Aug 27 - Sept 1 (Week 13) & SUU Recap

Let's keep digging Panthers!  Great things are out there for those that push out of their comfort zones.  You were challenged by Coach Robs to evaluate where you're at on the Pyramid of Success... Where are you after a week?

Purpose of the week's workouts - We move into our Pre-Competition Phase for the next 4 weeks.  During this time, we will be bringing in more Hill Circuits and race pace intervals.  Workouts are tough during this phase a demand that you take care of your body to be prepped (drink water, eating enough and healthy, rolling and massage, SLEEP, and letting easy and recovery days be just that).

PLEASE REMEMBER FOR ALL MORNING RUNS... 

YOU MUST BE WEARING A WHITE OR BRIGHT SHIRT!

Here's our schedule for the week - 

Monday: 5:30a at the HS for Levels 2,3,4.  We will be doing our long run.  If Level 1's want to come and get their long run in for the week that is okay.  Afternoon practice on Mondays will always be a team meeting in the lecture hall at the HS followed by a short run.  Practice starts at 3:00 (even with the short day).  Required for everyone.  

Tuesday: Morning practice: 6:15a weights and short recovery run. Required for Levels 2,3,4 and optional for Level 1.  Afternoon we will meet as a team at PVHS at 3:00p for our run.  Required for everyone.

Wednesday: Morning practice: 6:15a.  Required for Levels 3,4 and optional for Level 2.  Afternoon practice at 3:00p. Required for everyone.  We will carpool over to the Bloomington Hills North Park (BHNP) for this workout.

Thursday: Morning practice: 6:15a weights and short recovery run. Required for Levels 2,3,4 and optional for Level 1.  Afternoon practice at 3:00p. Required for everyone.

Friday: Morning practice: 6:00a.  Required for Levels 2,3,4.  We will be doing a Hill Circuit workout.  We won't have afternoon practice because of the run-a-thon which will start in the evening (time TBA - probably 6:00 or 7:00p).

Saturday: finishing the run-a-thon.
Next Monday: we will be having team practice for everyone in town.  More info coming.

Weekly minutes can be found here.  Remember, Final Surge is a requirement for racing.  If you haven't set up and account yet, go back to the post from earlier in the summer and get your account created and notify Coach of the email you used.  An invitation to join the team will be sent to you, and when you accept that, your workouts will be added to you and you can update everything you need.

If you aren't getting team texts, text @a24b37 to 81010

We will be adding a short plyometric routine to our Wednesday morning runs.  Check out the 6 exercises here.

Overnighter to Murray - In a couple weeks we are headed to Salt Lake for the Murray Invite.  We will be taking around 45 athletes.  The #1 determining factor in who will be invited is attendance at required practices.  Those who miss practice (including mornings and weights if they are required for your level) will run the risk of not making the trip.  So... be to practice.  IF you are sick or need to be absent for some reason, text/talk to coach before.

YOUNGSTERS - Regular practice schedule will be Mondays and Thursdays at 3:00p at the HS.
Info and Risk Statement can be found here.  This must be complete to participate.
There is also a race this Tuesday at 4:00p (MS) and 4:20p (Elem) at Grandpa's Pond in Hurricane.  I'm not sure if there is a cost - if so it would be a dollar or two.  Hurricane will also host another meet on the 19th of Sept with the same location and time.  There will be a race at the Bloomington Hills North Park on Sept. 4th at 4:30p for Elem. and MS - no cost.

Run-a-Thon and Fundraiser - The Run-a-Thon is this Friday -Saturday for those that can attend.  We will start at 7:00p and go through 7:00a (that time hasn't been solidified, yet).  The biggest purpose of this event is team unity/bonding.  We have a lot of fun, eat, play games, run, act stupid...  There will be pizza throughout the evening and breakfast early in the morning.  Remember your $5 for food to Alli Baker.

Week 11 Athletes of the Week - 
Tough at Practice - Madeline, So. Madeline has been working extremely hard to close the gap up toward the top girls.  She often will push herself, and those around her, to be with the top girls as we head out on runs.
Team Builder - Carter, So. His enthusiasm and commitment are contagious.  Even through injuries and setbacks, Carter is always there for the team and bringing a great attitude.  And in his own running, this optimism is paying off as he is having some huge improvements of his own.
Performance - Cooper, Sr.  Cooper ran very strong at Cedar to earn the 5th spot on the boys team and help us earn the win!  He will tell you that there have been times that he questioned if his hard work and effort would pay off after a tough track season.  But perseverance always pays off, even if it takes a little longer than we would like.

SUU Invite Recap - A week with some strong improvements... Many of us really worked to KILL BIG GAP and saw big gains from that.  Both Varsity teams ended up with solid 2nd place finishes.  Jess (4th), Rylee (9th), and Alli (10th) earned top 10 t-shirts.  While Sylvia (12th) and Pyper (16th) rounded out our scoring.  The boys were led by Nathan in 3rd, then Scottie (11th), Mikey (13th), Julien (15th), and Cooper (21st).  Our JV's ran strong as well.  The girls finished 3rd and were led by Allison (5th), Jada (9th), and Jenna (10th) in the top 10.  And the JV boys placed 2nd with Luke (6th) and James (7th) earning a shirt.  Some other strong races were run by Tyler (finishing as our 4th man in the JV race), Carter (who had probably his best race ever), Pyper (previously mentioned scoring finish in her first Var race), Addie T. and Emma (in their first races), and Kyanne and Rayne (with big improvements from previous races).

Thought of the Week: "A flower does not think of competing with the flower next to it.  It just blooms." -Zen Shin
Often we get caught in the vicious cycle of "competition" (however, we should remember the true meaning of competition - that taught to us by Coach Roberts - that were are working with those around us to become our best).  In this cycle, we only measure our progress or success by beating others.  Reflecting on this quote, I realize every flower can be beautiful and contribute to a breath-taking mountain meadow or spring garden.  No flower is pushing to be the most vibrant and dominate the scene and quitting and dying if it doesn't reach that standard.  If we all strive to be our own individual best self and our own best team self at that given moment, it won't matter what others (individuals or teams) do; we will be able to bloom.

Aug 20-25 (Week 12) & Cedar All-Comers Recap

The season and school year are in full swing now.  We had a good first week of school getting used to the new schedule, hotter temps, and a little racing.  This week we will see an increase in minutes and some big pushes to get us moving in the right direction.

Purpose of the week's workouts - We continue with the SWEP phase this week.  Our focus is long runs with some tempo, easy runs with some steady state and strong finishes, and 3K pace intervals.

PLEASE REMEMBER FOR ALL MORNING RUNS... 

YOU MUST BE WEARING A WHITE OR BRIGHT SHIRT!

Here's our schedule for the week - 

Monday: 5:30a at the HS for Levels 2,3,4.  We will be doing our long run.  If Level 1's want to come and get their long run in for the week that is okay.  Afternoon practice on Mondays will always be a team meeting in the lecture hall at the HS followed by a short run.  Required for everyone.  We will be registering for SUU - you must know if you are attending the race Saturday or not.

Tuesday: Morning practice: 6:15a weights and short recovery run. Required for Levels 2,3,4 and optional for Level 1.  Afternoon we will meet as a team at PVHS at 3:00p for our run.  Required for everyone.

Wednesday: Morning practice: 6:15a.  Required for Levels 3,4 and optional for Level 2.  Afternoon practice at 3:00p. Required for everyone.  We will carpool over to the Dirt Mile for this workout.

Thursday: Morning practice: 6:15a weights and short recovery run. Required for Levels 2,3,4 and optional for Level 1.  Afternoon practice at 3:00p. Required for everyone.

Friday: Morning practice: 6:15a.  Required for Level 4 and optional for Levels 2,3.  Afternoon practice at 3:00p. Required for everyone.

Saturday: RACE - SUU Invite:  Bus is LEAVING the HS at 6:30a.  Race schedule: Var. Girls 8:00a, Var. Boys 8:30, JV Girls 9:15, JV Boys 10:00, awards 10:45.  You must ride the bus with the team to race. Athletes may ride home with their parent AFTER ALL OUR TEAM IS DONE RACING and checking out with the Coaches.

