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I talk a lot at my camps about having fun and enjoying the sport for what it is. I find a lot of young people today do not take the time to enjoy the sport but instead focus on expectations and pressures put on by themselves or someone close to them. What or who are you running for? Is it for yourself or someone else? You are the only one who allows those outside pressures to enter your mind. If a parent is putting pressure on you then I recommend talking to your parents about it. Most of the time the parent does not even know what they are doing is causing the athlete to have internal pressures. I want to make myself very clear I am not talking about goofing around at practice and races. I am talking about enjoying the experience and the surroundings of one of the oldest sports in the world. Stop putting yourself under the gun so much and give yourself a break. Go run for you and your team. See what you can do with this great sport called cross country running.
by Janet Leet Colors can be extremely powerful. Different colors can mean different things and it will affect your mental game. For example, if you need to add power and strength to your workout wear a Black. When you need that extra power look down at what you are wearing and tell yourself "I am powerful". If you need to add speed into your workout wear a Purple and right before your interval look down at that purple and tell yourself "I am fast!". Another great approach is if you need to add more speed into your race wear a Purple T-shirt for one week straight leading up to your competition and then warm up in a Purple T-shirt. The whole time telling yourself, "I am fast". It really works try it. Listed below are several different colors and their meanings. If these colors do not say what you feel they should say then change it to what works for you.
RED = PASSION BLUE = CALM AND COOL ORANGE = HUNGER BLACK = POWER AND STRENGTH PURPLE = SPEED SCHOOL COLOR = PRIDE YELLOW = FUN ADDING COLOR TO ITEMS: T-SHIRTS: If and individual or a team needs to improve in one of these area's add color. The best way to do this is to add it onto a T-shirt. So, if the individual or team needs to focus on speed then have those involved wear a purple shirt to practice on those days. If need the individual/team to focus on speed for competition then they should wear that shirt on race day to warm up in. I recommend writing on the shirt "SPEED". This will help with the individuals/teams identity.
BALLS/FRISBEE'S: Color can be a lot of fun to play around with. You can add color and focus to objects and have that represent. I.E.: Bring out a RED ball to practice, write "PASSION" on it, and have the individual/team run with that ball for the entire practice. A BLACK Frisbee for POWER and STRENGTH. Bring those objects to competition and warm up with them. If anything else it will calm the individual/team down. Objects do provide a source of comfort and they do add a lot of fun into any practice/competition. Having fun is extremely important.
OTHER ITEMS: Socks, hats, gloves, shoe laces, Color a shot put and write on it, color a discus and write on it, color the tip of the javelin, etc. - HAVE FUN
RACE TACTICS FOR THE MILE BY: Coach Joe Vigil "Road to the Top"
1. It is necessary to position yourself early in the race because, with twelve to fifteen competitors jostling for position, you might encounter unexpected physical contact. 2. Remember that, once the race is in session, straight-line running for the pole on the backside is essential. Do not run unnecessary distances. 3. To maintain your rhythm. Do not let it be disrupted. It is your game plane, the one you trained for and one in which you have confidence. Many races are lost because athletes are forced to run someone else's game plan. 4. As with the 800-meter race, position yourself on the outside shoulder of the lead runner. To get boxed in behind runners is costly, both in terms of time and place of finish. 5. Your training must have included 400-meter sprints, faster than race pace, to provide you with the ability to sprint to the front if you happen to get boxed in. Remember that sprints that are too fast can be costly in terms of developing an anaerobic debt, which will take away from the finishing kick. You must, however, have the capacity of good surging power or ability to shift gears. 6. We realize that a good steady pace is most economical. The fact remains that the victory will always go to those athletes who can manage great pace variations. 7. You must have the mental acuity to decide when to strike, because one the decision is made, there is no turning back. The finishing sprint should last until you cross the finish line. 8. You must always be conscious of the physical state of your opponents. Be able to detect when they are laboring or when their spirits are flagging so that you can take advantage of these situations. 9. The ability to surge and maintain your confidence throughout the race, regardless of what happens, and to be able to react to the developing situations, is perhaps the greatest tactical quality all athletes need.
