Sorry I couldn't be at the Banquet to get some closure on the season. I will finish all the splits for the season and give them to Sep by Friday so he can get them out to you all on the blog. I normally get that done and hand it out at the banquet.
I want to tell you how impressed I was with the transitions, growths and improvements you all made. It was fun to be a part of your individual achievements. Track is such a great balance of individual efforts and team achievement. The boys finishing 3rd in state is a great example of that. Gavin top 3 in all 4 events? 4 x 800 with a state title, Austin with an amazing PR and 4th place finish:)
You all were such an important part of team and individual growth. Thanks for being a part of the team and letting me watch and participate in your growth.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Chloe's Second Birthday Party
Here is a great picture of Chloe at her second birthday party a couple weeks ago. Yeah, it has nothing to do with track, but it's still a funny picture.
 |
| "What? Only a stinkin' cupcake???!!!" |
Monday, May 23, 2011
Summer Training Guidelines
I read this, and it sounded really, really familiar. I have been preaching this philosophy for years now, but Jay explains it much more eloquently.
So, after you've had some rest, shoot me an email, and in a few days turnaround, I can get you a training program for the summer if you wish.
SEP
So, after you've had some rest, shoot me an email, and in a few days turnaround, I can get you a training program for the summer if you wish.
SEP
Thoughts on State Meet Track Day Three
(Sorry these are a little late, I went to bed pretty late after a coaches celebration party....)
We wrapped up the Colorado State Track meet with fantastic weather, and some great results. We had Gavin McHenry going top five in all three of his races, which put him on the podium in all of his races, an impressive feat indeed! (So impressive, it got a scout from Stanford asking me LOTS of questions about him, very cool!) We had Keagan racing in the mile, and running at ought race to finish just out of the podium spots. And, in the highlight off the day for me, we had Brendon Austin absolutely nailing the shotput to come in an astounding fourth! I am not a throws coach, although I pretend to be sometimes, so I will quote Coach Whitenack, who certainly does know a thing or two about putting the shot.
From NackforTrack.com:
"I loved seeing Brendon Austin(Chaparral) throw the shot the most. Brendon is one of my favorite track athletes, because he had all the opportunity and temptation to solely pursue another sport (football), but did not. I honestly have no idea why. It's never come up in any conversation. I like to think it's because he likes to compete, and he'll take competition in any form, whether it be on the field or in the ring. I would also hope it's because of moments like he had on Saturday. Brendon started the day as a #13 seed, but ended in 4th because of a 4ft 8 3/4in PR throw. That is insane! He basically had a 10% improvement in the span of one throw. That might not sound like much, so for some perspective that is like a 100m runner slicing off 1.1 seconds in a race, a miler cutting off :27 seconds from there already fantastic 4:30, a high jumper reaching a height of 6 to 8in higher than they have previously seen, a 3 to 4ft PR in the triple jump, or a 1.5ft improvement in the boys pole vault. Simply amazing! As a former thrower I wish I had video, because the PR throw was a thing of beauty. Oh, and by the way, despite being a multi-sport athlete Brendon is still going to college to play football. He will be playing at an obscure little place called Stanford. Glad he could still put the pieces back together to slide in there."
Enjoy your break, keep checking the blog every once in a while for random summer updates, and keep running!
SEP
We wrapped up the Colorado State Track meet with fantastic weather, and some great results. We had Gavin McHenry going top five in all three of his races, which put him on the podium in all of his races, an impressive feat indeed! (So impressive, it got a scout from Stanford asking me LOTS of questions about him, very cool!) We had Keagan racing in the mile, and running at ought race to finish just out of the podium spots. And, in the highlight off the day for me, we had Brendon Austin absolutely nailing the shotput to come in an astounding fourth! I am not a throws coach, although I pretend to be sometimes, so I will quote Coach Whitenack, who certainly does know a thing or two about putting the shot.
From NackforTrack.com:
"I loved seeing Brendon Austin(Chaparral) throw the shot the most. Brendon is one of my favorite track athletes, because he had all the opportunity and temptation to solely pursue another sport (football), but did not. I honestly have no idea why. It's never come up in any conversation. I like to think it's because he likes to compete, and he'll take competition in any form, whether it be on the field or in the ring. I would also hope it's because of moments like he had on Saturday. Brendon started the day as a #13 seed, but ended in 4th because of a 4ft 8 3/4in PR throw. That is insane! He basically had a 10% improvement in the span of one throw. That might not sound like much, so for some perspective that is like a 100m runner slicing off 1.1 seconds in a race, a miler cutting off :27 seconds from there already fantastic 4:30, a high jumper reaching a height of 6 to 8in higher than they have previously seen, a 3 to 4ft PR in the triple jump, or a 1.5ft improvement in the boys pole vault. Simply amazing! As a former thrower I wish I had video, because the PR throw was a thing of beauty. Oh, and by the way, despite being a multi-sport athlete Brendon is still going to college to play football. He will be playing at an obscure little place called Stanford. Glad he could still put the pieces back together to slide in there."
