July - Starting to Pick Up the Pace.

 As of Next Monday, We'll Have Been Going a Month

As we've discussed, in order to keep progressing your fitness, you can't just keep doing the same old thing over and over.  So, as we move into July, here are some suggestions for altering your training just a little bit.

1. Keep increasing the volume - If you are new, or if you are still low in mileage because you're coming off an injury or you just haven't built up your mileage very much yet, then your job is simple: Use our 2 week break to keep adding to your volume
2. Add a second "Hard Run" once every other week - Right now, we're running hard once a week on Tempo Thursday.  If your mileage is where you want it already, your next step can be to add one more hard session once every 2 weeks.  This means that over our 2 week break, you'd go hard 3 times instead of 2.  Simple.  Going hard is relative.  Nobody should be going "Race Hard" unless they actually run a race.

Speaking of Races

The Atwater Run for Independence is a good mid summer opportunity to check your fitness.  If you're a varsity athlete, I'd suggest running the 5 mile version.  If you're newer, or your mileage is still below 30 miles per week, the 2 mile race might be more appropriate.  

Some of your Predecessors in Atwater. 

Summer Beach Trip - 2026

 

End of June Beach Trip

We've Had a Great Summer

Now let's finish it off with a trip to run in my absolute favorite place, The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park.  Then for good measure, after the run, Let's go to the beach!

One of the many trails at Nisene Marks

Anyone who has attended 5 or more practices this summer is eligible for the trip.  We have 26 seats in the vans available, so we should be good to go on space.

Here's a Rough Itinerary

7:00 AM - Meet @ HHS Back Lot

7:15 AM - Depart

8:30 AM - Bathroom Break at Casa de Fruta

9:45 AM - Arrive, Nisene Marks

10:00 AM - Run for up to 80 Minutes

11:30 AM - 5 minute drive to Seacliff Beach

11:40 - 2:30 PM - Hang out at Beach, Picnic, swim, etc....

2:30 PM - Depart Beach

3:45 PM - Bathroom stop at Casa de Fruta

5:30 PM - Arrive @ HHS Back Parking Lot.

Cost: $10.00 for food and park admission.  Just bring me cash On the day we go.

Here's who's going so far. 

Carlos

Diego

Mason

Noah

Melanie

Alina

Oscar

Sam

Jeremiah

Allison

Maggie

Juan

Tucker*

Big Ava*

Little Ava*

Ellie*

*Conditional on running 20 minutes without stopping on Thursday. 

Summer of 2026 is underway!

 June Assessments Are In the Books. 

Hey team.  We've accomplished one of our main goals of the early summer: Get assessments for current running abiliites.  All the training we do should be based on trying to be a little better than our current levels.  So, knowing our current levels is pretty important.  We didn't get all of you tested, but we're pretty close.  Take a look at the results by clicking on This Link. Click the Summer Testing Tabs.  

Let me explain the purpose of each test

• 6 Minute Test - This test gives us a very good estimation of the running speed at which you reach your body's maximum ability to deliver oxygen to your muscles.  We can now use that speed to determine the paces for some of our workouts.  
• 400m Time Trial - This test gives us a couple of pieces of information: 1. It tells us how well you can tolerate high levels of lactic acid in your blood and 2. It is a decent measure of your max running speed. However.....
• 10m Fly Test.  Timing your fastest possible 10m sprint with a running start gives us your True Maximum Speed. Since all of the races you run are at a smaller percentage of your maximum speed, having a higher max speed allows you to run all of your races at a relatively lower percentate of your top speed, and therefore race pace should feel easier and you should be able to use less overall energy at any given race pace. If you want to see how fast you ran in miles per hour, check out this chart.  If you're not currently fast enough to register on this chart.....GET FASTER!......consider this summer a chance to improve enough to get an official speed in MPH

Athletes who competed late into track season will likely have better
tests than those who's season ended at the beginning of May

What do we expect from our August Tests? 

The simple (and overly optimistic) answer is: We want to get better at everything.  For our beginners, this outcome is very likely, however for our experienced athletes that just came off a good track season, that answer is a little less clear.