There are many athletes who enter a race without a game plan and are not successful. The race tactics presented here will not only guarantee the fluid intelligence necessary to run a successful race, it will also give the competitor the confidence that she is fully prepared to meet the challenge of the race. Nutrition This article was used with permission from "Nutrition on the Move News" newsletter written by Susan Kundrat, MS, RD, LD. For more tips on nutrition for sports performance including quick meal and snack ideas, pre- and post-exercise fueling, and ideas for enhancing your training with nutrition, order this quarterly newsletter for $18 per year. Send a check with your name and address to: Nutrition on the Move: 405 West Charles St., Champaign, IL 61820 or log on to www.eatnmove.com to order online. Keep up-to-date to enhance your performance!
Participating in sports can enhance self-esteem and self-confidence in young athletes, offer athletes positive feelings about their bodies and what they can do, and grant young athletes the opportunity to experience success. But occasionally, the pressure to perform at one's best, in addition to other stresses in a teen's life., can weigh heavily on a young athlete. Hearing inappropriate words like "You look a little chuncky today," you could lose a few pounds," or "You sure would be faster if you ate less," can devastate a young athlete.
Sometimes pressure from society, friends, teammates, family, school, or even the sport itself can be a contributing factor in the development of an eating disorder in a young athlete, particularly when an athlete's body is changing rapidly. Most young athletes do not develop eating disorders, but for any athlete who struggles with food, it can take away precious energy, time, and happiness from the teenage years.
Statistics from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services indicate that nearly half of all girls skip a meal to control their weight. Ant it's not just girls. Some surveys find almost 50% of boys are also trying to control their weight at any one time. Many of these teen girls and boys are at a healthy weight to begin with.
Although eating disorders can develop in athletes and non-athletes alike, participation in particular sports may put extra pressure on young athletes. These include sports that are subjectively scored such as dance, figure skating, and gymnastics; sports using weight categories like martial arts and wrestling' endurance sports such as distance running and cycling; and sports that require tight-fitting uniforms such as swimming, diving, running, or volleyball.
It's important for athletes to have an opportunity to openly discuss pressures in a sport, especially as their bodies change. Parents, coaches, health professions, and fiends can have a positively influence on athletes if they help encourage healthy behaviors.
Here are my Top Tips for staying fit and strong while bypassing eating problems:
· Avoid dieting at all cost. Since many people who struggle with eating disorders say their challenges began by dieting, it's best to steer clear of restrictive eating.
· Develop friendships with teammates and other friends who don't focus on body shape, size, and weight.
· Listen to your body to find out if you are hungry or full. By eating according to your body's cues, you will usually eat the right amount.
· Don't compare your weight to your teammates. We all have different bodies. Plus, athletes usually weigh more if they are stronger and more muscular!
· Eat all foods. No food is "off limits" when it comes to a healthy , balanced sports nutrition plan. As long as you eat a variety of foods from different food groups, eating some candy or desserts can fit right in.
· If you feel uncomfortable about your body, weight, or performance, talk with a trusted adult about it. You may have unrealistic ideas about your body. Focus on your sports performance, not weight. "Mind-Fit" MULTI-EVENT RACING Are you running more than one race at your school. It is very common for athletes to run multi-events at their track meets. A quick tip for what to do between events is to HANG YOUR LEGS. What I mean by that is after your 1st event you should: 1. Jog - take a short jog to cool down a little. 2. Stretch - Do a couple short stretches to prevent tightening up. 3. HANG YOUR LEGS: Find a quite place and a wall. Lay down and put your feet straight up the wall. You will look like an L. The lactic acids in your legs will move through your body quicker. Depending on how much time you got between events you can hang them for 5 minutes or 30 minutes. I also put a Walkman on to pass the time. I did this at my state meet in high school and I ran a 10:18 2-mile and a 4:52 mile with only 15 minutes between events. It does help. You can also try it when you go home at night after a hard workout. VISUAL SUCCESS "MENTAL REHEARSAL"
