Monday, November 13, 2017

MIAA EMass Division 4 Championship Results and End of Season Celebration and Varsity Lists

Girls results
Boys results
splits for WHS athletes
WHS athletes all time at Wrentham Development Center

The season wrapped up on Saturday at Wrentham with the Eastern Mass. Division 4 Championship race. There were numerous seasonal and lifetime bests on the 5k course. For the seniors running in their final high school cross country race it was a fitting conclusion to their careers, while for the 11th and 10th graders and one 9th grader who competed the experience should prove invaluable going forward.

This Wednesday there will be an end of season celebration held in the Commons at 6:30. We'll recognize the recipients of team-specific awards including Most Improved, Rookie of the Year, and MVP. Varsity letters/pins will be distributed as well as JV certificates. Plus we'll be having a dagashi blowout (a highlight of last year's awards night) as well as giving out chocolate milk to whomever wants it (there was some left over at the end of the season). Each household should have received an e-mail invitation to this event, if you didn't let me know. We hope to be done by 8.

While on the subject of recognition, the athletes listed below have earned varsity status for this season. An explanation of what it takes to make varsity in what is a no-cut sport can be found in the team policies and FAQ document which is under the "Useful Links" sidebar to the right of this page. If you're reading this on your phone, tap on "view web version" to see the sidebars.

Girls:
Lucy Bartick
Hannah Bonvie
Shaelee Comettant
Julia de los Reyes
McKenna Kelemanik
Ava Korzeniowski
Ella LaClaire
Christina Matta
Meghan Walsh

Boys:
David Ahearne
Jett Chan
Trevor Chase
Kyle Chen
Matt Clayton
Thomas Daley
Jack Dussault
Matt Karle
Vincent Pak
Evan Troost

Thursday, November 9, 2017

MIAA EMass D4 Championship - 11/11/17

Meet Site: 
Wrentham Developmental Center. The address is 131 Emerald Street, however the race course is located a little further down the road, in the large field at the intersection of Emerald Street and Shear St. This is across the street from the William A. Rice Recreation Area.

Bus time 12 PM

Please arrive a few minutes early so we can get on the road in good time. 

Race Schedule and Entries:

Girls race 1:55
Boys race 3:15
awards to follow                   

 Meet Information:

• Weather forecast: Temperatures in the high 30s with winds from the WNW at 5-10 mph. Dress appropriately including layers to wear when you're either waiting for your race or after having completed your cooldown.  

• Report to the starting line 10 minutes before your race is scheduled to start; keep your sweats on until the meet officials at the starting line tell you to remove them. Warmups will be placed in a bag which will be brought to the tent. Two volunteers from the boys team will take the girls' warmup clothes back to the tent; two volunteers from the girls team will return the favor for the boys team.
• Numbers will be assigned to you specifically for this meet; these numbers have an RFID chip attached to the back which interacts with a conductive mat at the finish line to record your time. The meet director has asked that athletes who aren't racing NOT wear their bib number if standing near the finish line; doing so can cause a false reading by the finish line mat. Also, don't crumple or fold your bib number.
• The meet staff has asked that no one do their warmup or cool down among the buildings of the Wrentham Developmental Center, where patients are housed. Aside from the course itself, you can warmup and cool down on the fields across the street. 

• A map of the course can be seen here. It's basically flat, with some gentle roll in places. The course is entirely on grass. 

• Medals will be awarded to the top 15 finishers. 

What to Bring:

• Uniform, including both jersey and shorts
• Everyday training shoes
• Racing shoes if you have them
• Multiple layers of clothing including clothes to wear while warming up and cooling down, in addition to dry warm clothes for after your race. Also, bring clothes to change into if you're returning your uniform after this meet.

• Water bottle (filled)
• Snacks for post-race (chocolate milk will be provided using proceeds from the Wayland XC Festival)

• Folding chair
• Blanket

For Parents:

• A parking fee of $5 will be collected for each car.
• We hope to return to WHS around 1 PM.

• Dogs aren't allowed on or near the course, best to leave them home.

• We hope to return to WHS around 5 PM.

Sunday, November 5, 2017

Week 11 Training Plan - 11/6-11/12

This week is the culmination of the season from a team perspective. The hope is to put your best foot forward on Saturday at Wrentham. Everything leading up to Saturday in practice is intended to help make that possible. We're not reinventing the wheel here and overall the pattern should seem familiar to you. There is a bit less volume overall. You can improve your chances of doing well on Saturday by getting to bed at a reasonable hour, drinking water regularly throughout the day (to the tune of at least 48 ounces a day), and eating a nutritious balanced diet.

