Girls team is now ranked #1 and as a coach you wonder from time to time about what certain experiences will feel like (rankings, winning a Conference Championship or State Championship. With this experience of a #1 ranking at first I hoped to hide the information from the kids until I could really process the meaning of the rank and how to present it to the team. However, by Wednesday afternoon practice the word was out and we had a team meeting to discuss the fact that it truly does not mean anything until Nov. 1st and the state meet. Now it means nothing as we prepare for our next meet, because there is nothing we can do about it anyway at this point.
I have missed a couple of weeks--sorry. There is a really weird aspect I have thought about early this year and that is with the website, coaching, and start of teaching I have come to the realization no one can do everything! Recently, I have tackled home meet and started school. Not to mention our team workouts (and we have the largest team in terms of numbers this season). The problem is that as I spend time one one of the above areas another area suffers (and that is my excuse).
Dave and I have been working unbelievably hard in the first two weeks to keep our heads above water. Between the start of the season, a larger percentage of younger runners, hosting our own Ken Trott Invitational, and development of workouts, the first two weeks have flown past. Probably our most talented incoming class of freshmen boys and girls have made for a very exciting year. As expected their our the growing pains of younger runners mostly with very inconsistent performances. Spirits are high as we started school today and head into continued two a day workouts. We had a good turn out of experienced runners who came in at 6:30 to double up today's continuous 1000's. Labor Day always has a tendency to make a week feel shorter, and pictures tomorrow will continue to make the week feel much shorter.
Week 7
Homecoming Week. Due to homecoming foolishness, I decided to back off mileage. We began week with a meet which most boys did not attend and then we really focused on some solid workouts. During the week we got everyone into a swimming pool at least once and we did our second continual 1000s workout. The boys 1000 workout seemed a bit flat. Many missed their times as early as the 3rd 1000. The girls did their 1000s on Wednesday night and I would have to say it was the best workout of the year for the girls. It poured rain at 3:00-4:00 and in fact due to lightening we could not even go outside to practice until 4:00. But then when we did get outside the girls took their shoes off and ripped into their workout. In fact, as I write this a week plus later I can see the benefit of the workout as Riley See finally came out of shell and became our #4 runner and girls team was an impressive 2nd place finish at Wisconsin Dells. Week 6
50 miles is solid mileage for 18 year old runner and we hit that this week. Our second focused meet of the season was Janesville Midwest Invitational. I really felt it was a good day. The whole event went well. First the long trip---good, hotel stay---good, and race----very good. We go to Janesville for fast times and we only got one personal best performance and that was from Miriam Schmidt (1st race of the day). After considering everything and speaking with athletes as well as a few other coaches , I truly believe the day became much tougher as the day continued. By 11:00 during the boys varsity race it was hot and windy. Austin who I really feel could make the jump to elite runner, got caught up in that early fast pack and struggled late as did a couple of other runners who lead the pack early (better now than at state meet). At this point we drop back a bit with mileage due to homecoming week and the week after we will go for 55 miles. The start of championship season is nearly on us—exciting stuff! Week 5
The Dana Waddell results speak for themselves, we have gotten much better since the middle of August, in fact, all but one returning runner ran faster than their performance in 2012 and many boys ran personal best times. The week also showed the inevitable beginning of the small nagging injuries. Shins, feet, knees, and hips seem to be the major culprits, but nothing more than what I believe we can handle thankfully. Kids have been good about being very disciplined in doing the right things to running with their injury. We ended the week with the healthy senior boys running about 45 miles. The week was Tuesday’s race, a nice distance (bike relay) on Wednesday, Thursday we ran a 2 mile tempo run, and we finished the week on Saturday with a solid effort on the track. During this track workout Becca, Kelsey, Sammi, and Emily ran the equivalent of new season personal best times within the workout. The greatest hurdle we faced during the week was the downturn of mental focus due to the ten day break in between races. Week four has come and gone and it really marked an interesting
point of the season. First, we back down our weekly mileage and we really ramped up the stress of races and workouts. The Westby Invitational was wonderful, every member of the team was faster than the previous home meet. This was very uplifting. We came back with a solid workout on Wednesday with the hilly run to my parents. Thursday we hit the cross country course once again with continuous 1000s and we ended the week with the fast course of Luther college. Ultimately, we can look back at this point at the first ¼ of the season. What I see is a team with wonderful potential. But we need to put it together in the next three weeks. If we can see the same progress as the first three weeks we will be in great shape going into the championship season. Week 3 offers a bit of transition, we returned to school Tuesday
9/3 and so we have to adjust a bit. Once again I give this year’s seniors a great deal of credit. Labor Day we practiced at 8:00 am and we had almost 100 percent attendance. We pushed our weekly mileage up to the very respectable 40 miles in six days for seniors. Our only race of the week was right down the road in Viroqua. I felt we were a bit unprepared for the hilly terrain of Viroqua Hills golf course. I was quite happy with several of newer runners (Connor Haugen, Joe Call, and Noah Shea) who put in I felt very solid efforts in tough conditions. We did have a good tempo run on Tuesday and a decent speed session on Saturday in preparation for a bit of down week in terms of mileage. Westby Invitational is Tuesday and this is our focus race of the first quarter of the season. We will pr Week two ended with two really nice runs (Saturdays traditional run to Ski Hill and Labor Day am workout). Saturday many of the boys logged 8 miles and this am we put in 5 more. Boys won Cashton Invitation and girls were second and biggest issue right now is keeping everyone working hard towards thos e Octob
After the meet, I felt like the largest weight ever had been lifted off my shoulders. It was really a tough call to decide to go the full length. I really worried about every athlete who toed the line, but in my heart of hearts, I was positive we were prepared to aid the runners and that was not an emmenient health danger. I knew our athletes were prepared to face the obsticle which confronted them. In the end, it worked out fine, our athletes performed well, and we toughened up to challenges of life, by facing the heat. I think we got a good look at both teams potential and what we can possibly do in future (although I saw what I assumed was there already). This week in general is about those 1st races and creating benchmarks in which future performance will be gauged (Austin's 16:41 might be the best race I have personally seen a Westby athlete start year with ever). Girls rallied and medaled top 4 which match 2012 performance which is a nice symbolic sign. Heat looks like it will be impactful at Cashton on Friday afternoon as well, but we have the KT experience as our base so I think we should be in a good place. By the way, Girl's race began with temperture at 94 degrees, Boy's race was 91, and by end of races and awards it was about 88---good reference points!
|
Brian HuebnerThis is my 19th year of coaching and my first website. Archives
September 2014
Categories |