Chieftan's Championship Quest

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Update: May 10
Temp: 65, slight wind.

Today was the last dual meet. Going into this meet, we were co-champs, and would win division outright with victory. We won huge on the boys side. The girls team is young and ended up 2-3. There is upside in the next year, which I hope to post more about soon.

Everyone ran well overall. I was very pleased. Relays ran SB’s or close to them. Many people ran SB or PRs today. Many field events set or equaled PRs as well.

I hope to re type some of the deleted posted from the server issue to fill in blanks for month of April.

Next up is Saturday weekend invitational meet, then regionals 6 days after that.

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Friday may 20
regional meet

Boys took second overall. Nearly everyone set season best or pr times/ distances.

6 kids made state finals to be run june 4.

Overall very pleased.

League meet is Tues and Thurs is counties.

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Hey ESTI,

Congrats on getting so many kids into the state finals! They must be super-excited. I thought of you last week when we had brutal weather and our kids had to work indoors. It really sucks sometimes!

How did your girls come along in the 100 and 200? Are you happy with the way your 400m runners are finishing races this year as compared to last?

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The girls did well overall. Their times didn’t improve much in the 100&200. 400 times dropped a ton. The two who started using KKs template are so strong in finishing.

I am debating on using it for all during outdoors next year. Spend the winter working up to 60 m then outdoors on finishing.

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The boys won the division meet! Alot if good performances. My 400 guy ran a 22.3 200…a school record. He later ran a 50.3. The first 200 was into stiff wind.

Thursday was the county meet. Weather was awful. Low 50s and pouring rain. 400 guy ran anchor in 4 x 800 in 1:58 split. About four later ran 59.5 with another stiff wind. Came in at 200 in 25. I was at 200 mark instead of across track. Given he is usually 24-26 splits…I think he can go low 48 s. State best time is 47.7. Low 48 should be top 8 finish based on years past.

State finals are in 1 week

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Today was last practice at the school. Tomorrow we travel to the site of state finals. Kids got therapy daily for the past weedk. They feel good and are running well this week. Our goal is school records in the 4 x 800 and 4 x 400 and my 400 m kid place top 8 and break 48.5. I will report back Saturday night

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I’m not sure if posts were lost. My runner took 8th in the 400m state finals and is now running at Harvard.

My boy sprinters were all seniors leaving a big whole for next year.

Once the school year ended two weeks after the season, I had 3 freshman train with me all summer 3 days a week. We followed KK’s 6 week GPP cycle and then a 4 week transition period. School then started back up. One girl took 2 months off, while the boys continued to train. We went to more s-l GPP in sept and october 2 days a week with tires, box jumps, throws etc.

One boy is playing basketball now leaving the remaining boy from the summer. He is 15, a sophomore (grade 10). He has made tremendous improvement since last march. At the end of summer, he ran a 39.0 300, and 7.35 60 (all HT).

He hasn’t missed a workout since march and has been looking good lately. in the middle of his SPP right now, he ran 2 60’s (50 hard, maintain 10) in 7.30, 7.38 with walk back rest in flats. Very excited to see where the year will take him.

The girls are back training after some time off. With the success of a modified KK progression, and seeing the improvement in distances from 60-400 in different kids, I am going to use this as the main program for my team. I feel it trains enough qualities to run a variety of events, and multiple runs in a given meet. I have used a few modifications.

My boys 4x400 team is going to be exciting to see this year. We lost our best member, but still have 5-6 who can run sub 54, if not all faster. Last year we took 16th in states with a 3:27. I think this group can challenge for a state medal for top 8 this year. with 3 runners PB’s near 52 last season, I think I may get 3-4 runners near 50 seconds. I have a 11th grade transfer who ran 51 on his relay team last year and runs 300H in 39.X

I will update during the winter indoor meets some of the runners will participate in.

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Thanks for the update. Did you alter much / anything from KK’s plan?

