8/27 Newsletter

Races Are Upon Us!

We've finally reached the week of our first meet!  We've stayed plenty busy since the last newsletter, with multiple days of practice on the course, a neural day, and a Lunar Long Run.  That's all before tonight's pasta dinner and Saturday's races at Jackson (preview for which is in the last newsletter).

The Week Ahead

Outside of State, next week is the biggest week for our team, as we'll have our final course build, our family potluck dinner, and what it's all leading toward ... Thursday's home meet.

Monday 8/31 (3:30-5:45PM):  Neural Day at School (Bring Spikes).  We'll start out reviewing the meet at Jackson and previewing our Home Meet before another neural day a bit abbreviated compared to the previous weeks.

​Tuesday 9/1 (3:30-4:30PM):  48 Hour Workout at Course  We'll get through the workout quickly so that we can start our course build at 4:30PM.  We'll work until 6:30PM, at which point we'll pivot to our family potluck.  
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Wednesday 9/2 (3:30-5:15PM):  Pre-Race Workout at Course.  Our standard workout the day before the meet.
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Thursday 9/3 (3:30-???):  Home Meet.  This is the big chance for our team to shine in front of the local community.  Athletes should change into uniforms at school and then drive over to the course.  They should try to be there by 3:30PM.

Friday 9/4 (3:30-5:15PM):  Recovery Run/Fun Day at School.  We'll review the Home Meet before doing a short recovery run.  Afterwards we'll play either kickball or dodgeball.  

Saturday 9/5 (On Own):  Easy Run On Own.  With it being Labor Day Weekend, we know many will be traveling and/or have other plans.  Athletes will have an easy run scheduled they are asked to complete on their own (or with others).

Home Meet Preview

Our team first hosted a meet back in 2012.  Our course has undergone a number of changes since then, but it remains our first full 5K of the season.
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Unlike Jackson, our meet isn't segmented by grades.  And unlike some of our later meets, there will not be separate races for JV and Varsity.  There's just a single race each for boy and girls, with our entire team racing across the two.

This year we have 16 schools committed to our meet, with roughly 250 runners.  That would be the second largest number in meet history. Initially spectator parking will be in the grassy area immediately inside the entrance to the picnic grounds.  We only let buses park inside of the course loop itself to prevent any potential race obstructions.  Overflow parking is across the highway in the Miraculous Medal Shrine's lot.  We ask that any of our parents and athletes who are in good walking shape to park there in order to save space for grandparents and others who aren't capable to walk long distances, as well as visitors from other schools.  

Like Jackson, our start and finish are reasonably close to each other.  For spectators who don't want to move much, the best place to watch is probably at the intersection where the road into the picnic grounds meets the gravel loop around it.  Runners will pass through that spot three times during the race, and it is within sight of the start and finish as well.  For those who want to be super supportive, the loop around the back field is always where athletes struggle the most and could use a lot of extra encouragement.  

This year we will once again be using Big River Race Management for timing, so live results should be available here on race day.  We will be doing our senior night presentation after the girls race, as well as retiring the uniform of Jackson Unterreiner.  An award ceremony will follow this, so please stick around if possible.  Medals will be given to the top 20 individuals in each race.

Meet Uniform Rules

Questions about uniforms for races come up a lot regarding what an athlete can or can't wear.  The rules have become much less strict in recent years, but sometimes the old rules are still spread among parents and runners as if they are still in effect.  We have linked the current uniform rules from NFHS, the governing body for high school sports whose uniform rules the state follows.  You are welcome to read them in their entirety, but below are a few points of emphasis that come into play during the season.

• The uniform simply consists of the top (tank top) and bottom (shorts) issued to each athlete.  All athletes must wear these during our races, as they must match across all runners from our team in a race.  Nothing may be worn over the top of them during the actual race.
• Athletes may not remove their uniform during a race or immediately following the race while still in the race area.  This excludes shoes/spikes.  
• Anything worn beneath the uniform (socks, compression shorts, tights, undershirts (short or long-sleeve), compression sleeves, etc.) is considered a foundation garment and not part of the uniform.  These do not need to match across athletes.  As long as they don't contain inappropriate content, athletes are not restricted on these.  
• Sunglasses and gloves are permitted.  Head coverings must be soft (sock caps, not ball caps).

Other Important Meet Rules for Spectators

There really aren't many rules in cross country, and even fewer that apply directly to spectators.  But three in particular come to mind that are worth restating for Saturday and beyond. 

