Woodbridge

This is why I can't keep a journal!  I can't keep up…
So our blog has fallen way behind on pretty much everything this season, so we are going to get caught up by starting at the most recent stuff and working our way back to the start.
This past weekend, our Varsity Boys headed down to Irvine, California for the Woodbridge XC Classic.  This was a first for our team and could become a yearly event (girls, it's your turn next year!).  Upon arriving Friday afternoon, we checked in and did a course run-through.  Our race was late in the evening Friday night, so we checked in to the hotel and hunted down some dinner.  Getting back to the course, we saw this was the largest XC invite any of us had been to - thousands of athletes everywhere.  The team ran very well under the lights and ended up winning our division (White - Varsity B) with a 38 second spread between Nick Hill who took 4th (and ended up with the 101st fastest time of the meet, between the 2 days), Alex Hill 17th (and top 5 fastest Freshman in the whole meet), Paul Gaona 18th, Dallen Gillespie 19th, and Andrew Nielsen 27th.  Cam Brown placed 32nd and Jake Taylor finished 61st to round out our 7.
The next day, the team had a less than desirable breakfast, a nice long run, and a good time at the beach and headed home.
The girls, meanwhile, had a great team bonding camp up at Pine Valley.  Thanks to Coach Roberts for going with them.  The Bushars for letting the girls use the cabin and chaperoning and cooking.  And to Nicole and the other girl captains for all the hard work they put into the overnighter.

Didn't Order A Spirit Pack?

... Well here is what's left.  See what you want/need and bring in your money and claim what you want.  There are still a few things on back-order - hopefully they will show up soon and we can fill out those orders.

Season Preview

The Spectrum's season preview is out and has a pretty solid write-up of our team and our goals.  Sorry to those that may not have been mention - use it as a drive to make sure you never get left off again!

Weeks 8, 9 and 10 - Camp and Time Trial #1

Catching up a few weeks.
We had an excellent High Altitude Camp up at Pine Lake this summer.  There was a bit of everything: rain, thunder and lightning; swimming; trail runs; activities and food.  Our camp theme this year was "We' talkin' 'bout practice!" after the infamous Allen Iverson rant which was recreated perfectly by the most AI guy we have - Preston Warby!  The captains did a great job of focusing our camp on the importance of practice and other activities that bring us together as a team in our running and socially.  This one of our very best camps ever and we thank the captains, the camp cooks, those who helped drive and all the great runners.
Our last week of summer we had the conclusion of our Kids Club - which was a great success this year - and our first team Time Trial held at the PV course.  The Time Trial showed some great possibilities for our team.  The boys ran as a strong pack and ended with a nice close spread - especially nice was the 10 second spread from 3-7.  The hard work of summer really showed up on the girls side as good times were put up by many who will be pushing each other for every Varsity spot.
It was a great summer, full of hard work, miles and a lot of fun activities.  great job to all of you for starting off this season right!

Week 11 - Cedar, Relays and Run-a-Thon

Well... I have fallen behind as usual, but I figured to give us our update for where we are at and our preview of next week, then we'll get caught up ASAP.
What a busy week!  With the start of school, two races and our run-a-thon, it is a good one to have finished up!  Our first official race of the season - the Cedar All-Comers - went well.  The You fosters started us off well with Scottie Bushar having a strong race and girls letting the Region notice that we will be a force for years to come as we finished by claiming spots 2-7 and 9 of the top 12, led by great runs from Addi Baker, Sarah Snow and Sylvia Brown.  The high school ladies then followed the lead of their younger counterparts running very strong and taking 2nd to Cedar and led by a tight pack of Alli Peterson who finished in 8th at 19:56, Nicole Heinrich (9th, 20:03) and Josie Bushar (11th 20:06).  Freshmen Jacey Finch and Ellie Bushar also ran strong races finishing at 20:40 and taking 5th and 6th on the team.  It was a very good start to the season for the girls.  The boys also took a solid 2nd (to DH) placing all 5 scores in the top 20.  Leading the team was Nick Hill with a 15:55 finish and taking 6th overall.  Although the result showed we have a lot of work to do to meet our team goals, it was also a good race for the early season.
Later in the week, we held our first Desert Relays - a duel relay with DH held at the Region South Course.  The format saw the top 3 runners from each team compete together, followed by the next three, etc... Each completing a lap of the course at distances from 1.4, 1.5 and .85 miles.  Once again the youngster girls ran very well with our 8th grade team taking 2nd overall and the 6th grade girls taking 6th.  Our team of Nicole Heinrich (fastest Leg 1 of the meet), Ellie Bushar and Jacey Finch won the relay and led our PV girls to the inaugural team title.  On the boys side, our team showed improvement over Tuesday's result and closed the gap on DH just a little, narrowly missing out on winning with a 25-30 score.
We ended the night with our 12 hour Run-a-thon which was a great success.  A lot of miles were run -  102 by each team, in fact!, a lot of games, dancing, good food and tiredness!
Now we look forward to Week 12 which holds the SUU Invite on Saturday, starting at 8:00 at Bicenteniall Park in Cedar.  The bus will leave PV at 6:30 Sat. morning.  JV girls will race at 8:00, followed by the JV boys, Varsity girls and then Varsity boys.  As we get into this week, I want everyone to evaluate what you are doing in all aspects of your life and how it is effecting our team.  I have seen many of you getting to AM practices, recruiting, pushing yourself and others like you never have before.  And I know that as we continue this we will be reaching our goals individually and as a team.

SPIRIT PACKS!

We are expediting (that means getting this going quick!) our Spirit Packs this year.  Coach Holt needs to know what you would like to order by Friday the July 25th.  Our order will take about a month (if we're lucky) to get here, so there will be no late orders…  The order does not need to be paid for now, but will have to be paid for in entirety before it is delivered - and a fine will be placed on those students who don't pay for the apparel they order.  Remember that your Run-a-Thon Fundraiser $ over $100 can be used toward your spirit pack.
To place an order, open the link (Spirit Pack Order Form), print your order form, and write out what you would like.  Remember this is due by the end of this week!  So spread the word to everyone that might want to get some PVXC gear (athletes and parents/family), or your teammates might miss out!

Athletes of the Week - Week 4, 5, 6, and 7!