WHY IS VISUALIZATION IMPORTANT: 1. The more you see, feel, taste, and hear - Greater chance of obtaining your goal. 2. The more you feel like you already accomplished your goal - The more likely you will accomplish it. WHAT WILL VISUALIZATION DO FOR YOU:
DOES EVERYONE VISUALIZE? NO INDIVIDUALS: some are visual, others verbal, others Kinetic (feel) EASY TO SOME, HARD FOR OTHERS - STILL VISUALIZATION IS EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE FOR ALL WHAT TO DO (ALL)
EFFECTIVE VISUALIZATIONS
TYPES OF VISUALIZATIONS: Off the Field
On the Field
RECOMMENDED GROUP VISUALIZATIONS:
OFF SEASON TRAINING: How long should I take off from running after my cross country season: I personally recommend a 2 week break for high school athletes after their cross country season. The latest research says that you really should not take off but back off on your milleage and intensity. I do not recommend that because I believe you need a mental break as much as a physical one. I recommed starting at 15 - 20 minutes of easy running a day and then increase 10% a week after that. You should include technical drills, a good flexibility program and a trength program into your weekly training. Once you have hit your ideal milleage than you can start incorporating higher intensity runs. Let me know what you do after your cross country season - Please email me at janet@runsub5.com. SEASON REVIEW / DAILY ACHIEVEMENT JOURNALS: The cross-country season is over for many of you - Others it still continues. For those that it is over it is time to review your seasons goals and future goals. One of the best methods to do this is reviewing your running log. Plot out your mileage, intensity, key races, etc. See where you ran your best and worst - Compare your plots. It is OK to have some bad races in the middle of your season because your coach was working you towards the ending goal (Conference, State, Etc.). If you do not have a running log send me an email and I will send you out the SUB5 Daily Achievement Log (staff@runsub5.com). Good Luck and see you next month! CROSS COUNTRY RACING TIPS: RACING TACTICS (ACCESSING THE COURSE)
1. RUN POINT TO POINT: Always look ahead and plot a course. If you are warming up on the course, pick your path. Visualize your course of path - The more you see the more likely it will happen.
2. WHO COURSE TAILORS TO: Access the course and be aware of who they tailor to. For example, 800/1500 meter runners will like a flat fast course. Your plan should be knock them off before you get to the last 400 meters or they will run you down.
Distance Runners: A. You want to work the hills and run off the tops. B. Run the 800/1500-meter runners hard early so you drive their kick out of them. C. Utilize smart aggressive surges to deplete them mentally.
800/1500 Meter Runners: A. You want to run a controlled pace and take over at the end. B. If course is hilly, you need to understand your limits and use your strengths. C. Run off the shoulders of other athletes and save for your kick. D. When you pass someone, pass with a big surge so they do not tag along. E. Utilize your fast kick at the end and take control. F. Pick some key areas on the course to take advantage of other racers. Examples: blind spots, hills, down hills, etc.
3. BLIND SPOTS: Utilize blind spots by using surges - this will shock them mentally. Blind spots are anything that takes you out of view from your competitor. They can be any of the following: A. Trees B. Bushes C. Buildings
4. FOOTING: Check out the footing and choose your spike carefully. If it is hard you want to use a short spike. If the course is wet you need a longer one. Also, when accessing the course, look for areas to run where you can avoid holes, ruts, and anything that will cause you to increase steps, work, or effort.
5. WEATHER: Be aware of the weather conditions and make adjustments. Be ready for all weather conditions. If visiting the course before the race, make plans for all weather conditions. It might not be smart to throw a surge in a real muddy area.
6. TRY DIFFERENT THINGS IN YOUR DUAL/PRACTICE MEETS: Do not be afraid to try different strategies in your dual meets. You need to find out what works and what does not. For example: You might want to try surging in practice or at meets and find out if it works. Try long surges and short ones.
7. SELF TALK / POWER MOVEMENT: Make sure you utilize positive self talk and power movements - It will only make you better.
