7/23 Newsletter

A Color-FULL Week!

In the last week a lot has happened.  We wrapped up our team camp, had another neural day and hard workout, and even tackled our Color War this morning.  With just two weeks of summer training left, we're definitely making the most of it!

The Week Ahead

Next week is our final week of summer training together.  The state requires a dead period for any sport during the 7 days before its official season starts, so there won't be any training with coaches the following week.  But our final week will still be filled with plenty of fun and running.

Monday 7/27 (7:00-9:00AM):  Neural Day at School.  We'll do some more once official season starts, but this will be our last neural day of the summer.

​Tuesday 7/28 (7:00-9:00AM):  Aerobic Workout at Back Loop of Course.  We'll do one last workout on the back loop of the course, after that we'll be using the front loop if not the entire thing.  This one will be one more progression run for most runners.

Wednesday 7/29 (7:00-8:00AM):  Sunny Bunny at School.  Our last fun day falls exactly 8 months to the day before Easter, so we thought we would do a little summer version of some themed games.
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Thursday 7/30 (On Own):  Easy Run On Own.  Due to limitations on the number of contact days coaches can have with athletes, this day there will be no training session with coaches.  Athletes are welcomed and encouraged to run on their own or in a group.  During official season these restrictions don't exist, so we'll be able to get back to doing these together.

Friday 7/31 (7:00-9:00AM):  Scavenger Hunt at Higher Ed Center.  It isn't entirely true that Wednesday is the last fun day.  We always close out summer training with a photo scavenger hunt around part of town.  This year our home base will be the Higher Ed Center.  Following this we will have a team breakfast hosted by the Welkers at 1629 PCR 800. 

Pre-Participation Documents

Just a reminder that sports physicals and pre-participation forms are due on or before August 10.  Athletes won't be able to practice after that point without these submitted, and athletes have to complete 14 practices before races.  No forms means no practice which could mean no races, so please get these turned in to Mr. McLain or the office.  I will be touching base with the office in the next week so we know exactly who still needs to get them in.

The sports physical form can be found here.   The form consists of five pages.  The first two pages are completed by the student/parent prior to the physical examination.  The third and fifth pages are completed by the physician during the examination. The physician should keep copies of all of these pages in their records.  Due to health privacy concerns, only the last page should be returned to the school. 

The pre-participation form can be found here.

Spikes

It's far enough into the summer to start talking about spikes.  While daily trainers--as the name suggests--are great for everyday practices, racing spikes are designed for race day to help an athlete perform at their best.  You can find a full breakdown of the difference between the two here.  

This is a typical trainer shoe. Note the full rubber outsole and the thicker foam midsole

This is a typical racing spike. Note the presence of spike pins in the forefoot and the thinner midsole.

Most athletes already have their pair of training shoes, but as official season and races approach, it might be good to start exploring buying spikes.  That's true for two reasons.  First, spikes are tough on athletes' feet.  To avoid discomfort and injury risk during races, athletes need to prepare their feet to run 5000 meters in spikes.  That happens by starting with small doses and building up to race distances.  Athletes don't want to buy a pair of spikes for a race the next day.  They want them weeks in advance to start acclimating before it matters most.  If an athlete already has their spikes, they can be worn during neural days, for strides after runs, and eventually for entire segments of workouts.  

The second thing is that many retailers have major sales and discounts on spikes around the end of July or the start of August.  Taking advantage of these can save families some serious cash.   
Ideally, all athletes planning to race in spikes should have them no later than when official season starts on August 10. 

The good news about spikes is that since they have so little material, they're not really as varied as training shoes.  Most shoe companies have at most two lines of spikes (one entry model and one luxury model), and even the differences from one brand to another are much less significant than with training shoes.  That means shopping for spikes is much simpler than training shoes.  Other than sizing (The goal is a snug fit), cost, and appearance, there isn't much to consider.  With their training shoes, athletes should prioritize how the shoe feels and not buy something just because it looks cool and comes in their favorite color.  But with spikes, this is a lot more tolerable. 

