Get a couple of pairs of real running shorts. Those are the ones that are very short.
Don't get the basketball type that hang down around your knees, you aren't afforded
proper leg extension when you wear them. If the young men can't find real running shorts
(real running shorts will have support built into them) they should wear boxer briefs
or just briefs, otherwise you can get injured and may require surgery on a very sensitive
area.
The young ladies will need several good athletic bras. This is a personal choice with
regards to which brand you are most comfortable with. Ankle socks are the most common
types that are worn by runners. Also look for a dry-shirt, that's a shirt that will
wick moisture away from your body and keep you warm when the weather turns a bit chillier.
Spandex tights are also highly recommended for the colder weather. The school will send
home an order form for the team warm-up suit.
Shoes are the most important equipment of a runner. If you don't wear the proper shoes you
can get an injury and may experience pain rather then just normal aches. I recommend a shoe
that offers cushioning, however the most important thing to look at first is your arch.
When you find out if it's high, low or no arch then finding the right shoe for you will be easier.
Don't be afraid to experiment with sneakers but if you think you've found the right pair, you
probably have. If the model you prefer becomes discontinued, stick with that brand because they
probably have something similar to what you prefer. Also a very important thing is when picking
sneakers is to get the right size, you don't want something that's too big or too small.
I suggest that you should go to a real running shoe store for your first pair. They have
the ability to properly fit you and recommend the proper pair of shoes for you. It'll be
more expensive, but shops like the Super Runners Shops, Second Wind & Runner's Edge
offer discounts to HS students. After you find a pair that you are comfortable with,
you can usually order them or buy them
from Sports Authority, Modell's or online from Eastbay.com.
Watch for special offers like buy 1 get second pair at 1/2 price.
Your shoes are usually good for 350-500 miles. It actually depends on the type of runner you are and how your body adapts to the pounding you'll get from training. A good rule of
thumb is replacing your shoes about every 3-4 months. If you start feeling any unusual pains
it's probable that your shoes are worn out and need replacing.
Getting racing flats is actually a personal & financial decision. If you're serious about running or plan to be serious, get them. If the plan is just to run to get in shape for another sport not really to race, then don't waste your money. Again, this is an item to go to
a running store for your first pair. There are different types of racing flat depending on
which event and surface you run on. Don't go crazy and buy a pair of Nike Kennedy's ($120) when you first start out. Get the cheapest pair that you are comfortable with. You'll still
spend $30-50 on them, but you'll get to experiment a little more with them.
Again, another financial decision. There are many decent watches out there that offer a
stopwatch feature for around $15. You'll want a watch that can hold splits (laps). This way you can jot them down and keep track of how well you're progressing. I wouldn't recommend this yet but,
you can go crazy and get a watch from Bodytronics that keeps track of distance & time automatically,
as well as allowing you to use a heart monitor with it, but you're talking about $200 or more.
I personally think it's easier to just map out courses by having your parents drive you on them
to get an idea of the mileage for each course you lay out. Another useful tool to determine your
course is a website called Sue & Paul. This site uses Google Maps and a tracking tool that will
allow you to plot out courses in your neighborhood, giving you approximate distances. It's a
handy website that's fairly easy to use. You just have to find your home and then you can start
from there.
Before you start running, you'll need to drink plenty of water, especially in the summer. Drink at least 1 liter of water 2 hours before you plan on running and maybe a half a glass 15 minutes before you go for a run. When you are ready to run, go out and run up and down
your block at a very easy pace to warm up. Stretch your legs and then you're ready to start.
Start with an easy run of 20 minutes, then build up your time on a weekly basis. You should
also start to run at a faster pace as well. You'll get an outline for your work-outs during
the summer from the school.
To start you should run at a pace at which you are comfortable. By comfortable I mean you should be
breathing a little heavy but not wheezing. You should experience some fatigue and a little bit
of soreness but you shouldn't be finishing a run and need to lie down for the rest of the day.
As the summer progresses, you'll need to start increasing your pace and time you spend running.
It is important to remember that if you're suppose to be doing a workout you should feel much
more tired then a normal run. It indicates how hard you've run it. Don't get discouraged if
you don't feel like you're going much faster then you normally are because it's most probable
that you are going faster, you just don't realize it.
The coaches recommend that you do crunches (half sit ups), pull-ups & pushups.
The coaches have the more
advanced runners lifting weights as well, however
if they want you to lift, it will be stated on
your outline. The amount you do is based
on how much you can do. There are recommendations
on the outline that comes
home late in June. It is very important to do these exercises,
because they will
make you a better runner. When you're late in a race and your legs
are rubbery,
your arms will carry you the rest of the way.
If the coaches give it the okay then yes you should. If they say you should lift you should
be doing 3 sets of 10 reps. You should do Rows, Curls, Military Press, and Benching.
More information on that will be posted on the website.
Start by eating a light breakfast. A bagel is one of the team's personal favorites.
As you develop as a runner, you'll decide what and how much you can eat prior to a race.
You should drink at least 1 1/2 - 2 liters of water 1 - 2 hours prior to your race and 1/4 liter of water about 15 minutes before a race. After your race, you'll need to drink more
water or gatorade. Run a good warmup. Your coaches will instruct you how to do so and make
sure you stretch enough before you race.
Captian's practices are practices for the returning runners that are held during the summer. The practices are run by the seniors of the track team. They are run by the seniors in order to get everyone on the same page in training and due to the rules
governing the league. The practices usually are held 2 times during the week at
Sunken Meadow, St. Anthony's home course.
