Dual Meet #3 Results vs. Waltham, 9/28/22

Both Wayland cross country teams had a successful visit to Waltham High School today, with both the girls and boys teams winning their repsective meets. The courses began and ended near the school with much of the rest of the course in the woods north of the Paine Estate, on grounds designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. This is a layout that runs slow due to a combination of rugged footing and rolling terrain. 

The first race of the day was the boys JV on a course just under 2.4 miles in length. The Wayland boys were led by 9th grader Matthew Tan who was followed closely by 11th grader Ben Dugan. Edge Wheeler, Azan Salahuddin, and Jayden Newland also finished in a tight group soon after. 

In the girls race, Wayland was losing the meet at the half mile, mile, and 1.5 mile points of the race. This despite having control of the top two places throughout by Bella Thoen and Arya Samaratunga. In the final mile of the race the rest of the top five--Grace Marto, Sofia Ciciarelli, and Selena Liu--pulled ahead of enough Waltham runners to turn the score in Wayland's favor. 

The boys varsity race on a longer 5k course wasn't close with Wayland taking places 2-5 led by 10th grader Will Jackson. Daniel Narvaez and Thomas Creavin, both of whom passed Waltham runners in the second half of the race, rounded out the scoring five. 

Results for WHS athletes 

Dual Meet #3 @ Waltham, 9/28/22

Meet Site: Waltham High School, 99 Jacks Way. Waltham

Bus leaves at 2:45

Order of Races and Lineups

first race will start no earlier than 4:15

JV boys (3950m course) - Dugan, Goode, Grossman, Han, Jay, Markey, Newland, Salahuddin, Srivastava, Tan, Wheeler, Whitmore

Girls (3950m course) - Ciciarelli, Libenzon, Liu, Marto, Mente, Munford, Samaratunga, Thoen, Yee

Varsity boys (5k course) - Caddoo, Chisum, Creavin, Frank, Jackson, Morris, Mui, Narvaez, Wightman, Williams 

Course Map:

The course begins on Harding Field, the turf field just down the hill from the high school building. Upon exiting the field, runners climb the hill on Jacks Way before entering the woods on the left. The course then follows a loop in the woods (pay attention on the tour to which trail is the course and which trails are not). This loop is covered two times for the short course and three times for the longer course. The course then returns to Jacks Way and then Harding Field where the race finishes, all in the reverse direction of the early stages of the race.

Meet Information:

• Weather forecast: Mostly sunny, temperatures in the high 60s with W winds 5-10 mph. Bring clothes to wear at the meet besides your uniform. You won't be allowed on the bus if you don't have clothes besides your uniform.
• The Waltham coach reports that the course is not suitable for spike elements in your racing shoes. If you have spiked racing shoes the spike elements should be replaced with blanks or 1/8" pyramids. If you wore longer spike elements in your racing shoes this past weekend at Wrentham, remove them Tuesday evening before going to bed. Do not wait until the bus ride Wednesday, after we arrive at Waltham, etc.
• You'll need to wear your assigned bib number which is the same number you wore in last week's 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. The ziploc bag is in turn kept inside the large red duffel bag.
• There will be a course tour sometime soon after we arrive. Pay attention to the loop in the woods as there are various side trails that are not used in the race course.

 What to Bring:

• uniform
• everyday training shoes
• racing shoes if you have them
• warmup clothes
• 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:

• Harding Field where the course starts and finishes is down the hill from the parking lot next to the school building.

 

Week 6 Training Plan, 9/26-10/2

Starting this week the number of training levels has been reduced from 4 to 3, henceforth known as Group A, B and C. Group A is the former Level 1 and 2 combined; Group B is the former Level 3; Group C is the former Level 4. Last week there was a long run and no timed repeat workout; this week is the opposite, with no long run scheduled and a timed repeat workout on either Friday or Saturday. Also note that there's an optional Saturday practice at Lincoln Station on Saturday morning for those that can make it.

Mon 9/26 - No official practice. If you're not observing the holiday, a short run on your own within the time ranges below:

Group A: 26-30 minutes
Group B: 32-36 minutes
Group C: 42-46 minutes

Tue 9/27 - Warmup including BURPEES followed by a short run followed by run throughs, bounding over cones and running corners. The cones will be set up on the softball field. Total length of the run today is as follows:

Group A: 26-30 minutes
Group B: 32-36 minutes
Group C: 42-46 minutes

Wed 9/28 - Dual Meet #3 @Waltham. More information on this meet will be forthcoming. Today is a medium length day in terms of training volume as follows:

Group A: 36-40 minutes
Group B: 44-48 minutes
Group C: 52-56 minutes

Thu 9/29 - Warmup including BURPEES followed by a short length recovery run at an easy to moderate intensity with hill drills. The length of the run today is as follows:

Group A: 26-30 minutes
Group B: 32-36 minutes
Group C: 42-46 minutes

Fri 9/30 - Warmup followed by either 

Group A: 6-8 minute warmup jog, 2x7 minutes at a "good" effort (80-85%) with a 4-5 minute break, 2 sets of (200,100) at race pace on top of the aqueduct, 6-8 minute cooldown
Group B - 6-8 minute warmup jog, 2x9 minutes at a "good" effort (80-85%) with a 4-5 minute break, 3 sets of (200,100) at race pace on top of the aqueduct, 6-8 minute cooldown
 Group C - 10 minute warmup jog, 2x11 minutes at a "good" effort (80-85%) with a 4-5 minute break, 4 sets of (200,100) at race pace on top of the aqueduct, 10 minute cooldown

The good effort portion of the workout (the pair of long repeats at 80-85% effort) can be done on the practice field loop of the home course or in the neighborhood just beyond the edge of the school fields that includes Charena, Cameron, Kelsey and Clarence Roads. The break between this and the short fast repeats is a jog/hike to the top of the aqueduct. There is a possibility we might do the short fast repeats on the track instead if it's available.

OR

a medium length run at mostly an easy effort level, picking up the pace a bit in the last 10 minutes of the run:

Group A: 36-40 minutes
Group B: 44-48 minutes
Group C: 52-56 minutes

Sat 10/1 -  For those attending the Lincoln practice, warmup to Mt. Misery field loop followed by 

Group A: 6-8 minute warmup jog, 2x7 minutes at a "good" effort (80-85%) with a 4-5 minute break, 2 sets of (200,100) at race pace on top of the aqueduct, 6-8 minute cooldown

Group B - 6-8 minute warmup jog, 2x9 minutes at a "good" effort (80-85%) with a 4-5 minute break, 3 sets of (200,100) at race pace on top of the aqueduct, 6-8 minute cooldown

Group C - 10 minute warmup jog, 2x11 minutes at a "good" effort (80-85%) with a 4-5 minute break, 4 sets of (200,100) at race pace on top of the aqueduct, 10 minute cooldown

OR

for those who did the timed repeat workouts yesterday, a medium length run at mostly an easy effort level, picking up the pace a bit in the last 10 minutes of the run:

Group A: 36-40 minutes
Group B: 44-48 minutes
Group C: 52-56 minutes

Sun 10/2 - Off. If you observed the holiday on Monday you can do a short length run mostly at an easy pace with a moderate increase in pace the last 5-10 minutes of the run.

Frank Kelley Invitational Results, 9/24/22

There were many impressive results on Saturday at the Frank Kelley Invitational. This was the first of two visits to the Wrentham Devleopmental Center course this season, which is typically a layout that runs quite fast. This was the case today despite gusty winds that persisted throughout the day. 

On the girls side there were two medal winners on the day. Arya Samaratunga (12th) in the 9th and 10th grade 3k and Bella Thoen (16th) in the 11th and 12th grade 3k race. Thoen joins Samaratunga in the top five times for girls on the 3k course at this site, which has been used since 2010.

On the boys side 7 athletes tackled the 3k course led by the closely packed trio of Jonathan Mui, Matthew Frank, and Ben Caddoo. In the championship 5k race, which was open to all schools, the Wayland group placed 10th of 33 teams, and the 3rd team from MIAA Division 2. With the multi loop course layout, the runners in the 5k race passed over the finish line timing mat at 3k as well. This allows for seeing how people fared in relation to their competitors. Each Wayland runner in the race picked off more than 10 runners in the final 2 km of the race, and the team moved up three places. In terms of the historical angle, four of the top fifteen times by WHS athletes on this course, including two of the top three, are from this race. 

Overall results 

Splits and times for WHS athletes

All time performance lists for Wrentham Developmental Center courses - WDC has been in use since 2010

Frank Kelley Invitational, 9/24/22

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 8:30 AM

Remember, no eating on the bus. Masks optional but encouraged.

Race Schedule and Entries (time cutoff in parentheses):

10:35 AM 9-10th grade girls 3k (19 minutes) - Ciciarelli, Libenzon, Samaratunga

10:55 AM 9-10th grade boys 3k (17 minutes) - Goode, Tan, Wheeler

11:15 AM 11-12th grade girls 3k (19 minutes) - Dale, Liu, Marto, Munford, Thoen

11:35 AM 11-12th grade boys 5k (17 minutes) - Caddoo, Dugan, Frank, Grossman, Mui, Salahuddin, Wyner

12:30 PM Boys 5k (25 minutes) - Chisum, Creavin, Jackson, Morris, Narvaez, Wightman, Williams

Meet Information:

• Weather forecast: Mostly sunny, temperatures in the high 50s to low 60s. ESE winds 10-15 mph. Bring warmup clothes, it will be cooler than the weather we've been experiencing up to this point.
• 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. 
• Report to the starting line 10 minutes before the start of your race; in past editions of this meet the officials have been known to start races a few minutes earlier than the posted schedule. 
• 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 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 ball fields across the street.
• Medals will be given to the top 25 finishers in each race.
• Time cutoff: the timing system will be turned off when the cutoff time for a given race is reached. 

