MIAA Division 2 Meet of Champions Results - 11/18/23

The 2023 campaign came to a close on Saturday afternoon in blustery conditions at Willard Park in Devens. This was the site of the final meet of the season last year as well, but on a different course layout. The most notable change was the inclusion in the last mile of a trip up and down a hill in the woods that made up in steepness what it lacked in length. 

The boys preceded the girls in Division 2, which were the last 2 races of the day. The boys were led throughout by the 11th grade pair of Luke Chisum and Will Jackson, who despite starting out at a quick pace found themselves looking up at over 30 competitors early on. By staying focused on a consistent effort throughout they were able to pick off runners until they wound up in 26th and 27th overall. Senior captain Daniel Narvaez was the third runner for Wayland, improving his place from last year's Division 2 race at this site. The Wayland scoring five was rounded out by Daniel's brother Adrian who came back strong after some struggles last week at the Division 2B qualifier and 10th grader Jayden Newland who finished off an impressive late season string of racing. The Wayland team also included senior captain Ben Caddoo in his final cross country race for WHS. 

A week ago at the wave 2B qualifying race,  Wayland squeaked through as the second wildcard team. At today's meet the team was also missing two athletes from last week's top five who were unable to compete. As a consequence, expectations for the Wayland team result were understandably restrained to say the least. However, on the strength of a consistent team effort the team was 20th of 23, beating out three teams who competed last week in wave 2C. With only one senior in the scoring five today and a handful of talented 8th grade runners who might actually come out for the high school team, the future of the boys team looks bright. 

The girls race was the final event of the day, with the overcast conditions giving way to clearing skies and continued wind. Junior captain Arya Samaratunga executed yet another patient and complete effort, waiting out the early fast pace and moving up through the field noticeably in the second mile. At the end of the day this yielded a 35th place finish, an improvement over last year's result and a testament to her racing savvy. Today's race is the capstone of a remarkably consistent campaign that saw Samaratunga achieve DCL All Star status and lead the team in every race. 

splits for WHS runners

boys results

girls results

With the final meet of the season in the books, this website will go into hibernation until next spring when the preseason interest meeting rolls around. Coach Lee and I enjoyed seeing the progress made by the athletes on this year's team and we hope you found it edifying as well. I consider this to be at its core a life affirming activity, and I greatly appreciated that fact this season in particular. Thank you for taking part.

- Coach Mayall

MIAA Division 2 Meet of Champions, 11/18/23

Meet Site:

Willard Park, Sherman Ave., Devens

Bus time 11:45 AM

Please arrive a few minutes early so we can get on the road in good time. If necessary, use the bathroom before we leave.

Race Schedule, note change in start times:

Boys race 2 PM

Girls race 2:45 PM

Awards Ceremony 3:45

Meet Information:

• Weather forecast: Cloudy, temperature in the high 40s with NW winds 10-15 mph. There will likely be rain earlier in the day; combined with the four races contested prior to the Division 2 races, the course could be chewed up in places. Dress appropriately including layers to wear when you're either waiting for your race or after having completed your cool down.
• 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. Warmup clothes will be placed in the laundry basket which will then be brought to the tent. 
• 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. Finally, don't press the stop button on your wristwatch as you cross the finish line, since doing so might interfere with the RFID chip and your hand and wrist will obscure your bib number from view by the backup camera.

• Live results 

Course Map (click to enlarge):

• Starting from the NE corner of a large area of ball fields, the course is three trips around the fields. The first of these loops is the shortest, while the third loop is the longest and includes a trip into the woods with a short steep climb and descent. Soon after completing the third lap athletes turn off to the finish area.

• Due to the forecast rain in the morning hours and the foot traffic of the other races happening earlier in the day, spikes should be worn (1/4" or 3/8").

• Medals will be awarded to the top 15 finishers. 

Uniform Return:

All athletes will return the uniform after their race. You can put the uniform in the laundry basket. bring a change of clothes for after you're done racing.

What to Bring:

• Uniform, including both jersey and shorts
• spare change of clothes
• Everyday training shoes
• Racing shoes
• Multiple layers of clothing including clothes to wear while warming up and cooling down, in addition to dry warm clothes for after your race

• lunch for after your race

• a bag to put wet clothes in
• Water bottle (filled)
• Snacks for post-race (chocolate milk will be provided using proceeds from the Wayland XC Festival)
• Folding chair
• Blanket (optional)

For Parents:

• A parking fee will no doubt be collected, I don't know what it is.
• We hope to return to WHS between 4:30 and 5:00.
• Dogs aren't allowed on or near the course.
• 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 13 Training Plan, 11/13-11/18

Last one...