So is online shopping.  Spikes in general cost less than training shoes.  All of the same stores we recommend for running shoes also sell spikes, but especially online one can find some very steep discounts on previous years' models.  Because they are worn much less frequently, spikes also tend to last longer for an athlete.  Most runners can get two cross country seasons out of a pair of spikes before needing to replace them.

One other important thing is to make sure the spikes are specifically cross country spikes and not distance or sprint spikes for track.  If you're at a running store and tell them you need cross country spikes, they will make sure you get the right ones.  If you are online, the key is to look for "XC" somewhere in the name of the spike, rather than "D", "LD", "MD", or "S".  ​

Notice that with the cross country spike, the upper (fabric on the top) is a more durable, water repellent material meant for running through grass and mud.

Notice that with the track spike, the upper is a lighter and more breathable material meant to shave weight.

Notice in the cross country spike that the outsole is rubber across the entire bottom, with the thicker ridges (called lugs) for enhanced traction in mud and wet grass. There are also more holes for pins, allowing for additional grip.

Notice that in the track spike only the back half of the outsole is rubber and lacks the deeper lugs. The front half is a firm plastic meant for greater push off but is less flexible and resistant to rocks and roots. Sprinter spikes will actually have more pinholes than most cross spikes to provide grip during the intense acceleration, but long distance spikes like this one actually have fewer pinholes to shed some weight over the lengthy races.

Shoe Sales

This segment of the newsletter will be a recurring depot for sales on spikes and shoes.  It's a little early for the sales at brick and mortar shoe stores in the region, but online there are already a few options.  As physical stores do announce sales and I learn of other options, I will continue to add them here weekly:

Online:
--First to the Finish has some pretty steep discounts on a number of models of spikes.   Do make sure they say cross country or XC.  Track spikes (even distance ones) are not the same thing. 

--TC Running Company has some spike models on sale for men as well as for women.

In-Person:
--Missouri Running Company (Cape Girardeau) are running a promo the first two weeks of August where cross country athletes will save 20% when they buy a combo of spikes and training shoes. They also typically have their anniversary sale at some point in August, usually lined up with tax-free weekend.  Stay tuned for more details on that.  

--Fleet Feet St. Louis (5 locations in the greater St. Louis area) is offering a 15% discount to all cross country athletes during the month of August on the purchase of regularly priced shoes, spikes, socks, apparel, as well as 10% off all electronics.

--Big River Running Company (3 St. Louis locations) is offering a student athlete discount August 1 through September 15.  That entails $20 off any training shoes, $15 off any spikes, and 15% off any accessories and apparel in store.  You should also be able to use the codes STUDENTATHLETE20 and STUDENTATHLETE15 respectively to get these discounts online.  

--Running Niche (Tower Grove neighborhood of St. Louis) is having a big tent sale on older model shoes the weekend of August 7-9.  Some other items are 10% off this weekend as well.  Their spike options are limited, but they have plenty of training shoes, a whole section of their store dedicated to sports bras with female staff experienced in fitting.  They also have lots of ChicknLegs and a whole rack of Sprints hats.

Seminary Picnic Carousel

Thank you to everyone who has already signed up to work the carousel at the picnic.  Currently we could still use workers for the following shifts:
Saturday:
8-9PM
9-10PM
10-11PM

Sunday:
2-3PM
6-7PM

If any athlete who already signed up for a shift would like to work a second one, they will receive a service hour for the extra commitment.  Signups are still available using this form. 

​If you need to review the shift you signed up for, you may do so using this page.

Team Warmup Shirt Orders

This is the last newsletter prior to the close of orders for team warmups.  These are what athletes typically wear over their uniforms on meet days prior to the start of races.  Athletes are also allowed to wear these to school on Fridays during cross country season.  While we did 1/4 zip pullovers last year, this year athletes expressed a desire to return to long sleeve shirts.  The design is below.  Cost for these is $30.  

