Awards Ceremony recap

It was great to see so many members of both teams at last night's WHS Boosters Awards Ceremony. The program was well represented from what I saw on the stage. The Booster Awards for Cross Country were given to the following team members:

The Jim Griffin Booster Award is given to a varsity senior athlete (if appropriate) who has shown outstanding merit in the areas of leadership, sportsmanship, team spirit, and athletic ability. These qualities should be present both on and off the field. Only an athlete in good academic and personal standing should be considered.

Boys: Nick Greenwood
Girls: Julia Jofe

The Hal Barnett Unsung Hero Award is given to a varsity team member who shows what hard work and dedication can mean in improving the overall quality and well being of the team. The criteria for this award are: hard work, willingness to do what is needed for the best interest of the team, and good attendance at practices and games.

Boys: John Cocce
Girls: Maddy Schwartz

The Buzz Bowers Sportsmanship Award is to be presented to a varsity player whose behavior is characterized by fair play, shows generosity, and general concern for others and demonstrates sportsmanship in a loss and is a gracious winner.

Boys: Nick Galang
Girls: Sophia Butler

In addition, the following team-specific awards were given out by the coaches in the subsequent breakout session:

Most Improved:

Boys: Tucker Moody
Girls: Nika Bauerova

Rookie of the Year:

Boys: Zhenyang Luo
Girls: Abby McCarthy

Coaches Award:

Eli Bucher

Most Valuable Performer:

Boys: Graham Macklin
Girls: Sarah Tully

Thanks to everyone who came out and participated this season. Coach Lehmann and I both had a great time working with you this fall. Best of luck to the seniors who have just completed their high school cross country careers. For the senior group, whether or not you ever toe the line in another cross country race again our hope is that you have many fond memories of your time running for WHS. In addition we hope that the experience you had at WHS will leave you inclined to continue with your running and/or fitness in general.

We look forward to seeing the underclassmen next August (the 27th in fact) when practice begins. Between now and then, there will be a pre-season interest meeting sometime in June. Stay tuned for an update on that. For the time being, this blog will go into a state of digital hibernation, although it's possible an update or two may show up between now and the 2015 pre-season meeting. Finally, in a less celebratory note, if you're among the small group that has yet to return your uniform please do this at your earliest convenience, either to Mr. Cass or Ms. Sullivan in the Athletic Department.

Thanks again and happy trails!

- Coach Mayall

Boosters Award Ceremony and varsity lists

The WHS Athletic Boosters Award Ceremony will be held Thursday evening November 20th at 6 PM in the theater. Following the ceremony which will recognize athletes from all fall sports, we'll move on to room B244 (Coach Lehmann's classroom) for a separate, cross country only meeting which will begin within 10 minutes of the ending of the ceremony in the theater. At the breakout meeting we'll recognize the recipients of team-specific awards such as Most Improved, Rookie of the Year, and MVP. There will be some other, more light-hearted prizes given out as well. All are invited to attend and we hope to see you there! We also hope to be done by around 8 PM.

I also want to recognize on this blog the athletes on this year's team who earned varsity status. For this distinction, the coaching staff used the criteria listed below:

1. Athletes who competed at the MIAA EMass Divisional Championship meet. As our sport's version of the state tournament, this is the meet that features the top runners from each program.

2. Athletes who have participated in cross country at WHS for at least three years. This level of commitment and dedication to the team and the sport is worthy of recognition, as such any athlete with three or four years of participation is deserving of varsity status. The coaches will also consider seniors with two years of participation, depending on characteristics like attendance, attitude, and commitment to the team and their own improvement.

The boys varsity:

Eli Bucher
John Cocce
Nick Galang
Nick Greenwood
Addison Kay
Zach Last
Zhenyang Luo
Graham Macklin
Josh McCarthy
Tucker Moody

The girls varsity:

Kathleen Barrow
Sophia Butler
Jessie Henning
Julia Jofe
Emma Kiefer
Abby McCarthy
Caroline Provost
Maddy Schwartz
Erica Sheffres
Sarah Tully

MIAA All-State Meet Results

The season wrapped up today at Franklin Park with the MIAA All-State Meet. Graham Macklin and Sarah Tully both had excellent races against fast and deep fields. Graham was 57th out of 179 finishers in the Boys Division 2 (small school) race. The early pace up front was blistering, which had a ripple effect back through the entire field. It's no exaggeration to say that Graham wasn't in the top half of the field at the mile mark, but steadily worked his way through the field in the second half of the race and in particular the final mile.

