Awards Night

Thank you all for attending last evenings awards. The food was terrific and it was nice to have such an attentive crowd.

Congratulations to all 2011 team members on an excellent season and to the following special award winners:

MVR

Janessa Meuleners and Phil Dvorak

MIR

Alyssa Schultz and Nick Zurn

MTS

Mariah Walsh and Chase Grieves

MDR

Kiley Hallgren and Carter Olson

End of Season Pot Luck

A reminder that our end of season pot luck/awards ceremony is coming up Sunday November 13th, beginning at 5:30 in the High School lunch room. Please bring a dish to pass. Paper plates, plastic ware, and napkins will be supplied. Come and enjoy the fun filled evening to remember an outstanding season.

Uniforms: Please return you uniforms to Mr. Schroeder room 212 before the pot luck. You will receive you awards at the pot luck if your uniforms and warm ups are turned in.

State

Congratulations to Janessa Meuleners on her 13th place finish at the state meet. Her time of 15:18 propelled her to Belle Plaine's best finish by an individual in school history. It was great watching her compete. Thanks to all the fans that came in her support.

Final Week

Well we have made it to the final week of the season. In order to continue running and participate in the state meet you need to be on one of the top 2 teams or one of the top 10 individuals in the race.

Junior Highers, if you are not running at the section meet please turn in your cleaned uniforms to Mr. Schroeder as soon as possible. You are welcome to continue coming to practice with us Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. I have been very impressed with you young runners. Not only are you talented but you are also hard workers. I encourage you to participate in some athletics this winter, work out in the weight room or get outside and run this off season.

Monday practice at the regular time running speedwork on the track
Tuesday regular time easy run
Wednesday regular time easy run
Thursday Section 4A meet at Battle Creek park in St. Paul
Students excused at 1:40
Bus leaves at 1:50
Girls run at 4:00
Boys run at 4:30
JV run at 5:00


There is no Junior High race at the section meet but any junior higher that would like to run the high school distance in this final race is invited to come along and run. We are not bringing spectators on the bus to the section meet.

We have had a terrific season this week is the culmination of much hard work. Many of our kids are in incredible shape. We look forward to a very enthusiastic finish. Thanks for all you have done this year. If you have any questions feel free to contact me.

Congratulations

Congratulations to Janessa Meuleners for becoming the MRC girls Conference Champion. She ran away from a very quality pack of runners. Emilyn Siemon's 7th place finish was good for an all conference performance as well. Cheyene Westin was the third Belle Plaine finisher and was awarded honorable mention.

On the boys side Phil Dvorak ran an excellent race finishing second and Jacob Schaffer turned in an outstanding performance to finish in 10th. Both received all conference honors. Nolan Schroeder was this years honorable mention recipient.

MRC

We had a very good day yesterday at the MRC meet held at the Ney Center. Thanks to all of you that came to cheer and support our team. The people at the Ney Center do a great job, if you see any of them let them know how much you enjoy watching cross-c0untry out there.

Our goal this year has been to win the conference boys and girls meet. This is a very lofty goal but our kids really wanted to accomplish it. Part of making a goal is realizing the hard, consistent work it will take to reach that goal. Your kids worked incredibly hard to achieve their goal. We coaches would look at each other after our hard practices and marvel at the work ethic of the 54 people on our team. The fact is we won 3 of the six races yesterday and we were second in the others. The girls JV and JH won their races and the boys JH won theirs. It was a great day.

As runners we realize we might have a bad day and are never really sure when that will come. On those days your best is all that can be asked of you and all our kids did the best they could yesterday. Sometimes you look back on a race and think I could have run a little harder in this spot or I should have kept up with this person. Those are learning moments. That is how you improve and become a better runner.

I could not be happier about the way our team performed yesterday. If you have not given your kid a pat on the back yet they deserve it. Thanks for being there for your runner(s) it means a great deal to them even if they don't say so.