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Thanks for this update Esti.
You are working hard for these athletes and making your own way with your experience.
I was wondering if we might get coaching feedback from Darren Clark who KK tells me has started to coach again.
Aside from the numerous Darren Clark stories what I remember most about this very talented athlete was Charlie performing cross friction massage on his hamstring to break up heaps of scar tissue not long before his performance in Seoul.

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In the summer we did 2 days of the split runs and one day of short runs with tires out to 30. It was a M W F set up, but followed a similar progression in the GPP. I’ll dig up my notes and post them when I get a minute to look for them.

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Thanks Ang!

It would be very interesting to hear from Darren. Maybe a KK and Darren interview! Recall stories they both remember. It might be interesting discussion for sure, as the coach’s viewpoint is very different from the athlete’s.

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feb 25, 2012

Today is our indoor state finals. I have a runner doing the 200, and 800. Also, the 4x800 and 4x400 relay qualified.

2 weeks ago, my 200 runner went 23.22 FAT from lane 6 on flat track. Anything sub 23 would be great today. He went through a 6 week GPP KK-style.

My 800m runner went 2:05, 3 seconds from his outdoor PR last season. He went through 12 weeks of KK’s GPP.

2 of the other relay runners have also went through 12 weeks of GPP. They have only run 1 400m race, the 4x400 qualifier they ran. Their 400m times are 2 seconds from last season’s bests.

I think both relays have potential to be outdoor top 8 in the state. I’ll update on results later today!

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What a day!

My 200m runner was so nervous when he was picked up from his house, he walked out with the TV remote control still in his hand!

Out of the 5 athletes who qualified for the meet, I have trained 4 of them all winter so far (using KK’s template). our 4x800 team ran awful overall. 2 runners, brothers, had made a 2 day drive from Miami to Detroit and arrived Thursday evening. They both ran awful. They ran on pace for about 500m and then faded. The other two runners, who stayed home over this mid winter break, ran season PB’s, which I was happy about. They ended up 7th and getting a medal. Had they run near their potential, we’d have placed about 5th. So although they ran poor, it was nice to get on the podium.

Next up was the 200m. My athlete realized he forgot his racing number as his heat was called. He sprinted to his bag and got back just as the starter was calling on your marks! He got the pins on and ran 23.34, 0.05 from a medal! His heat was a dead heat with another runner. He was slightly disappointed since he ran 23.22 a week before. Maybe if the racing number was on, he might have run that again!

In the open 800, one of the brothers, ran another ragged race.

In the 4x400, it was just awful. The brothers ran 58/59s when they have run 52/54 a few weeks ago. That travel just kicked their butt. The other two did fine considering my mistake in putting the brothers first. We were about 100m behind by the third leg.

It was a great experience overall.

In other events, the boys 60m was won in 6.85, announced as the 6th fastest time by HS kid in US this year. The girls 60m was won in 7.71 by an 8th grader! The girls 400 was won in 57 by another 8th grader! The girls 200m was won in 24.43, 4th fastest time in US this year. In the girls 60m Hurdles, Tiffani (Porter) Ofili’s sister beat her high school best 60m indoor time and won.

We start track practice officially march 12. That is when all 50+ kids come out and chaos begins! Hopefully the weather stays warm as it has been upper 30s and into the 50s all winter so far with only 3-4 light snow falls that have melted within a day afterwards.

For some runners, the next meet will be March 30 for our indoor county meet, which will be a 1-2 event meet for those guys and serves as a time trial. The first outdoor meet will be April 21.

Based on the indoor 200m time, I think our school record from last year of 22.3 HT will be broken this year given good conditions. our 4x800 team should be a top 8 team in the state, as they missed top 8 last season by 0.5 and took 10th. The team is back, minus one runner, but the times so far indicate equal potential, if not better.

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This week started out outdoor season! All week the weather was above 60F, reaching near 80 mid week.

Monday, I had over 60 boys and girls sprinters, much higher than the group last year. After teaching the warm-up, I did a 60m test and a 200m test. With group sizes so large, I felt the need to get kids in groups based on ability.

Tuesday was acceleration themed day. With 1 other coach, we did wall runs for posture and leg drive, tire sprints. We finished with tempo 6x150 with 250m walk.