Coach Whitenack, I couldn't have said it any better myself, I am so proud of Brendon, his accomplishments not just yesterday, but for the past four years deserve major respect.
As a boys team, we came in a tie for third overall, which I am very pleased with. I would've been happy with 5th, so third is a real bonus. I thought everything we did all year, including winter training, to extensive tempo running (in meets and in practice), and pure speed days; then mixing in a high level of discipline and team sacrifice; all of this contributed to our great showings at State, both for the men and women. I am eager for a break, but I am eager to start it all up again. I wish Coach Hawk the best, I think he is has been one of the most even-keeled and professional coaches I have ever met, so I want to build on his legacy and make this team even better next year. We are losing some stud seniors, but we have some up-and-coming studs rapidly rising through the ranks. That all starts during the summer. If anyone wants a training plan, shoot me an email and Coach Boymel and I will formulate you one. I want to start up Red Rocks again, I want to expand gymnastics, I want to go to summer camps, I want to make sure all of you have done the work necessary to have an even better season in 2012!
Enjoy your break, keep checking the blog every once in a while for random summer updates, and keep running!
SEP
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Musings on State Track Day Two
With all of the rain and lightning from yesterday, the second day of the state meet was a loooong one. Our first event was the 4 x 100 prelims at 1:35, the last was the 4 x 400 prelims at 6:45. I will give the meet directors, officials and volunteers credit though, the meet yesterday ran very smoothly, and I noticed no problems with trying to shoehorn in 50% more meet into one single day.
With Thursday being full of high points, I felt Friday we had our share of more high points, but unfortuntaley, we had some low points too. I thought the girls sprint medley ran fantastic. We came into the event ranked 13th, we left with medals and standing on the podium in 8th place. That is really, really awesome, I am so happy and proud for those girls. I thought the Devan ran a really good race in the open 800. She ran a 2:15, came in 8th, got on the podium, and had a very good showing in her first state meet. I am excited to see how she builds on that for future years. And our boys 4 x 400 team, which was comprised almost totally of younger kids, represented themselves very well too, gaining valuable experience and getting that first State meet race under their belts.
Even though they were really expecting to win and they came in second, how can you not be proud of our boys 4 x 200 relay team? Second place is the highest place CHS has ever scored in that event at State, we bettered our time by 2-3 seconds, and we were right in the mix of things the whole way through. Excellent job men, you represented CHS to the best of your abilities and that is all we can ask for. Watch out for them in that 4 x 100 today. I got a feeling they are going to race lights out.
The last race I want to talk about is the open 800 for the men. Nate Purdue had high expectations for this race, but ended up finishing out of the medals. That was a big disappointment, but Nate learned a lot about himself in that race. I still say the open 800 is the toughest race out there, it is an unlaned sprint, with pushing, shoving and tripping going on for 799 meters. Add a wet track, and 18 guys just getting after it, and you are gonna have a Castle View kid getting tripped up and flying out of the pack, or a Poudre kid getting pushed off the track on the backside. To anyone that saw it, it was just a brutal, slugfest, Nascar style of race, and kudos to Connor Winter, who ended up victorious. I think Nate knows that this race does not define who he is as a runner though. Nate is defined by the entire body of work, not just one single race, and the body of work says he is a true champion who will be remembered as one of the best runners CHS has ever produced.
We got one more day, one more day to set some school records, win some medals, and get on the top of that podium! I think today the weather will finally be good track weather, and if you can avoid the traffic revolving around the U2 concert this afternoon, it's is going to be a prefect day!
See everyone at JeffCo or tonight at the banquet!
SEP
With Thursday being full of high points, I felt Friday we had our share of more high points, but unfortuntaley, we had some low points too. I thought the girls sprint medley ran fantastic. We came into the event ranked 13th, we left with medals and standing on the podium in 8th place. That is really, really awesome, I am so happy and proud for those girls. I thought the Devan ran a really good race in the open 800. She ran a 2:15, came in 8th, got on the podium, and had a very good showing in her first state meet. I am excited to see how she builds on that for future years. And our boys 4 x 400 team, which was comprised almost totally of younger kids, represented themselves very well too, gaining valuable experience and getting that first State meet race under their belts.
Even though they were really expecting to win and they came in second, how can you not be proud of our boys 4 x 200 relay team? Second place is the highest place CHS has ever scored in that event at State, we bettered our time by 2-3 seconds, and we were right in the mix of things the whole way through. Excellent job men, you represented CHS to the best of your abilities and that is all we can ask for. Watch out for them in that 4 x 100 today. I got a feeling they are going to race lights out.
The last race I want to talk about is the open 800 for the men. Nate Purdue had high expectations for this race, but ended up finishing out of the medals. That was a big disappointment, but Nate learned a lot about himself in that race. I still say the open 800 is the toughest race out there, it is an unlaned sprint, with pushing, shoving and tripping going on for 799 meters. Add a wet track, and 18 guys just getting after it, and you are gonna have a Castle View kid getting tripped up and flying out of the pack, or a Poudre kid getting pushed off the track on the backside. To anyone that saw it, it was just a brutal, slugfest, Nascar style of race, and kudos to Connor Winter, who ended up victorious. I think Nate knows that this race does not define who he is as a runner though. Nate is defined by the entire body of work, not just one single race, and the body of work says he is a true champion who will be remembered as one of the best runners CHS has ever produced.