Week 10-10 to 10-14

This week is the MRC conference meet hosted by Belle Plaine at the Ney Center  3:15 Thursday.  We have had a good week of practices leading up to the conference meet and we are in a battle for the top spot with Mayer Lutheran, Jordan, Watertown-Mayer, and Sibley East.  The kids set their goal high at the beginning of the season and have worked very hard to attain it.  This week will determine if that goal is realized.  We all know that goals are sometimes achieved and sometimes not but more important than reaching the goal is the focus and journey to achieve the goal.  The realization of the work that needs to be done is the learning experiment.  Sometimes our goals are realized and we are graciously victorious.  Other times we fall short but have learned from the process the benefit of goal setting and some experience with the process.  If all that gibber gabber doesn't make sense, win or lose we will be the better for it.

Monday 3:15 practice down the ladder


Tuesday 3:15 practice to the Track (4x400's) back to the school


Wednesday 3:15 practice and spaghetti dinner at the coaches house.  Practice will be over at the regular time.


Thursday MRC Meet at the Ney Center
   1:45 students dismissed from class
   1:50 bus leaves
   3:15 JV Girls 4k
   3:25 JV Boys 5k
   3:55 Varsity Girls 4k
   4:25 Varsity Boys 5k
   4:55 JH Girls 2k
   5:00 JH Boys 2k 

Friday 3:15 practice

I am so excited for what this week will bring.  The kids have worked very hard all year in pursuit of their goals and it has been a pleasure being part of the journey.  Sleep, eat, and drink plenty of water this week.  Tuesday night is the big night to put in some extra sleep.  Thanks for all of your help.  Hope to see you on Thursday.
-- 
Steve Schroeder

Rest of the Week 10-6 thru 10-8

Thursday practice after school

Friday practice before school

   3:30-8:00 spaghetti dinner

   5:00-7:00 kids run

Saturday water stop and registration help at the 1/2 marathon and 5k.

Thank you to all that have volunteered to help on Friday at the spaghetti dinner and kids run. I feel as if I was not completely accurate with the list below so If your name does not appear on this list and you want to help or is in the wrong spot please feel comfortable telling me or just show up to help. 

Please promote the dinner this week with the people you see in the community.  Simply telling them about it and encouraging them to come will help us make this a successful fund raiser. Thanks in advance for what I think is going to be a terrific fund raiser.  

Early Cooks  2:30-arrive as soon as you can as we will need to get things cooking.  We are making spaghetti and sauce.  We have to mix up the sauce from a recipe.  Also we need to bake cookies and bread sticks.  Salad will need to be prepared as well.  When the kids get out of school we will come over and set up and help with whatever we need to do.

I know they will need help at the registration tables in the morning before the race starting at 7:30 but besides that they are having a water station competition during the race.  Our cross-country team could run a water station on the course and compete for a $150 prize for best water station.  What a great way to raise some funds and have some fun promoting the local running community.  If you are able to help or have any ideas for a theme for our water station please let me know.  As a cross-country and track coach I am excited that our community is active promoting running.

Sept 26th-Oct1

We have another big week planned for the Cross-country team. Starting on Tuesday at the New Prague Golf course.

First of all I would like to thank all you parents for coming to meets and supporting the runners. Also I appreciate the fact that when you take your children home you make sure to tell me. We have the fortunate problem of a crowded bus and I understand if your child would rather ride home with you instead of a crowded bus. Thanks for keeping me informed.

Students dismissed at 2:30 bus leaves at 2:45

4:00 JV girls

4:30 JV boys

5:00 Varsity girls

5:30 Varsity boys

6:00 JH girls

6:15 JH boys

There will be no practice this Friday as we are leaving for the Swain Meet in Duluth. The top 10 boys and girls will be making the trip everyone else has the day off.

Vans leave at 12:05 Friday

Stay at the Comfort Inn West in Duluth on Friday night

11:45 JV girls

12:45 JV boys

1:45 Varsity girls

2:35 Varsity boys

Leave for home by 3:30 stop to eat on the way.

Arrive home 7-8:30.

We, the coaches, continue to be impressed with the efforts of the team. What a wonderful group of kids to work with. Feel free to email me about any questions you might have.

Spaghetti Dinner Oct 7th

First off I would like to say thank you for the terrific response to the email for help with the spaghetti dinner. This is what we need for helpers.

Publicity- Mariah Walsh and Corey Krautkremer are in charge and they could use about 3-5 people to help them make and distribute posters and get something in the news paper. We are planning on serving between 4-8 pm at Oak Crest. The menu includes spaghetti, bread sticks, salad, milk/juice, cookies. A donation of $7 for adults and $4 for children is suggested.

