Monday, April 30, 2012

Performance Psychology: Learning in Sport/Succeeding in Life

Place:  Monta Vista HS
Speaker:  Dr. Steve Portenga (Lead Sports Psychologist for 2012 Olympic Track and Field Team)
Topic:  Performance Psychology and how it's applied to optimizing competitive performance.
Date:  Tuesday, May 1st
Time:  6:30pm

Here is the link to any other questions you may have about the event:
http://www.mvrunning.com/announcment/performance-psychology-learning-in-sportsucceeding-in-life/

Diego Estrada formerly of Alisal HS

The following is from Kevin Liao of http://spikeduppsychedup.com/
Diego Estrada runs 27:32.90, an Olympic 'A' standard that clinches him a spot to run at the Olympic Games for Mexico. Who's the last CCS athlete and/or distance runner to compete at the Olympics?

I have somebody in mind.  Guesses?

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Sacramento Meet of Champions videos and pictures

Weekend Track & Field Newspaper coverage...

Wallace, Jacques and Walker head field at Sacramento Meet of Champions (NorCal)
Sacramento MOC:  Male sprinters, Gabby Williams headline night of stars (NorCal)
San Leandro's Andre McBride and Kennedy-Richmond's Kenneth Walker III show their speed in Sacramento's meet (NCS)
Braves boys grab victory (NCS)
Piedmonter/Montclarion Around the Horn (NCS)
PVHS' Chau posts personal best in 1,600 at Alisal Invitational (CCS)
Devils burn up track at Meet of Champions (SJS)
Monterey Trail's Higgwe stars in Meet of Champions (SJS)
West Valley's teams win at Hornet Invite track and field team (NS)
Top performances at county track championships (SS)
Rio Mesa's Selig makes triumphant return (SS)
Hayes hurdles the competition (SS)
Hart's Riley Stauffer:  Beyond the glory (SS)
McCloskey, Williams flash top form at Escondido Invitational (SDS)
CSM Track and Field:  Bulldogs Grab Four Gold Medals in Conference Finals (college)
International flavor at Payton Jordan Invitational track and field meet (college/pros)
Grisly injury couldn't deter triple jumper Erica McLain (pros)
Hometown Hero Chris Derrick Takes On Slew of 10k Talent at Payton Jordan (college)

Other newspaper links?  Send them my way to albertjcaruana@gmail.com.




Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/04/29/4450878/headline-goes-here-pleaejjkkk.html#storylink=cp

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Catching up with St. Joseph Notre Dame runner, Nick Ratto...

Today we chat with St. Joseph Notre Dame senior runner, Nick Ratto. During this past cross country season, Ratto helped lead the SJND team to a North Coast Section championship as well as a 3rd place finish at the state meet in Division V.  He finished in 3rd place on the Woodward Park course running 15:45 as he passed multiple runners in the last mile to help seal a plaque for the Pilots.    During last year's Track and Field season, Ratto was one of two juniors to qualify for the NCS MOC 800m. final.  He has continued his fine running by winning the CA State Indoor Invitational.  He finished in 2nd place at the Stanford Invitational in the mile and just recently won the Woody Wilson Invitational in a PR of 1:53.87.

1)What sports did you do your freshman year and what were some of your highlights?
My freshman year I played basketball for my school's freshman team and also made the varsity tennis team. My basketball highlight from that year would have to be beating St. Mary's Berkeley (our rival school)  in double OT in the last game of our season and for tennis it would have to be watching my best friend and future college roommate, Brian Aria, win a league championship as a freshman. I did not run XC or track during my freshman year because I assumed running three miles would not be very fun. I turned out to be very wrong in that assumption.

2)  What led you into cross country and track and field during your sophomore year?  What were some of your accomplishments during both sports?
I started to run cross-country because my friends Louis Rodrigues and Brian Aria convinced me it would be fun. They told me that the coach (Tony Fong) was awesome and that it would get me in shape for other sports. I remember finishing my first mile time trial in just over 7 mins. After a few weeks, I started to rapidly improve and soon I was running with the top varsity runners. By the end of the year, I was the fastest runner on the team, helping our team just barely advance to the state meet.

3)  What did you do differently going into your junior season in cross country over the summer as far as training?
The main difference was that I ran more miles. I started running my sophomore year at the beginning of the school year and really did not have much of base. My junior year, my coaches really stressed the importance of getting a solid base of running and just getting some easy miles under my belt so that when the training picked up, I could handle it better. I think these miles really helped me, especially early in the year. I certainly did not come into my junior year in 7 min mile shape. Another aspect that really helped me my junior year was the addition of Gabe Arias to our team. He came in as super fast freshman who pushed me the entire season.

4)  What were some of of your own accomplishments in xc as a junior?  What about team accomplishments?
As a junior I had a solid XC season. I finished 5th at both NCS and State and ran 16:09 at Woodward park. As a team we also had a really good season. We came in second at NCS, losing by just 1pt to Urban, and finished 7th at the state meet.

5)  What about during the track and field season?  PRs for 400, 800 and 1600?
I think my junior track season was the turning point in my running career. Coming into that year, I liked running, but I never really thought of myself as very fast. My coach Tony Fong brought in Alex Mason, a former 800 runner of his, to train me. When I first talked to Alex, he told me he thought I could run a 1:55 800 and 4:30 1600 by the end of the year. At that time, with PRs of 2:06 and 4:45, those times seemed utterly unattainable. I thought Alex was totally insane. It turns out he knew what he was talking about. By the end of the season, Alex’s tough workouts got me PRs of 1:56.32 in the 800 and 4:26 in the 1600. More importantly these workouts gave me the confidence to run with some of the best runners in the section and the state.

6)  After the success of your xc team in 2010, what were the team goals going into the season?  What about your own goals?
After the one point loss to Urban, our team came back focused and determined. Everyone on the team had worked so hard in 2010, yet somehow we still came up just short. We knew that in order to not let that happen again, we would have to work even harder. We came in to the season with the goals of winning our league championship, winning NCS in the fastest team time for a D5 school at Hayward, and finishing in the top three at state. These were pretty lofty goals, and at times it didn't seem like we would be able to make them all happen. But every time we hit a rough patch, the team banded together and we were able to achieve all of our goals. As team captain my personal goal was to help the team achieve its goals in any way that I could.

7)  Tell us a little about your state meet race in cross country.  What was the plan going in and how did the race turn out for you and your team?  When did you guys find out that you finished in 3rd place and what was the team reaction?
Our plan going into the race was to just run our own race and let everything handle itself. We had worked really hard all year long and we knew if we ran well we would reach our goals. My race plan was to try to relax for the first two miles and to hammer the last mile.  The race ended up being really close with only a few points separating the first, second, and third teams. One of the other coaches appealed the original results and it took several hours for the official results to be released. This, combined with the closeness of the race, meant that nobody could be certain of their place. I started to get really anxious, especially after the results of races that happened long after ours started to come in. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the results were posted. In the end we came in third, 8pts behind second and 2pts in front of fourth. Upon finding out the official results my initial response was relief, followed by pure excitement. I hugged my teammates and coaches endlessly and I remember never wanting that moment to pass. Our goal from the very beginning of the year had been to make the podium at state, and we were able to accomplish that, even in the most competitive year in the history of d5.