Course Map:

• The course is fairly flat, with some roll in places. There are no long and/or steep hills. The course is almost entirely on grass. The 5k course is three loops. The 3k course ends after the second loop (yellow on this map). The 5k course repeats this second loop. Both the 3k and 5k share the same first loop, which is the circumference of the large field where the course is situated. The second loop has two incursions from the edge of the field into the middle. Typically there are large digital clocks at the mile and two mile marks. 

What to Bring:

• Uniform
• Everyday training shoes
• Racing shoes if you have them; this is a course for spikes, 1/4" or 3/8" elements
• Warmup clothes including a shirt
• Water bottles - filled

• Sunscreen

• Snacks for post-race (chocolate milk will be provided using proceeds from the Wayland XC Festival)
• Food - food will be sold at the meet but it won't be particularly good or nutritious. I recommend bringing a lunch for after the race. 

For Parents:

• There's $10 parking fee for each car.

• Dogs aren't allowed except for service animals.
• No grilling, cooking, or fires are allowed at the meet site. 
• Snacks are welcome, but due to allergy concerns the Athletic Director has asked that any snacks be individually wrapped and ideally have the ingredients written on the label. 
• We hope to return to WHS by 2:30 PM, possibly a bit earlier.

Dual Meet #2 vs. Lincoln-Sudbury and Westford Academy results 9/21/22

The second dual meet of the season was held today in Westford, with a "double dual" facing both Westford Academy and Lincoln-Sudbury. Per decree of the powers that be, teams in the DCL "Foley" division (small schools, including Wayland) are assigned a meet against two schools from the DCL "Thorpe" division (large schools). This meet was the Thorpe-Foley crossover for Wayland. The depth of the larger schools came to bear in the final scores but there were many noteworthy efforts nonetheless. The course on rolling trails and dirt roads that passed by the East Boston Camps offered sections of smoother footing along with more challenging terrain in places. 

The JV boys were the first race of the afternoon and the Wayland team was led once again by Ben Caddoo followed closely by Jonathan Mui. Senior captain Matthew Frank was next and he was followed by 9th grader Jayden Newland in his first ever high school race. 

The varsity girls race was next and after having beaten the Westford Academy team in last year's Thorpe-Foley matchup there was hope of a repeat. As it turned out the WA team completely reloaded up front, as their top runner from a year ago was their sixth runner today. The Wayland team raced well regardless, led this time by 10th grader Arya Samaratunga. There was a relatively narrow time spread between the 4th (Selena Liu) and 7th (Sasha Libenzon) Wayland runners. 

The varsity boys race followed, with all but one of the group running the course as a controlled effort ahead of this weekend's attempt at the 5k race distance at the Frank Kelley Invitational. The one member of the varsity boys contingent who won't be racing this weekend is Kyle Reece and he put on a clinic of pacing in the race today. 

The last race of the day was the girls JV, with Michelle Yee and Anna Munford racing together dodging the many large mosquitoes in the woods that were appearing in the gathering dusk. At the end Yee finished just ahead of her teammate. 

Results and times for WHS athletes 

If you happened to get your mile and/or 2 mile split times (these were posts on the side of the trail) please send them to me.

Dual Meet #2 vs. Lincoln Sudbury, Westford Academy at Stony Brook Middle School

Meet site:  

Stony Brook Middle School, 9 Farmer Way Westford. Parents, note the meet does NOT take place at Westford Academy.

Bus time: 

Hopefully 2:45, no later than 3 PM. Upon dismissal, change into your uniform and warmups, take care of any bathroom needs and head to the pickup area.

Race schedule and lineups:

• First race as close to 4:15 as possible depending on our arrival time; hopefully no later than 4:30

• Four races will be contested in the following order:

• JV boys: Caddoo, Frank, Goode, Grossman, Han, Jay, Markey, Mui, Newland, Rashid, Tan, Whitmore
• Varsity Girls: Ciciarelli, Libenzon, Liu, Marto, Mente, Samaratunga, Thoen

• Varsity boys: Chisum, Creavin, Jackson, Morris, Narvaez, Reece, Wightman, Williams
• JV Girls: Munford, Yee

Meet information:

• Weather forecast: Mostly cloudy, temperatures in the mid 70s with winds from the SSW 5-10 mph. Slight (20%) chance of rain. Bring clothes to wear at the meet besides your uniform. You won't be allowed on the bus if you don't have clothes besides your uniform!
• You're required to wear your DCL bib number during the race. This is a number in the 700-799 range that has been assigned to you by the coaching staff. A list of these numbers can be seen here. When the meet is over, remember to return this number to the ziploc bag where it will be stored until the next DCL meet which is next Wednesday. Leave the safety pins on your number.
• A map of Westford's course can be seen here:

 

the course is 2.9 miles long and most of it takes place on trails in woods to the SE of the track where the course begins and ends. Most of the course is a large loop with little overlap. There are red signs spaced every quarter mile along the course, and blue signs where the course makes a turn. The WA coaches tell me there will be "caution tape throughout" to mark the course. 

 

Unlike other meets, I won't be standing at either the 400 meter (quarter mile) or mile mark. Instead I'll be riding my bike over the further reaches of the course to help ensure people don't get lost. Please wear your watch and take a split at the mile and 2 mile marks of the course, and e-mail this information to me after the meet.

What to bring:

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

For parents:

• Don't forget the meet is NOT held at Westford Academy itself but at Stony Brook Middle School in Westford. 
• The one loop nature of the course doesn't lend itself to many opportunities to watch the runners pass by. You might be able to see a bit more of the race from the rail trail near the track but be careful not to block the course if you do this.
• Snacks are welcome, but due to allergy concerns the Athletic Director has asked that any snacks be individually wrapped and ideally have the ingredients written on the label.

Week 5 Training Plan, 9/19-9/25

As we start the fifth week of practice, the early portion of the season has given way to the middle stage. This week features two meets, a dual meet Tuesday on Westford's course and the Frank Kelley Invitational Saturday at Wrentham Developmental Center. Many of you will be participating in both, which requires some adjustments both to how the rest of the week is structured and how the meets themselves are approached. Regarding the structure of the week's training, other than the long run on Monday and the two aforementioned meets, the rest of the week consists of short length runs. 

As for how the meets are approached, since racing all out over the full 3 mile/5k race distance twice in four days is a really bad idea, one of the following scenarios will be in play:

• Running the Wednesday dual meet as a controlled effort, basically a workout rather than a full-on race. Details on this will be forthcoming. The idea is to have something in the tank for Saturday's meet as well. 
  
• Running the shorter 3k race distance at the Frank Kelley Invite. This option applies to the entire girls team, as the girls will be racing the course on Wednesday in the dual meet. It also applies to all 9th grade boys who are available for Saturday's meet (and meet the time standards)
• Only competing in one of the two meets. This would apply to people who can't make the Saturday meet, and also to people intentionally held out of Wednesday's meet.

For planning purposes, please take a minute to fill out this survey regarding your availability for the Frank Kelley Invitational on Saturday. I need to receive a response from every member of the team by Monday evening. 

Here's the plan for the week ahead:

Monday 9/19 - Practice at 3:30. Warmup including BURPEES followed by progressive long run. The length of the run has increased a bit over previous weeks, as outlined below. The plan for today is for everyone to head to the Hultman aqueduct and then west into Framingham, what happens from there will depend on how far you're going. For many people the Getchell Trail will be part of the route today, there's a map of this trail in the "maps" sidebar on the right of this page:

Level 1: 36 minutes (12 minutes easy - 9 minutes fresh - 9 minutes good - 6 minutes easy)
Level 2: 48 minutes (16 minutes easy - 12 minutes fresh - 12 minutes good - 8 minutes easy)
Level 3: 60 minutes (20 minutes easy - 15 minutes fresh - 15 minutes good - 10 minutes easy)
Level 4: 72 minutes (24 minutes easy - 18 minutes fresh - 18 minutes good - 12 minutes easy)

Tuesday 9/20 - Practice at 3:30.

Wednesday 9/21 - Dual Meet #2 vs Lincoln Sudbury and Westford Academy at Stony Brook Middle School in Westford. More information including a time schedule, lineups and a course map will be forthcoming soon. Remember today should be a medium length day in terms of total running time, including warmup and cooldown. For Level 1 and 2 athletes this will impact how we approach the course tour which doubles as a warmup jog for most people. 

Level 1: 28-32 minutes
Level 2: 36-40 minutes
Level 3: 43-47 minutes
Level 4: 52-56 minutes

Thursday 9/22 - Practice at 3:30. Warmup including BURPEES, followed by a short length run with hill drills. The drills will be done on the Hultman Aqueduct where it intersects Cedar Crest Road.

Level 1: 22-26 minutes
Level 2: 26-30 minutes
Level 3: 32-36 minutes
Level 4: 42-46 minutes

Friday 9/23 - warmup followed by a short length run at mostly an easy effort. Save the last 8-10 minutes of the run for two sets of short intervals on top of the aqueduct.