• 6 Minute Test - For our experienced group, improvements of 50-100m are pretty standard.  However, we are going to run less intensity this summer, so smaller improvements may occur.  Since we won't be doing any workouts that are anaerobic in nature, some of the anaerobic fitness that you carried forward from track will have disappeared by august.  This means that any improvements you do get will be from improved aerobic power and improved economy, which is the focus of our training this summer.
• 400m Time Trial - As strange as this may sound, I don't really expect much improvement in your 400m TT this summer.  In fact, the coaching staff will be happy if you simply don't LOSE any 400m speed this summer.  Your ability to run a good 400 is largely dependent on Anaerobic tolerance, which we will ignore this summer.  What we, as a staff, really want to know is if the strides and short sprints that you'll do this summer will be enough to maintain the gains you made in the 400 during track season. Also, we want a measurement of how much of your 6 minute test performance comes from anaerobic power and how much is aerobic.  Beginners, some of you may improve by 15 seconds by August, though! 
• 10m Fly Test - We would like to see improvements in your 10m fly test of at least 3%.  This means if you ran 1.5 seconds for 10m today, we would hope you can run 1.45 in August.  Beginners, once again, you guys may blow your June tests out of the water in August.

Summer Fundraiser  - Raise Money and go to the fair for FREE!

We need our athletes to sign up for the fundraiser.  We will need a few adults as well.  The following is the information that I received from the Fair.  If you have not signed up yet, here's the link

n exchange for the donation, volunteers from your organization would assist the Fair’s Admissions Department with the following duties:

• Scheduling: Your organization will coordinate and fill 30–35 volunteer shifts assigned by the Stanislaus County Fair.

• Guest Welcome & Ticket Scanning: Volunteers will warmly greet fair guests and scan admission tickets at designated entry gates and the arena gate.

• Shift Length: Volunteers will work 5-hour shifts and must remain at their assigned position for the duration of the shift.

• Shift Times: Shifts begin as early as 6:00 a.m. and run until closing at 11:00 p.m.

• Group Apparel: Volunteers must wear apparel representing their organization (team jerseys, group t-shirts, team hats, etc.).

• Gate Lead: Each gate must have one adult Lead present at each gate from your organization responsible for maintaining volunteer coordination and ensuring professional conduct consistent with the Stanislaus County Fair Employee Handbook. 

• Training: All volunteers must attend a mandatory training session during the first week of July. Date TBA. 

• Schedule Deadline: All shifts must be filled and confirmed with the Stanislaus County Fair's Admissions Manager no later than May 30th to ensure coverage before summer breaks/vacations. 

Volunteer Perks

In addition to the donation made to your organization:

1. Every volunteer will receive a Fair Volunteer Badge, granting FREE admission for the day of their shift and an additional entry on us.

2. The badge also provides FREE parking in the North and West lots.

3. All volunteer groups will be featured for free on our large public-facing LED sign. Logos will be collected when the schedule is confirmed. 

State Meet in 2 Days

 In 48 hours, our boys will take the starting line at Woodward Park for the CIF State Championship.  In 50 hours, our girls will do the same.  This is the culmination of a season that started the first week of June.  

If you would like to come watch the meet to support our athletes, please see the meet information from the state website

For the athletes actually making the trip, please read the itinerary below.  

2024 Team at the State Meet

Friday, 11/28

• 9:00 AM - Arrive HHS front parking lot, load and decorate vans
• 9:30 AM - Depart HHS
• 11:00 AM - Arrive Woodward Park, jog course, visit meet expo, buy merch....
• 1:00 PM - Depart park for Lunch.
• 2:00 PM - Check into hotel, shower, pin numbers
• 4:30 PM - Team meeting
• 5:00 PM - Depart for team activity (bowling or mini golf)
• 7:30 PM - Dinner @ Diccicos
• 9:00 PM - Return to Hotel
• 10:00 PM - Lights out.

Saturday, 11/29

• 6:30 AM - Wake Up.
• 6:45 AM - 10 min wake up shakeout
• 7:00 AM - Breakfast
• 8:00 AM - Depart for Woodward Park
• 8:30 AM - Arrive / Bicarb for boys
• 9:30 AM - Boys Warm UP
• 10:00 AM - Bicarb for girls
• 10:30 AM - Boys CIF D4 Championship
• 11:00 AM - Girls Warm UP
• High Noon! - Girls CIF D4 Championship
• Depart from park 1:00 PM
• 1:30 PM Lunch in Chowchllla
• 3:30 PM Arrive HHS Front Parking lot. 
  