Boys results here

In the Girls Division 2 race, Sarah Tully finished 12th in a superlative display of patience and toughness. The lead pack went out quickly in the early stages, and Sarah was no better than 35th at the mile mark (both coaches lost count). Just past halfway she was 27th, at the two mile mark 22nd. Sarah made the Wilderness loop work for her by passing ten people in the final mile. Great stuff to watch. Among the many runners Sarah beat out today were:

• everyone from the Western Mass. small school race last week
• the top two from the Central Mass. small school race last week
• the top runner from Milton who beat her last week and also beat her at the Twilight Meet in October
• the two runners who beat her at The Frank Kelley Invite in Wrentham back in September
• the top two runners from Tyngsborough who beat her at the Twilight Meet
• the top runner from Bishop Stang who beat her at the Twilight Meet and ran a time 20+ seconds faster than her last week in the EMass D6 race

Girls results here

MIAA EMass Division 4 results

Yesterday at Wrentham we had many noteworthy performances in the Eastern Mass D4 Championship races. The results can be found here:

boys

girls

Graham Macklin and Sarah Tully both punched their ticket for next Saturday's All-State Meet at Franklin Park. Graham is the first male runner from WHS to qualify since Brett Baker in 2010. Sarah qualified for the second year in a row. Both ran smart, well-executed races in chilly conditions on a course that was soft underfoot. They weren't alone either as the rest of the WHS runners also acquitted themselves well. The boys were 12th as a team, girls 19th.

Stay tuned for upcoming details about our final meeting of the season, as part of the Booster Awards Night on November 20th. Finally, if you still have all or part of your uniform, please return it ASAP. You can give it to Coach Lehmann or bring it to practice on Monday, Thursday or Friday of this week.

MIAA Division 4 Championship Meet - 11/8/14

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 7:00

Race Schedule and Entries:


Boys race at 9:00
Girls race at 10:20
awards TBA                    

Meet Information:

• Weather forecast (IMPORTANT): Temperatures in the high 30s to low 40s with winds from the west at 5-10 mph. In short, cold. 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. 
• 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. 

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 - 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 Challenge)
• Folding chair
• Blanket
• Lunch if you like for the trip back, or else a snack for after your race

For Parents:

• A parking fee of $5 will be collected for each car.
• We hope to return to WHS by sometime around noon.
• Dogs aren't allowed on or near the course, best to leave them home. 

MSTCA Invitational Results and Week 10 Training Plan - 11/3-11/10

A small group of WHS athletes braved conditions that only a duck could love to have some very good races yesterday morning at the MSTCA Invite. Among the highlights were Zhenyang Luo's 27th place finish in a very competitive 9th grade race, which earned him a medal, and Julia Jofe ending her high school cross country career in style with a well-executed personal best effort. Results for the meet can be found here.

For those that are racing this coming Saturday at the MIAA Eastern MA Division 4 Championship meet, here is the training plan for the upcoming week:

With the Division 4 EMass race coming up on Saturday there's one workout of substance this week, the rest is sharpening. The folks who wrapped up their seasons last week had good success with this type of plan. Beginning Wednesday, pay attention to the weather forecast so you have an idea of what to expect. There'll be a separate post on this blog later this week about Saturday's meet, stay tuned for that. 

• Monday 11/3 - 60-65 minutes with the first 30 minutes easy, the next ten somewhat quicker than that, the next ten about 70% effort, and the last ten minutes at about 80% effort. Core circuit after the run. This is a good day for a relatively flat, out and back route. This is also a run you should be doing with the people you normally do more structured, timed workouts (like tomorrow's). If the weather forecast for chilly temperatures holds, consider doing the warmup in the field house. 

• Tuesday 11/4 - 10 minute warmup, 3x1600 on the track with each lap faster than the lap before it. The first two laps should average out to 10-15 seconds/mile slower than race pace; the third lap should be about race pace; the last lap something faster. 3.5 minute recoveries between each. After the third repeat, 5 minutes of easy jogging then 4x100m on the turf field at 90% effort with a jog back recovery. 10 minute cool down. 

• Wednesday 11/5 - 40 minutes easy on your own. Progress the pace slightly toward the end if you feel up to it. Otherwise take it easy throughout. Start checking the weather today. 

• Thursday 11/6 - 30 minutes easy followed by 400-300-200-100 on the track at race pace. 

• Friday 11/7 - 15 minute warmup, 8x100 meter runs at 90% effort with a minute rest, 5 minute cool down.

• Saturday 11/8 - 15 minute warmup, MIAA EMass Division 4 Championship, 15 minute cool down. Boys will be racing at 9 AM, the first race of the day. Girls will run at 10:15. 

• Sunday 11/9 - off.

MSTCA Invitational - 11/1/14

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:
(the time in parentheses is the cutoff for each race)

9:30am Boys Sophomore Race (25 minutes) - Dowling, Kay, Talukdar

9:55am Girls Sophomore Race - n/a                

10:23am Boys 3k Freshman Race (16 minutes) - Chase, Estrada, Luo                    

10:39am Girls Freshman Race - n/a                 

10:57am  Boys JR-SR Race (22 minutes) - D. Comettant, Gold                           

11:19am Girls JR-SR Race (26 minutes) - S. Butler, DeRubeis, Jofe                         

Meet Information:

• Weather forecast (IMPORTANT): Temperatures in the mid 40s and winds from the north at 15-20 mph. In case that wasn't enough for you, there's also a 75% chance of rain through the morning. Like our last visit to this course the weather will play an important if not crucial role, although the particulars are much different for this coming Saturday. Being prepared this time around means having enough clothing including an outer layer that's water and wind resistant. In addition, it's important that you bring something to put between you and the ground when you're waiting under the tent. Like a folding chair, blanket, or better yet both of these things. 
• 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/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 freshman race ends after the second lap (3k versus 5k). 10th-12th graders run three laps. 
• Plaques will be given to the top 3 finishers in each race; places 4-50 receive medals.
• 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 - 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 Challenge)
• Folding chair
• Blanket
• Umbrella
• Lunch - 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.