8)  What did you do over the winter as preparation for your senior track season?  Any races?  Supplemental training?  Weekly mileage?  Workouts?
For the first two weeks of winter I didn't do a whole lot of running. I wanted to let my body take a rest. After that I began to run easy miles with a track workout or two thrown in every once in awhile. A ran a few races during the winter, opening with a 1:55 PR and closing out the season with an indoor state title. One thing my coach Alex wanted me to focus on this year was strength training, and I think that training has really helped me so far this year. My weekly mileage has been somewhere between 25-50 miles, with an average of about 40. One new workout we did over winter was a strength endurance workout that mixes 400 or 200 intervals with simple body weight exercises.

9)  What have been some of your accomplishments to date during this current track season?  Tell us a little about the Woody Wilson race.
My first race this season was the 800 at the Dublin Distance Fiesta, which I won in 1:55.96.  Another big race for me this year was the mile at Stanford, which I came in second at 4:17, although I did PR by almost 10 seconds. My Woody Wilson invite started off in an interesting way. I checked in late to the 800 and was almost not allowed to start the race. Thankfully the officials allowed me to run and I ended up running a pretty good time. I PR'ed with a time of 1:53.87, going out in just under 56 and coming back in just over 58.

10)  Favorite track distance?  Favorite track workout?  Favorite track invitational?  Favorite opponent(s)?  Favorite xc race?  Favorite xc invitational?  Favorite long run?  Any team traditions?  
My favorite track distance is 800 because I can never run the 3rd lap of a 1600. My favorite track workout is a strength endurance hill circuit we do. My favorite track invite is the Dublin meet because of the sombreros and also because it is run by Chris Williams, a former SJND runner. Two of my favorite opponents are Duncan Calvert of St. Mary's Berkeley and Sam Kane of Bishop O'Dowd because they are both good guys who I know will always battle in races, but my all-time favorite "opponent" is Gabe Arias. He always pushes me in practice and races and he's beaten me on a number of occasions, although I do always beat him at state (if ever you run into Gabe, remember to tell him that). My favorite XC invite is the Stanford Invitational because there are no hills. My favorite long runs are with the West Valley Track Club, which is also a summer team tradition.

11)  You are going to UC Davis next year.  How many schools did you visit and what led you into choosing Davis?
Some other schools I visited were USF and UC Santa Barbara. Both are great schools with good running programs, but at the end of the day they just weren't right for me. Davis was the best choice for me on many levels:  academically, athletically, and culturally. I'm really excited to go to UC Davis and I feel that it was the best choice for me and my future.

12)  What is your relationship to Ray Ratto and any funny stories?
Ray is my dad's second cousin, but he is more like an uncle to me. A good story of him happened at NCS last year. He was in one of the top rows and in some of the videos you can clearly hear him yelling at me. He's a pretty hilarious guy and most of the stuff he is saying is pretty funny.

13)  Tell us a little about your coach and how he has helped you develop into the runner you are today.
Tony Fong is the best coach I could ever ask for as a runner. He made running fun for me and gave me a passion for running. This passion has taken me farther than I could ever have imagined and I owe it all to him.

14)  Anything else you would like to add.
I would like thank my friends and family for being so supportive. I would also like to thank my teammates and coaches for pushing me and making me the runner I am today. Finally, thank you Albert for running this website. You do a great job of promoting high school XC and Track.

Thank you very much for your time Nick!  AJC

Performance Psychology: Learning in Sport/Succeeding in Life (Monta Vista HS, May 1 at 6:30pm)

2012 State XC Entries

The following are changes in the boys entries:
Div. II - CS gains one entry / SJS loses one entry
Div. IV - CCS gains one entry / SJS loses one entry
The following are changes in the girls entries:
Div. I - SJS gains one entry / CS loses one entry
Div. II - SD gains one entry / CCS loses one entry
Div. V - NCS gains one entry / CS loses one entry
Here is the entire list for next year:
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B52TA0E_qub5Ym15NGxpdXV5dHM

Track and Field Newspaper coverage...

Redondo girls relay team establishes state mark at Mt. SAC (SS)
East Bay high school athletes of the week for April 26 (NCS)
Cougars ready for PAL meet (CCS)
Redlands' Jones up for national Gatorade honor (SS)
MT track evolving into Section power (SJS)
Two Saugus teams make rank (SS)
Khalfani Muhammad wins 100 meters (SS)
Girls track and field (Del Norte HS) takes 2nd out of 22 teams (NCS)
2012 CCS track and field leaders (CCS)
Former North hurdlers, La Sierra thrower shine (SS)
Indio High School's Rebecca Morales fell into 800 stardom (SS)
Great Oak's Milan makes leap of faith (SS)
Bear River's Nielen nears her ambitious 20/40 goal (SJS)
Lessons for North's Mendoza in 1,600 victory (SS)
Mira Costa boys, Redondo girls dominate South Bay Championships (SS)
Chico State's Gray gets honor (College)
D'Agostino and Pappas among NCAA leaders (College)

Will post more as I find them.  If you have a link to a local newspaper article, send it my way to albertjcaruana@gmail.com.


Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/04/26/4443118/a-leap-of-the-imaginationnielsen.html#storylink=c

Sacramento Meet of Champions

Meet Website:  http://www.sacramentomoc.com/
Team Entries:  http://www.sacramentomoc.com/2012smocfinalentrylist.htm
Live Results Link:  Will post once they post the link
Meet Preview by ESPN Rise:  http://espn.go.com/blog/high-school/track-and-xc/post/_/id/3158/national-leaders-williams-wallace-lead-field-for-sacramento-meet-of-champions
Remember the meet is at American River College this year just in case you mindlessly drive to Sacramento City College where the meet is normally held.

Race or event of the day?

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Catching up with Davis HS (Kaysville, Utah) runner, Logan Wood...

The following interview is courtesy of Aron Taylor of xcnation.com.
Davis HS, Kaysville, Utah senior Logan Wood is leading a resurgence in Utah distance running power.  A member of the 2011 NXN US#3 Davis cross country team, he is now stepping up on the track.  Recently, dropping 20-seconds off his personal best for 3200 meters running 9:24.36 at the Arcadia Invitational.  The Davis boys team are currently ranked US#2 in the Postal Nationals Championship with a 5x3200 meter team average 9:19.58.  His coach, Corbin Talley, a former Footlocker finalist says Wood has all the makings of being a great future coach.