Weekly minutes can be found here.  Remember, Final Surge is a requirement for racing.  If you haven't set up and account yet, go back to the post from earlier in the summer and get your account created and notify Coach of the email you used.  An invitation to join the team will be sent to you, and when you accept that, your workouts will be added to you and you can update everything you need.

YOUNGSTERS - Regular practice schedule will be Mondays and Thursdays at 3:00p at the HS.
Info and Risk Statement can be found here.  This must be complete to participate.

Run-a-Thon and Fundraiser - The Run-a-Thon will be Aug 31-Sept 1 for those that can attend.  Any sponsors that want a sign, must be turned in by Monday!  About the SPONSORS: please remember that no personal checks are accepted, when you turn money into the finance office at the HS just tell them your name and that the money is your XC sponsor.  Then bring the receipt to Coach Holt and tell him where you want to use the money.

Week 10 Athletes of the Week -
Tough at Practice - Emma Ward, So.  All summer, Emma has displayed the physical and mental toughness that PVXC is built upon.  Awesome example Emma!
Team Builder - Yrene Heinze, Sr.  Nay Nay has one of the most positive and influential attitudes on the team.  Whenever you need to be uplifted, take a minute and talk to her!
Performance - Nathan Beitler, Sr.  Nate has had two strong runs to start the season.  At the time trial, Nathan set a school record.  Then at the Desert Relays, he won the Leg 1 bowling pin.  Very strong start to the race season, great job Nathan!

Cedar All-Comers Recap - Cedar All-Comers is a good judge of early season fitness as well as a benchmark for comparison to overall improvement throughout the race season since we race it again toward the end of the regular season.  We had a few Youngsters that came up and race, and they all did a great job.  In the girls' race, PV got out very strong through the first lap and was looking very good.  In the 2nd and 3rd miles, an excellent DH team closed those gaps and moved up a lot to take the victory.  Jessica and Alli took 3rd and 4th after leading much of the race.  Rylee also placed in the top 10.  Sylvia and Gracie rounded out our scoring in 14th and 15th.  On the boys' side, Nathan and Julien also placed 3rd and 4th.  From there the scoring may have gotten a little mixed up at the finish line, but our finishers of Scottie, Mikey, and Cooper were able to secure a team win in close fashion or very close fashion depending what was the correct placement.  The JV boys also saw a lot of great racing.  It was a good start to the regular season.  We challenge everyone to remember the purpose of early season racing: to learn and grow.  And then each of you need to be able to identify some areas of strength to continue and some areas of weakness that you can work on.

Thought of the Week: "If you no longer go for a gap which exists, you are no longer a racing driver." - Ayrton Senna
This is a quote by a famous F1 race car driver.  And although we aren't racing cars, the idea is very pertinent to us as runners.  After the race, Coach Roberts talked about The Gap and how he has been our biggest competition and enemy.  So we found this quote that fits really well with what is going to become our biggest goal.  So as we practice this week, as we race, remember if you aren't closing the gap and gaining/catching people, you really aren't racing - you are just out for a run.  This week... KILL THE GAP!

Aug 13-18 (Week 11), Desert Relays Recap and Youngsters (6th-8th Grade) Info

Are we ready for this?  It's always a little bummer for the end of summer, but many of us are actually pretty excited!  The end of summer means consistent team practice, a set schedule to get your body used to, a lot of team activities, and racing!
As we move into the school year, our schedule will change a little (see below).  Make sure you are prepared by drinking enough water throughout the day - 100+ oz -, be getting enough sleep - at least 8 hours a night -, and you are ready to keep up on your school work.

Purpose of the week's workouts - This is an important week and a difficult week.  Our biggest concern this week is helping everyone adjust to the new schedule: school, sleep, heat, and school work.  Because of this, we are toning down the week a little.  Our minutes will drop a little and we will see fewer workouts.  Because of this, it is very important that everyone get every run in that they are supposed to and to do them well.

Here's our schedule for the week -

Monday: 6:00a at the HS for Levels 2,3,4.  We will be doing a long interval workout (check Final Surge or the google doc for specifics - the google doc lists paces for you, so take a minute and find yours).  Afternoon practice on Mondays will always be a team meeting in the lecture hall at the HS followed by a short run.  Required for everyone.

Tuesday: Morning practice: 6:15a weights and short recovery run. Required for Levels 2,3,4 and optional for Level 1.  Afternoon we will meet as a team at PVHS at 3:00p for our run.  Required for everyone.

Wednesday: Morning practice: 6:15a.  Required for Levels 3,4 and optional for Level 2.  Afternoon practice at 3:00p. Required for everyone.

Thursday: Morning practice: 6:15a weights and short recovery run. Required for Levels 2,3,4 and optional for Level 1.  There is no afternoon because of the race.  RACE - Cedar All-Comers:  Meet at the HS at 4:00p for the bus.  Race schedule: Youngsters (MS race) 5:30, Girls 6:00, Boys 6:30 (app.)  You must ride the bus with the team to race (not Youngsters, of course; you travel with your parents).  Athletes may ride home with their parent AFTER ALL OUR TEAM IS DONE RACING and checking out with the Coaches.

Friday: Morning practice: 6:15a.  Required for Level 4 and optional for Levels 2,3.  Afternoon practice at 3:00p. Required for everyone.

Saturday: We will meet as a team for practice time in the morning.  Time and place to be determined. (Var. girls will probably be at Renegade Camp.)

Weekly minutes can be found here.  Please get them caught up.

YOUNGSTERS - Practice will begin on Thursday at PVHS at 3:00p (we know some of you may be heading up to the race on Thursday and that is great! But we will still hold practice for those who aren't).  Regular practice schedule will be Mondays and Thursdays at 3:00p at the HS.
We are still looking for a few people who would be willing to work with our Youngsters program.  We have an experienced coach who will lead the team, so no experience necessary; just a passion for helping kids love being active.  Contact Coach Holt by email at pineviewxc@gmail.com

A few calendaring items: 

Run-a-Thon and Fundraiser - It looks like we will pencil in Aug 31-Sept 1 for the run-a-thon.  You may want to start working on your sponsors, though.  If you don't have sponsor paperwork, it will be available at Monday's team meeting.  About the SPONSORS: please remember that no personal checks are accepted, when you turn money into the finance office at the HS just tell them your name and that the money is your XC sponsor.  Then bring the receipt to Coach Holt and tell him where you want to use the money (some people have missed this step in the past and then been fined because no coach knew that they had paid by sponsors).

Girls Varsity Renegade Camp - we are looking at the Friday-Sat of the first week of the school year.  Usually around the top 10'ish are invited to attend.

Desert Relays Recap - The Desert Relays is a fun early season duel meet with DH that has a very unique format.  Of course we want to run well, but the most important thing about this race is to see where we are doing well so we can keep growing and to identify areas where we might need to change a few things.  In the girls' race, we saw some great individual running: Alli set a new meet record for the 1st Leg, and we saw some great pushes from others like Kyanne, Allison, and Madeline who had strong races.  We weren't quite able to overcome a very good DHells squad and they beat us 25-30.  On the boys' side Nathan took home the bowling pin for his win in Leg 1.  It was a very tight race with DH and we were able to nab a 28-28 win with a 6th place tie breaker.  Strong runs by teams Silver (Cooper, Tavin, and James) and Grey (Boston, Luke, and Tyler - whose huge kick to the finish barely edged out a DH team) got us the tie.  Then the 6th squad (the White team of Caleb, Josh, and Dakota) stepped up big for the tie-breaker win.  It was definitely a total team victory.

Thought of the Week: "Failure isn't fatal, but failure to change might be." - John Wooden
First, no one failed at all at the Relays - some ran well, others maybe not very well.  But, the quote includes a very important idea, so we still wanted to use it.  In our meetings after the race, we talked about how winning or losing the Relays isn't the biggest deal in the world.  Really, the only thing that makes it important at all is what you learn from your race last week.  If you are able to take the good things you did and build on them, and if you are able to identify an area or two of struggles and implement ways to fix those, then you have truly grasped the purpose of an early season meet like this.  Change and Growth... that is what it is all about!