We got one more day, one more day to set some school records, win some medals, and get on the top of that podium! I think today the weather will finally be good track weather, and if you can avoid the traffic revolving around the U2 concert this afternoon, it's is going to be a prefect day!
See everyone at JeffCo or tonight at the banquet!
SEP
Friday, May 20, 2011
Reflections on State Track Day One
Reflections is certainly a good title for this post, as you were seeing reflections in puddles everywhere by the end of the day. On the track, in the bleachers, on the mats. The rain came down just as we were about to start our heat of the 4 x 4 relay, and it came down in buckets! Lightning, thunder, torrential rain; we experienced it all under the cover of our Taj Mahal-esque tent. When they finally postponed the meet, getting out of the parking lot was a disaster, and of course traffic was pretty rough too. A tough end to a really successful day.
Because of this rain delay, the schedule got changed around quite a bit. Updated schedules can be found here, at Coach Whitenack's site, as well as at the State CHSAA site. Please check those schedules out, and if you have any questions, get in touch with one of your coaches.
Other than the monsoon, though, I would say it was a very successful day. We had both throwers climb up onto the podium and we had all of our sprinters and sprint relays qualify for finals. The girls 4 x 800 ran a season best with that particular line-up, and the boys 4 x 800 won the 5A state title outright! This win was achieved through a special combination of DEDICATION, TALENT and SACRIFICE. All of the runners had been working on getting fast since Halloween. The talent level was amazing, as each guy went under 2:00 on their leg. The sacrifice shown was critical, as they committed to this race and to each other above all else. I am very proud of this group, I feel that they deserved this win, and that they were truly the best 4 x 8 team in the State.
This win is a testament to the team culture we have built at CHS. Without everyone chipping in, we would not have been on the top of the podium. Without Zach and Ryan, the two alternates who pushed and encouraged and cheered those guys in practice and races every day, we wouldn't have won this race. Without all the JV runners, who brought so much to workouts and to the team that allowed them to reach their potential, we wouldn't have won this race. Without Boymel and Jimmy and Harris and Dianne and Cory and Craig and Katie and Eric and Tom, who contributed in so many ways every single day to get these guys faster, stronger, tougher, we wouldn't have won this race. Without the athletes families, who are truly the backbone of these these guys, we wouldn't have won this race. Without the support and legacy the CHS alums have left, we wouldn't have won this race.
And I wouldn't have been able to contribute to this the way I do without my wife Beth, who for 8 months out of the year, supports, encourages and helps me in so many ways that allow me to do what I am truly passionate about. She is my rudder, she keeps me on course and focused, she is the best friend/wife/mom anyone could have, and I am truly grateful to her. Thanks doll.
SEP
P.S. As the tradition goes, I get to take the 4 boys out to dinner anywhere they want to go, my treat. We have been everywhere from Hooters to Vesta Dipping Grill. So, Keagan, Justin, Johnny, Nate, you figure out what you want to eat, we'll figure out a date, and we'll do it!
P.P.S. One more thing. If anyone out there (Susan, Cheri, Karen, anyone...) has some pictures of not only the race yesterday, but of these guys racing at all this season, could you please send them to me? I would love to have copies of them! I'm gonna comb through the awesome CHS website, but if you have any "hidden" ones, I would love to see them. Thanks!
Because of this rain delay, the schedule got changed around quite a bit. Updated schedules can be found here, at Coach Whitenack's site, as well as at the State CHSAA site. Please check those schedules out, and if you have any questions, get in touch with one of your coaches.
Other than the monsoon, though, I would say it was a very successful day. We had both throwers climb up onto the podium and we had all of our sprinters and sprint relays qualify for finals. The girls 4 x 800 ran a season best with that particular line-up, and the boys 4 x 800 won the 5A state title outright! This win was achieved through a special combination of DEDICATION, TALENT and SACRIFICE. All of the runners had been working on getting fast since Halloween. The talent level was amazing, as each guy went under 2:00 on their leg. The sacrifice shown was critical, as they committed to this race and to each other above all else. I am very proud of this group, I feel that they deserved this win, and that they were truly the best 4 x 8 team in the State.
This win is a testament to the team culture we have built at CHS. Without everyone chipping in, we would not have been on the top of the podium. Without Zach and Ryan, the two alternates who pushed and encouraged and cheered those guys in practice and races every day, we wouldn't have won this race. Without all the JV runners, who brought so much to workouts and to the team that allowed them to reach their potential, we wouldn't have won this race. Without Boymel and Jimmy and Harris and Dianne and Cory and Craig and Katie and Eric and Tom, who contributed in so many ways every single day to get these guys faster, stronger, tougher, we wouldn't have won this race. Without the athletes families, who are truly the backbone of these these guys, we wouldn't have won this race. Without the support and legacy the CHS alums have left, we wouldn't have won this race.