1.  Three words that describe you and why?
Driven
When I set my mind to accomplish a task, I keep pushing until it is completed. It is a must when running for my team. We work together and have high expectations for ourselves and the guys around us. In all parts of life some people seem to be born with more natural talent than others. On Davis, if you have more natural talent, you can’t live off of that. You take what you have and push to get even better.
Lucky/ blessed
I was born in Utah in 1994 and lived here tell I was 4. At that point I moved to Washington where I spent my life playing soccer and hanging with friends. At the end of 7th grade, my dad got a new job in Salt Lake City so we moved back to Utah. It was hard at the time to leave my friends, school, and team, but it was the best possible thing that could of happened to me. When I got to Kaysville, I chose Davis because I wanted to play lacrosse and there was a new team starting up. I played lacrosse for 2 years before being convinced to run XC. I did summer training before my sophomore year and immediately fell in love with running and with the guys on the team. I ran XC and Track my sophomore year and
then never looked back. I am just blessed that I chose Davis as the High School for me even though my choice originally had nothing to do with running.
Excited
I am very enthusiastic and eager about every race and workout that is coming up. I can hardly ever wait for the next time I get to race. I try to keep it in but often find myself talking about the competition to see where the team and I stand.

2. What does Passion mean to you, how does it apply to running and perhaps succeeding in life?
Passion is one of the necessary elements to succeeding in anything in life. To be passionate, you must love what you are doing. You should be willing to sacrifice for it too. I think it is something that makes you want to be your best no matter the cost. I get emotionally attached to my running and the times that I have been kept from running because of injury or other things have been the hardest of my life. My passion for running came with each sweaty mile the summer before my sophomore year. When I made the choice that I wanted to give my time to running, I also decided that I was going to become the best runner I could possibly be.

3. How do you want to be remembered as a runner? An all-time great, a record breaker, or one of many?
My goals for me as a runner keep growing with every time I step onto the track. In high school, I want to be as close to the top of our all-time list as I possibly can. I want to keep improving to the point of my peak level of success. I hope that the guys on my team now remember me as a good teammate that worked so hard to get to the level I end up at. I continue to see improvement with each workout and race and keep setting my goals higher and higher. Since starting running, I’ve always wanted to get good enough that I could run in college. I wasn’t confident that this would be an option until I raced in some big meets out of state this year like Bob Firman in Boise Idaho and Nike Southwest in Arizona.

4. If you met an 8th grader transitioning into high school who dreamt of being a successful distance runner,
what words of advice would you give to him?
I would give him the advice to commit to never skip a day because of laziness and to be patient as he works to become the best he can be. I have found that improvement comes with time and commitment. Summer training gives you the base and strength in training to be able to do the hard workouts throughout the cross, indoor, and outdoor seasons.

5. Rockstar Runner...what does that phrase mean to you?
I think a Rockstar is someone that you look up to as a popular figure. You usually like their style or their talent. They make you get excited. I could use the phrase Rockstar Runner to describe quite a few other guys on my team.

The first is Brad Nye. Since I first ran with him my sophomore year, we knew he was good. He had an ability to get the guys around him to push harder than they ever thought they could. He is so fun to watch race because he has his style and it is a result of his work ethic. Everyone on the team looks up to him because he is a friend to everyone on the team. His ability to know when is the right time for fun vs. being serious is impressive. He is one of the crazies guys I know at time and can have an insanely good time but when he knows it is time to focus, he can also set his mind to that to.

Next is Preston Johnson. Preston has more of a love for running than anyone I have ever met. He is always running. The 900+ miles he put in last summer is just a small glimpse into how much he loves it. Whenever he has a moment of free time, Preston laces up his shoes and starts running. We all strive to be Preston in our running. We want to push ourselves so hard that we know we can’t go any further. There was one day during XC that Preston had an off race that he was especially disappointed with. That evening he spent, if I’m not mistaken, 2 hours running 400’s to try to get over his disappointment. We know we can always count on him as a runner and as a great teammate.

My Coach, Corbin Talley, is a Rockstar Runner in every one of his athlete’s eyes. His ability to build a team that is so tight and push them to being a top team in the country is very amazing. He proved to us his Rockstar status when he finished the Wasatch 100 miler last year. It is brutal as it has 26.882 feet of elevation gain and 26,131 feet of elevation loss. He pushed through more main then he could ever ask any of us to push through. He leads through example and we are so lucky to have him as a coach.

Dan Wybrow is the last guy on my team I’m going to mention even though guys like Braden Cromar, Alex Hedquist, Andrew Aposhian, Skylar Williams, Hayden Hansen, Jackson Sagers, and more deserve the recognition also. Dan is not the fastest guy on our team but he is one of the rocks that we build our team around. He has worked so hard since he started running and has improved so much every day, every month, and every season. His determination and drive to improve pushes everyone on our team to get better and better. He is proof to everyone on our team that with work, improvement will come. He is such a great guy to be around because of his love for the sport. That passion is why I would put him as a Rockstar Runner.

6. What does team mean to you and why?
Coach Talley sends out weekly emails and “TEAM” is always capitalized to emphasize its’ importance. We have all probably heard the acronym Together Everyone Achieves More but it is so true. When the slowest guys on the team improve, it automatically sends a ripple to the top, and the TEAM as a whole gets better. It is amazing to see how almost anyone who steps foot into Davis can feel each TEAM’s unity and drive to be their best.

7. What other sports have you played besides cross country and track and field?
I started playing soccer and baseball at 4 in a little rec learners league in Washington. I stuck with both of them tell I was 9 when I quit baseball because I felt like I was just sitting there too much. Soccer was then my only passion. I continued to play soccer through Middle School when I played on my Middle School soccer team. I thought about doing XC that year but stuck with soccer. When I move to Utah at the end of 7th, I played lacrosse in 8th and 9th grade before I was converted to running!

8. How did you get your start in running?
I never really felt tired when running in soccer or lacrosse and I always loved when I was told to go run a lap or a mile for gym or for conditioning. I ran my school fun run (2 mile) in 4-6 th grade and my Knight Trek 5k in 8th and 9th. I always enjoyed them but I never thought of running competitively tell I was convinced to run starting the summer before my sophomore year.

