June 29-July 4 (Week 5)

We continue to really put together a great foundation for the season. Those who are coming to practice on a consistent basis are showing great signs of improvement and growth. Last week was a tough and important one and you are all just continuing to push yourself and improve.

Purpose of the Week's Workouts: This week's workouts will be a recovery week. Our minutes will drop just a little bit, and although we will still have a couple workouts, the overall intesity of the week will be down a little. Use this time to focus on letting yourself physically and mentally recover a bit. Look back at last week's ideas of sleep, post-run recovery of ice and rolling, and yoga and see if you can improve a bit on each of them.

This Week's Schedule:
We'll keep having practice at Washington Elementary Monday through Thursday this week at 7:00a. Our Friday location will be announced later in the week. Saturday run on your own or make your own group run.

Weekly Challenge:
Let's keep a focus on recovery... Last week we shared our yoga routine. This week, take 20 minutes to do yoga at least once. Use the time to help yourself get connected more to your body and mind.

Minutes:
Please use this form and update your minutes and set a goal for yourself for this coming week (the more specific the goal the better) - and catch up any weeks you might have missed. This is how we will earn our minutes awards for the season.

Book Club:
This week will be kind of a catch up week for our book. So get any sections you need to and read through them and we'll get back to our discussion next week.

Other Stuff:
If you haven't done these things yet, please do:

• registermyathlete - get it done! Go to registermyathlete.com and complete.
• PHYSICAL - get your physical scheduled and done ASAP (pick up the paperwork at practice)
• PHYSICAL AND REGISTERMYATHLETE MUST to be complete by July 17th to be able to go to camp!
• if you haven't looked at the Parent/Athlete Meeting slides, please do - this is in place of our Parent Meeting we usually have.
• take a look at the 2020 schedule and start making some plans - we are still in a little flux with some of the meets - WE WILL PROBABLY BE CHANGING THE MEET TO WEBER (they have changed the date, and I don't think we'll be able to attend).

Upcoming Events:

- McFarland Presentation: Monday at 1:30-3:00 or 3:30-5:00. For those that have preregistered and paid. YOU MUST WEAR A MASK. Please plan on arriving a few minutes early to Desert Hills HS for check in.

- Run-a-thon: date TBA, but coming up soon. We will follow the format we implemented last year of a 12 hour relay from 10:00a ('ish) to 10:00p ('ish) at Sullivan Park. Each athlete will have 2 two hour blocks and the final dash-for-cash hour assigned to attend. We will have pizza for dinner and treats and activities throughout the day. This is a great team building activity and also an opportunity to raise some money to help cover any of your XC costs.

- High Altitude Camp: July 27th-30th at Deer Haven Campground on Cedar Mountain. We are still planning on camp for now. (Please keep healthy, wear masks, and try and limit exposure so we can hold our camp.) Cost for camp is $90 (don't pay yet). We leave on Monday and camp at a national forest campground on Cedar Mountain and return on Thursday. At camp, we work on team building, run, have classes, do a ton of fun activities, and all sorts of stuff. We want everyone to attend. To do this, we will need to stay healthy and make some plans for rides and chaperones. Parents who may be able to drive up on Monday (around noon) and/or back on Thursday (around 10a), and any parents who may want to stay at camp for any/all of the time, please contact Coach Holt (via remind text or email david.holt@washk12.org) asap. Athletes, we need an initial count for planning purposes Monday at practice, so please discuss this with parents and see where you stand (as well as your t-shirt size).

Youth Summer Running Club Challenge #5:

In a usual summer, this is our off week of running club. So this week, we are going to take advantage of the time to try and get you some of your miles toward your summer marathon. Your Challenge #5 is to run longer than you have all summer. If you've run for 1 mile, try and run 1 1/2 miles; if you've run for 10 minutes, try and run for more. Get some extra miles in and work toward getting 26 in for the summer. 

Remember, we are doing this in place of our usual summer club. If you are able to do 8 of our 10 weekly challenges you will earn a special award. And if you complete your summer marathon of 26.2 miles, you'll earn your certificate. So use the links below to keep track of your progress and keep up the good work!

