Coach Mikes Blog » Practice

New Cross Country Transportation

coach mike — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 01:39:58 +0000

Its Going to Start/Real Soon

coach mike — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 22:52:11 +0000

First meet is 1 week away-SIU Indoor- We have been able to get some good work in this past week-we had some good days of weather. The vaulters were able to spend some time in the air and the high jumpers were able to get some jumps in. Then the weather turned nasty again on Friday. But it is still February. Also the shot putters were able to get a lot of throws in. Some of the guys are liking strong for so early, I have been impressed with J. Kubicki and his work outs. Also Nix and Goff have look strong. I’m sure Jones has been getting his work in, i know Friday he went 9 miles. This all goes back to a good fall cross country season. I have almost 25 sophomores and freshmen on the roster so far, that is a bunch. Some of them will need to help us on the varsity level. Areas of concern-discus (still don’t know if Conklin will be out to throw), sprints-(Doug has been working hard but the rest of the spots are question marks-but hey whats new, right!). Concerned with the young jumpers-long and triple-I have not put a lot into it yet. The big issue will be as always, keeping things all together! Some of the questions will be answered next Saturday at the indoor.

First Day of Practice

coach mike — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 02:01:57 +0000

Turn out was a little disappointing. But at least most of them came to me and let me know where they were going to be . Doctors’ appointments, play practice, work, ect ect. A good group of under classman. So we shall see. Its a long season. Move forward.

Night Before

coach mike — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 01:58:56 +0000

I have been in hiding for the last week. But the first big meet of the year is less than 24 hours away. The girls race at 4:30 and boys right after that. Are we ready? I never feel we are ready. How will we preform? Like we always perform at conference. The season comes to this, this is how half this season will be remembered-by how we perform Tuesday October 14th, 2008. We are hurt, we are sick, but we are pumped up and ready to get it on, so that is good. Lets race!

Courtney

coach mike — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 02:42:39 +0000

Courtney you are having a very good season, keep up the good work! And when I write about us needing a front runner, I’m not putting you or anyone else down. To be successful as a team you have to have someone running at least in the top 15 or so of the race. I’m glad you have been able to run this season without the last three years of pain and health issues.

uresussgg ddeieisllw wo///?????

coach mike — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 03:21:00 +0000

Thats how i feel today. Some days you wonder why even bother? Why keep trying? It would be better to as some one said ” to just throw in the towel” quit-no mas-sell out-thats how I feel right now. My problem is I care too much. I care how people treat people-when one of my kids (runners) is hurting and i don’t mean physically- then I hurt. Right now I have a senior that things are just not working. His legs won’t go-his mind says do it-run faster but the legs won’t go. I don’t have all the answers-most of the time I have very few answers. The only answer I have for him is keep trying-don’t give up-you have worked hard and things will get better-the legs will start to obey! But its hard for me to say that when my mind says I have had enough-Some days, you feel no one cares. Right now I wonder who cares? Does anyone appreciates what you do? The extra hours you put in, the worries, the sleepless nights. If I could just coach and not have to be bothered with the extra behind the scene things that are going on! But I guess that goes with the territory, thats why I’m paid the big dollars! So I’ll keep showing up-I’ll keep caring-I’ll get my senior through his problems-I’ll get the girls healthy and make sure to field the best team we can at conference-the other outside forces will take care of them self because I don’t have time for that stuff now I have two teams to get ready and young people to get ready to race-to race on the course and off the course!!!

Wednesday Middle of the Week

coach mike — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 01:11:09 +0000

Changed up today-the girls are struggling with health problems, with colds, sore muscles, broken toes, grade problems, and other such problems. So I gave them a day off. I’m not sure we will have enough bodies left for the conference meet. To be honest I don’t know what to do. I believe they are working harder, trying to throw some tougher workouts at them, ran some hard 300′ s on the track on Tuesday after a good 4 mile run. Coach Jones has been running with them or riding a bike. But Courtney, Kaity, Mollie, and Tiffaney are all sick or hurt. Paige has a broken toe and a lower leg problem. Alyssa and Chelseay are the only healthy ones. So a day off might do them some good, we’ll see on Thursday.