Monday 11/13 - Practice at 3:30 PM. Warmup including BURPEES followed by a CMR of 36 minutes  followed by 6x100 meters on the track with 100 meter jog recoveries at the end of the CMR. These will be done "hourglass style" on the turf field if available. Before leaving be sure to borrow a reflective vest for tomorrow's practice. 

Tuesday 11/14 - On your own, 28-32 minutes starting at an easy pace and getting a bit faster over the last 10 minutes. You can meet together at the school if you like or go home and do the run in your neighborhood, but be careful about any traffic on the roads. 

Wednesday 11/15 - Practice time TBA, hopefully traveling to Willard Park Devens assuming we have use of the booster bus. If not practice will happen at the school. Warmup including BURPEES followed by 10-12 minute jog, 5x800 in the following progression: 1st rep - 15-20 seconds/mile slower than race pace; 2nd rep - 5-10 seconds/mile slower than race pace; 3rd rep - race pace; 4th rep - 5-10 seconds/mile faster than race pace; 5th rep - 15-20 seconds/mile faster than race pace. The recovery interval after each repeat should be 2.5-3 minutes. Finally, a 10-12 minute cooldown jog.

Thursday 11/16 - off

Friday 11/17 - Practice at 3:30 PM. Warmup followed by a 10 minute jog, two sets of short intervals on top of the aqueduct, 10 minute cooldown.

Saturday 11/18 - MIAA Division 2 Meet of Champions at Devens. More details in a forthcoming post.

MIAA Division 2B Championship Results, 11/11/23

Wayland athletes visited the Wrentham Developmental Center course for the third and final time this season with the stakes at their highest for the MIAA Division 2B Championship. This is the first of two rounds in the state tournament; unlike with other sports there are no power rankings and brackets. Every school with a team can enter up to seven runners with the top five comprising a scoring team. Qualifying for next week's Meet of Champions is another matter entirely, as only the top teams and individuals not on those top teams make it to the final stage. 

The over 200 schools competing in the state are broken down into three divisions, and each division subdivided into three "waves" based solely on school size. Division 2 (waves 2A-2B-2C) are the "medium sized" schools (most of the rest of the DCL schools are in with the large schools of Division 1). Wayland competes in 2B which sits squarely in the middle of the size breakdown, with 2A schools being a little larger and 2C schools a little smaller. 2B also includes DCL opponent Bedford, which has almost exactly the same student population as WHS. Each of the waves has between twenty and thirty teams. The top seven teams in each wave and top ten individuals not on those top seven teams qualify to next weekend's second and final round, where all the qualifiers from 2A, 2B, and 2C face each other in the Division 2 Meet of Champions. There are also two wildcard teams qualifying from division 2. These are the two teams from 2A, 2B and 2C with the fastest cumulative times for their top five finishers that didn't finish among the top seven.

Under sunny skies and with a persistent wind blowing from the northwest, the boys raced first. The course was running quite fast with the rain from earlier in the week having long since been absorbed into the ground. The early pace was quite fast overall. Luke Chisum and Will Jackson ran together hanging back somewhat early on and then making their move together in the second half of the race. They were followed by senior captain Daniel Narvaez who hit an even pace, much like Kyle Reece did behind him. Rounding out the scoring five was Matthew Tan, continuing his season long progress. The Wayland team was rounded out by Adrian Narvaez and Jayden Newland in their first high school cross country race at this level. With a timing mat at the finish line that the runners also pass over at the three kilometer mark, it's possible to see how runners fared relative to the rest of the field over the race's final stages. No one from Wayland dropped more than a couple of spots and the majority moved up through the field, led by Chisum who passed twelve people over the final two kilometers of the course. 

When the results were tabulated the drama ratcheted up significantly. Wayland had been in 10th place as a team at the 3k mark, but moved up to 9th in the final tally a scant three points behind Newburyport. The difference between 9th and 10th place team is quite meaningful, as finishing 9th instead of 10th opens up the possibility of qualifying as one of two wildcard teams while 10th place means no chance. With the realignment of schools coming into this year's MIAA tournament, five of the top eight teams from last year's 2A race moved into 2B. In other words, the boys Division 2B race became a lot stronger, deeper and more competitive. Unsurprisingly then, the two wildcard teams in Division 2 that finished outside of the automatically qualifying top seven both came from 2B--Newburyport and Wayland. In the end, Wayland's 1-5 cumulative time was 42 seconds faster than Tantasqua, the 8th place team in 2A, and about 2 1/2 minutes faster than Archbishop Williams, the 8th place team in 2C. For the second year in a row, the Wayland boys have qualified for the final stage of the tournament. 