Because of state moratoriums, camps, vacations and other stuff, we are a few weeks behind on our Athletes of the Week.  So here we go (in no particular order):

Skylar Abel, Junior, started running XC last season because his brother ran.  During this time, Skylar has not only become extremely fit and healthy (read into that what you will!), He has become a valuable asset to our team.  Skylar has developed into a leader of our Level 2 boys and sets the standard very high for hard work and commitment to pushing himself and others.

Cameron Brown, a Senior captain, has done a great job of leading the team this summer.  During our moratorium week (no coaches), Cam led each practice and kept in contact with Coach diligently with any questions and points of concern.  He has also started the season well with two strong races on the 4th of July and at Chelsi's Run.

Nick Hill, Junior, has had a great summer of running.  He has positioned himself to not only be one of the top runners on our team, but one of the top in the State.  He ended this past track season on a tear, posting a 1:57 in the 800m at State and looks to build on that as he looks to place very high in the State XC meet and lead the team to its goals of a State Title!

Jason Hall, another Junior, started the summer out of town.  But during his time away, he was able to start working on building his base and it is starting to show now.  Jason has shown that he is getting into pretty good shape with a solid race at Chelsi's Run finishing 2nd in the 5K.  He looks to be a strong scorer for the Varsity boys this XC season.

Macey Widdison, Junior, has had a very strong summer of XC.  She has often found herself up extra early to get workouts in before having to leave town for trips and activities.  Getting her runs in, though, has been very beneficial for Macey, as she has continually improved and will set many PR's this season.

Nicole Heinrich, Senior captain, is having her best summer of running yet.  Always a promising runner, Nicole has been working very hard at staying healthy and keeping up consistent minutes to push herself and her teammates to great things.  She is a very good captain, who despite many things, always finds encouraging and uplifting words for her teammates.

Ellie Bushar, Freshman, is setting a strong standard for her fellow freshmen and teammates.  Ellie has been one of the most consistent runners on our team this summer.  Not only does she get her runs in - working extremely hard in the process, Ellie keeps track of all her runs on her Week Report and does all of the other things necessary to keep improving.

Caroline Clements is another Freshman who is doing great things.  Like Ellie, Caroline has run with us through our middle school Youngster program and has continued to grow and improve.  She has a great attitude and loves to help her teammates grow and improve.  At the same time, Caroline has developed a lot and has a bright future in her own running.

Congrats to all of you.  Each of you symbolize what Panther XC is all about: dedication, hard work, caring about the team, and pushing yourself to fill your role on this team as best as possible.

Week 7 - Review

We are getting very close to the beginning of a new school year - I know, seriously?!.  Which means a few things: 1) we are missing a lot of practice.  2) it is time to get real serious.  3) camp is coming up.
This past week was our worst of the summer.  Much of the missing was legitimate - church, camps, vacations, etc...  No matter what the reason, we need to be getting our runs in.  Which leads us right to #2.
We have races coming up soon and we need to be in shape as we enter the next phases of our practice schedule (moving from Base to Pre-Competition).  Our first time trial will be held the first week of August.  Let's be ready.
And camp... We will be leaving next Weds. at 11:00am from PVHS.  Start getting the things you need ready, get yourself physical and mentally ready, and prepare yourself to have a great time.  Our captains have done a great job planning many activities and it is going to be a blast.
We had some awesome workouts this past week.  Workouts that really pulled our team together.  We want everyone of you to benefit from these workouts and bonding experiences... Be here!  And keep up the great work!

Week 6 - I am Ironman...

Another solid week for the team.  We our very proud of the hard work and consistent effort put in by so many of you; especially on a week that was so crazy.  The captains did a great job of hosting practice for those that were in town, many of the girls who were at camps still were able to run a bit, and others who were off on vacations got some runs in as well.
I wanted to talk a little bit about a health topic that affects many of us a runners - iron levels.  For a variety of reasons which I won't get into right now, iron levels in runners tend to be a bit lower than for others sometimes even to the point of anemia (there are many great articles about this topic online - do a little research).  This is a problem for runners because lower iron/ferritin levels will lead to fatigue.  One of the best things that each of us can do is try an incorporate more iron into our daily eating habits.  To boost the amount of iron in your diet, try these foods: red meat, eggs (particularly the yoke), spinach and other leafy greens, dried fruits (prunes, raisins), iron-enriched cereals, beans and liver.  In some cases an iron pill (or liquid form) is needed.  It is very important to know what to and not to take your iron with.  Vitamin C has been shown to help the absorption of iron, while Calcium blocks this absorption.
Those who have had lower levels of iron would tell you the significance of an iron-rich diet is to your body.  I would encourage each of you to make a diet high in iron a regular part of your meal plans, and anyone who seems to be abnormally low on energy for an extended amount of time might want to go get iron levels checked at the doctor.
Now, back to other running stuff…  Practice will be back to normal this week - 7:00 am at Washington Elementary (Mon-Thurs) with Friday at a location to-be-announced.  And Tuesday after practice we will have running club.  Unbelievably, we are less than a month out from school starting and our first meet will soon follow.  If you haven't been as consistent in your running as you should be, it is not too late to start - but you must get going everyday and get your minutes in or you will not be reaching your goals and neither will our team!

Week 5 - Recovery Week Coming Up!

We had a great week - even with many people gone for the holiday and other events, we had a strong showing at practice, the girls nearly hit their goal of 40 at practice (it would have happened had it not been for the holiday), and good workouts and minutes all around.
So now we move into our first major recovery week of the season.  Usually we try to get a recovery week about every 4th week, but with our buildup we have been able to keep it going until now.  But now… let's enjoy it.  The purpose of a recovery week is obviously to recover.  Most of you have been working very hard and consistently building up your minutes and workouts for the first 5 weeks of the season.  So a recovery week will allow you body to adapt to this buildup you have had and rest the legs and mind a little as well.  It is important that you still run during the recovery week - and workouts are posted over on the workout blog (found on the right column of this blog), but you will notice that the intensity and volume are way down for the week (even taking out a few of the afternoon runs for you Level 3's).  Those that are going off to camp or vacations this week, follow the same guidelines we always have for those situations - do your very best to get the runs in, and if you can't just get some sort of run in.  Everyone have a great week, enjoy it, push yourselves and your team, and look for updates from your captains about locations of practice and whatnot for this upcoming week.  And be ready for some strong weeks coming up soon!

