As a quick reminder, all athletes must have a physical exam on file prior to the start of mandatory practices August 1st.  The high school is hosting an opportunity to get physicals done tonight (Thurs. May 26th) from 6pm-7pm at the high school cafeteria.  The cost is $22 per athlete (cash only).  You will want to download the Pre-Participation Physical Form and fill out the front page ahead of time to make things go more quickly.  If you are not able to make this event, you will need to have a physician fill out the Pre-Participation Physical Form prior to the start of practices.

We had a great turnout for today’s informational meeting, and that’s even with all of the eighth graders being at Cedar Point!  Below is some of the important information that was shared or sent home.

Communication

This website should be considered the primary source for all important information. We have a variety of means for notifying everyone of new information, but when in doubt always check the website.  Our preferred means of notification will be text alerts via the Remind service.  Please text @vikingxc to 81010 to sign up. This will be especially important for us in communicating any last minute schedule changes or information throughout the season, starting with our summer running program.

Training

Phase 1–Base Mileage: SUMMER RUNS. This phase is crucial. This is KEY to avoiding injuries like shin splints that can plague and even derail your season in the fall if you try to do too much too quickly.  It doesn’t take much… 30 to 60 minutes a day, four to six days per week can make a tremendous impact and see your mileage (and in turn, your endurance) increase very quickly. If you haven’t been running at all recently, start with every other day and work from there.

Summer Runs—Starting JUNE 1. There will be voluntary runs during the week. These are a chance to run with others in a supportive atmosphere. The runs are open to anyone, so bring your parents, friends, etc.  Just be prepared to run!

• Mondays at 7:30 p.m. at Metamora Community Park
• Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. at Lyons Park

*More runs to be added in July*

Mileage Logging – The information sheet that was sent home also includes a log for tracking mileage over the summer (you can download a PDF copy HERE). Tracking mileage is a very useful tool to help you see your training progress over time and identify areas for improvement. To help encourage this practice, we’re implementing a few incentives for logging mileage over the summer:

• For every summer run you attend, you will be given 1 ticket
• For every 10 miles you run, you will be given 1 ticket

A drawing will be held August 1st (first day of mandatory practice).  Grand Prize Winner will win up to $150 to purchase running shoes. Other prizes include: running apparel, running accessories (water bottles, ear buds, etc.), and gift certificates.

Team Bonding – We work hard, so we want to be sure to have fun too. 

• Ice cream runs, movie nights, bike riding, swimming, scavenger hunts, bonfires, etc.
• Keep an eye on the website/social media/texts for more info

Plenty more information coming soon, including more details on training philosophy, tentative meet schedules, and much more!

An informational meeting for the 2016 Fall Cross Country season will be held at the school this coming Tuesday, May 24th at 2:15pm in the High School cafeteria (during Enrichment for High School and AA for Middle School).  We will be sending information home covering a range of important items including summer running, contact methods, tentative fall schedule, and much more.  For those eighth graders who will be at Cedar Point on Tuesday, this information will also be available in the Middle School or High School office.

We are looking forward to a great and enjoyable summer as we get ready for a successful 2016 season!  If you have any questions, please contact the coaches at the email addresses provided on the right of the website.

See you there!