June 3-8 (Week 1)

 (Those who are looking for info about our Youth Summer Running Club, click here and you'll find the info you need)

So, for those that are new around here, each week we try and post some things for ATHLETES and PARENTS. Please read all the way through all the stuff and do whatever needs to be done, note important dates, and whatever else. Here's a few things to check out this weekend as we prep for practice on Monday, 7:00a at Washington Elementary:

• read through the Parent/Athlete Meeting slides (if you weren't at the meeting... or even if you were and you want a little more detailed explanation of PVXC) - IF YOU AREN'T GETTING OUR TEAM TEXTS (parents and/or athletes) SEE THE INFO IN THE SLIDES
• get your physical if you haven't yet (turn in to the HS)
• get familiar with the Pre-Run Warm-Up stuff (vid below) and Post-Run (SAM vids on the side tab) stuff we do. Also, check out all the docs on the right labeled under "XC Training System Info" and request access to those with your school google account.
• start running a little - if you run a few times this week 5, 10, 20-25mins it will make a big difference in how you feel next week
• GO GET SOME FRIENDS TO JOIN YOU! Running is a social activity and having friends out there with you is one of the very best things about XC. Call up some friends and invite them to come out with you
• Take a look at the slides for Panther Distance Crew Weight Program - each has a video linked to it to help you learn the correct form. Watch these and get a sense of what you would like to do for our first days in the weight room during our 2nd week of practice.
• HOKA Summer Miles Program - if you want to win some free swag just for doing what you're already doing over the summer, check it out.
• We would also like to recommend those who are running with a smart watch to connect to Strava, so as coaches (and you as athletes) can view the data from your runs. Here's a quick video for Garmin; Here's a vid for Apple Watch; Here's one for FitBit (this one is worth it just for the voice!)
• Check out "Intro" tab on the workouts (found below) and start thinking about what Level you should be running as we start up the season - we'll help you with this for sure

Purpose of the Week's Workouts: Click here for a link to this week's workouts (you have to request access on your school account to see the workouts, so get that done sometime soon). The goal right now is to build... a big foundation, a big engine... whatever you want to call it, we build! The summer is the most important time in XC. Without building a large base, you won't have anything to go from later. We will also be doing "something fast every day". This is a philosophy we have held for many years at PVXC. Cross Country runners aren't slow - we aren't out getting ready for marathons, we race 3 miles, not jog 26.2 - we push ourselves to run fast right from the start. To help emphasize the importance of summer, we will be instituting the Summer 60 Club... we have 76 days from the beginning of summer XC on June 3 to the end of the first week of school on August 17th. The goal of the Summer 60 Club is to encourage each of you (no matter your level or where you're starting from) to get in at least 60 days of running throughout the summer. We'll track this as we track our Weekly Minutes (do this at the end of the week). Our reward will be a cool running shirt.

This Week's Schedule:

Monday: First Day of XC! Monday 7:00a at Washington Elementary - bring water and a towel (for stretches and drills on grass). (Everyone)

Tuesday: Regular practice at 7:00a at Washington Elem. (Everyone) - Youth Summer Running Club 8:30-9:45 (everyone plan on staying and helping out)

Wednesday: Regular practice at 7:00a at Washington Elem. (Everyone) 

Thursday: Regular practice at 7:00a at Washington Elem. (Everyone)

Friday: Regular practice at 7:00a at Sullivan Park (Everyone)

Saturday: Form your own groups and get your run in

Book Club Reading: Each summer, we read a book and talk about it as a team. This summer we are reading (sections of) Boys in the Boat (a little more info in the quote below). You are totally invited to buy the book or find an online version to read or listen to. You can also download a pdf or google doc version of our reading sections here (You've got to request permission to have it shared with you): Week 1 Reading pdf 

Shoes... Shoes... and more Shoes: We don't have a lot of equipment for running, but what we do have is very important... shoes. Parents and athletes, take a look at this short guide to running shoes and when to replace them. There are a lot of places you can get new shoes (specialty stores, online, etc.); however, the key is to get the right fit for your particular foot, not necessarily just the cheapest or cutest. A specialty store will help fit you in the correct shoe. You can also get some help from coaches who have some experience in identifying various foot types and getting you in the correct type of shoe (neutral, cushion, support, stability).

Upcoming Events:

• OPENING SOCIAL AT QUAIL LAKE! BRING A FRIEND... Time and date TBA
• High Altitude Camp - July 15th-18th at Jacob Lake. Cost is $90. We will need to get this planned and figured out who is going, parents driving (staying for all or part). This is a VERY worthwhile event to be a part of... everyone on the team should make it a priority to join us. Those who are new, talk to your teammates about camp and see why you should plan on being there too. Please take a minute and fill out the following form for participation. Registration and Payment are due by June 24th.

PVXC Thought of the Week: "Having rowed myself since the tender age of twelve and having around rowing ever since, I believe I can speak authoritatively on what we may call the unseen value of rowing - the social, moral, and spiritual values of this oldest of chronicled sports in the world. No didactic teaching will place these values in a young man's soul. He has to get them by his own observation and lessons." 

-George Yeoman Pocock

This is from our book Boys in the Boat. We're pretty excited to delve into this book. It is an amazing story and really hits on what we want our program and our team to be about. We implore you to read (ahh... reading over the summer) each week and come to practice ready to discuss your thoughts. You may take a look at this and say, "Well that's great that rowing is so wonderful. What does it have to do with running?" And that is a great question. Our answer would be that rowing and running are very similar - and so are many of our various other pursuits. And as we each Get In The Boat, we will each learn the connection and values that come from these great pursuits. So are you ready to Get In The Boat?!