While sitting on the top row of the bleachers, listening to each of the 30 teams being read in order of finish, I'm anxiously sitting with my son to the right of me. I pretty much had an idea we would be on the trophy stand, but there is always that doubt. I gotta be honest here, I was a nervous wreck. It seemed that were times the the entire "Panther Nation" had there eyes on me, thinking I already knew the outcome. I can assure you, I did not. All I know, I wasn't thrilled with the thought of being the 5th team, as I knew it would be very close. Being 5th at state would be like "kissing your sister". YUCK (And I've got 6 sisters).
However, while listening to the list being read, the entire race that I could see zipped through my head. I kept asking, where could we have missed something? I see Nick and Cole picking there way through the pack, and having themselves right where I thought they would be. Then, to have Nick get tripped (and we think we're pretty sure who did it)was a heart breaker but also a lesson. GET BACK UP AND FINISH. And that he did. He could have easily laid there, but being the team man Nick is, he musters up what he can, and brings it on home. Then, I knew Matt would have a great race, which he did, and Christian was so steady. I'm glad we made the decision to put him in the 2nd row to keep him from bolting at the gun. Christian is like a race horse at the gate....... Holy smokes. And then there is my neighbor, Lester. The same Lester who is #7 for us most of the time and PRs by 33 seconds......... His best up until today was 12:20. OH MY, to run the race of his life was truely amazing....... That's 5 guys under 11:50. Never has that happened for PBL. Tyler ran "ok", but not super great (he was "Lester" last year), and Paul brought the team home the best he could. I know both were disappointed, but we've got to remember, that's why we run 7 but only count 5.
Hence, another lesson, regardless of who you are on the team, one's contribution at any given meet may surprise many and amaze others. Never ever underestimate your team mate's ability to excel. And excel is what we did today in so many ways.
I'm proud of how we picked one another up AFTER the race. That was great to see. And more importantly, being humble at the awards ceremony.
Of course, not to be lost in this, Kylie and Audrey ran nice races to end their careers. Neither had great races, but they didn't "epic fail" either. I know they got out too fast in the beginning, and that's water over the dam. Both ran in the state finals 3 consecutive years, and that just doesn't happen very often. Both are warriors and great competitors!!!
Yes, we earned 2nd Place. Almost won the darned thing. That's 5 State trophies for us in the past 10 years. I don't think there are very many schools in the state that can boast that. This team ran with the tradition and excellence I had hoped for when we started the season. All I can say is THANK YOU for letting me coach you!
Well done!
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
High Quality, Low Quantity
High quality and low quantity workouts are in store for this final week. Our legs will be really ready for Saturday.
Our Blizzard Mile Blow Out went well yesterday. Everyone hit their target times, so we felt pretty darned good about that. However, I have to spring for DQ Blizzards next week, so my pocketbook will be a bit lighter.
Tonight's work went fast. We hit those 400's right where we wanted them. The kids were focused and knew the work would go fast. I know they like getting away from practice a little earlier.
More of the same tomorrow, with an easy run of about 22 minutes before heading over to the State Course on Thursday.
We did take some time looking at our results of Saturday and the guys all see how we should have been 10 points better. We learned from that error, which will come in handy this week. We also continued our discussion on "championship position" plus recognizing the top 5 or 6 teams which should challenge for the four state trophies.
We've scouted everyone, know their capabilities as well as ours. Now, we have to get through this week in good shape then execute on Saturday. With only one race this week, and low key workouts, we should be ready to rock!
Our Blizzard Mile Blow Out went well yesterday. Everyone hit their target times, so we felt pretty darned good about that. However, I have to spring for DQ Blizzards next week, so my pocketbook will be a bit lighter.
Tonight's work went fast. We hit those 400's right where we wanted them. The kids were focused and knew the work would go fast. I know they like getting away from practice a little earlier.
More of the same tomorrow, with an easy run of about 22 minutes before heading over to the State Course on Thursday.
We did take some time looking at our results of Saturday and the guys all see how we should have been 10 points better. We learned from that error, which will come in handy this week. We also continued our discussion on "championship position" plus recognizing the top 5 or 6 teams which should challenge for the four state trophies.
We've scouted everyone, know their capabilities as well as ours. Now, we have to get through this week in good shape then execute on Saturday. With only one race this week, and low key workouts, we should be ready to rock!
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Mixed Feelings from the Sectional
I have a lot of mixed feelings after today's Sectional performance. I feel absolutely wonderful for the boys team and the two girls who qualified. At the same time, I am bit dumbfounded by a few performances, which were definately affected by ATTITUDE.
Never have I had 2 competitors verbalize to the rest of the team, "I don't want to run today". Wow, I wonder how that makes the other 5 feel before they approach the line. Well, the end result speaks for itself. I'm mistified because the team focus was there, and the work we had done all season had us physically in place to perform well. However, as I told the team yesterday, running cross country is physical, mental, and spiritual, and if all three aren't in sync, it's not going to happen.
By looking at the race results, one can see just how close yet how far the girls were to being the 3rd team out. A mere 10 points. That's approximately 2 seconds faster for each runner. I know a positive attitude would have made the difference.