The girls raced next, having finished 13th a year ago. Two of the top five runners from last year's team having graduated, and with strong teams moving down from 2A after realignment, the Wayland team's prospects were uncertain at best. Leading the way for Wayland as she has all season was junior captain Arya Samaratunga, who patiently worked her way up after the first few hectic minutes and established a spot among the top 20. With the majority of the athletes ahead of her on teams that were obviously going to qualify as teams, her status as an individual wildcard qualifier for the second year in a row was secure. Behind her 10th grader Sofia Ciciarelli ran a well-paced effort and 9th grader Ainsley Jay extended herself early on, and was able to hold it together sufficiently to achieve a new level of performance when the race was done. The top five was rounded out by junior Naomi Rice and senior AJ Bell who raced together and executed a well-paced effort. Rounding out the Wayland team was senior Michelle Yee in her final high school race. It's worth noting that while four of the six Wayland runners have run the shorter 3k course at Wrentham, only Samaratunga had raced the 5k layout prior to today. Despite this lack of familiarity with the course, the girls team was able to finish 13th again, matching last year's result. 

splits for WHS athletes

all time performance list for theWrentham Developmental Center course

live results for boys 2B

live results for girls 2B

MIAA Division 2B Championship, 11/11/23

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 Shears St. This is across the street from the William A. Rice Recreation Area.

Bus time 10:30 AM

Please arrive a few minutes early so we can get on the road in good time. If necessary, use the bathroom before we leave.

Race Schedule and Entries:

Boys race 12:30 PM

Girls race 1:15 PM

Awards Ceremony 2:15 PM

Meet Information:

• Weather forecast: Mostly cloudy, temperatures in the mid to high 40s with NW winds 5-10 mph. Dress appropriately including layers to wear when you're either waiting for your race or after having completed your cool down.
• 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. Warmup clothes will be placed in the laundry basket which will then be brought to the tent.
• 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. Finally, don't press the stop button on your wristwatch as you cross the finish line, since doing so might interfere with the RFID chip and your hand and wrist will obscure your bib number from view by the backup camera.

Course Map (click to enlarge):

• 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 and third loops have two incursions from the outer edge of the field into the middle. Typically there are large digital clocks at the mile and two mile marks.

• the course is entirely on grass and trails, spikes should be worn (1/4" or 3/8").

• Medals will be awarded to the top 15 finishers.  

• Live results will be updated during the race.

• Qualification for next week's Meet of Champions at Devens is covered on page 4 of this document. 

• Boys teams in Division ("Wave") 2B

• Girls teams in Division ("Wave") 2B

What to Bring:

• Uniform, including both jersey and shorts
• spare change of clothes
• 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

• lunch for after your race

• a bag to put wet clothes in
• Water bottle (filled)
• Snacks for post-race (chocolate milk will be provided using proceeds from the Wayland XC Festival)
• Folding chair
• Blanket (optional)

For Parents:

• A parking fee will no doubt be collected, I don't know what it is.
• We hope to return to WHS around 3:15-3:30 PM.
• Dogs aren't allowed on or near the course, best to leave them home.
• 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.

Awards Night and Varsity Lists

Next Tuesday November 14th there will be an end of season celebration held in the Commons at 6:30. Everyone will receive a certificate of participation. We'll recognize the recipients of team-specific awards including Most Improved, Rookie of the Year, and MVP. There are also Coaches' Awards and Booster Awards that will be given out. Plus there's the always popular prize bag blowout, a highlight of this event. We hope to be done by 7:30.

While on the subject of recognition, the athletes listed below have earned varsity status for this season. An explanation of what it takes to be varsity in what is a no-cut sport can be found on page six of the team policies and FAQ document.

Girls:

AJ Bell

Sofia Ciciarelli

Sierra Dale

Ainsley Jay

Selena Liu

Amy McCormack

Anna Munford 

Naomi Rice

Arya Samaratunga

Michelle Yee

Boys:

Ben Caddoo

Luke Chisum

Ben Dugan

Will Jackson

Leo Ciccarelli

Zack Goldstein

Adrian Narvaez

Daniel Narvaez

Jayden Newland

Kyle Reece

Matthew Tan

Michael Wightman

Owen Williams (manager)

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

Saturday's Division 2B Championship meet is the latest and highest level competition in the final, championship phase of the season. Everything leading up to Saturday in practice is intended to help optimize performance in that race. We're not reinventing the wheel here, so no major changes are afoot other than a further reduction in training volume. The workouts are less about building fitness than confirming it. 