And I wouldn't have been able to contribute to this the way I do without my wife Beth, who for 8 months out of the year, supports, encourages and helps me in so many ways that allow me to do what I am truly passionate about. She is my rudder, she keeps me on course and focused, she is the best friend/wife/mom anyone could have, and I am truly grateful to her. Thanks doll.
SEP
P.S. As the tradition goes, I get to take the 4 boys out to dinner anywhere they want to go, my treat. We have been everywhere from Hooters to Vesta Dipping Grill. So, Keagan, Justin, Johnny, Nate, you figure out what you want to eat, we'll figure out a date, and we'll do it!
P.P.S. One more thing. If anyone out there (Susan, Cheri, Karen, anyone...) has some pictures of not only the race yesterday, but of these guys racing at all this season, could you please send them to me? I would love to have copies of them! I'm gonna comb through the awesome CHS website, but if you have any "hidden" ones, I would love to see them. Thanks!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
State Meet Logistics (UPDATED)
We qualified 26 kids to the State Meet this weekend, in a multitude of events. I am not sure if that is a record, but is a number we are pretty proud of!
We start on Thursday morning at 8:15, and hopefully end on Saturday afternoon at 4:15. That makes for a long three days, so make sure you are rested and ready to go.
State Meet Schedule for Chaparral is:
Women compete right before the men do, (P) stands for preliminary round, (F) stands for final round.
Like I said, a busy three days, and that doesn't even consider the banquet on Saturday night at 6:00 pm at Chaparral!
If you are not competing on Thursday, Friday or Saturday, please make sure to get your uniform turned in to Coach Hawk as soon as possible. You don't want a exorbitant fee on your CHS record.
On Thursday, there will be a bus to the State Meet, and we expect all the competing athletes and the alternates to be on that bus. The bus leaves CHS at 6:15 sharp. I will not be on the bus, I will already be at the stadium setting up our camp in an ideal spot. To say it is going to be crowded is an understatement!
So, make sure you are getting some sleep, eating well, and staying hydrated. This is going to be a big weekend for us, I think we are primed for some awesome performances at State!
SEP
UPDATE: My mistake, I thought the discus events were one right after another, with the ladies going first. It is actually men throwing the disc at 8:30 on Thursday, then the women throw the disc at 11:30 on Thursday. Can't wait to watch Brendon and Mia compete Thursday morning!
We start on Thursday morning at 8:15, and hopefully end on Saturday afternoon at 4:15. That makes for a long three days, so make sure you are rested and ready to go.
State Meet Schedule for Chaparral is:
THU
8:15 SMR (P), 8:30 Discus (F), 8:35 100m (P),
8:55 3200 (F), 9:25 4 x 200 (P),
8:55 3200 (F), 9:25 4 x 200 (P),
11:20 4 x 800 (F), 12:25 200 (P), 1:30 4 x 400 (P)
FRI
10:05 4 x 100 (P), 12:00 SMR (F), 12:50 800 (F),
1:40 4 x 200 (F), 4:10 200 (F)
SAT
10:30 100 (F), 10:30 ShotPut (F), 2:50 4 x 100 (F),
3:10 1600 (F), 4:15 4 x 400 (F)
Women compete right before the men do, (P) stands for preliminary round, (F) stands for final round.
Like I said, a busy three days, and that doesn't even consider the banquet on Saturday night at 6:00 pm at Chaparral!
If you are not competing on Thursday, Friday or Saturday, please make sure to get your uniform turned in to Coach Hawk as soon as possible. You don't want a exorbitant fee on your CHS record.
On Thursday, there will be a bus to the State Meet, and we expect all the competing athletes and the alternates to be on that bus. The bus leaves CHS at 6:15 sharp. I will not be on the bus, I will already be at the stadium setting up our camp in an ideal spot. To say it is going to be crowded is an understatement!
So, make sure you are getting some sleep, eating well, and staying hydrated. This is going to be a big weekend for us, I think we are primed for some awesome performances at State!
SEP
UPDATE: My mistake, I thought the discus events were one right after another, with the ladies going first. It is actually men throwing the disc at 8:30 on Thursday, then the women throw the disc at 11:30 on Thursday. Can't wait to watch Brendon and Mia compete Thursday morning!
Sunday, May 15, 2011
League Championships Overview
Wow, 107 points. The CHS boys team scored 107 points... and came in third. If you had told me at the beginning of this week we would score 107 points, I would have taken it in a heartbeat. I guess that just goes to show you how deep and strong the Continental League is in Track & Field.
I thought we did everything we could on to try and win the championship on the boys side. The distance kids were run into the ground, but scored points in all of their events. The sprinters were in up to six races over two days, and were not only scoring points, but winning their events. I am so proud of the vaulters and the throwers for getting valuable points in their events. We did everything we could; we let no stone unturned from a coaching/planning point of view, and the athletes all did their jobs better than I could've hoped. I am very proud of everyone, sometimes you can do your best and not come away reading your goal, and this was one of those times. But, we can be proud in saying we did our best. Men, we can look in the mirror and honestly say we gave it our best shot, not just in the competition, but in the preparation as well. Good job, excellent job.