Time to move past this, but my brutal honesty and truth are something that some folks don't want to hear.
Guys, we knew St. George was pretty darned good, and it showed. One of our guys made a huge tactical mistake, which really cost the team about 8 to 10 points, but he still ran "ok", just not what he should have. Another one the guys had a flat out bad race, but the other 5 ran tough.
So, now we enjoy the fruits of our labor before tappering for the State Finals next Saturday. Truth be known, our guys did NOT taper this week. So, with high quality and low quantity work upon us, the body will respond accordingly. It's going to be about a 6 team dogfight for those 4 state trophies next weekend. We'll need to be at our best, that's for sure.
Never have I had 2 competitors verbalize to the rest of the team, "I don't want to run today". Wow, I wonder how that makes the other 5 feel before they approach the line. Well, the end result speaks for itself. I'm mistified because the team focus was there, and the work we had done all season had us physically in place to perform well. However, as I told the team yesterday, running cross country is physical, mental, and spiritual, and if all three aren't in sync, it's not going to happen.
By looking at the race results, one can see just how close yet how far the girls were to being the 3rd team out. A mere 10 points. That's approximately 2 seconds faster for each runner. I know a positive attitude would have made the difference.
Time to move past this, but my brutal honesty and truth are something that some folks don't want to hear.
Guys, we knew St. George was pretty darned good, and it showed. One of our guys made a huge tactical mistake, which really cost the team about 8 to 10 points, but he still ran "ok", just not what he should have. Another one the guys had a flat out bad race, but the other 5 ran tough.
So, now we enjoy the fruits of our labor before tappering for the State Finals next Saturday. Truth be known, our guys did NOT taper this week. So, with high quality and low quantity work upon us, the body will respond accordingly. It's going to be about a 6 team dogfight for those 4 state trophies next weekend. We'll need to be at our best, that's for sure.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Put Up or Shut Up
It's time to "put up" and bring our A Game to the meet tomorrow. I sensed a very focused group at practice this AM, and I reminded the team to not jeopardize all the hard work they've done by not carrying through with the things we've asked.
We "rehearsed" the warm up today, just to make sure everyone knows the expectation. There is little different, except the team must be checked in at the starting line 15 minutes before race time. The meet official double checks everything, and I reminded the team to have jerseys tucked in, no jewelry of any type, and to be polite and courteous.
So, hydrate and eat well today, don't play any "ball sports" today, and get to bed a a good time tonight. I wouldn't hang out at the football game much past half time, and certainly stay away from pop, energy drinks, and junk food. That's the worst thing we can do at this time.
The course is totally ready and all Coach P and I have to do tomorrow are a few minor chores.
I expect the team to arrive at my office at 8:45 tomorrow, ready to run. Come with your team shirt and blue sweat top, just in case it's a little chilly. Either way, we'll be prepared.
Now, do we have what it takes for both teams to THREE PEAT? We'll soon find out.
We "rehearsed" the warm up today, just to make sure everyone knows the expectation. There is little different, except the team must be checked in at the starting line 15 minutes before race time. The meet official double checks everything, and I reminded the team to have jerseys tucked in, no jewelry of any type, and to be polite and courteous.
So, hydrate and eat well today, don't play any "ball sports" today, and get to bed a a good time tonight. I wouldn't hang out at the football game much past half time, and certainly stay away from pop, energy drinks, and junk food. That's the worst thing we can do at this time.
The course is totally ready and all Coach P and I have to do tomorrow are a few minor chores.
I expect the team to arrive at my office at 8:45 tomorrow, ready to run. Come with your team shirt and blue sweat top, just in case it's a little chilly. Either way, we'll be prepared.
Now, do we have what it takes for both teams to THREE PEAT? We'll soon find out.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
We're almost ready
This is my message to the team tomorrow morning at practice:
To be a successful team, we need to realize that we are composed of 3 things, all equally important: Mind, Body, Spirit. Our minds know and understand what we should do, while we've taken and molded our bodies to execute the plan. But it's our SPIRIT that drives is all, propelling everything in the direction we want to go this Saturday.
So, E 3: Expectation, Excellence, and Effort are about to be fully realized after a summer (for a few of us) and season of preparation for this moment. The time has gone quickly and the plan has worked well. We've seen that in the last few races just how much we've improved. And the best thing, we know we'll be even better over the next 10 days.
Being ready on Saturday morning is what our season is all about. We're almost ready to lace 'em up, toe the line, and explode from the starting line. Are you ready??
To be a successful team, we need to realize that we are composed of 3 things, all equally important: Mind, Body, Spirit. Our minds know and understand what we should do, while we've taken and molded our bodies to execute the plan. But it's our SPIRIT that drives is all, propelling everything in the direction we want to go this Saturday.
So, E 3: Expectation, Excellence, and Effort are about to be fully realized after a summer (for a few of us) and season of preparation for this moment. The time has gone quickly and the plan has worked well. We've seen that in the last few races just how much we've improved. And the best thing, we know we'll be even better over the next 10 days.