9. What were some of your highlights from your high school career so far?
Bob Firman Invitational in Boise, Idaho
Sophomore 5k pr 17:21 top 10 in small school varsity. My Davis C team was first in that race.
Junior 5k pr (not road) 17:03 I fell pretty hard 300 meters into the race and spent the entire race attempting to pass groups. Our team took 1st in the Elite Varsity Race.
Senior 16:39 The course was supposedly 15 seconds slower because of sand they added so It was a decent improvement. I moved up on my team from our 6th guy to 4th and never looked back.
BYU Autumn Classic XC invitational
Junior Year 17:29 1st place J.V. My j.v. team also swept the podium taking 1 st through 6th!
Senior year 16:47 1st place J.V. We had about 10 guys looking for spots on varsity so we took the first 2 invites of the year and split who would be running varsity and who would be running J.V. The best part about this race was there was another schools top runner in it and he thought he had the race in the bag from the gun. He ended up taking third to me and my teammate Andrew Aposhian. Our team ended up taking 5 of the top 7 and 7 of the top 10 spots.
Utah State XC meet 2011 (senior year)
I was finally healthy come state my senior year. I got into the race and was able to finish 10 th with a 15:57 on the very challenging and hilly 3 mile course. In the race I made all-state, a goal I set at the start of my senior year! I was 4 th on my team and Skylar Williams, a sophomore on my team, was 11 th as our 5th man. The Crazy thing about that race is we took second, 24-33, as American Fork put their 5 in the top 12.They beat us almost exactly man to man to just edge us in points.
Nike Cross Regionals in Arizona (Senior Year)
I ran my sophomore and junior years but the course was different sophomore year and I was injured my junior year. My senior year I went and set a 42 second pr running a 15:57 5k. My team qualified for Nationals taking second to American Fork Again.
Nike Cross Nationals (Senior Year)
16:13 on the somewhat muddy Portland Meadows course. I took 69 th overall in the race but closed the gap that had been built all year between me and Preston, the 3rd place guy on my team. By closing this gap in the last mile, I passed about 25 people and we ended up getting a 3rd place team finish on the podium!
Arcadia Track and Field Invitational (Senior Year)
Because we have to travel all the way to arcadia, we have to have ran pretty fast times to get the opportunity to go. My altitude time in the 3200 got me into the open 3200 in the middle of the afternoon. The temperature was hovering about 90 degrees during my race. I ran a smart and consistent race pushing through almost every lap in 70s. I took over the lead with 2 laps to go and started gapping the field only to be just edged at the line. I ended up taking 2 nd with a 9:24.

10. What is your favorite racing moment thus far?
I have to give mention 3 experiences for this. My Most enjoyable race was probably J.V. boys Autumn Classic my senior year. I knew going into the race that I should be in the Varsity race so I wanted to make sure I won to prove that to me. While on the starting line, I learned that the guy from East High lined up next to me was their top Varsity runner. After the gun, I let him take the lead which he did so in a very excited manner. I sat right behind him trying to decide when I would make my move. Just after 2nd mile I took the lead and won like I had wanted to. I like the feeling of total control that I had never experienced before in a race against a pretty decent Varsity runner.
My other experiences have come because of the caliber of races they were in. NXN in Portland was so exciting because every second equaled like 10 people + or -. When I surged I would pass 20 people. If I faded for even a few seconds, I would get passed by 20 people. The change in positioning was challenging but kept me in the moment every second.
My last experience came in Arcadia. The Arcadia Track and Field Invitation is one of the coolest meets I have ever attended, let alone participated in. Getting to race the 3200 there was so much fun as I set a 21 second pr and was able to enjoy the competition while coming within steps of winning.

11. Tell us a little about your coach Corbin Talley and how he has helped you develop during your years in
high school.
Talley is one of the greatest guys I have ever met in my life. I can’t even begin to describe what he has done for me and the other guys on my team throughout my running career thus far. He teaches English too, but is constantly thinking about us runners. He never seems to let himself have a break from things like what workouts we need to be doing or who will be the best runners in the next race. He cares for each of us as people and as his runners. He is always stressing about the health or injury of one of his almost 200 athletes. Talley gives us so much of his time. I don’t know how he does it. His knowledge of every part of running and even the other events in track and field lets him help, not only the distance runners, but the throwers, jumpers, and sprinters too.

12. Favorite distance in track?
3200
Favorite run?
Mueler Park in Bountiful or Ogden/ Weber State trails
Favorite invitational?
Davis Invite, Arcadia Invitational
Favorite opponent(s)?
I don’t really have a favorite opponent.
Favorite XC and Track workouts?
20x400 and 2x2mile in XC or 8x 400 and 5x1000 during Track.

13. Tell us a little about this amazing chemistry you have with your Davis team, how was it developed,
molded, who are the leaders...do you train year round together?
The Chemistry on our team currently has been built up from a group of, now juniors, who are still “The Freshman.” They ran track in Junior High together and started running for Davis as a group of friend. This group included the likes of Preston, Brayden, Hayden, Alex, Jackson, and a few others on the team. The preformed unity and desire to get better was brought up and we all embraced it. We train together year round to keep us in shape as well as keep the teamwork as strong as it can possibly be. Brad and I are the seniors and Captains on the distance team but every runner, especially the top 10 or so guys, is listened to and has a leadership role on the team. We all try work together to lead the team and to keep us all motivated and excited.

14. What races are you most looking forward to as you look ahead to the rest of your track and field season?
I can’t wait for the Davis Invite next weekend, BYU Invite the week after, Region Championships the next week, and the State Championship the week after that. I might head to some meets in June like Great Southwest or New Balance Outdoor Nationals but I will make that decision a little closure to that time.

15. Favorite running movie, running song, and favorite runner?
Favorite Running Movie
Without Limits
Favorite Running Song
Uprising by Muse
Favorite Runner
Chris Solinsky

Bay Area Running Camp filling up fast

We would like to highlight a couple of our speakers for this year's Bay Area Running Camp which will take place at Woodside Priory School on July 23rd through July 27th.  

Patti Sue Plumer is very familiar name to many in the running scene.  She competed at Stanford University in the late 80s and was was a collegiate record holder.  She competed in the 1988 and 1992 Olympics with a best finish of 5th place in Barcelona (92) in the 3000m. She coached at Los Altos HS and is currently the Stanford University Associate Cross Country Coach and Assistant Track & Field Coach.  
Patrick McCrystle is the Head Cross Country and Track & Field Coach at Bellarmine High School.  He competed for the legendary Walt Lange at Jesuit High School and had a best of 1:50.70 in the 800m.  Following his high school career, he competed at Stanford University.  He has coached at Jesuit HS, Archbishop Mitty HS and for the past 20 years at Bellarmine HS.  

Besides the great speakers, you will also get the shoes you see below with your registration.  The cost is $300 but we do have a $50 discount if your team has five or more runners sign up for the camp.  If that is the case for your team, please email Dena Evans at dena.evans@gmail.com and she will send you your team code for the discount.  




Runners sprinting toward history (Dylan Chamberlen and Kody Atkins)

If you are not familiar with those two names, you should know them.

Dylan Chamberlen of Paradise HS just ran 1:52.95 at the Chico/West Valley Invitational with basically no one pushing him (2nd place 1:59.26).  Kody Atkins of Chico HS ran 2:10.37 at the Woody Wilson Invitational with better competition (2nd place was Sadia Ibrahim of Santa Rosa in 2:12.48).  They are both competitors in the Northern Section and rank in the top 10 in state in the 800m.  Check out who holds the Northern Section record for the girl's 800 in the article link below.  It should be a familiar name to you track historians.

http://www.redding.com/news/2012/apr/24/runners-sprinting-toward-history/

San Diego Section Track and Field Leaders

Boys:  http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/apr/24/boys-track-and-field-leaders-april-23/
Girls:  http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/apr/24/girls-track-and-field-leaders-april-23/

You can also do a search on athletic.net for your own section, search for division.  For the SDS, you would get the following search results:
http://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/Division/Top.aspx?DivID=32970

It's not perfect and some times and marks may be missing but worth the search if you want to know were you stand in your league, section or state.

Monday, April 23, 2012

Catching up with Georgia state champion, Grace Tinkey...