Not all is sadness though, we have a long, long list of League Champions. Let's start with the women, who had a very fine showing at these League Championships. Even though we were thin in some events, I thought the girls out there represented themselves and their school very well, and I am very proud of them too.
I want to throw a big shout-out to all of the parents and volunteers who helped us pull this meet off. We were hosting the meet, it is an important meet to host, and I thought everyone who pitched in did a fantastic job. Big thanks to Greg & Karen Grimm, Ivan & Cheri Whipple, all of the timers, officials and announcers, Chris Clemensen, Linda Cherry, and Gary Thompson. I am sure I forgot a few people who helped, but thank you to everyone, it was because of you that we beat the rain on Saturday afternoon!
Now the question is, where do we go from here? Looking at the CHSAA rankings, it seems to me that we got a lot of athletes and relays qualified for State Championships. However, it is still relatively early in the weekend. Things can change on that varvee board on Sunday afternoon. Scratches, name corrections, all sorts of funky stuff goes on the day after League Championships. Here is my advice. If you are an individual athlete who is in the top twenty of your event, plan on being at practice on Monday. If you are on a relay that is in top twenty, be at practice as well. (If you are an alternate, which is a very important part of that relay, your coach will be in touch with you on Sunday evening.) I see qualifying for State as an opportunity not only for one more week of Sep facetime :) , but also as chance to compete on the biggest stage Colorado Track & Field has to offer. More on this later in the week, but CHS T&F has done very well at these State Championships in recent history, and their is no reason to expect that we will not do very well this year. We need to re-focus our efforts for this week, as shining on the State Meet stage is truly an honor!
SEP
I thought we did everything we could on to try and win the championship on the boys side. The distance kids were run into the ground, but scored points in all of their events. The sprinters were in up to six races over two days, and were not only scoring points, but winning their events. I am so proud of the vaulters and the throwers for getting valuable points in their events. We did everything we could; we let no stone unturned from a coaching/planning point of view, and the athletes all did their jobs better than I could've hoped. I am very proud of everyone, sometimes you can do your best and not come away reading your goal, and this was one of those times. But, we can be proud in saying we did our best. Men, we can look in the mirror and honestly say we gave it our best shot, not just in the competition, but in the preparation as well. Good job, excellent job.
Not all is sadness though, we have a long, long list of League Champions. Let's start with the women, who had a very fine showing at these League Championships. Even though we were thin in some events, I thought the girls out there represented themselves and their school very well, and I am very proud of them too.
2011 Continental League Champions Women
Mia Davies Shot Put 33-10.5
Devan Foster 800m 2:15.95
Mia Davies Discus 112-8.5
(Yep, Mia is a DOUBLE League Champion!!)
(Yep, Mia is a DOUBLE League Champion!!)
2011 Continental League Champions Men
Gavin McHenry 100m 10.83
Gavin McHenry 200m 21.74
400m Relay Ian Campbell, Ty Whipple, Curtis Ray, Gavin McHenry
800m Relay Ian Campbell, Ty Whipple, Curtis Ray, Gavin McHenry
3200m Relay Justin Bills, Johnny Bacovin, Zach Young, Nate Purdue
(Ummm.... yeah, Gavin has FOUR League Championships on his belt, that's not a typo.)
I want to throw a big shout-out to all of the parents and volunteers who helped us pull this meet off. We were hosting the meet, it is an important meet to host, and I thought everyone who pitched in did a fantastic job. Big thanks to Greg & Karen Grimm, Ivan & Cheri Whipple, all of the timers, officials and announcers, Chris Clemensen, Linda Cherry, and Gary Thompson. I am sure I forgot a few people who helped, but thank you to everyone, it was because of you that we beat the rain on Saturday afternoon!
Now the question is, where do we go from here? Looking at the CHSAA rankings, it seems to me that we got a lot of athletes and relays qualified for State Championships. However, it is still relatively early in the weekend. Things can change on that varvee board on Sunday afternoon. Scratches, name corrections, all sorts of funky stuff goes on the day after League Championships. Here is my advice. If you are an individual athlete who is in the top twenty of your event, plan on being at practice on Monday. If you are on a relay that is in top twenty, be at practice as well. (If you are an alternate, which is a very important part of that relay, your coach will be in touch with you on Sunday evening.) I see qualifying for State as an opportunity not only for one more week of Sep facetime :) , but also as chance to compete on the biggest stage Colorado Track & Field has to offer. More on this later in the week, but CHS T&F has done very well at these State Championships in recent history, and their is no reason to expect that we will not do very well this year. We need to re-focus our efforts for this week, as shining on the State Meet stage is truly an honor!
SEP
Friday, May 13, 2011
Deleted Posts
I apologize if you were looking for some posts that seem to have been deleted. To be honest, I have no idea why or how they were erased. The information in them was important, but not crucial, so it really isn't a big deal.