For Parents:

• A parking fee of $5 will be collected for each car.
• We hope to return to WHS by 1:30. 
• Dogs aren't allowed on or near the course, best to leave them home. 

2014 DCL All-Stars

Yesterday at the DCL post-season coaches' meeting, Sarah Tully and Graham Macklin were named DCL All-Stars for their high level of performance both during the dual meet season and at the DCL Championship meet last Friday. Congratulations to both of them!

Training Plan for Week 9: 10/27-11/2

This week there are two separate training groups: those that are racing this Saturday at the MSTCA Invite (Group A), and those that are racing on November 8th at the MIAA Eastern MA Division 4 Championship (Group B). The top seven runners will be running in the latter race, and since they're not racing this week will be able to get in two workouts during the week. Those that are racing this coming Saturday will do one significant workout on Wednesday, the rest is sharpening. 

Monday 10/27 - 

Group A: Hill drills then 25 minute extended warmup jog, then 400-300-200-100 on the track at race pace

Group B: Hill drills then 60-70 minutes with the last ten minutes at about 80% effort. This run is a progression; if you're not going at something just slower than race pace near the end, you're not doing it right!

Tuesday 10/28 -

Group A: 15 minute warmup, 8x100 meter runs at 90% effort with a minute rest, 5 minute cool down. Core circuit after the run.

Group B: 15 minute warmup, 2x1600 meters, run 10-15 sec./mile slower than race pace with 90 seconds rest between the repeats. Then a 3 minute break, followed by 2x800 at race pace with a 3 minute recovery. Then a 3 minute break, followed by 2x400 at faster than race pace with 2 minutes rest between and after them. Finally, 2x200 at faster than race pace with a minute rest between them. 15 minute cool down.

Wednesday 10/29 -

Group A: 10 minute warmup, 3-4 sets of (600, 400, 200). 600 repeats are just slower than race pace,  400 repeats are at race pace, 200s are faster; recovery after each and every repeat all the way through is 2 minutes. 10 minute cool down.

Group B: 40 minutes easy. Progress the pace slightly toward the end if you feel up to it. Core circuit after the run.

Thursday 10/30 - 

Group A: 30-40 minutes easy. Progress the pace slightly toward the end if you feel up to it.

Group B: 50 minutes with the last 5-10 minutes at 80% effort. Similar to Monday, but shorter in length.

Friday 10/31 - 

Group A: Same as Tuesday, skip the core circuit

Group B: 10 minute warmup, 4 sets of (600, 400, 200). 600 repeats are just slower than race pace,  400 repeats are at race pace, 200s are faster; recovery after each and every repeat all the way through is 2 minutes. 10 minute cool down. 

Sat 11/1 - 

Group A: MSTCA Invitational. Includes 15 minute warmup jog and 10-15 minute cool down. More information including bus time and race schedule will be forthcoming later in the week. Bring a change of clothes so you can return your uniform after you're done with your cool down jog. 

Group B: 60-70 minutes easy. 

Sun 11/2 - off.

DCL Championship Meet results and uniform return

Yesterday's DCL Championship meet yielded some impressive performances by our teams at Franklin Park. Results can be found here. Most notable were Sarah Tully's sixth place finish in what was a very competitive girls varsity race, with ten runners clearing the 20 minute barrier on a windy day with sloppy conditions underfoot. The boys varsity finished 8th, including beating Weston for the fourth time this season.

For some of you, this meet marks the end of your racing season; if you haven't yet returned your uniform to me please do so at your earliest convenience. The preferred method for uniform return is by checking in with me at the end of the warmup at practice (i.e. around 3:10 or so); failing that, you can put your uniform in a bag and leave it with Coach Lehmann during the school day. Either way, the AD has asked me to remind you that you won't be able to try out for another team at WHS until your uniform is returned, and this includes the indoor track team.

For those of you racing either this coming weekend at the MSTCA Invitational or the MIAA Division 4 Championship on November 8th, we'll meet for practice on Monday at the usual time. Those who are done racing but would like to continue training are welcome to join in.

DCL Championship Meet - 10/24/14

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, if you need to have your ankles taped there should be time for that.

Meet Schedule and lineups:

NOTE: The powers that be allowed the course to be double booked, so we're sharing with the Catholic Conference. Their races will alternate with the DCL races. 