Monday 11/6 - 15 minute warmup, 2x600, 2x1600, 2x600, 15 minute cooldown. This workout will be done back and forth along the Weston aqueduct east of the four corners intersection. The idea is to run the first two 600s at just a bit slower than race pace for the first 400 meters then pick up the pace the last 200 meters. The recovery between them is a 400 meter jog. Then after 2.5-3 minutes break, 2 repeats of 1600 meters at "tempo" or threshold pace which is about 20-30 seconds slower than your race pace per mile. Same 2.5-3 minute break between these two long reps. Finally, 2 more 600s with the first 400 at race pace and the final 200 at something faster. It's important to stay under control early on in this workout so you can complete the back end successfully. There will be chocolate milk available after today's practice.

Tuesday 11/7 - weight lifting (10-8-6 reps) followed by 40 minutes at an easy to moderate intensity.

Wednesday 11/8 - 50 minutes including 4 hill repeats on Hillside Street in Framingham.

Thursday 11/9 - 35 minutes at an easy to moderate intensity with 5 pickups of 15 seconds at faster than race pace.

Friday 11/10 - 15 minute warmup followed by three sets of short repeats on top of the aqueduct. Time of this practice TBA, as there is no school in observance of Veteran's Day.

Saturday 11/11 - MIAA Eastern Mass. Division 4 Championship. The bus leaves at noon; the girls race is at 1:55 and the boys will race at 3:15. Your ticket on to the bus is your copy of the warmup schedule that will be shared with you via e-mail earlier in the week.

Sunday  11/12 - off

Frank Mooney Invitational Results

9th grade girls
9th grade boys
10th grade boys
11th and 12th grade boys

splits for WHS athletes
updated all-time lists for WHS runners at Wrentham Developmental Center

There were many performances of note yesterday for Wayland athletes on the Wrentham Developmental Center course that hosts the EMass Divisional Championship each year and will host the MIAA All-State meet in two weeks as well. There were multiple personal bests and well executed races from everyone who took part. Special recognition goes to Ava Korzeniowski and Dylan Bonanno, who won medals for finishing in the top 50 in the 9th grade 3k races.

Thursday, November 2, 2017

MSTCA Frank Mooney Invitational - 11/4/17

Meet Site: 
Wrentham Developmental Center. The address is 131 Emerald Street, however the race course is located a little further down the road, in the large field at the intersection of Emerald Street and Shear St. This is across the street from the William A. Rice Recreation Area.

Bus time 10:15

Race Schedule and Entries:


12:15 PM DIV 2 10th Grade Boys Race - Liu, Nagalingam
12:38 PM DIV 2 10th Grade Girls Race - none
1:05 PM DIV 2 9th Grade Boys Race - Bonanno, Duffy, B. Levin, Li
1:20 PM DIV 2 9th Grade Girls Race- Javed, Korzeniowski, Hoopes
1:38 PM DIV 2 11th/12th grade Boys Race - Daley, S. Levin, M. Matta, Pak
                    
Meet Information:

• Weather forecast: Partly cloudy, temperatures in the low 50s with light winds about 5 mph from the ENE.

• Report to the starting line 10 minutes before your race is scheduled to start; keep your sweats on until the meet officials at the starting line tell you to remove them. 
• Remember to give your uniform to one of the coaches before heading home after the meet ends or when we return to WHS. 
• Numbers will be assigned to you specifically for this meet; these numbers have an RFID chip attached to the back which interacts with a conductive mat at the finish line to record your time. The meet director has asked that athletes who aren't racing NOT wear their bib number if standing near the finish line; doing so can cause a false reading by the finish line mat. Also, don't crumple or fold your bib number.
• The meet staff has asked that no one do their warmup or cooldown among the buildings of the Wrentham Developmental Center, where patients are housed. Aside from the course itself, you can warmup and cooldown on the fields across the street. 

• A map of the course can be seen here. It's basically flat, with some gentle roll in places. The course is entirely on grass. The 9th grade race ends after the second lap (3k versus 5k). 10th grade race and 11th/12th grade race use the full three lap course. 
• Medals will be given to the top 50 finishers.
• A canned food drive is held in conjunction with this meet, if you're coming please remember to bring a non-perishable food item with you. I'll collect all items and turn them in at registration.


What to Bring:

• Uniform
• Everyday training shoes
• Racing shoes if you have them
• Multiple layers of clothing including clothes to wear while warming up and cooling down, in addition to dry warm clothes for after your race.

• Water bottle
• Snacks for post-race (chocolate milk will be provided using proceeds from the Wayland XC Festival)

• Lunch
• Folding chair
• Blanket to lie on under the tent

For Parents:

• A parking fee of $5 will be collected for each car.
• We hope to return to WHS by 1 PM at the latest. 

• Dogs aren't allowed on or near the course. 
• Grills, open fires and drones are also prohibited.