Summer Marathon Mileage Card

Weekly Challenge Chart

PVXC Thought of the Week: 
"It made me a better player. It's helped to make me a better person, not think about what you should or shouldn't have done. Just take this moment in from of you. Focus on that."
-Shawn Green
in an article discussing his use of meditation and focus

Meet McFarland USA

As many of you have heard, we have the exciting opportunity to meet some of the real members of the McFarland XC team that the movie McFarland USA is based on. Coach Fielding at DH has been putting in tons of work to get this figured out with all the Covid rules. So we finally have some info:

Date: Monday, June 29th
Time: 1:30-3:00 or 3:30-5:00 (they will do their very best to put you into the session of your choosing)
Location: Desert Hills HS
Cost: $20 (Venmo @Dhillsrunningclub MUST BE PAID BY SATURDAY EVENING!)
Masks will be required (please bring your own if possible)

I HAVE TO TURN IN A LIST OF NAMES AND WHICH SESSION YOU WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND - SO PLEASE SOLIDIFY YOUR PLANS AND BE READY TO TELL ME TOMORROW (FRIDAY) at practice (or for those who may not be at practice or are Youngesters or community/family, let me know via email at david.holt@washk12.org)

Remember family, friends, community members are all invited to attend. If you didn't put down your intial request to attend, that is okay... that was just to get an idea of numbers, you can still attend if you pay and tell me tomorrow.

June 22-27 (Week 4)

Get ready for the temps to warm up. Looks to be a bit warmer both in the mornings and the afternoons this week. So make sure you are drinking plenty of water - should be 100+ oz. a day.

Purpose of the Week's Workouts: This week's workouts will see a continued build up of minutes (and miles) as well as some Pace and Hill work. It is a pretty big week, but we will follow it up with a recovery week next week and cut the minutes down a bit. Right in these few weeks is when we often see injuries creeping in, so do the things that will keep you healthy. We mentioned drinking water (so important to keep hydrated throughout the day). Also, make sure you are icing - ice cupping/massaging after each run can really help lessen the swelling taking place in the body after runs. Massage with a roller (like a stick or a foam roller) - keep the legs loose and clear out the junk that builds up in them. Incorporate yoga into your weekly routine - we like to use this routine, it helps loosen and stretch tired muscles and provides a great way to check in on your body. Another huge thing that gets neglected during our crazy summer months is sleep - GET TO BED EARLIER! Each of you should be getting 8 hours of sleep each night (naps are nice, but aren't as helpful as a good night's sleep). Evaluate your own schedule and see what you can do to improve your sleep. Like everything we talk about, its up to you to implement these suggestions. If you really want to improve your running and be more committed to the team, then you will take steps to improve in each area of weakness.
One more thing on this week. We will start to introduce doubles (a second run for the day) a couple times this week. These will be Regen Runs where the purpose is to allow the legs some regenration. They will be short (15mins) and just two times this week. Levels 2, 3 and 4 should get these runs in. These runs are optional for Level 1. We are starting these doubles now to start working on running in the heat. Eventually, much of our practice will be held after school in the heat, so we want to slowly start acclimating to the high temps. These runs are planned for Tues and Thursday, but look at your schedule and move them if you need to (maybe you have work some day or a family trip or something). Also, we would suggest doing these runs sometime between 2:00p and 5:00p (if you can) so that you are getting that heat acclimation. Of course, do them in an area that is safe and you can get hydration if needed and stop if needed (maybe a few laps around your block so you can stop off and get a drink or soak in the hose). Try to run with someone if possible. And always let someone know when and where you are going, so they can watch out for you to get back safely.

This Week's Schedule:
This week, we'll keep having practice at Washington Elementary Monday through Friday this week at 7:00a. On Saturday we will have our long run, so we would like to meet together to do it. We will meet at Sullivan Park at 7a on Saturday and then do a short carpool up the Dam Road to do our run on a dirt road. Weights on Tuedays and Thursdays after our run, we will go (as a team) over to PVHS and spend 30mins in the weight room going through our routing (please do your best to build this into your schedule). Afternoon runs (see explanation above) on Tues and Thursday on own.

Breakfast with Beattie! Wednesday after practice for the girls and Friday after practice for the boys.

Weekly Challenge:
Many of us are struggling to read our book. So let's make that the challenge... Read this week's section of the book and be ready to contribute to the discussion on Tuesday.

Minutes:
Please use this form and update your minutes and set a goal for yourself for this coming week (the more specific the goal the better) - and catch up any weeks you might have missed. This is how we will earn our minutes awards for the season.

Book Club:
We will be discussing this week's pages on Tuesday at practice.

Other Stuff:
If you haven't done these things yet, please do:

• registermyathlete - get it done! Go to registermyathlete.com (the registration part needs to be done this week - physical and fees can be completed later)
• if you haven't looked at the Parent/Athlete Meeting slides, please do - this is in place of our Parent Meeting we usually have.
• take a look at the 2020 schedule and start making some plans - we are still in a little flux with some of the meets (particularly travel meets).

