Labor day Weekend

I hope that everyone has a Safe and Fun Holiday Weekend. 

50/50 Circuit Challenge

This weekend I challenge you to try this 

50 Jumping Jacks
     10 Push Ups
     20 Squats
     20 Bicycle crunches
50 High Knees
     15 Oblique V-ups(right)
     20 Squats Jumps(helps to count backwards from 20 they go faster)
     15 Oblique V-ups(left)
50 Mountain Climbers
     15 Forward Lunges(with each leg)
      20 Plan knee crosses
     15 reverse Lunges(with each leg)

Repeat 3x, no rest between exercises, 1 minute rest between circuits, will take about 30 minutes.

The Value of a Good Warm Up

Q: Proper Warmup for a 5K Race: What is the proper way to warm-up for a 5k (3.1 miles) race? The group of runners I'm concerned about are a high school cross country team. They seem to warm up very early and then for about twenty to thirty minutes before the race they sit and relax and maybe do some light stretching. When they get to the starting line they'll do a few runouts of about 50 to 80 yards and then they're off to the races. 

I noticed that no other team warmed up this way, they were all doing a lot of jogging in the fifteen minutes before the race started and then quite a bit of quick leg work the three or four minutes prior to the start of the race. What are the conditions you're trying to set up in your body in pre-race warm-ups? Is it just warm muscles or are you also trying to get your heart and breathing going?

A: Keeping in mind that energy and oxygen availability are two of the most important requirements for quality racing performances, then:

        1. assuming that runners have had a 36 to 42 hour period of tapering and eating normal amounts of carbohydrates in order to restore their glycogen supplies, running out of energy in a 5k race is not a concern.

        2. knowing that starting a race cold can lead to severe lactic acid buildup, running out of oxygen is a big concern.

Therefore, being as warmed up as possible right at the very start of the race is highly important.  In fact, runners should have their heart and respiratory rates well above resting levels when the gun goes off in order to minimize the amount of oxygen debt that will be incurred in the initial race for good position.

My recommendation for a warm up routine is the following:

                A. 45:00 before the start, go for a 20:00 slow jog. (Remember that one has enough glycogen energy in the muscles and liver to run hard for 10-13 miles before "hitting" the wall.)

                B. 25:00 before the start, take 15:00 to do all of your "housekeeping chores" like changing into racing flats or spikes, going to the Porto Potty, stretching, pinning on your number, taking off or at least unzipping your sweats etc.

                C. 10:00 before the start, report to the starting line and begin a series of 50-75 yard strides with a jog back recovery.  Keep doing these so you can re-warm your muscles and elevate your HR and breathing.

                D. Once ordered on to the starting line, keep your heart and respiratory rates up by jogging in place, hopping from one foot to the other and/or bouncing up and down. In short, do NOT let yourself cool down by just standing still while some long winded official takes several minutes to explain the procedure for the start and how you will be re-called if someone falls down in the first 100 yards, reminds you to tuck in your shirts, to take off your jewelry etc., etc.

When the gun goes off, you want your blood circulating as much O2 as possible as fast as possible in order to replace immediately what is used by those first contractions of your mighty sprint muscles. By having your engine's rpms revved as high as possible when you start, you minimize the time it takes your cardiac and respiratory systems to respond. Why wait for the 'second wind' when you can experience the 'first wind' in your warmup?

In short, the shorter the race, the more critical this procedure is for a successful effort. Basically, for a 5k, you can never warm up too much.

If you ever arrive late for a race and don't have time for all of the above, spend as much time as possible doing C. and D.  Those are the most important parts of an emergency warmup. Don't waste time stretching. Run!

     Hope this helps,
     --Coach Benson

Orchard View Invite

It was a warm run this evening in Muskegon. The first invite of the season, and our seniors were all away at senior camp, so it was a great chance for all of our first time runners to get a feel for cross country. 

Congrats to the Girls Maria Kuipers and Veronica Vance, both received medals for being in the top 30

Congrats to the Boys  Nathan Mulder, Luke Peterson and Nolan Vanderzwaag who received medals for being in the top 30

Looking forward to many more Great Runs this season 

Practice for Tuesday August 21, 2012

Practice will be GOING to the Beach, so bring clothes that you can get wet in and and a towel. :)

XC-Camp LAST day

On the last day of XC camp, we had and optional 3.5 mile morning run, I would like to give a shout out to all the Senior Girls because 80% of them participated in this run. Which was a pretty good turn out considering that late night they had.

After our run it was break fast and clean up time.

We were ready to head home at about 10:00. However a bus break down on the way set us back a little bit. However because we got off at such a good time we still made it back to school by about 11:45.

It was a GREAT few day of Cross Country Camp !!!!

XC-Camp Day 3

This morning, we had them up and out out bed by 7:15, We had another prediction run, the PBW (painful but worth it) this was a 4.2 mile run. They rain two loops on the trails, and whomever predicted there times the most accurately won prizes. It was a wonderfully cool and crisp morning for this run, which allowed for some great times on this run. This run was followed by a great pancake breakfast back at camp.

After Breakfast, we were off to mini golf, back for lunch then off to beach.

Our afternoon run was the FAST, dust buster mile 1 mile as fast as they could go, it was really fun to watch. This was another prediction run, and the most accurately predicted times, won prizes.

Seen as this was the last night of camp, Bon-Fires and Games went on into the wee hours of the night or morning. :)

XC Camp Day 2

Day 2 of Camp began bright and early, by 7:30 AM we were on our way to our first run of the day.

The students were asked to make predictions for this run, how fast did they think that they would be able to go for this run. The Mountain Goat Challenge, is a 2 mile loop though the woods with hill after hill. (Thus the Name) The closest predictions won a prize.

Then free time, a rainy mid morning and early afternoon during which the students occupied them selves with games, and hanging out in the cabins. When the rain quit we gathered up all the girls and sent them on a scavenger hunt. The seniors dominated and there prize was that the freshman team had to serve them ice cream after dinner.

The next run of the day took place at about 4:30, it was the Soup Bowl relay, but this year it had a twist when they came around the back side of the loop we splashed them with colors turning it into our own sort of color run. It was a lot of fun.

XC-Camp Day 1

Day 1 of Cross Country Camp, We left the High School at about 1:00 and we were on our way to the adventures of XC Camp 2012. 

Our first Run of Camp was at 4:30, the A-Mazing Run, it was between 3.5 and 5 miles depending on what route they took through the woods, It was a great run to start camp with. 

We had a hot dog roast for dinner, and later had some Awesome Hudsonville Ice Cream. 

The students played Twister, went swimming, and relaxed by bonfires in the evening

Orchard View

Orchardview Invite

WhenMon, August 20, 2:30pm – 8:30pm

WhereOrchardview Middle School (map)

DescriptionLeave HC at 2:30pm Girls run at 5:00pm Boys run at 5:45pm Return at 8:45pm (bring $ for a dinner stop on the way home)

https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=Orchardview+Middle+School

2012

Welcome, to Holland Christian Cross Country 2012 Season