· Develop meaningful goals and pursue them vigorously
· Develop life long memories and relationships
· Develop confidence in oneself
“We value a commitment to excellence in all we do.”
What does this mean exactly?
Herb Greenberg owns a company named Caliper. He is paid a lot of money to analyze athletes to help professional sport’s teams evaluate potential prospects. Greenberg’s method is simple. He analyzes an athlete’s character through a battery of tests to determine where they have the following:
1. Self-Discipline
2. Competitive Fire
3. Self-Belief
If an athlete does not possess even one of these traits, Greenberg will recommend that the professional team not invest time and energy in their future.
We hear that extremely subjective term “talent” thrown around a lot in athletics. Every team has athletes with talent. Our program possesses a lot of talented athletes. However, so do a lot of other teams in Alabama and the country.
What separates the great teams from the good teams?
THE NUMBER OF ATHLETES THAT POSSESS SOMETHING CALLED “ATHLETIC CHARACTER.”
Athletic Character is a choice! You get to decide whether you will possess the Self-Discipline, Competitive Fire and Self-Belief necessary to succeed.
These kinds of people are often called “champions.” Champions are people willing to do difficult and uncomfortable things on a daily basis. Those who are good will do this often. The average will only do it sometimes.
Therefore, your athletic character and value to this program is about choice and accountability. It has nothing to do with talent level; a commitment to excellence has nothing to do with talent. It’s about making a choice to have athletic character.
In order to be successful, we must embrace these core values. We are only as strong as our leaders and what they endorse and drive as acceptable behavior. These core values are used to measure our progress and are the cornerstone of being a valuable teammate. I use these core values to make decisions on lineups, travel camps and teams, and post season awards.
1. We do something extraordinary every day to achieve a goal. This individual has remarkable self-discipline, does every workout from beginning to end, and has a daily plan to do something to get better. A person with self-discipline does the whole workout when the coaches are not around. They do not follow the path of least resistance; they consistently ask themselves, “What can I do to improve?” “The dictionary is the only place success comes before work. Hard work is the price we must all pay for success. I think we can accomplish almost anything if we are willing to pay the price. The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.” Vince Lombardi
2. We want our high school years to be rewarding, valuable and meaningful. Therefore, this person leads their life with the proper balance and makes good choices socially. Running should be a part of your life, not be your life. The same can be said for school, friends, family, etc. This well-balanced individual understands that a good education is very important and that drugs and alcohol are not needed to change their mental state. They also recognize that peer influence is powerful and places their role as a good team member above their possible bad choices. “Too many people fail because they give up what they want most for what they want in the moment.”
3. We set challenging and meaningful goals. These goals are attainable and measurable as well. This person does not rest on their laurels when they achieve a goal. That recognize that success is a journey, not a destination. We learn from our experiences and realize the most important step is our next opportunity to improve. “Desire is the key to motivation, but it’s the determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal—a commitment to excellence—that will enable you to attain the success you seek.” Mario Andretti
4. We choose to have a positive mindset on life and running. No matter what the circumstances may be, we have the power of choosing to stay positive. We love to run. We love the feeling of being part of a team and striving for common goals. We love the tremendous feeling of working hard, achieving, and then being able to feel good about what we have accomplished. That is a great feeling and we love it. “Nothing great ever happens without enthusiasm.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
5. We are very confident in our abilities. Because we work very hard and are extremely fit, we know that we come to the line well prepared to do battle. Self-Confidence is the intangible trait that separates the good teams from the great teams. If we get injured, sick, or fall during a race, we know we can easily rebound from this setback because ‘we have done our homework’. Our supreme inner confidence holds us steadfast and stable. As other competitors go into oxygen debt early in the race, we hold steady due to our incredible fitness level and knowledge that we are very well prepared. “Confidence…thrives on honesty, on honor, on the sacredness of obligations, on faithful protection and on unselfish performance. Without them it cannot live.” Theodore Roosevelt