In the days leading up to the meet you can build on the gains in fitness you've made throughout the season by getting to bed at a reasonable hour, drinking water regularly throughout the day (to the tune of around 48 ounces a day), and eating a nutritious balanced diet. Like the last two weeks, there's a scheduled day off during the week, which is Thursday. 

For people that aren't racing on Saturday and either haven't had an opportunity to run a mile time trial or would like to try it again after Friday's windy attempt, we'll be doing a mile time trial on Monday as well. Athletes who are racing on Saturday won't participate in this. 

Finally, it's important to note that with the clocks turned back it will be getting dark quite early. The reflective vests are a must when running off campus.

Monday 11/6 - Practice at 3:30. Warmup including BURPEES followed by a PMR of 36 minutes. The PMR will then be followed by 5x150m (100m race pace, 50m faster than race pace) with a 150m jog recovery. 

For those doing a time trial, 10 minute warmup, 3x100 at mile race pace, then a mile time trial. 8-10 minute easy jog cooldown.

Tuesday 11/7 - Practice at 3:30. Warmup followed by a short length run of no more than 36 minutes with run throughs over cones. 

Wednesday 11/8 - Practice at 3:30. Warmup including BURPEES followed by a 12-15 minute jog, 3x400 at 5-10 seconds per mile faster than race pace, mile at race pace, 3x400 at 5-10 seconds per mile faster than race pace. Wrapped up with a 10 minute cooldown. The recovery between each 400 is 60-90 seconds, with 4.5 minutes before and after the mile. 

Thursday 11/9 - off

Friday 11/10 - Practice at 10 AM. Warmup followed by a 10 minute jog, two sets of short intervals on top of the aqueduct, 10 minute cooldown.

Saturday 11/11 - MIAA Division 2B Championship at Wrentham Developmental Center. More details in a forthcoming post. 

Sunday 11/12 - off

Frank Mooney Invitational Results, 11/4/23

A small group of WHS athletes raced on the Wrentham Developmental Center course on Saturday at the Frank Mooney Invitational, the rare event named in honor of a person who's still with us. This was the second time Wayland has visited Wrentham this season, and the venue is one that WHS athletes have raced at since 2010. 

With medals given to the top 30 finishers in each race, the highlights of the day were the medals won by Wayland runners--Ainsley Jay who was 22nd in the 9th grade girls race and Luke Chisum who came in 8th in the 11th/12th grade boys race. Jay has narrowly missed winning a medal in other 9th grade races this season but left no doubt today while running as far up as 15th place at times during the race. Chisum, who hasn't raced in 3 weeks due to a nagging injury, returned with authority and moved his way up through the field steadily throughout the race. 

Also racing today for the first time on the full 5k layout were 10th graders Jayden Newland and Noah Goldstein and 11th grader Jack Goode. Meanwhile senior captains Ben Caddoo, Michael Wightman and Zack Goldstein finished off their seasons and high school cross country careers in fine style.

Overall results (Wayland is in the small school division)

splits for WHS athletes

All-time list for WHS athletes at Wrentham Developmental Center

Frank Mooney Invitational, 11/4/23

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 Shears St. This is across the street from the William A. Rice Recreation Area.

Bus time 7 AM

Race Schedule and Entries

9:00 AM 10th grade boys 5k -N. Goldstein, Newland

10:15 AM 9th grade girls 3k - Jay

10:35 AM 11th/12th grade boys 5k - Caddoo, Chisum, Z. Goldstein, Goode, Wightman

 
Meet Information:

• Weather forecast: Partly cloudy, temperatures in the high 40s to low 50s with light ENE winds.
• 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; the meet staff has been known in the past to start races a few minutes earlier than the posted schedule. You can complete your warmup at the starting line.
• 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.
• No one is to 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 30 finishers in each race.