Four-time Georgia State XC Champion, Three-time Foot Locker Finalist, featured in Sports Illustrated Faces in the Crowd, a Multi-time Gatorade XC Runner of the Year for Georgia and National All-American. Grace Tinkey speaks to the XC Nation. After finishing 6th at the 2011 Foot Locker National Championships, the First Presbyterian Day School junior has her sights set on becoming the first-ever 5-time State cross country champion in US history. 

1. Three words that describe you and why? 
During this past XC season, my coach and I began coming up with key words before we ran in a race or tough workout. I know it may sound silly, but having our word written down on our wrist or in mind really helped to push through when everything started getting tough. 3 of the words were, Courage, Strength, and Believe.  Courage was chosen because when you approach the starting lineup against fast runners, you cant be worried about who is and isnt there. When you get to the line its time to run your race and do the best you can. When the gun goes off you have to trust your training, and believe that you have the strength to push through it and do what you came to do. Run the first part with your head, the middle with your personality, and the last part with your heart.-Mike Fanelli

2. What does Passion mean to you, how does it apply to running and perhaps succeeding in life? 
Passion is the desire to push yourself beyond what you believe imaginable to go after what you are striving for.  Passion is pushing through hard workouts, taking days off to recover, and believing that you can do anything you put your mind to accomplish. The one person who is the pure definition of passion is God.  His passion to save sinners, die in order to give us the gift of eternal life, and love those who didnt love him.  He was scoffed at, humiliated, but he did what he came to do and will always be here for us. Ephesians 6:10 Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Nothing AHEAD is bigger or stronger than the POWER of God BEHIND you. Although bible verses can be taken out of context, it is true that With GOD all things are possible, he can help you through any situation in life when everything seems to be falling apart or going wrong. When you are injured, disappointed in a race, stressed about school, God is always there to help you through; he will NEVER leave you alone, and is always open for us to talk to him.

3. How do you want to be remembered as a runner? An all-time great, a record breaker, or one of many? 
The runners dream always fantasies over Olympic Games, world teams, American/ world record holders, being pro runners, which are amazing things, but the question is how do you want to be remembered as a runner? One of the coolest things about running is the people at meets and races that you meet and get to know. Over the past few years, Ive been able to meet some of my best friends through running, and I'm really thankful to God for allowing me to be able to run and meet these people.  The one uncertain thing about running is injuries, which come and go unannounced and can never be predicted. In February, I went to St. Louis to run in the XC race there. Around the 2-3k mark, a few things led to another and my fibula broke along the ankle bone.   Im sure many runners can relate to injuries, and it was really hard to comprehend how this could have happened, and why, especially with track right around the corner. Missing the rest of track was hard, but God has everything happen for a reason. It's hard to see the big picture, but God knows why everything happens and just have to trust in him and his plan. One day I would absolutely love to run Boston, run in college, and get to the opportunity to have that experience. That's the one awesome thing about running, because it can open up so many different opportunities and bring great people into your life.

4. If you met an 8th grader transitioning into high school who dreamt of being a successful distance runner, what words of advice would you give to him? 
Upcoming freshman in high school; there are so many opportunities out there waiting for you, and people that can help you reach your dreams.  Don't be worried about competitors or believing that you don't have what it takes, because anyone can be at the top if they are willing to put in the time, and heart to accomplish what you are striving for. Set goals, goals that are within reach and some that our Dream goals.  Pressure is nothing more than the shadow of great opportunity. Don't put pressure on yourself to beat certain people or put yourself down after a bad race. There will be good and bad races,  disappointments, and excitement, but have fun and enjoy the gift that God has given you and do it to the best of your potential. What matters is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight- its the size of the fight in the dog. If you want it bad enough and are willing to train smart, recover when needed, than nothing can stand in your way. Dream BIG, and don't be afraid to go after it!

5. Rockstar Runner...what does that phrase mean to you? 
A Rock star runner is someone who goes after what they dream about. It's someone who puts in the training when no one else is watching. Running tests the limits of the human heart, and it's listening to your body when its telling you its time for a break. Carpe Diem! Seize the day!  Its seizing the opportunity when it presents itself and stepping up to the challenge.

6. What does "team" mean to you and why? 
What does team mean to you? Team is having a common bond with other runners, and experiencing the day to day training regime together, whether good or bad. It's having close friends to share with and be able to talk to, and being able to support and encourage one another. Some of the best memories are formed together whether it's reaching goals, going through rough patches together, and being able to build relationships that will last for a lifetime. Even though runners on the same teams are competitors, we are all striving to be our best, and support each other no matter what. If someone is injured or having a rough day, it's nice having friends who check in on you and offer encouragement.  Team is going to the starting line and knowing that you have each others backs and will be waiting for each other cheering on at the end. Running is an idividual sport in the sense that each person has their own goals, but everyone together and the support that each person contributes is what defines a team, and being supportive of each other in reaching their own individual goals as well.

7. What other sports have you played besides cross country and track and field?
In 6th grade, I started running after stopping ballet. It was something that could be done with your friends and enjoy at the same time. I did do swim team after cross country for school in 6th, and 7th grade, but since then focused more on track and cross country.  Since getting injured, it has been a mixed blessing because Ive been able to get back swimming again, and discover how much fun it really is. Running is an incredible sport, but sometimes we all get too caught up in it and don't ever do anything else for a change. I've really enjoyed being able to swim again, but at the same realizing how much I really love running so can't wait to get back!

8. How did you get your start in running? 
In elementary school, my dad was running all the time and he would take me to the Labor Day road race every year to either watch or run it. It was really fun, but at the same time was really hard at the start.  In our 1st JV race (1.6miles), I had to stop and walk at the mile and ended up coming in 2nd to last. But it was a great experience and although I stopped and talked with the other racers (didnt really know how to compete yet ha-ha), thats when I fell in love with it.

9. What were some of your highlights from your high school career so far? 
Throughout high school running, the coolest thing that I'm really thankful to have been able to do is making Foot Locker the last 3 years. It had been a really big dream (and still is) when I started running, but never thought I'd be able to have the opportunity to ever make it. Some of my best friends have come from Foot Locker, and being able to hang out with them and have the opportunity to race against really fast girls has been incredible. This February, Brooks PR sent out invites to their race in Seattle, and was sooooooo excited to be able to get a ticket. But 2 weeks before the race my fibula broke. So when I had to call and tell them what happened, they said to come anyway and have fun, even if my fibula is broken.  It was sooo fun to be able to watch all their amazing races, and be able to be a part of that experience.  Lilly Williams, Bridget Blake, Olivia Ortiz, Shelby Davidson, Wesley Frazier, Erin Finn, Sammy George, Sophie Chase, Cali Roper, Karis Jochen, Alana Hadley, Holly Bishop, Samantha Nightingale, Carmen Carlos, Alison Carson, Mackenzie Anne Smith,  and all the other Foot Locker, Brooks PR, and other runners  I've had the honor of meeting and getting to know through running ! They've all been great in supporting each other, and its been great seeing each other at races. And being able to talk with runners and getting to know them better has been awesome.

