MIAA All-State Division 2 Results, 11/20/21

The 2021 season ended today for the WHS Cross Country program in fine style at the Wrentham Developmental Center. The 9th grade duo of Luke Chisum and Owen Williams represented the team at the highest level for the sport in the state. Despite some slick spots underfoot, the course was by and large smooth and running quite fast. This fact combined with a field of almost 200 athletes who had all qualified to be in the Division 2 race meant the early pace was screamingly fast. Chisum and Williams hung back in the crowd early on passing the mile mark in about 5:35, somewhere in the back half of the field. Soon enough they were working their way past athletes who had bitten off more than they could chew. Hitting the second mile in 11:12 and running close to even splits for the first two miles had them near the top half of the field. The trend continued for an exciting final mile of the course as they continued picking off people ahead of them until the finish where Chisum wound up 76th and Williams a second behind him in 80th. 

Today was the third time the two had raced on the Wrentham layout but the first time racing the 5k distance, as previous visits had been on the shorter 3k course. Their times put them emphatically in the sub-18 minute club and well positioned among the top 10 WHS athletes to have raced the course since it was established in 2010. They were also the 4th and 6th fastest 9th graders in the Division 2 race, and 9th and 11th out of all 9th graders in all three divisions that raced on the course today. 

Note in the results linked below that the 3k split time was recorded for most of the runners, as they passed by the finish line and its timing mat at this point in the race. This split offers a glimpse into how the final stages of the race unfolded, i.e. who moved up and who fell back in the field. Luke Chisum passed 35 people in the last 2k (1.2 miles) of the race, and Williams did something similar as they were side by side pretty much the entire time. 

Results

All-time performance list for Wrentham Developmental Center

This will be the final entry for the 2021 campaign; many thanks to all those who made it a worthwhile, edifying and memorable one. Stay tuned for a preseason interest meeting, coming sometime in June 2022. Anyone who brings a friend to the meeting that's new to the team gets to pick something from the prize bag.

Awards Night and Varsity Lists

This coming Wednesday November 17th there will be an end of season celebration held in the Commons at 6:30. We'll recognize the recipients of team-specific awards including Most Improved, Rookie of the Year, and MVP. There are also Coaches' Awards and Booster Awards that will be given out. Varsity letters/pins will be distributed as well as JV certificates. Plus we'll be having the always popular dagashi prize bag blowout, a highlight of this event. There will also be chocolate milk available to whomever wants it (there was some left over at the end of the season). We hope to be done by 7:30. 

Please note that unlike past editions of this event, there will be no food for consumption at the event itself (sigh). Save the prize bag snacks and chocolate milk to have later. In addition, all parents must fill out an attestation form in order to be allowed in the building. This form has been sent out to the mailing list. Spare copies to fill out will be available at the event as well.

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

Girls:

Nadia Calder

Emily Grieco

Hannah Han

June Kim

Grace Marto

Madeline O'Leary

Ashley Rice

Arya Samaratunga

Bella Thoen

Boys:

Luke Chisum

Thomas Creavin

Tully Jay

William Morris

Daniel Narvaez

Kyle Reece

Lucas Thompson

Michael Wightman

Owen Williams

MIAA Division 2B Championship Results - 11/13/21

Championship season reached new heights today for WHS cross country athletes. A new format for the MIAA Cross Country Tournament meant a new site to visit for the first round, with the Division 2 schools racing at the Gardner Municipal Golf Course. On a soggy, undulating sinuous layout it was important to not get sucked out too quickly in the early stages. Not all 5k courses are created equal and this one offered unique challenges. 

The boys raced first and leading the way were the 9th grade dynamic duo of Luke Chisum and Owen Williams led the way finishing 20th and 21st. They were followed by Thomas Creavin, Daniel Narvaez and William Morris rounding out the scoring five and Michael Wightman and Kyle Reece completing the Wayland top seven. When the results were compiled two somewhat remarkable things became clear:

• Chisum and Williams (the top two 9th graders in the race) qualified as wildcard individuals for next week's second and final round of the tournament, the Divsional State Championships. The qualifying criteria are laid out on page 4 of this document. No WHS athlete has qualified for the second round of the tournament since 2016 (Graham Macklin and Sarah Tully). No WHS 9th grader has qualified since Tully in 2013. 
• The boys team finished 8th, narrowly missing the final qualifying spot. Note that Wayland is the only team in the top 10 that has no 12th graders anywhere in its top seven. Only Ludlow in 7th can claim no 12th graders in their scoring top five. Also, just 13 points separated 7th and 11th place indicating how tightly contested these spots were. This meet promises to be quite competitive next year. 

