Signed, Sealed, Delivered

As promised back in June at the interest meeting, we have acquired two Elliptigo Arc model elliptical bikes for use by the WHS cross country program. They were purchased through the Wayland Boosters using funds raised via the Wayland XC Festival. These bikes will give team members the opportunity to cross train in a way that closely resembles running without the impact and pounding. The hope is that this training option will supplement the running that we do, and in a pinch serve as a substitute for those who are unable to run consistently without aggravating certain types of injuries. Here they are, outside the softball shed where they'll be stored for the season:

Team members will be able to ride the elliptigo upon completion of a brief orientation and riding test. The idea is that each bike will be ridden by multiple people each day in shifts. Also stay tuned for more information on a naming contest for these bikes which will take place during the first week of practice.

First week Practice Schedule and Registration reminder

With less than a week to go before the start of practice next Thursday 8/25, I wanted to put out the schedule for the "pre-season" practices (i.e. before the start of school):

Thursday 8/25 - 3:15 PM at WHS

Friday 8/26 - 3:15 PM at WHS or 3:45 at Town Beach (some will meet at WHS, others at the beach)

Saturday 8/27 - 9 AM, Town Beach

Monday 8/29 - 3:15 PM at WHS

Tuesday 8/30 - 3:15 PM at WHS or 3:30 at Town Beach

Wednesday 8/31 - First day of school, practice begins at 2:45

 If you're unable to make any of these practices let me know so I can give you an alternate workout to complete on your own.


Of course, you won't be able to practice without having registered first. Information on registration and a link to the familyID website can be found at

http://whs.wayland.k12.ma.us/athletics/registration/

As of this writing there are 10 boys and 10 girls that have completed at least part of the registration process; note that all registrations must be approved and athletics user fees paid (or arrangements for a waiver made) before an athlete can participate in practice.

See you next Thursday!

Coach Mayall

Training in hot weather

While the temperature has been high previously this summer, the next few days promise to be the hottest and most humid of the season. With that in mind, here are some recommendations (taken from this link) that might be of assistance, plus a bonus piece of advice from me:

1. If at all possible, run at the coolest time of day, which is usually just before sunrise.
2. If at all possible, avoid running during the middle of the day which is usually the hottest time.
3. Plan shady routes and/or routes with water fountains.
4. Wear loose fitting, light-colored, tech clothing (i.e. not cotton) that wicks away sweat and dries quickly. Leave the tights and yoga pants in the closet.
5. Consume adequate amounts of water and sports drink. "Adequate" in this case would be 4-6 ounces just before starting out, another 4-6 ounces for every 20-25 minutes or so of exercise, and 12+ ounces upon finishing. The longer the run, the more you'll want to drink afterward.
6. Use sunscreen. Among the many reasons to avoid getting sunburned is that injured skin loses its ability to sweat, making cooling less efficient.
7. Examine any medications you may be taking because some can increase your sensitivity to heat.
8. Slow your run pace down to adjust for heat and humidity.
9. Run by feel or perceived exertion level rather than pace. If a run feels hard, it is hard regardless of actual pace. 
10. It's fine to use the treadmill for some runs when the weather is really bad. 

I would add to this list that cross training, especially aquajogging, is a good way to stay cool. Combining running with other forms of exercise, especially aquajogging, will allow you to get in more time training without overheating. Cross training isn't just for runners who are injured.

Information for 8th graders (and their parents)

Welcome to the team website (or blog if you prefer) for the WHS cross country teams. This site serves as the primary mode of communication between coaches, parents and athletes during the season. On the right side of the page are various sidebars, including a proposed 2016 schedule and useful links. Within that list of useful links you'll find a general FAQ which will hopefully answer any questions you may have about the team and how things are done. In addition, there's a document outlining guidelines for training during the summer months in advance of the official start of practice.

The website will be updated later on in the summer with links and directions on how to register with the Athletic Department. Registration is a requirement before being allowed to practice with the team. Look for that to be posted sometime soon. Until then, have a great summer. Coach Lehmann and I are looking forward to the start of the season on August 25th. If you have any questions feel free to e-mail me, my address is

llayam (at) hotmail (dot) com

- Head Coach Mark Mayall

Pre-season Interest Meeting - Monday June 13, room B244 @2:30 PM

It's that time of year again--time to think about preparing for the upcoming cross country season which begins in late August. As such we'll be having a meeting next Monday June 13th for anyone interested in joining the cross country teams this fall. This includes those who have been team members in the past as well as anyone who hasn't participated in the past but would like to give the sport a try this fall. I encourage those of you who were on the team last fall to bring a friend. Better yet, bring two!

The meeting will be in Coach Lehmann's classroom which is room B244 at 2:30 after school on Monday. The meeting should last 30 minutes at most. If you'd like to go but can't due to a previous commitment, let me or Coach Lehmann know. Remember, my e-mail is llayam (at) hotmail (dot) com.

See you June 13th!

-Coach Mayall

Booster Awards Night, Varsity Lists and Footlocker Results

The WHS Athletic Boosters Award Night will be held Wednesday evening December 2nd at 6 PM in the auditorium. Following the ceremony which will recognize athletes from all fall sports (and should take no more than an hour), 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 main ceremony's conclusion. At the breakout meeting we'll recognize the recipients of team-specific awards including Most Improved, Rookie of the Year, and MVP. All are invited to attend and we hope to see you there! We 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 and/or in the varsity race at the DCL Championship Meet. These meets represent our post-season, and the EMass Division 4 Championship is our state sectional tournament. Athletes who were slated to compete in either of these meets but were unable due to illness or injury are worthy of consideration for varsity status as well.

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

3. Team captains who voluntarily took on the extra responsibility of a leadership role are eligible for varsity status in the rare occasion that neither of the first two criteria apply. 


Girls Varsity:

Taylor DeRubeis '16
Emma Kiefer '16
Allie Kunen '16
Rachel Lorenc '16
Abby McCarthy '17
Lauren McNamara '17
Sophie Mishara '17
Caroline Provost '16
Erica Sheffres '16
Sarah Tully '17

Boys Varsity:

David Ahearne '19
John Bartick '16
Harrison Brewton '16
Patrick Butler '16
Logan Chaet '16
Jett Chan '18
Trevor Chase '18
Devin Comettant '16
Logan Dawson '18
Cole Jacobs '16
Addison Kay '17
Zach Last '16
Zhenyang Luo '18
Dan Pachter '16
Alex Porter '16

If you're on this list and you think you've earned your varsity jacket, please inform Ms. Sullivan in the main office. The requirements for a varsity jacket are:

• two varsity letters in a sport or combination of sports
• four years in the same sport
• three seasons in the same sport with one varsity letter

Finally, Sarah Tully raced this past weekend in the Championship Race at the Footlocker Northeast Regional at Van Cortlandt Park in New York City. This is one of the most competitive high school races in the entire New England and mid-Atlantic region, and she did very well to finish in the top 40 behind only five other runners from Massachusetts.

MIAA All-State Division 2 Results

meet results

pictures

Congratulations to Sarah Tully on placing 5th out of 178 finishers at Saturday's D2 All-State race at Stanley Park in Westfield. In 10th with a mile to go, Sarah worked her way up with a strong surge to the finish and locked down the fifth spot with an impressive sprint holding off multiple athletes hot on her heels. It was a very impressive race, and really fast as well. Sarah will race next weekend at the Footlocker Northeast Regional Meet in New York; best of luck to her there!

Stay tuned for more details on the Fall Sports Booster Awards Night, which will be held on Wednesday December 2nd. Following the main ceremony we'll be holding a separate meeting for the cross country teams in Coach Lehmann's classroom.