OK Hawks, time to begin planning for long-term excellence.  That means thinking about different aspects of our training.  Today I’ll write a little something about flexibility.

Range of motion is a crucial part of elastic force generation in track and field events.  Consistency is key to improving flexibility.  A daily commitment to improving flexibility and range of motion pays long-term dividends.  Check out this short video for a great discussion of why flexibility is critical for runners:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFsydCIb8SM

The great news is that, for distance runners, it doesn’t have to be a huge commitment.  But doing a little every day will truly make a big difference, so here are some tips to think about this summer and moving into XC season.

First, dynamic stretching (while moving) is more effective than static stretching (standing still). This is why we do drills before practice during the season. So a good way to incorporate stretching over the summer is to remember to do your drills before your easy runs each week.

Second, we aren’t aiming for gymnastic-type flexibility.  Many world-class runners cannot touch their toes – and that’s ok.  Key areas of flexibility for distance runners include your calves, quads (thighs), and most importantly your hip flexors.  Range of motion is important, so be sure to stretch all around, but if you don’t have a lot of time then focus on these areas.  This video identifies a number of great stretches to learn and implement when you can.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbayPYgUWUw

Finally, for overall health and mobility, there really is nothing better than a little yoga to get you going.  Honestly, I have found Yoga with Adriene to work best for me and our family (you can search for her free videos on YouTube or check out the links below).  She has some great, short yoga videos as well as longer ones for those who want to go further, she is very accessible and chill, and she doesn’t charge for any of her videos.  Here are a few links to her running-specific yoga videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhLbp8ibmEE
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzCMptGGZt8&t=38s

I am sure there are many other great yogis out there, I am just giving you one place to start if you don’t already have a favorite.

So that’s about it for now, check in regularly for more focused posts from the coaches.  And, as always, fly high Hawks!

Coach Eric

Congratulations to all our Hawks for a great track season!  The amount of effort and improvement from every one of you inspires us all.  But now we move to a new phase of the training year – the summer off-season.

As Coach Phil and I have mentioned, this time of year is important. The Hawks have built strength, endurance, and speed through the Spring, and we don’t want to let all of that fade away between now and the start of XC season!  The better we manage our existing conditioning now, the more prepared we will be to sprint into next season’s challenging practice and racing schedule.

First, everyone deserves a break. If we trained properly through track, then we peaked in the last few weeks and our bodies need rest to recover.  Proper rest means a break from running, but it doesn’t mean inactivity.  For a week, maybe two, we recommend you not run, but instead find other aerobic activities to engage in, such as long vigorous bike rides or sustained swimming, two or three times a week.  Get out of your running shoes, but still work up a sweat and get your blood pumping.

After that short break of a week or two at the most, it’s time to lace up the shoes and get back out there.  Take some easy runs, and if you can, get off the roads and sidewalks.  Make the runs 20-30 minutes to reignite your cardiovascular systems, but don’t push the pace – there is no gain here, we just want to see you stay active and enjoy your fitness level.  As the new season approaches, add a day or two per week so your mileage and fitness come back in line with what you’ll be expected to do when practices start again.  You will reap amazing dividends during cross country season if you follow this simple recipe; if you don’t stay active and put your shoes on for the first time on Day 1 of practice, you’ll find yourself unhappily struggling for weeks.

Specifically, we recommend the following rough schedule for each of the groups:

Black, run 3-4 days/week, with total mileage per week as follows:
July 11th week: 10
July 18th week: 12
July 25th week: 13
Aug 1st week: 15
Aug 8th week: 17
Aug 15th week: 19
August 23rd – practice begins

Grey, run 3-4 days/week, with a total mileage per week as follows:
July 11th week: 8
July 18th week: 10
July 25th week: 12
Aug 1st week: 13
Aug 8th week: 14
Aug 15th week: 15
August 23rd – practice begins

Yellow, run 2-4 days/week, with a total mileage per week as follows:
July 11th week: 6
July 18th week: 8
July 25th week: 9
Aug 1st week: 10
Aug 8th week: 11
Aug 15th week: 12
August 23rd – practice begins

White group can run as desired.

While maintaining your running fitness, don’t forget to stretch, work on your drills and throw in some strength exercises.  Running takes whole-body strength, and strong cores make fast running possible.  The coaches will post more on stretching, strengthening, lengthening, and off-season building in the coming weeks.
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Keep in mind, any Hawks looking to move up to the next group is going to have to put in this off-season work. Distance running is a labor of love – it can be a cruel companion at times, but the depth of one’s relationship with it is built from day to day, week to week, season to season. And unlike some other sports out there, distance running gives back as much success as the work it receives in its service.  So dare to dream big, and understand that those big dreams are there for you if you are only willing to put the work in for them.  Nothing good in this world comes without sacrifice.  Keep soaring Hawks!