Welcome Stallion Cross Country Runners!
Summer is a
great time to enjoy some down time from homework, tests, 8th grade
sports, and other school-related activities.
Have a great break, but … don’t fall off of the earth! 9th grade is just around the corner,
and most sports will have camps during the summer so athletes can be better
prepared for their upcoming seasons.
What can you
do to be prepared for Cross Country?
First, talk it up with your friends, guys you know run well, guys who
may not run well, or ANY 9TH GRADE GUY. Second, get a physical some time this summer,
if at all possible. If you can’t get in
to your doctor, evvax is a clinic where you can (480
833-0554) get a physical for about $25 (last I knew). You can’t even officially practice with a 9th
grade sports team without a physical.
Mrs. Ellis in the front office has a packet of eligibility papers you’ll
need to have turned in before participating in August. You can find all of this information at www.mesasports.org, click on
eligibility. Third, get into good
running shape over the summer. Run,
swim, bike, or do other activities that increase your cardiovascular endurance
and overall shape. If you are interested
in really leaving a mark this season, use the workout list on the next pages.
“Training is very simple,
the harder you work, the better you get.”
-George Young
Winners never quit and
quitters never win.
-Anon.
"The indispensable
first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: decide what you
want."
-Ben Stein
"Obstacles are those
frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal."
-Henry Ford
"He conquers who
endures."
-Persius
Have a great
summer!
Coach
McElhaney
summer phone: 480
833-3414
P.S. Check out: http://www.mpsaz.org/mrmac/coach.html.
Shepherd Summer Running Workouts
In order to be successful in any sport,
off-season conditioning is vitally important both to prevent injuries and to
help you prepare to do your best. This
program will help you prepare for the fall sports season at Shepherd. Remember to stretch before and after a
workout session. Also tell your parents
where you will be running and when to expect you home. Try to run with friends – it’s more fun that
way. Do as much of your running as
possible on softer surfaces like grass (parks), dirt, track, etc. in order to
stay away from injuries. Avoid the
summer heat by planning your workouts in the morning or evening. Don’t try to do too much too soon. If you feel flat, take the day off. After a few weeks you’ll be amazed with your
progress. When you return to begin your
freshman year, you’ll see how much your hard work has
paid off. Start running, keep on
schedule and have fun.
Weeks 1 and 2
|
|
Beginner
|
Intermediate
|
Expert
|
|
Monday
|
8 min. jog
rest
8 min. jog
|
10 minutes easy
rest
10 minutes easy
|
12 minutes easy
rest
12 minutes easy
|
|
Tuesday
|
4 min. race pace
rest
4 min. race pace
|
6 min. race pace
rest
6 min. race pace
|
8 min. race pace
rest
8 min. race pace
|
|
Wednesday
|
10-15 min. long slow distance
|
12-20 min. long slow distance
|
15-25 min. long slow distance
|
|
Thursday
|
2 sets of:
2 min. jog, 2 min. race,
2 min. walk, 2 min. stride
|
3 sets of:
3 min. jog, 3 min. race,
3 min. walk, 3 min. stride
|
3 sets of:
3 min. jog, 3 min. race,
3 min. walk, 3 min. stride
|
|
Friday
|
10-15 min. long slow distance
|
12-20 min. long slow distance
|
15-25 min. long slow distance
|
|
Saturday
|
Speed play, vary pace for:
10-20 minutes
|
Speed play, vary pace for:
15-25 minutes
|
Race day: race pace for 10-15 minutes
|
Weeks 3 - 6
Beginner: Use the intermediate schedule
for weeks 1 and 2
Intermediate: Use the expert schedule for
weeks 1 and 2
Weeks 7-10
Beginner: Use the expert schedule for weeks
1 and 2
Intermediate: Use the expert schedule for weeks
3 – 6
Shepherd’s cross country course
begins on the northwest side of the track (between the long jump pit and
storage building). Go counter clockwise
on the track until you reach the sidewalk that comes out to the track (near the
portables). Run off the track, between
the backstop and the sidewalk (leading to the parking lot) until you can run
along the fence. Follow the fence past
the softball field, then around the baseball backstop. Continue along the back stretch of the
softball and soccer fields and run up onto the track again. When you get to the part of the track where
you started, that makes one big lap.
Three complete laps is equal to about 2 miles
and is our home course. See Coach
McElhaney or Steiner if you have questions.
My email addresses are rusmac4@netzero.com
(home) and rmcelhaney@mpsaz.org. Let me know how you’re doing on your summer
running. Continue to talk up cross
country with your friends. Remember,
together our team can accomplish great things.
Have a great summer,
Coach