6. We genuinely care about one another. We are a family. We treat everyone with respect. A caring person goes out of their way to never separate them self from anyone or make anyone feel beneath them. Respect in our program is shown in the genuine way that we greet one another by name for example, but it remains evident in all our interactions. “I judge a person’s worth by the kind of person he is in life—by the way he treats his fellow man, by the way he wants to be treated, and by the way he respects people around him.” Calvin Murphy
7. We value a positive and influential leader. A great leader is less concerned about his popularity and more concerned about holding everyone to their highest standards and driving his teammates to their potential. “Not long ago, to ‘believe in your self’ meant taking a principled and often lonely stand when it appeared difficult or dangerous to do so. Now it means accepting one’s own desires and inclinations, whatever they may be, and taking whatever steps that may be necessary to advance them.” William Damon
8. We are humble. A humble athlete wins like he is used to it. This is the person who is thankful for everything that they have been given in life and has a contagious optimism. Losing is taken in stride and lessons are learned from the experience to be put to good use during the next race. “To become truly great, one has to stand with people, not above them.” Carlos de Montesquieu
9. We are fearless and are not afraid to fail. We will not hang back in a race and hope for the best. We race smart and we always have a plan. We possess a competitive fire and we will back down to no one. We deserve the rewards from our hard work and we are willing to put it on the line and push through the discomfort. “I never blame failure—there are too many complicated situations in life—but I am absolutely merciless toward lack of effort.” F. Scott Fitzgerald
10. We recognize and KNOW that it is the little things that add up to make the biggest difference. This is the person who eats nutritious foods, goes to bed at the same time every night, drinks water before practice, and puts out their running clothes the night before. Preparation is of the highest priority. Workouts are planned and made a priority. “One of life’s most painful moments comes when we must admit that we didn’t do our homework, that we are not prepared.” Merlin Olsen
11. We take great pleasure in serving others and make it a priority. This person believes in the intrinsic value of every person and aims to further the dignity of anyone he can by influencing them in a positive way. “Always take the time to show compassion for those less fortunate, and there are many. Take the time to help a young child cross the street, or to carry a bag of groceries for an elderly lady. And every now and then, look up into that big, beautiful, blue sky and admit that there are things in this world more wondrous than yourself.” Jack Lambert
1. Shake a hand:
Respect, challenge, enjoy, and honor teammates, coaches, and parents every day.
2. Don’t be average:
Plan, train, and live with purpose and accountability, among your teammates and by yourself.
3. Embrace the process:
Victory is an expression of excellence, but it is empty if we value results over the process.
4. Be a 70’s child:
Runners must develop many facets—strength, discipline, intelligence, courage, patience—all through staying active, involved, and disconnecting from technology when necessary.
5. Leave a legacy:
Leave a positive mark that others will talk about for years to come.
The only way to be successful in this sport, where your most important races are in October and November is to accomplish the essential base building phase of training during the summer (see '10 tips for making varsity' page for more info about being successful).
Each athlete has or will have an individualized training program that carries them through the entire summer so every athlete knows what to do from day to day (whether in town or not, with the team at team practice or on a day when there isn’t team practice). Once again, the only way to be successful in this sport is to run consistently and do the training correctly (appropriate volume, intensity, and execution).
I, of course, understand that most athletes won’t be in town and present for 100% of the summer team practices. However, my expectation is when they are in town they need to be at practice. Step Ahead Camp is considered our team practice on those days. You will not find a better value in a cross country camp anywhere.
Another important thing to keep in mind is that our summer practice schedule has to meet the needs of all our athletes and teams. That being said, our varsity squads are competing for State Championships and this is a big commitment. We recognize that the incoming 7th graders does not need to make this type of commitment. However, consistency is a crucial principle for success as well as making an appropriate commitment and sticking to it.
Another way of recognizing the importance of summer practice attendance is to remember “Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17). We cannot grow as a team unless we are able to work as a team and therefore sharpen one another. Please respect your child's responsibility in being a part of a team and allow them to be at team practice when they are in town.