Camp Update

Okay here are the main things we need worked out THIS WEEK - which means by Thursday, since we don't have practice Friday.
Remainder of Payment - your final payment for camp is due.  The total is $85, so whatever you owe, you need to finish off paying.
Rides - we need to finish out our rides (we have three school suburbans - we need rides for 20 more athletes up and back from camp).  Parents are more than welcome to come and stay with us throughout camp or for part, I just need to know ASAP who can give rides and how many can fit in vehicles.

Week 4 - How Do I Have a Life With All This Running?!

Another solid week in the bag… can you believe we are moving into July and have one month of practice down?!  Some of you have really been working hard and used the most of this summer to become a better runner; others, maybe we are missing a bit too much, not getting each run in, or struggling to balance all the aspects of our life.
So… I want you to take a look at this article about Josh Ward a runner from Davis.  In this article, Josh talks about how he balances a very busy schedule (70 hours of work a week!) with getting in his runs.  One of the main things I take from athletes like Josh is the setting of priorities.  This is what we talked about in practice this week with our Green Sheets talking about priorities.  We all have many things happening in life and many of them are great - especially running!  So how do we get our runs in we we work, have church activities, have family events, chores, vacations and all that other stuff?  The answer really is PRIORITIZE!  What do you need to move around to get all of these things in?  Is the answer to wake up earlier and get a chore done?  Do I need to spend a little less time texting to get to bed on time so I can get up?  Whatever it is for you… do it!  Do it, so you can get to practice.
A runner I know won a race this winter and one of her prizes was a block with an inspiration quote thing on it that said, "Somewhere someone who is busier than you is running!"  I really think this is true.  Everyone is very busy.  The true champions - the ones who want PR's, the ones who want Region and State Titles, the ones who want to become the very best they can be - are out running when they should be and taking care of things that get in the way so they can.
As a whole I think our team is doing very good at this; let's keep it up!  We are seeing great things happening for our team.

A few quick words about next week:
(or the end of this coming week) - No team practice on the 4th of July.  Meet together, race, whatever… but get your run in.
Then next week we have our UHSAA mandated "no coach week".  This doesn't mean there isn't practice or you don't need to run.  The workouts are posted, many of you will be meeting together; get your runs in.
Because of this, there is't Kids Club on the 8th of July - we'll tell everyone this Tuesday, but please spread the work around.

Athlete of the Week - Week 3

Alex Hill and Josie Bushar were chosen as our Athletes of the Week for our 3rd week of the season.  Following the standard we have set with our first two weeks, Alex and Josie have both been doing a great job at not only getting their runs in (where they are showing amazing improvements), but also filling out their Week Reports, Heart-Rate Tracking, and all the other things that make you have a successful summer.
Alex Hill, a Freshman, is one of the top Freshman ever to come through PV.  One of his goals is to make Varsity this season.  Although this will be a very difficult thing to accomplish, Alex is running very well and doing all of the things he needs to to make this goal a reality.  He is a great example of setting a high standard for himself and going after it.  We look forward to many great years of running from Alex.
Josie Bushar is a Sophomore in her 2nd year of XC.  Through last year, Josie showed great dedication and improvement in her running.  This summer she is coming out of the first month of the season in better shape than ever and really looks to be one of our top runners.  She has a great attitude and spreads that to everyone on the team.
Congrats to Josie and Alex and keep up the good work!

Week 3 - RRR!

Week 3 closes out our strongest week this summer.  Not only did we achieve our highest minutes total this summer, we had our largest group to Friday's run, and we had GREAT weather!
I think it is very important that we think of the 3 R's that Coach Roberts talked to us about on Monday - Run, Record, Recruit.  Each of these R's plays a vital role in our program.

Run: Obviously we need to be running!  So each of us needs to ask, "How am I doing on running today?"  Am I getting up to get to practice each morning?  If so, great… If not, what is getting in the way of that?  Not enough sleep, being lazy, feeling like you aren't fitting in?  Whatever it is, you need to figure it out and decide how you can address the issue - it all comes down commitment and wanting to make yourself and your team better.  To tell you the truth, my biggest difficulty is sleep.  I love sleep!  So waking up early each morning to run is tough for me.  So what gets me out of bed?  You!  The team.  I know that the team counts on me to be there and looks to my example.  Hopefully these could be things that get you out to practice too because each of you are an important part of this team and we need you there and want you there.

Record:  The Week Report… What is it's purpose?  For you: tracking your progress, setting goals, figuring out why you are doing well or maybe struggling.  For the coaches: tracking your progress and goals, creating your workouts, determining what is helping you or setting you back.   And the same goes for your Heart Rate Tracking!

Recruit:  The whole purpose of this is to increase our good times!  If you are having fun, wouldn't you want others to have fun too?  Quit being so selfish and share the fun!

So let me sum all this up with our team's goal from this week - 8000 minutes.  8000 minutes should be very easy to get with over 60 people on our team.  So did we get it?  Yes and No… we easily were over 8000 minutes - as a team we were probably well over 12000 minutes; but many missed a run or two, we haven't gotten as many recruits out as we should; and we probably had just over half of our runs recorded.  So… did we get out goal? Nope… we ended up 22 minutes short.  Bummer!  Let's commit to the 3R's and go get it this coming week!  

Athlete of the Week - Week 2

Congrats to Meskerem Stucki and Spencer Rodack on earning the Athlete of the Week for Week 2.
Meskerem came to our team at the end of the XC season nearly 2 years ago.  Right away she showed signs of a great runner.  During the next two years, Meskerem has really developed as a runner and a great young lady.  She is the team's biggest (and loudest) supporter.  And this summer, she has really taken on the role of top runner as she pushes the workouts and encourages all of her teammates!
Spencer is new to our team this year, but has already shown his commitment and dedication as he put in a very solid week - not only getting his runs in, but also completing his Week Report and pushing himself to be better with solid goals.
Congrats to Both Spencer and Meskerem on their hard work and commitment to PVXC!

Week 2 Update and Level Progression

Our 2nd week of practice has come to a close and we saw many great gains from our team.  Almost all of our athletes who have come out to practice are still coming out, more athletes are reporting their workouts on the Week Report and a few have even started their Heart Rate Tracking.  Just a reminder that all of things are critical to your improvement.  And we really appreciate those who are taking the time to commit to improving themselves and our team.  Your workout minutes for this week (Week 2) need to be updated by Sunday afternoon - and then after setting your goals for next week, you may clear off workouts on Monday (to make sure Coach has updated everything).