Time Trial and Rankings

Monday we had our preseason time trial at Bloomington Hills North Park.  With decent temps and humidity down a little, even very wet and long grass was bearable and some good performances were recorded.  For a full list of results check out athletic.net.  The boys started us off well with solid running from some of our top guys and a lot of good JV times.  (The following records and comparisons are based upon the preseason time trials only, not time trials run later in the season.) Nathan set a new record with a 10:30 and looked very strong throughout.  Scottie hit our 3rd fastest time on the 2 mile course with Mikey not far behind.  Comparative to 2015 and '16 (years where we placed 2nd at State) the team times were just 9 and 11 seconds slower, but we had a little larger spread that needs to be brought down with our 4 and 5, as well our 6 and 7 and our top JV guys.  The girls saw similar results as Jessica set a new school record (also by a second) and Rylee H. recorded our 3rd fastest time.  Alli pushed strong to make this the first time we recorded 3 girls under 13:00 on this course.  Again comparing to '15 and '16 years where we took 2nd (really?) and 1st in State we were around 20 seconds slower and 20 seconds faster, respectively.  Again a little larger spread held us back, but we saw great things from that 4-10'ish crew that leaves us very hopefully.  One of the best things is that our JV crews all put in times near or quicker than many of those same spots on the team from the past few years.  This progress shows what a hard summer of running will do.

Check out all the pics from CAMP and the TIME TRIAL

Rankings: Today Utah Milesplit Ranked our girls the #5 team in the state of Utah

and a couple weeks ago, they ranked Alli the #15 individual in the state

Aug 6-11 (Week 10)

A strong summer of running culminated with an awesome XC camp.  Thanks again to the captains and camp committee that did so much to pull it off and also to the parents who drove and those who helped cook.
Now we head into the final week of the summer and also start up some racing!

Purpose of the week's workouts - Last week we moved into our SWEP phase and we explained it a little in the week's post.  You can also find more info about it in the Big Book of PVXC.  This week we continue SWEP and bring in a bit of racing.  The goals of the races this week are to test where we are after a long summer of miles.  There is no need to stress about racing.  In fact, tonight would be a great time to think about all the progress you have made over the summer - the long runs, the Sand Hills, pushing through the heat and waking up early - and realize that the races are just an opportunity for you to show the great fitness you have already earned from this hard work.

Here's our schedule for the week -

Monday: RACE - PV Time Trial: Meet at Bloomington Hills North Park at 7:00a.  We will do our regular warm ups and then race at approx. 7:45a (parents/friends welcome to come watch; and Youngsters and even alumni are welcome to come run with us).  Afternoon run (for those who are doing it) is on your own.

Tuesday: Morning practice will be on your own!  Try and make it a grass run with striders.  Afternoon we will meet as a team at PVHS at 3:00p for weights and our afternoon run.

Wednesday: Morning practice at 7:00a at PVHS.  Afternoon practice on your own.

Thursday: Morning practice at 7:00a at PVHS.  Afternoon we will meet as a team at PVHS at 3:00p for weights and our afternoon run.

Friday: Morning practice at 7:00a at PVHS.  RACE - Desert Relays:  Meet at Bloomington Hills North Park at 5:15p (don't be late... we have to make the relay teams based on everyone who is there).  Youngsters are invited to run.  Race schedule - girls (and youngsters) 6:00p, Boys approx. 6:30p

Saturday: On own or organize your own group run.

Weekly minutes can be found here.  Please get them caught up.

We are still looking for a few people who would be willing to work with our Youngsters program.  We usually meet 2-3 times per week through the season (days can be determined by the coaches).  No experience necessary; just a passion for helping kids love being active.  Contact Coach Holt by email at pineviewxc@gmail.com

A few calendaring items: 

Run-a-Thon is usually after the Desert Relays.  However, since the relays are moved up a week this year, we will be delaying the run-a-thon to a later date.  You may want to start working on your sponsors, though.  Paperwork for sponsor will be passed out later in the week.

Girls Varsity Renegade Camp - we are looking at the Friday-Sat of the first week of the school year.   Usually around the top 10'ish are invited to attend.

Thought of the Week: "Running taught me valuable lessons.  In cross-country competition, training counted more than intrinsic ability, and I could compensate for a lack of natural aptitude with diligence and discipline.  I applied this in everything I did." - Nelson Mandela 

I picked this quote for a number of reasons. 1) Some of you know I greatly admire Nelson Mandela for all that he accomplished and how he transformed his life for the betterment of all.  And to learn that he ran cross and applied its principles to his everyday life is SO RENEGADE! and 2) The idea of the quote fits real well with our race season starting up.  What you have done in training is determines what you do on the course.  Hard work in practice, pushing past your perceived limits, strengthening teammates, and all the other things you do in practice, all have the opportunity to shine in races.  Races are nothing to be scared of... they are opportunities to show your great self and all that you have earned!

July 30-Aug 4 (Week 9)

A huge thanks to everyone for all the help with Summer Club.  It went great.  Kids had fun.  And it's over!  This week we will be heading to high altitude camp on Monday morning after practice.  We will be meeting at 10:30a at the Wash. Rec. Center.  See the post below for packing list and for drivers info.  Those who aren't going to camp will need to get their runs in on their own.  Also, we have updated our XC schedule to include the change to our time trial date (Aug 6) and a couple other dates  (there will probably be a few more changes, but we'll let you know).

Purpose of the week's workouts - We are moving into our SWEP phase of our training plan this week.  SWEP mean Speed With Endurance Process.  In our training philosophy - which is heavily influenced by NZ coaching legend Arthur Lydiard, Bill Squires, and "Tinman" Tom Schwartz - this phase brings in longer intervals at controlled paces varying from current 3K-8K pace.  We continue long runs and also bring in a little more hill work in the form of our Hill Circuits.  As with each phase, SWEP is extremely important.  One of the biggest goals from SWEP is to develop strength and a feel for certain paces which will help as we get to more important races later in the season.

Here's our schedule for the week -

Monday: Meet at Wash. Elem. at 7:00a.  High Altitude Camp - meet at 10:30a at Rec Centewr

Tuesday-Thurs: High Altitude Camp.  If not attending camp, practice on your own.

Friday: No team practice.  On own or organize your own group run

Saturday: On own or organize your own group run.

Weekly minutes can be found here.  Please get them caught up.

Double check your Final Surge to see if our next set of workouts for most of August is posted on your calendar.  Let Coach know if it isn't.

Thought of the Week: "The little details add up until they represent significant differences.  Let nothing slip through the cracks." - Bill Belichick
This is a pretty good thought.  Everyone and every team that has aspirations to do well will get all the big stuff in: the long runs, the workouts, whatever; however, what separates those that accomplish those big goals and targets will be doing all the small things.  Take a few minutes and think about all that you do.  And when you identify a few areas of weakness, set an expectation that you will do those small things to help us be the ones to achieve our goals and targets.  

6th-8th grade PVXC Club

We will be hosting our PVXC Youngsters Running Club for grades 6-8 this school year.  Info about practice days and times will be posted in the next couple weeks.
We are looking for some people who would are interested in helping coach our club this year.  Contact Coach Holt at pineviewxc@gmail.com for details.

High Altitude Camp

Check out the packing list and drivers info for camp.

Week of July 23-28 (Week 8)

It was hot.  It was humid.  It's been a long summer.  But it was our best week yet.  A lot of good things are happening on our team right now.  Just a few weeks of summer left; let's finish it up strong!

July 24th - Please do your best to plan on running a race on the 24th.  In our area, we have 2 good options. 1) Enterprise 5/10K.  Good race and you can get a tasty pancake breakfast after. 2) Hurricane   Pioneer 5K. Also a very good race and the cost is just a few cans of food!  Starts at 6:00a at the park in the center of town.  If you're in town and not doing Enterprise, please run this race (and bring your family along to participate as well).

Purpose of the week's workouts - Last week, we had some great thoughts on why the aerobic base is so important.  We continue to focus on our base this week before we go into our SWEP over the next few weeks.  On Wednesday, we add a 3rd afternoon double for Levels 2, 3, and 4.

Here's our schedule for the week -

Monday: Meet at Wash. Elem. at 7:00a. 

Tuesday: No team practice in the AM.  Again, please race today if at all possible.  If you can't, your workout will be a tempo session.  Add a few minutes to wherever you are at on your tempo progression and get a good workout in.  We WILL have afternoon weights and run at 3:00p at the HS.