Level 1: 22-26 minutes
Level 2: 26-30 minutes
Level 3: 32-36 minutes
Level 4: 42-46 minutes

Saturday 9/24 - Frank Kelley Invitational at the Wrentham Developmental Center. More information including time schedule, lineups and a course map will be published on this site by Friday morning.  The only athletes who have the option of racing the 5k at this meet are the boys who finished among the top 8 WHS runners in the first dual meet vs. Weston last week. Everyone else who's racing today will be entered in the 3k. Remember today should be a medium length day in terms of total running time, including warmup and cooldown. This breaks down as follows:

Level 1: 28-32 minutes
Level 2: 36-40 minutes
Level 3: 43-47 minutes
Level 4: 52-56 minutes

If you're not participating in the meet you should do a medium length run on your own, with the last 1/4 of the time spent running at a good to hard pace (80-90%).

Sunday 9/25 - off

Dual Meet #1 vs. Weston Results 9/14/22

The 2022 season kicked off on the home course on a warm breezy day under mostly sunny skies. There were many noteworthy performances starting with the combined JV race that featured a mix of new and returning athletes. Wayland's top finishers, Ben Caddoo and Julia Mente, put their experience to good use on the undulating home course. For the newcomers, Edge Wheeler was well up in the field while Matthew Tan, Ben Dugan and Henry Han showed good pacing sense in their first ever high school cross country race. 

Next up was the girls race, led by captain Bella Thoen and 10th grader Arya Samaratunga who ran together the entire way. Joining captains Grace Marto and Selena Liu in rounding out the girls scoring five was 9th grader Sofia Cicciarelli who raced well in her first try. The girls fell to a strong Weston team that was second place a year ago at the Division 3 (smallest schools) MIAA State Championship.

The final race of the day was the varsity boys, which on paper looked to be potentially a close meet. There was a lot of back and forth up front before Weston's top runner was able to pull away in the latter stages. He was chased across the line by the dynamic duo of Luke Chisum and Owen Williams, who crossed the line with three shoes between the two of them. While the meet was tied after the first two runners from each team were tallied (1+4 = 2+3), Wayland took the next three places after that, led by newcomer Will Jackson, and this sealed the deal. The final score was 23-33 in favor of the hosts. For an explanation of how cross country meets are scored, check out this document. 

Results of today's meet with splits and final times for WHS athletes. If you got your two mile split during your race please send it along to me. 

Dual Meet #1 vs. Weston, 9/14/22

Meet site: 

Wayland High School

Order of races and lineups:

First race scheduled for a 4:30 start, with the other races to follow about every 30 minutes:

• Combined JV race (short course): 
• Caddoo, Dugan, Frank, Goldstein, Goode, Han, Jay, Markey, Mente, Munford, Newland, Rashid, Srivastava, Tan, Wheeler, Whitmore, Wyner, Yee
  
• Varsity Girls (long course): 
• Cicciarelli, Libenzon, Liu, Marto, Samaratunga, Thoen
• Varsity Boys (long course): 
• Chisum, Creavin, Grossman, Jackson, Morris, Mui, Narvaez, Reece, Wightman, Williams
• Athletes not listed here are being held out to recover from injury; you're encouraged to help with the meet if at all possible.

Meet information:

• Weather forecast: sunny, temperatures in the high 70s with E winds 10-15 mph. Bring clothes to wear at the meet besides the team uniform.
• You'll receive a bib number that you need to wear for this and all remaining DCL dual meets. At the conclusion of your race, please remove the bib number from your jersey and return it to the large ziploc bag where the bib numbers will be stored between meets. Leave the safety pins on the corners of the number.
• Be prepared to help out with setting up and/or breaking down the course before or after the meet. This mostly involves the placement of cones. You may be asked to help by one of the coaches or one of the captains. 

 
Course map:

• course description

• NOTE: the detour that was established last year to avoid a flooded out section of  the connector path is still in place, even though the area in question is (obviously) no longer flooded. There are some deep ruts left over from when the ground was still wet making this area too dangerous for racing.

• When the teams from Weston arrive, there will be a tour of the course. All Wayland athletes who are new to the team will join the tour as well. 

• Once the course tour has begun, all balls, frisbees, etc. will be put away for the duration of the meet.

What to bring:

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

For parents:

• If you stand near the start/finish line area (just off the corner of the student parking lot, near the JV baseball field) you can watch much of the first mile and the last half mile of the race.
• Snacks to share are welcome, but due to allergy concerns the Athletic Director has asked that any snacks be individually wrapped and ideally have the ingredients written on the label.

Week 4 Training Plan, 9/12-9/18

This week features the first of five dual meets with other schools in the Dual County League. That will be on Wednesday, at home vs. Weston. The long run will be done on Monday and the other major workout of the week will be either Friday or Saturday depending on your availability. On Saturday we'll have an optional practice meeting at the Lincoln Station parking lot.