SEP
SEP
Thursday, May 12, 2011
A little later
In some ways, this is better for us. The work outs are done, there is some time for fine tuning and teamwork but no need to work out hard again. We will use our League meet to finish out our hardest work outs and best performances. Last night was the most important night of sleep for a Friday meet and tonight is the most important night of sleep for a Saturday meet. Rest up, visualize all the speed and power you have put into your work outs and know they will come out in the next 2 days. We will use this delay to our advantage and be more prepared.
League Championships Postponed
Well, it looks like I was wrong. With so much standing water on the track last night and this morning that crews could not stay ahead of it, with the discs and shotput rings being slipperier than a Alaskan pond in the middle of December, with the high jump pits and pole vaults pits soaking up water just sitting there, the meet has been pushed back 25 hours to Friday afternoon. (Yep, twenty-five hours. We originally planned to start at 3:00 pm, now we are starting at 4:00 pm.)
Everything else stays the same. Meet schedule, meet venue, Saturday's schedule; everything is the same, Thursday is just pushed back into Friday.
We will have practice today after school, we will do some easy starts and hand-offs to stay on point for this weekend. Do not let this be a distraction for you, take it in stride, and be ready on Friday.
Any questions, shoot me an email or a text,
SEP
Everything else stays the same. Meet schedule, meet venue, Saturday's schedule; everything is the same, Thursday is just pushed back into Friday.
We will have practice today after school, we will do some easy starts and hand-offs to stay on point for this weekend. Do not let this be a distraction for you, take it in stride, and be ready on Friday.
Any questions, shoot me an email or a text,
SEP
Can't Ignore It
The weather here in the Tech Center at 6:00 am is rainy, cold and a little windy. Don't believe this meet will get postponed, if I was in charge, we would be racing in this stuff for sure. (And I am in charge, even if it's just a little bit.)
What that means is, bring plenty of warm clothes to the meet today, something dry to change into after your race is a big deal. Bring backpacking tents, we will set up a CHAP tent city somewhere if we have to. Racing clothes need to be layers, and need to be NOT COTTON! Warm drinks and food is important to bring as well. Be prepared to race your best, no matter what the conditions. We have trained in far worse than this, so take advantage of the bad weather. Use it is an opportunity to get an advantage on your competitors. Mind over matter, if you believe that the weather is not an issue, then it is not an issue.
See you all this afternoon,
SEP
P.S. Here is the latests weather report. Like I said, we have certainly trained in worse conditions than these.
What that means is, bring plenty of warm clothes to the meet today, something dry to change into after your race is a big deal. Bring backpacking tents, we will set up a CHAP tent city somewhere if we have to. Racing clothes need to be layers, and need to be NOT COTTON! Warm drinks and food is important to bring as well. Be prepared to race your best, no matter what the conditions. We have trained in far worse than this, so take advantage of the bad weather. Use it is an opportunity to get an advantage on your competitors. Mind over matter, if you believe that the weather is not an issue, then it is not an issue.
See you all this afternoon,
SEP
P.S. Here is the latests weather report. Like I said, we have certainly trained in worse conditions than these.
| Wed 1pm | 2pm | 3pm | 4pm | 5pm | 6pm | 7pm | Wed 8pm | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1pm | 2pm | 3pm | 4pm | 5pm | 6pm | 7pm | 8pm | |
| Forecast | ||||||||
| Temp (°F) | 38° | 37° | 37° | 38° | 37° | 37° | 37° | 37° |
| RealFeel® | 27° | 27° | 26° | 26° | 23° | 22° | 22° | 22° |
| Wind (mph) | 16 NNW | 15 NNW | 15 NNW | 16 NNW | 17 NNW | 20 NNW | 20 NNW | 20 NNW |
| Humidity | 94% | 93% | 93% | 90% | 92% | 92% | 92% | 92% |
| UV Index | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cloud Cover | 100% | 99% | 99% | 99% | 99% | 98% | 98% | 93% |
| Dewpoint | 36 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 34 | 35 | 35 | 35 |
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
League Champs Info
I have also posted all of our entries for this meet. They are not in meet order, and of course they are subject for last minute minor changes, but they are 99% set in stone as far as I can tell.
I hope we get a big crowd of athletes, family and friends this weekend, this is the first major meet that is going to be right in our backyard!
SEP
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Parental Involvement
I had a couple of moms ask me at the meet today what they can do to help get their kids ready for the upcoming League Championships. I was more than happy to answer H-N-R. (Hydration-Nutrition-Relaxation)
So, moms and dads of our outstanding athletes. If you want to help make your kid successful this weekend, get them to bed early! The number one thing an athlete needs when "peaking" is lots of rest/sleep/relaxation. I heard coach Jay Johnson speak, and he told a room full of coaches that if all things are equal, he would rather have a kid who eats at McDonalds all the time and gets good sleep before one who eats at Whole Foods every day but never gets a good night's sleep. Crazy, but it's true. I see it in my own family life. When Chloe sleeps well, she is in great spirits. When she does not, we are in for a tough day. These kids are like babies, make sure they get their sleep!
