently the school felt that it would cost too much to feed them lunch so they will eat before they leave.

A third group of JV runners who will comprise the core of our "superfan" group will leave Shorewood at 3:00 and go straight to the hotel.

Hotel Info: Elizabeth Inn, US 51 south & 54 east
5246 harding Ave Plover
715.341.4414

Dinner is at Arbuckles (1320 strongs ave, stevens point. 715.341.2444) at about 6:30

On saturday the girls plan to be at the course around 9:00, while the guys hope to show up about 10:30.

The awards are at 3:15

Dinner will be somewhere on the way home.

Parents driving up on saturday should leave before 7:00 to account for parking and shuttle bus delays.

See you there!

The state meet

CROSS COUNTRY
WIAA STATE MEET
The Ridges, Wisconsin Rapids

Saturday

Girls - Division 3, 10:30 a.m.; Division 2, 11:10 a.m.; Division 1, 11:50 a.m.

Boys - Division 3, 12:30 p.m.; Division 2, 1:10 p.m.; Division 1, 1:50 p.m.

If you are planning to drive up:

Mapquest suggests taking 94 to madison and then going north on 39. I did that last year and it worked fine. It takes just over 3 hours. As you come into town there is a well marked parking lot with a shuttle bus running to the meet. I seem to remember a small fee to park. there is officially no parking next to the course but it sure looked like a lot of people parked on the streets anyway. It does cost to get in. $5 I think. They do sell a lot of food there but the lines can be huge later in the day. It is much more of a party atmosphere than most races. A lot of spectators are in costume and people watching can be entertaining. The awards are over at the high school several miles away. It is not easy to find so try and follow somebody. I know that the team has an extra van going up on friday and a pair of extra rooms for students. I am going up on saturday and I have a couple extra seats in my van if anyone wants a ride. There is an info meeting wednesday night at the high school for anyone who wants more details. Last year was cold and rainy but that didn't seem to matter after the boys won. the weather could be the same this year.

See ya !

Race the competition not the clock

Dear CC parents and fans,

The Shorewood boy's cross country team advanced to the 2005 Wisconsin State Meet at Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids. The Greyhounds won the WIAA Sectional Championship with 36 points. Dennis Walsh navigated the course with a 1st place finish and a time of 16:27. David Salmon was 5th (17:01), Andrew Erickson 7th (17:05), Jake Haury 8th (17:09), Brian Valusek 15th (17:47), Douglas Stewart 16th (17:49) and Jon Bassen who finished in 34th place with a time of (18:34).

The top 2 teams advance to the State Meet, a list of results will follow.

I believe that we will see one of the closest Division 2 State Meet races ever this year. We will have to run OUR BEST TEAM RACE ON THAT GIVEN DAY!! Monroe and McFarland will be strong contenders, as will Catholic memorial and others, but I feel that we have a chance at a State title.

More info about the team departure on friday will be forth coming. In the mean time runners should feel happy but not satisfied. If you hear runners talking about a 3 peat help them to keep it in perspective. That is not the only goal in mind. They need to race the competition not the clock. There are too many variables that could effect our runners in achieving a certain time.

Anyhow, congrats to Jake and Douglas who I believe are the only 2 runners from Shorewood who have competed in 4 state meets in CC, and congrats to Jon Bassen who will be competing in his first state meet!

I would also like to send a BIG CONGRATS, to the girls team for winning their sectional race and qualifying for the WIAA State Meet. Nice job Claire Maduza on winning the individual race. Way to go Coach Kopplin!