1:20 Course tour for those who need it
1:30 Coaches Meeting
1:40 Volunteer Meeting - Each team should bring 2-3 volunteers who can be students or adults to help with course navigation and/or setup
1:50 - JV Boys - Bartick, Brewton, P. Butler, D. Comettant, Dowling, Dutton, Gold, Jacobs, Kay, LaRochelle, Moody, Pachter, Porter, Talukdar, Watkins, Xu
2:20 PM Varsity Girls - Henning, Kiefer, A. McCarthy, Provost, Schwartz, Sheffres, Tully
2:50 PM 9th Grade Boys and Girls (3K) - Chase, Daley, Estrada, Luo, Pak, S. Comettant
3:00 PM Catholic Conference Freshman Race
3:20 PM Varsity Boys - Bucher, Cocce, Galang, Greenwood, Last, Macklin, J. McCarthy
3:40 PM Catholic Conference JV Boys
4:00 PM JV Girls - Barrow, Bauerova, Burke, S. Butler, DeRubeis, Jofe, Moran, Pineault
4:30 PM Awards Presentation 

Meet Information:

• Weather forecast: temperatures in the mid-50s with 10-15 mph winds from the NW. Dress warmly!
• You'll be wearing your DCL meet bib numbers--for the final time this season. You can keep your number afterward as a memento if you like!
• 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 6 9th graders. 
• Face paint and hats are not allowed. 
• If your name is listed in bold this will be your final meet of the season. It would be most convenient for everyone if you bring an extra change of clothes and after you're done with your race and cooldown, change out of your uniform 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 Challenge). If you're running in the boys JV race and you have third lunch on Friday, let me know so we can discuss how much to eat lunch. 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.

Karaoke and Booster Campaign

Saturday night's bus ride home from the Twilight Invitational was enlivened by a karaoke singing exhibition. Today at practice I'll be announcing the results of the fan voting, with prizes going to the top performers. If you were on the bus for the return trip and haven't voted yet you can send an e-mail to me at llayam (at) hotmail (dot) com. 

In addition, I received this note from the president of the Wayland Boosters:

"We have announced (as part of our campaign) that we want to purchase a 15 passenger bus for the athletic department. As you probably know the transportation cost are about 1/3 of the athletics budget and increased 17% this year. The bus should create savings of approximately 12,000 per year. It will allow you more opportunities to schedule scrimmages and travel to tournaments with out incurring significant travel costs. Our goal is to buy two busses so that all teams can take advantage.

We are looking for student athletes to help make follow-up calls to all Wayland families for the next three Tuesday evenings (10/21, 10/28 & 11/4) from 7-9pm in the main office at WHS. We will provide dinner (pizza and drinks) and support to help them make calls on our behalf. " 

If you're interested in volunteering, let me know and I'll pass your name along to the Boosters. Having access to a 15 passenger van would be very helpful for this program going forward. 

McIntyre Twilight Meet results

Some nice races for us at the Barnstable County Fairgrounds yesterday. I'm left wondering how the mile markers are in different places if the course is the same loop as previous years! Maybe there were some subtle changes to the layout. Congratulations in particular to Graham Macklin who came in 8th in the 10th grade race and Sarah Tully who finished 12th in the small school varsity race. While Graham's bib number was lacking the chip transmitter that the meet management were supposed to have prepared for us, his placing was acknowledged by the officials at the meet. I'm working on having the official online results updated.

Full results can be found on this page. I'm also sending out a spreadsheet to everyone on the mailing list with the split times of everyone who raced yesterday.

Training Plan for Week 8: 10/20-10/26

This week marks the beginning of championship season, with the DCL meet at Franklin Park in Boston on Friday afternoon. For some of you, this will be your final race. Others will continue on to the MSTCA Invitational on November 1st or the MIAA EMass Division 4 Championship (cross country's version of the state sectional meet). These are the people who are finishing up on Friday:

• boys: Bartick, Brewton, P. Butler, Daley, Dutton, Jacobs, LaRochelle, Nealley, Pachter, Pak, Porter, Watkins, Xu

• girls: Barrow, Bauerova, Burke, S. Comettant, Pineault

I should note that finishing your competitive season doesn't mean you're no longer welcome at practice after this week! If you'd like to continue working out with the team let me know.

• Monday 10/20 - 30-60 minutes, starting out easy and gradually progressing to about 80% effort for the last 5-10 minutes. Hill drills after the warmup and before the run. The aqueduct is a good option for the run today. This is a wide time range, the idea is that the people whose seasons are ending on Friday will be at the lower end of it. If you're continuing on to November it would be on the longer end.

• Tuesday 10/21 - 10 minute warmup, 5-7x800 meter repeats with 3-3.5 minute recoveries, 10 minute cool down. The loop we'll be using for this will be around the practice field and baseball fields, including up and over the small hill in the corner next to the parking lot. The idea is that the pace gets faster with each successive rep. One way to express this is to start at a 75% effort level and finish at a 90% effort. The first couple of reps will be just slower than race pace, the last one or two just faster than race pace. 

• Wednesday 10/22 - 20-40 minute easy run, on your own. Today is "Wayland Connects Day" and as such we won't be meeting for organized practice in the afternoon. 