Next up were the girls who wrapped up their season with a 19th place finish which is impressive considering that four of the seven who toed the line are in their first year on the team. Two of those rookie athletes, Arya Samaratunga and Bella Thoen, led the way for the team with both of them running well in the latter stages. June Kim was next finisher for Wayland, finishing her WHS career. She was followed by Ashley Rice with Grace Marto rounding out the scoring five. Madeline O'Leary finished her first season as Wayland's sixth runner and senior Nadia Calder, while unable to finish, gave it her best effort as she always does. 

The 2021 campaign has wrapped up except for Chisum and Williams who will be racing next Saturday at Wrentham Developmental Center. If there's sufficient interest in watching them race we'll look into taking one of the booster buses, let me know. 

meet results

WHS splits

Team results and top individuals at MIAA tournament since late '90s

MIAA Division 2B Championship, 11/13/21

 Meet Site:

Gardner Municipal Golf Course. The clubhouse is on Eaton Street, but the start/finish area is around the corner on Green Street. According to the map below parking areas are at the corner of Eaton and Green Streets.

Bus time 9 AM

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

Race Schedule and Entries:

Boys Race 11:30
Girls Race 12:15           

 Meet Information:

• Weather forecast: Cloudy with a slight chance of rain showers, temperature in the low 50s with E winds 5-10 mph. An up to date forecast for Gardner can be seen here. It will have rained on the course the day before, the ground will be soft underfoot. 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. Warmups 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.
• Stay off the tees and greens of the golf course while warming up. Stay out of the sand traps as well.

Course Map (click to enlarge):

 

• link to course map online that can be zoomed in and out if you like

• The course consists of two loops around the golf course from the starting line, with an extra 400 yards at the end from the starting line to the finish line. The course can best be described as "rolling." How rolling is in the eye of the beholder. There are also multiple turns on the course. It's important to preview the course by walk/jogging the loop well ahead of your race. Since the course covers the same loop twice you don't have to cover the entire 5k to see it all.
 

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

 
• Medals will be awarded to the top 15 finishers.  

• Qualification for next week's Divisional State Meet at Wrentham is covered on page 4 of this document. Since the format of the MIAA Cross Country Tournament has changed dramatically this year I wrote a document comparing the old system to the new system. The other teams in Division 2B are listed on page 2 of this document.

What to Bring:

• Uniform, including both jersey and shorts
• spare change of clothes so you can return your uniform when we return to WHS
• 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 have no idea what it is. The fan parking area will no doubt be a complete mess, especially with the rainy forecast for Friday and possibly Saturday morning. In the past when visiting this course I've been able to park for free in the Mt. Wachusett CC parking lots across the street from the golf course. These can be accessed by taking a left on Matthews Street off route 140. See google maps for what I'm talking about.
• We hope to return to WHS around or a little after 2:30 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.

Week 12 Training Plan, 11/8-11/14

MIAA Cross Country Tournament - old vs. new format

This week is the culmination of the season thus far. The hope is to put your best foot forward on Saturday at Gardner. Everything leading up to Saturday in practice is intended to help make that possible. 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. 

You've all made positive strides throughout the season. You can improve your chances of doing well on Saturday by getting to bed at a reasonable hour, drinking water regularly throughout the day (to the tune of around 48 ounces a day), and eating a nutritious balanced diet. Note that like the last two weeks, there's a scheduled day off during the week, which is Thursday i.e. Veteran's Day. 

The first three days of the week there will be two different workouts, one for the people who raced on Saturday and are doing a time trial on Tuesday (Group B) and the other for those that already ran a time trial last week (Group A). 

Finally, it's important to note that with the clocks turned back it will be getting dark quite early. If you or a family member have a reflective vest or other reflective gear bring it to practice and wear it whenever off campus. Take special care in crossing streets

 
Monday 11/8 - Warmup including BURPEES followed by either 

Group A: CMR of 36 (3 minute cycles). The CMR will then be followed by 6x150m at faster than race pace with a 150m jog recovery.