NOTE: I WILL SEND OUT A SATURDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING EMAIL THAT HAS MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMING WEEK. THE FOLLOWING SERVES AS A GENERAL OUTLINE SO YOU KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.
We will open an online team shop in June through BSN.
Each athlete will need the following:
Usually all else will be optional, unless we decide to do our SPONSOR SHIRT or a TEAM SWEATSHIRT through our online shop. This will be communicated prior to the online team shop opening.
Running Equipment Needed
1. A pair of shoes made specifically for running
2. Socks that will not move around on your foot while running (cotton is not a good choice)
3. Watch
a. “Chronograph” feature is a must.
b. GPS watch is a good investment (helps track training and aid in learning the skill of pacing)
4. Training Log
a. Simple Notebook or Journal (write narrative style alongside your notes)
b. Strava
You must track your training and record data if you expect to get the most out of your training. No serious scientists would perform experiments without recording their data.
The great Eliud Kipchoge says that if he doesn’t write down his training (narrative style) then it is as if it never happened. He derives his confidence and proof of transformation from his writing in his training log. This is what he reads in the days leading up to his big races.
IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR TEAM CAMP, YOU MUST HAVE YOUR TRAINING RECORDED. I WILL REQUEST THIS INFORMATION WHEN IT COMES TIME FOR ME TO MAKE MY DECISIONS ON WHO IS GOING AND WHO IS STAYING HOME. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE IT. YOU STAY HOME. THIS IS ALSO MY WAY AND YOUR WAY OF TRACKING THE PROGRESS OF YOUR MILEAGE GOALS FROM MEMORIAL DAY TO LABOR DAY (14 WEEKS).
5. Appropriate clothing relative to the weather
Warmer weather months:
Running shorts, Singlets (tank tops), Short-Sleeve shirts, maybe a hat and / or sunglasses if it is bright and sunny or the hat on a rainy day to keep the rain from hitting your face.
Rain jacket: something that is breathable but provides some water and wind protection
Cooler weather months:
In Alabama, you will still need the above, but now you will bring gloves, beanies, long-sleeve shirts, running tights for the legs when the temps get down around freezing and below. A good form fitting running jacket that has neck and head protection is a good purchase.
The key in the winter is to dress in layers. Make sure you have enough but as you warm up you can take off and then when you finish the run and you are stretching and doing any supplemental work you can put back on.
Running and Principles for Improvement
1. Consistency
Without consistency improvement will be hard to come by and injury will be very likely. That is no fun, therefore make a commitment to be consistent. An example of being consistent is sticking to a weekly pattern.
2. The Principle of Overload, Recovery and Adaptation
Explained and Exemplified in another document.
3. Build Your Aerobic Engine
This comes primarily through consistency and gradually increasing the amount and intensity of the running you do over time. Your aerobic energy system accounts for a majority of your energy production. We can improve this for a lifetime and our improvement here is what makes us capable of huge breakthroughs in regard to how far we can run and how fast.
4. Learning the Skill of Pacing / You Race How You Train
Negative split everything. Learn how to ease into your runs and stay comfortable enough so that the second half of your run is faster than the first half. This is important mental and physical conditioning for improvement as well as racing success. This also is the foundation of our education of learning our self in regard to the relationship between effort, pace, and fatigue.
5. The Three Levels of Pace
Conversational Pace – You can talk in a conversational manner while running
Short Phrase Pace – You can talk, but the effort is high enough to wear the talking would be in short phrases
No Talk Pace – The effort is now high enough to where you can’t talk. The focus is entirely on breathing, form, and maintaining pace or going even faster
6. Visualization
You must look beyond your current reality and see what you want to become and then through your commitment to consistency you will do the daily work and the transformation process will be continual until you attain the vision you created for yourself. Then it will be time to create a new vision. This is how improvement takes place in the mind and spirit. Without this part of the process our growth will remain stagnate or slow.
