By Emma Schaumloffel and Amelia Smith
The weather matched the general mood of a Monday: dreary and misty. While it wasn’t the best weather for normal activities, it was decent running weather for our XC 800s(it was a little slippery though). It was our second time doing XC 800s, where we ran an 800m section of our cross country course at sub-tempo pace. The goal this time was to run at least 1 more than the previous time this workout was completed, with the maximum number being 6 plus one 300. Initially, few people were excited about the workout, but after a couple reps, everyone had settled in and was looking strong. The rainy weather made the course a little slippery, but luckily, no one fell. As my training group finished our last rep, we realized that the workout actually went by pretty quickly and was very successful. We ended the day with our dynamic flexibility, but doing it inside, as opposed to the soggy grass.
As Tuesday approached, it brought with it the longest long run of the season. Although it wasn’t very long in reality, 90 minutes of running always brings up the question of where to run. It’s too much time to stay on campus, but going off campus means ending a 90 minute run uphill. For some reason we did both (which only worsened the suffering). With one of our athletes enduring hip problems we took to the trails, running loops in the woods, before ditching the injured and taking the cart path down to the main road. From there we did a little out and back, taking a trip into the center of Greenville before returning (uphill) to Mascenic. With time still left we did a lap of the Cross course followed by a lap around the elementary school. Finally satisfying the time requirements, we finished up the day with the routine strides, yoga walks, and jump ropes(which are torture after running long).
Wednesday was race prep(ew) to prepare for the Jeri Blair Invitational. Changing it up this week, we took our starts to the hill behind the maintenance shed. The same hill two of our athletes fell down the week prior(rip). Thankfully we were running up this time, not down. Looping around the gravel parking lot to start, we were instructed to run up the hill as fast as we were physically capable of doing. As awful as it sounded it was actually kind of fun(weird). After 3 reps of hills, the guys dispersed to finish their 20 minute “cool down”, while the girls held back to take their photo entry for the Chicken Legs Poster Contest. With our photographers, Coach Becka and Coach Smith at the ready we got into position and posed. We only got slightly out of hand. There isn’t much else to say as the photos speak for themselves. All the good stuff is on our Instagram page (mascenic_xc).
On Thursday, we traveled up to Belmont to race at the Jeri Blair Invitational. This time, our race had a plan that revolved around group running. Our top two girls were set off on their own to see what they could manage to do in the front. Despite almost going the wrong way not once, not twice, but three times, they managed to hold the top two spots the entire race. Our next group of girls was focused on runners three and four pulling runner six, in hope of helping to close the time spread. Our sixth runner was facing injury, however, so she faced a lot of difficulty while racing. Our fifth runner was paired with our seventh runner to help push her throughout the race, once again hoping to close the time spread. They both did really well, with the fifth runner passing a lot of people in the last 1000m. The girls ended up going 1-2-3-7-17, and took first place. The boys had a similar plan as the girls, being put in two pairs, with the fifth runner left to his own devices. In doing so, the faster of the pair pulled the slower of the pair through the first lap, then raced the second lap as normal. The fifth runner paired himself with a kid he ran near the first lap, then tried to beat him the second lap. The boys ended in third place. On the bus ride home from Belmont, we made our usual stop to a grocery store, where each of the boys, once again, got a pint of chocolate milk.
On Friday, we had no official practice, but everyone was expected to run 50 minutes easy on their own. Based on the stories I heard, it seems that most people completed their runs.
(On not particularly a side note, the team were co winners of the Chicken Legs contest and now will each get a full size poster of their winning pic and have that image included on a postcard that is sent along with the Chicken Leg purchases. Yea, win!)