Youth Summer Running Club Challenge #4:

Normally, this week would be our first race of summer club. So this week, our challenge is going to get you running a little faster, and we'll do it twice. Your Challenge #4 is to find a good safe area that you can run (like around your block or at a park), and run around it as fast as you can (like a race). Time it if you can (wear a watch, or have someone else time you). Then later in the week, run the same course and see if you can improve your time.

Remember, we are doing this in place of our usual summer club. If you are able to do 8 of our 10 weekly challenges you will earn a special award. And if you complete your summer marathon of 26.2 miles, you'll earn your certificate. So use the links below to keep track of your progress and keep up the good work!

Summer Marathon Mileage Card

Weekly Challenge Chart

PVXC Thought of the Week: 
"Before that season, I wasn't even aware that a little man was ever on my shoulder, chattering and interfering. How would I know? Until I achieved separation from the mind, I'd known nothing but chattering."
-Shawn Green
It's in this week's reading... we'll talk about it on Tuesday.

June 15-20 (Week 3)

Hopefully we will be saying this a lot... another great week of practice. We want to welcome our new teammates and continue the challenge to everyone to bring some new to practice this week. Also, thanks to everyone that helped at the carwash for Mrs. Moody's family. You guys are really a great crew.

Purpose of the Week's Workouts: This week's workouts are designed to help us continue to build up a mileage (minutes) base. We like to call this time the Foundation because, as with all things build to stand the test of time and hold a lot of weight, the stronger the Foundation you create right now, the more you will be able to build on it as we continue through the year and years to come. This week, this will include a longer run (with some intro to tempo) and an introduction to Pace Work - a workout where we include shorter intervals of varying paces to help you strengthen your aerobic fitness.

This Week's Schedule:
This week, we'll keep having practice at Washington Elementary Monday through Thursday and on Friday, we will meet at Confluence Park (2099 S Convention Center Dr, St. George). Each day we will meet at 7:00a. Weights on Tuedays and Thursdays after our run, we will go (as a team) over to PVHS and spend 30mins in the weight room going through our routing (please do your best to build this into your schedule).

Team Goal Setting Party on Tuesday at noon! We will swim and have lunch. Please do everything you can to come. (And this would be a great way to introduce a friend to XC.)
Food assignments (if you can):
Freshmen - treat
Sophomores - chocolate milk
Juniors - salad and ranch
Senior boys - chips
Senior girls - hamburger buns

Weekly Challenge:
Each week we ask you to report for minutes from the past week. Please use this form and update your minutes and set a goal for yourself for this coming week (the more specific the goal the better) - and catch up any weeks you might have missed. This is how we will earn our minutes awards for the season. So your challenge this week is to record your minutes from the past week and set a new goal for yourself for this coming week.

Book Club:
We will be discussing this week's pages on Tuesday at practice.

If you haven't done these things yet, please do:

• registermyathlete - get it done! Go to registermyathlete.com (the registration part needs to be done this week - physical and fees can be completed later)
• if you haven't looked at the Parent/Athlete Meeting slides, please do - this is in place of our Parent Meeting we usually have.
• take a look at the 2020 schedule and start making some plans - we are still in a little flux with some of the meets (particularly travel meets).

Youth Summer Running Club Challenge #3:

Thanks to the Youngesters (grades K-8th) and parents who posted pics and tagged @pvxctrack of last week's challenge of racing the obstacle course and 40 meter dash over at Hell Hole Park! It looked like quite a few of you went out had a great time..
This week, we'll send you over to another park for your challenge. Your Challenge #3 is to go to Sullivan Park and run on the grass around some of the soccer fields - running on grass is what XC is all about! It is a different kind of running and pretty fun to feel the soft grass under your feet. So, go run a few laps around some of the soccer fields and see if you can run for 10 minutes or even more.  If you aren't able to make it to the park, don't worry, go any other place nearby that has a bit of grass and run around for a few minutes.

Remember, we are doing this in place of our usual summer club. If you are able to do 8 of our 10 weekly challenges you will earn a special award. And if you complete your summer marathon of 26.2 miles, you'll earn your certificate. So use the links below to keep track of your progress and keep up the good work!

Summer Marathon Mileage Card

Weekly Challenge Chart

Also,

T-Shirt Order Form - The kids like the shirts and we are able to make a few dollars as a fundraiser for our program for each shirt... If you would like to order T-Shirts this year, please fill out the order form and Venmo $10 per shirt to @Dave-Holt77 by Monday, June 15th.

PVXC Thought of the Week: 
"I used to believe that the goal of meditation was to stop thoughts. But as I did my work off the tee, I learned that... [r]ather than stopping thoughts, meditation is about shifting one's awareness out of thought by focusing attention on something else."
-Shawn Green
It's in this week's reading... we'll talk about it on Tuesday.

