Assumption Cross Country

A. Summer running (before official practices begin)

When our official practices begin in mid-July, you’ll want to be in shape and ready to go if you’re a returning runner with any hope of earning a Varsity letter. The discussion below will help you determine what your training should be during June and mid-July. Before you start running this summer, you may also want to consider buying a new pair of running shoes if your current ones have been used for at least one season. If you have questions about where to buy shoes or what to get, then feel free to contact me about that or visit one of the running specialty stores like Fleet Feet, Ken Combs, etc.

1. Suggested training guides. I’ve provided a suggested summer training outline on the back side of this sheet. Use this information as a guide, realizing that the workouts follow a general pattern that can be adapted or shifted around. In that light, here are a few things to bear in mind:

a. Each week’s workouts are set up in a specific order. As long as you keep the sequence of training days the same, you’ll get the appropriate benefit. E.g. you can move everything back two days - changing the Monday workouts to Wednesday, Tuesday to Thursday, etc. Don’t change Monday workouts to Tuesday, and Tuesday workouts to Monday though, because the order of the workout days is as important as what you do on each of those days.

b. At some point, your workouts should vary in intensity, but not necessarily right away. For some of you, it’s likely that your body may need to adjust to the harder workouts on this schedule or that there may be certain days when you just can’t go out and run something hard. The basic idea, however, is that you move toward doing the tougher workouts as you’re able. Once you’re able to run harder on certain days, you’ll need to do so if you want any significant gain to come from your summer running.

c. Older, more experienced runners need to do more than younger, less experienced runners. If you’re a junior or senior, then you need to strive for something as close to the junior/senior training schedule as you can get. If you’re a sophomore or incoming freshman, then you need to similarly strive toward doing the sophomore or freshman workouts. Younger girls, I do not want you running the workouts of the older girls. Be patient, your time will come. J

d. If you don’t run at all during the summer, then realize you’ll be pretty far behind the girls who do run. Something is better than nothing, but remember that not all somethings are created equal. You need to be consistent with whatever you do and need to stay within your ability and experience.

2. Here are some more specific descriptions of certain workouts.

a. Fartlek: after warming up, run for 4 minutes at as close to 5K pace as you can, followed by a 2-3 minute recovery period of easy jogging, not walking, before starting on the next 4 minute effort at 5K pace. Older, more experienced girls should do more repetitions of this workout than the younger, less experienced girls. Always follow up this workout with an easy warmdown of at least 3-4 minutes.

b. Hill loop: find a loop at the park or near your home that has some pretty good hills on it, and run continuously around that loop for a pre-determined amount of time. During the first few weeks of hill loops, don’t worry about running the hills too hard. Work on good form and running smoothly.

c. Tempo: a tempo run is one where you push the pace for a certain amount of time. Prior to the first practice, you’ll have to decide for yourself how fast “pushing the pace” will be. Build gradually during the run, trying to make the last half of the run faster than the first half.

d. Strides: run a series of 4-8 sprints (between 40 and 80m) after the workout. Concentrate on good running form and rest as much as you need between them. At least half should be fairly fast, so it’s OK to use the first few as more of a warmup (running at about ¾ speed).

	Sun	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Fri	Sat
Summer Cross Country Training (first year/less experienced runners)
as long as possible thru 6/19	rest	20 min distance run	20 min distance run	rest	20-25 min distance run	rest	20 min distance run
6/20-26	rest	25 min distance run	20 min distance run	rest	25-30 min distance run	rest	25 min distance run
6/27-7/3	rest	25 min distance run	25 min distance run	rest	25-30 min distance run	rest	25-30 min distance run
7/4-10	rest	25 min distance run	30 min distance run	rest	30 min distance run	rest	15 min hill loop
7/11-17	rest	30 min distance run	30 min distance run	rest	30 min distance run	rest	15 min hill loop
Summer Cross Country Training (returning Sophomores-to-be)
as long as possible thru 6/19	rest	30 min run	rest	20-25 min (tempo run)	35 min run	rest	30-35 min run
6/20-26	rest	30 min run	35 min run	25-30 min (tempo run)	35 min run	rest	20 min hill loop
6/27-7/3	rest	Fartlek: 3 x 4 min	40 min run	25 min + strides	35 min run	rest	25 min hill loop
7/4-10	rest	Fartlek: 3 x 4 min	45 min run	25 min + strides	25 min hill loop	rest	25 min hill loop
7/11-17	rest	Fartlek: 3 x 4 min	45 min run	25 min + strides	25 min hill loop	rest	25 min hill loop
Summer Cross Country Training (returning Juniors/Seniors-to-be)
as long as possible thru 6/19	rest	30 min run	rest	20-25 min (tempo run)	35 min run	rest	35 min run
6/20-26	rest	35 min run	50 min run	35 min (tempo run)	35 min run	rest	30 min hill loop
6/27-7/3	rest	Fartlek: 3 x 4 min (+ 20 min jog)	50 min run	25 min run + strides	40 min run	45 min run	30 min hill loop
7/4-10	rest	Fartlek: 4 x 4 min	60 min run	25 min run + strides	30 min hill loop	55 min run	35 min hill loop
7/11-17	rest	Fartlek: 4 x 4 min	60 min run	25 min run + strides	30 min hill loop	rest	30 min hill loop

B. Summer Running (after official practices begin)

We will meet on a regular basis between July 19 and August 7 for official practices on Monday, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Everyone will be expected to run on at least 1-2 additional days, something we’ll discuss below and at our first meeting. The reason for this is that my summer teaching schedule does not allow me to attend practices on Mon, Tues and Thurs nights after 5pm until after August 6.

