No kidding! Right Liz?! that'll get 'em running - heck it'll get ME running! lolStarr - it's a mixed teams. very small rural middle school - only 9 or 10 kids on team. which for my first foray into coaching will be just right and with a couple of us. we can really tailor a running workout to each kid with the paces they are capable of running and the goals they want to achieve. tomorrow I'm leaving work at 2:30 to help with packet pick-up for the Pine to Palm 100 ultra taking place in the mountains of So. Oregon this weekend. I helped with this the first year (I think this is the 4th yr now?) which was the year Timothy Olsen won. I wonder who the rockstar will be this year??
Tammy
...boring me, 6 again.
You are anything but boring.
Leslie, check with your sporting goods shop and see if there's tree repellent available.
I had finally achieved some satisfaction by being able to understand what Mr. Tet has to say the first time through. Then he claims to have worn shoes. I've read the passage several times and still don't understand.
Holly ran!!!!!!!!!
Bless you Tammy.
It's not often that I'll say this, however, "Welcome Monday! Bring it on!".
Not all heros wear capes, Halllar.
SteveP
MM #5615
MikeE - give me your coaching tips. I start coaching the middle school XC team next week. They still didn't have a coach and school started 3 days ago. Out of desperation they called me up. you KNOW they are desperate to call me. I've never coached. fortunately, it's only 9 kids and i'm co-coaching with someone else, who has also not formally coached. oy!
I have it easy. I think the most difficult part is the training plan and our head coach takes care of that. We have 7th through 12th graders--boys and girls--and he has different plans for all the different levels. I just show up and run...and hope that my love for running rubs off on a few of them. I want them to see me busting my butt and going through the same torturous workouts that they're suffering through in hopes of inspiring a few of them to push a little harder than they might if I wasn't around.
I really think the most important thing to do is to get it in their heads how important it is to take care of their bodies. We could all avoid so many injuries if we concentrated on strengthening and stretching properly. We have all learned this the hard way...help them avoid the same mistakes we have made. I believe my hamstring injury is from having weak gluteus muscles. I would suggest spending time as a group warming up before their runs, then strengthening and stretching after.
That's probably not a whole lot of help and nothing you don't already know, I'm sure. It all comes down to being yourself and doing what you feel is best for the kids. We have about 90 kids on the team and I love every one of them! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Thanks Mike ! wow, 90 kids! that's a big team. Glad i only have 9 or 10! This will also help me get my butt in gear and do the things I SHOULD be doing, but don't - like regular stretching and core work. which honestly I never do anymore. and it's showing.