Week 4
The week may have been short, but the workload, not so much. The downside of the long weekend: at some point it ends. The downside of a cross country runner’s long weekend: at some point it ends and you get to head to Sanborn for a race. All joking aside, the Mascenic team got to head up to the Kingston Commons this past Tuesday for a nice flat and sweaty 5K. I guess things can only go uphill from here. If you know what I mean.
For the most part, the team was there to get in a real, solid race. And they seemed to do just that. The sheer amount of athletes gave us a good opportunity to practice our racing skills. Things like passing, running in packs, all that good stuff. Although we might want to go over effective shoelace tying with everyone, just so everyone’s on the same page. You know, that you’re shoe should stay ON, at least until the end of the race. I do suppose second place with a shoe disability isn’t too horrible.
But even after a race day, there’s still work to do, so the team journeyed down the ever lovely River Road for some luscious Woodline Ridge Hills. Most people were only able to swallow 2 or 3 of them, due to the .9 mile length of the repeats. Oh, but don’t worry, they’re not nearly the most pain-inducing or spirit-crushing workout Smith has in store for us. At least everyone was able to take a dip in Bankee afterwards.
On Thursday, the team headed out the door for a long run, and I think it’s safe to say most people were a little energy shot, taking into consideration the past two days, and the returning wave of heat. I won’t lie though, it’s pretty fun finding a wrecked car in the middle of the woods and pelting it with stones. It kind of made my day, actually.
Friday is a prerace day, so that means easy run. And then on Saturday, it’s to HollisBrookline, and this will be no tempo run. Not that anyone aside from, I hate to say it, Zina, would be able to go tempo anyways. Like Sinatra said, “the best is yet to come.”
Week 5
Another week in the books, and we’re nearly halfway to the moment of truth. Until then there’s still more to do, and a lot more fun to be had.
The Mascenic squad hopped onto the cross course this past Monday for a nice, tranquil 800s workout. I might just be crazy, but I swear the course changes every time we run on it. I think Smith either likes messing with us, or he likes having a new course record every year. Probably both.
On our long run, we decided to head up to Boston. Nussdorfer Boston, that is. It’s like the real Boston, but instead of a bustling city with large, overlooking buildings trying to hide the bright blue sky, picture a huge pile of blown up granite in the middle of the woods, just beckoning someone to walk on it and snap their ankle in half. So you know, it’s basically the same. Why do we call it Boston? I’m really not 100% sure, to be honest.
On Wednesday it was more hills. HOORAY! And then more hills, just in reverse. After focusing on the uphill, Smith had us focus on downhill, which by the way, is much more stimulating.
After an easy 30 minute warmup on Thursday, the team practiced the invaluable tool of getting out at the start of the race, in preparation for the next day’s homecoming meet. It’s always fun to have more than one person’s mom there to support the team and to see Smith losing his mind the entirety of the day.
Of course,there’s nothing quite like getting the weekend revved up with a good oldfashioned cross country course. Overall, everyone performed pretty exceptionally. Or at least I’m assuming, since I didn’t hear much grumbling about performances. I just hope no one was saving anything for the Viking 5K on Saturday. That’s the true newby test, if there ever was one.
“Spend a little more time trying to make something of yourself, and a little less time trying to impress people.” The Breakfast Club