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 and third loops have two incursions from the outer 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

• Gloves
• Water bottles - filled

• Folding chair - important to have something to sit on other than the ground

• Blanket or sleeping bag - important as we won't be bringing the tent, while we won't be out in the open for that long you will want to have something to help stay warm when not warming up, racing, or cooling down

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

For Parents:

• The parking fee this year is $10 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 12:30

Week 11 Training Plan, 10/30-11/5

Purdy calculator for use in interpolation of a goal time for the mile time trial

This week features the Frank Mooney Invitational on Saturday.  This meet is for 9th graders, JV runners, and those who are in contention to round out the top seven that will be racing next weekend at the MIAA Division 2B Championship race. Those that aren't racing on Saturday will be doing a time trial, either on Thursday (first choice date) or Friday (backup date if weather on Thursday isn't suitable). Like last week, there will also be a day off mid-week on Wednesday. 

For the remainder of the season, all athletes must wear a reflective vest when running off campus. A set of vests has been acquired for this purpose using funds raised from the Wayland XC Festival. Remember to return the vest at the end of practice. It must be folded neatly before being put away in one of the two "Pam's Run" drawstring bags that are used to store them. The vests don't need to be worn while running on campus, for example when running on the track as we'll be doing on Thursday.

Mon 10/30 - Warmup including BURPEES followed by a cyclic medium run. The length of this week's run is the same as last week's PMR.

Group A: 36 minutes (3 minute segments)
Group B: 48 minutes (4 minute segments)
Group C: 60 minutes (5 minute segments)

Tue 10/31 - Warmup followed by a short length run including run-throughs and bounding over cones

Group A: 24-28 minutes
Group B: 32-36 minutes
Group C: 40-44 minutes

Wed 11/1 - off

Thu 11/2 - Warmup including BURPEES followed by a medium length run including timed repeats as follows:

those racing 3k on Saturday: 10 minute warmup, 2 sets of 3x400 meters with the first set at race pace and the second set 1-2 seconds per rep faster than race pace. 200 meter recovery jog after each repeat with 4-5 minutes recovery between sets. 10 minute cooldown.

those racing 5k on Saturday: 10 minute warmup, 2 sets of 4x400 meters with the first set at race pace and the second set at 1-2 seconds per rep faster than race pace. 200 meter recovery jog after each repeat with 4-5 minutes recovery between sets. 10 minute cooldown.

those not racing on Saturday: a short length run at an easy to moderate intensity for those racing tomorrow. Two sets of short repeats on top of the aqueduct in the last 8-10 minutes of the run.

Group A: 24-28 minutes
Group B: 32-36 minutes
Group C: 40-44 minutes

Fri 11/3 - Warmup followed by a short length run at an easy to moderate intensity for those racing tomorrow. Two sets of short repeats on top of the aqueduct in the last 8-10 minutes of the run.

Group A: 24-28 minutes
Group B: 32-36 minutes
Group C: 40-44 minutes

for those not racing on Saturday: 10 minute warmup, mile time trial on the track, 10-12 minute break, 3-4x200 at race pace with a 200 meter jog recovery, 10 minute easy jog cooldown. The time trial is in essence a race, so if you have a pair of racing shoes you should wear them. 

Sat 11/4 - Frank Mooney Invitational. More information will be forthcoming in a subsequent post. Those not racing today should do a medium length run at an easy to moderate intensity, with 5-6 pickups of 15-20 seconds in the second half of the run.

Sun 11/5 - off

DCL Championship Results, 10/27/23

Many Wayland athletes raced well at the DCL Championship meet, held in unseasonably warm temperatures at Franklin Park in Boston. The varsity races were led by Will Jackson for the boys and Arya Samaratunga on the girls side. Both finished in the top 20 of their respective races, with Jackson in 12th overtaking multiple runners in the final mile and Samaratunga in 20th. In the 9th grade girls race Ainsley Jay finished a strong 8th. 

Franklin Park has been the site of cross country races since the late 19th century; the current layout dates back to the late '90s. There have been results online going back to 1997 which I've consolidated into an all-time list. This is the most comprehensive such list for any course that WHS has repeatedly visited over the years. Note that after his effort today, Jackson now occupies the top spot on the boys 5k list out of over 200 athletes, while Samaratunga ranks among the top 10 of almost 130 athletes for the girls 5k results. In addition there were multiple athletes who improved on their previous best for this course, in some cases by an impressive amount. 

The season continues into November with next Saturday's Frank Mooney Invitational, which features a shorter race for 9th graders with a 5k for 10th-12th grade athletes. The top upperclass runners from Wayland will sit this meet out. 

overall results - note that while the varsity races have been split into separate Foley and Thorpe division results (Wayland is in the Foley division), the entire league ran together in the varsity races and these placings were used for determining awards (top 15 got medals).

splits for WHS athletes

DCL Championship, 10/27/23

Meet Site: Playstead Field at Franklin Park, Boston.

