Hi team. Please see below for information about our participation in the Woodbridge Cross Country (virtual) Invitational
If we are able to meet as a group by September, we will do a team time trial on the track. If we cannot meet as a group, you will have to follow the instructions to submit a time on your own.
The event particulars (The event will attempt to mirror the real WHS Classic format)
The Virtual event will have 48 races to choose from for your athletes (top 7 compete varsity and the remaining compete in the grade-level races), 4 divisions of competition (based on school attendance), have Sweepstakes races for the top level of elite teams (B & G), have Rated races (2nd level of team excellence for B & G), have 2 regular level varsity races in each division, have grade level races for the developing athletes in each division, have medals for the top 100 finishers in each race (4800 in all), have patches to the members of top 6 teams in each of the 48 races (2016 in all), rank all the teams the meet and identify the top 100 individuals (B & G) in the meet. Additionally, the event will generate a wealth of data that college coaches can use to evaluate potential athletes for possible running scholarships and college entrance spots.
For all the details about the in-person Classic and the Virtual event, visit www.gvarvas.comand click on the links found in the home page.
For the event to be staged successfully, the coach (or a parent volunteer) from each school will play a most important role.
The Coach (Parent Volunteer) Does:
Signs up the school for the Virtual event on athletic.net. Team registration is now open. Please register ASAP. We need to gauge the interest in the Virtual Race and we will not have room for everyone.
Gives each athlete the team code with athletic.net
Using the http://gvarvas.com/meet-schedule/ link, assigns every member of the team to a race. The top 7 are in one of the varsity races (sweepstakes, Rated or regular division Varsity A or regular division Varsity B (based on attendance) and gives the race number to each runner. Very important
Maybe register the athletes for the meet (option is either coach or individual athletes registers the participants). Registration deadline is September 12, 2020 at Midnight.
Sets up and time the time trial (if allowed). If personal contact is not allowed, instructs the runners how they can obtain a time. Race each squad separately (varsity is own race, etc) on a synthetic track (if possible) or on the flattest asphalt bike trail, flattest dirk trail or on soccer complex.
The athlete does:
From August 5 to September 12, using the team code and race number provided by the coach registers for the event. Registration deadline is September 12, 2020 at Midnight.
During the week of 9/14 to 9/18 the athletes run the 3.0 miles race with their squad (or individually)
A.Course:
If possible, run the race (3 miles) on a synthetic track in flats (if school facilities are available). No spikes.
In case a synthetic track is not available, then every participant/coach finds the flattest possible course either on a paved bike trail/road, dirt hiking trail or on a short-grass field (maybe part of a soccer complex). We will determine an adjustment scale that will attempt to equate the times run in these 4 types of surfaces. Schools that run their races in altitude will use the established adjustments.
B.Awards:
Even though the awards are not a high priority for staging the event, we will make available the following keepsakes: T-Shirts to the first 10,000 participants that register for the event (designed with a covid theme), medals to the top 100 for each of the 48 scoring races, 7 patches to each of the top 6 teams in each of the 48 races.
C. Race Format:
The races must take place the week of Sept. 14-18. The coach decides what day (during the meet week) fits best in the team’s training schedule. The individual race results must be reported by Fri., Sep. 18 at noon (EST),
We recommend that the races be run under cool weather conditions (the weather at the real Classic) and the coach runs each squad separately. So, varsity boys run in their own race, var. girls in their own race, etc. We feel that running all the frosh boys together, for example, could be a good "dress-rehearsal” of what happens in a real invitational.
If the virus protocols prohibit group runs, then the coach starts the fastest runner first and then the remaining runners at a certain time interval later. If the coach cannot have in-person contact with the athletes, then the athletes race on their own.
D.Results
Individual results will be reported by the athletes to Athletic.net and will be posted live on Athletic.net as they are received from the individuals. The deadline for reporting the results will be Fri., Sep. 18 at noon (EST)
Team and final individual results for each race will be posted online at www.gvarvas.com and athletic.net. To create as real as possible a Woodbridge Classic, we will post the team and overall results for each race at the meet scheduled time for that race. For example, the Boys Sweeps race results will be released/posted at 9:54 pm (EST) on Sat. the 19th.