We still have about 5 spots left for High Altitude Camp - so talk with the coaches if you would like to fill in one of those spots.  The final $35 (total of $85) for camp will be due the first week of July.

Kids' Club has been a great success!  Thanks to each of you for your leadership and example to the kids you are working with.  And thanks to those who are bringing treats… a reminder to those who haven't, please sign up to bring treats one day.

Finally, now that we are starting to get in a little better shape, you are going to have the opportunity to push yourself a little bit more.  This is a great time to start to work up from the Beginner Level of workouts to Level 1 - when are you ready for this?  Well, the best answer is when you can run a week or so of Beginner without walking.  To progress between Levels, talk to the coaches, see what they think, what would be good about it, if you are ready for it.  And then, when the time is right, jump back and forth between Levels for a week or two until you are fully ready to move to the next Level.  Remember, right now the most important thing is to stay healthy - and to stay healthy you need to find that balance between running enough (consistently, 6 days a week) and not pushing too hard too early, you need to take care of your body with healthy food and good amounts of water, and enough sleep, stretching and rolling, and a positive attitude.

We are proud of how all of you are doing - keep it up!

p.s. Still waiting for someone to know all the names!

Athletes of the Week - Week 1

This season, PVXC will be honoring Athletes of the Week beginning with our first week of summer practice.  Our first Athletes of the Week were both chosen for their dedication to the team and commitment during this first week of practice.  

Cameron Brown is a Senior and Captain of the boys' team.  Not only has Cameron had a great week of running, but has set the standard for filling out his Week Report and tracking his Heart Rate while at the same time encouraging others to do their reports as well.  PVXC looks forward to a strong year of leadership and running from Cam.

Brianna Esplin, Junior, is working her way back from a year-long absence from running because of injury.  She has brought a great attitude to the team and is demonstrating a commitment to tracking her runs on her Week Report and setting goals that will improve her and the team.

Congratulations to Cam and Brianna.  

Week 1... Down!

Our first week of XC has finished up and it was a great one!  We had a largest turnout ever for our first day, and most came again (which is always a bonus!).  We had our first day of Kids' Club, and it was packed with over 300 K-8th Graders.  

A couple reminders:

High Altitude Camp - your first $50 is due June 10th (total is $85 if you want to just pay it all).  Please get your money to Coach Holt soon!  If your not sure if you should go, talk to someone who has gone.  Camp is a blast and you will love bonding with your team.

Week Report - many of you need to fill out your Week Reports for this past week.  They need to be done by Sunday afternoon.  If you don't know how to do it... Look over to the right and find the link, go to it, take one of the tabs that doesn't have a name on it, rename it, and add your info.

Heart Rate - over in the right, you will also see the link for the Heart Rate Tracking.  Please start taking yours.

This next week, we will be heading into Week 2 of our XC season.  Some of you will find that you are starting doubles (a second run for the day) once or twice a week.  You might also see your minutes increasing a little bit as you get into better shape.  Everyone keep up the great work... We have seen great progress from many of you, even in just one week!  Remember your other assignment: get someone else out to practice!  Enjoy your weekend and see you Monday at 7:00 at Washington Elementary where we will be announcing our first Athlete of the Week!

A Little Down Time? Read a Few Articles...

Missing running on your break?  Getting antsy for XC?  Get your fix by reading a few articles and starting to set some goals for next year.

10 Tips to Making Varsity

Cross Country Summer

Endless Summer

The Year Round High School Distance Runner

I'm stoked for the upcoming season!  What about you?

Most Outstanding Athlete - Byron Warby

Congratulations to Byron Warby

PVHS Most Outstanding Male Athlete 

2013-'14 

 Byron has been an integral part of our program's success for the past 4 years, and it will be hard to say goodbye to his great attitude, dedication, leadership and the great teammate that he is.

PVXC is proud to add Byron Warby to the long list of Panther harriers who have earned the Pine View HS Most Outstanding Athlete award including Micheal Finch ('13), Tyson Boyer ('12), Trevor Thompson ('11).  Wow... 4 straight!

Summer Information!

Lots of stuff going on as we get ready for summer!

XC Practice: Starts up on June 2nd at 7:00 at Washington Elementary - check out the summer info sheet.

Summer Running Club: PVXC is hosting its 5th Annual Summer Running Club for students in the upcoming grades of K-8th - for more info, check out the Summer Running Club flyer AND bring the Disclaimer to the first day of club, signed.  The cost of the club is $10 (payable at PVHS or at the first day of club) and covers a shirt and treats after each club date.

2014-2015 PHYSICALS and PARENT MEETING

Athletes and Parents...

Physicals for the 2014-15 school year will be held at PVHS Weds. April 23rd

5:45pm

bring - pre-physical paperwork (signed and filled out!)

$20 (donated back to team!)

All athletes must have this done.  So get it done NOW!

2014-15 XC PARENT MEETING

April 30th

6:00pm

PVHS (lecture hall or Coach Holt's room)

PLEASE PLAN ON ATTENDING

Track Starting!

Track is beginning on Feb.18th!

Meet at PVHS track each day after school at 3:00.

We will be preparing (having clinics) for our PV Decathlon which will take place Feb. 24th-28th.

Parent Meeting will be taking place Wed., Feb 26th @ 5:30

We will be getting our paperwork, schedules, and discussing ways parents can get involved in the program... PLEASE PLAN ON ATTENDING!

Jan 9, Kosmin

After a long winter break (okay... maybe not that long), the distance runners have gotten back into building up some mileage and even some smaller workouts.  To help get times/paces for workouts, the team did its first Kosmin Test of the year. 
The Kosmin Test was developed by Soviets and is used to give a prediction on 1500 times, which we then calculate to the 1600 which we run in high school.  Although we just started using this test last season, it has shown historically (and for us) to be a fairly accurate predictor of current fitness and race capability.
Our first Kosmin of the year produced great results.  The goal now, is to use these results to base our workout paces on and go prove up on them!