Mon 9/12 - Practice at 3:30. Warmup including BURPEES followed by cyclic medium length run. This is the same idea as a cyclic long run only shorter in duration. The total time of your run will be broken down into 12 equal segments. The first segment is run at an easy (40% or so) effort. The next is run at a "fresh" (60-65% or so) effort, and the one after that at a "good" (80-85%) effort. Then the easy-fresh-good cycle is repeated three more times.

Level 1: 36 minutes (3 minute segments)
Level 2: 48 minutes (4 minute segments)
Level 3: 60 minutes (5 minute segments)
Level 4: 72 minutes (6 minute segments)

Tue 9/13 - Practice at 3:30. Warmup followed by a short length run at an easy to moderate effort level. Upon your return to the school we'll be doing high stepping run throughs (high knees) and bounding over cones on the softball field and a few "fly zone" accelerations on the track. The hope is to begin distributing uniforms today.

Level 1: 22-26 minutes
Level 2: 26-30 minutes
Level 3: 32-36 minutes
Level 4: 42-46 minutes

All new athletes will attend a talk on the optimal approach to pacing in races after doing the day's workout. We will be referencing this article by Steve Lane, former boys coach at CCHS. Returning athletes are welcome to attend the talk as well, although it's not necessary if you're already familiar with the topic.

Wed 9/14 - Dual Meet #1 vs. Weston at WHS. Arrive by 3:30. More information on this meet will be forthcoming in a subsequent post. Today is a medium length day in terms of how much running you should be doing overall:

Level 1: 28-32 minutes
Level 2: 36-40 minutes
Level 3: 43-47 minutes
Level 4: 52-56 minutes

Depending on what level you're training at, this may mean either a very short or rather long cooldown jog after your race.

Thu 9/16 - Practice at 3:30. Warmup including BURPEES, followed by a short length run with hill drills. The drills will be done on the Hultman Aqueduct where it intersects Cedar Crest Road.

Level 1: 22-26 minutes
Level 2: 26-30 minutes
Level 3: 32-36 minutes
Level 4: 42-46 minutes

Fri 9/17 - Practice at 3:30. Warmup followed by EITHER

- Timed progression repeats of 3 minutes in length, followed by a separate set of 200 meter repeats with a 200 meter jog recovery. Each 3 minute repeat should follow this pattern: first minute fresh, next minute good, last minute hard. The recovery after each repeat is 2.5 minutes of very easy jogging/fast walking. After finishing the last 3 minute repeat, take about 5 minutes break for water and then a series of 200 meter repeats at an intense (faster than race pace) effort. Number of reps as follows:

Level 1: 3x3 minutes, 3x200 (warmup and cooldown of 5-6 minutes apiece)
Level 2: 4x3 minutes, 4x200 (warmup and cooldown of 5-6 minutes apiece)
Level 3: 5x3 minutes, 5x200 (warmup and cooldown of 6-8 minutes apiece)
Level 4: 6x3 minutes, 5x200 (warmup and cooldown of 8-10 minutes apiece)

OR

- A short run at an easy to moderate pace:

Level 1: 22-26 minutes
Level 2: 26-30 minutes
Level 3: 32-36 minutes
Level 4: 42-46 minutes

Sat 9/17 - EITHER 

- A short run at an easy to moderate pace on your own if you did the timed progression repeats yesterday:

Level 1: 22-26 minutes
Level 2: 26-30 minutes
Level 3: 32-36 minutes
Level 4: 42-46 minutes

OR

- Timed progression repeats of 3 minutes in length, followed by a separate set of 200 meter repeats with a 200 meter jog recovery. We'll meet 9 AM at Lincoln Station for this workout. Each 3 minute repeat should follow this pattern: first minute fresh, next minute good, last minute hard. The recovery after each repeat is 2.5 minutes of very easy jogging/fast walking. After finishing the last 3 minute repeat, take about 5 minutes break for water and then a series of 200 meter repeats at an intense (faster than race pace) effort. Number of reps as follows:

Level 1: 3x3 minutes, 3x200 (warmup and cooldown of 5-6 minutes apiece)
Level 2: 4x3 minutes, 4x200 (warmup and cooldown of 5-6 minutes apiece)
Level 3: 5x3 minutes, 5x200 (warmup and cooldown of 6-8 minutes apiece)
Level 4: 6x3 minutes, 5x200 (warmup and cooldown of 8-10 minutes apiece)

Sun 9/18 - Off.

Let's hear it for Clark!

