Email Update - 8/30/26 - 9:30pm
Congratulations to our runners on a FANTASTIC race yesterday!! It is exciting to see everyone run and I am looking forward to our first real meet on Friday. Here is a link to the 2026 Armstrong Boys Cross Country Results which I am still working on, but it has the finish times and more from yesterday. Thanks for being patient, in 22 years of coaching we have NEVER started school during the third week of practice/before Labor Day, usually it is the fourth week & after Labor Day, so we are in some uncharted waters but will be able to navigate it quite well with some planning and communication.
Practice Schedule
Monday - 8/31/26 - 3:30-5:30pm - EVERYONE at AHS (we will be handing out uniforms and assigning lockers)
Tuesday - 9/1/26 - 3:30-5:30pm - HS only at AHS
Wednesday - 9/2/26 - 3:30-5:30pm - HS only at AHS
Thursday - 9/3/26 - 3:30-5:30pm - HS at AHS
Thursday - 9/3/26 - 4:15-5:30pm - MS walk over to AHS for workout
Friday - 9/4/26 - ROSEMOUNT/IRISH INVITE
Saturday - 9/5/26 - EVERYONE - Run on your own
Monday, 9/7/26 - 3:30-5:30pm - EVERYONE at AHS
The middle school athletes are welcome to run on their own on Tuesday & Wednesday. On Thursday they should walk over to AHS then can run the DBR and do strides & stretching on the track.
Uniforms & Lockers
Runners will be issued uniforms at practice TOMORROW, Monday - 8/31/26. Uniforms consist of shorts & a singlet (uniform top). They are numbered and students need to turn in the correct numbered uniform pieces at the end of the year or they will be charged. They should be washed after every meet in cold water and dried on low/line dried. Runners will also be assigned a locker and need to bring in their own lock. They should bring running clothes to store in the locker and can change before/after practice in the Varsity Locker Room.
Irish Invite - Friday, 9/4/26 - Rosemount High School
This is a unique situation this year because we have school the day of the Irish Invitational. I have spoken with my administrators and High School Students will be excused for the entire school day. Middle School students will need to be excused by parents/guardians. The runners will need to eat after the race and we will return after school lunch is over, so the plan is to go out to eat at Carbone's in Rosemount. I need to call and confirm, but their website advertises a Pizza, Salad, & Pasta Buffet for $9.99, Monday-Friday 11:00am-1:30pm. Students would bring some type of payment method and each pay individually upon arrival. Here is the schedule for the day:
7:15am - arrive at AHS
7:30am - Bus leaves AHS
9:35am - Boys 9th & Under Race
10:25am - Boys C Race
11:15am - Boys Varsity Race
12:15pm - Bus to Carbones in Rosemount
2:15pm - Arrive at AHS
As mentioned above, this is a unique situation. I will confirm all of this with my administrators & the restaurant. I will let you know if anything changes, otherwise assume no news means no changes to the plan.
Here is the link to the AHS CC 2026 - Meet Line-Ups which shows who is running what race, a course map, and links to previous results.
We are off to a great start!! If you have any questions, please start a new email thread at Colin_Woelfle@rdale.org. Thanks for your support at the Kleyman Time Trial and I hope to see many of you in Rosemount on Friday!!
PARENT MEETING Google Slides Presentation - CLICK HERE
GET READY for the 2026 Cross Country Season!!!
Our season begins on Monday 8/17/26. Here is your To-Do List (with NEW items):
Make sure you have a record of an athletic physical within the last 3 years. If you need to get a sports physical, get it scheduled right away. You cannot participate until this is completed.
Register for Cross Country - Click this link for online registration. You MUST be registered & cleared in order to practice.
Check the AHS Boys Cross-Country Calendar for important dates for the upcoming season. Prioritize our competitions and practices.
Check the AHS Boys CC Year-at-a-Glance Calendar - 2026-2027. This is great to print and hang on the fridge or share with friends & family!!!
Log your Summer Miles to get credit for them and check your progress to verify it is accurate.
Get running shoes. If you have been running miles all summer in your running shoes, make sure you get new shoes for the regular season. All runners need to have running shoes, not shoes intended for another sport.
Register for the Remind App. This is a tool used for communication from the coaches to parents and athletes (COMING SOON!!!)