Bus Time: 

12 PM - note the bus time. Athletes listed below (and only those athletes listed below) will be dismissed after 3rd period. Remember that you're responsible for any work in classes that you miss.
 

Meet Schedule and lineups:

2 PM JV girls 5k - Rice

2:30 PM Varsity boys 5k - Caddoo, Jackson, A. Narvaez, D. Narvaez, Reece, Tan, Wightman

3 PM 9th grade 3k - Jay, Wang

3:20 PM Varsity girls 5k - Bell, Ciciarelli, Liu, McCormack, Samaratunga, Yee

3:50 PM JV boys 5k - Z. Goldstein, Goode, Han, Markey, Newland, Sebastianelli, Wheeler

4:30 PM Awards

Meet Information:

• Weather forecast: partly cloudy, temperatures in the low to mid 70s NNE winds 5-10 mph.

• The varsity and JV 5k course has three loops; the first loop starts on the Playstead field and goes around the ball fields and White Stadium. The second loop goes part of the way around the fields and stadium before heading away from the field area for a climb up and over Bear Cage Hill. On the other side of Bear Cage Hill the second loop rejoins the first loop, behind the area of the starting line. The third loop covers the Wilderness and Playstead field. See maps below.

• The 9th grade race course is the first two of the three loops described above and shown on the maps below.

• The top 15 finishers in each varsity race, the top 8 JV and the top 7 9th graders will receive trophies.

• Wayland will be in box #4 at the starting line.

• 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.  

printer friendly version of course map here

• Return time to WHS is approximate, but we hope to be back between 6:00 and 7:00 depending on traffic 

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). If you're running in a later race, bring a snack to have 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

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 either in person or via e-mail.
• The area just beyond the finish line is a good place to see the race at various points, as the runners pass by this spot repeatedly.

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

What is Lactic Acid (Lactate)?

Lactate threshold training 

Lactate meter

Norwegian Training

Marius Bakken on training

Men's 1500 meter final, 2023 World Championship (Norway 2nd and 3rd)

Norway's approach to youth sports

This week is the beginning of the final phase of the season, kicking off with Friday's DCL Championship meet at Franklin Park. More information will be forthcoming on this meet which will require an early dismissal from school. As in years past, there will be a karaoke contest on the bus ride home. Submit your song choice to the coaches for approval in advance. The maximum group size for the contest is four people. It would behoove you to practice your song beforehand.

With the end of the season drawing near, we've entered the peaking phase of our training. The proverbial hay is in the barn and from here on out it's a draw down of training volume, which is achieved in two ways:

• a reduction in the length of most daily runs.
• a reduction in the number of runs per week. This is achieved by taking an additional day per week off from practice. This week that day is Tuesday.

I'll explain in more detail at practice Monday how this tapering process will proceed. In the meantime here is the plan for this week:

• Mon 10/23 - Practice at 3:30. Warmup including BURPEES followed by progressive run as follows:

Group A: 36 minutes (12 minutes easy-9 minutes fresh-9 minutes good-6 minutes easy)

Group B: 48 minutes (16 minutes easy-12 minutes fresh-12 minutes good-8 minutes easy)

Group C: 60 minutes (20 minutes easy-15 minutes fresh-15 minutes good-10 minutes easy) 

• Tue 10/24 - off.

• Wed 10/25 - Practice at 3:30. Warmup followed by a short length run with 3-4 sets of short reps at the end on top of the aqueduct.

Group A: 24-28 minutes
Group B: 32-36 minutes
Group C: 40-44 minutes

• Thu 10/26 - Practice at 3:30. Warmup including BURPEES followed by a short length run at an easy to moderate intensity including hill drills on the aqueduct near Cedar Crest Road. Warmup followed by a short length run with two sets of short reps at the end on top of the aqueduct.

Group A: 24-28 minutes
Group B: 32-36 minutes
Group C: 40-44 minutes

• Fri 10/27 - DCL Championship Meet @Franklin Park. The meet starts early which will require dismissal after 3rd period class. You're responsible for any work or tests you might miss as a result of this. More information forthcoming. This is a medium length day, including warmup and cooldown running it should add up to the following:

Group A: 32-36 minutes
Group B: 40-44 minutes
Group C: 48-52 minutes

On the bus ride home, there will be the tenth annual edition of the Golden Microphone karaoke contest.