7. Rest and Regeneration
If you are going to improve, your body has to recover from its work and then it can make an adaptation (change) from the work you have done. Your body needs a proper amount of rest and sleep daily as well as proper nutrition and hydration each day to supply the energy you need for running as well as recovering and adapting from the running stress.
Resting is not the absence of work. Resting can include low intensity activities. The bottom line is you have to learn your body and learn how to give your body the rest it needs to recover from your training.
Sleep cannot and should not be negotiated. You NEED 7-9 hours a day and naps after really hard training sessions is great when possible. See the "What Time Should You Go To Bed?" page.
8. Hydration and Nutrition Basics
Drinking water needs to be something you do throughout each day. It is a lifestyle choice you will need to make. A good water supplement is the Body Armor Lyte drinks. Make sure it is “Lyte” as the non-Lyte has over triple the amount of added sugar. This drink has great vitamins and electrolytes to help replenish you after a hard running session.
Remember eating the proper foods will give you the energy to run and will also help restore your body after running. The primary fuel required for athletic performance is carbohydrate. Athletes should aim for 6-10 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight daily.
Solid Guidelines
- Diet: 60% Carbs, 25% Proteins, 15% Good Fats
- Post workout snack: 16 ounces of water, 45 grams of carbohydrate and 1-2 ounces of protein within 30 minutes. Then eat a full nutritious meal within 2-3 hours of finishing that workout.
The post workout snack decreases core temperature, rehydrates, restores energy and fuel, rebuilds muscle, reduces muscle damage through more expedient muscle repair and therefore improves performance at your next training session.
Recovery Snack Suggestions: 16 ounces of water and Body Armor Lyte plus Chocolate Milk, Sandwich, Fruit, Raisins, Tortillas, Clif Bars, Fruit Squeezes, Fig Newtons, Almond Butter
Diet Suggestions
- Whole Grains and Fruits give you a lot of energy
- Vegetables fill your body with vitamins and nutrients
- Proteins like beans help you rebuild your muscles
- Healthy fats from nuts and fish and other sources give you energy and are great for the systems of your body
How Often Should I Eat?
It is important that you eat at least three meals a day (breakfast, lunch, and dinner). Snacks in between for athletes training every day is usually a good idea as well. Your body needs this consistent inflow of nutrition and hydration in order to maintain balanced energy throughout the day. This allows your body to supply proper energy for running as well restore your body after running. Remember the post workout snack is essential and the timing of a full nutritious meal within 2-3 hours of completing that workout is important as well.
Team camp is the beginning of mandatory in-season practices. Our urgency increases here as we begin sharpening up for the opening meet and racing!
We have 7:00 AM practices on week days when the students are not in school (Labor Day, Parent/Teacher Conference Day, Columbus Day, Fall Break, Veteran's Day).
Now that school has started and we are beginning the season please do not schedule any vacations or unnecessary trips that will require your child to miss practices and meets during this time. As I mentioned earlier, being a part of a team is a serious commitment and it is very important to the progress of the team that each athlete is present for practices and meets. Also, we have times during the week that lend themselves to scheduling a doctor's appointment that will allow the student-athlete to not have to miss class or practice. And Please try to plan this way.
Junior High athletes are allowed to miss 1 Junior High regular season meet for reason of a conflict with another extra-curricular activity or trip, however. The only exception is our championship meet at St. Bernard (Oktoberfest). I ask that they do not miss the championship meet since it is the culminating event of the season for our junior high team.
Our sport requires an extreme level of specificity in regard to the work that must be done for the improvement and success of each individual, but more importantly the team collectively. It is a recipe. The right training in structure, volume, and intensity in the right order and their are thousands of decisions to be made day-to-day, week-to-week to ensure each athlete as well as the team collectively is moving towards peak performance at the right time. I need athletes at practice each and every day. Training together as a team is extremely crucial in this sport as in all team sports.