NXR and FootLocker West

I'll come back and add some more stuff later... (sorry)

Dream 1600

Tuesday PVXC held its annual 1600 time trial to finish off our XC season.  For the past few years, we have ran this race the week of our trip to Nike.  It is a little different to be on the track, but it is exciting to see the great improvement in times and our growth of a team as we get ready to finish up XC and head into track.
As they have all year, the girls ran in a strong pack.  Mia Hart led the team through the first 3 1/2 laps, until Ali Johanson's 800 speed came into play and she pushed to the front to finish with a time of 5:44.  Many ladies ran their 1600 PR's today including Meskerem Stucki, Alli Peterson, Cristina Gaona, Alli Baker, Macey Widdison, Carli Kimzey, Monica Taylor, Anna Baker, Taylor Hancock and Marissa Olsen.
The boys were again led by the two standouts Taylor Abel and Byron Warby.  Both hit times that are actually State Track qualifying times for the upcoming season.  In the end, Taylor out-sprinted Byron with our 2nd fastest time ever (behind Mike Finch's 4:29 last year) to finish at 4:30.8.  Again many athletes set their PR's today including Colton Bowler, Nick Hill, Kyler Prisbrey, Reed Burr, Andrew Nielsen, Paul Gaona, Josh Farish, Jason Hall, Logan Hirschi, Dave Swapp, Dallen Gillespie, Skyler Abel, Alex Hill, Josh Farneman, Jake Brown, Zach Crowell, Bryan Loya, Bradly Mendenhall, Trent Olsen, Jared Pugmire and Wesley Pugmire.

PV All-Comers (Autumn Classic!)

When we first tried to get this run going, we called it the PVXC Autumn Classic (mostly just because we thought it sounded cool).  However, notwithstanding the random Hayden Hawks or Nephi Eschler here or there, we were basically just time-trialling ourselves.  So we just went back to calling it that... a time-trial.  But this year, we had a few more individuals join us and the Hells also came over - So we are going back to Autumn Classic!
Anyway... the run.
The boys fired off first and had a great race.  Abel and Byron were challenged throughout the 2 mile race by Josh Thatcher from DH.  Only in the final sprint did we secure our 1,2 finish.  After a strong finish from the Hellians' top pack, PV just rolled in with finisher after finisher.  The final score 25 DH, 30 PV.  This was the first time we have had 5 guys finish under 11:00 on the two mile course - and 2 more guys were within 3 seconds.
The ladies ran as a very strong pack and after the top two finishers from DH, PV had 10 of the next 11 paced by Liz Lunt who ran a very strong 13:09.  PV ended up winning 29 to 38.

PreFoot

This year we took our largest group up to American Fork for the coaches' association PreFootlocker meet and run as well as we ever have.  First a HUGE thanks to the Warbys first for Byron/Preston's dad for driving up and also to their Uncle and Aunt who allowed us to invade their home and provided a great dinner and a place for the boys/coaches to crash.  And also thanks to the Trinnemans (Taylor's G-parents) for hosting the girls - we appreciate and love your support.  The weather was better than it has ever been up there and so was the competition.  Both teams ran with very strong packs and helped push each other throughout.  The girls were led by Liz Lunt, Taylor Boyer, Alli Peterson and Meskerem Stucki who all led the team at various points of the race.  The push were led by Byron Warby who was in the mix for the top 10 the whole race - finishing with our fastest time ever at this meet and finishing 12th.  Following Byron, a very strong pack came in with a tight spread from 33rd-the 50's.

Michigan 10/30

Our final Michigan of the season usually posts some great results and this year was no different.  Our Michigan is a workout designed to work on varying paces and active recovery.  It is made up of an 800 on the track (at 5K pace), followed by 1.5 miles on the grass (at 10K) pace.  The set then repeats - with no rest.  To finish, the workout moves right into an all out 400 on the track.  Today we saw records fall for the fastest Michigan in PV history by Taylor Abel (23:21) (Byron Warby may have broke it first had he not had to hit a quick break!), the most PR's on the workout (16) and the most athletes hitting the A Standard by the boys team (9).  Our athletes are looking strong heading into the post season and are continuing to improve!
Congrats to the following who hit the standards for the first time - earning their Michigan Laces:
A Standard:
     girls - Meskerem Stucki
     boys - Andrew Nielsen, Paul Gaona, Reed Burr, Matt Young
B Standard:
     boys - Dave Swapp, Skylar Abel

Awards Banquet

REMEMBER….

PVXC Awards Banquet is on Wednesday 30th at 6:00 pm (DON'T BE LATE) at the high school.
Bring your assigned food and whatever else and enjoy our team slideshow, JV/Varsity Letters, End of the Year Awards and all that stuff.  

Pics Updated!

We finally have all our pictures from the season uploaded onto the blog.  Go ahead and download any that you may want.  They will be there until track season.

UHSAA Utah 3A State Championships

With conditions about as good as they ever have been for the State meet, the Panthers toed the line looking good in our new State Uniforms.

The girls got the gun first.  As we have done throughout the year, our pack was very strong and carried us to an 8th place finish - just four points from 6th and 18 points from 5th.  Leading the team was Freshman Alli Peterson placing 32nd with a time of 20:50.7.  Following Alli wth a spread of just 53 seconds was Josie Bushar in 42, Nicole Heinrich in 47th, Taylor Boyer in 48th and Liz Lunt in 55th.  It was great to see Liz back running after her surgery last week.  And it was nice to send off our Seniors with a solid race.  Thanks to Mia, Ali, Liz, and Taylor for your years of dedication and leadership for our team.
After watching some amazing performances from the 4A and 5A girls, our boys began their race.  Byron Warby ran a very gutsy race and truly epitomized our team theme of Dare to Go as he ran with the leaders (and as the leader) throughout the 3 mile race.  He finished a very strong 2nd to Carbon's Garrett Marsing, well ahead of the chase pack.  Our Seniors rounded out our scoring with Taylor Abel 14, Colton Bowler running a strong 16th, Matt Young 22nd, and Kyler Prisbrey 25th.  And although it was difficult to have 2nd place slip past us, the team ran well and represented us very well.
Below is our scoring for the boys and the girls:

3.  Pine View HS   79

Place	Bib	Name	Time	Score	Behind Winner	Spread
2.	686	Byron Warby	16:08.7	2.	00:05.8		00:54.2
14.	681	Taylor Abel	16:41.2	14.	00:38.3
16.	682	Colton Bowler	16:46.9	16.	00:44.0
22.	687	Matthew Young	16:59.8	22.	00:56.9
25.	685	Kyler Prisbrey	17:02.9	25.	01:00.0
28.	684	Nick Hill	17:05.6	(28.)	01:02.7
36.	683	Paul Gaona	17:16.2	(35.)	01:13.3
3.	(Total time for scoring runners: 1:23:39.5)