Complete the AHS Boys CC Running - 2026 Runner/Parent Survey
We would like to gather contact information for runners, parent/guardians, & emergency contacts
Each runners will request a team shirt size - paid for by the Boosters
Family members can order shirts to show their support ($13-15 per shirt)
Read through the AHS Boys CC 2026 Info Packet
Read the AHS CC 2026 - Canoe Trip Information and complete/return the AHS BCC 2026 - Canoe Trip Permission Slip
Read the AHS BCC 2026 - Participation Code of Conduct and complete the AHS BCC 2026 - Code of Conduct Acknowledgment Form
Schedule for the Week - 8/17-8/22
Monday, 8/17 - Practice - 8:00-10:00am
Tuesday, 8/18 - Practice - 8:00-10:00am
Wednesday, 8/19 - Practice - 8:00-10:00am
Thursday, 8/20 - Practice - 8:00-10:00am
Thursday, 8/20 - Parent Meeting - 7:30-8:30pm
Friday, 8/21 - Practice - 8:00-10:00am
Saturday, 8/22 - Practice (Mile Time Trial on AHS Track) - 8:00-10:00am
AHS Boys CC - 5/27/26 Spring Meeting Resources
AHS Boys CC - Spring Meeting - 5/27/26
We will have a VIRTUAL MEETING for runners and parents on Wednesday, 5/27/26 from 8:30-9:30pm to get us going on the Three R's for the summer:
Please share this news with your fellow runners and LOTS of new recruits. I am excited for the fall season and I hope you are too!!! I will share/post the Google Slides Presentation after the meeting. If you have any questions, please stop by the Band Room or send me an email - Colin_Woelfle@rdale.org
Fall 2026 Dates
MSHSL Start Date - Monday, 8/17/2026
Parent Meeting - Thursday, 8/20/26 - 7:30pm - AHS Choir Room - enter door #42
Canoe Trip - 8/25/26
Mile Time Trial - Saturday, 8/22/26 - AHS Track
Kleyman Time Trial - Saturday, 8/29/26 - Hidden Valley Park, New Hope
Rosemount/Irish Invitational - Friday, 9/4/26 - Rosemount High School
Bauman/Rovn Invitational - Thursday, 9/10/26 - Gale Woods Farm, Minnetrista
Tom Watson Invitational (JV Runners) - Saturday, 9/19/26 - Chippewa Middle School
Roy Griak Invitational (Varsity Runners) - Saturday, 9/19/26 - Fort Snelling Golf Course
Metro Invite "Under the Lights" - Saturday, 9/26/26 - Flying Cloud Fields, Eden Prairie
Osseo Invite - Thursday, 10/1/26 - Elm Creek Park
Thundering Royal Elk Invitational - Thursday, 10/8/26 - Prairie Park, Otsego
NWSC - Wednesday, 10/14/26 (MEA Wednesday) Elk River Golf Club
Osseo Mile Time Trial - Date TBD
Lefty Wright Grade Level Meet (JV Runners) - Monday, 10/26/26 - Bassett Creek Park, Crystal
Section Meet (Varsity Runners) - Wednesday, 10/28/26 - Gale Woods Farm, Minnetrista
MSHSL State Meet (Qualifiers) - Saturday, 11/7/26 Majestic Oaks Golf Course
NXR Sioux Falls - Sunday, 11/15/26 (optional and not an AHS/MSHSL Event)
Season Banquet - TB/D, possibily Nov. 10
Booster Meeting Dates: 8/10/26, 9/22/26, 10/20/26, 3/16/27, 4/20/27
THE FOLLOWING CONTENT IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION...
Team Camps at Meets
Thank you to all of the parents who come to support our team at meets. Cross Country is unlike most other sports in that we do not have a separate team locker room or “bench” at our meets. We ask that families allow our team to focus on our race preparation and reflection by limiting time at our team camp at meets. This will allow us to be more efficient with warm-ups and cool downs and help us to better manage the multiple races we coach at each event. In particular we ask that families stay away from our camp prior to their runner’s race through the completion of the athlete’s cool down. Please let Coach Stephens know if you have any questions.
Important Links
Checkout the links for results and records listed below. I have provided a description for each.
2025 Results - This is where you can find results for all of our meets and time trials. Each tab on the bottom is for a different event.
Meet Honor Roll- This spreadsheet tracks the best times for Armstrong runners by grade for each of the meets we compete in (2003-present). This allows runners to compare their performances to other runners from past years at every meet.
Overall Honor Roll-This spreadsheet tracks the top overall times for Armstrong runners by grade throughout Armstrong's 54 year History.
Meet Line-ups
Most meets consist of a variety of girls and boys races (Varsity, JV, C, 9th & under, MS, etc). Several days before each meet, the coaching staff will create a line-up that assigns each runner to a specific race. This line-up is based on the the following: recent meet results, practice attendance & performance, overall results from previous years, entry limits for each race, and more. If you ever have a question as to why you are assigned to a specific race, please speak with the coaching staff. Parents & runners can compare the Race Line-up to the Meet Information so they know what time your particular race will be. Meet line-ups are linked here AHS CC 2025 - Meet Line-ups and posted on the bulletin board in the Boys Cross-Country area.
Remind APP
Parents and runners, if you have not yet signed up for the Remind App, please do so. Most of our information will be conveyed through this website with announcements on the Remind App. Here is a link to the sign up page.
Summer Mileage - 2026
Summer mileage is critical in preparing you for the cross country season. It will build strength in your legs, develop cardiovascular fitness, increase your confidence, and help prevent injuries in the process. Runners who complete and report the following mileage minimums over the summer will earn a Summer Mileage Club shirt and earn lots of lettering points!!!
Summer Mileage Club minimum mileages
Runners going into 7th or 8th grade - 200 miles
Runners going into 9th-12th grade - 300 miles
Running summer miles will help you to letter, make you mentally and physically tough as well as making our team better as a whole. Multi-sport athletes involved in other summer sports training programs need to create a comprehensive training plan approved by coaching staff prior to the start of summer training.
Every runner must keep an accurate running log including the date, cumulative time, average pace, and actual distance of each run
Weekly mileages are to be reported at the end of each week in the AHS CC 2026 - Boys Summer Mileage Form
Summer mileage begins Monday, 6/8/26 and ends Sunday, 8/23/26.
Do your best to follow the posted workouts using the 2026 Boys Cross Country Workouts
Runners can view their reported summer mileage AHS CC 2026 - Boys Summer Mileage Spreadsheet
If you are not sure what the distance of a run is, try using www.mapmyrun.com.
Owning a GPS watch is not required, but is extremely helpful for summer mileage and the entire fall cross-country season.
Coach Kleyman Scholarship
The Coach Kleyman Scholarship started in 2021 recognizes a senior runner who has shown dedication to running. The Scholarship is in honor of long time Armstrong Cross Country and Track Coach Rick Kleyman. Rick coached Cross Country at Armstrong from 1970- 2002. https://sites.google.com/rdale.org/keymanscholarship/home
Scholarship recipients
If you would like to contribute to the scholarship fund please visit the website: https://sites.google.com/rdale.org/keymanscholarship/how-to-donate
