Training Log Archive: bishop22

Running around Mendon Ponds during the County Meet. Pretty good performance by the kids - the Varsity Girls were 11th (12th was predicted); the Boys were 13th (15th was predicted). Some especially good performances by those on the bubble for Sectionals - makes for a very tough call on who to send, but I think it should end up being the 7 fastest from today.

Overall, there were 15 boys that also ran last year, and the average improvement was 58 seconds (13 were faster), and the average would have been about 20 seconds higher if Kenny hadn't missed the meet last year. There were 5 girls that ran last year - 3 were slower and 1 was only 1 second faster, but Chelsea was 2:40 faster. But Ashley was only 16 seconds slower, with her best race of the year.

Another view is this table for the boys:

	2007	2006
<= 19 min	4	0
<= 20 min	11	7
<= 21 min	17	12

The course was certainly slower last year, but not that much slower, and our top 3 from last year graduated.

My legs were pretty wasted by the end of the 5 races that I (very actively) watched. My back and hip were even complaining.

The evil influences of Coach Klehr caused me to miss the run today. Actually, we just had to talk some things over about the end of the season, since he was back today, and since the kids were only heading out for a 20-minute jog, it didn't really leave any time to get out.

And then I had to go to the pasta party and EAT. Chelsea wouldn't let me go there sweaty, so I couldn't squeeze in a run after practice.

Easy run at Webster Park during practice (6 min w/up, 26 min run). The County kids just went 24 minutes easy (20 minutes + 1 minute for each kid that didn't show up). The Sectional kids did 4x15 seconds, scattering from the middle of the circle and back on alternating runs.

There was a typo on Wade's b-day cookie cake that made him 8 instead of 16.

Actually broke a sweat during this match. As usual, we blew 2 games late (and got blown out once), but managed to win the last one. My blocking is certainly coming back - I had the other team's best hitter psyched out by the end of the night.

Workout with the team at Webster Park. The kids that may have their last race at Counties on Saturday did just 4x400, with full recovery, while the top 5 boys and girls did 4x800 at tempo pace, but with about 3 min recovery (everyone started each interval at the same time). A little extra recovery before the last interval because the 3 fastest frosh decided they would try to "get it over with" and ran the last one too early, so we waited for them and let them run one more with the team (they were also instructed that if they didn't all finish before I came thru on my way to 800m, they would do another).

I was 3:09, 3:08, 3:07, 3:03 (came thru in 86 to keep the frosh honest). 2+ minutes jogging after each.

11:00 w/up
15:32 w/dn

Tried to help the kids understand how the training program we've followed should have them ready to go on Saturday. I think they were a little depressed after Monday. Most of the team has worked very hard most of the season, so I'm confident we'll see good performances on Saturday, even if the wind and rain, that is currently in the forecast, materializes.

Unplanned rest day. The school closed all the fields, so somehow that meant our practice (which is off at Webster Park, not on any school fields) had to be canceled. The school is going to turn the team into a bunch of wusses.

So, I got stuck at work, then had to renew my CPR certification, and was too hungry to do anything except eat after that.

C • zero 3

Easy run at Webster Park during XC practice.

The kids got a couple of good "pep talks" today. I think it is time to put a positive spin on things so they can be ready to run on Saturday.

BFLO Meet at Camp Schoellkopf, assuming we can squeeze it in before heading to the Bills game.

BFLO Meet at Camp Schoellkopf

Legs were feeling a little heavy from yesterday's time trial, but I was able to maintain a reasonable pace thru much of the course. The slow time is primarily due to the bags that were on the ground. This happened at 2, 3, 6 and 7.

At C2, I didn't lose much more than a) some confidence as I climbed the spur with no flag in sight and b) the time to pick it up and tie it back on to a tree (probably quite visible for the rest of the runners).

But at C3, I lost at least 7 minutes. It did not occur to me that there could be 2 flags in a row on the ground, so when I got to the correct hilltop and didn't see it, I was thinking that it was perhaps misplaced, so I wandered a bit, then attacked from a specific point on the trail and came back to the same hill. Some more wandering in case I could spot it elsewhere, then another attack from the small clearing to the north. This time I stood on the top of the hill, and noticed the flag near my feet, partially obscured by leaves. So I hung that back up.

No problems with 4 & 5. 6 was on the ground, but it didn't matter, since the knoll was easily visible from a distance (just lost the 10-15 seconds to tie it back on a tree). C7 was a problem. The area was just green enough, and had enough undulation, that I wasn't 100% sure I had the correct hilltop, so I checked out the creek view to verify my location and went back and found it on the ground - lost at least 2 minutes there.

The rest of the controls were all still hanging, so the only problem I had was rushing things on the approach to C11. I was using Nate's thumb compass, for just the second time and managed to take the wrong trail towards the wrong building and blew what should have been an easy control. I took too long to recover because I kept myself convinced that I had been at the correct building, even though the contours didn't make sense.

So, Rob ended up completely smoking me, and my 3 excuses (flags on the ground, heavy legs and inexperience with the thumb compass) don't seem to add up to explaining it.

C • Thanks. 2

About 4 minutes down to the main road and 5 minutes back before registering. No time for a w/dn, since I was off to the Bills game (and they actually held on for the win this time).

Ran back to the car from the Ralph after the game, hoping to get to Nate's 6pm hockey game. Turned out to be smooth sailing - I think a lot of people stayed in the parking lots to savor the win and the mid-to-upper 70s sunshiny afternoon.

Red - Splits