-Dom

1. 36 Shorewood ( 17:06 1:25:29)
====================================
1 1 Dennis Walsh 16:27
2 5 David Salmon 17:01
3 7 Andrew Erickson 17:05
4 8 Jake Haury 17:09
5 15 Brian Valusek 17:47
6 ( 16) Douglas Stewart 17:49
7 ( 34) Jon Bassen 18:34

short cut to official results for sectionals

all sectional results, boys:
http://www.wiaawi.org/x-countryboys/2005/tourneyresults.html

all girls results:
http://www.wiaawi.org/x-countrygirls/2005/tourneyresults.html

The Ladies results

1. 47 Shorewood High School ( 16:11 1:20:55)
====================================
1 1 Claire Maduza 14:34
2 2 Becky Wayman 15:55
3 13 Becca Mahn 16:44
4 15 Katja Krishok 16:49
5 16 Colleen Luba 16:53
6 ( 26) Ashley Barron 17:10
7 ( 34) Devin Nadar 17:31

Sectional Results

It was wet and windy but well worth the drive this morning. Both teams came away with a win individually and as a team. It was kind of fun to hear spectators from other schools muttering about how unfair it was to have to run against Shorewood.

Complete slides are up over on the side bar. Results should already be on Wisconsin runner.



The ladies ran a very tight smart race. Claire led from the start as per usual and finished in an easy 14:30 something. She was followed by Becky who placed second. There were a dozen or so other competitors and then our next three runners led by Becca ( check out the racing stripes) they finished as a pack with no gaps. It was very impressive. They started a little slow by design but continually passed runners the whole way. They will look great next week at State. They also showed just how lame the rankings have been on the girl's side all year.

The men put on a show of their own. Dennis led gun to chute but lost a dozen seconds because he kept stopping to ask for directions on what was a very poorly marked course. That won't be a problem next week. David finished in the number two spot for us, breaking the 17:00 barrier and flashing his old form. Andrew was third, just over 17:00 for the fourth week in a row. He was followed closely by Jake, Doug, and Brian. For those of you still counting, yes there was a seventh runner. John put in a great effort as he continues to improves significantly every race. You never know when your seventh runner may suddenly become your fifth mid race and decide the race but it does happen and John is more than holding his own.

Monroe took second to Macfarland today and almost didn't qualify. They ran without their top runner Kehoe who is out with a stress fracture. This means that he won't be back next week and makes them much less of a threat. Macfarland on the other hand is coming on strong and will be very evenly matched. I will post more numbers later.

Congratulations everyone!

Times to run on saturday

Per the Dom himself

The bus will leave the High School at 8:00 on saturday.
The Women will run at 10:30
The men will run at 11:15

This is sectionals so there are no JV races.
The top two teams advance on to State.

For the Men:

The top teams in our section include (in order) Sheboygan falls, Milwaukee Lutheran, Lomira, Kewaskum, and Luther Prep. None of whom are predicted to be in the top six teams at the state meet ( Shorewood is ranked 1st in the section and 2nd in the state). This does not mean that we couldn't be surprised if we get sloppy or if injuries take a toll, but the Men should advance through this round with or without Jake. We won't win state without him though.

For the Women:

The ladies are ranked 4th in their section behind Sheboygan falls, Winnebago Lutheran, and Poynette. Sheboygan Falls is currently ranked 9th in the state and we are 24th. The actual numbers mean nothing but they do give some perspective. This will be another very close finish. We can take the second spot but it will take some heroic running.

Mayville isn't that far away and the drive is scenic so plan to be there to yell encouragement.

If you take capitol drive to 41/45 north towards Fond du lac it's about 50 miles to the course and it should take about an hour and a quarter unless there is traffic. The race is at the golf course SE of town and is not anywhere near the high school.

See ya.

Welcome SIS runners

The slide show Mr. Haury mentioned can be found over to the right on the side bar under 'slide shows' you can also use this link :

http://www.photoshow.net/watch/jT6ct9Nq

The pictures are not great but the kids find them interesting. Feel free to download and print any that you like.

Also while you are here feel free to look around. The main posts deal with the races both before and after. Over on the side I have links to various sites of interest. Dyestat is probably the most looked at because they have an active chat area for local runners ( click on 'talk' and then scroll down to the wisconsin board). The 'let's run' site' is a good place for national news. Local meet results are on 'wisconsin runner'. I have pictures up for most races under the slide show heading. Finally, the books advertised from Amazon are all classics that I highly reccomend.

If you have any questions let me know in the comments.