Sunday, October 29, 2017

Week 10 Training plan - 10/30-11/5

This week features the Frank Mooney Invitational on Saturday, which is an opportunity for 9th graders and those upperclassmen not in the top seven who meet the time standards for their grade to race on the Wrentham Developmental Center course. The runners in the top seven will train through this week (and have a different workout on Friday) pointing towards the MIAA Eastern Mass. Divisional Championship meet which is at Wrentham the following Saturday November 11th. The top seven runners for each team are:

girls: Bartick, de los Reyes, Kelemanik, Korzeniowski, C.Matta, Walsh

boys: Ahearne, Chase, Chen, Clayton, Dussault, Karle, Troost

Monday 10/30 - 45-65 minutes including hill drills on Hillside Street on Framingham near Sudbury Landing. We'll head out on the Weston aqueduct towards Framingham the most direct route to Hillside Street is via the Getchell trail which starts on the other side of the river from the "hotdog bridge." Some will run further along the aqueduct first.

Tuesday 10/31 - 15 minute warmup, 3x300 at race pace with 90 second recoveries, 4 minutes recovery, 10 minutes at threshold ("good") pace, 90 seconds recovery, 3x300 at or faster than race pace with 90 second recoveries. Finally after all this, a 15 minute cooldown.

Wednesday 11/1 - weight lifting (3 sets of 10 reps) followed by 30-40 minutes at an easy to moderate intensity. Ideally, you'll finish a bit faster than how you start today.

Thursday 11/2 - Those training through: 40-50 minutes at an easy to moderate intensity with 4-5 pickups of 10-15 seconds at faster than race pace in the last 10 minutes of the run. Those racing Saturday: 30 minutes at an easy to moderate intensity with 4-5 pickups of 10-15 seconds at faster than race pace in the last 10 minutes of the run.

Friday 11/3 - Those training through: 15 minute warmup, 8x400 meters with 200 meter jog recoveries with the first 350 meters at race pace and the last 50 meters faster than race pace, 15 minute cooldown. Those racing tomorrow: 15 minute warmup, three sets of short intervals on top of the aqueduct.

Saturday 11/4 - Frank Mooney Invitational at Wrentham Developmental Center. More details in a forthcoming post. Those training through should repeat Wednesday's workout without the weight lifting.

Sunday 11/5 - off

Friday, October 27, 2017

DCL Championship Meet results

There were many excellent races today for WHS athletes at Franklin Park in the DCL Championship meet. Both the boys and girls teams finished 7th of 11 teams, which represents the highest finish for the boys at this meet since 2013 and for the girls since 2011. Special recognition goes to the medal winners on the day--Ava Korzeniowski in the 9th grade girls race (5th), McKenna Kelemanik in the girls varsity race (13th), and Matt Clayton in the boys varsity race (15th).

JV girls results
Varsity boys results
9th grade race results
Varsity girls results
JV boys results

Splits for WHS athletes

Thursday, October 26, 2017

DCL Championship Meet - 10/27/17

Meet Site: Playstead field, Franklin Park. 

Bus Time: The bus will arrive at noon, and after loading our gear we should be on the road by 12:15 at the latest. You'll be dismissed at 11:45.


Meet Schedule and Lineups:

1:00 PM Team Buses arrive and park
1:20 PM Course walk through for those who need it
1:30 PM Coaches Meeting
1:40 PM Volunteer Meeting
2:00 PM JV Girls - Comettant, Nallet
2:30 PM Varsity Boys - Ahearne, Chase, Chen, Clayton, Dussault, Karle, Troost
2:50 PM 9th Grade Girls and Boys 3K- Bonanno, D'Amico, Duffy, Hoopes, Javed, Korzeniowki, B. Levin, Li, Strehle
3:30 PM Varsity Girls - Bartick, Bonvie, de los Reyes, Kelemanik, C. Matta, Walsh
4:00 PM JV Boys - Chan, Daley, Dines, Hess, Homyak, Liu, M. Matta, Nagalingam, Pak, Puckett, Stafford
4:30 PM Award Presentation

Meet Information:

• Weather forecast: Clear skies, temperatures in the high 50s with winds from the west around 10 mph. The sun will be out but with the wind you'll want to wear your warmup clothes before and after racing.

• All races except for the 9th grade race will be run on the 5k course. The 9th grade race will be run on the 3k course which is the first two loops of the 5k without the third loop in the Wilderness. 
• Race protocol:
a. Runners must report to the start line 10 minutes prior to start
b. Runners will be asked to remove sweats 5 minutes prior to start
c. Runners will be warned with one minute prior to start and again at 30 seconds
d. Command for start will be “Runners Set” and then the horn or starters pistol 
• Awards will be given to the top 15 finishers in the varsity race, the top 8 JV finishers, and the top 7 9th graders. 
• Face paint and hats are not allowed.
• T-shirts will be sold for $15.
• If this is your final meet of the season, bring an extra change of clothes and after we return to Wayland you can change out of your uniform in the field house and return it to one of the coaches. 

