2009 Weekly Update - Aug. 25
Time Trial Recap
We kicked off the new season with our annual 2 mile time trial this morning. As we discussed, this serves two purposes. First as a reminder that running a distance race is hard work – one that requires a lot of preparation (summer miles!) and concentration (a willingness to focus and bear the pain for a long period of time). Second, it gives us a baseline for training purposes. We use the Jack Daniels VDOT system (see more info here - http://www.moorestownxc.org/Training/JackDaniels.html). This gives us a way to determine the training paces for each runner on an individual basis so we can make sure everyone gets a good chance to improve and minimize the risk of injury.
We had 35 runners complete the two miles. We held out a number of runners due to random little injuries and desire not to push too hard at this early point in the season. We also have a bunch of guys still on vacation, although all of our serious runners are with us each day now.
You can see results on our website at http://www.moorestownxc.org/2009/2009XCResults.pdf. I have put down the approximate VDOT of several runners who did not participate, but I have run with and have a feel for where they should be right now.
The objective of this is to get a baseline and then improve as the season goes on. Some runners may not improve much, but many runners will improve 3-5 VDOT points. You can see the approximate times on XC courses on our XC VDOT Table - http://www.moorestownxc.org/Training/JackDanielsChart.pdf.
Things of note:
We only have two runners who have a better VDOT entering this season than when they finished the 2009 XC season – Lavery and Klawunn.
Connelly and Castriano had a dual down the final straightway for first place in the New Runner group. They had a nice negative split – that means they ran faster the second mile than they did the first mile – a good way to run.
Klawunn was one of the big positive surprises today. He took the Mid Mile group time trial with a time of 12:08. This is a nearly 3 MINUTE improvement from his time of 15:00 last year. He looked great, and will have some thinking to do about how good he could be if he put some focus on this season.
Robinson was the top time of the day with a 10:47. Nice!
Samocki was probably my favorite surprise of the day with a 2nd best time overall of 10:52. He made two big decisions since track: 1. He ran this summer. 2. He was going to be a very tough runner and not be afraid to step up to a leadership role. Double Nice!
Carrigan was the first to lose his breakfast this season. And he had the presence of mind to do it on the grass! Got to love that…
Weintraub, Ems, Greenwood, Nece, Lentz and Hendrickson all sat out with minor injuries. Cain sat out with an unknown injury. Nece and Sheehan are both recovering from the flu. Let’s hope people are healthy by Cherokee Challenge!
Geaney showed some freshman toughness hanging on to the upper classmen in the newcomer’s heat.
Spirgel woke up around the halfway point. I wish I had paid attention to his splits because he was really moving his second mile.
We had a number of guys who bettered their time trial time of last year by over a minute: Samocki, Inglis, Schwartz (51 seconds), Lavery, Ruetsch (ran it on his own the day before), Klawunn, and Shipley.
This coming week
Starting Wednesday we will break into mileage groups. Low Miles will target about 4-5 miles per day initially. Mid Miles will target about 6 miles per day. High Mile group will target about 8 miles per day. Remember to let the coaches know if you are having any injury issues or pains.
We are targeting a hill threshold workout for Friday morning and a long run for Monday. Mostly easy miles the other days of the week.
Remember that practice will shift to 2:50 starting Tuesday, Sept. 1.
College Bound!
We have a number of the Class of 2009 planning to run in college - Ringwood at Hopkins, Friedman at Alabama, Wolff at Quinnipiac, Matteson at TCNJ, and Wilson at Washington & Lee. Balch and Fauvell have also been running with us all summer before heading off to Syracuse and Temple. Good luck this fall!
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