In the interest of giving the incoming freshmen a jump on the competition, I'm going to ask the seniors if they'll meet with them and teach them proper stretching techniques and lead them on the course that they'll be running come September. Watch the homepage for further details on that.
Official practices start in mid to late August. There will be a letter sent home that will notify you of the date of the first official practice. These practices are controlled by the
coaches, and will be Monday thru Saturday.
Practice is every day after classes once school officially starts. Practice is finished
anywhere from 4:00 to 4:30 for freshmen. The late buses pull out of St. Anthony's at 5:30 PM in most
cases. So the time between practice ending and leaving on the bus is a good time to get
homework and studying done. They reopen the acedemic wing at 5PM if you wish to get more books
or put them away as well.
Races are usually Wednesdays and Saturdays. The Wed. meets are called "dual meets"
and usually feature a race between just St. A's and 1 or 2 other schools. The races
are broken down by groups, Freshman, Sophs, JV and Varsity. At times the Sophs, JV & Varsity
will all run together since they use the same course. These meets generally start around 4:15 and are over by 6ish. The Saturday meets are the "real" meets.
They are held in various locations around the area, but mainly at Sunken Meadow and Van Cortlandt Park. There are usually 2-4 away meets, Bowdoin State Park is an overnight trip and is for top 9 only. This is varsity and 2 best JV A guys as alternates,
Attending all meets except for possibly the away meets
are mandatory.
If you can't make a meet, you must give your coach at least a weeks notice
as to why you can not make the meet.
What you bring to a race is very important and you should pack your bag the night before
so you don't have to scramble in the morning. Fortunately it's very easy in XC to pack. All you will need is your spikes (if you have any), an extra shirt and another pair of socks.
Drinks (especially water) are necessary as well. If you will be at a meet for a while
you may want to bring food, depending on when you race. Most runners should not eat 2 hours
before they race. Otherwise they will feel extreme discomfort, cramps and may need to
run to the bathroom rather than to the finish line. Bring some money with you as well. This way you can buy t-shirts if you'd like one. If we stop for food afterwards you'll have money to buy yourself a well-deserved lunch or dinner.
A journal is a log of your running. It's a good idea to keep a journal to maintain a record of your runs, not only your races, but your training runs as well. Some items to include would be the date of your run, the time of day, the weather (it plays a huge role in your performance), your course (distance, hills, surface) total time to cover your course,
mile splits (this way you can judge your pacing) and how you felt before and after your run.
An injury is more then just a dull ache in your legs from running. An injury is something that
can bother you when you are and are not running. In most cases, it'll hurt only when you run. In the other cases it doesn't hurt when you run but only after you run.
The important thing to know is how extreme the pain is, if it's just pain from
over-exertion or if it's pain from a potential injury.
The easiest way to get in juried is to run too long, hard and/or fast. Mileage has to
be gradually increased. You cannot increase mileage from 20 mpw to 50 mpw in a matter of 2 or 3 weeks.
Mileage is gradually built up over the course of time.
Generally for XC, there is an increase of 1 mile per day, per week. If you start out at 3 miles
per day for 6 days a week, the following week, you would run 4 miles a day, for the same amount
of days that week. This gradual increase allows your body to acclimate itself with the greater
exertion required for the longer distances.
Improper stretching technique or not stretching long enough (or at all) will result in an injury
due to the fact that your muscles are not flexible and when you run, you will be stressing
them beyond what they are capable of.
Another easy way to get in juried is to wear the wrong sneakers or worn out sneakers.
Although it might not be an immediate problem, it can quickly become a major problem if you continue to train in incorrect or worn-out sneakers. The cushioning of the sneakers usually
wears out in about 350-500 miles depending on the brand &/or style.
Make sure you wear proper sneakers and make sure you stick to your training. If you don't keep up with your training plan, don't try to catch up as soon as you get back. Just take it
easy and rebuild your mileage. This doesn't apply if you just don't run one day a week or something or if you have one less mile than you're suppose to. If you drop your mileage more
than 10 or so miles a week, just try and get your mileage to where it was supposed to be that
week for next week and then just keep building up.
A minor injury is often described as an injury you can run through or only need to take off a week at the most. Shin splints are normally something you can run through. You need to treat
it and take care of it but it's nothing to really worry about. This is often described as a
dull pain. Shin splints can be extremely painful at points but they aren't usually considered
a major injury.
A serious injury is an injury that will make you practically stop because it hurts so much. It will constantly bother you when you put pressure on it. The worst of these injuries is a
stress fracture, which YOU MUST STOP RUNNING FOR! If you get a stress fracture it is mandatory
you stop running. Serious injuries will usually cause you to sit, without any training at all for a month or more. In all suspected cases of serious injury, get it checked out by your doctor and go to physical therapy if that is prescribed by the doctor. If you continue to train through
this type of injury, if you can endure the pain, you may permanently injure yourself.
A serious injury can and sometimes will stop you dead in your tracks while your running. A
minor injury can usually be classified as a dull ache or a slight discomfort. If you're really
unsure call a coach or go to a doctor. A warning to anyone that decides to go to a doctor.
All doctors will tell you to stop running no matter how slight the injury is. The best advice
is to see a physical therapist who is more in touch with how much your body is capable of.
If you need to have MRIs and other types of diagnostic tests then it's definitely time to
stop running for a while.
Visit your doctor or physical therapist. If you're going to a regular doctor, try to find one
that deals in sports medicine, since they are more in tune with what injuries are commonly
related to sports activities. After visiting the doctor and getting a diagnosis, go talk to
your coach to see if he/she has any further advice.