• Thursday 10/23 - 20-30 minutes including 4-5x200 meters, starting at race pace and ending faster than that. Jog back after each rep. We'll follow this up with a game of partner tag for those that are interested. 

• Friday 10/24 - DCL Championship Meet at Franklin Park. Because this meet begins at 2 PM, the bus will be leaving at noon. You will be dismissed from class; of course, you'll also be responsible for any work you miss. It's best to let the teachers of affected classes know ahead of time and work out the details with them. More details on the meet itself forthcoming. If this is your final meet of the season, I'd like you to return your uniform to me before you head home for the evening, so bring a change of clothes to wear after the meet's done. 

• Saturday 10/25 - off

• Sunday 10/26 - 50-75 minutes easy. For those that are interested, I'll be at the Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge visitor center at 10 AM for an optional practice on the trails there. Like the last time we met here, there will be a trivia question for those that decide to make the trip. 

4th Annual Bob McIntyre Twilight Invitational - 10/18/14

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

Bus Time: 2 PM. Arrive before this time so that we can be on the road at 2 PM!

Meet Schedule and lineups:

4:10 Coed 6th-7th-8th grade race - n/a
4:30 9th grade boys 2.1 miles (17 minutes) - Chase, Daley, Estrada, Luo, Pak
4:50 9th grade girls 2.1 miles (19 minutes) - S. Comettant
5:10 10th grade boys (25 minutes) - Dowling, Kay, Macklin, Talukdar
5:35 10th grade girls (28 minutes) - A. McCarthy
6:00 JV girls (28 minutes) - DeRubeis, Henning, Jofe, Kiefer, Provost, Schwartz, Sheffres
6:25 JV boys (25 minutes) - Brewton, D. Comettant, Gold, Jacobs, LaRochelle, Pachter, Porter
6:50 boys varsity large - n/a
7:10 girls varsity large - n/a
7:35 boys varsity small (23 minutes) - Bucher, Cocce, Galang, Greenwood, Last, J. McCarthy, Moody
7:55 girls varsity small (24 minutes) - Tully

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.

Meet Information:

• Weather forecast: temperatures in the mid 60s dropping to the low 60s after sunset. Clear with winds around 15 mph from the SW. The wind will make it feel like it's cooler than it actually is. No one will be allowed on the bus wearing nothing but their uniform. 
• 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, please educated your student athletes.
• 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.  
• There will be a karaoke contest on the bus ride back from the meet; as of this writing, there are only two sets of contestants. See me if you're interested. 

What to bring (IMPORTANT):

• uniform
• everyday training shoes
• racing shoes if you have them
• warmup clothes including: long sleeved shirt, pants, windbreaker, gloves, hat
• 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 Challenge)
• folding chair if you want something to sit on while changing shoes
• blanket to lie on under the team tent
• DINNER for after your race. We won't be leaving the meet until sometime around 9 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 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. With over 3,000 athletes entered parking will likely become scarce.
• There's also an admission fee to enter the fairgrounds; $3 per adult, $5 per couple, $2 for children.
• The area near and next to the start/finish line area is the best area to watch the race.

Dual Meet #4 results - also Pam's Run is looking for volunteers

Yesterday in decidedly muggy conditions both teams earned a split of the double dual with Newton South and Waltham, taking the meets against Waltham. The boys end the dual meet season at 3-3, the girls 1-5. The girls were down to Waltham at the mile mark but turned the tide in the second half of the race and ended up winning 27-31. The boys did an excellent job of winning 17-44 without overdoing it in advance of the next meet on the schedule. That of course is the ever-popular McIntyre Twilight Invitational at the Barnstable County Fairgrounds in Falmouth on Saturday. More info (much more) on that in a later post.

Also on Saturday is a great local running event, Pam's Run held at the Claypit Hill School. They're looking for volunteers, if you're interested let me know at practice or send me an e-mail, my address is llayam (at) hotmail (dot) com. With the twilight meet being a late afternoon/evening affair, it's possible to both volunteer at Pam's Run and still make the 2 PM bus to Falmouth.

Dual Meet #4: at Newton South with Waltham - 10/15/14

* This meet is a make-up from its original date two weeks ago*

Meet Site: Cold Spring Park, 1200 Beacon Street, Newton MA. The meet will NOT be held at Newton South High School! 

Bus Time: 2:30

Start Time: First race will be 4:00 at the earliest.

There will be separate JV races. Order of races is as follows:
• JV boys - Bartick, Brewton, Butler, Chase, D. Comettant, Daley, Dowling, Dutton, Estrada, Gold, Jacobs, LaRochelle, Nealley, Pachter, Pak, Porter, Talukdar, Watkins, Xu
• varsity girls - Butler, DeRubeis, Henning, Jofe, Kiefer, McCarthy, Provost, Schwartz, Sheffres, Tully
• varsity boys - Bucher, Cocce, Galang, Greenwood, Kay, Last, Luo, Macklin, McCarthy, Moody
• JV girls - Barrow, Bauerova, Burke, S. Comettant, Moran, Pineault