10. My favorite racing moment:
One of the funnest races was with some of my running partners at the Labor Day Road race this past year.  Coach Sam, Tommy Fitzgerald, and Jimmy Mehserle, are 3 training partners that I've been able to run with and some of the coolest people ever. They are great training partners along with Anna Leigh Nix , because we all have each other to help push through a tough workout or long runs during the summer together.   But during Labor Day this past year, we ran together as a pack throughout the race, and were able to all hang in there together till the final straight away.  It was one of my favorite racing moments because we were able to run together and keep each other going to get our goal times. And the best of all was that even though we are all competitors, we are all friends on and off the course which makes racing with them so much fun.

11. Favorite distance in track? Favorite run? Favorite invitational? Favorite opponent(s)? Favorite track workouts? Favorite run? 
My favorite distance in track right now would probably be the 3000m indoors and the 5000m. I haven't been able to run track except for one race this year but have really enjoyed the longer distances. I was able to run the Jimmy Carnes indoor meet in January with Shelby Davidson, Julie Wollrath, and Bryce Seymour, and had a great time being able to run the 3000m with them.

12. What races are you most looking forward to as you look ahead to the rest of your track and field season?
This cross country season I'm really looking forward to Foot Locker South regionals, because its one of the funnest races all year long, and would absolutely LOVE to make it back one more time.

13. Adversity, how has it strengthened you as a competitor, a person? 
Adversity is what shapes a person, and shows how you react and respond in good and bad situations. This year having had to sit out of track has been really hard (tbh) but I've gained a greater and renewed appreciation for running but other things as well. Ephesians 3:20 says God is able through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. We don't know what lies ahead of us, but God does. He has a purpose for everything in our lives, and we may not like all the choices God has decided for us to go through, but they are set in place for a reason. During adversity, we have to put all of our trust in him, and trust his plan because only he can see the big picture, and how everything ties together. Don't worry that you're not strong enough before you begin. It is the journey that God makes you stronger.

14. What impact has your coach, family, had on your running?
Throughout my career in running to date, I have been really thankful for God, my family, and teammates that have been so supportive in everything. Coach Sam Martinez has been a huge part of my life in running and as a friend too. He's helped me reach goals that I never thought we would be able to do. Hes an awesome coach and is always there, although some of the workouts are really tough, he knows what we need to do to get to where we need to be. Even throughout injuries he has been there to help stay positive and not lose sight of our goals and keep going.

15. Anything else you would like to add? 
Be STRONG and COURAGEOUS, do not be afraid or terrified for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you or forsake you.Deuteronomy 31:6. Always stay positive and believe in yourself, because God is always with you and nothing is every impossible with him.

Thanks so much for XC nation for asking me to do this article, and wanted to send a shout out to everyone who has been really supportive throughout everything especially this seasons injury! Good Luck to everyone at States coming up as well!!

Coming up this week...

a)  One of the most inspirational runners you will ever meet.
b)  Heats and flights for the Sacramento Meet of Champions.
c)  Updates to the NorCal top lists of top boys and girls.
d)  Historical Race of the Week (One of the all time greatest 1500m. races).
e)  You see the pre-season XC schedule below.  You have other dates?
f)  More interviews coming up.  Who would you like to see interviewed (athletes or coaches)?
g)  What was the most impressive effort this past weekend?

 Anybody else excited as the post season approaches?  Anything else you would like to see this week?  Chime in and I will do the best I can with posting your suggestions.


Sunday, April 22, 2012

CCS "Top 8" Classic Videos

Girls 1600m. Heat 1

Boys 1600m. Heat 1

Girls 800m. Heat 1 (starts around 200m. mark)

Boys 800m. Heat 1

Boys 3200m. 

Boys 200m. Heat 1

2nd heats of above races may also be found at http://www.youtube.com/crystalxc

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Marissa Ferrante leads collegiate women

Thanks to Kevin Liao for the following link:
http://www.slowtwitch.com/News/Ferrante_leads_Collegiate_Women_2706.html

This follows her 15:59.65 5k at the Stanford Invitational running unattached.
http://www.rtspt.com/events/stanford/invite2012/120406F069.htm

California Track and Field Weekend Results

West Valley/Chico Invitational (NS) NEW Dylan Chamberlen Paradise 1:52.95
Del Oro Invitational (SJS) NEW
CCS Top 8 Meet Results (Complete) NEW
San Mateo Bearcat Invitational (CCS) NEW
Mt. SAC Results (California)
Pacific Grove Invitational Results (CCS)
Bill Kearney Invitational Results (CCS)
Bay Area Top 8 Results (NCS)

More to come as I find them...

CCS "Top 8" Classic Results (Partial)

CCS "Top 8" Classic

Unfortunately no results posted yet so for now check out following newspaper articles:
CCS Top 8 track and field meet lives up to billing with numerous personal bests (SJ Mercury News)
Aptos' Hiltz sets national standard in 1,600 (Santa Cruz Sentinel)

What a great meet!  It's a real shame CCS is not held at SJCC anymore.  The Mondo track is so FAST and with at-large marks in play to make state, there is no reason why we can't give all the CCS athletes the best shot to go to state.

Friday, April 20, 2012

Woody Wilson HS Inviational Results

Catching up with Milpitas HS runner, Yohaness Estifanos...

Today we chat with Milpitas HS junior, Yohaness Estifanos.  This past Saturday, Estifanos had an impressive double taking the Varsity 1600m. and 3200m. at the Serra Top 7 Invitational.  He won the 1600m. in a personal record 4:21.22 just missing the meet record 4:20.26 set by Grant Foster in 2011.  He doubled back to the 3200m. and won wire to wire, setting a new meet record with a time of 9:21.20.  Interesting note that the previous record holder was Derek Waxman (San Mateo HS) who set the record of 9:26.70 in 1990 but went on to run 9:08.25 that same season at the state meet.  Estifanos had an impressive junior season in cross country running the fastest time at CCS as he was the only runner to break the 15 minute barrier on the Crystal Springs course that day.  He just missed making the state meet last year in the 3200m. as a sophomore and will be one of the contenders this year as we head into the final stretch of the season.

1) How did you get your start in running? How old were you?
When I was in Ethiopia before moving to California, I used to watch the world cross country, track, and Olympic competitions on television. Watching those competitions excited me a lot especially because the runners (Kenenisa Bekele, Haile Gebrselassie, Tirunesh Dibaba, and Meseret Defar just to name a few) were from my country and were the top runners over the long distances (10k and 5k including cross country). They were my motivation and I got the love of running from watching them. Then I started running to school (about 3 miles away from where I lived) thinking that I would be a professional like those runners one day, although I had no idea how, because I was not in a running club or anything like that. Then, at age 12 I moved to California and started going to Rancho Milpitas Middle School. In PE period, we (students) used to run a mile every Wednesday and PE was my favorite class. I was the fastest runner in my class. I did not know there were after school sport activities  like cross country, soccer, track & field, basketball, and volleyball at the time because there were no such thing where I used to live. Mrs. Catherine Thompson (my science teacher) was my favorite teacher. Besides teaching, Mrs. Thompson taught me a lot of things like how there's after school sport activities and encouraged me that I would be the best runner. The summer before 8th grade, Mrs. Thompson took me to a 5k road run called, Bubba Gump. I did well in that run, placing 3rd in my age group and I learned what a competition really is from that race.