June 8-13 (Week 2)

An excellent first week of practice... As coaches, our three favorite things we noticed: 1) the number of younger runners coming out (Freshmen and new Sophies - way to go, it's great to have you coming out! Keep at it, even as it is a little tough; you can do this.). 2) the consistency in our numbers - nearly everyday, everyone kept coming out (this is what will make our program strong and each of you individually strong - consistent practice). 3) the effort given by everyone - Friday was a good example, the fast finish at the end was tough, but everyone was giving a good effort and pushing themselves and each other. Great things to come for sure!
(A lot of info this week... please look through it all)

Purpose of the Week's Workouts: This week's workouts are designed to help us continue to build up a mileage (minutes) base. We like to call this time the Foundation because, as with all things build to stand the test of time and hold a lot of weight, the stronger the Foundation you create right now, the more you will be able to build on it as we continue through the year and years to come. This week, this will include a longer run (with some intro to tempo) and a baseline test to help us giv you some paces for workouts as we continue to get in shape.

This Week's Schedule:
This week, we'll keep having practice at Washington Elementary Monday through Thursday and on Friday, we will meet at the Middleton Park (780 N 1700 E). Each day we will meet at 7:00a. We will also introduce weights this week. On Tuedays and Thursdays after our run, we will go (as a team) over to PVHS and spend 30mins in the weight room going through our routing (please do your best to build this into your schedule).

Weekly Challenge:
This week, reach out to three people and see if you can get them to come with you to practice. To help convince them, you will need to share with them why you come do this running thing. So, take a few minutes and ponder on why you participate with PVXC. Then share those thoughts with 3 others, invite them to come to practice (share specific time and place), and offer ride to get them there. Let's share this thing we enjoy with others we care about.

Book Club:
Last week we introduced you to the author of some reading we will be doing... if you haven't yet watched the video from last week, please do. And then take a little time (really it won't be too much) and read the section we picked up at practice. We will be discussing it on Tuesday at practice.

If you haven't done these things yet, please do:

• if you haven't looked at the Parent/Athlete Meeting slides, please do - this is in place of our Parent Meeting we usually have at the end of the school year.
• take a look at the 2020 schedule and start making some plans - we are still in a little flux with some of the meets (particularly travel meets).
• Report your minutes - even if you haven't been running much (or at all), go to this form and update your minutes and set a goal for yourself for this coming week (the more specific the goal the better) - and catch up any weeks you might have missed. 
• Also some things to help you out - it would be great if you start to incorporate the lunge matrix, leg swings and SAMs into your daily workout routine. These are great strengthening exercises that will help you get and stay healthy and injury free. 
• Lunge Matrix video
• Leg Swings video
• SAM video
• Now about this stuff, why do them? No doubt, some of us who know this stuff realize the benefits of these exercises and others aren't so sure about them. Like everything in life, you won't really do a great job with them until YOU buy in. So until you start to realize the benefits of these exercises, maybe you'll just take my word for it - these will help you be stronger; a stronger runner is a healthier runner; a healthier runner is a faster runner...

Youth Summer Running Club Challenge #2:

So, we know at least of few of our Youngesters (grades K-8th) participated in our first challenge from last week. Hopefully it gave you a chance to spend some time with a friend and get out and run a little.
This week, we are going to give you another challenge. The new park in Washington (Hell Hole or whatever name the city has decided to call it) at the bottom of the Washington Parkway has a fun obstacle course and 40 meter timing system. Your Challenge #2 is to go to this park and run both the obstacle course and do a timed 40 meter dash - run it a few times and see what your best time is! If you aren't able to make it to the park, don't worry, go outside your house and make your own course and run it a few times and see how much you can improve.

Remember, we are doing this in place of our usual summer club. If you are able to do 8 of our 10 weekly challenges you will earn a special award. And if you complete your summer marathon of 26.2 miles, you'll earn your certificate. So use the links below to keep track of your progress and keep up the good work!

Summer Marathon Mileage Card

Weekly Challenge Chart

Also,

T-Shirt Order Form - The kids like the shirts and we are able to make a few dollars as a fundraiser for our program for each shirt... If you would like to order T-Shirts this year, please fill out the order form and Venmo $10 per shirt to @Dave-Holt77 by June 15th.

PVXC Though of the Week: 
"Contrary to general misconceptions, meditation is not about training oneself to live without thought; rather it's about training oneself to move beyond one's thought."
-Shawn Green
It's in this week's reading... we'll talk about it on Tuesday.