2016 Cross Country Schedule

2016 Cougar Cross Country Runners –                                                                                                                                                                                                            

I know its a little early to be talking about cross country with spring sports only a week in, but I wanted to pass along our tentative 2016 schedule so you are able to plan summer work schedules, family vacations, etc. accordingly.  I've also included some other useful information ahead of the start of our season and information on some of our key team fundraisers. 

If you’re in 8^th grade or haven’t participated in cross country before and you’re not sure you want to participate that’s ok!  We encourage you to attend some of our summer activities and practices to see if cross country is for you!

Please take the time to read this and let me know if you have any questions.  We have an exciting summer and fall of cross country ahead of us!

For those of you that participate in track, plan to take two full weeks off from running before our first practice.  During this time you should remain active by doing other low impact activities such as swimming, biking or hiking.  Staying active while taking a break from running will give your body a chance to rest and recover while maintaining your cardio fitness for the start of cross country.

If you don’t do track you should run a couple days a week to maintain/build a base.  We will be running relatively low mileage at the start of the season but the earlier you begin running, the more you’ll be prepared to keep up with those athletes that did track, and the less likely you’ll be to get injured.  Start with a 2-3 mile run every other day and don’t increase your mileage by more than 5 miles a week.  If you’re new to running, 1-2 miles every other day is a good start.

If you’re hurt or dealing with a chronic injury let me know and we’ll figure out a plan for you.

Summer practices will start June 20^th and be optional until August 15^th, but attendance is highly recommended.  If you hope to be a varsity runner, you are expected to make as many practices as possible.  We will meet at 8:30 am on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at Drake Park and 6:30 pm on Tuesday and Thursday at the Mountain View Track. Some days we will carpool to nearby trails.  Please attend as many summer practices as you can!  Participation in summer practices will reduce the possibility of injuries, improve performance, and is a great opportunity to bond with your teammates and coaches.  If you’re unable to attend summer training please let me know.

Shoes!  One of the best things about running is that compared to other sports the equipment is relatively inexpensive.  Please consider this when justifying the purchase of a new pair of running shoes EVERY cross country season. Running shoes can seem a bit pricey but they are less expensive than potential medical bills caused by injuries due to worn-out shoes or incorrect shoes for your biomechanics.  Consider getting yourself fitted at Footzone or Fleet Feet.  Both stores offer this service complimentary whether or not you purchase shoes and are great supporters of our team.  If you’re concerned about the cost of shoes there are several other stores in town that carry comparable products at a more affordable price.  Please let me know if buying shoes is cost prohibitive and we will buy them for you!  Lastly, when you’re buying shoes, BUY THEM FOR FUNCTION OVER FORM.  There are some cool shoes out there that look great, but will break down quickly or hurt over time.  We will think you’re cool even if your shoes aren’t.

Schedule - We are still finalizing a schedule but have a draft summary provided below.  Please plan around these while realizing that they are subject to change:

June 18^th - Team Kickoff BBQ – Mountain View Track at 6 pm

June 20th – Mon/Wed/Fri practices begin at 8:30 am at Drake Park

         Tue/Thur evening practices begin at 6:30 pm at Mountain View Track

June 25^th – Pacific Crest Fundraiser 6am-4pm

July 24-30 – Moratorium Week – No contact with coaches

Aug 3-6^th – Cultus Lake Camp

Aug 15^th – First Official Practice

August 20^th – XC Challenge – Bend Area

August 27^th – Breese Ranch – Prineville, OR

Sept 2^nd – Mountain View XC Runoff – Pine Nursery

Sept 2^nd – Pine Nursery Sunset Run Fundraiser – Pine Nursery

Sept 10^th – Ash Creek Festival - Monmouth, OR

Sept 17^th – Three Course Challenge – Seaside, OR

Sept 24^th – Trail Run – Bend Area

Sept 30^th – Oxford Classic – Drake Park

Oct 8^th – Juniper Preview – Redmond, OR

Oct 15^th – George Fox XC Classic – Brooks, OR

Oct 19^th -  Central Oregon Relays (Last day for JV Runners-below top 18)

Oct 28^th – IMC District Championships – Redmond, OR

Nov 5^th – State Championships – Eugene, OR

Fundraising:

Pacific Crest Triathlon, June 25^th 

This is our biggest fundraiser of the season.  We are offering two shifts but need athletes or parents that are able to signup for both.  We will be managing the water stations along the run course.  Any athletes that volunteer will receive a discounted Cultus fee.  Cultus will be $40 for athletes that cover both shifts, $50 for covering one shift and $60 if you do not volunteer at Pacific Crest.

-      1^st Shift 6:00 – 11:00 am (40 Volunteers Needed)

-      2^nd Shift 11:00 – 4:00 pm (40 Volunteers Needed)

Mountain View XC Runoff, Sept 2^nd           

We will be hosting a meet at Pine Nursery and will need parent volunteers to help with setup, race management and takedown.  

Pine Nursery Sunset Run Fundraiser, Sept 2^nd    

As part of the Mountain View XC Runoff we will also be hosting a community 5k/10k at Pine Nursery the same day.  We encourage parents to signup to participate in the race and will be relying primarily on athletes to help manage the event. 

Bigfoot Run, September 11th

Details to come  

                                   

Goals –  We will be building off our individual goal setting efforts from last year, for returning athletes, and helping to set goals for new athletes.  Each athlete will meet with the entire coaching staff to discuss goals and will be assigned a coach to follow-up with throughout the season.  Begin thinking about what you hope to achieve this season and what you can do now to work toward that.  Consistency at summer practices is the most important step toward a successful season.

My goals for our team include:

-        Creating an inclusive and supportive environment for athletes to succeed academically and achieve personal growth.

-        Success as a team in competition.

-        Instilling a passion in each athlete for exercise, health and the outdoors.

-        Team Growth/Increase athlete participation. 

Contact Info –  Please visit mountainviewxc.blogspot.com for team information, news and schedule.  There is an option to subscribe to updates on this site by entering your email address.  If you have any questions or concerns about the season please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me by email at cougarxc at outlook.com or phone/text at five four one-420-0497.

Go Cougars!

Mike Condon