Pre-cooks- This is where we may need some parents since we can not make it over to Oak Crest until after school. I think 5 pre-cooks could do the trick starting as early as 2:30.

Then I have set up a schedule that may work. You are certainly welcome to come and work anytime for as long as you want.

3:00-5:00 we will need around 10 people to prepare food, begin serving food, and set up

4:00-6:00 another 5-10 people to continue

5:00-7:00 5-10 more to fill in serving, cooking, and cleaning up

6:00-8:00 another shift for serving, cleaning, and cooking if needed.

7:00-9:00 clean up crew 5-10 people.

We are also in charge of the kids run associated with the weekend 1/2 marathon. We will start registration at 5:00 pm until 6:30 when the race begins. It will be a 1/2 mile run 2 laps on the track before the football game. Cost for the race is $5. Each participant will receive a ribbon. Kiley Hallgren is in charge of the event and will need 5 people to help with registration and 5 more to help with the finish area and awards. It would be nice to have someone comfortable in front of a microphone to announce the race and winners.

Thank you for all your support. Email me if you have any questions

S'not just sniffles

Even though Runners are to have great immune systems because we workout we still get sick from time to time.  So, what is a runner to do? Listed below are some tips to help keep your immune system going strong and keep you healthy during your season.

1. Eat a Well Balanced Diet: I have discussed this before it is important that this gets done throughout the year it helps keep you healthy.
2. Eat your veggies, especially broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and kale. These are high in antioxidants that help protect you from viruses.
3. Have some yogurt. Yogurt contains good bacteria that helps protect the body from the bad bacteria and infections. Yogurt also makes a great medium in which to put some fruit and low-fat granola adding even more vitamins, minerals and fiber.
4.  Wash, wash, wash your hands! Simple, but washing your hands is one of the most effective ways to catching or spreading illness. Also, try to avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unclean hands.  
5. Have a "spot of tea." Research shows that the immune systems of tea drinkers react much faster to bacteria and viruses than non-tea drinkers. They think it has something to do with L-theanine that's in the tea. Doesn't seem to matter what kind of tea, either. Just be careful not to load it up with sugar!  Try localized honey since it will also help with any pollen based seasonal allergies.
6. SLEEP! Be sure you're getting your Zzzzzzzzs. Your immune system actually does a lot of work while you're snoozing. If you cheat yourself out of sleep, not only will you not be well rested, you're body doesn't have the opportunity to release as much immune-enhancing compounds to keep you healthy when you're awake. The best way to make sure that you are getting enough sleep is going to sleep about the same time (+/- 30min) every day.  If you are falling asleep in less than 10 minutes it means you are not getting enough sleep.

Many of these tips are not only good to keep yourself healthy but also to let your body recover from the previous days workout.  Much of what your body needs to fight off diseases is the same that you as a runner need to recover from workouts.  

Here are some pictures from the Monty Meet last Tuesday. Click on the link.

https://picasaweb.google.com/110341424897176953711/XCountry20110908?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCL2w7_SPpbrzOQ&feat=directlink

We have come to the beginning of the 5th week of the season. Doesn't seem like it has been that long. It was nice to see so many of you come to watch the meet. We had 10 people run personal records on Tuesday at the Gerry Smith Redbird Invitational in Montgomery. The girls placed 10th and the boys 11th which put us well in the top half of the 31 team field. Perhaps the best thing to see as a coach was the way teammates supported one another during their races. Another positive was the grouping of our runners near one another. In cross-country having your team in a pack helps tremendously with the score. A couple of things are rapidly approaching. First our meet on Tuesday the 13th at Norwood's Baylor Park. 2:15 students will be dismissed 2:30 bus leaves for Baylor Park 4:00 JV Girls 4000 m 4:05 JV Boys 5000 m 4:40 Girls Varsity 4000 m 5:10 Boys Varsity 5000 m 5:40 JH boys 1600 m 5:45 JH girls 1600 m 6:00 Awards Secondly, next Friday the 16th we travel to St. Olaf in Northfield for a meet on the state meet course. There will only be a boys 5000 m and girls 4000 m race. All varsity and junior varsity runners will run together. Junior high runners have three choices. They can either run with the varsity and jv runners in the 4000 or 5000, they can come along and cheer, or they may stay home and have an extra long weekend since we will not be having practice that day. 2:15 students will be dismissed 2:30 bus leaves for Baylor Park 4:30 Boys 5000 m 5:15 Girls 4000 m If you have questions about anything please email me. Have a great weekend. Running It's What We DO!