The nest thing is nutrition. I have blogged extensively about this, so I won't say much more other than to direct you to this old blog post. Please click on the Nancy Clark link as well, she is the guru of sports nutrition. I don't want kids carbo-loading the night before a race, I want them eating well every night!
The final piece is hydration. I saw three runners collapse today in the 800, two more in the 200. Why? They were de-hydrated, I bet. The first really hot meet of the year always seems to sneak up on kids. Staying hydrated is not a day-of-race thing. You need to be hydrated all the time. Plenty of water, fruit juices, water, chocolate milk, and more water. Like Coach Monfre says every time you pass a water fountain, take a drink from it. We will be providing coolers of Gatorade this week at practice, but please be sure to always have nice clear pee!
So, moms and dads. I want your kids to race well, and I know you do too. I will work them over at practice like a speedbag, you gotta make sure they have the proper H-N-R at home to be able to grow from the training stress and become stronger and faster athletes!
Thanks!!
SEP
So, moms and dads of our outstanding athletes. If you want to help make your kid successful this weekend, get them to bed early! The number one thing an athlete needs when "peaking" is lots of rest/sleep/relaxation. I heard coach Jay Johnson speak, and he told a room full of coaches that if all things are equal, he would rather have a kid who eats at McDonalds all the time and gets good sleep before one who eats at Whole Foods every day but never gets a good night's sleep. Crazy, but it's true. I see it in my own family life. When Chloe sleeps well, she is in great spirits. When she does not, we are in for a tough day. These kids are like babies, make sure they get their sleep!
The nest thing is nutrition. I have blogged extensively about this, so I won't say much more other than to direct you to this old blog post. Please click on the Nancy Clark link as well, she is the guru of sports nutrition. I don't want kids carbo-loading the night before a race, I want them eating well every night!
The final piece is hydration. I saw three runners collapse today in the 800, two more in the 200. Why? They were de-hydrated, I bet. The first really hot meet of the year always seems to sneak up on kids. Staying hydrated is not a day-of-race thing. You need to be hydrated all the time. Plenty of water, fruit juices, water, chocolate milk, and more water. Like Coach Monfre says every time you pass a water fountain, take a drink from it. We will be providing coolers of Gatorade this week at practice, but please be sure to always have nice clear pee!
So, moms and dads. I want your kids to race well, and I know you do too. I will work them over at practice like a speedbag, you gotta make sure they have the proper H-N-R at home to be able to grow from the training stress and become stronger and faster athletes!
Thanks!!
SEP
Weekend Highlights
There is a lot of them, so hold on.....
Caleb Long being the Continental League 400m JV Champion at 55.7 seconds!
Kaleb R. and Brian S. throwing out huge PR's in the mile, 5:12 and 6:04.
Steven R. and Daniel G. running season bests in the two mile, at 12:04 and 14:14.
Keagan V. coming within 1.5 seconds of the school mile record with a 4:25.38.
Devan F. smashing the old school record by two seconds in the mile with a 5:18.81.
Bryce R. and Coleman H. running season bests in the two mile, at 11:09 and 10:53.
Kendall W. and Zach Y. just keep getting faster and faster in the half mile, running a 2:25 and a 2:01.
So do Kristin S. and Chelsea N, they ran 2:39 and 2:43 for season bests.
Finally, Nate P. had a break-out race, coming within 2/3 of a second of the longstanding half mile record, running a 1:55.86.
Excellent work form everyone over the past two days, now we gotta keep it running fast for League Champs!
SEP
P.S. Even if you are not running at League, you are welcome to attend practice all week. Please bring your uniforms to Coach Hawk as soon as you can, but we want you to keep training and get you rolling into the summer if you wish.
Caleb Long being the Continental League 400m JV Champion at 55.7 seconds!
Kaleb R. and Brian S. throwing out huge PR's in the mile, 5:12 and 6:04.
Steven R. and Daniel G. running season bests in the two mile, at 12:04 and 14:14.
Keagan V. coming within 1.5 seconds of the school mile record with a 4:25.38.
Devan F. smashing the old school record by two seconds in the mile with a 5:18.81.
Bryce R. and Coleman H. running season bests in the two mile, at 11:09 and 10:53.
Kendall W. and Zach Y. just keep getting faster and faster in the half mile, running a 2:25 and a 2:01.
So do Kristin S. and Chelsea N, they ran 2:39 and 2:43 for season bests.
Finally, Nate P. had a break-out race, coming within 2/3 of a second of the longstanding half mile record, running a 1:55.86.
Excellent work form everyone over the past two days, now we gotta keep it running fast for League Champs!
SEP
P.S. Even if you are not running at League, you are welcome to attend practice all week. Please bring your uniforms to Coach Hawk as soon as you can, but we want you to keep training and get you rolling into the summer if you wish.