Wednesday was planned recovery day. We did 10x100 tempo and the 30 sec/30 sec ab circuit from Jane Project DVD

Thursday: Speed day focus, which turned into chaos when a coach was called into work. Circuits were tire sprints, wall posture drills, and 10 yd power sprints (focus on getting to 10 in 6 steps with proper leg drive). I had a station for getting kids into blocks and with 60 kid, I should have kept it simple but decided to make it more difficult than it had to be. Cool down was 3 laps of baton passes.

Friday: 5x200 intensive tempo, based on Monday’s times. The times were set at 85-90% of their 200m effort. Most were able to finish the workout at pace.

The mid distance group from indoors did Long hills on Sunday, a distance run Monday, they all complained about leg and back pain, which is odd since they have been great all winter. Tuesday and Wednesday was all distance recovery runs. Thursday was 300+200 (42 sec +100%), 300+150 (42 sec +100%), 300+100 (42+100%), 300 (100%).

Friday they did 5-6x20. Two runners made 5 200s in 26 with 2 min rest, one made all 6. Promising sign for this upcoming year.

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Week of March 19

Monday: acceleration focus: Stations: tires, wall posture runs, 5x60 with walk back recovery
Tuesday: 5x200
Wednesday: picture day, no practice
Thursday: 60/80, 300 time trials. I have a Brower set up for 60m, and I hand timed 80 m. I Brower timed the 60 the first day. I was curious to see the changes, if any. I hand start the brower but the beam catches the finish.

Friday (tomorrow), is a planned recovery day with baton work for the newly formed relay teams based on time trials today. We have a scrimmage on Tuesday for many of the younger kids and non-indoor group. The indoor group will run the county indoor meet on Friday. Following the meet, the school is on spring break and most kids will disappear.

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Monday March 26, 2012
Temp: 40-45F (has begun cool off)

Thinking back over the past week, it has been very low key. I thought the first 7 days of practice were good, then the last 5 were a complete waste of sorts. I wasted a lot of time on small things in preparation for a scrimmage meet. Thankfully my indoor group, who is not competing in the scrimmage tomorrow (but will run indoor events Friday), is very independent and has been able to follow the workouts with minimal supervision.

Today was chaos as I tried to get a list of all the field event kids, the hurdlers etc. My teaching schedlue at another school sucks. I get out at 3pm. The school I coach at is out at 210. They warm-up at 3 and we start at 330. From 330-5pm I have over 60 kids at once in all events under 400m, including hurdles. I thought I had a nice organized system the first week, but then panicked a bit in preparation for the scrimmage. Definitely not doing this again next year.

Following this week, is our spring break and most kids won’t come to practices that week, even if they are in town.

The week we return, we have our first real meet on Thursday and then the madness/fun begins!

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Tuesday March 27 (scrimmage meet)

The scrimmage went well. On both the boys and girls side, I have a young group with 4-5 athletes at the same level, which is above average for our area, making the relay prospects for the future very promising!

Wednesday was a recovery day and Thursday was an acceleration focus with tires sprints and block starts outto 10m and 20m, as many kids were very uncomfortable in them for the meet. They had the weekend off, and possibly the entire week as we are on spring break now.

Friday was the indoor county meet. The facility didn’t allow the spikes in track spikes to be worn, so our athletes worn cross country shoes with rubber bottoms or their flats.

In the 60m H, my hurdler did well for his first race of the year, running 8.69 and 8.72 in final. His touchdown times project to the low 15s right now, which for our area will be the top time most likely.

In the 300m, the hurdler, and another runner ran. The hurdler, F, ran 37.42, and the other kid ran 38.20. They took 1st and second.

Another runner was the 600 in 129, a bit slower than the 125 I was hoping, but he ran by himself the last 100m and looked strong at the finish.

Overall, my boys won every even that we ran in! and the wins were huge. After the meet, a kid from another school walked by me and said “coach what kind of roids you giving your kids??” I had to laugh at that one.