This Week 9/6-9/9

The cross-country team is working at the concession stand for the girls volleyball game tonight. We need volunteers to help anytime between 5:30 pm and 8:30 pm.

Make sure to drink plenty of water during the day even though it is not real hot out you will still sweat.

There will be a leadership team meeting Wednesday after practice. We will be discussing the homecoming relay, spaghetti dinner and swain meet.

Tuesday Sept. 6th, Practice at 3:15 pm Wednesday Sept. 7th, Practice at 3:15 pm Thursday Sept. 8th, Gerry Smith Redbird Invitational at the Montgomery Golf Course Bus leaves at 2:50. 4:30 pm Girls JV 4:37 pm Boys JV 5:10 pm Boys Varsity 5:45 pm Girls Varsity 6:15 pm Boys JH 6:20 pm Girls JH 6:45 pm Awards Friday Sept. 9th, Practice 3:15 pm It has been really fun watching the competitiveness of the team this week. Who knew such nice kids could be so competitive. Please email me if you have any questions. Your communications helps tremendously.

Monday Jamboree

Monday August 29th will be a big day for the cross-country team. We will be hosting the MRC Jamboree at the Ney Center starting with the junior high race at 3:15.

All athletes should be at school with their uniforms on at 1:45 pm to take the bus out to the Ney Center where we will have our season pictures taken. Parents, your child was given a photo form to bring home if you want any photos. Pictures begin at 2:00 pm at the Ney Center. If you have not picked up your uniform yet stop in Coach Schroeders room earlier than 1:45 on Monday.

Following the competition we will be hosting a Parents night BBQ in Union Square park at 6:30 pm your entire family is invited. Bring yourselves and your appetite. Seniors and their parents will be having a picture taken at the BBQ. On the menu are burgers, hotdogs, potato salad, chips, beans, cookies, and water. There will be Boca burgers for those who know what they are. We look forward to seeing you Monday.

Your children have been working very hard come and see what they can do.

Balance is more than standing on one foot.

It is that time of the year when many parents are starting to ask themselves why my student-athlete is eating so much food I can’t keep up.  What these athletes eat is very important; it is their fuel for not only the day but to maintain energy in the workouts. 

When most people think of food groups they think of meats, bread, dairy, fruits and vegetables.  However, to athletes we think of the food groups differently we tend to think of Protein, Carbohydrates, Fats, Water & Electrolytes, and Vitamins & Minerals.  Are both people talking about the same thing, Yes, the only difference is the names in which we call them. 

For the athlete we tend to require more food than most, but we still require a balanced diet.  Just because we run and work hard does not mean that we can eat anything and everything.  If we eat too much of something our bodies will be off balance, which can affect performances in practice and in competition.  By making sure that, we are eating a good balanced diet our bodies will be able to perform better. 

What should athletes be eating?

This is a difficult but very worthwhile question.  Since many athletes will consume more calories (2500-3000+) it can be tricky to tell exactly (actually requires some math).  Many schools of thought will break things down by percentages based on certain calorie intakes, and many are for loosing weight.  To really know how much you should take in a dietitian should be consulted, as they will be able to measure and test things that you can’t at home. I am by no means a trained dietitian but I have taken some classes and try to stay current on certain trends that affect athlete’s nutrition.  

I tend to lean towards a more balanced approach, but focusing on carbohydrates (60-70%), proteins (15-20%), and the remainder fats (yes, fats but we are talking the good kind).  Electrolytes, vitamins, and minerals should be there if the diet is well balanced, but a multivitamin can help cover any variations day to day. The fats that are good to consume will be there as well if the diet is balanced. By just eating a well balanced diet with and eating until you are comfortably full (not stuffed) you should be able to perform well. 

First Week

Well the first week is over and after working 45 young athletes hard 45 showed up on Monday morning for our long run. We have another big week planned and I am really excited to have another great week of practice.