Who's Clark, you ask? This guy:

If you were on the team last year, you might remember the shirt I occasionally wore to practice that features Clark and his feline pals Lewis and Scruffy ("Scruffster"). This shirt was a gift from my girlfriend Jodi, and it quickly became one of my favorite items of clothing. 

Perhaps you recognize Clark from YOUR version of this shirt, i.e. the one that some members of the 2021 team acquired near the end of the season:

Thanks to Grace for unknowingly posing for this photo. I took the picture surreptitiously because I didn't want anyone to know how flabbergasted I was that you had these things made in the first place.

Sadly, we lost Clark late in December of 2021. Unbeknownst to us he had an underlying heart condition which was undetectable for years before it eventually showed up in an x-ray. This condition led to congestive heart failure. Jodi and I have learned more about this condition in cats than we ever wanted to know. We adopted Clark and his shelter buddy Lewis in July of 2016. He was around 3 years old when we got him. That's an educated guess as he was a stray prior to that. Scruffy joined the family a year later.

It's definitely still okay to wear your "Real Men Love Cats" shirt if you got one last fall. When I told Jodi about the shirts the team got last season, she said they were "the greatest thing ever." She also insisted on photographic evidence (thanks again, Grace). In honor of Clark, I'll be donating a dollar to Guardian Angels Cat Rescue each time the Real Men Love Cats shirt, or any shirt featuring cats, is worn this season by anyone on the team. Guardian Angels is the organization from which we adopted Clark and Lewis, and it's based in Wayland.

Here are some pictures of Clark:

Clark checks out the laser pointer while Lewis looks on. This was taken the day we adopted them.

 

click to enlarge for Lewis' (not Louis) and Clark's backstories

Lewis liked to use Clark as a pillow sometimes

Don't let the adorable picture fool you. These two did their fair share of rough housing which was gloriously entertaining to watch. Clark was terrible at fighting. His main strategy was pretending he had given up, then nonchalantly walking around to Lewis' backside and trying to bite him there. It never ever worked.  

 nibbling on kitty grass

 

Like all cats Clark was very good at sleeping

 

Very, very good at sleeping...

 

Before we adopted Clark he was a stray on the streets of Framingham. Because he was friendly (i.e. not feral) it's likely he was either a lost or abandoned pet. We kept him inside but to let him experience a bit of the outdoor life we set up a "catio." In reality this is an enclosure designed to protect plants from birds, deer and other varmints. In the catio he could soak up some sun, roll in the grass, smell the smells, watch nearby birds and squirrels, and have lunch al fresco. We tried a harness and leash first, but to say he didn't take to it would be a massive understatement. The catio on the other hand was a hit:

 

 

We have a trail camera in our back yard to check on the comings and goings of wildlife. Mostly we get pictures of what's raiding the bird feeders. One day last summer while I was taking Clark back inside from the catio I stopped for a quick candid shot:

Clark was affectionate on his own terms and enjoyed getting pets and cheek strokes quite a lot. He did NOT like being picked up, held, or carried and I think this picture reflects that fact. 

In addition to sleeping, Clark liked to eat. He was a connoisseur of both dry and wet food, but of course preferred the wet stuff--"kitty ice cream." One way or the other he would let you know when it was mealtime, sometimes by waiting patiently by the bowl. Often he would be quite vocal as well. 

 

We have many fond memories of Clark. One of my fondest memories is from last summer. Clark and I got in a routine where he would wait for me most nights at the bedroom door. Upon seeing me he would get up, trot across the floor, jump up on the bed and lie down next to my pillow in front of a window with a fan in it. He laid there with the breeze from the fan on his face while I was next to him on the bed petting him. He purred loud as a chainsaw and made biscuits to express his pleasure. Moments like this make having a pet worthwhile--the emotional connection and shared happiness. Time with our pets is finite, the memories last forever.

We had planned on having Clark in our lives for many more years but it wasn't to be. While we lost Clark far sooner than expected, we're forever happy and grateful he was in our lives for the time that we had him. We loved him very much. He was a great cat.

 

Week 3 Training Plan, 9/5-9/11

Filming "Labor Day" in downtown Maynard, very exciting I know

With week 3 upon us, we're getting closer to the beginning of the meet schedule. While the first home meet isn't until next week, I'd like to begin the process of getting familiar (or re-acquainted) with the home course. The map is included below, you can click on the map for a larger version. Paper copies will be provided later in the week and next week as our meet with Weston on September 14th gets closer. There's also a written description of the course which is linked here.

 

We also hope to distribute uniforms this week. The plan is to do this at the end of practice on Thursday and Friday of this week and if necessary, next Monday as well. Note that in order to receive a uniform the user fee must be paid or a waiver submitted and approved. If you have any questions about this see one of the coaches. The uniforms are school property and are to be worn only at the meets. Athletes will also be required to sign off attesting to the fact that they've read and understand the team policies before receiving a uniform. 