8.  Pine View HS   200

Place	Bib	Name	Time	Score	Behind Winner	Spread
32.	694	Alli Peterson	20:50.7	28.	02:51.8		00:53.3
42.	689	Josie Bushar	21:21.0	37.	03:22.1
47.	691	Nicole Heinrich	21:33.2	42.	03:34.3
48.	688	Taylor Boyer	21:37.2	43.	03:38.3
55.	693	Liz Lunt	21:44.0	50.	03:45.1
60.	692	Ali Johanson	21:49.0	(55.)	03:50.1
63.	690	Mia Hart	22:05.3	(58.)	04:06.4
8.	(Total time for scoring runners: 1:47:06.1)

Region 9 Championships

The Region 9 Championships were held at the South Course - Bloomington Hills North park - on a perfect day for racing.
The day started with our Youngsters racing very well.  The boys took 2nd in Region with Alex Hill taking 7th, Logan Hall 11th, Wesley Pugmire 13th, Alex Klein 14th, and Scottie Bushar 15th.  The girls won the Region title led by Cristina Gaona in 5th, Rylee Holt in 6th, Addi Baker 7th, Jacey Finch 10th, and Karissa Gillespie 11th.  Many of the Youngsters ran their course PR's today and have really shown a lot of improvement this season.
In the JV races, PV also did very well.  The JV boys won the Region title despite having "off races" for a few of the runners - really showing the depth of our program.  Reed Burr took control of the race early and dominated it throughout.  His time of 17:11 would have placed him near the top 20 in the Varsity race and easily led him to another JV Individual Region Title for the Panthers (at least our 6th straight).  Jake Taylor, Cameron Brown, and Andrew Nielsen also placed in the top 10 for PVXC.  Some strong front running led our JV girls to a strong finish as well.  Taylor Boyer placed 2nd overall and Kaelie Gillespie was 5th.
In the Varsity races, our girls team was facing some adversity.  The team had lost Liz Lunt to an emergency appendectomy on Sunday and Megan Finch was stepping in for her first race/running in over 1 1/2 months.  The team responded very well however and took 3rd place overall - just 3 points behind Canyon View for 2nd.  Leading the team was Freshman Alli Peterson with a 12th place finish and her best race of the year.  Nicole Heinrich ran a very strong race finishing in the top 15.  Josie Bushar, Ali Johanson, and Mia Hart rounded out our scoring placing 20, 21, and 23 respectively.  It was a great team performance, and we are all so proud of the girls.
The boys race saw DH run a very strong race and dominate for the Region title, and our PV boys distance themselves easily from the rest of the region for a strong 2nd place showing.  Byron Warby raced hard to the line to finish 2nd overall and Taylor Abel placed 6th.  Colton Bowler ran a strong race finishing 11th.  Other Panther scorers were Nick Hill at 14th and Matt Young at 17th.
This was a great Region Championships for our program.  It showed how our team has grown and that were are very strong as a team at all levels of XC competition - and set some high standards for us to reach toward in the coming season!
Now let's focus on State and good luck to the Varsity Boys and Girls who will be running there!

Snow Canyon Invite

Snow Canyon is our final tune-up before Region for our JV and Youngster runners.  Against every Region team's Varsity except DH, the JV boys took 2nd overall.  Reed Burr helped the cause with his 5th place finish.  The girls were working on their pack running and as Mia and Liz held back to push the other Varsity runners, we saw some of our top times of the season recorded.  Running particularly well was Josie Bushar who finished up a tight pack of PV 5 with a spread of 18 seconds.  Cristina Gaona placed 3rd in the Youngsters girls race and Alex Hill had a top 10 finish for the boys.

Cedar Invite

The Cedar Invite was a good tune-up for our championship season that is about to begin.  And it gave each athlete an opportunity to compare times from a course we ran at the very beginning of the season.  In doing so, many PVXC'ers found their miles of hard work is paying off as they set course records for themselves.  The Varsity boys took 2nd in the meet, led by Taylor Abel and Byron Warby taking 2nd and 3rd.  Mia Hart led the girls, but the 4th place team finish was really the work of teamwork and a tight pack of 5 more Panthers finishing from 31st to 38th.  The JV boys had a dominate showing placing 7 in the top ten - with Reed Burr finishing 2nd overall and Preston Warby 3rd (and that was with our top two JV guys running in the 8/9th Varsity spots).  Chancie Johnson was our top JV girls finisher in 13th place.  Our Youngsters once again showed the depth of our program as the girls took 1st and the boys took 2nd at the meet.

Nebo Invite

Our team overnight trip to Maple Mountain HS and the Nebo Invite met us with cold and snow on the mountains.  In the Frosh/Soph race, the boys took a very strong 3rd - despite having 3 of our top Sophomores running Varsity.  Andrew Nielsen paced the team with a top 10 finish.  Our 9/10th girls didn't not have a scoring team, but all ran well.  In the JV race, the boys again placed well, finishing 5th and beating many top 4A and 5A schools.  In the girls race, Meskerem Stucki pulled in a strong top 10 finish after leading parts of the race.  The Varsity boys took 9th of 25 teams led by Byron Warby and Taylor Abel in a tight pack at 24th and 25th place.  Liz Lunt led the girls to a 17th place finish in the Varsity girls race.

Duel in the Desert

We had a very strong showing by our JV runners at the Duel in the Desert against DH at the Bloomington Hills North Park Course.  Meskerem Stucki led our girls to the duel win as she won the race and paced a 4 of the top 5 showing for the Lady Panthers.  Our boys scored a perfect score with 8 of the top 9 spots, led by quickly improving Sophomore Jake Taylor.  And although we were the only Youngsters team there, both the boys and girls ran very well and got valuable racing experience on the Region South Course.

Bob Firman

The Varsity boys took the long trip to Boise, Idaho, for the prestigious Bob Firman Invite held at Eagle Island State Park.  The boys had a great trip and enjoyed the high level of competition.  Taylor Abel led the team to a 14th place finish in the Elite Race with his 40th place finish.  The level of competition at this meet was amazing - something that we won't see again until Nike Regionals - and it gave our boys a great example of what it means to be Regionally and Nationally Elite as a team and individually.