This week we are doing a spring break camp of sorts, where I can spend alot of quality time with kids, using video when needed, stretching those who need some extra work etc. It’s probably my favorite week of the season as I get to do many things on a personal level that i can’t do when I have 50 other kids around.

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Today ended our spring break practice/camp. I had about 12 kids each day and it was great to work on many technical things I typically am not able to get to during the week when school is in session.

I was able to work with my 2 Junior (11th grade) hurdlers. I am excited as they both have promise to run under 15 seconds within the next two years.

Monday they did short work through the first 3 hurdles of the 110s.
Sprinters did tires sprints, block starts to 20m, and then ended with 3x60m

Wednesday we did more speed work going through 5 hurdles.

5H x 3 runs at regular height.
5h x 1 run at lowered height (1 notch)
5H x 1 run at regular height.

Sprinters did 3x30 standing, 3x30 blocks, 3x EFE, 3xFEF, 80, 120

Friday was work on 300 hurdles. I felt comfortable with their ability so we did:
1 x 2H + run through to 200m
1x3H + run through to 200m
1x4H + run through to 200m
1x300 hurdles.

The sprinters did 5x200 at their set times I have established. I felt the hurdlers workout is comparable to this and specific to their hurdle needs. I noticed many kids making times on the 200s compared to the first two weeks!

After this week, there isn’t much time to train but on Thursdays due to meet schedules. Next week we run on Thursday for the first official meet of the year.

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With two kids under 3 years old, I don’t have the free time at night I used to! I get up at 4am now to work on projects for 60-90 minutes before I have to get them up for school. My journal may be weekly now.

Weather all week was about 50-60, but cooler.

Monday: kids had day off still from break. We did block work, then 2xEFE, 2xFEF, 2x60 with 7 min rest.

Hurdlers did 300+150, 150+150, 100+80, 80+60

Tuesday: every was back to school. did relay madness, organizing and practicing handoffs. I always make things hard on myself instead of thinking of the easy way first. I made relay steps easy for everyone and got all 50 kids in relays to have them down pat with in 30 minutes. I was quite impressed! After relays was 10x150 on turf at tempo speed.

Hurdlers did 5 step hurdles. Clemson has been helping with my hurdle coaching via email. Based on what he saw he recommended this. It was good. The focus is on one specific issue. Hurdles are spaced at 11yds (instead of 10) and you take 5 steps (makes it more tiring) but the pace isn’t fast between hurdles. I set up 5 hurdles going in opposite directions. They did 5 one way, short turn around and 5 coming back. I’ll add hurdles as season goes on. Two hurdlers are too high over hurdle, mainly from excessive knee lift. The third doesnt lift enough and nearly kicks every hurdle.

Wednesday: 10x100 easy tempo.

Thursday (today) First official meet:

Boys and girls both won! Boys won big, losing only 2 events, the 100m and 800m. The hurdler, F, nearly broke 2 school records, missing the 110s by 0.3 and the 300s by 0.1. There was no wind at all, temp was in the low 60s.

Alot of kids ran PRs from last year. One of the indoor runners ran 51.7 in the 400 open. This was a PR for him from last year where he ran 51 on the relay split. Overall was very good meet with a lot of PRs.

Tomorrow will be a mix of workouts that are short. Tuesday we have another Dual meet. Will update soon!

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ESTI, not to highjack your thread (hope I’m not doing that) Just an obvservation from what I’ve seen many times is that more often than not hurdlers soar too high over hurdles because they take off too close the hurdle. Often they are not “up” tall enough (more of an issue with the men) to takeoff properly resulting in a blocking action rather than a cut step. I see that is an issue in not being active enough with the takeoff foot (I often equate the hurdle takeoff to a TJ takeoff due to the active nature of the step as well as avoiding any lowering of the hips at takeoff) and they plant the foot out or down rather than being quick/back with the takeoff-i.e. avoid casting it out and leaving it out-a quicker takeoff foot is pretty much always desirable. A more active foot plant generally results in better horizontal velocity, lower clearance and a further takeoff. Another issue is not leading, as we all know, with the knee results in a more vertical projection and horiz. velocity is not maintained.