The boys and I met out in the Selmaville area, getting back to the basics, getting back to the roots of some very good runners. We have a nice, hilly section of road they we have ran in the past. Only problem was the heat, very warm and muggy. After 4 miles of hills, I decided that was enough. Good work out for the middle of the week. The conference meet is getting closer, lets make sure we are taking care of ourself, and try to stay healthy. This is the tough part of the season, still lots of time before the big meets and yet tire legs, sore muscles, a general feeling of being worn out is very common. We still need to stay tough both in practice and in the meets, tough mentally, tough physically. Good teams start good and get better!!!!!!

Shoes Shoes Shoes

coach mike — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 03:03:01 +0000

How important are shoes? How are important are your feet? How important are your legs? We have had three straight races on mostly pavement. Legs are tired, legs are sore. Some are wearing old shoes. Courtney is wearing worn out shoes, and her legs hurt. You have to take care of yourself, for two reasons. First for your team, second for your self. Right now the girls team is in trouble, not with me. I’m talking about with numbers. We didn’t have many to start with, today Paige came to practice with a broken little toe, hurt it at home. Ellie went home sick, Tanya didn’t show up. So that left us with Courtney, Mollie, Alyssa, Kaity, and Tiffany. Good news still enough for a team score, hope we don’t tie! We still have Chelsey the cheerleader, the girls are going to try to find some more bodies but its getting late in the season to get in shape in time for conference. The boys aren’t in much better shape. At least 3 keys runners hurt right now, then a couple with very sore legs. Going to have to do some high level specialize training with some of these guys. Thomas is going to have to stay real light this week and not sure about Clark. Right now only Jordan, Jacob, Cory and little Jacob are healthy for the most part. Hoping to get Hopkins back soon and maybe Hargis, but its getting late.I guess if it was easy everyone would be coaching! Sometimes you just have to be tough and get through it and sometimes you have to be tough and smart! The coach has to be smart and not over work some of the younger kids and still keeping hammering the older more mature runners. Check the shoes! By the way is 15- 400 meters all around 72 seconds very good? I couldn’t believe it, almost everyone was right at 72 seconds, I final made them quit. Great job by Jacob and Jordan. Nix had very good work out also, hit 8×400 all around 72 and that was after 4 plus miles. Jordan and Jacob did probably 5 plus miles with an am run. The girls did a very good 4 mile run and then ran 2×400 around 80 seconds. Hang in there troops!

Its Here

coach mike — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 02:24:51 +0000

It starts-Wednesday at 4 pm at Murphy. Are we ready? Doesn’t matter, its time to lace them up and get to racing. Stay turn. Answers later on Wednesday.

7 minutes or less on a Friday

coach mike — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 12:07:18 +0000

I’m setting here at work waiting for 7 am to get here. We had a decent week of practice. Two am runs, a good day of hills on Wednesday. Monday was a good day of 400 repeats and some good base miles for the whole week. Yesterday I’m not sure if the miles were that good for girls, or most of the girls, might of been junk miles. Its time to race, we have practiced enough without a race. The time has come to see where we are at and where we need to go from here. The season is long and the important meets are several weeks away. We need to keep moving toward getting better, we need to stick together. Right now I don’t feel we are team, a group banded together for a common cause, I just don’t have that feel of chemistry. Maybe some long bus trips will bring us together, oh boy can’t wait for those. What we need is a battle, to see what we are made of. Are we tough? Are we willing to push our self to the pain and then pass the pain? When the big dogs go, will we go with them? My gut tells me, we are one short, we are missing that one runner from being better than good, that one missing leak, that one piece of the puzzle, just one person!