Top 10 list of Championship XC Running.

10)  Drink MORE Water.  The Average person exists in a state of mild dehydration.  The average person needs 8c of water a day.  Runners need more.  Symptops of dehydration include fatigue, cramping, and nausia (none sound fun).  Carry a bottle everywhere you go.  Keep one on your desk in school.  Water is FREE.

9)  Update your Training Shoes.  There is a cost here but physical therapy costs more.  Trainers last 3 months or 500 miles (whichever comes first).  Proper training shoes protect us from many common runner injuries.

8)  Get More Sleep.  The recovery from our training is what actually makes us better.  The body craves a regular bed time to get into healthy sleep cycles.  At 10pm turn off the computer/tv/video game/phone and go to bed.  You'll feel so much stronger getting a healthy sleeping pattern going.

6)  Train Smart.  A) have a weekly mileage goal.  B) plan your week to achieve that goal.  C) Follow your plan WITHOUT procrastination.   If you always must use your sundays to run 10 miles to acieve your weekly goal you're missing out on a great rest/recovery day and compromising the next weeks training. Log your miles DAILY in running2win.com

5)  Be Accountable to the TEAM.  When you miss our team run it hurts you and us.  Our session is of higher quality with all our training groups in large numbers.  There is a magical effect to running in a group vs running alone.  You can accomplish wonderful workout quality with seemingly less effort expended in a group run.  In "the dog days" be dedicated to the TEAM concept.  Make the tough decision to be at practice and on time.  DO it for YOU and do it for US.

4)  Make "Nutrition as Fuel" choices.   Use the 80-20 rule.  80% (roughly 16 of the week's 20 meals) should be for fuel.  That is the purpose of food.  It is our source of energy.  Runners with very poor diets have their performance quality diminished.  The hard work of practice can be cancelled out by lacking proper nutrients for recovery.  20% of the time we eat for pleasure.  Too many people eat "what tastes gooooood" all the time.   Flaming hot chetos, nachos, pepsi etc....  are not what your body craves for recovery.  3 simple changes are 1) include more fruits & vegetables. 2) include more WHOLE GRAIN.  3) Start reading nutrition labels.    Google "nutrition for runners"  happy reading :)

3)  IRON.  This one is so big it has its own page.  Click the"iron information" tab at the top of this page.  I've seen the positive effects time and again first hand.  

2)  Create Racing Goals.  A quality goal should be AMBITIOUS but ACHIEVEABLE.  Also tell your goals to others...i believe this makes you more accountable to those goals.

1) Have Fun!!!!!  Life is too short to not be filled with laughter.  Be nice to others and have fun.  I dare you to catch Coach DeVinney & Kuchnia go through a practice without telling corny jokes and cracking smiles.  XC is FUN.  Live it UP!!!! 

Location: Legion Park (Kedzie and Bryn Mawr) . 10am.  New freshmen(1st practice) and veterans alike all zoom 1 mile in grass as a preseason fitness test.  Coach uses the numbers to help create groups and for workout writing. 

  - Come out and Cheer!!! 

Join Mather's Cross Country Family

Come to room 418 after 9th Period OR Find Coach Kuchnia or DeVinney anytime!!  We're always looking for new members. 

Benchmark Workout Results #1  (Top 10 Boys) 3x1 mile 4 min recovery.  The Workout Total sees a nice prediction towards a season PR.  For example in '07 Ivan totaled 15:47 in this workout (5:11  5:19  5:17) and PR'd at 15:43.  Last year despite winning the city title we stunk relative to statewide competition.  Ivan's '07 efforts made him an individual state qualifier and we vowed to work, raise our standards, and put 5 guys ahead of where ivan was in '07.  This would make us a State Sectional top 5 candidate as a team.  Our top 7 results (in 56 degrees and pounding rain...no spikes)...what does it all mean?  Means we're better than last year and may have a real exciting season ahead BUT must put these numbers on the course in November.

Ivan 5:03  5:04  4:57  15:04

Omar 5:05  5:15  5:12  15:32

Eddie 5:12  5:19  5:10  15:41

Abe 5:16  5:19  5:15  15:50

Mikey 5:19  5:25  5:13  15:57

Justen 5:23  5:22  5:20  16:05

Tarik 5:15  5:31  5:27  16:23

Also a bunch of low 17's with some good athletes battling for top 7 spots.  Healthy team competition makes us stronger!