Time Trial #3

Taylor Abel led the team in their 3rd Time Trial of the season to one of the top team times in our history.  Taylor's 10:26 paced three boys under 11:00 with a fourth at 11:00.  The girls, led by Mia Hart, had a tight spread of just 50 seconds through their top 5.  In the Youngsters, Collin Tudor ran one of the fastest middle school times ever with a 6:11; and Addi Baker and Rylee Holt both broke the 7:00 minute barrier.

Herriman Invite

So I got a little behind on the updates... just a touch!

Herriman Invite -
The Varsity teams traveled up to Salt Lake for the Herriman Invite.  We started the day in Orem watching Kaylee Boyer and Rachel Stone race for SUU - they both ran great and it was a lot of fun to support our XC'ers.  After running the State course in what turned from a light drizzle to a heavy rain, we ate lunch and made it over to Herriman only to find that the meet schedule had been altered because of the weather.  The girls had missed their race and the boys were starting in about 20 minutes.  Despite the craziness, both teams ran well.  the Varsity boys took 6th place with Taylor Abel leading the team with a 13th place finish.  Colton Bowler ran in the JV race and ran to a top 10 finish.  The Varsity girls were reassigned to the JV race and ran very well there at the top of the pack.  Mia Hart won the race with Megan Finch taking 3rd.  Josie Bushar also ran very well and placed in the top 10.  The team placed 3rd, just 9 points off 1st.

August Athletes of the Month

Our first Athletes of the Month are Liz Lunt and Kyler Prisbrey.
Liz, a Senior and one of our captains, has shown great success from her hard work and dedication over the years.  Along with Mia Hart, Liz has led the team numerous races this season.  She has always been a great example of caring, dedication and determination for all her Panther teammates.
Kyler, a Senior, joined PVXC last year and was a top JV runner and has continued to improve since.  After a summer of many miles, Kyler has moved into our top level Varsity runners.  He was labeled our "secret weapon" coming into the year.  But the secret is out... He is good!
Great job Liz and Kyler.  Thanks for all you do for our program.

Dixie All-Comers

PV harriers had a strong run at the Dixie All-Comers.  This important race is a preview of our Region course and the Panthers stepped up to the challenge.  We had a huge number of Youngsters show up and run the tough 1.9 mile course.  Alex Hill and Addi Baker led the team.  With many of our Varsity runners taking the race off, the girls were led by Kaelie Gillespie who led a many girls to their best efforts.  The boys had a tight pack with Reed Burr, Colton Bowler and Jake Taylor leading the team.  We are especially proud of the runners who pushed hard in the heat, deep grass and hard course.  Even though the times might not be PR's the efforts really were.
We are really excited for our annual Run-a-thon taking place this Fri/Sat.  And we had a great car wash on Monday.  Thanks for all you efforts everyone!

AF Grass Relays

This past weekend, PV ran at the Grass Relays for the first time ever.  This unique race features two laps on the 1 mile AF grass loops with four sets of hay bales throughout the course - the Varsity race combines these elements into a five runner relay format.
In the Open races Josie Bushar and Nicole Heinrich ran strong races - both placing in the 30's and running times in the mid 14:00's.  In the boys Open races had Colton Bowler and Reed Burr run well; while Paul Gaona placed 8th in the 9/10th race.
The Varsity girls ran a strong race throughout all five runners.  Liz Lunt started the team well and we continued to move up in position which each subsequent runner.  Out top time on the day was ran by Mia Hart with a 13:42.  Our team time of 71:06 placed us 19th overall.
The top 5 boys placed just outside the top 10 in 11th with a time of 55:40.  Byron Warby set our leading time for the day at 10:42.

SUU Invite

A rainy and cloudy day marked with a lightening delay between the Varsity races made for great XC weather for late summer at Cedar's Bicentennial Park.  The JV girls started the race well led by Josie Bushar who placed 3rd with a time of 22:29 (4th best PV time on the day).  Kaelie Gillespie just missed a t-shirt finishing 11th.  The JV boys had a strong race finishing 2nd in the team standings while missing our top JV runner - who had bumped up to fill a Varsity spot.  Andrew Nielsen placed 4th, with Jake Taylor 6th, Josh Farish 9th, Preston Warby 10th and Dave Swapp 11th to round out our scoring.  The Varsity girls placed 4th at the meet despite some difficulties with injuries and health concerns.  Liz Lunt was the 1st Panther finisher in 13th with Mia Hart just behind her in 14th.  The Varsity boys were also working with injuries, but still managed a solid 2nd place just 8 points off the lead.  After leading much of the race, Taylor Abel and Byron Warby led the team with a 6th and 7th place finish.  Kyler Prisbrey ran another strong race finishing 8th.  Matt Young (13th), Colton Bowler (20th), and Reed Burr - 37th in his first Varsity race - also raced well for the team.  Congrats also to Annalise Burr and Carli Kimzey for strong JV races as well as Jason Hall and Bryan Loya for their strong improvements.

Hurricane Invite

The JV teams performed very well at the Hurricane Invite.  In the girls' race Meskerem Stucki and Nicole Heinrich finished 2/3, pacing the team to a strong finish.  The JV boys hit a perfect score led by Reed Burr, Dave Swapp and Jake Taylor.  We JV teams are looking very strong and leading the Panthers into the next few years.  Great job everyone.

Let's Put the Fun in Fundraising!/Spirit Pack

It is time to focus a bit on our fundraising efforts, so:

Run-a-thon:  each athlete is responsible to earn $50 in pledges for our run-a-thon which be taking place on Sept. 6th and 7th.  $300 for a sign on the athletic fields (or $200 for a renewal).  The $ for these pledges should be taken to the finance office and the receipt taken to Coach Holt.  If you didn't get the paperwork for the run-a-thon fundraiser please talk to Coach Holt.

Car Wash: our car wash will be held at Sandstone Elementary on Labor Day, Sept 2nd from 10:00a-2:00p.  The cost for each ticket is $5.  This $ goes directly toward each athlete's post season trips to Phoenix/LA.  $ should be collected by the athlete and kept in a safe place and will then be brought to Holt after the car wash (this $ goes toward our Club).  If you need tickets to sell talk to Holt.

We also got our Spirit Pack Order Forms today at practice.  These are due ($ to the finance office and receipt and order form to Holt) by the 21st of August - you can put run-a-thon $ toward your spirit pack if you raise over $100.  We encourage family and friends to also buy PVXC gear.