Wednesday: Wash. Elem. at 7:00a with our final Kid's Club after (those who have treats, please remember).  Wednesday afternoon run is on your own or with your own group.

Thursday: Wash. Elem. at 7:00a.  Weights and short afternoon run at PVHS at 3:00p.

Friday: Meet at the double churches in Washington Fields at 6:30a.

Saturday: On own or organize your own group run.

High Altitude Camp will be July 30-Aug 2 at Pine Lake near Bryce Canyon.  Those who haven't turned in your physical and/or haven't done registermyathlete (and are going to camp) this must be done by Monday!

If you haven't signed up for Final Surge to record your runs, please do (see the posts below).  Also check below for info on registermyathlete registration info and physicals.  You MUST have your registermyathlete done and your physical complete to go to camp.

Weekly minutes can be found here.

Sand Hill - Last Monday we had our 3rd Sand Hill run of the summer.  The conditions were perfect, and everyone is starting to figure it out a bit.  We are super proud of the great efforts so many of you put in.  Times and records have been updated.

Thought of the Week: "Young runners take notice. We have 2 alums running in the NCAA Track and Field Championship.  These girls weren't superstars in grade school, but they worked hard and preserved for 7-8 years thru much adversity to chase their dreams. Be patient, believe in yourself and work hard." - Barry Hepworth, a coach sharing the importance of a long-term approach of hard work and commitment.
So often, we want the results now and when they are slow to come, we quit before realizing what we could really achieve.  It takes months and years to reach goals that are truly worth it.  When you find yourself struggling to wake up or to stay focused, when it feels like your progress has stalled and you aren't getting where you want, remember, to keep pushing - find something that will help you pull through the lull: a teammate, a positive affirmation, a happy thought of a a goal previously achieved; and use it to help you push through.  Because in the end, when you keep at it, it will be worth it!

Summer Running Club Updates

We've got one week left of our Summer Running Club.  Because the 24th falls on our regular Tuesday club day, we will hold our final day on Wednesday the 25th at our regular time and place (8:30a - Washington Elementary).
We will be getting our shirts and our Summer Marathon Certificates - let's do one final push to get our marathon in.  Many of you are close to your 26 miles; finish it up this week!
We also had a great time showing off our State Championship trophy and hopefully getting the kids stoked to earn one of those too.  Here's a link to the pics.  Download and print off yours if you'd like.  You can also see some of them on our Insta @pvxctrack

Week of July 16-21 (Week 7)

Just a few weeks left of summer leaves us with good news and bad news... the bad: (I guess, I kinda like it though) school is going to start in just 4 weeks; the good: races are just around the corner - that in itself means we better get to business!  Let's get it focused; LET'S GET TO PRACTICE; let's get pushing ourselves and each other.

July 24th - Please do your best to plan on running a race on the 24th.  In our area, we have 2 good options. 1) Enterprise 5/10K.  Good race and you can get a tasty pancake breakfast after. 2) Hurricane   Pioneer 5K. Also a very good race and the cost is just a few cans of food!  If you're in town and not doing Enterprise, please run this race (and bring your family along to participate as well).

Recruiting - it's always a great time to get a friend to come run.
"When I invite a young man to join our team, I often hear, 'I am not a very good runner.' My reply is, 'I don't care. I care you put forth effort to get better, and have some fun doing it.'" - Paul Vandersteen (Mountain Vista HS, Co)

Purpose of the week's workouts - We had a pretty big jump in our minutes last week, this week will either be the same amount as last week or just a small increase.  But we continue to work our aerobic base.  It is so important to be doing all your runs (hopefully with the team; but if you're out of town, then on your own).  You've got to be getting all the benefit you can from consistent aerobic development at this time of the season.  A good week here and then a bad week there, or a couple good days followed by some missed runs will really inhibit your development as the season progresses.  What we are doing now is the base for everything we do over the next few months!  In fact, let's do a competition to get you thinking about the importance of our current phase of running.  The first 3 athletes and the two other "best" comparisons posted below in the comments will win a gallon of gatorade concentrate at practice Monday.  Comparison: write a statement comparing our event (the importance of the aerobic base phase) to a known object/person/place/thing and a couple reasons why.  Such as Preston Warby's famous comparison: The Aerobic Base Phase of running is like A Shoelace because they both... (and say a couple reasons why they are similar).

Here's our schedule for the week -

Monday: Meet at Wash. Elem. at 6:30a. PLEASE WEAR A WATCH if you have one!

Tuesday: Wash. Elem. at 7:00a with Kid's Club after (those who have treats, please remember).  For the afternoon run (on Tuesday and Thursday) we now meet at the PVHS at 3:00p to do weights and our run. 

Wednesday: Wash. Elem. at 7:00a (Those who are running with the Varsity Boys crew will most likely be doing their workout today instead of the scheduled Thursday - everyone else with stick with the planned schedule)

Thursday: Wash. Elem. at 7:00a.  EXCITING NEWS: milesplit (the hs track/xc website) will be at practice interviewing and recording our workout.  We highly encourage everyone to wear some Pine View gear if you have any.  Weights and short afternoon run at PVHS at 3:00p.

Friday: Meet at Vernon Worthen Park in the center of St. George at 7:00a

Saturday: On own or organize your own group run.

High Altitude Camp will be July 30-Aug 2 at Pine Lake near Bryce Canyon.  Practice Monday will be the final decision on who is qualified to go to camp.  All those wanting to go to camp, will need to run the Sand Hill - coaches will determine who qualifies for camp by effort on the run. You will also have to have been keeping your Final Surge updated and your registermyathlete completed (at least the paperwork part) and your physical complete and turned in to the school (it may not show as turned in on registermyathlete, however).

If you haven't signed up for Final Surge to record your runs, please do (see the posts below).  Also check below for info on registermyathlete registration info and physicals.  You MUST have your registermyathlete done and your physical complete to go to camp.

Weekly minutes can be found here. Make sure Weeks 4 and 5 have been updated - they will not be reviewed after this week.

Sand Hill - Last Monday we had our 2nd Sand Hill run of the summer.  It was very hot and dry and this probably affected times quite a bit, but there were still some very good efforts.  Times and records have been updated.

Thought of the Week: "Help create a GREAT TEAM by being a GREAT TEAMMATE." - unknown

Week of July 9-14 (Week 6)

Hopefully everyone has had a good week. It is going to be great to be back together as a team on Monday!  Great job to all of you who got your runs in over the past week.  And thanks to all those who helped organize any group runs you may have done.  Just a reminder to get your Final Surge updated so minutes can be added up.  This is the last week that Coach will be going back through Weeks 1-3 and adding them to the totals.  Also, a huge thanks to those parents who have volunteered to drive to/from camp.  There will be a few steps that the district is requiring this year to be a volunteer driver (including a background check done at the district office, a volunteer form, and a drivers' safety video done online).  Coach will be getting this organized ASAP.

Recruiting - remember Coach Roberts is getting mini tacos to the Support Squad who recruits the most runners this week! Make some calls; send some texts; PICK SOME PEOPLE UP; let's get some people to join us!

Purpose of the week's workouts - So far, we have been increasing our base throughout the summer (you should be able to see this by how you have been getting more minutes each week on your Final Surge workout report).  Last week, the minutes were dropped slightly to allow for a little recovery.  This week, the minutes move up again quite a bit as we continue to work our aerobic base.  This is why summer running is so important... before you can run fast, you need to optimize your aerobic capacity, and this is done through a lot of long hot running!

Here's our schedule for the week -

Monday: Meet at Wash. Elem. at 6:30a. PLEASE WEAR A WATCH if you have one!

Tuesday: Wash. Elem. at 7:00a with Kid's Club after (those who have treats, please remember).  For the afternoon run (on Tuesday and Thursday) we now meet at the PVHS at 3:00p to do weights and our run.   (For tips on running in the heat and the reasons for doubles check out the post from a couple weeks ago.)

Wednesday: Wash. Elem. at 7:00a

Thursday: Wash. Elem. at 7:00a.  Weights and short afternoon run at PVHS at 3:00p.

Friday: Meet at Bloomington Hills North Park at 7:00a

Saturday: On own or organize your own group run.

High Altitude Camp will be July 30-Aug 2 at Pine Lake near Bryce Canyon.