2) What were your times going into high school?
In my 8th grade, I did not know when cross country season started and was too late to be in the school's cross country team. So I missed cross country and only did track. During track, I did the 800m, 1600m and my PR's were 2:27 for the 800m and 5:06 for the 1600m.

3) What were your most memorable times and races from your freshman year in cross country and track and field?
My most memorable time and race from my freshman year in cross country was running 16:12 on the Crystal Springs course (2.95 miles). During track and field, I won the Frosh/Soph Top 8 meet running 9:40 in the 3200m..

4) What about your sophomore seasons in both sports?
Sophomore year, my most memorable time and race in cross country was CCS finals at Toro Park (3 miles) 15:52, placing 2nd in the boys D1 race, and in my sophomore year track season, 9:18 for the 3200m, placing 4th in CCS finals.

5) What did you do over the summer to prepare yourself for your junior season in cross country? Mileage? Workouts? Any races?
To prepare myself for my junior season, I planned to do long runs over the summer (about 50-60 miles per week) and run the Los Gatos All Comers 5 miles at Los Gatos High, but I got sick just a week before the All Comers 5 miles run. So I stopped running for a couple of weeks and had to start running little by little again before our Cross Country started.

6) What do you feel was your best race during this past cross country season?
My best race during my junior cross country season was the CCS Finals D1 race at Crystal Springs, winning the race and running the fastest time out of all divisions and fastest time of the 2011 cross country season on the Crystal Springs course (2.95 miles 14:59).

7) Tell us a little about your state meet race and what you learned from that race that will help you next year.
At the state meet, I went out too fast during the first mile and got tired the last two miles. Also, I don't think I prepared well for the state meet as much as I did for CCS Finals, but it was a big lesson for me so that I can fix my mistake and improve next year.

Favorite distance in track? Favorite track workout? Favorite opponent? Favorite distance run? Favorite xc course?
My favorite distance in track is the 3200m and mile repeats are my favorite workout. Mile repeats are hard, but they make you feel confident that you can keep up and run fast in races like 3200m even if it's really fast pace because you have done more mile repeats in practice. My favorite opponent runner is Richard Ho of Leland. I've been racing with him for a couple of times in both xc and track and he is a great runner. My favorite distance runs are long runs, running with my teammates (40-50 minutes run). My favorite xc course is Crystal Springs course. I have been running there so many times and that's were CCS finals takes place every other year and I'm used to it so I feel confident when competing in CCS finals.

9) What does a typical week look like for you during track? When are your workouts? What is the distance of your longest run? What workout gives you the most confidence heading into a race?
We usually do a combination of track and road runs, like speed workouts on the track the first day and then road runs (30-45 minutes) the next day. And over the weekends we do 60-65 minutes intervals (3min medium, 1min hard, and 2min easy) individually. The mile repeats and intervals give me the most confidence heading into a race because they are hard workouts and hard workouts pay off.

10) What races are you looking forward to the rest of this track and field season?
The races I am looking forward to are CCS Top 8 meet this Friday and CCS Championships. I really want to do well at CCS finals and make it to California State Championship.

11) Tell us a little about your coach and how he has helped you progress from your freshman season to now.
Coach Bridget Hall is a great coach. She has been very supportive of me throughout my running career and she always pushes me to do my best.

12) Anything else you would like to add.
I enjoy www.crosscountryexpress.com, a great website with up-to-date information for us runners in CA.  Thank you for the interview.

Thank you very much for your time Yohaness!  AJC

Photo of the Week

Courtesy of www.indianarunner.com and Len Shuck Jr. (4/20/12)

The caption is Jason Crist approaches the finish line, winning the 2012 FC Showcase Miracle Mile!

NCFSC Final Meet Instructions

Hello Coaches,

First of all, thank you to everyone already making this meet such a tremendous experience for our frosh/soph athletes with nearly 1000 competitors!  Due to some scratches, we have upgraded some athletes into the Seeded/Invitational section and I have notified everyone personally via email of the changes to their athletes.  Attached is the new performance list in alphabetical order.  Please let me know if there are any mistakes and or scratches.

Also attached is the event schedule.  Again, the Open running events schedule has changed from the original meet information - we will now begin at 9:00 AM.  The only change to to the field events schedule is that the boys pole vault will now begin at 8:00 AM.  Please make special note that warm-ups/run-throughs for the field events will be closed 10 minutes prior to the start of the competition.  No matter how quickly we get through the Open Section, the Seeded/Invitational Section will begin and adhere to the schedule posted - field events at 4:00 PM and running events at 5:00 PM.

You will also find heat/flight sheets for the distance events and field events for the Open Section (this is outlined in the Final Meet Instructions) in the performance list.  There has been a change to the Boys 800 Open - we will have 5 heats instead of 6 and the new heats are listed.  The laned events will be seeded at the meet after final call.

Finally, we are looking forward to a great time honoring our frosh/soph teams!  Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns and we will see you on Saturday!

One final update - we have reseeded all of the Open 1600, 800 and 3200 races since there were some issues with the numbers in each heat after all of the scratches.  I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.  See you tomorrow in what looks like to be a gorgeous day!

Chris Williams
Northern California Frosh/Soph Championships Meet Director

Performance list updated:

Full Circle: How To Run A Better Track Workout by Steve Magness

CCS "Top 8" Classic Tonight at SJCC

Should be a great night of racing, hurdling, jumping and throwing at San Jose City College.  I will try to tweet as many results as I can.  www.twitter.com/CCExpress.  I will use #CCSTop8

Meet Program:  http://archive.dyestatcal.com/ATHLETICS/TRACK/2012/top8_pgm.pdf

Best of luck to all the competitors and coaches.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Catching up with Southlake Carroll HS runner, Trevor Gilley...

The following interview was by Aron Taylor of xcnation.com.
Today we chat with Southlake Carroll HS, Carroll, TX junior Trevor Gilley. Gilley is a member of the 2011 NXN US#2 Southlake Carroll boys cross country team. His personal best in the 1600 meters 4:09.37 was run last spring at the UIL Texas State Track & Field Championships as a sophomore finishing 4th. Last Saturday Gilley won the Texas District 7-5A Championships 1600m in 4:12.50. Currently his Southlake team leads the xcnation.com Postal Nationals with a 5x3200m team average and US#17 all-time, 9:18.29. The Southlake boys team currently has eyes set on running the national record for the 4xmile at this summers New Balance Outdoor Nationals.

1. Three words that describe you and why?
Dedicated, Strong Willed, and Competitive- I feel these describe me best in a running sense of what has made me the runner I am. You have to be dedicated and stick with it or you just are not going to be good. I am strong willed to when I set a goal I will do anything to achieve it. I am very competitive with everything and while it could also be bad it is good in running because when it comes down to the end of the race I want to win no matter what and if you don't care about winning then you wont.