Tell Next time - Good Luck and see you next month. Changes will be made on the 1st of every month! IT'S WINTER Winter has come to most of us. One of the hardest things to do is to decide what to wear. Following are a couple of tips to help you dress appropriately. 1. Over dressing can be just as bad as under dressing: Over dressing will cause you to sweat a lot more than you should which can result in being wet and cold for the rest of your run. Please be careful. 2. Out and back run: By running an out and back run you can toss off some of your clothes and come back for them on the way back. Be careful though, because if the wind is at your back on the way out you can be fooled to think you are hot until you turn around. I recommend starting your run with the wind in your face. Also, only throw down items you do not care to lose. Sometimes others pick them up. 3. Hat and gloves: When running in the winter most of your heat is lost through your head and hands so it is important to keep them covered. In fact, on mild winter days when the temperature is nice you can get away with wearing a hat, gloves, long sleeve shirt, and shorts. A good hat and pair of gloves is a necessity. Check your local running dealers. They have some great hats and gloves that allow the skin to breathe but also retain heat. 4. Covering your face - Vaseline: Frostbite is a very common problem with runners who run in excessive temperatures. Face masks, scarves, etc. can all help with covering up. Covering up all the exposed skin can be hard at times so I recommend trying Vaseline. It provides a protective covering while lubricating your skin. I recommend only using this on your face and ears. Do not apply to the back of the neck because that can cause overheating. 5. The feet: On real cold days try wearing an extra pair of socks - as long as it does not change the size of your shoes. Wearing your shoes too tight can decrease circulation, which can cause the feet to get cold. Also, some of the new trail shoes use Gore-Tex materials that are waterproof. The trail shoes will offer more grip on the snow. 6. Apparel: Stay away from cottons. Cottons will absorb sweat and in return will make you wet and cold. Check with your local running dealer because there are some great new materials that allow the skin to breathe by retaining and keeping you dry. Stay warm and comfortable this
winter! A SEASON IN REVIEW:
For many of you the season is over but for others it continues. As your season comes to conclusion it is very important to review: what have you done well and what have you not done so well. Find out what is working and not working so that you can build an even better program later. For Example: 1. What is your favorite work out and what is your least favorite? Why? 2. Plot out and review - Season Mileage on a weekly basis, Season workout on a weekly basis, Races on a weekly basis. Have you been consistent and if not why? 3. Racing: where are you running well and where are you not? What courses did you run well on and which ones did you not? 4. Mental Attitude: How has your mental attitude been throughout your racing? What are you thinking at different points during your race? What were you thinking before your successful races and none-successful races? These are just a few questions you need to ask yourself. Review your season with completeness. Find your strengths and weaknesses - Use these to develop your next season's program. Strengthen and build your weaknesses and you will find success! Monthly Message: Do You Have A Running Journal?
Running journals are very important for many reasons. Basically, a journal is a daily account of your running activities. Journals will provide a lot of information about your training activities - what is working and what is not. They will also, provide key information quickly that can help you adjust your training appropriately.
What you need to have in your running journal: HOURS OF SLEEP THE NIGHT BEFORE: You will quickly find that the amount and type of sleep will effect your training. If you are inconsistent with your sleep habits you will be inconsistent with your training.
RESTING HEART RATE: Take a morning heart rate before you get out of bed and you will find your resting heart rate. If that resting heart rate is up more than 10 -15% then you need to do a recovery run that day. If you run hard with an elevated resting heart rate you will chance over-training, injury, and more.
WORKOUT: Document - Warm-up, warm-down, session, rest between session, and the effort of each session. Also, include any other information that session gave you (ex: interval times, distance traveled, etc.)
POSITIVE/NEGATIVE MENTAL ATTITUDES: Write down all positive thoughts that helped you through the workout. Also, write all the negative thoughts that affected your workout. Once you have identified consistent negative thought patterns, then action can be taken. Recommended: for every negative thought replace it with three positives.
TALLY UP DISTANCE TRAVELED: You need to write down how much mileage you did on a daily and weekly basis. Drastic increases and decreases in mileage will effect your performance.
Journals serve many purposes and one that is not very much discussed is the motivational aspect. Once you start to document daily information you will become more aware of what is working and what is not. Show it to your coach and together you can develop an effective training program. Goal Setting Track season is fast approaching, have you set your goals yet? In order to have a successful season one of the first things you need to do is to set challenging exciting goals!!!
HOW TO SUCCEED WITH GOAL SETTING: 1. THOUGHTS: All goals start from a thought and build into a mission. Write down your thoughts, give them time limits (3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 3 years, 5 years). Take your top goals you want to accomplish this season and write a paragraph about why you are committed to accomplishing these goal. 2. TALK TO YOUR COACH: Discuss your goals with your coach. They will help guide you. Build a plan with your coach on how you are going to accomplish this goal. This will commit both of you. If you just started and you do not know what you can accomplish ,talk to your coach. Build your goals together. 3. REVIEW YOUR GOALS: Review your immediate goals daily, season goals weekly, and yearly goals monthly, and all other goals need to be reviewed every 6 months - Make adjustments (add, subtract, etc.). Reviewing your goals will keep you on track.
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