7/17 update

Braves,

You did awesome this week. Between the mile repeats Monday and the two mile repeats on Tuesday you threw down a lot of mileage. Not to mention the 7 miles we ran on Friday. Another reminder: doing the repeats on Monday and Wednesday is not going to properly help you if you are not putting in miles on your own during the other days. We only have a few weeks left of summer before our season begins. We have a month until our first race. It is crazy how fast it is going, and it has been great to see how much better each of you is becoming.

At the end of a very long workout on Wednesday we were impressed with how many of you stepped to the line to do one more. It would have been easy to think you were finished because of how late it was. Many had to leave because of obligations but you still lined up and did a fourth set. That is the kind of attitude that is required to be successful. As a group we have massively improved in that area, but we are far from perfect. This week come to practice ready to do an extra set even when you think that you are spent.

It is the time of season where minor aches and pains begin to add up and can become more serious. This is something that we will need to address throughout the remainder of the year, and frankly throughout your running career. When you have pains that are impeding your training, let us know what those are so we can plan accordingly. In some cases we will tell you to hold back and take time off, in other cases you can do something extra at home to alleviate the pain. I know being told by a coach to stop running is horrible; nobody wants to sit out while their team is working. However, we have to be smart about some of these injuries, so use that time to increase your mental strength, because it takes mental toughness to sit out through an injury.

A common problem that we are beginning to have is shin splints – which is an aching or throbbing pain in your shins, particularly when you run. Often the pain will subside after you start running for a bit, but sometimes it gets worse. It is slightly different for each person. We do the “funny walks” in the warm up each day and we spend most of our training time on the grass in an effort to avoid shin splints. Other treatments include icing your shins each day and wearing compression sleeves on them during workouts. Another big thing for shins is the shoes you wear. If you have worn out or old shoes, it may be time to get a new pair. Old shoes lose the cushioning and really hammer your legs. There are a few other things which are difficult to explain over email that we are happy to share with you if you ask us at practice.

By August 1st each athlete needs to register for cross country via http://registermyathlete.com/schools/ You simply need to select the state, then the school, create an account and register for Cross Country. If you already have an account then simply log in and register for XC as well. Each athlete needs a physical . Physicals last for one year, so if you haven’t had one since last August, you will need to get a new one. The physical form can be downloaded from the register my athlete site, and can be uploaded there or brought to me. And lastly, there is a school fee for XC that needs to be paid in the office before you can compete. Our season begins before school starts so make your way to the office one day after practice to pay that. I believe it is $90. That fee covers transportation, drug testing, and district fees. If you have further questions regarding registration please let me know.

As we have said before, we are incredibly proud of this group, and we are poised to have a great season so long as we continue what we have started and step up our training. We really need to take advantage of this month so we can be ready for the season. You have put in excellent work thus far, let’s continue to build on it.

Coach Caitlin

Coach Jacobson