E. Entry Fee
The entry fee will be $10.00 for each participant. The fee is paid when the athletes registers in Athletic.net.
This fee entitles the first 10,000 entrants to a meet T-Shirt (designed specifically for the Virtual race). Additionally, each participant will have the opportunity to earn an individual medal (top 100 times in each race) and 7 team patches (top 6 teams in each race) for their team.
F. Athlete Registration
Participants will register on their own with Athletic.net. The coach can also register the athletes on the athletic school account. The school must have an Athletic.net account (free to set up).
Registration deadline is September 12, 2020 at Midnight.
G. Divisions:
White: School total enrollment between 1 and 799. Varsity A (1-500), Varsity B (501 – 799)
Red: School enrollment between 800 and 1599. Varsity A (800-1199), Varsity B (1200 – 1599)
Gold: School enrollment between 1600 and 2499. Varsity A (1600-2050), Varsity B (2051 – 2499)
Blue: School enrollment of 2500 +. Varsity A (2500 -3000), Varsity B (3001 +)
We hope that you will find value in this event for your team and athletes. Please accept our request to encourage every member of your team to participate in this virtual event. The entry fee of $ 10 (which includes a T-Shirt) validates that the Classic staff is not staging this event to make money for our programs. In fact, we might not to be able to break even as the $ 10 entry fee must cover the costs for the shirts, medals, patches, supplies, online registration and shipping fees. We are staging this event for the good of our athletes and sport. Please plan to attend and help us create some buzz not only with your team, but teams in your area as well.
As always, we thank you for considering our event and encourage you to pass on suggestions that can improve the athlete experience.
Hi team. Most of you have probably already heard that all fall sports have been pushed back to start in December.
Some of you have been working really hard for months now, and I don't want to waste that fitness. I'm planning some virtual competitions for September and October to help keep your mojo going.
These races will be time trials, so I will adjust our training a little bit. Time trialing can often produce faster times than actual races because in a time trial, everyone in the race is pushing for the fastest time possible, whereas in a race, that is not always the case. In an actual race, some people try to slow the pace down to maximize their kicks.
I'm really excited to try something new this year. Please understand that although this is not a normal situation, I'm 100% dedicated to the proposition that your season will be the best it can be!
The year is 2011 and the United States hasn't had a woman win a distance medal at a global championship (Olympic Games or World Championship) in 27 years. Coming into the race we had a woman who was considered one of the favorites...Morgan Uceny. Also qualifying for the final that year was Jenny Simpson, who came into the meet ranked #21 in the world and barely squeaked through the qualifying rounds to make the final.
In the race was the defending World Champion, Maryam Jamal of Bahrain.
In the end, guess who won? That's right, Jenny Simpson of the United States, breaking the 27 year drought for Americans. The win was so unexpected, that she even surprised herself
The win was so unexpected that the commentators from British Television kept calling her by the name of the WRONG American right up until the end of the race.
It just goes to show, that if you believe in yourself, keep working, and never give up....You can shock the world!
I am so sorry that we won't be able to continue the progress we've made, in person. However, each and every one of you can still continue to work to see gains in your running abilities. I'd like to lay out a brief guideline for how to keep going.
Please watch this video that explains specifically how to do each one of the workouts listed below.
Gold Group
1 workout per week of 5 minute segments with 1 minute recovery jogs. You're all doing 3-4 x 5 now. Work toward 5 x 5 minutes for a total of 25 minutes at 85% vVO2 max. Finish with some strides, short sprints, or ramps (if the stadium is open). don't run this workout too hard! You should finish the last 5 minute segment tired but like you could keep going.
1 workout per week of 3 minute segments with 1 minute recovery at 90% vVO2 max. You've all done 4-5 x 3 already. You should all get comfortable with running 5 of them for a total of 15 minutes at 90% vVO2. Finish with strides, or short sprints or 200s if the stadium is open.
1 long run per week. Just cover the distance. As you get stronger, the run should get faster. No need to make the long run longer than 25% of weekly mileage. As you get very comfortable with the long run, you can add 4-8 x 20 second strides into the last 2-3 miles of the run.
Fill in the rest of the week with easy mileage. Continue to keep your mileage high and even try to bump it up by 3-5 miles per week over the next 4 weeks.