What to bring:

• uniform
• everyday training shoes
• racing shoes if you have them
• warmup clothes including: long sleeved shirt, pants, windbreaker, gloves, hat. Remember, this will be the coldest, windiest meet conditions of the season thus far. 
• water bottle - BRING YOUR WATER BOTTLE, it does you no good sitting on a shelf at home!
• snacks for post-race (chocolate milk will be provided using proceeds from the Wayland XC Festival). If you're running in a later race, bring a snack to have on the bus or when we first arrive at the park to tide you over until your race. 
• folding chair if you want something to sit on while changing shoes
• blanket to lie on under the team tent 

Information for Parents:

• The course starts and finishes between White Stadium and Pierpont Road, just north of the zoo. Parking is available at the corner of Pierpont and Circuit Drive, as well as at other lots on Circuit Drive and along the side of Circuit drive as well. While there is parking along Pierpont right next to the zoo, it's doubtful these spaces will be open to the public and if they are they'll fill up first. 

• The race can be seen multiple times from the small rise just beyond the finish line. Binoculars come in handy when viewing the racers from the other side of the field. 
• We hope to be back at WHS between 6 and 6:30 at the latest.

Sunday, October 22, 2017

Week 9 Training Plan - 10/23-10/29

This week marks the start of the championship season with the DCL Championship on Friday. Depending on availability and ability to meet the time standards for meets in November, this Friday might be the final meet of the season for some. If so, I will let you know in practice and we can make arrangements for you to return your uniform to me when we get back to school after the meet Friday.

Monday 10/23 - hill drills followed by 40-65 minutes out and back along the Weston aqueduct heading east. The run today will start at an easy to moderate pace and pick up a bit over the last 10-15 minutes of the run.

Tuesday 10/24 - 15 minute warmup to Herland Way, 4 or 5 1200 meter repeats alternating 400 meter segments at race pace with 400 meters at "fresh" pace, 15 minute cooldown. The idea with this workout is to run the middle 400 of each repeat at a pace that allows for recovery but isn't simply a slow jog. Two minute recoveries between repeats. We'll do this workout on the stretch of the Weston aqueduct between Herland Way and Happy Hollow.

Wednesday 10/25 - Lifting in the weight room (3 sets of 5 reps) followed by 30-40 minutes at an easy to moderate pace.

Thursday 10/26 - 15 minute warmup followed by three sets of shor repeats on top of the aqueduct behind the school.

Friday 10/27 - DCL Championship at Franklin Park. More details will be in an upcoming post, the first race is at 2 PM so you will be dismissed early from school. You will be responsible for any missed work.

Saturday 10/28 - 35-50 minutes at an easy to moderate pace.

Sunday 10/29 - off

MSTCA Bob McIntyre Twilight Meet Results

Favorable conditions and a flat mostly smooth course made for some fast racing yesterday at the Cape Cod Fairgrounds in Falmouth. Official results:

Girls 9th grade
Boys 9th grade
Girls JV
Boys JV (not currently available, check back later for updates)
Girls Varsity
Boys Varsity

Splits for WHS athletes

Congratulations to Matt Clayton for finishing in the top 25 and earning a medal.

The poll for voting on the karaoke performances will be coming soon. 

Thursday, October 19, 2017

MSTCA Bob McIntyre Twilight Meet - 10/21/17

Meet Site: Cape Cod Fairgrounds, 1220 Nathan Ellis Hwy (rt. 151), East Falmouth, MA 02536

Bus Time: 12:30 PM. Arrive at the school a bit before this time so that we can be on the road promptly, it's a long ride!

Meet Schedule and lineups:

3:00 Coed 9th grade B race - none
3:20 9th grade girls 2.1 miles (19 minutes) - Hoopes, Javed, Korzeniowski
3:40 9th grade boys 2.1 miles - Bonanno, Duffy, Goode, B. Levin
4:00 10th grade girls (28 minutes) - none
4:30 10th grade boys (25 minutes) - none
4:57 Division 1 JV girls - n/a
5:26 Division 2 JV girls (28 minutes) - Comettant, Nallet, Walsh
5:56 Division 1 JV boys - n/a
6:22 Division 2 JV boys (25 minutes) - Chase, Daley, Dines, S. Levin, Pak, Puckett, Reese, Stafford
6:48 Division 1 Varsity girls - n/a
7:14 Division 1 Varsity boys  - n/a
7:36 Division 2 Varsity girls (26 minutes) - Bartick, Bonvie, de los Reyes, C. Matta
8:02 Division 2 Varsity boys (22 minutes) - Ahearne, Chan, Clayton, Dussault, Karle, M. Matta, Troost

The time in parentheses after each race is the cutoff for that race. Athletes who don't make the cutoff won't be recorded in the results. Their policy not mine.

Meet Information:

• Weather forecast: Temperatures in the high 60s upon arrival, dropping to the low 60s by 6 PM and then to the mid 50s after sunset. Light winds from the SW.
• The top 25 finishers in each race win medals, which will be given out in the chute.
• MSTCA will be using Chip timing. Athletes who are not competing and are by the finish line should not be wearing their bib with tag because it can be picked up by the transmitter. This will cause issues in recording places.
• The course is a loop of just over a mile that's repeated twice for the 9th grade race and three times for all other races. Course map. The course will go through one of the barns (building #11 on the map). The path leading up to this barn is paved; this may affect your shoe choice, so be sure to check it out in advance.
• There will be a karaoke contest on the bus ride back from the meet. Contact me if you're interested. 