 Note that with school in session, unless otherwise specified practice will be held at the high school at 3:30 PM. 

Mon 9/5 -  Practice at the high school, 9:00 AM. Warmup followed by a short length run at an easy to moderate effort level. The second half of the run should be run at a quicker pace than the first. Either before or after your run we'll be doing hill drills (hill springing and high knee running). 

Level 1: 22-26 minutes
Level 2: 26-30 minutes
Level 3: 32-36 minutes
Level 4: 42-46 minutes

Tue 9/6 - Warmup including BURPEES followed by progressive long run:

Level 1: 36 minutes (12 minutes easy - 9 minutes fresh - 9 minutes good - 6 minutes easy)
Level 2: 48 minutes (16 minutes easy - 12 minutes fresh - 12 minutes good - 8 minutes easy)
Level 3: 60 minutes (20 minutes easy - 15 minutes fresh - 15 minutes good - 10 minutes easy)
Level 4: 72 minutes (24 minutes easy - 18 minutes fresh - 18 minutes good - 12 minutes easy)

The route will incorporate the Weston Aqueduct east of the school.

Wed 9/7 - Warmup followed by a medium length run at mostly an easy effort. The focus today should be on staying relaxed and keeping the effort easy and under control. This is active recovery.

Level 1: 28-32 minutes
Level 2: 36-40 minutes
Level 3: 43-47 minutes
Level 4: 52-56 minutes

Thu 9/9 - Warmup including BURPEES followed by a short length run at an easy to moderate effort level. Upon your return to the school we'll be doing high stepping run throughs (high knees) and bounding over cones on the softball field and a few "fly zone" accelerations on the track. The hope is to begin distributing uniforms today.

Level 1: 22-26 minutes
Level 2: 26-30 minutes
Level 3: 32-36 minutes
Level 4: 42-46 minutes

Fri 9/9 - Warmup followed by EITHER a series of timed pickups if you're NOT going to be at the optional practice in Lincoln tomorrow:

Level 1: 4 minute-3 minute-2 minute-1 minute pickups with 3 minute recoveries. Warmup and cooldown are each a 5 minute jog.
Level 2: two sets of 3 minute-2 minute-1 minute pickups with 3 minute recoveries throughout, including between the two sets. Warmup and cooldown are each a 5 minute jog.
Level 3: 4 minute-3 minute-2 minute-1 minute-3 minute-2 minute-1 minute pickups with 3 minute recoveries. Warmup and cooldown are each a 6-8 minute jog.
Level 4: 2 sets of 4 minute-3 minute-2 minute-1 minute pickups with 3 minute recoveries. Warmup and cooldown are each a 10 minute jog.

The 4 and 3 minute pickup(s) is/are at something slower than race pace, like an 80-85% effort. The 2 minute pickup(s) is/are at race pace (90%) or something close to it. The 1 minute pickup(s) is/are at faster than race pace. Fast and relaxed. Ideally the recoveries are a slow jog, although Level 1 athletes might find it better to walk a portion of the recovery interval.

OR, if you are planning on attending the optional practice in Lincoln tomorrow, a short length run at an easy to moderate effort level:

Level 1: 22-26 minutes
Level 2: 26-30 minutes
Level 3: 32-36 minutes
Level 4: 42-46 minutes

Sat 9/10 - EITHER a medium length run with a series of timed pickups in Lincoln (meet at 9 AM in the Lincoln Station Parking Lot), around the field near Mt. Misery as follows:

 Level 1: 4 minute-3 minute-2 minute-1 minute pickups with 3 minute recoveries. Warmup and cooldown are each a 5 minute jog.
Level 2: two sets of 3 minute-2 minute-1 minute pickups with 3 minute recoveries throughout, including between the two sets. Warmup and cooldown are each a 5 minute jog.
Level 3: 4 minute-3 minute-2 minute-1 minute-3 minute-2 minute-1 minute pickups with 3 minute recoveries. Warmup and cooldown are each a 6-8 minute jog.
Level 4: 2 sets of 4 minute-3 minute-2 minute-1 minute pickups with 3 minute recoveries. Warmup and cooldown are each a 10 minute jog.

The 4 and 3 minute pickup(s) is/are at something slower than race pace, like an 80-85% effort. The 2 minute pickup(s) is/are at race pace (90%) or something close to it. The 1 minute pickup(s) is/are at faster than race pace. Fast and relaxed. Ideally the recoveries are a slow jog, although Level 1 athletes might find it better to walk a portion of the recovery interval.

OR, if you did these timed pickups yesterday, a short length run on your own at an easy to moderate effort level:

Level 1: 22-26 minutes
Level 2: 26-30 minutes
Level 3: 32-36 minutes
Level 4: 42-46 minutes

Sun 9/11 - Off.