Black Group
1 workout per week of 30-40 minutes "easy tempo". Some of you guys (cough, cough Owen) ran "hard tempo" today. Easy tempo should be 75%-80% of vVO2 max depending on who you are. My guess is that 80% is a little to "hot" for almost all of you for this type of workout.
1 workout per week of 3 minute segments with 1 minute recovery at 90% vVO2 max. You've all done 4-5 x 3 already. You should all get comfortable with running 5 of them for a total of 15 minutes at 90% vVO2. Finish with strides, or short sprints or 200s if the stadium is open.
1 long run per week. Just cover the distance. As you get stronger, the run should get faster. No need to make the long run longer than 25% of weekly mileage. As you get very comfortable with the long run, you can add a fast finish to the final 2-3 miles of your run OR add 4-8 x 20 second strides into the last 2-3 miles. If you're doing the other two threshold workouts, then the strides are a better option.
Fill in the rest of the week with easy mileage. Continue to keep your mileage high and even try to bump it up by 3-5 miles per week over the next 4 weeks.
White Group
Put yourselves into either black group or gold group, whichever seems to fit you better. Continue to gradually increase your mileage.
All Groups
Once a month, go crazy, throw down, push yourself to the limit. Sometimes you just gotta run really hard to see where your fitness is. If you feel like the paces on the pace charts are becoming too easy, run a 6 minute TT and get a new baseline distance.
Use the pace charts by distance or the pace charts by minute to help you determine your training paces. I know you may have a hard time getting onto our track....and running on the track is very helpful for monitoring your training pace. Turlock Jr High has a crappy dirt track, but it's never locked....
I'm so sorry that we're in this position, but understand this.....the County Health Comissioner shut us down due to rising cases in the county NOT due to any kind of violations you guys did.
As you know, one of our athletes tested positive for Covid 19. I'm sorry it took me a while to get this formally posted, but please read the following and watch the following video for instructions for how we should proceed moving forward. Some of these protocols were already in place.
All athletes will have their temperature taken at the beginning of practice.
All athlets will show up to practice wearing masks and remain masked up for the time that we are grouped in our meeting area.
All athletes are expected to exhibit personal responsibilty and care for their teammates by maintaining an appropriate distance (some of you have had an extremely difficult time refraining from trying to give eachother wedgies or hugs. Knock that crap off).
Once we are out on the roads, you can run in small groups of equal ability, but should maintain a side by side formation
*New*. When athletes return from runs, they are expected to put their masks back on and keep them on until they are able to once again establish an appropriate physical distance when they leave practice. (please do not just mask up to keep me happy then get all up in each others personal space as soon as practice ends).
So, what happens when another one of our athletes tests positive?
That athlete should inform me as soon as s/he has test results.
I will contact every athlete that had been in contact with that athlete.
I will advise everyone who has been in contact with that athlete to get a Covid Test
Athletes should pay attention to whether or not they are feeling any symptoms. Athletes with symptoms should not come to practice.
Let me finish by saying that I think that we can SAFELY continue to progress as athletes in Cross Countrty, but only if all of you play by the same rule book.
Hey team. Great workout today. Get used to the paces you ran today, you're going to touch on them once a week for the remainder of the summer (wait for collective groan from the team) 😆
Here's the deal - that pace will never feel as hard as it did today. As you're reading this, your bodies are adapting to the workout you did and if you were to repeat that same workout a week from now, it would feel a little bit easier. If you repeat it again a week after that, easier still.
The workout will get easier because your bodies are making 3 general adaptations: 1. They are getting better at running without producing waste. They're getting better at removing any waste produced. And they're getting better at tolerating the build up of waste.
So, as you get fitter, you can do the same workout, but build up less waste. The waste you do build up will be removed more quickly. AND you won't really notice the waste you build up as much as you did today.
As you get fitter, we're not going to increase the pace. Rather, we're going to increase the amount of time you're spending running at that pace. Today, the pace you ran was 90% of your vVO2 max pace. But as you get fitter, the same pace might only be 85%. That's OK, though, because you still get a tremendous benefit running at 85% and because it's slightly less intense, you can do it for a longer period.
Please watch the following video to help you understand how we're going to progress as we move further along this summer then into the season.