What to bring (IMPORTANT):

• uniform
• everyday training shoes
• racing shoes if you have them
• full set of warmup clothes including: long sleeved shirt, pants, windbreaker, gloves, hat
• water bottle
• snacks for post-race (chocolate milk will be provided using proceeds from the Wayland XC Festival)
• folding chair if you want something to sit on while changing shoes
• blanket to lie on under the team tent
• flashlight/headlamp
DINNER for after your race. We won't be leaving the meet until sometime after 8 PM; dining options on the trip home are few and of low quality. Not to mention if you visit any restaurant near the fairgrounds that's still open, you get to wait in line for a good hour or so with 2 or 3 other teams that have also just left the meet. Long story short we won't be stopping for food on the trip back to Wayland! There is food for sale at the meet if that's your type of thing; otherwise I'd recommend preparing something in advance and bringing it with you in a small cooler or lunch bag. 

Information for Parents:

• Parking costs $5 per carload, carpooling is suggested.
• Dogs and grills are prohibited. As are drones, so leave those at home.
• The area near and next to the start/finish line area is the best area to watch the race.

Sunday, October 15, 2017

Week 8 Training Plan - 10/16-10/22

This week the pattern of workouts changes with the final weekday dual meet having taken place last Wednesday. Saturday's meet in Falmouth is unique in that some of the racing happens in the dark, under lights set up throughout the course. In addition there will be a karaoke contest on the bus ride heading back to school after the meet is over; more information will be forthcoming on all of this. If you're interested in performing in the karaoke contest let me know via e-mail.

Monday 10/16 - 45-75 minutes with 4-5 hill repeats. Today we will be heading out along the Hultman aqueduct west towards Framingham. The hill we'll use for repeats is near Wallace Road. From there, options are numerous including heading back along the Getchell trail or staying on the Hultman for an out and back run.

Tuesday 10/17 - 15 minute warmup, 2x300 at race pace with 90 seconds recovery after each, 12-15 minutes at tempo pace, 2x300 at race pace with 90 seconds recovery between them, 15 minute cooldown. The 300 meter repeats will be done where you've done circuits earlier in the season, while the longer tempo pace segment will be done around all the playing fields and tennis courts.

Wednesday 10/18 - Lifting in the weight room followed by 30-45 minutes at an easy to moderate intensity. In the unlikely event we're unable to gain access to the weight room after the team warmup, lifting will be moved to tomorrow and the hill drills will be done today instead.

Thursday 10/19 - Hill drills followed by 30-45 minutes at an easy intensity with 4-5 short pickups of 10-15 seconds at faster than race pace mixed in to the last 10 minutes of the run.

Friday 10/20 - 15 minute warrmup followed by short repeats on top of the aqueduct behind the school. Those racing tomorrow will do three sets of repeats, those not racing tomorrow will do more than that.

Saturday 10/21 - Bob McIntyre Twilight Cross Country Meet at the Barnstable County Fairgrounds, Falmouth. The bus for this meet will be leaving at 12:30, it will be the longest ride of the season. More details on this meet forthcoming.

Sunday 10/22 - off

Thursday, October 12, 2017

Dual Meet #4 Results

The dual meet portion of the season wrapped up yesterday at Burchard Park in Weston. The boys team won a hard fought race 25-30 on the strength of putting five runners in front of Weston's fourth. On the girls side, McKenna Kelemanik won her second race in a row, and was the first overall finisher in four of the six dual meets this fall.

WHS results and splits from yesterday

Varsity credit tabulation sheet

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Dual Meet #4 - vs. Weston at Burchard Park, 10/11/17

*NOTE: the meet will NOT be held at Weston High School* 
 
Bus leaves at 2:30  
Boys race no earlier than 4:15 PM 
Girls race approx. 4:45
There will be two races--boys will precede girls.  

Course Map: 

This is a description of the course from the Weston coach:
• The course is 5k in length and consists of two loops





  • The course covers about 1.2k of grass, 3k of dirt trails/dirt road (with a few sections where there also is some gravel on the dirt), and 800m of asphalt (mostly sidewalk and a bit of the driveway which gives access to the parking lot). Spikes would not be advised - due to the asphalt and the gravel. The course is fairly flat. The athletes will run about 200 m across the grass fields before hitting the trails, 2 times a 2.4k loop in the trails, then a 200m finish back across the field. Spectators at the field can see the first 200, a 300m section in the middle of the race, and the last 500m without going anywhere. There’s also a good opportunity to hit the mile and 2 mile marks.
  • Trails are quite wide, should be no issues with passing except for one 40 meter stretch (which is run twice, near the mile and then at about 4k). 
  •  
    Meet Information:

    • Weather forecast: Partly cloudy with temperatures in the mid 60s. Winds from the ENE 5-10 mph. Bring clothes to wear at the meet besides your uniform.
    • It's expected that during the race you will wear the full uniform assigned to you. This includes jersey and shorts. 
    • You'll need to wear your assigned bib number which is the same number you wore in last week's home meet . After your race and before you leave, please return this bib number to the ziploc bag that holds the bib numbers and safety pins, which is in turn kept inside the large red duffel bag.
    • There will be a course tour sometime soon after we arrive but no earlier than 3:15.