2. What does Passion mean to you, how does it apply to running and perhaps succeeding in life?
Passion is the love for the sports to me. You have to like running to be a runner. You can't just do it and become good. I remember reading that Alan Webb was an influence on Robby Andrews going pro and when he asked Webb if he should go pro he asked him if he loved it. You have to love it to be fully committed and love the sport to be successful.

3. How do you want to be remembered as a runner? An all-time great, a record breaker, or one of many?
A record breaker.  My main goal is to break the state record in the 1600 for sure, but depending on how fast I run this year at state going for the sub 4 mark might become the ultimate goal.

4. If you met an 8th grader transitioning into high school who dreamt of being a successful distance runner, what words of advice would you give to him?
Set reachable but tough goals, stick with it even if you not the best right from the start, and don't ever get a big head and think you are better than you are.

5. Rockstar Runner...what does that phrase mean to you?
People who are good examples for the sport that show dedication and commitment to others.

6. What does team mean to you and why?
Team is all about the unity and brotherhood. To have a good team you don't all have to like each other but you have to respect each other and know that all are working towards the same goal. When you run for a team it means more that to just run for yourself.

7. What other sports have you played besides cross country and track and field? 
In middle school, I played football, basketball and soccer. I sadly had to give up all three in high school to focus and running but I haven't had any regrets.

8. How did you get your start in running?
I started running at age 6 because my mom was (still is) the Southlake summer track coach and she had me come out and run to try it and I loved it.

9. What were some of your highlights from your high school career so far?
My highlights for cross country would have to be Winning state this year and going to Nike Nationals. Nike Nationals is just an amazing experience and fun time. My track highlight would have to be the Brooks Pr Invitational. That meet is a really fun weekend to be around such great people in a great environment.

10. What is your favorite racing moment thus far?
My favorite racing moment would have to be the state track meet last year when I earned a huge PR of 7 seconds. I went into the race without any expectations of anything.  I was just there to race and it really relieved the pressure and I just ran my race and all went well for me.

11. Tell us a little about your coach Justin Leonard and how he has helped you develop during your years in high school. 
Coach Leonard has been both a coach and a mentor to me. He has helped me get through personal issues that I have had with running and worked with me to make me the best I can be on and off the track.   He challenges me daily to test my limits while encouraging me along the way.  I have been able to push myself because of his knowledge of the sport and his demand of excellence.  He is not afraid to let me know when I am not meeting my potential in my running or in the classroom.  He has a genuine concern for me and my best interest and I am no affraid to ask his advice in any aspect of my life.  I will be forever indebted to him for allowing me to go for my dreams and aspirations.

12. Favorite distance in track? Favorite run? Favorite invitational? Favorite opponent(s)? Favorite track workouts? Favorite run?
My favorite distance in is the 1600. Favorite meet is Texas Relays.  There are so many fast runners there that provides a great atmosphere to run fast. My favorite opponent would have to be Troy Taylor. My first track meet ever I raced him in the mile and there was a .03 second difference between us and ever since we have had a great rivalry with sharing a pretty equal number of wins. My favorite track workouts and runs in general are speed workouts, where I do a 8x400 then and 8x200 at mile and 800 pace. Those workouts really challenge me mentally and physically.

13. Tell us a little about this amazing chemistry you have with your Southlake team, how was it developed, molded, who are the leaders...do you train year round together?
Our team has grown tremendously this year. We took time to hangout with each other outside of running so we were not just running friends but have become true friends and it has really payed off. I think what has really set us apart from other teams is the leadership.  Everybody is a leader on this team. There isn't just one or two guys who lead and the others follow. Everyone contributes and holds each other responsible. We train all year around together Mondays through Saturdays and occasionally meet up on Sundays.  If not, we just do our runs on our own. What also really helps is that we are close in ability and that allows us to all train together.

14. What races are you most looking forward to as you look ahead to the rest of your track and field season?
I am really looking forward to the state meet this year where I am hoping to take a shot at the state record.  We as a team are also looking forward to going to New Balance Outdoor Nationals and run the 4xMile to try and take down the national record.

15. Favorite running movie, running song, and favorite runner?
I really don't have a favorite running movie or song but my favorite runners would definitely be Chris Solinsky and Russel Brown.  Solinsky's 10k at Stanford was the coolest race I have ever seen.  Russel Brown is my other favorite runner after his performance at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix.

Thank you very much for your time Trevor!

Woody Wilson Accepted Entries

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

33rd Annual CCS "Top 8" Track and Field Classic Meet Program

Interview with Clara Horowitz Peterson

Clara Horowitz went to Head Royce HS in Oakland and graduated in 2002.  She was 3 time NCS Cross Country champion as well as a 3 time state meet XC champion in Division V.  She was also state champion in the 3200m. her senior year.  She ran at Duke University along with Shannon Rowbury and had quite a bit of success there as you will see in the interview.  She took some time off last year to have a baby and was back racing again at the Stanford Invitational.

The interview is by www.ranmarin.com:
http://ranmarin.com/2012/04/18/interview-with-clara-horowitz-peterson/

Sacramento Meet of Champions Entries

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

California Track and Field Newspaper Coverage

CCS
M-A boys run to team track title at Serra Top 7 (The Almanac)
2012 Track and Field Leaders (Palo Alto Online)
Menlo-Atherton wins boys team title at Serra Relays (Mercury News)
Locals set to take aim at Top 8 (Gilroy Dispatch)

NCS
Bay Area Top 8 Meet (James Logan HS website)
Campolindo's Carrie Verdon is back on track after ankle injury (Contra Costa Times)
Santa Rosa's Whyte on the way back (pdpreps.com)
Dragons' relay teams make a statement (Contra Costa Times)

SJS
Woodland High track and field team keeps busy during break (Daily Democrat)

NS
Paradise track team wins eight events in home opener (Chico ER)

CS
Orange County Championships Track and Field Meet (OC Varsity)

SS
Canyon pole vaulter Robert Wolfe:  Change of subject (The Signal)
Guasti wins two jumps in track and field loss to Broncos (Ramona Sentinel)
Top O.C. sports programs through winter (OC Register)
Baxter scorches field at Arcadia (Simi Valley Acorn)
Track talent shines at Arcadia (Camarillo Acorn)
Chapus takes over national lead in 1,500 at Rafer Johnson/Jackie Joyner-Kersee Invitational (Daily News)
Weinreich takes seconds in shot put (Times Press Recorder)
Hart runner O'Neil commits to UCLA (Santa Clarita Valley Signal) NEW
No shortage of track and field opportunities (OC Register) NEW
Wall forties Grace Brethren track and field team (Simi Valley Acorn) NEW

SDS
Boys track and field leaders (April 16) UT San Diego
Girls track and field leaders (April 16 UT San Diego

CIF
Roger Blake named new CIF Executive Director;  replaces the retiring Marie Ishida (Sac Bee)

I will add more during the remainder of this week.

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