These are also available for parents and other non-athletes to purchase.  However, if you would prefer something that isn't year specific or offers a little more warmth for the colder months, the team store through Pep Rally Prints (see details below) is a great alternative option.

We would like to have these in time for the first Friday of school when students can wear them, as this is also often the day of the fall sports pep rally.  To make that happen, we need to get the order in early.  If you would like to order shirts, please do so using this order form by Wednesday, July 29 at 9AM.  You should get an email after completing the form, but if you want to confirm orders and payment, this page has all order details.

Payment can be made by the following means:

• Cash:  In an envelope with athlete name and "team warmup".  Please have exact change unless you want to make a team donation.
• Check to Mr. McLain with "team warmup" either on the memo line or on an envelope it's in
• Venmo to mistahmclain with "team warmup" in the description.​

Home Meet Shirt Orders

This is also the last newsletter before pre-orders close for meet shirts for our home meet.  Most meets offer t-shirts as a sort of memento.  That includes our meet, and we do have that ready to roll.  These are intended for athletes, but a lot of parents/siblings/other fans also tend to like them.  Shirts will be available to purchase on site at our meet, but quantities will be limited, and cost will be $15 to minimize change.  If you would like to guarantee a shirt and save some money, they are available for pre-order for $12.  This year our screen printer with these was able to make us a custom online store front where shirts can be purchased.  They will ship with the bulk order for the meet and should be available at our team potluck on September 1.  If you would like to pre-order shirts, you may do so using this link.  The deadline to place pre-orders is also Wednesday, July 29. 

Team Store

In the past the only team gear available for fans was our warmup shirts.  We recognized that a dri-fit shirt or pullover is great for our athletes but not necessarily the preference of parents and family members, especially as meets turn colder.  Our warmups typically have the year on them, which also created a pressure for families to have to buy something new every year.  We wanted to create expanded options that our supporters could potentially sport season after season.

This year we are once again partnering with Amanda Warren and her business Pep Rally Prints to offer a team store.  She has created a specialty page on her website where athletes, families, and fans can purchase a variety of cross country branded gear, like shirts, hoodies, socks, sock caps, blankets, and more. 

You can find the full assortment of items at this page, and it's also accessible from the top menu on our team website.  Orders can be placed and paid for online.  Items can either be shipped directly to your home or picked up in town.   Since items are made to order, please allow several weeks after ordering to receive your finished item.  If you want your items to be ready before our first meet, please place orders sooner rather than later.

Dates to Keep in Mind

Here is a list of important dates to keep in mind.  All of them are already in the Google Calendar, but we thought it would be good to point them out here.  This will likely grow as more dates are confirmed.

August 3-9:   Fall Sports Dead Period--No team training, athletes are still welcomed/encouraged to run on their own without coaches.

August 9, 6PM:   Fall Sports Parent Meeting--at least one parent is asked to attend.  Administration will cover school-wide policies for all athletes in the gym before we break off for individual sport meetings.  
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August 10, 7AM:  First Day of Official Practice--Practice will still be in the morning this day because of Back to School Night happening in the evening.  After this practice will typically start at 3:30PM.  All athletes must have turned in their physical and pre-participation paperwork before they will be allowed to practice.

August 15, 9AM:  Media Day--All athletes are required to attend in order to get team and individual pictures.  Athletes should meet out on the football practice field no later than 8:55.

August 15, 3-5PM:  Course Build Day #1--It takes a lot of work to get our course ready to host a meet, and so parents and athletes are asked to attend.  More details will be shared in the coming weeks.

August 15: 8PM-12AM:  Midnight Marathon:  This is our first race-pace workout of the season, done at night with some glow and festivities for some extra fun.

Parent Info Document

Our parent meeting is August 9 at 6pm.  Rather than dumping all of the information for the season on parents then, we prefer to put it out in a document well in advance.  This gives parents the opportunity at their leisure to read through the information, process the information, and come to the meeting ready with questions and/or concerns.  The document for this year is available here.  Because some information is sensitive, it is password protected.  The password was shared in the parent GroupMe.