     

     What to Bring:

    • uniform
    • everyday training shoes • racing shoes if you have them  
    • warmup clothes
    • water bottle - including a larger (24-32 oz.) bottle if you have one  
    • snacks for post-race (chocolate milk will be provided using proceeds from the Wayland XC Festival)

    for parents:

    • As a reminder, the meet is NOT being held at Weston High School.
    There is parking next to the baseball fields where the course begins and ends.

    Sunday, October 8, 2017

    Week 7 Training Plan - 10/9-10/15

    Mon 10/9 - 45-75 minute progression run. We'll meet at 10 AM for this practice. Last week the route for Monday's run went out and back along the Weston aqueduct towards Framingham. Today we'll go the other direction on the same aqueduct, east towards Weston. Heading out should be at an easy to moderate pace, while the trip back will be at a moderate to hard effort.

    Tue 10/10 - hill drills followed by 30-45 minutes mostly at an easy pace with 3 sets of short repeats on top of the aqueduct near the end of the run.

    Wed 10/11 - Dual Meet #4 vs. Weston at Burchard Park. This is the final dual meet and the last Wednesday meet of the season. From here on out all remaining meets will be on Friday or Saturday. This is a new and temporary course for Weston while work is done on their athletic fields where their course has been in the past. More information will be forthcoming.

    Thu 10/12 - Lifting in the weight room followed by 40-50 minutes at an easy to moderate intensity.

    Fri 10/13 - 15 minute warmup, 5-6x practice field loop repeats at something close to "repetition pace," 15 minute cooldown. "Repetition pace" is determined from the pace and effort chart under the "training links" sidebar. The recovery time between repeats is 2.5-3 minutes. Those who will be attending the Saturday practice at Lincoln will run 30-40 minutes at an easy to moderate intensity instead, with 4-5 short pickups in the last 10 minutes of the run.

    Sat 10/14 - 15 minute warmup, 5-6x Mt. Misery field loop repeats at something close to "repetition pace," 15 minute cooldown. "Repetition pace" is determined from the pace and effort chart under the "training links" sidebar. The recovery time between repeats is 2.5-3 minutes. Those who will not be attending the Saturday practice at Lincoln will run 30-40 minutes at an easy to moderate intensity instead, with 4-5 short pickups in the last 10 minutes of the run.

    Sun 10/15 - off

    Wednesday, October 4, 2017

    Dual Meet #3 Results

    Results of today's meet at Franklin Park can be seen here. The boys enjoyed a convincing win over Boston Latin and competed well against Bedford, losing a tight meet by a single point. The girls ran well with a depleted roster and had the overall winner of the race. The final dual meet of the season will be next Wednesday vs. Weston at Burchard Park, a much easier (and shorter) trip from WHS than the trip into Boston today.

    Tuesday, October 3, 2017

    Dual Meet #3 - vs. Bedford, Boston Latin @ Franklin Park 10/4/17

    Meet Site: Playstead Field at Franklin Park, Boston.

    Bus Time: 2:30 PM, note the bus time

    First race 4:15 PM unless you hear different from me

    No JV races, there will be a boys race followed by a girls race

    Meet Information:

    • Weather forecast: sunny, temperatures in the low to mid 70s with SW winds 10-15 mph. With the breeze, you'll want to wear more than just your uniform while warming up and cooling down.
    • The race course will be the standard 5k layout. There's a link to the course map in the "Maps" sidebar to the right. STUDY THIS MAP particularly the three overlapping loops that comprise the course.

    • After running your race and catching your breath, be sure to do a thorough cooldown jog of 15-20 minutes. This is your chance to see more of the park if you like. 
    • Return time to WHS is approximate, but we should be back by 6:30 or so depending on traffic.

    What to bring:

    • uniform
    • everyday training shoes
    • racing shoes if you have them
    • warmup clothes
    • water bottle - including a larger (24-32 oz.) bottle if you have one
    • snacks for post-race (chocolate milk will be provided using proceeds from the Wayland XC Festival)

    for parents:

    • There's a small parking lot at the corner of Circuit Drive and Pierpont Road; there's also a larger lot further down Circuit Drive, as well as on-street parking on Circuit Drive.
    • If you're going to be at the meet and would like to take your child with you when their race is over, please let one of the coaches know.