• Sat 10/28 - Medium length run at an easy to moderate intensity. For those that are interested we will be meeting at Lincoln Station at 10 AM for this run. This is an excellent opportunity to check out the trails in the Mt. Misery area, as well as Adams woods. To avoid getting lost on the trails, download the Outerspatial app on your phone.

Group A: 32-36 minutes
Group B: 40-44 minutes
Group C: 48-52 minutes

• Sun 10/29 - off

Dual Meet #5 Results - vs. Weston, 10/18/23

Under cloudy skies that wouldn't seem conducive to being outside but made for good racing weather, the WHS teams finished the dual meet schedule on Weston's course at Burchard Park. Both boys and girls Weston teams are among the top Division 3 (small school) teams in the state, and this was reflected in the team score today. They're also among the few teams Wayland faces that race in a tactically sound manner, which made some of the individual battles more compelling to watch unfold. In this context there were some noteworthy results. Apart from seeing how the Wayland team stacked up versus their opponent today it's also interesting to look at how Wayland runners who raced here in 2021 (the most recent visit to this course) have improved in the intervening two years. In addition, today represented the sixth time Wayland has raced on this particular course since it was established in 2017 (the course was used twice in 2020), and over that time a somewhat decent sized sample of WHS runners have raced on the same course. The day's results can be seen here while the all-time list for WHS runners at Burchard park can be seen here. 

Dual Meet #5 - vs. Weston, 10/18/23

Meet Site: Burchard Park, 269 Concord Road Weston Ma

*NOTE: the meet is NOT held at Weston High School* 

 

Bus Time 2:45

Time Schedule:

4:30 Combined JV race (boys and girls together) - N. Goldstein, Goode, Han, Kotzampaltiris, Libenzon, Ma, Maali-Pohl, Munford, Nagalla, Newland, Rice, Sebastianelli, Srivastava, Wang, Xu

Boys race to follow (no later than 5 PM in all likelihood) - Caddoo, Ciccarelli, Z. Goldstein, Jackson, A. Narvaez, D. Narvaez, Reece, Wheeler, Wightman

Girls race after that (likely by 5:30) - Bell, Ciciarelli, Jay, Liu, Samaratunga, Yee

Course Map: 

• The varsity course is 5k in length and consists of two loops. The JV course cuts off the northern section of the loop, making the length just under 2.5 miles.

The 5k 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). If you're wearing spiked shoes they should be fitted with blanks or 1/8" pyramids. 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

Trails are quite wide, should be no issues with passing except for one 40 meter stretch (which is run twice, near the mile mark and then at about 4k).  

 
Meet Information:

• Weather forecast: mostly sunny, temperature around 60 degrees. Light winds from the north 5 mph. Bring clothes to wear at the meet besides your uniform.
• It's expected that during the race you will wear the uniform assigned to you.
• You'll need to wear your assigned bib number. This is the last time we'll be using these numbers this season, if you want to keep your number as a momento feel free otherwise dispose of it properly. You can keep the safety pins as well. 
• There will be a course tour soon after we arrive.
 
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 held at Weston High School.

• Spectators at the field can see the first 300m, a 300m section in the middle of the race, and the last 300m without having to leave the ball field area. 
• There is parking next to the baseball fields where the course begins and ends.

Week 9 Training Plan, 10/16-10/22

This week features the final dual meet of the season, with a visit to Weston and their course at Burchard Field. In addition, on Monday we'll be doing the final long run of the season. From here on out the length of the longest run of the week will be cut down as we taper down to the end of the season. Finally, on Saturday we'll have what will most likely be the final optional practice at Lincoln Station of the season. 

Monday 10/16 - Practice at 3:30. Warmup including BURPEES followed by a CLR.  The route of today's run is TBA. The overall length of the run is listed below; remember that there are four cycles of easy-fresh-good, making for a total of 12 segments.

Group A: 48 minutes (4 minute segments)
Group B: 60 minutes (5 minute segments)

Group C: 72 minutes (6 minute segments)

Tuesday 10/17 - Practice at 3:30. Warmup followed by a short run followed by high knee run-throughs and bounding over cones. The cones will be set up on the softball field. We will again be practicing running around tight corners. Total length of the run today is as follows:

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

Wednesday 10/18 - Dual Meet #5 vs. Weston at Burchard Field. More information on this meet will be forthcoming in a subsequent post. Remember that today should be a medium length day including warmup and cooldown jogs. 

