Who's Example Are You?

I'm currently a work in progress and like anyone else I face struggles every day. My goal is to be more Christ-like each and every day and that is not an easy take.

In the season of my life that I am in now, I feel so blessed that God has given me the talent of running. My running is an amazing gift from God and I want to use it to the best of my ability to glorify Him. I'm thankful that I have been given this platform so that I can share my faith with the world!

Good example for each of you as athletes....remember, you are blessed with a gift (a talent) from God (running). When we use our gift to bring glory to Him, He will exalt us through our BEST effort in our times and places (WINNING!)

Not bad for an 18 year old who now is a world champion and double Olympic silver medalist...."Allyson Felix".

Remember, who's example are you and are you using your gift to its fullest ability?

"Hey Coach, What About Me?"

To slightly paraphrase something I once read, "Your body is not like everybody else's body". That's a question ever runner should ask whenever they hear the workout for the day. Here are four things to focus on each day as you run through the woods.
Arm Carriage
Some athletes tend to carry their arms too wide (110 degrees or higher) and others too narrow (75 degrees or smaller) and tuck their elbows in like a marsupial. The ideal for those running distance is somewhere in the middle. Arms usually act as a counterbalance when running easily. As tempo increases, so should the action of your arms. Think about keeping your arms at about hip level with the hands crossing about the waist in the follow through. In addition, arms should never cross the body's centerline.
Toe-off (Power)
One of the most common seen flaws in runners is the lack of "toe-off". This usually is a result of weak Achilles or calf muscles or too stiff running shoes. Good old fashioned stadiums (yes, the ones you did as punishment in P.E.) can achieve great results. Shoes with greater flexibility allow a runner's feet to function more naturally with far greater power in the "toe-off".
Knee-lift & Rear Leg Extension
Greater knee-lift should not be emphasized in performance based distance running, but the amount of drive fired through the hamstrings and into the Gluteus-all fired to the rear, not the front. The "butt-kick-drill" is an excellent training for this. And should I say, yes-HILLS!
Sitting In The Bucket
Note-the gluteus, hamstrings, calves, and even the lower back muscles are both invaluable and interconnected as they relate to forward movement. All of these muscles are forced to work HARDER when an athlete runs while "sitting in the bucket". In other words, when your arms are below your - _ _ _ _! Moreover, tightness in the shoulders can force a runner to hunch and will exacerbate the 'booty'. Keep your oblique strong and be sure to stretch your lower back regularly. Make sure your hamstring muscles are strong and flexible.

All runners have different forms. And yes, running "properly" is indeed a subjective assessment. BUT, there are a number of form maladies that can inhibit you from moving forward powerfully and efficiently. Next time you go for a run think, "What About ME?"

Coach's Notes 8/14/08

I hope everyone is having a great summer and looking forward to the Fall seasons if you are participating in a Fall sport. For all of you that are planning on running XC with the track club this Fall; and are participating in a Fall sport, continue to use your sport practices as your necessary preparation for the JO XC progression meets after your seasons are over. For those of you that are not in a Fall sport program at your school; and are planning on running XC with NWTC, the following conditoning program is a suggested plan for you to follow.

Bantam - Midget: M-1 mi, T-1.5 mi, W-1.75-2 mi, Th-rest, F-1.5, S-1 mi, Sun-rest
Youth - Intermediate: M-2 mi, T-2.5 mi, W-3-4 mi, Th-2.5, F-2, S-2-3 mi tempo or fartlek, Sun-rest
Young Men/Women: M-2 mi, T-3 mi, W-4-5mi, Th-3, F-2, S-2-3 mi tempo or fartlek, Sun-rest

In the next week I will be placing meet dates on the "google calendar". Our XC practice should begin September 5th.

Get ready for Mechanicsville!!