    Monday, October 2, 2017

    Wayland XC Festival volunteer opportunities

    The Wayland XC Festival which is our fundraiser event will be held this coming Sunday October 8th. The first of four races will start at 9 AM, to be followed by races at 9:30, 10, and 11. This event benefits us in tangible ways (chocolate milk, elliptigos, watches, equipment) and it wouldn't come off smoothly without the help of volunteers from the team.  Below I've listed the different slots that are available. In parentheses is the number of people needed for the role and a time-frame for when people are needed. If you're around and available this Sunday the expectation is that you will volunteer at this meet. You can e-mail me your preference, slots will be filled first-come first-serve. Alternatively you can tell me at practice which role you'd like to fill. The number of open slots remaining will be updated as slots are filled.

    • Registration - sign in athletes and distribute bib numbers (no slots left, 7:45-10 AM)

    • Course Marshals - direct the athletes the correct way on the course at turns or other points of potential confusion (5 or more, 8:45-11:30 AM)

    • Split timers - stand at the mile mark (2 mile mark as well for the 5k) and read out the elapsed time as the runners pass by (no slots left, 9-11 AM)

    • Water stop - prepare and pass out water at the aid station which is located near the tennis courts (1 slot left, 9-11:30 AM)

    • Photographer - take pictures of the races for the event website, if you have a drone with a camera this is your chance to shine (1 slot left, 9-11:30 AM)

    • Sweeper - follow behind each race on a bike making sure no one gets lost (1 slot left, 9-11 AM)

    • Food/water table - keep the table near the finish line stocked and clean (1 or 2 slots left, 9:30-11:30 AM)

    • Cleanup crew - pick up any trash left behind, break down tents and tables (6, 10:30-11:30 AM)

    Sunday, October 1, 2017

    Week 6 Training Plan - 10/2-10/8

    This week there's one meet, on Wednesday. In addition, this week features the Wayland xc estival, which is our fundraiser. We are asked to supply volunteers for this event each year, in various capacities. Stay tuned for more information on what volunteer roles we'll be expected to fill.

    Mon 10/2 - 45-75 minutes with hill repeats. This is the workout that didn't happen last Monday due to the unseasonably hot and humid conditions. We will be heading west along the Weston aqueduct to the hill on the western bank of the Sudbury River, just across the town line into Framingham. From there, there are various options for how to return to the school.

    Tue 10/3 -  25-40 minutes with short repeats on top of the aqueuduct.

    Wed 10/4 - Dual Meet #3 vs. Bedford and Boston Latin at Franklin Park. The bus will leave as close to 2:30 as possible, please be ready to go at that time. Franklin Park is Boston Latin's home course and also the site of the DCL championship meet at the end of the month. As part of the warmup I will be leading a tour of the Wilderness loop which is the third of three loops that comprise this 5k layout. It is your responsibility to study the course map and be part of the tour of the Wilderness loop. Each of the last two times Wayland has visited Franklin park for a dual meet, people have gotten lost on this loop. My aim is that it doesn't happen again. In addition to the race itself you need to do a warmup and cooldown jog.

    Thu 10/5 - Lifting in the weight room followed by 30-50 minutes at an easy to moderate intensity. The structure of the lifting session is 3 sets of 5 reps, at a higher level of resistance. For the squat and deadlift, start with a warmup set with light weight.

    Fri 10/6 - 15 minute warmup, 18-24 minute continuous aerobic threshold run, 15 minute cooldown or 30-40 minutes at an easy to moderate intensity with 4-5 short pickups of 10-15 seconds in the last 10 minutes. Those practicing tomorrow at Lincoln will do the latter workout.

    Sat 10/7 - 15 minute warmup, 18-24 minute continuous aerobic threshold run, 15 minute cooldown or 30-40 minutes at an easy to moderate intensity with 4-5 short pickups of 10-15 seconds in the last 10 minutes.

    Sun 10/8 - off. Today is the Wayland XC Festival, if you're in town and available you will be needed to volunteer.

    Saturday, September 30, 2017

    Thursday, September 28, 2017

    Frank Kelley Invitational - 9/30/17

    Meet Site: 
    Wrentham Developmental Center. The address is 131 Emerald Street, however the race course is located a little further down the road, in the large field at the intersection of Emerald Street and Shear St. This is across the street from the William A. Rice Recreation Area.

    Bus time 7:30

    Race Schedule and Entries (time cutoff in parentheses):

    • 9:30 9th and 10th grade boys 3k race (16 minutes) - Bonanno, DiCarlo, Duffy, Goode, Nagalingam
    • 9:47 9th and 10th grade girls 3k race (18 minutes) - Carroll, Javed, Korzeniowski, Strehle
    • 10:06 11th and 12th grade boys 3k race (16 minutes) - Puckett
    • 10:22 11th and 12th grade girls 3k race (18 minutes) - Nallet
    • 10:40 Boys 5k (25 minutes) - Ahearne, Chan, Chase, Clayton, Daley, Dussault, Karle, Matta, Pak, Troost
    • 11:06 Girls 5k (28 minutes) - Bartick, Bonvie, Kelemanik, LaClaire, Matta

    Meet Information:

    • Weather forecast: Overcast, temperatures in the low to mid 50s with winds from the NE 5-10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. The temperature will be about 30 degrees cooler than Wednesday's meet at Concord-Carlisle HS, and with the possibility of rain you need to bring appropriate clothing besides your uniform so you can stay warm and dry.
    • Those entered in the 5k will be responsible for setting up the tent; the tent must be anchored to the ground with the stakes.  
    • Numbers will be assigned to you specifically for this meet; these numbers have an RFID chip attached to the back side which interacts with a conductive mat at the finish line to record your time. The meet director has asked athletes who aren't racing NOT to wear their bib number if standing near the finish line; doing so can cause a false reading by the finish line mat. Also, don't crumple or fold your bib number. 
    • If you're wearing a stopwatch while racing, putting your arm up to hit the button on the watch while crossing the finish line can cause the RFID chip to be blocked by your arm, and your finish might not be recorded. In other words, don't press the button on your watch when crossing the finish line.
    • The meet staff has asked that no one do their warmup or cooldown running among the buildings of the Wrentham Developmental Center, where patients are housed. Aside from the course itself, you can warmup and cooldown on the fields across the street. 
    • A map of the course can be seen here. It's mostly flat, with some gentle roll in places. The course is entirely on grass. The freshman race ends after the second lap (3k versus 5k). JV and varsity run three laps. 
    • Medals will be given to the top 25 finishers in each race.
    • The timing system will be turned off when the cutoff time is reached for each race. Their idea, not mine.

    What to Bring:

    • Uniform - both singlet and shorts
    • Everyday training shoes
    • Racing shoes if you have them
    Warmup clothes including long sleeved shirt and/or jacket as well as pants
    • Water bottle - bring it already filled
    • Snacks for post-race (chocolate milk will be provided using proceeds from the Wayland XC Festival)
    • Lunch (optional) - food will be sold at the meet but it won't be particularly good or nutritious; my advice is to pack a lunch and bring it with you. If you'd rather wait until we return to Wayland and have a late lunch that's also an option.

    For Parents:

    • A parking fee of $5 will be collected for each car.
    • Dogs aren't allowed except for service animals.
    • No grilling, cooking, or fires are allowed at the meet site.
    • We hope to return to WHS by 1:15.

    Wednesday, September 27, 2017

    Dual Meet #2 Results - @CCHS, 9/27/17

    We had some encouraging results from our visit earlier today to Concord-Carlisle, in unseasonably hot and humid conditions. The times, scores and splits can be seen here. I was particularly impressed with how many people were able to hold close to their initial pace for the overall race distance. I asked those who are racing on Saturday to hold something back the first mile and finish at a faster pace. In fact it's nearly impossible to run "negative split" on a course that drops down in the first half and then climbs back up in the second half the way their layout does. Anything remotely close to a steady pace from first mile to the overall average is in fact a negative split effort for a course like this. The numbers from today's race will be very useful in helping to plan out future races starting with this Saturday's meet at Wrentham for those who will be going.

    Tuesday, September 26, 2017

    Dual Meet #2 - at Concord-Carlisle HS, 9/27/17

    Meet Site: Concord Carlisle High School, 500 Walden Street, Concord

    Bus leaves at 2:30
    Boys race 4:15 PM unless you hear different from me
    Girls race approx. 4:45


    There will be two races--boys will precede girls. I'd like to get everyone's mile split, which will be tricky especially on the boys side with everyone in one race. It would be helpful if you remember your mile split which will be called out as you run past.

    Course Map: 




    The course is 2.6 miles long (our home course is 2.9 for comparison). The woods loop and field loop are separated by a ridge, with a hill that's fairly steep but relatively short.

    Meet Information:

    • Weather forecast: Partly cloudy with a 40% chance of rain with temperatures in the low 80s. Winds from the SSW 5-10 mph. Bring clothes to wear at the meet besides your uniform. In addition, bring a plastic bag to keep your clothes and bag dry when not being worn.
    It's expected that during the race you will wear the full uniform assigned to you. This includes jersey and shorts.
    • You'll need to wear your assigned bib number which is the same number you wore in last week's home meet . After your race and before you leave, please return this bib number to the ziploc bag that holds the bib numbers and safety pins, which is in turn kept inside the large red duffel bag.
    • There will be a course tour sometime soon after we arrive but no earlier than 3:15.

     What to Bring:

    • uniform
    • everyday training shoes
    • racing shoes if you have them
    • warmup clothes
    • sunscreen
    • plastic bag to store clothes and backpack/duffel bag
    • water bottle - including a larger (24-32 oz.) bottle if you have one
    • snacks for post-race (chocolate milk will be provided using proceeds from the Wayland XC Festival)

    for parents:

    • The best place to watch the race is on and around the upper field where the race begins and ends. See map above.

    • Parking behind the school building near the upper field is very tight. Your best bet if you're coming to the meet to watch is to park in front of the school in the main parking lot.