If you haven't signed up for Final Surge to record your runs, please do (see the posts below).  Also check below for info on registermyathlete registration info and physicals.  You MUST have your registermyathlete done and your physical complete to go to camp.

Weekly minutes can be found here. 

Thought of the Week: "Run every day during the summer even when you don't have practice. Try and keep up with teammates who are faster than you. If you are one of the fastest on your team, encourage other runners to keep up with you." - Haley Herberg (A graduating California Sr. when asked to give advice to hs xc runners)

Week of July 2-7 (Week 5)

I have finally recovered enough to get this week's blog up! A group of the boys went to Renegade Camp this past weekend up to the Tushar Mountains above Beaver and ran (hiked/climbed/survived) Mt. Baldy.  It was an amazing experience and gave these potential Varsity boys a great bonding and growth opportunity.
This week, the biggest news is that it is the Utah Moratorium Week - which means no coach led activities. This could be the most important week of the summer... why? Because without coaches, what are you and the team going to do? Are you going to step up and do all of your runs? Are you going to keep working together as a team? PLEASE make sure you are updating your Final Surge each day so the coaches can be giving some encouraging words and advice. Take a look at the quote below... it is what this week is all about.

Here's our schedule for the week - because of the moratorium, I can't post a schedule.  You know the runs (from your Final Surge or from here). But rumor has it that the captains will be hosting practice at the regular scheduled times.

There is no Youth Running Club this week.  We will meet again on July 10th.

High Altitude Camp will be July 30-Aug 2.  Last call.  Here's who has signed up (if you're name isn't here and you are planning to go, please contact Coach Holt ASAP - the shirt order is going in Monday):Pyper H., Rylee H., Scottie B., Bentley B., Josh H., Cooper D., Rayne K., Jose U., Alli B., Allison B., Yrene H., Evan B., Jenna B., Nathan B., James H., Gabs H., Landon W., Carson B., Elijah W., Jessica H., Jason L., Rylee D., Gracie C., Anna G., Addi B., Korbin D., Tavin B., Mikey A., Sylvia B., Caleb A., Julien C., Boston H., Luke H., Zack D., Kylee B., Kathy G.
Again a call for drivers - we will be looking for parents who can drive up and/or back from camp (and anyone who might want to stay with us any/all days).  Please contact Coach Holt if you are available.

If you haven't signed up for Final Surge to record your runs, please do (see the posts below).  Also check below for info on registermyathlete registration info and physicals.  You MUST have your registermyathlete done and your physical complete to go to camp.

Weekly minutes can be found here. 

Thought of the Week: "What you do when no one is watching is what separates a champion from everyone else." - unknown

Kids' Club Race

A very solid day of racing at our Summer Running Club today.  Congrats to Elsie A. who set a new 2nd grade record, Elin H. with a new 3rd grade record, and Ben B. with a new 5th grade record.  Full results are here, and records are here.  Also check out a few pics on Insta @pvxctrack

Sand Hill 6/25

Today we attempted our first Sand Hill run of the season.  It is an approximately 9 mile loop through the desert north of Washington which includes a nearly 1 mile long hill that is all sand - basically a giant sand dune - with a nearly equal descent from the Millcreek side to the Grapevine side.  Last year, we broke the ice with this run, but this year we will be making it much more of a team effort.  Congrats to all those who conquered the Sand Hill whether for the first time or with a great time.  Check out the stats and give any feedback you might notice with the standards and rewards as we move toward our next attempt in a couple weeks.  (By the way... we see Nathan with the guys' record on the descent, but we know who really has it ;)

Week of June 25-30 (Week 4)

We are hitting the tough days of summer.  If you noticed (and how could you not?!) our numbers are taking a hit, the heat is on, and our bodies are getting a little tired.  Now is a very important time to refocus... Ask yourself, "Why am I doing this whole running thing?" Hopefully you can find an answer that refocuses your commitment and dedication.  Remember great teams and great individuals are made in the summer.  Now is the time to really put a great effort in.

Here's our schedule for the week -

Monday: Like last week, we will meet at Wash. Elem. at 6:30a!

Tuesday: Wash. Elem. at 7:00a with Kid's Club after (those who have treats, please remember).  We will be adding a double (second run) for many of us after weights.  So we will now meet at the PVHS at 3:00p (time will be finalized at practice) to do weights and our run.  Why run doubles? Distance running is an aerobic sport.  There is just no way around it... the more you run, the better you get. Doubles allow us to stretch those minutes more and train our bodies to handle more running. Why run in the afternoon when it is so hot? When school starts, a lot of our running will have to be done in the afternoon heat. So now is a good time to start slowly getting the body acclimated to the heat. We understand it will be hard for some to make it because of work (get the run in when you can), and we understand it will be hard because of the heat. A few tips for running in the heat: be hydrated (drink a lot of water throughout the day), wear light loose fitting clothing, soak down your hair or wear a wet hat, always run with a partner to have help if needed.

Wednesday: Wash. Elem. at 7:00a

Thursday: Wash. Elem. at 7:00a.  Weights and short afternoon run at PVHS at 3:00p.

Friday: Meet at Heritage Park (in Coral Canyon) at 7:00a

Saturday: On own or organize your own group run.

Team Party and Goal Setting Session: Last week's party was awesome... we just want more people to come! Party committee is planning another one this week - most likely around the same time on Tuesday afternoon.  The captains would like to take the team through a Goal and Target Setting Session.  To make this successful, we really need the team to be there.  PLEASE TRY AND ATTEND!

High Altitude Camp will be July 30-Aug 2.  We want everyone to attend.  It is a great time! Talk to your teammates about it.  It is very important that we get a count and payment from everyone before the end of this week.  (Remember, the next week is the moratorium week - no coaches - so we have to have our numbers set THIS WEEK!) Please pay your $90 to the PVHS Finance Office by Thursday and bring you receipt to Coach Holt.  Also, we will be looking for parents who can drive up and/or back from camp (and anyone who might want to stay with us any/all days).  Please contact Coach Holt if you are available.

If you have yet to complete the captains' "survey" please do.

If you need to get caught up on your Final Surge, please do; minutes will be recorded Sunday morning.  If you haven't signed up, see the posts below.  Also check below for info on registermyathlete registration info and physicals.  You MUST have your registermyathlete done and your physical complete to go to camp.

Weekly minutes can be found here. 

Thought of the Week: "Peak performance isn't so much about your ability to focus.  It's more about your ability to REFOCUS." - Ken Ravizza

Week of June 18-23 (Week 3)

So many great things happening with PVXC this summer.  It's tough with all the summer events going on, so remember, if you're in town be at practice, and if you're out of town do your very best to get a run in (even if it isn't the full minutes/workout, something is better than nothing).

Here's our schedule for the week -

Monday: Long runs will move to Monday. To help us deal with the heat a little bit, we will meet at Wash. Elem. at 6:30a!

Tuesday: Wash. Elem. at 7:00a with Kid's Club after (those who have treats, please remember).  After Club, we will go over to the HS at do weights.

Wednesday: Wash. Elem. at 7:00a

Thursday: Wash. Elem. at 7:00a with weights after.

Friday: Meet at Confluence Trailhead (by the Dixie Center) at 7:00a

Saturday: On own or organize your own group run.

Sometime this week, we are also planning a team night.  We would really like everyone on the team come as we will be receiving our Team Book, setting goals, and other important XC stuff.  We will probably do this Tuesday evening.

The captains have put this confidential "survey" together for each of you to fill out.  Could each of you athletes do this for them ASAP.  This is based upon the Commitment Continuum.  What you'll do is read through each level of commitment and then mark each captain once where you think he/she best fits.  Please be honest... this is something they will be using to help plan out the season for us.

If you need to get caught up on your Final Surge, do it quick.  If you haven't signed up, see the posts below.  Also check below for info on registermyathlete registration info and physicals.  A couple things to also be planning: High Altitude Camp will be July 30-Aug 2.  Please pay your $90 to the PVHS Finance Office by the end of this month and bring you receipt to Coach Holt; keep one of our favorite Youngsters Brianna U. in your thoughts and prayers (I was able to visit her this weekend and there are some positive things happening, but she has a long road ahead of her); and remember the goal of bringing out someone to join us.

Here's your weekly minutes if you want to take a look at it.