1. Watch the Course:  This is the biggest one.  Hardly any races have physical barricades as course boundaries.  Often times the only thing separating the course from everything else is a white painted line, and even that isn't always there.  It's easy for spectators to get caught up in the excitement of a race and lose track of where they are standing.  More often, spectators converge on their athlete who has already finished a race or is about to start one and aren't mindful of races already/still underway.  Please try to be mindful of where the course is.  Please don't stand on the actual course.  If you need to cross the course, please check for athletes and give them the absolute right of way.
2. Water:  This is related to the above one.  Athletes are allowed to receive water during their race.  However, this cannot come at the detriment of another athlete.  This could happen in a number or ways.  If a spectator is handing water to an athlete, they must do so in a non-restricted area (usually these would be near the start or finish line, but at the state course there are a few more).  An athlete planning to receive water should move to the outside of the course to make sure the person handing them the water doesn't impede any other athletes while doing so.  Some athletes ask to be splashed with water.  This is also fine, but it should be done while the athlete is far enough form other competitors that they aren't hit by the water as well.  If an athlete is handed a water bottle, once they are finished drinking from it, they should move to the outside of the course and toss it off of the course in a place where it won't become a potential tripping hazard for any other spectators.
   
3. Pacing:  Many spectators want to support athletes who are racing and give them some motivation.  Running alone is challenging, and so many spectators have the idea of running alongside an athlete to encourage them.  As good as the intentions might be here, this is called pacing, and it isn't allowed.  Pacing is defined in the rule book as anyone who isn't a competitor (i.e. a spectator) running alongside an athlete, usually for more than about 5 consecutive steps.  If an official learns of this behavior, it could result in the disqualification of the athlete, and so it's not worth the risk.

New Parent's Guide to Cross Country

We know cross country is a sport that many new parents have had minimal exposure to before.  This can create a lot of questions, especially on meet days.  The easiest way to learn is to experience meets firsthand, but we've made a guide for new parents that hopefully answers a lot of questions they either might have or never even thought of.  It doesn't cover everything, so if parents have additional questions, feel free to reach out to veteran parents or coaches.  

Season Mowers Needed

Thank you to those who already signed up to keep the course mowed.  It's a lot of work, but it means a lot to be able to continue using the course week in and week out.  Currently we are still in need of individuals to take care of the front loop during the following weeks;

• 9/14
• 9/28
• 10/19
• 10/26

If you would be able/willing to cover any of these weeks, please sign up using this form.  ​

Hotels for State

It seems early to be talking about the state meet, but there is good reason.  The state meet will once again be at the Gans Creek Recreation Area in Columbia.  Races for all classes span Friday November 6 and Saturday November 7.  We will not know our race day/time with certainty until classifications are released next month.  However, given the new Championship Factor rules and the drop in our enrollment with the outgoing senior class, it's fairly likely that both our boys and girls will compete in Class 1.  That would put both races on Saturday November 7, with the girls racing at 9AM followed by the boys at 9:45.  Class 1 also gives both teams a reasonable chance to make it out of districts and qualify for the meet. 

Once classifications are announced with certainty, we will let you know.  However, if there is any chance you would plan to attend the state meet and stay in a hotel the night before, we would strongly recommend booking rooms now, preferably ones with free cancellation.  

The school will provide travel and lodging for any individual qualifiers as well as for the seven runners and alternates on any qualifying team.  This has already been reserved.  However, parents/families and any other individuals (including other team members) will have to coordinate their own lodging and transportation.  Unlike other sports where only the final four teams make it to state, 16 teams from each class will be competing, which with all of their fans factored in means lots of hotel demand.  Mizzou football is also playing Texas at home that Saturday.  With their game scheduled to start at 11AM, hotels for Friday will be in extremely short supply.  Once hotels fill up in Columbia, there isn't much in the surrounding area to turn to. 

​Occasionally you can find hotel rooms the week of state that open up when teams that don't qualify cancel, but this is no guarantee.  We just wanted to give a heads up so you can take action now.

Second Course Build Day

Our second course build day is this coming Tuesday 9/1.  There is still quite a bit of work that needs to be done, so all hands on deck would be greatly appreciated.  I plan to send out specific directions next Monday to all workers who have signed up.  If you still need to claim a job, please do so using the form that can be found here. 

Meet Workers Still Needed

This the Alumni Association took on finding workers for all of the duties at our home meet.  However, unfortunately this year they haven't all been filled.  Many of these positions are critical for the meet to run well, and so we desperately need people to fill them.  The downside to our parents covering them is the potential to miss their child racing.  What we did in the past was have parents of female athletes work the boys race and parents of the male athletes work the girls race.  We can certainly do that again. 

​Currently the biggest needs are someone with a side-by-side to serve as the rabbit (lead vehicle) as well as the tortoise (trail vehicle).  We could also use a few extra people to help with parking.  Any any younger siblings are more than welcome to help give out water.

If you would be able to help with any of these, please contact Mr. McLain.

Last Chance to Sign Up for Pasta Dinners

Thank you to all of the families who have stepped up to serve as either primary or secondary hosts for our pasta dinners!  Currently every dinner has a primary host, but they could all use more secondary hosts, particularly the dinners on Tuesday 9/22 and Wednesday 10/28.  

Every athlete attends these dinners and benefits from the food and hospitality there, and so we would ask that each family sign up to help in some capacity.  It takes the village to pull them all off, and it isn't fair for some families to take on this responsibility without help from others.  Families that haven't already signed up can do so using this form.  Families who haven't signed up by Monday 8/31 will be assigned a dinner to help with.