Happy
Labor
Day
Team!
Congratulations
to all
athletes
who
raced
Saturday
at El
Cariso!
I hope
you all
enjoyed
the
feeling
and
reward
of race
day.
Competition
invokes
so many
feelings
in each
of you:
for some
you
can't
wait for
the race
to show
your
competition
what you
have in
the
tank,
others
enjoy
racing
but you
are
still
figuring
out what
to do
and the
full
attack
mode
hasn't
set in,
and
still
others
have
more of
a fear
of
racing
and the
feeling
of being
out of
breath,
and
competition
has you
nervous
and
hesitant.
I want
to take
a few
sentences
to
encourage
each
group:
-
For
those
who
just
can't
wait!
Everyone
needs
to
understand
first
that
all
athletes
get
nervous
so
we're
all
together
on
this
point.
The
elite
runners,
in
every
age
group,
have
a
built
in
attack
mode.
This
mode
gets
enacted
at
every
practice
and
on
race
day
there
is
nothing
they
want
more
than
to
identify
the
next
runner
in
front
of
them
and
destroy
them.
These
are
typically
the
top
8-20
kids
in
the
conference.
However,
this
can
also
be
kids
just
starting
off
who
once
they
get
more
training
under
their
belt
will
be
in
the
top
20.
-
For
those
who
enjoy
racing
and
training
but
haven't
yet
achieved
their
full
potential.
This
is a
big
group
in
the
realm
of
all
the
kids
I've
coached.
I
have
a
goal
with
each
athlete,
help
you
improve
and
achieve
what
I
know
each
of
you
has
inside.
I
saw
every
single
athlete
racing
hard
on
Saturday
and
it
was
awesome.
Many
of
you
ran
your
very
first
race
ever
and
I am
so
proud
of
you
for
that
first
step.
I've
had
many
conversations
with
parents
over
the
years
about
their
athletes
and
the
specific
question
of
why
doesn't
my
child
run
faster.
I'll
answer
with
this:
in
my
experience
every
athlete
cracks
the
attack
mode
code
at
different
stages.
Some
gremlins
you
can
tell
the
first
day
they
run
they
have
it.
Others
might
not
get
it
until
their
Bantam
or
Midget
years.
Some
honestly
will
never
be
all
out
attackers.
Their
personality
just
doesn't
include
the
desire
to
push
past
the
red-line
and
be
willing
to
suffer.
That's
ok.
Those
athletes
are
in
my
third
category.
-
This
group
enjoys
running,
they
even
enjoy
being
at
the
race,
but
competition
scares
them
to
the
point
they
freeze
up.
This
uses
a
lot
of
energy
and
for
some
it
negatively
impacts
their
race
performance.
We've
even
had
elite
kids
that
had
a
hard
time
harnessing
this
mental
game
of
racing
and
as a
result
could
rarely
achieve
their
potential.
Sometimes
though
it
isn't
nerves
so
much
as
an
athlete
just
doesn't
have
the
deep
down
desire
to
seek
and
destroy
their
competition.
Again,
this
is
ok,
but
it
helps
to
understand
your
child
to
help
both
them
and
you
enjoy
this
experience.
My goal
in
providing
these
race/training
categories
is first
and
foremost
so the
athletes
can have
the very
best
experience
in this
sport.
Secondly
is so
you as
parents
can
enjoy
your
child's
successes
relative
to their
abilities
and
encourage
them in
that as
well. We
have a
lot of
bantam
and
gremlin
athletes
which is
very
exciting
and fun.
There
are very
few kids
this age
that
innately
have
that
attack
mode.
However,
with a
very
competitive
team
like
Storm,
they
will
naturally
be
pushing
with
their
peers
and the
attack
mode
will
come. So
parents,
stick
with me
on this
and make
it your
goal to
encourage
your
athletes
to
bigger
things,
while
keeping
in mind
where
they
are. I
had a
great
conversation
with a
dad on
Saturday
about
their
child
and the
understanding
the they
will
never be
winning
the
race.
Both of
our
desires
was to
see 100%
effort
both in
practice
and on
race
day.
Just
because
you are
not an
attacker,
doesn't
mean you
don't
improve,
it
doesn't
mean we
don't
work
with
you, it
doesn't
mean
you're
not a
great
runner.
I hope
in all
those
words
each
athlete
and
parent
identifies
both
where
you are,
and just
as
importantly
where
you want
to go
with
this
sport.
There's
no one
around
here
that
will say
you
can't
improve,
so go
after it
this
week,
work to
become
and
attacker,
or work
to
control
your
mental
game,
whatever
it is,
keep
improving!
This is
week 6
and with
it we
will
keep
stepping
on the
gas
pedal so
hold on
for some
more
workouts
that
will
push you
mental,
physically,
and
emotionally.
This
week we
are also
going to
focus on
two more
aspects
of
proper
running
mechanics
or
running
form:
your
waist or
your
core,
and your
chest
and
shoulders.
First, I
want you
to think
of
standing
against
a wall,
your
heals
are
touching,
your
back is
touching
and your
butt is
also I
guess.
As you
stand
there,
you are
completely
vertical.
If you
start to
fall
forward,
imagine
that
straight
line of
the wall
follows
you and
the
second
you have
to take
a step
forward
to catch
yourself,
you hold
that
position.
That is
the
perfect
lean for
running.
You are
still in
control,
running
tall,
but you
are
using
the
perfect
amount
of
gravity
in your
favor.
You
don't
want to
bend at
your
waist,
you want
to
maintain
that
straight
line.
Moving
to your
core,
why do
you
think we
do so
much
core
work?
Because
you use
your
core to
maintain
that
straight
position,
even
when you
get
tired.
Racing
hills
you
start to
see
really
quick
how the
core is
important
in
maintaining
your
form.
Next we
move up
to your
chest
and
shoulders.
Keep
your
shoulders
slightly
back to
open
your
chest.
This
allows
you to
consume
as much
oxygen
as
possible
which
then
keep
your
muscles
running
better
longer.
Alright,
long
newsletter
this
week.
Thanks
for
sticking
with me
on this.
Thanks
to all
you
parents
for your
support,
to the
coaches
for
making
my job
easier,
and to
the
athletes
for
giving
all of
us a
show to
remember!
See you
soon.