Thought of the Week: "When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be." - Lao Tzu

Put that one in the ol' brain hole and think about it for a few minutes.  We will talk about it at practice Monday.

Week of June 11-16 (Week 2)

After a good first week of practice, we are heading into Week 2.  Your challenge for the coming week is to get someone to join us for practice.  So text some friends, think of someone who came out last year who isn't there this summer, or grab a stranger off the street.  This week's practice schedule will be as follows: Monday through Thursday we will meet Washington Elem. and then on Friday we will meet at Middleton Park at 7:00a and run through about 8:30 (with the exception of Tuesday, which will be explained below).

much of the info below is the same as last week... what does that tell you?! Even if you did look it over last week, please take a look again (some things are updated, others you might need a reminder on to do if you haven't yet)

Tuesday - Youth Summer Running Club: (Same info as last week, in case you haven't been around) On most Tuesday's throughout the summer, we host our Youth Summer Running Club.  This is run by you, the athletes.  You are the coaches to the youth (K-8th grade).  We will discuss the details at practice on Monday and Tuesday, but know that being to Running Club is an expectation of our team.  Please plan on being at practice until 10:00a on Tuesdays to help with Running Club.  Those who are assigned to bring popsicles, please remember.  If you know any K-8th who would still like to participate, it is not too late to sign up.  Just direct them to the previous posts here for instructions on registration and payment.

registermyathlete: It is very important that each of you complete your registermyathlete (to do this, just go to registermyathlete.com and either login or create an account).  This is where you and a guardian will sign off all of your paperwork.

Physical: It is required that every athlete get a physical every year.  Some of you got your physicals at the very end of this past school year at PVHS.  If so, great.  If not, you need to get your physical schedule.  You can print the paperwork off of the UHSAA website.  This MUST be schedule soon, and take place in the next two weeks.

Athletes will not be able to participate without completion of registermyathlete and having a current physical on file at PVHS

Final Surge: We will be using finalsurge.com for our training log this season.  Each athlete needs to go online and create an account.  Then please share the email used to create the account with Coach Holt so you can be invited to be added to the team account.  This is a great tool for tracking your progress.  The app makes tracking your runs very quick and easy.  Weekly Minutes: Minutes will be calculated from Final Surge, so make sure you have your runs from Week 1 logged by Saturday evening.

Remind: We use the remind app for all our PVXC communication.  Please join us by texting the code @a24b37 to the number 81010. Or sign up online or using the Remind app with the same code.

Insta and Twitter: Here's where you go for great pics, articles, quotes, and more... @pvxctrack

This Week's Thought: "Everyone thinks you get better at practice.  What sets the great apart from the good is what you are doing the other 22 hours of the day. 'How bad do you want it?' should be the constant question." - Chris Solinsky
Besides being one of my favorite runners ever (look him up and see how awesome he was - here's a video of one of the greatest and most important races ever - you'll have to do some research to find out why it was such a big deal... anyway...), Solinsky is totally on point here.  And in the summer time this is even more true.  You have all the time in the world in the summer - even if you are working, or going on trips, or whatever.  So how are you using that time?  All the teams and individuals that aspire to greatness are going to practice (and so are you!); how are you doing at the other things that are going to make you and our team truly great?  If eating healthy is a struggle... work on it.  If getting to bed too late is a struggle... work on it.  If it is rolling, doing extra core, cross-training... whatever it is that you could do to help set us apart... work on it.  And I'll add this final thought - the time to do it is now.  Not when school starts, or in September when races start, or October when we are looking toward Region and State.  Champions are made NOW, in JUNE!

Week of June 4-9 (Week 1)

WELCOME or WELCOME BACK!  It's XC time.  Practice will start Monday, June 4th at 7:00a at Washington Elementary.  For this week, all practices will start at 7:00 and run through about 8:30 (with the exception of Tuesday, which will be explained below).  On Monday through Thursday we will meet Washington Elem. and then on Friday we will meet at Sullivan Park.

Tuesday - Youth Summer Running Club: On most Tuesday's throughout the summer (starting this week), we host our Youth Summer Running Club.  This is run by you, the athletes.  You are the coaches to the youth (K-8th grade).  We will discuss the details at practice on Monday and Tuesday, but know that being to Running Club is an expectation of our team.  Please plan on being at practice until 10:00a on Tuesdays to help with Running Club.

registermyathlete: It is very important that each of you complete your registermyathlete (to do this, just go to registermyathlete.com and either login or create an account).  This is where you and a guardian will sign off all of your paperwork.

Physical: It is required that every athlete get a physical every year.  Some of you got your physicals at the very end of this past school year at PVHS.  If so, great.  If not, you need to get your physical schedule.  You can print the paperwork off of the UHSAA website.  This MUST be schedule soon, and take place in the next two weeks.

Athletes will not be able to participate without completion of registermyathlete and having a current physical on file at PVHS

Final Surge: We will be using finalsurge.com for our training log this season.  Each athlete needs to go online and create an account.  Then please share the email used to create the account with Coach Holt so you can be invited to be added to the team account.  This is a great tool for tracking your progress.  The app makes tracking your runs very quick and easy.

Remind: We use the remind app for all our PVXC communication.  Please join us by texting the code @a24b37 to the number 81010. Or sign up online or using the Remind app with the same code.

Insta and Twitter: Here's where you go for great pics, articles, quotes, and more... @pvxctrack

And we always like to end with a thought of some kind... This Week's Thought: "Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success." - Henry Ford

This first week of practice is the beginning... Let's get tons of people out; friends, classmates, that one kid who seemed interested that one time, anyone.  Because the more people we can get involved in this great thing we do, the greater we are going to be as we "work... together [toward] success."

PVXC Summer Info

For our Youth (K-8) Summer Running Club, see earlier post (found below)...

It's time to get rolling for PVXC Summer.  This is the info for our (to be) 9th-12th graders at Pine View HS.  We will begin practice on the first Monday in June at 7:00a at Washington Elementary.  Please remember to get your physical taken care of (PVHS is doing physicals on Monday, May 14th at 5:30p) and your registermyathlete done.

Youth Summer Running Club

We are once again getting ready for our Summer Running Club for (incoming) grades K-8.  Summer Club is a great way for kids to learn that a healthy and active lifestyle can be fun and exciting!  Club dates will be each Tuesday in June (starting June 5th) and July 10th, 17th and 25th (a Wednesday).
Summer Club is held at Washington Elementary and goes from 8:30a-9:45a.
Please see the attached information for payment options and registration info... Any questions email pineviewxc@gmail.com.  Spread the word and bring a friend and come participate in games and activities that make running a lifelong healthy lifestyle.  We look forward to everyone being there!
Summer Club Flyer and Payment Info
Registration Information

Week 25 and Nike Recap

Too few seats on the bus, broken bus seats, Martin the track announcer/bus driver, cheap hotels, we survived it all and made it back home from Phoenix in one piece.  The trip to Nike was a great one, and we are very proud of how well behaved you all were and being able to get along so well.  And to top it off, we had some strong races, too.

The JV girls ran very well and placed 14th in the Medium School Open Division - of which many teams were full varsity squads.  Our top five were Brianna, Jenessa, Jada, Addi, and Pyper.  The JV boys also ran strong, placing 11th in the Medium School Open Division - again, against many varsity teams.  Scottie ran very well, and was the 2nd Freshman in the entire race.  Following him were Evan, Mikey, Colton, and JD.  The Varsity boys were up against some of the top teams in the country in the Championship race.  We didn't have our best race and were hurt by some injuries and sickness, but the team still represented us well.  Carson was our first finisher, followed by Alex, Logan, Spencer, Nathan, Dylan, and then Julian.  Our Varsity girls entered the Championship race with hopes of an exceptional race that might put us in position for a birth to Nike Cross Nationals (NXN).  Although we didn't quite have our best team race and finished 7th (seeded 5th) - just 12 points out of 5th, it was still our best team finish and team time in our Nike Southwest history.  And we were led by the highest placer in PV history - Jessica ran a tremendous race and finished the full 5K in 17:54, placing 13th and earning 2nd Team All-Southwest.  Jess was  followed by strong races from Jacey and Ellie, then Caroline, Alli, Rylee, and Sylvia finished up our team placement.