Group B: A short length run capped off with two sets of short repeats on the track.

Tuesday 11/9 - Warmup followed by either 

Group A: a short length run of no more than 36 minutes with run throughs over cones. 

Group B: 10 minute warmup, 3x100 at mile race pace, then a mile time trial followed by 3-4x200 at 5k race pace after 10-12 minutes. 8-10 minute easy jog cooldown.

Wednesday 11/10 - Warmup including BURPEES followed by either 

Group A:  a 12-15 minute jog, 3x400 at 5-10 seconds faster than race pace, mile at race pace, 3x400 at 5-10 seconds 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. 

Group B: 36 minute CMR. The CMR will then be followed by 6x150m at faster than race pace with a 150m jog recovery.

Thursday 11/11 - off

Friday 11/12 - Warmup followed by a 10 minute jog, two sets of short intervals on top of the aqueduct, 10 minute cooldown.

Saturday 11/13 - MIAA Division 2B Championship at Gardner Municipal Golf Course. More details in a forthcoming post. 

 
Sunday 11/14 - off

Frank Mooney Invitational Results, 11/6/21

It was a fast day for racing at the Wrentham Developmental Center and a select group of WHS athletes took full advantage at Saturday's Frank Mooney Invitational. The team arrived to find the fields covered in a thick layer of frost which took a while to burn off in the weak November sun. The foot traffic from hundreds of athletes over the course left a few spots slick and borderline treacherous. There were multiple athletes slipping and falling but none from Wayland that I saw. Having spiked shoes made a big difference for those that wore them. 

Conditions underfoot notwithstanding the weather was just about perfect for this time of year, chilly and crisp without a breath of wind to speak of. The first race of the day was the 10th grade boys 5k race with three WHS runners all running as fast as they've ever run for the 5k distance, led by Kyle Reece who ran under 20 minutes. Next was the 9th grade boys race where the dynamic duo of Luke Chisum and Owen Williams kept the leaders close early on and eventually consolidated their spots in 2nd and 3rd. Luke now has the fastest time run for a WHS male athlete on the 3k course at Wrentham and Owen the 3rd fastest. The athlete in between them on the list, Graham Macklin '17, wound up a multiple time DCL All-Star and State Meet qualifier in cross country.  Wrapping up the day for Wayland was Arya Samaratunga in the girls 9th grade 3k race who smartly moved her way into the top five by the 800 meter mark and stayed there the rest of the way finishing fifth. She improved on her time which is the third fastest by a WHS female athlete on the 3k course which was first used in 2010. 

Meet results

WHS athletes splits and times

All time performance lists for the Wrentham course since 2010

Frank Mooney Invitational, 11/6/21

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

Remember, no eating on the bus and masks must be worn.

Race Schedule and Entries (time cutoff in parentheses):
 

9:00 AM Sophomore boys 5k race (25 minutes) - Caddoo, Goldstein, Reece

9:26 AM Sophomore girls 5k race - none

9:55 AM 9th grade boys 3k race (16 minutes) - Chisum, F. Jay, Williams

10:12 AM 9th grade girls 3k race (18 minutes) - Samaratunga

 
Meet Information:

• Weather forecast: Sunny, temperatures in the high 30s to low 40s with a light breeze.
• 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. 
• If you're wearing a stopwatch while racing, putting your arm up to hit the button on the watch while crossing the finish line can cause the RFID chip to be blocked by your arm, and your finish might not be recorded. In other words, don't press the button on your watch when crossing the finish line.
• The meet staff has asked that no one do their warmup or cool down among the buildings of the Wrentham Developmental Center, where patients are housed. Aside from the course itself, you can warmup and cool down on the ball fields across the street.
• Medals will be given to the top 30 finishers in each race.
• Time cutoff: the timing system will be turned off when the cutoff time for a given race is reached. 

Course Map:

• The course is fairly flat, with some roll in places. There are no long and/or steep hills. The course is almost entirely on grass. The 5k course is three loops. The 3k course ends after the second loop (yellow on this map). The 5k course repeats this second loop. Both the 3k and 5k share the same first loop, which is the circumference of the large field where the course is situated. The second 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. You didn't hear this from me, but there's free parking at the soccer field complex across the street as well as at King Philip HS which is about an 8-10 minute walk down Shears Street from the meet site.
• 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 noontime, possibly a bit earlier.