Camp 2025 Updates

 Hey Team

I've updated our team's Camp Page.  Thank you to those of you who've done what you need to do in order to be elligible.  For those of you who want to go, here's what still needs to be done.  

1. Make sure you've got your physical and that it's uploaded to athletic clearance.  If you don't have a physical yet, get one ASAP.  Download the form from our athletic department page. Click the athletic forms link
2. Bring your Deposit of $300 (that deposit won't be enough to pay for camp entirely, and that's where Fundraising comes in. If you are not selected for camp, you will get your full deposit back.  
3. Sell fundraiser tickets and participate in the fundraiser The fundraiser isn't just for camp, it's for the whole team.  However, if you want to go to camp, you're going to need to sell tickets AND help serve food during the fundraiser.  If we do well enough on the fundraiser, I will be able to return some of your deposits.  Camp will cost the team in the neighborhood of $8000 this year
4. Turn in a permission slip.  I will get these slips out the week we leave for camp.  

FYI, to see the checklist on the Camp Page, click the tab on the spreadsheet that says, Camp Checklist. 

LOOK AT MILLS!!!!

 In 1964, one of the greatest upsets in Olympic history happened when Billy Mills of the USA, sprinted past world record holder Ron Clarke to win the gold medal in the mens' 10000m run.  

I bring this up because the video of him winning in a thrilling kick displays one of the only examples I can think of where a distance runner uses really good sprint mechanics during the final kick.  I talked today at practice about the importance of constantly practicing, and rehearsing good running mechanics, so that when the time comes, and you're as dead as dead can be, you still can run powerfully and efficiently to move past your opponents.  

Here is a sample week of Mill's training.  When you see 110s, that means a 110 yard hard strider.  Notice how he did these almost daily as  part of a secondary workout.  

Mon: A.M--2 mile w/u, 4 mile "tee to greens" on golf course 2 mile cooldown

P.M-- 2 mile warmup, 2 miles of repeat 110s, 1 mile cooldown.

Tue: A.M.--2 mile warmup; 1 mile repeat 110s, 2 mile cooldown.

P.M.--1 mile w/u 2 miles of sprint 150, float 70, in 8:50, 4 mile cooldown.

Wed: A.M.--3 mile w/u; 1 mile of repeat 110s; 1 mile easy; 4x 880s in 1:59-2:00 with 330 rest; 2 mile c/d.

P.M.-- 4 mile w/u; xc run on sand with 1.5 miles easy and 1.5 miles at race pace, 2 mile cooldown.

Thu; A.M--3 mile w/u; 2 miles of easy 110s.

P.M--whirlpool and rest.

Fri: A.M--1 mile w/u, whirlpool

P.M--14 miles easy

Sat: A.M--3 mile w/u, 1 mile of repeat 110s; 6 x 1000 yards (slower than race pace) w/330 rest; 1 mile c/d

P.M--4 miles easy; 4 miles hard, 1 mile easy 110s, 1 mile cooldown.

Sun: A.M--2 mile w/u 1 mile easy 110s, 1 mile hard 110s; 1 mile easy; 1 mile cooldown.

Total: 90 miles

Here's another good video, with a little higher production value.  Note the crushed brick track (for those of you complaining about running on dirt at Hilmar. 

If you're interested, there was a good movie made about Mill's life called Running Brave (he is Lakota Sioux Native American).  

I kind of didn't want to do this.

 One of the beauties of being a distance runner is learning exactly what your body can and can't handle while at the same time applying the principles that we know will make you faster.  YOUR ability to figure this stuff on your own will make you not only a better runner, but a more responsible, foreward thinking human being in general.  I mean, if you have to sit down and map out a course of action to make yourself successful in running, you kind of have the idea of how to sit down and map out a course of action that will make you successful in school, jobs, etc....

That being said........many of you have NOT YET mapped out a course of action for this off season.  It's always a little puzzling to me that so many athletes who are all in for summer training when the weather is hot and gross, don't go all in for winter training where the weather is cool and conducive to going out and putting in big miles.  

Whatever the reason, if you want to have a good season, you need to get the miles in.  So, if you're having trouble deciding how much you need to run, you need to look no further than this template. I've mostly built this template with 2 principles

1. How much did you run during cross?
2. How much do you need to run in order to build to where I think you can ultimately end up.

What you'll see is that most of you hit 3-6 weeks of mileage that I think you should be able to hit 14 weeks of this summer.  So, if you're more cross country minded, think of this winter as the bridge to get you where you want to be next summer.

Oh, and by the way, you'll set huge PRs and help the team this spring as a result. 

Gettin' Back To It - The Right Way!

 Hey guys.  I was talking with Shane earlier in the week and he's off to a really good start in his build up for track.  Big shout out to him.  Remember the principals

1. Build to your previous peak mileage +5 per week (maybe plus 10 for some of you guys that were lower mileage during cross).
2. Sprint, full gas, once per week.  Keep them short.  No more than 8-10 seconds.  Full recovery.  Have a good warm up first
3. One "hard" run a week of whatever you feel like.  Could be tempo, could be fartlek, could be threshold intervals, could be progression.  Have fun with it.  
4. If you're feeling good, throw in a long run

State Meet Itenerary.

 OK team: It's finally here!

Our 27 week 2024 journey is about to come to an end.  Let's end it in style!

Please view the state meet itenerary attached here.

For parents and fans making the trip, we will set up our team area in or near to the Valley View Picnic Shelter. It is closer to where most of you will end up parking arriving for our races later in the day.  

Boys Race at 11:00

Sophie Races at 12:30. 

For those of you planning to make the trip, here is the meet website. Admission will be charged as you enter the park. 

Team Awards Night

 Hey Team!  6:00 PM, Wednesday, 11/20 in Reeder Hall

I'm typing this as I'm eating my breakfast getting ready for the section meet.  I know it seems soon, and that we'll likely have athletes still competing, but we're going to do our awards night next Wednesday in Reeder Hall because Thanksgiving break is the following week and after that, many of us will be going full speed in winter sports. 

Our tradition is to do a pot luck dinner along with our awards night AND to return uniforms, for athletes that have finished their seasons.  So, please come to the awards night with your cleaned, complete uniform and the following Food Item (Enough to feed 4-6 people)

Freshmen: Main Dish

Sophomores: Side Dish, Salad of some sort

Juniors: Desserts

Seniors: Drinks (a gallon or 2 two liters). 

Great season so far.....but we're not done yet!  Let's get on the bus and punch our tickets to STATE!

Supercross Sign Ups

It's that time of year again!

Our 18th Annual Hughson supercross is just over 2 weeks away.  Once again, the meet should be large, loud and fun.  We currently have 44 high schools, 4 middle schools, and 3 clubs signed up.  Putting on an event of this size takes a lot of help.

This is where I reach out to you one more time this year. 😇

I'm including a link to SIGN UP GENIUS  that I created for the meet.  If you have questions about what the different jobs entail, please reach out via the remind or email me at jbernard@hughsonschools.org.

To get you psyched, here's a video I had made a few years ago.