Awards Night - Thursday

 2 TEAMS GOING TO STATE - LET'S PARTY!

Hello CC families.  Our awards night will be Thursday at 6:00 PM in Reeder Hall.  We have a LOT of great kids this year and a LOT of fun stuff to celebrate, including the fact that this is the first year that we've qualified 2 teams for the STATE CHAMPIONSHIP MEET!

Our tradition for the evening is simple:  Meet up, have a potluck meal, and award the kids who've given so much to this team over the course of their time in high school.  Please see the pot luck assignments below

• Freshmen - Bring a main dish.  This should be enough food for 6-8 people
• Sophomores - Bring Desserts (pie, tray of cookies, etc....)
• Juniors - Bring a side dish (Salads, potato salad, etc...).  Enough for 6-8 people
• Seniors - Bring drinks

The team will provide paper products, cups, utensils, etc....

Our TEAM QUOTE SHIRTS should be ready (fingers crossed).  To receive a quote shirt, please bring your entire uniform back.  This includes the bag we issued you, the grey sweats, the joggers, the black jersey, the gold jersey, and 2 pairs of shorts. I realize that some of you never received a gold jersey and second pair of shorts.  Don't worry, I have records of who got what.  We will inventory the uniforms returned at the start of the dinner

Obviously, if you're going to the state meet, you don't have to return your stuff 😀

Section Week

 Lots to Unpack this Week

We had a great meet!

I know it was super stressful for the VB group, but you guys are champs and did what it took.  We may run without Sandro at sections, but you guys can win even without him.  It will just be a lot closer.  Varsity girls.  I'm done talking about how good Placer is or how good 2016 was.  This team is BAD ASS!  Let's go get a banner!

Lower levels, this will be your last race.  Some of you may want to continue training with the state qualifiers.  Let me know if you would like to do this.  I will likely take a few lower level athletes along with us to the state meet to preview the course for future years.  

Qualifiers for Next Sections.  All others will begin their off season.  Still Dress for PE.

VB

Sandro (if able)

Mason

Juan

Rick

Sam

Carlos

Manny

Shane (if no Sandro)

VG

Sophie

Noeli

Grace

Maggie

Bailey

Jaelyn

Melanie (if able)

JVB

Shane (if Sandro runs varsity)

Eddy

Diego

Noah

Wyatt

Jason

Roberto

FB

Jeremiah

Tyler

Kameron

Jace

Jude

Owen

Esai

FSG

Maritza

Amaya

Emily

Dalila

Alina

Adrianne

Sofia

Workouts for the Week.

Please note the rearrangement of training groups.

SJS Sub Section Itinerary

 Hey Team!  The Post Season is Here

Tomorrow, we will be traveling to the Calevaras County Fairgrounds in Angels Camp for the Sac Joaquin Sub Section Meet.  Here is a brief itinerary and some other info.  

• 6:00 AM- Arrive HHS Staff Parking Lot
• 6:15 AM - Deapart
• 8:00 AM - Arrive Calevaras County Fairgrounds.  Team camp near Mark Twain Statue
• 9:00 AM - First race (Freshmen Boys)  See attached document for full schedule
• 1:00 PM - Depart Fairgrounds
• 1:30 PM - Lunch in Sonora
• 2:00 PM - Depart Sonora
• 3:00 PM - Arrive at Front Parking Lot. 

If you read through the attached document, you will see that each school is assigned a specific job.  We are supposed to provide workers for the finish line chute.  If you are going, it would be greatly appriciated if  you could take a shift at the chute during a time when your kid is not racing.  We can rotate hourly so nobody has to get stuck down there.

I will bring some healthy snacks, but kids would be well served to bring some HEALTHY snacks of their own.  

Top 10 Varsity teams qualify for the Section Championship in Folsom next week

Top 6 JV and FS teams Qualify for the Section Championship in Folsom next week.