Cedar All-Comers

The official 2013 race season got off to a great start for PVXC Tuesday evening at Cedar HS.  The Cedar All-Comers is traditionally the first race of the season and a great way to shake out the rust of the long summer out of the legs.  Our Youngsters started us out well - we look forward to many more of them joining us in the next week.  The girls pushed to a very tight 2nd place finish with 87 points to DHells and Canyon View's 88.  The boys also placed 2nd in a close race with our cross town rivals (31-34).
Although each team (ours and those we raced against) was missing some key people that will influence later races, this race gives us a good early season indication of our strengths and whe we need room for improvement.  Congrats to Mia Hart (7th) and Liz Lunt (11th) for their top finishes for the Panthers.  And also to Byron Warby (2nd), Nick Hill (6th), Kyler Prisbrey (7th), Colton Bowler (9th) and Matt Young (10th) for their top 10 finishes.

6th-8th Grade Info

We like to call them The Youngsters.  These are the 6th-8th graders who make up the top middle school program in Southern Utah!

We are pleased to announce this year we will have a coach dedicated to our middle school program - Martha Baker, a PVXC Hall of Famer, will be working with our 6th-8th graders as well as with our HS  program on occasion.

Practice Schedule - The Youngsters will be practicing 3 times a week as an organized group (Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays) at 3:05-4:30(app.) at PVHS - meet at the top of the football field.  The other days of the week, 6th-8th graders are invited to still attend practice if it fits in their schedule.

Races - many of our meets have middle school races, often preceding the HS races.
  This week we have two races for those who would like:
  Tues at Cedar HS 5:30p
   Sat at Hurricane HS app. 10:00a

Paperwork - 6th-8th grade athletes will be required to fill out a disclaimer which discusses the risk involved in XC running and releasing the program/school from liability.  It is HIGHLY ENCOURAGED that each athlete receive a physical to make sure he/she is ready for the rigors of distance running.

We have often had the largest 6th-8th grade program in our region and we have definitely had the most successful as our boys and girls each claimed the top spots individually and as a team at last year's Region Championships!  We want to continue to grow this amazing sport, so we invite all 6th-8th graders to come out and join our program and would love to have you bring your friends!

Summer Club Race Results 7/23/13

The second race of the summer for the Summer Running Club took place on July 23rd, and it was a great success.  Once again many records were broken - including Alex Klein setting a new overall record on the 1 mile course (5th-8th grade) in a time of 6:12.  Other boys setting records were Preston Udy and Jordan Eaten breaking their own 1st and 3rd grade records respectively.  Elsie Atkinson did the same to her 1st grade girls record, and Katie Finch set a new record for the 2nd grade girls.
Summer Running Club 7/23/13 results
Summer Club Records
It has been a great summer of running with the club.  As we finish Club tomorrow, we greatly thank all the parents who brought their kids out an we hope to see you next year!

Stoner and Mikey get some press

An article with some stuff about Rachel and Mike heading to SUU.
And a nice article about Rachel's journey to collegiate athlete.

Summer Club - June Race Results

Summer Club is off to another great start!  We have more runners registered than ever.  The club activities have been great, the high school coaches are doing great, the treats have been great, and today... the racing was great!
Despite the muddy conditions and thick grass, great races were had by many of the runners.
On the girls side 6 of the 8 grade group records were broken including All-Time Records in both the 1st-4th 1/2 mile race (a 3:36 by Rachel Atkinson) and the 5th-8th 1 mile race (6:33 by Rylee Holt - the first girl to go under 7:00 on this course and the 3rd fastest time ever on the course!).
And on the boys side 5 of the 8 grade group records were broken including an All-Time Record in the 1st-4th 1/2 mile race (a 3:13 by Austin Kogan, a 14 second improvement on the previous course record).
Check out the results for the June 25th race here.
And the All-Time Records here.

Summer Stuff!

PVXC is hosting its 4th Annual Summer Running Club for 1st grade-8th grade (entering in the 2013-14 school year).  It is held each Tuesday throughout the summer (except July 30th) from June 4th to August 6th at Washington Elementary from 8:30-9:45am.  Cost is $10 and pays for your club shirt and refreshments after each session.  Also, please bring the risk statement/release form.

Those interested 9th-12th graders should check out the Summer Info paper for key dates and events - including summer practice schedule (which starts on June 3rd at Washington Elementary at 7:00am).

PVHS Athletes of the Year

Congratulations to Jessica Peterson and Michael Finch for being chosen as Pine View HS's Athletes of the Year for the 2012-2013 school year!
Jessica is a 4 year varsity member of the XC and track teams as well as a standout soccer player.  She has won multiple region titles in track and is a multi-state qualifier in the 800 and 1600 as well as in the medley relay and 4x400.  JP has also been a member of 2 XC Region Champion teams and was All-State in 2011 (the year the Panthers took 2nd with an all-time school record time).
Mike is a 3 year varsity member of the XC and track teams.  He was Region Champ during the 2012 XC season and took 3rd in State.  He was also 2nd team All-Southwest with his 10th place finish at Nike Southwest.  He was a member of the 2010 State Championship team which had a #13 national ranking.  In track Mike has established himself as one of the top Panther distance runners of all time.
Way to go Jess and Mike - we are proud of you... you have represented our program and school well!

Parent Meeting

Wednesday - 6:00 pm in the lecture hall at PVHS.
Parents of anyone interested in running XC this next year (2013)!

We need everyone there - spread the word.

Mid-Season Track Update

So many great marks!  Too many to mention.  Take a look at our stats at athletic.net and some great things will stand out...
Varsity runners - top 10 in the state times are being turned in by Michael Finch and Rachel Stone.  Taylor Abel just keeps turning out awesome 1600's and 800's (4:24, 1:58).  Byron Warby and Jessica Peterson have hit great times as well.
JV runners - Some great things are happening with our younger/JV runners.  In the past two weeks many great times have been turned in.  Nick Hill joined our Freshman sub-5:00 club with a 4:53 1600! 
Great job everyone!  On to the championship season...

Stoner to SUU!

A huge congratulations to Rachel Stone who signed her letter of intent to run for Southern Utah University.  Rachel has developed into one of the top distance runners in PV history.  She is two time All-State in XC and was on the 2nd place state team of 2011.  Her teams won 2 region titles in XC.  She is also the number 3 all time performer in PV history in the 3200 and 1600, and the #2 all time performer in school history in XC.  Way to go Rachel; we are very proud of you!