*If your name is listed in bold, you're entered in this weekend's McIntyre Twilight Invitational at Falmouth. Whether or not you're entered will affect how you approach the dual meet Wednesday at Cold Spring Park.*

Meet Information:

• Weather forecast: temperatures in the low 70s, overcast partly cloudy with winds from the south. No one will be allowed on the bus wearing nothing but their uniform. 
• You'll need to wear your assigned DCL bib number for this race; afterward, please return it to one of the coaches for future use.
• This is a "double dual" meet in that there are three teams contesting three separate dual meets: Wayland vs. Newton South, Wayland vs. Waltham, and Waltham vs. Newton South.
• There are two different courses in use at this site; the boys will run a 3.1 mile course, the girls a 2.7 mile course. This is a decision made individually by each of the Newton South coaches (there are separate coaches for boys and girls at NS). FWIW the 2.7 mile course had been in use by both genders for 30+ years. I've sent a map of each course to everyone on the mailing list; it's a two loop course in the woods with a much smaller loop at the beginning around the soccer fields. Both courses finish on the soccer fields. 

What to bring:

• uniform
• everyday training shoes
• racing shoes if you have them
• warmup clothes
• 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 Challenge)
• folding chair if you want something to sit on while changing shoes

Information for Parents:

• The course is NOT located at Newton South High School; please see above for the address of Cold Spring Park where the meet will be held.

Training Plan for Week 7: 10/13-10/19

This week the pattern changes from what it's been the last two weeks. In fact it's similar to what we did in week 4, the last week of September. Hopefully, the amount of running you've been doing has been at its highest level of the season over the past two weeks. This week, the average amount of running you do on a daily basis will drop by about a third from what it's been the past week or two. Put in simple terms, if you've been averaging 60 minutes of running a day, this week you'll average 40. If you've been averaging 45 minutes, this week you'll average 30. This doesn't mean every day is the average; some days will be less and others will be more. The pattern of the runs will be B-A-B-A-A-B where A is shorter and B is longer; note that there are no C (longest) runs for the week. THe volume will go back up a bit next week, but not quite as high as the past two weeks. Also, thanks to the postponement of the dual meet with Newton South and Waltham two weeks ago, this week has two meets for many of you. 

Mon 10/13 - 30-45 minutes with 4-6x200 meter runs at the end. These runs will start at race pace for 100m and then get just a bit faster than that the second 100. Hill drills between the warmup and the rest of the run. This is also bring your pet to practice day.

Tue 10/14 - 20-40 minutes, with a gradual increase in the pace over the final 5-10 minutes of the run. Core circuit after the run. Today we'll be cleaning the area around the track and tennis courts, something each fall sports team has been tasked with doing at some point during the season. 

Wed 10/15 - Dual Meet #4 vs. Newton South and Waltham at Cold Spring Park. With warmup and cool down you should end up running 40-60 minutes. In fact this will end up being the longest run on the week for many of you. Those that are racing on Saturday will need to take special care not to overdo it today; the idea will be to take it out slower than your usual race pace by 10-20 seconds per mile and wait until the 2 mile mark to pick it up. Remember that the boys and girls race on different courses at Cold Spring Park. 

Thu 10/16 - 20-40 minutes, with a gradual increase in the pace over the final 5-10 minutes of the run. Hill drills between the warmup and the rest of the run. 

Fri 10/17 - 20-40 minutes, with 400-200-100 at race pace on the track near the end of the run. Core circuit after the run. Similar to what you did the day before last week's meet at Weston. Remember to get your things prepared for tomorrow's meet tonight if you're racing tomorrow. 

Sat 10/18 - McIntyre Twilight Invitational at the Barnstable County Fairgrounds. Bus at 2 PM. We'll talk more about how to approach this meet, which has become very popular within a few years of its founding. It's also worth noting though that there's a race in Wayland in the morning at the Claypit Hill School, Pam's Run. If you're interested in volunteering for that send me an e-mail. I've been in touch with the race director and she'd be happy to have volunteers from the WHS cross country teams.

Sun 10/19 - off.

Practice Monday - 9:30 AM "Bring Your Pet to Practice" day

This Monday we'll be having practice at the high school starting at 9 AM. The training plan for the week, including Monday, will be posted sometime tomorrow. If you like you can bring your pet to practice.

UPDATED Information for this Sunday's XC Challlenge and volunteer assignments

Below is a list of volunteer assignments, who's signed up for each one, and a brief description of the role as well as an expected timeframe for each job. If there are still slots left for a certain job the number of slots is shown in parentheses. The HFC Striders club will be providing some volunteers as well but I'm not sure how many. If there are any changes to what's listed below, I need to know at practice today.

Three races will be run: 

• 9:30 3k for 11-14 

• 10:00 3k 10 and under 

• 10:30 5k open

Registration - Jofe, Talukdar, Tully
Provide assistance at the registration table – helping people sign in, providing numbers, handing out race bags, etc. Need to arrive at 8 AM; done by 10:20

Parking - Bauerova, S. Butler, Moody, Provost
Provide assistance in the parking lot.  If the main lot fills you can park cars in the pool lot.  And if that lot fills you can park cars in the basketball court lot and in the grass along the road. Arrive by 8, done by 10.