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

Thursday 10/19 - Practice at 3:30. Warmup including BURPEES followed by a short length recovery run at an easy to moderate intensity with hill drills. We'll be doing the hill drills near Cedar Crest Road on the Hultman aqueduct. The length of the run today is as follows:

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

Friday 10/20 - Practice at 3:30. Warmup followed by either a short length run (Group A: 26-30 minutes, Group B 32-36 minutes, Group C 42-46 minutes) for those attending tomorrow's practice at Lincoln Station or the following workout:

Group A: 6 minute jog warmup, 9 minute progression run with first 3 minutes at 60% effort, next 3 minutes 70% effort, last 3 minutes at 80% effort. 5 minute break then 3 sets of 3x300 meters with 200 meter recovery jogs. First two sets at race pace, last set faster than that. 3 minutes between sets. 6 minute jog cooldown. 

Group B: 8 minute jog warmup, 12 minute progression run with first 4 minutes at 60% effort, next 4 minutes 70% effort, last 4 minutes at 80% effort. 5 minute break then 3 sets of 3x300 meters with 200 meter recovery jogs. First two sets at race pace, last set faster than that. 3 minutes between sets. 8 minute jog cooldown. 

Group C: 8 minute jog warmup, 15 minute progression run with first 5 minutes at 60% effort, next 5 minutes 70% effort, last 5 minutes at 80% effort. 5 minute break then 3 sets of 3x300 meters with 200 meter recovery jogs. First two sets at race pace, last set faster than that. 3 minutes between sets. 8 minute jog cooldown. 

Saturday 10/21 - Either a short length run (Group A: 26-30 minutes, Group B 32-36 minutes, Group C 42-46 minutes) for those not attending today's optional practice or the following workout meeting at Lincoln Station at 9 AM:

Group A: 6 minute jog warmup, 9 minute progression run with first 3 minutes at 60% effort, next 3 minutes 70% effort, last 3 minutes at 80% effort. 5 minute break then 3 sets of 3x300 meters with 200 meter recovery jogs. First two sets at race pace, last set faster than that. 3 minutes between sets. 6 minute jog cooldown. 

Group B: 8 minute jog warmup, 12 minute progression run with first 4 minutes at 60% effort, next 4 minutes 70% effort, last 4 minutes at 80% effort. 5 minute break then 3 sets of 3x300 meters with 200 meter recovery jogs. First two sets at race pace, last set faster than that. 3 minutes between sets. 8 minute jog cooldown. 

Group C: 8 minute jog warmup, 15 minute progression run with first 5 minutes at 60% effort, next 5 minutes 70% effort, last 5 minutes at 80% effort. 5 minute break then 3 sets of 3x300 meters with 200 meter recovery jogs. First two sets at race pace, last set faster than that. 3 minutes between sets. 8 minute jog cooldown.

Sunday 10/22 - off

Bob Glennon Twilight Invitational Results, 10/13+14/23

The Twilight Invitational, held since 2011 in the evening hours at the Cape Cod Fairgrounds in Falmouth, has become the most popular event put on by the Mass. State Track Coaches Association (MSTCA). Its popularity is such that in 2018 the meet was split into separate nights for larger and smaller schools. For the first (and hopefully last) time Wayland had athletes racing on both nights. Wayland's enrollment ranks among the smaller schools and the WHS teams would thus normally compete in the night for small and medium sized schools. The meet director had made the offer for smaller sized schools to switch to Saturday's large school division if they desired. When a bus was unable to be procured for Friday's small and medium school night, I switched the team into Saturday's meet instead. In order that 10th graders would be able to attend both the meet and Saturday's ever-popular 10th grade semi-formal, just the sophomores went on Friday in the WHS "booster bus" which has a 15 passenger capacity including the driver--enough for the 10th grade crew but not for the entire team. 

On Friday six WHS sophomores competed. Matthew Tan continued an upward trend for him by running a solid time in the 10th grade boys race and taking initiative from the start. He was joined by Leo Ciccarelli, Edge Wheeler and Noah Goldstein, while Yathartha Srivastava and Arya Nagalla ran in the novice race that started the meet. On Saturday, Wayland returned with a larger contingent. The most noteworthy results included Ainsley Jay finishing in the top 30 in the 9th grade girls race and Will Jackson finishing in the top 40 in a very deep and competitive boys varsity race that featured some of the top teams in the state. Jackson's time would have placed in the top 25 on Friday. Arya Samaratunga had a strong effort in the girls varsity race. The boys varsity team, led by Jackson, finished 15th of 20 teams, and probably would have placed in the top 10 at Friday's meet. 

Splits for WHS athletes

overall results for Friday

overall results for Saturday