Check out the winners of last Friday's triathlon. Chase Grieves 32:35, Brandon Bast 33:31, Phil Dvorak 34:03, Janessa Meuleners 38:46, Kiley Hallgren 39:58, Grace Miner 40:28.

Triathlon

Remember your bike, helmet, swimsuit, and towel for tomorrows triathlon. Also come early 8:00 am. We will be biking to the top of kittson blvd hill on the bike path, running 1.5 mile loop around the lutheran home, and swimming/running 5 laps of the pool.

Be extra cautious tomorrow while riding around sharp corners or where there is loose gravel, also wherever you cross traffic. Bring and wear your helmets as well.

First Day Thoughts

41 eager young runners completed their first cross-country workout, a nice conversational pace for 50 to 60 minutes.  We were impressed with the young and new runners.  Looks like there will be a bunch of good talented runners coming up.  Tomorrow at 8:00 in room 212 the leadership council is meeting for a few minutes before practice.  We will have 2 workouts tomorrow, Wednesday and Thursday, 8:30 and 3:00 pm.  The rest of the week looks like this.  If you have any questions call me at 952-451-1108 or email me at sschroeder@belleplaine.k12.mn.us

Tuesday     8:30 am timed 2 mile run          3:00 pm  easy 3 miler and weights

Wednesday 8:30 am pool workout*               3:00 pm Easy 3-5 miler

Thursday    8:30 am Threshold run             3:00 pm Barefoot relays

Friday         8:30 am Triathlon*

*bring a swimsuit and towel

The End Gives Way to the Begining

It is near the end of the summer and some athletes have been putting consistent miles in over the summer.  This is very promising as the start of the season is fast approaching. 

There are some dates that you should be made aware of; first August 8 is the fall eligibility meeting at 7:00pm, try to attend so that we can get all the information to you about practices for the coming weeks.  Not much will change but remember that there is a post season award for having a 90% attendance, running the summer miles, and GPA.  Second is that practice begins on August 15 at 8:30am meet in the commons area ready to run. 

Both of us coaches are very excited to see you all again and see how we can grow as a team and as runners.  This season should be very exciting with many changes in the conference and opportunities for some of our younger runners to prove themselves as more experienced runners.  Also be sure to check out the calendar for the dates and locations for the meets this year.  

Wrangling the Heat

That time of the summer again when the heat becomes oppressive.  These times of the summer, it is easier not to run than it is to just deal with the heat.  I understand this temptation; it is there and very real.  How one deals, with the heat can make it more manageable and make the experience worth while.  The past couple of issues of RunningTimes and RunnersWorld had articles that give some tips to handling the heat and not losing the fitness that you have already built. 

First off you can run in the heat you just have to be smart how to do it.  If you are able to continue to run you will see the benefits not only at the warmer weather races early in the season but you will actually be more fit in cooler temperatures. 

Acclimatize

It takes time for your body to adjust to hot and/or humid weather. Do not go out for a run in warmer weather thinking that you can run the same pace as you do in the middle of the season.  In other words take it easy at the beginning and as you become acclimated you will notice the intensity will follow.

Run Early

If at all possible, run in the early morning. I know the it is summer and sleeping in is a major consideration for most high-schoolers so getting out of bed might be difficult to do but it beats running in the heat. The hottest part of the day is typically from 10am to 5pm. So, if you can't run before or after work (if you work), wait until later in the evening.

Go Technical

Wearing light-colored running tops and shorts made of technical fabrics will keep you cool and allow moisture to evaporate more quickly.

Hydrate Hydrate Hydrate

Drink plenty of water all the time not just after a run.  Hydration during your run depends on the temperature and the length of your run. If you are running 6 miles or less, you probably will not need to carry any water with you. If you are running longer than 6 miles you may need to wear a hydration belt or stash some water/sports drink along your route, especially if it's hot and humid. Do not wait until you feel thirsty to drink. If you are thirsty, that means you are already low on fluids. If you are just hydrating after a run you are setting you self up for some very dangerous problems associated with running in the summer heat.

Heat Exhaustion usually develops after several days of exposure to high temperatures and inadequate intake of fluids. It is also a sign that you are out of shape.  Heatstroke is the most severe of the heat-related problems. Like heat exhaustion, it often results from exercise or heavy work in hot environments combined with inadequate fluid intake. 