Sweep - Cocce, Last, J. McCarthy
Follow behind the last participant on the course for each race – make sure no one is left behind or gets lost. Arrive at least 30 minutes before the start time of the race you’re sweeping.

Course Marshal - Bartick, Brewton, Dutton, Greenwood, LaRochelle, Pachter, Porter, Schwartz
Stand at a certain spot along the course and direct the runners as they go past. Be encouraging! Must arrive by 9 AM, done at 11.

Water Stop (1 person) - DeRubeis, Galang, Henning, Kiefer
You will be stationed at the table behind the tennis courts. Have a lot of cups already filled before the runners start coming by. Spread out so runners can access water easily. Clean up cups and fill new water cups before runners return for 2nd pass. Arrive by 9 AM, done at 11.

Finish Chute (4 people)
We need to have four people helping people move through the finish chute; two people on each side of the chute.  Encourage the runners to keep moving through the chute. Arrive by 9:15 AM, done at 11:30

Finish Line (4 people) - Macklin, A. McCarthy
We need to have two sets of people recording the numbers of the runners as they finish.  Position yourselves at the end of the chute.  One person calls out the numbers of the runners and the other person records the numbers. Arrive by 9:15 AM, done at 11:30

Finish Line Water (1 person) - Chase, Estrada, Luo
Fill cups with water
Hand out juice boxes
Keep finish line area clean of debris.
Arrive by 9, done by 11:30.

Photographer - Jameson, Dowling
Take lots of pictures of the runners, especially during the races.
Also take pictures of the sponsors.
Need to bring a camera.
Arrive by 9, done by noon.

Field House Assistant (2 people) - Daley, Watkins
Direct athletes to the bathrooms
Notify race director if more toilet paper is needed or of any issues.
Arrive by 8:30, done by 11.

Course Cleanup (6 people) - Gold, Mayall
After the races are over, go around the course to pick up flags, signs and cones.  Also help with cleaning up the registration area. Arrive by 10, leave around noon. 

Dual Meet #3: at Weston with Concord Carlisle - 10/8/14

Meet Site: Weston High School, 444 Wellesley St. Weston MA

Bus Time: 2:30

Start Time: First race will be 4:00 at the earliest. Races will go off roughly every half hour. 

There will be separate JV races. Order of races is as follows:
• JV boys - Bartick, Brewton, Butler, Chase, Comettant, Daley, Dowling, Dutton, Estrada, Gold, Jacobs, LaRochelle, Nealley, Pachter, Pak, Porter, Talukdar, Watkins, Xu
• varsity girls - Butler, DeRubeis, Henning, Jofe, Kiefer, McCarthy, Provost, Schwartz, Sheffres, Tully
• varsity boys - Bucher, Cocce, Galang, Greenwood, Kay, Last, Luo, Macklin, McCarthy, Moody
• JV girls - Barrow, Bauerova, Burke, Comettant

Meet Information:

• Weather forecast: temperatures in the high 60s, clear with winds out of west about 10 mph. The rain that's forecast for the morning on Wednesday should be long gone by the time the first race starts, and things will be drying out. 
• You'll need to wear your assigned DCL bib number for this race; afterward, please return it to one of the coaches for future use.
• This is a "double dual" meet in that there are three teams contesting three separate dual meets: Wayland vs. Weston, Wayland vs. Concord-Carlisle, and Weston vs. Concord-Carlisle.
• The Weston course is a 5k layout around the edges of their athletic fields, with the finish line on the track. Pay attention during the course tour to the areas of the course that were included to disrupt what is otherwise a rhythm course. 

What to bring:

• uniform
• everyday training shoes
• racing shoes if you have them
• warmup clothes
• 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 Challenge)
• folding chair if you want something to sit on while changing shoes

Information for Parents:

• The start and finish lines are within 100 meters of each other, with the finish line on the track. Standing near the starting line it's possible to watch the runners go by four times between the start and finish. 

Training plan for Week 6: 10/6-10/12

This week follows a very similar pattern to last week. It's the second week in a row at the highest average training volume of the season; next week we'll pull back by a third again in advance of the Twilight Meet in Falmouth. Once again the training pattern is C-A-B-A-B-C with A being the shortest run (30-45 minutes) and C being the longest (50-90 minutes). What I wrote on last week's plan about avoiding illness still applies; staying healthy through this stretch of the season is an important part of having the best possible conclusion to your season in late October and/or early November. 

IMPORTANT: Stay tuned for more information (including a sign-up protocol) for the Wayland XC Challenge on Sunday. It will be posted on this website and discussed at the start of practice. Keep in mind that as a member of this team, it's expected that you'll be there to help out unless you have a compelling reason otherwise! The proceeds from past editions of this meet have paid for the team wristwatches, the water bottles you were given at the beginning of the season to keep, and the chocolate milk you enjoy after races. In addition, the meet on Sunday is a good time and you get snacks. 