Friday, May 6, 2011
8th Place at Continental League Championships
At League Championships, the key to placing well as a team is by getting multiple atheltes in the top 8 of events. While winning an event is great, that gets you ten points Getting a 3rd and a 5th, that gets you 12 points. This adds up quickly, so the focus is multiple placers. E
Everyone reading this needs to take a close look at that 8th place mark. Can you be better than that 8th place mark in a week? Are you willing to do everything you can, in practice and in competition, to be swifter, higher, or stronger than that 8th place mark? Of course, it always comes down to competing, on the track, so these marks are not set in stone. But, they give you a good idea of where you need to be to make a difference in the point totals a week from now. Start believing in your mind that you can be better than that 8th place mark, and you body will follow
Here is the data, take a good long look at it. Study it, convince those marks to memory. Then go out there and be better than those marks.
SEP
Everyone reading this needs to take a close look at that 8th place mark. Can you be better than that 8th place mark in a week? Are you willing to do everything you can, in practice and in competition, to be swifter, higher, or stronger than that 8th place mark? Of course, it always comes down to competing, on the track, so these marks are not set in stone. But, they give you a good idea of where you need to be to make a difference in the point totals a week from now. Start believing in your mind that you can be better than that 8th place mark, and you body will follow
Here is the data, take a good long look at it. Study it, convince those marks to memory. Then go out there and be better than those marks.
SEP
Banquet Time
The Saturday of State Meet is our traditional end-of-year banquet. Below is a flyer you can print out and return to any of the coaches to reserve your spot. The banquet is open to ALL athletes and their families, and we would love to see everyone there.
SEP
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| Huge thanks to all the parents who put our banquet together!! |
SEP
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Friday Practice
Friday afternoon, I will be at the JV Championships at Parker Stadium. Boymel will be the the Twilight II meet at All City Stadium. If you are a distance kid who is not racing on Friday, you need to get to one of these meets. Once there, find either of us and we will give you the race prep workout you can run while the meet is going on.
SEP
SEP
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Three Big Meets this Weekend (Updated)
Below are the line-ups for the weekend. Since it is Wednesday, some things could change, but I feel confident that the kids listed here will be doing pretty much what is shown.
SEP
SEP
 |
| JV Champs @ Parker Stadium on 5-6 |
 |
| Twilight Meet II @ All-City Stadium on 5-6 |
 |
| Cherry Creek Invite @ Cherry Creek HS (Stutler Bowl) on 5-7 |
SEP
UPDATE (5/4): At the JV Meet, SBills and TMcMillian will be jumping for us.
UPDATE (5/5): Nope, SBills and TMcMillian will not be at the JV meet, they will be at the varsity meet, along with Nate Thrasher and Tim Helmuth. Also the only pole vaulter at the JV meet will be Mark Ingram. The others will not be vaulting.
UPDATE (5/5): Nope, SBills and TMcMillian will not be at the JV meet, they will be at the varsity meet, along with Nate Thrasher and Tim Helmuth. Also the only pole vaulter at the JV meet will be Mark Ingram. The others will not be vaulting.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Highlights from Liberty Bell
A quick post about the highlights from yesterday and Friday.
Two new season bests that catapult them into the top 8 of our league, Keagan and James running 9:38 and 10:04 in the 3200.
Devan getting faster and faster in the 800 with a 2:15.81.
Both the boys and girls 4 x 400 running their season bests at 3:30 and 4:10.
Gavin taking only 21.2 seconds to run the 200. (More on that tomorrow....)
The boys 4 x 100 running a 42.3 with still room for improvement. That's *really* fast as it is.
My voice is still gone from this race: the boys 4 x 800 going sub 8:00 in a 7:58.63!
Here is a great picture from that race, I love the look on Bacon's face.
Great job everyone, that was an excellent showing this weekend. I might have missed some highlights, as we were running fast, throwing far, and jumping high all over the place!
SEP
Two new season bests that catapult them into the top 8 of our league, Keagan and James running 9:38 and 10:04 in the 3200.
Devan getting faster and faster in the 800 with a 2:15.81.
Both the boys and girls 4 x 400 running their season bests at 3:30 and 4:10.
Gavin taking only 21.2 seconds to run the 200. (More on that tomorrow....)
The boys 4 x 100 running a 42.3 with still room for improvement. That's *really* fast as it is.
My voice is still gone from this race: the boys 4 x 800 going sub 8:00 in a 7:58.63!
Here is a great picture from that race, I love the look on Bacon's face.
 |
| Pic courtesy of Jeff McCoy via milesplit.com |
Great job everyone, that was an excellent showing this weekend. I might have missed some highlights, as we were running fast, throwing far, and jumping high all over the place!
SEP
Monday, May 2, 2011
Missing Today
It has killed me to miss the morning work out and the beginning of the meet today. I have been thinking about it for 3 days now, so I wanted to say: I am so proud of your dedication and hard work to make it to a 5:30am practice, if I didn't live 1 hour away and had been at my new job more than a week and knew where I could have showered, I would have been there. Also, 4 x 800m Relay and SMR. I am so looking forward to hearing about how you raced. I can't wait to see your times improved and your individual contributions to the relays making an outstanding team effort possible. Know that I will be thinking about you and sending positive thoughts your way.
As I always say: Good luck & Have fun
As I always say: Good luck & Have fun
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