WOW with one of the nation's best XC High School teams

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Race Report: Alamogordo (Boys)

"We just OWNED that race!"

You know any race is good when you ever hear a quote like that after it. All I have to say is, "Wow!" We kicked some major booty today. It was awesome. It started with the Varsity boy's race. We had some holes to fill in the varsity roster, and right now it's looking like they might have been filled. We had James and Raymond pushing each other till the end and they both ended up sub 20, which is a huge PR for James. He did awesome. I got 9th, and then Luke was not far behind me, Sierra came in next, followed by Dylan. Raymond edged out James in a sprint at the finish, and then Greg. Our Varsity boys came in 3rd overall, which is a huge accomplishment. We have never placed that high as a team in Alamogordo before. Ruidoso came in 2nd though. That we have to work on. Their 4th boy came in before our 2nd boy. We have to start beating those guys, especially with district at our house. For the JV race, it was good news after good news. Pretty much everyone PR'ed. Starting with Jared, who claimed the 7th spot for Varsity next week. He got 11th, and had a hell of a race. Brendan and Hanson cleaned up the race. They pushed each other so hard, and had some crazy good times to show for it. They both PR'ed like crazy. It was inspiring to them running hard for each other, and I'm very excited to see how their season will keep going. Ricardo had a great race too. He always works hard, and I think he is going to surprise a lot of people this season. He had a great summer training and it's going to all pay off. Matt had a kick ass race. He PR'ed as well, and was not that far behind the pack. He was running so hard, I don't think I have ever seen him go as fast as he did today. Adonnis had a great race too. He was working hard and he finally looks like he is starting to open his stride. I think he has the potential to be a solid runner. Anthony had his first race today, and he did really well. I never saw him walking, which is really good. As the season continues, he will just get better and better. We finished off the meet with some great pizza and custard. That had to be one of the funnest meets ever. Good job you guys! You all just got me pumped for this season!!!

FAQ on the new assistant coach

Q: Why is Julie's mom our new assistant coach?

A: Like you, I love to run, and I do 1-2 races a month.  I like to mix up the distance, terrain, and elevation.  This year I have done races ranging from 5K to 40 miles.  My love is longer trail distances, but I occasionally put on my road shoes to see how I can perform on pavement. Sometimes I feel golden, sometimes I suffer, but I try to end every event with a smile, grateful to be out there with health and doing my best.   I believe that in running, the glory is not in finishing fast, but in being brave enough to take the first step. 

Q: Do you run local races?

A:  Sometimes, but this summer I have focused on a race series in Colorado.  I have one more event left, and am 52 seconds out of first place in my age group, but I hope to fix that this coming Saturday.  :)

Q: If you run all sorts of races, what is the hardest distance?

A:  A 5K.

Q: Are you a nutrition nut?

A: Yes.  I try to eat food that is an ingredient, not made up of ingredients, because I have seen it help my endurance and keeps me healthy. 

Q: Why do you want to be our assistant coach?

A: Running gives you much more than speedy times.  XC demands persistence, inner strength, and is a great metaphor for handling life and stressful situations.   I hope to encourage the XC athletes to be the absolute best person they can be.  Everyone will finish the runs with a different time, but our work ethic and attitude are our common denominator and make us a team.  And I am honored to be part of that team.  

Q: If you are such a nutrition nut, why did I see chips and soda in your house?

A: Don't tell anyone. In the summer I am weak. But it does not happen very often.

Golden Rules of Racing and Training

1. Run hills!!! Always go the hillier route on a run. If you see a hill coming but it's time to turn around, GO UP THE HILL. Run that

2 extra minutes. It will make you strong and tough and build a discipline that you will use while racing. Don't be a candy-ass up the hill. Run every hill strong and in control. Push the hills and use the flat or downhill to recover if you need it.

2. There's not much traffic on the extra mile. If you are thinking about going either 7 or 8 miles, go 8 and a half. If you are healthy go the maximum plus some. Do those 10 extra push-ups. Do the extra set of sit-ups in the morning. Make it a lifestyle. DO MORE AND DO IT BETTER!

3. Embrace the pain. Think about what this means. When you race YOU WILL HURT. If our sport was easy everyone would do it. When the pain gets really bad, push through the pain and you will reach a new pain threshold. You might have to stay tough and push through it for 1 minute or 2 minutes or 5 minutes but if you hold on and don't give in YOU WILL BREAK THROUGH THE PAIN.

4. Take a chance! You have to try in order to succeed. A gamble won't always work out but when it does, you realize that your potential for success is unlimited.

5. Have confidence in your training. Believe in what you are doing. Step to the line KNOWING you are ready to run. YOU WORK HARDER THAN YOUR COMPETITION!! Believe this and kick some ass!!!!

6. Stay Positive!!!! Don't say or act negatively it only hurts yourself and your team.

7. Get mean. Race like you've got something to prove. Get mad and take it out on the competition.

8. Stay Hungry. Don't ever settle. YOU ARE BETTER THAN THE STATUS QUO!

9. Run for each other. WE ARE A TEAM. Don't let your teammates down by giving less than your best. Missing a long run or a workout hurts EVERYBODY.

10. Set goals. Know what you want and work towards it everyday. Write your goal down. Make yourself accountable.

11. VISUALIZE!!! Think about how the race is going to play out. Go over it in your mind. Picture yourself accomplishing your goals. IT HELPS, I PROMISE!!!!!

Definitely worth watching if you're interested in running faster.

The Lunge Matrix

This is going to become a staple in our program. Every season we all improve, you, me, the team, and the program. To do that we need to constantly be looking for ways to improve while avoiding injury. How do we expect any of this by repeating the year over and over again without change. We are a team with 3 years of experience... Not a team with 1 year of experience repeated 3 times!

Lunge Warm-Up from CoachJayJohnson on Vimeo.

Coaching Openings - Join SHS XC

The SHS Cross Country teams will very shortly be opening up a paid assistant coaching position. If anyone is interested in applying for this position, please go to:

www.socorro.k12.nm.us and click on departments, then on Human resources. Download and fill out a non-certified application and return to SCS at 700 Franklin Street.

If anyone has any questions, please contact Coach Montoya at smontoya@socorro.k12.nm.us

Also, the Cross Country teams are in need of 2 volunteer assistant coaches. If the time commitment of being a paid coach frightens you, perhaps this may be an option.

Either of these positions will require a fingerprint and background check as well as the successful attainment of a NM coaching license.

I truly hope that we have a good turnout of applicants, especially those who are interested in helping with the ladies team specifically. I feel that a good female running role model is just what these girls could use to help motivate them and show them how much fun running can be. The team is not made up entirely of fast young men and women, just like our club we have a diverse group of runners that all could use some mentoring and encouragement. The only thing better than achieving a goal is helping someone else achieve a goal...in my opinion it is even sweeter!