• Mon 10/6 - 45-75 minutes easy, out and back along the Weston aqueduct. We'll all be running along the aqueduct today, some of you well into Framingham before turning around and heading back. If you feel up to it, pick up the pace the last 10-15 minutes or so. Core circuit after the run.

• Tue 10/7 - 30-45 minutes incl. 400-300-200-100 at race pace at the end of the run. 300-200-100 meter jog recoveries between the race pace runs. We'll do this on the track. Hill drills after the warmup. 

• Wed 10/8 - Dual Meet #3 vs. Weston and Concord-Carlisle. This meet will be held at Weston; more information will be posted Tuesday on this website. The overall amount of running you do today, including warmup and cool down, should be in the 40-60 minute range. 

• Thu 10/9 - 30-45 minutes easy, with a modest increase in pace the last 5-10 minutes. Core circuit after the run. 

• Fri 10/10 - 10 minute warmup, 4-6x1200 meter repeats with 2-2.5 minute recovery jogs between them, 10 minute cool down. Hill drills after the warmup. You'll be running the repeats on a loop that includes most of the loop that was used in practice last Wednesday, as well as the part of the home course that goes around the practice football field, behind the outfield fence of the baseball field, and up and over the ridge. near the start/finish line. The first 400 meters of each repeat will be run at a pace 30-40 seconds per mile (7-10 seconds per 400) slower than race pace. The next 400 will be run at 20 seconds per mile (5 seconds per 400) slower than race pace. The final 400 of each repeat will be run at race pace. 

• Sat 10/11 - 60-90 minute easy long run. Today's optional practice will be back at the Lincoln trails. The time is the same, 9 AM. The address for this is 145 Lincoln Road in Lincoln, in the commuter rail parking lot just off the parking lot for the Lincoln shopping center and AKA Bistro. I'll be heading to the Devil's Staircase.

• Sun 10/12 - Off. Remember that unless you have a compelling reason, the expectation is that you'll be at the school for the Wayland XC Challenge which is the chief fundraiser for the program. More information forthcoming tomorrow in a separate post on this blog; there are plenty of volunteer roles to go around and they're assigned on a first-come first-served basis.

Saturday 10/4 optional practice - at Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge

This Saturday's optional 9 AM practice will be held at the Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge instead of the trails in Lincoln. The address is 680 Hudson Road in Sudbury. This address is the main entrance, we'll meet at the visitor center which is about half a mile down the road from the entrance gate along Winterberry Way. The refuge is an area that straddles Sudbury, Maynard and Stow and includes about 15 miles of trails, dirt roads, and paved roads. Motorized vehicles are prohibited from all parts of the refuge except for Winterberry Way, the road that accesses the visitor center. Many of the trails are former rail beds left over from the days when the area was a military storage area (without the snow of course!):

Dual Meet #3 at Cold Spring Park Postponed until October 15th; practice today instead at 2:45

Today's meet has been postponed due to weather and will be made up on October 15th. We'll be having practice instead, meeting in the field house at 2:45. See you there!

Dual Meet #3: at Newton South with Waltham - 10/1/14

Meet Site: Cold Spring Park, 1200 Beacon Street, Newton MA. The meet is NOT held at Newton South High School! 

Bus Time: 2:30

Start Time: First race will be 4:00 at the earliest.

There will be separate JV races. Order of races is as follows:
• JV boys - Bartick, Brewton, Butler, Chase, Comettant, Daley, Dowling, Dutton, Estrada, Gold, Jacobs, LaRochelle, Nealley, Pachter, Pak, Porter, Talukdar, Watkins, Xu
• varsity girls - Butler, DeRubeis, Henning, Jofe, Kiefer, McCarthy, Provost, Schwartz, Sheffres, Tully
• varsity boys - Bucher, Cocce, Galang, Greenwood, Kay, Last, Luo, McCarthy, Moody
• JV girls - Barrow, Bauerova, Burke, Comettant, Moran, Pineault

Meet Information:

• Weather forecast: temperatures in the high 50s, overcast with a chance of showers, winds 10 mph from the NE. A big change from Saturday's meet, much cooler and with the wind blowing it will feel raw. No one will be allowed on the bus wearing nothing but their uniform. You'll need to have your arms and legs covered during the course tour and warmup as well as the cooldown.
• You'll need to wear your assigned DCL bib number for this race; afterward, please return it to one of the coaches for future use.
• This is a "double dual" meet in that there are three teams contesting three separate dual meets: Wayland vs. Newton South, Wayland vs. Waltham, and Waltham vs. Newton South.
• I've sent a map of the course to everyone on the mailing list; it's a two loop course in the woods with a much smaller loop at the beginning around the soccer fields. UPDATE: the boys will be running a different course from the girls. The girls course is 2.7 miles long, the boys course will be 3.1 miles long.

What to bring:

• uniform
• everyday training shoes
• racing shoes if you have them
• warmup clothes
• 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 Challenge)
• folding chair if you want something to sit on while changing shoes

Information for Parents:

• The course is NOT located at Newton South High School; please see above for the address of Cold Spring Park where the meet will be held.