Check the Weather

Do not just worry about the actual temperature worry about the Dew Point (better indicator of water in the air than humidity.  Why, well take my chemistry class) and the heat index (How hot it feels).  If the dew point is under 60°F you should have got out earlier but should be okay to run.  When the dew point is between 61-67°F running becomes more uncomfortable and adjustments might need to be made to the workout.  If the dew point is between 65-70°F take it easy it is okay to just take it easy distance and pace.  These days it might be better to ride a bike because you can hydrate as you ride.  If the dew point is greater than 70°F I would not suggest going for a run. 

Remember to take caution when running in the summer heat. That does not mean to not run it just means you need to become a smarter runner.  Running in different conditions can be very beneficial if you are cautious and take some of the advice I gave you.  Again if you have any questions please contact Mr. Schroeder or myself (Mr. Pederson).  Remember BBQ days marks 30days till practice starts.  Keep on running those miles.

More reasons to run

We have upped the stakes. Any athlete that runs their milage goal will get one of these packs. Less than 60 days left get running.

Cross Country Day Camp

Greetings I hope this finds your running going well.  We have an opportunity to improve ourselves through a running camp in Jordan held next thursday the 23rd of June.  Other conference area teams will be sending athletes to this one day camp.  It will be a great opportunity to meet and get to know members of other teams and improve your knowledge of running.  I am going over for the day.  Meet at the Jordan High School Track at 8:00 am.  Hope to see you there.

Coach Schroeder

Sign-up Form

What to Work On

There was a great pair of articles (June 2011) in RunningTimes and RunnersWorld.  These articles do not deal with the same topic but they are related.  The RunningTimes article written by Jay Johnson, a coach of some up and coming elite distance runners.  In this article he talks about making the next jump in performance.  The beauty of this article is that it is not written for the elite or those looking to become.  He is writing with the high school runner in mind.  The article points out four elements that need to happen for you as a runner need to do to make the jump to the next level in your abilities:

1. General Strength and Mobility
2. Volume
3. Fartlek
4. Special Element

The first two are self-explanatory; add strength, flexibility, and miles.  We have had a couple of athletes start to do this and they saw the gains from it.  I would love to see everyone of our runners in the weight-room this summer, stretching afterwards.  Along with this comes running more miles.  We have the progression setup for our runners to run more as you grow and mature.  The miles are lower than those suggested by Coach Johnson but I feel that what we ask is fine.   The other two things are fartleks (speed play) and special element.  The fartleks are handy because they should be done at least once a week in your weekly runs to help you semi-maintain your speed, this is also where summer races come in.  Farleks are suggested because you do not need a track to do them, or even a watch.  All you need is some electric poles spaced out in the country or city blocks.  All that matters is that you run fast and then run slower and then fast again.  The special element is a part of your running that you know you need to work on.  For some of the younger runners this might not be worked on for a couple of years.  For the more experienced runners those elements of your race need that special attention that the season is to short to work on.  For some it might be hills, how to run up and even down.  For many it should be form, the RunnersWorld article does a great job of showing what to work on.  We all have little quarks that make us who we are, same goes with form.  But if we can fine tune a make some minor changes we might be able to improve how we run therefore improving our times. 

I would highly suggest reading these articles, I can not do them justice by just describing what they discuss.  Also if you have any questions please feel free to contact me (Coach Pederson).  

Summer Races 2011

Summer is a time that we as runners can create a nice mileage base for the season, both Cross Country and potentially Track.  With all those miles being ran it is very important to run at various speeds.  Races are a great way to add some speed to the summer miles.  I have compiled a list of local races, some have registration links others are races that normally run on that weekend.  So double check before you go to the town to race.  

NYA Cross Country Style Run June 11, 2011
Arlington 4miler June 18, 2011

Sauerkraut days June 25, 2011

St. Peter Freedom Fun Run 8k July 4, 2011

Crazy Dayze 5k (Le Sueur) July 9, 2011 (9am No Entry info yet)

Bar-B-Q Days 5k July 16, 2011 EVERYONE SHOULD TRY TO MAKE THIS RACE

Chaska River City Days 5k (Chaska) July 30, 2011

Giant Days 5k (Le Sueur) August 6, 2011 (8am) 

Derby Days Turf Run (Shakopee) August 6, 2011