1. Team meeting on Thursday, July 15 (4:00pm @ Seneca Pk, by the tennis courts/playground area).

This meeting will be more of an opportunity to pass out information, discuss the practice schedule, talk about the team, etc., than an actual practice. There will be some running for those who are able and come prepared, but nothing formal. Realize that you must turn in a physical and permission form before practicing.

2. First practice – Monday, July 19. Our practice schedule from July 19 through August 7 will be:

a. Mondays – Seneca Park @ 4:00 pm, we meet in our usual spot (July 19, 26, and Aug 2).

b. Wednesdays – E.P. Tom Sawyer Park @ 5:00 pm, we meet near the playground area and pool (July 21, 28, and Aug 4).

c. Fridays – Seneca Park @ 5:00 pm, we meet in our usual spot (July 23, 30, and Aug 6).

d. Saturdays – Joe Creason Park @ 9:30 am, we meet in the picnic area by the playground and Mansion (July 24 and 31 – note that on Sat, Aug 7, we have our Alumni Race @ Seneca).

During this time, the Varsity girls will be meeting to run on 1-2 additional days per week. They will be coordinating the time and place of these workouts. Any interested girl can join them, but everyone will be expected to supplement the practice schedule above with at least one additional day of running on your own if you don’t attend. I’ll be discussing what these extra day workouts should be later on. If you’re ever in doubt about what to do, a 30-40 minute run with some strides when you’re done is probably OK for most girls.

3. Practices from Monday, August 9, to Monday, August 16. Our practice schedule from August 9 through August 16 will be as follows (freshmen start school Aug 16):

a. Monday, Aug 9 – Seneca Park @ 5:00 pm

b. Tuesday, Aug 10 – Seneca Park @ 5:00 pm

c. Wednesday, Aug 11 – E.P. Tom Sawyer Park @ 5:00 pm

d. Thursday, Aug 12 – Seneca Park @ 5:00 pm

e. Saturday, Aug 14 – Joe Creason Park @ 9:30 am

f. Monday, Aug 16 – Seneca Park @ 5:00 pm

4. Practices after August 17. When school begins for everyone on August 17, we’ll start meeting after school at Seneca Park on Monday through Friday, and on Saturdays at Joe Creason at 9:30 am. The usual school day procedure is to carpool from Assumption to Seneca Park. We typically need help from parents if there aren’t enough girls who can drive.

5. Other important dates.

a. Tuesday, June 22 – Physicals at AHS (5:30-7 pm)

b. Wednesday, July 28 – Team pictures at AHS (3:00 pm)

c. Saturday, August 7 – Alumni and Parent 2 x 2K relay at Seneca Park (10:00 am)

Cross Country Parent meeting (afterwards)

C. Fall Cross Country Season

1. Expected Fall Schedule

We are looking at the following (tentative) schedule. Note the dates that are subject to change (denoted with a “*”) and realize that we may add a meet or two along the way.

Sept 4 (Sat) – Tiger Run @ E.P. Tom Sawyer Pk

Sept 7 or 8 – JV All-Comers meet @ Seneca Pk

Sept 11 (Sat) – Male Invitational @ Joe Creason Pk or Kenwood Classic @ Clarksville, TN

Sept 14 (Tues)* – Master Schedule meet @ TBA

Sept 18 (Sat) – Valkyrie Invitational @ E.P. Tom Sawyer Pk or Kenwood Classic @ Clarksville, TN

Sept 23 (Thurs)* – Shively Freshman Championship @ Shively Pk

Sept 28 (Tues)* – Master Schedule meet @ TBA

Oct 2 (Sat) – Great American CC Race @ Cary, NC

Oct 9 (Sat) – Rocket Relays @ E.P. Tom Sawyer Pk

Oct 14 (Tues)* – Master Schedule meet @ TBA

Oct 16 (Sat) – Lexington Catholic @ Kentucky Horse Park

Oct 26 (Tues) – Academy Meet @ Seneca Pk

Oct 30 (Sat) – Metro Meet of Champions @ Seneca or KHSAA Meet of Champions @ KY Horse Park

Nov 6 (Sat) – Regional Championship @ TBA

Nov 13 (Sat) – State Championship @ Kentucky Horse Park

* date is tentative

We do not have an official date for the Kenwood Classic, but I expect us to make the following adjustments once we know that date. If the meet occurs on Sept 11, then the main Varsity group will likely skip the Tiger Run. I do not want them running three races in three weeks at the start of the season. If the meet occurs on Sept 18, then the main Varsity group will compete in the Tiger Run and skip the Male Invitational.

2. Out of town trips

a. Kenwood Classic – when attending the Kenwood meet, we take about 30 girls. This includes all actively participating seniors and girls with times good enough to fill out any remaining spots until we get to about 30 people. Actively participating seniors will be those senior girls who have met regularly at practices during the summer or who have been in contact with me over the summer while running on their own. If you are a senior and you don’t show up to practice until the first day of school, then, in all likelihood, you won’t be included in this trip. Everyone is welcome to travel to Kenwood on their own, however, and support the team, but they will need to make their own arrangements for lodging, transportation, etc.

b. Great American – we will be taking a 7 person Varsity and 7 person JV team to this meet (i.e. our fastest 14 girls). This is a major invitational that will involve some of the best high school runners in the United States, but will also be a major undertaking in terms of transportation and so forth, so we will not go there to compete with a large group of girls.

Contact info: you can reach me by email, at my home phone (897-0326) or my work phone (852-4845). I can also be reached by email through our team website (www.ahsdistance.org).