Thanks for the amazing season everyone!  You are all, just amazing people.  Keep doing difficult things in life and use the lessons you have learned this season to take the challenges of life head on and conquer them.

A few things for this week:

Practice Schedule -  If you are planning on running with us still (and really everyone who isn't hurt, should join us for the next couple weeks then take your 2 week break... or at least join us through Tuesday's race!), we will practice as a team Monday morning at 6:15 for a 20-25min run, Monday afternoon for a 55-60min run, Tuesday am at 6:15 for a 20-25min run, Tuesday afternoon for the Dream Mile, then the rest of the week on your own (follow the workout schedule - once we get it updated!).

Dream Mile - Tuesday after school (regular practice time), we will have our annual PVXC Dream Mile.  This is a 1600m race on the track.  Everyone is in great shape at this time of year, and we want to give you a chance to go run a killer 1600m time.  We'll warm and put on our spikes and then race - probably around 3:50'ish.  

Thought of the Week: "Once you find something you love to do, be the best at doing it."  

- Debbie Field

Week 24 - NIKE!

So we are headed down to Phoenix this week for our club trip to Nike Southwest Regionals!  We are all pretty stoked about the whole thing.  If you did not get an itinerary (at the banquet), please get one at practice.
Big things from the itinerary:

• We are leaving Thursday right after lunch.  
• Freshies need to get to the high school.
• Your parents need to call the school and get you excused.  This is not a school trip; you won't be activity excused.
• We will be back late Saturday evening.  Please make sure someone is ready to come pick you up so the coaches don't have to wait.
• Bring enough money for your meals.
• Bring your uniforms and racing shoes.
• Finish paying Coach Holt if you haven't.  

Other important things:

Dream Mile -  We are planning on having our PVXc 1600m race on Tuesday, November 21st.  Please plan on running.  It is a great tradition; we have a lot of fun; and it is cool to see how fast you are right now!  (And you are FAST right now!)

Foot Locker - If you are going, get signed up soon and get your arrangements made.  We will keep practicing as a club until that time.  Afterward, we will take our break before track season base training starts in the middle of December.

Quote of the Week -

"Losers assemble in little groups and complain... but winners assemble as a team." - Bill Parcells

And finally... something else to take a look at.

Videos

Here are the two videos that we used in today's discussion if you want to look at them.
Remember, on the form video, it is around 14:45 that he talks about ways to improve foot strike.
Shalane talks about winning New York
Shalane's form

Week 23 and Autumn Classic Recap

Big week coming up... we've got our banquet on Thursday and a big week of practice before peaking for Nike next week.
This past week was another strong one for PVXC.  We held our annual PVXC Autumn Classic on Thursday night.  This year, we brought the meet to the track and ran a 2 mile for the Hoka Postal Nationals competition.  Both PV and DH ran very well (along with a few guys from Cedar) and hit nationally ranked times.  Our Freshman girls times ranked them in the top 30 nationally and 3rd in Utah.  Our Varsity boys times placed us 11th nationally (at the time; we've been bumped backed two spots since then) and 2nd in the state.  And our Varsity girls are placed 2nd nationally and 1st in the state.  The boys earned their times with a tight 13 second spread from 1-5.  While the girls were able to place 3 girls under the Utah 4A State Qualifying time for the upcoming track season.  Outside our Varsities, we had a lot of other great performances as well.  Great job to everyone.

Banquet - Team banquet will be held on Thursday evening at PVHS.  It has been requested that we use the back entrance of the cafeteria because of other activities at the school that evening.  We are also asking that we show up at 5:45p so we can start eating promptly at 6:00p.  If you haven't got your assignments yet, a note will be sent home with you.  This is for all members of the Pine View HS XC team, please come and be recognized for your great season; and please bring your family.

Nike - Those who need to finish paying, please do!  Ask Coach Holt if you need to know your final payment.

Foot Locker - If you are thinking/planning on going to Foot Locker, you need to pay for the race soon.  The cost will go up in the next week.  This race is completely on your own.  The club will not travel to California together.  But it is a great experience to finish off the season.  We will continue to have club practice up until Foot Locker for those who are interested.

This Week's Schedule:
Monday - morning practice 5:30a long run (Level 2 & 3 required); wear white/bright shirt. Afternoon practice 3:00p, team meeting and short run (everyone).
Tuesday - morning practice 6:15a weights and short run (Level 2 & 3 required, Level 1 optional).  Afternoon 3:00p (everyone).
Wednesday - morning practice 6:15 (Level 3 required Level 2 optional, no Freshmen); wear white/bright shirt. Afternoon practice 3:00p (everyone).
Thursday - morning practice 6:15a weights and short run (Level 2 & 3 required, Level 1 optional).  Afternoon 3:00p (everyone).
Friday - morning practice 6:15 (Level 3 required Level 2 optional, no Freshmen); wear white/bright shirt. Afternoon 3:00p (everyone).
Saturday - run on own or form own group.

Quote of the Week:
"Discipline is what helps you finish a job, and finishing is what separates excellent work from average work." - Pat Summitt

News and Rankings - If you've missed any of these articles check them out:
Around the SW Region (from the week of State)
Milesplit Girls Merge from State
Milesplit Boys Merge from State
Link to Races from State
Milesplit Utah Rankings
Southwest Rankings (Oct. 25)

Week 22

We'll just hit a few quick things for this coming week:
Monday we will have early morning practice at 5:30a for Level 2's and 3's (1's are optional).  In the afternoon, we will have our afternoon meeting and then practice for everyone.
Tuesday will be weights and a short run at 6:15a (Levels 2 and 3, 1 optional).  In the afternoon we will have our annual Halloween run - wear a costume (that is runnable) and enough money for an ice cream cone at Arctic Circle.
Wednesday will be the usual morning run at 6:15a (Level 3 required, 2 optional - no Freshies) with a run in the afternoon.
Thursday will be weights and a short run at 6:15a (Levels 2 and 3, 1 optional).  We will have no afternoon practice; instead, we will have the PV Autumn Classic at PVHS in the evening.  This year it will be a 2 mile track race against DH (and whoever else).  We will be sending our times into the Hoka Postal Nationals competition.  Race schedule: Youngsters - 7:00p, Girls Open Heat 7:15p, Boys Open Heat 7:30p, Girls Seeded Heat (top 30 'ish) 7:45p, Boys Seeded Heat 8:00p. 
Friday will be the usual morning run at 6:15a (Level 3 required, 2 optional - no Freshies) with a run in the afternoon.
Saturday we would like to meet with everyone that can and have a workout.

Banquet: has been scheduled for Thursday, November 9th at 6:00p.

Nike: If you haven't finished your Nike payment ($185 total) please do so ASAP. 

This week's quote: "Be excellent to each other."  - Bill and Teds' Excellent Adventure
Let's all work on supporting each other and helping one another do awesome things!

Week 21

Wow.. What a week!  Go back to the last post for a recap of State, but we want to just give one more big thanks for all of you (athletes, parents, friends); you are all what makes this team come together; you are all what makes this whole thing great.

A couple things for this new week -

• The season is officially over, so those who want to be done running can.  However, our club will continue to train using our normal practice schedule.  
• We need to get a final report of minutes.  So please report your Week 20 minutes here (add up Monday - Wednesday; since the season ended the day of State).
• The workouts for the week aren't quite final yet (you might check later and they will be), but we will be meeting Monday morning at 5:30a for our long run.  You must wear white or bright yellow/green.  Grey, pink, purple, blue, etc... don't cut it.
• The final payment for Nike is due - we were able to keep the total at $185.  Please bring you payment to Coach Holt ASAP.
• If you don't want text notifications anymore, reply to the message saying so and you'll be taken off the list.
• If anyone new wants to come out and join us (or maybe rejoin us if you've been gone for a little!), come on out.  Now is a great time to start running (again).

A fitting quote from Olympian and World Cup Champion Mia Hamm - "Celebrate what you accomplish, but raise the bar each time you succeed."

State Champs!

