CC Guide

UBUNTU
"Ubuntu" is an African word that means "I am what I am because of who we all are." It addresses how we are interconnected.  Ubuntu encapsulates cross country perfectly. We are teammates committed to the sport and committed to each other.  We hold each other accountable, and as a result we get better. Together.

PRACTICES

Practices before school starts will be at 8a.m. Once school starts practices start at 3:20. Practices last 2 hours and 15 minutes. 

Bring a water bottle, running watch, shoes, and recovery food. (Notice phones were not listed).

Put in your best effort. Give each day your all to get better each day.

We will practice every day except Sunday. Rain or shine. Hot or cold. We will adapt to the conditions, but we will practice.

PLAN YOUR SCHEDULE AROUND PRACTICE Jobs are not an excuse to miss practice. Please try to schedule doctor appointments outside of practice time.

TRAINING

We will increase distance and intensity tailored to each individual. We will build for three weeks and then back off for a week. to allow our bodies to recover and to gear up for the next phase of training. Our training will involve distance runs, tempo runs, and interval workouts. We will also do strength training and core training.

HEALTH

We will do everything we can to keep athletes healthy. We will tailor training to each athlete's fitness. Listen to Coach. Recover well by running at appropriate paces on recovery days, taking days off as prescribed by Coach, SLEEP. In the event of an injury, talk to Coach. Do not just skip practice. There are protocols we can follow to help recover from an injury.

soreness ≠ injury  You will learn the difference as you train more. There may be some soreness especially in the first two weeks. 

more ≠ better   Avoid thinking that doing more or going faster or harder is how you improve. Consistent training at the right level will help you be successful.

RUNNING ROUTES

Most of the practices will be right in Brookfield running around BC. There will be different distance options based on your fitness level. Sometimes we will go to Nashotah Park for practice to run the trails at the park.

Run safely. 

     Run on the sidewalk.

     Run against traffic when it's necessary to run on the road. 

     Pay attention when crossing the street. Cross at intersections. 

     Stick with a buddy. 

Do not talk to passing motorists even if they shout at you.

Respect the residents whose homes we run past.

MEETS

Every runner competes in every meet. The fastest seven or eight runners run varsity. Everyone else runs junior varsity. The top five finishers make up the team score. Lowest team score wins. 

Bring water/Gatorade bottles, racing shoes, spikes, extra socks, uniform, warm ups, post race food, money for Tshirt or concessions, and great expectations!

Spectators are encouraged! If you have not been to a CC meet, get out to the park in the spectacular fall weather and watch one! They are really exciting to watch.

There will be a bus to and from each meet except our home meet. Runners are expected to ride the bus to and from the meet. Bus times will be shared at practice and in a newsletter.

When we get to the course

• We will walk the course as a team. 

• Warm up as a team 50 minutes before the race : 15 minute jog with some pickups.

• Spike up. Put bib numbers on. Last minute bathroom stop. Sip some water. Work with your teammates.

• 20 minutes prior to race. Head to the line. Dynamic warm up and stride outs. 

• Team cheer. Be respectful. Don't expend all energy on the cheer. A simple "Lancers!" may be best.

•  Cheer on your teammates, but don't spend all of your energy doing it if your race is coming up.

• Be respectful at all times. Congratulate competitors. Thank the officials and volunteers.

• Cool down with your teammates. Run a 15 minute cool down at a healthy pace. No schlogging!

•  Clean up your area.

BUS

We will take a bus to each away meet. You must ride the bus to the meet. You are encouraged to ride the bus back to BC. If you do not take the bus back to BC, you may only ride with your own parent. YOU MAY NOT RIDE WITH ANOTHER RUNNER OR PARENT. Notify Coach before you leave.

RACE PREP

Get plenty of sleep (at all times but especially) the night before the meet.

Eat well (at all times but especially) the night before the meet. Eat a breakfast - the size depends on the time of your race. Breakfast should be easy to digest and healthy. Oatmeal, cereal, toast or bagel with jelly or peanut butter. How much and what a runner can tolerate varies. Pay attention to what you eat and when you eat it so that you can find out what works best for you. Don't experiment on race day with something you haven't tried before.

Hydrate properly. This includes not too much and not too little.

Have your race bag packed and your uniform laid out the night before the race to avoid the mad morning scramble.

Have a goal, and have a plan to meet that goal. Talk with the coaches to help you with your goal and plan.

Familiarize yourself with the course. Course maps will be available prior to the race.

Visualize your race before you run it. This will help your brain on race day and will set you up for success.

SHOES/GEAR

You need to have a good pair of running shoes to help prevent injury and to help with performance. We are fortunate to have Performance Running Outfitters right here in town. They will set you up with shoes that are right for you.

Spikes are not mandatory for racing, but are highly recommended. Racing spikes help with traction and also help get a better feel for the ground. They are lighter than training shoes and help you feel fast and run fast. Coach has several pairs of spikes if you would like to try before you buy. 

A watch with a stopwatch is recommended. It does not have to be a GPS watch.

Water bottle with your name on it.

SLEEP  

Get at least eight hours of sleep each night. It can be done. It's important for recovery and brain function. Sleep is the one miracle drug that can impact performance the most.
Make a plan to get your sleep. Time management is crucial. 

Don't sleep with your cell phone in your room.

Avoid screens 30 minutes before going to bed.

SOCIAL MEDIA  

Avoid it. Make sure it is not controlling your lives. Care about your family, your teammates, your other friends. Don't worry about what people behind a screen in some unknown place think. 

Remember that your social media posts have a greater shelf life than a Twinkie and can be just as unhealthy.

Don't trash talk online.

ACT  

Do not schedule the ACT during the season. There is plenty of time to take the ACT outside of the season. 

HAVE FUN! 

Running is a sport you can and should do for the rest of your life. It will make your whole life better. Have fun doing it. Do everything you can to get better, but also remember to have fun! 

Also, help others have fun, and NEVER prevent another person from having fun.

SUPPORT YOUR TEAMMATES at practice, at meets, at all times. (THIS INCLUDES ONLINE)

BE POSITIVE Your mind can only occupy one thought at a time. Make it a positive one. It is the only one that is productive.