Friday, June 09, 2006

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.

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

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


Monday, May 22, 2006

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 !!

Wednesday, January 04, 2006

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.

Friday, December 30, 2005

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!

Tuesday, December 06, 2005

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.

Thursday, December 01, 2005

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.

Thursday, November 17, 2005

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 !

Monday, October 31, 2005

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!

Saturday, October 29, 2005

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

Thursday, October 27, 2005

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!