At yesterday's UHSAA State Championships, Pine View XC came home with a 1st place for the 4A Girls and 2nd place for the 4A Boys.
Last week's Region 9 Championships were a bit of a disappointment in some ways, so this week's focus was really on the team tactics it was going to take for us to do our best at State.  A renewed focus was placed on being our best as a team and individually no matter the place.
Before getting into the race recap, we want to give a huge congratulations to Jacey, Carson, and Alex on achieving Academic All-State!  This is an enormous achievement in XC that shows a tremendous dedication to school as well as running - the GPA of every group was 4.0. 
We came into the season with high hopes for the girls team.  We were returning nearly everyone off of our state championship team and were adding an excellent Freshman class.  However, as in life, not everything went according to plan and the year was a little tougher than we may have liked.  However, at the same time, the peaks and valleys of the season provided us many opportunities for growth and improvement; and when it mattered most, those lessons paid off.  Throughout the race, every girl had a time or two where she had to dig very deep and overcome the difficulties of racing - and in the end, each girl responded with strength and courage.  Jessica finished 5th (4th scorer) in a new school record time of 18:22.6! (She was the 2nd quickest Sophomore of the entire State meet.)  She was followed by 4A's fastest Freshman Alli who finished in 12th at 19:05.  Soon after Alli, we placed our next four finishers: Caroline - 15th, 19:09; Ellie - 16th, 19:15; Rylee - 17th, 19:23; Jacey - 19:24.  Our 7th finisher, Sylvia, finished in 34th with a 20:03 and was 1 position out of beating every team's 5th runner.  This was our best team race of the season... our tightest spread (1:01) and tied our fast team time ever 1:35:16 (from last year).
The boys started their race very strong.  At the top of the first hill, we were running very controlled in the front of the chase pack with 4 runners together and all 7 within a few seconds of each other.  As the race progressed, our pack spread, but once again each runner stepped up to the challenges of the day.  Julien ran his best race of the year and finished 9th (7th scorer) in a time of 16:01.  Carson hanged in well on a tough day and finished 14th with a 16:08.  Alex was 19th with a 16:16.  And Nathan and Spencer each had a strong push in the final mile to move up to 28th and 29th in 16:29.  Logan was 38th in 16:39, and Dylan finished 59th in 17:08.  Coming into the race, everyone knew that this was going to be the toughest team title of the day.  There were at least five teams with legitimate shots at winning and the title would go to the team that could bring it together the best on this given day.  Our spread of 27 seconds was one of our best boys groupings ever, but it just wasn't quite enough to overcome Stansbury's 17 second pack.  Nonetheless, it was a very good race from our boys... we took home a trophy for the 3rd straight year, had one of our top 3 team times ever, and were able to beat our rival for the first time in 5 years at State.
We are so proud of all we accomplished this year so far.  The Rowdies were absolutely awesome!  We were the loudest, most notable team at the meet without a doubt.  The Panthers who came up and supported us were amazing!  And the family support was the best!  That's why PVXC is the greatest thing out there. 
Now... enjoy the moment as we continue to work to improve.  There is always more work to do.  One great moment begets the next.
Boys Results
Girls Results
Deseret News
St. George News
The Spectrum

Week 20 (State) and Region Recap

We are finally here... State!  It has been a long journey and we have been through some ups and some downs, but you've been a remarkable team.  We are so proud of all that you have accomplished and how much you've grown as a team and each of you individually.  Before we get into our announcements for the week, let's recap the Region 9 Championships.

Youngsters: What an amazing season we've had with our middle school club.  A HUGE thanks to our coaches Bethany Price and Katie Widdison, and to everyone else that helped out as well.  They brought an amazing energy and excitement to the program and we are so grateful for them.  Our last day of club will be tomorrow (Monday).  This is our ice cream run to Arctic Circle.  So bring enough money for an ice cream cone and let your rides know that you will get done a little later than usual.  We love having all our Youngsters come out and run.  We hope that you are developing a love for running and will keep coming out with us all the way through high school.

Region was a bit of a mixed bag this year.  When you have set the bar as high as our program has, and have the level of goals that we have set, it is a bit of a let down when things don't go perfectly.  In life, though, things rarely go perfectly; and what really matters is how you respond to those situations... and I have no doubt we will all continue to grow in a positive way and be even stronger - whether that be at State this coming week, in later races we run, or in life in general.  And that is one of the great things about running - there are so many life lessons to learn.
So the JV Girls got us off to a great start.  We placed all 5 scorers in the top 10 (Sylvia 3rd, Gracie 4th, Jenessa 5th, Jada 9th, and Addi 10th) and ran away with the team title scoring 31 points to DH's 47 and Cedar's 49.
The JV Boys then took to the course.  The race played out a little different than our usual JV races; a few of our runners didn't have great runs, but a few others stepped up.  And in the end we placed 2nd to DH.  Leading the way were Mikey (3rd) and Scottie (4th).  Also placing in the top 10 was JD with a very strong race to 10th.
The Varsity Girls race was a very tight battle between DH, Cedar, and us.  Jessica ran strong and placed 3rd after leading much of the race.  Jacey then battled to 8th, just 2 seconds out of 6th.  We then finished out our scoring with Alli Baker (10th), Caroline (11th), and Rylee (12th) within 6 seconds of each other.  We also got help in the scoring from Ellie (14th) as she bumped down every teams points.  However, it wasn't quite enough to bring home the trophy as DH out leaned us 43 to 44, with Cedar at 60.
The Varsity Boys race saw somewhat of an upset, as Hurricane took the team title over DH and PV by a score of 45, 52, 63.  Carson led the way for us with a 5th place finish, while Nathan also medaled with his 10th place finish.  Julien (12th), Logan (17th), and Alex (19th) rounded out our scoring.

For our season-long minutes totals, we only have last week (Week 19) and up until State left.  So please go in and enter your minutes for this past week and keep track of everything up until this Wednesday.  Enter your Week 19 Minutes here.

State Info: For State, we will be leaving right at the end of lunch on Tuesday.  9th graders will be picked up from PVMS at approx. noon and brought to the HS.  We will be staying overnight in Sandy, racing at 1:30p (Girls) and 3:00p (Boys) on Wednesday at SugarHouse Park in SLC and then returning home late on Wednesday evening.  An itinerary will be sent home on Monday with those invited to attend the meet.  Along with our 14 team members racing at State, we will take about 30-35 others who have shown dedication throughout the season by attending nearly every practice and keeping up in logging most of their minutes.  A finalized list of those invited to go to State will be posted tomorrow (Monday) in Coach Holt's room and announced at the team meeting.  For those not racing, there will be a $25 hotel fee that needs to be paid to PVHS Finance Office (cash only, no checks).  This fee is waived if you have any remaining money from your Run-a-Thon Fundraiser.  Those who haven't paid for your Murray hotels ($25) of Bob Firman trip ($50) need to get that taken care of ASAP and bring the receipt to Coach Holt.

Banquet: The date isn't set yet (look for an announcement this week about the date and time), but we are thinking early November.  A committee is forming to organize and plan the banquet.  Please send Coach Holt a message if you haven't been contacted and would like to help... we need help!

Practice after State: After State, our school XC season is over.  We would highly encourage everyone to continue to be active whether it is with a winter sport (wrestling, swim, basketball) or with our club running team.  Those planning on coming to Nike in November need to continue to come out to practice with the club.  We really couldn't stress enough the importance of continuing to run during the "off-season" to have continued growth in running.  Although we will take a couple weeks off in December, the winter between XC and track is basically like the summer is for track... If you want to see continued growth and improvement and have a healthy and successful track season, it is really important to be running with the club in the winter (it isn't required though).  We hope that all of you have really enjoyed this season as much as we coaches have.  We want to see you continue to reap the benefits of running in your life, and we want you to be around as much as possible.  Come out to run with us in the winter.  Come out to track in the spring (if your hesitant, you'll be surprised at how much fun it really is).  Come and continue to be part of this awesome team!

This Week's Schedule:
Monday - morning practice 6:15a (racing at State required, all others optional); wear white/bright shirt. Afternoon practice 3:00p, team meeting and short run (everyone).
Tuesday - morning practice 6:30a short run (racing at State required, all others optional).  Afternoon practice in SLC.
Wednesday - morning practice shake-out at the hotel (everyone on State trip required); Afternoon race at STATE!
Thursday - no morning practice.  Afternoon medium run (everyone who is going to Nike or continuing to train with the club).
Friday - no morning practice.  Afternoon medium run (everyone who is going to Nike or continuing to train with the club)
Saturday - run on own or form own group.