Being ready on Saturday morning is what our season is all about. We're almost ready to lace 'em up, toe the line, and explode from the starting line. Are you ready??
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Pells Park Run
We assembled the team and headed on over to Pells Park for practice. Wow, what nice weather we had, just a tad bit warm, but it sure beats the cold. We discussed yesterdays results briefly before focusing on the teams we'll be competing against this Sunday. If we've done our homework, it should be pretty much a 3 or 4 team event for those top 3 spots in each race. After the mile jog over to the park, we went through our regular routine before doing another continuous 'surge' run, which lasted about 20 minutes. After a hard competition last night, we wanted to have an enjoyable and easy workout, yet keep the blood flowing and energy levels switch ON.
So the team discussion was on focusing and visualizing the race as it unfolds. Of course, getting both teams in championship position right from the start of the race is really important. The guys seem to be getting this down, while the girls continue to learn. I believe both teams will put it all together Saturday morning and represent our school with Panther Pride. Not much doubt is in my mind about that.
I keep telling both teams I have total faith in their abilities. I know many team members are beginning to believe that. I still have some convincing for one or two team members but when Saturday comes, the gloves come off and I think everyone will be at their utmost best. This is the first of two meets we've trained for all year, with everything we do pointed in that direction.
Of course, there is always one big concern, and for the guys it's too much basketball playing after practice. We really need to shut down all the "extra" stuff right now and let our legs get pumped up for a great race this Saturday.
So the team discussion was on focusing and visualizing the race as it unfolds. Of course, getting both teams in championship position right from the start of the race is really important. The guys seem to be getting this down, while the girls continue to learn. I believe both teams will put it all together Saturday morning and represent our school with Panther Pride. Not much doubt is in my mind about that.
I keep telling both teams I have total faith in their abilities. I know many team members are beginning to believe that. I still have some convincing for one or two team members but when Saturday comes, the gloves come off and I think everyone will be at their utmost best. This is the first of two meets we've trained for all year, with everything we do pointed in that direction.
Of course, there is always one big concern, and for the guys it's too much basketball playing after practice. We really need to shut down all the "extra" stuff right now and let our legs get pumped up for a great race this Saturday.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
PBL Invitational
Another great invitational today. Lot's of PR's and a nice way to end the season. Our girls finally came out of their funk, and looks to be prepared for Saturday's Sectional. The guys rang up some really nice times and look to be where I thought we would.
So, we've got 3 days of preparation for Saturday's big race! Can we Three Peat? That remains to be seen.
Those not running on the Sectional team can start returning uniforms to my office. Just place them in a plastic grocery bag with your name on it and drop it in my office. Pretty simple, eh?
E3.......... The theme has not changed. Now, we focus and execute!
So, we've got 3 days of preparation for Saturday's big race! Can we Three Peat? That remains to be seen.
Those not running on the Sectional team can start returning uniforms to my office. Just place them in a plastic grocery bag with your name on it and drop it in my office. Pretty simple, eh?
E3.......... The theme has not changed. Now, we focus and execute!
Monday, October 3, 2011
Monticello and More
I thought we had some really good performances by some of our team members. Our varsity boys and jv boys ran well. Runners 3 - 7 for the girls got caught back in the pack early in the race and had substandard races, so I was disappointed with that. I keep preaching that we have to get out fast if we're going to be competitive as a team, but it seems to continue to fall on deaf ears. There's not much time left to show what we're really made of, so let's hope that something happends in a more positive way with the girls bunch before the Sectional this coming Saturday.
I had to get after the girls AGAIN for just being so fractured in warmups. 4 of them decided to play drama queens about a garden snake and really acted like a bunch of babies. Sorry to be blunt, but to stand there actually looking at the thing for 2 minutes, hopping up and down and screaming wasn't real impressive to me, when all they had to do was keep jogging away from it. Oh well, that's the story of this group and the reason they are stuck in a rut right now.
Now for tomorrow. 500 runners representing 17 teams will compete in 4 championship races. It will be fun. 6th grade boys first, followed 2 minutes later by 6th grade girls. 7/8 grade girls will follow at 4:45 then the guys at 5:15 with awards in the gym at 5:45.
With the early out, we will have study hall, then the team can come and get there wrist bands with numbers they must wear before going to get dressed for the meet. The weather promises to be good.
See you at the meet!!
I had to get after the girls AGAIN for just being so fractured in warmups. 4 of them decided to play drama queens about a garden snake and really acted like a bunch of babies. Sorry to be blunt, but to stand there actually looking at the thing for 2 minutes, hopping up and down and screaming wasn't real impressive to me, when all they had to do was keep jogging away from it. Oh well, that's the story of this group and the reason they are stuck in a rut right now.
Now for tomorrow. 500 runners representing 17 teams will compete in 4 championship races. It will be fun. 6th grade boys first, followed 2 minutes later by 6th grade girls. 7/8 grade girls will follow at 4:45 then the guys at 5:15 with awards in the gym at 5:45.
With the early out, we will have study hall, then the team can come and get there wrist bands with numbers they must wear before going to get dressed for the meet. The weather promises to be good.
See you at the meet!!
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