7/30 Newsletter

Closing Out Summer

As summer winds down, our team is still keeping busy!  In the last week that's included our Levee Long Run with breakfast at Al's Place, one last neural day for the summer, and a new Easter-themed fun day we dubbed Sunny Bunny.

Another Dead Week

Next week there will be no official training with coaches, as the state mandates a 7-day dead period in the week before official practice begins.  Like the previous dead period, that means athletes should not do any running on school property.  However, they are still welcome to meet to run with each other, and athletes will still have suggestions for the week in their training plan.  Training will resume on Monday 8/10 when official season begins.

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.

Athlete Checklist

There are a lot of things that need to be turned in/accomplished as the season begin, and it can be hard to keep track of it all.  We've created a checklist where you can see all of these things and whether an athlete has completed them.  You can access that here.  At this point it should be up to date (the only exception would be if physicals were turned into the office), but if you believe there are any mistakes, please contact Mr. McLain.

Spikes

All athletes who plan to race in spikes should have them for practice by August 10.  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.  

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 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 Sale Season Has Arrived

The sales for training shoes and spikes are starting to hit full swing, with many happening this weekend (bad timing with the Picnic, I know).  Tax-Free weekend is also just over a week away.  Shoes under $100 qualify for the exemption, making it a great time to find some additional savings.

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.  

--TC Running Company has several spike models on clearance.   Note that the Adizero Avanti from Adidas, the Dragonfly from Nike, and the Havok from Saucony are all more aggressive and probably not ideal from new runners.  The rest of the models that are on sale are all suitable for beginners.

--Running Warehouse has some closeout deals on a few of last year's models, though sizes are limited.  The HOKA Crescendo is one of the most cushioned spikes out there, making it favorable for beginners.  The Puma Crossfox and On's Cloudspike XC are both more aggressive super spikes, meaning they are better options for  athletes with several seasons of spike use under their feet.  And be aware the On Citius is actually a track spike (despite the filter for XC spikes).  

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. This Saturday is also their 14th anniversary sale.  From 10am-5pm, everything in the store except electronics is 14% off.  They'll also have closeout sales on last year's models.  And if you can't make it this weekend, you should consider the gift card promo.  You can go to their website (linked above) and purchase a $100 gift card and get an extra $14 added to it.  You could cash it in the following weekend with tax-exemptions and save some serious money.

--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.  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.The sales for training shoes and spikes are starting to hit full swing, with many happening this weekend (bad timing with the Picnic, I know).  Tax-Free weekend is also just over a week away.  Shoes under $100 qualify for the exemption, making it a great time to find some additional savings.

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.  

--TC Running Company has several spike models on clearance.   Note that the Adizero Avanti from Adidas, the Dragonfly from Nike, and the Havok from Saucony are all more aggressive and probably not ideal from new runners.  The rest of the models that are on sale are all suitable for beginners.

--Running Warehouse has some closeout deals on a few of last year's models, though sizes are limited.  The HOKA Crescendo is one of the most cushioned spikes out there, making it favorable for beginners.  The Puma Crossfox and On's Cloudspike XC are both more aggressive super spikes, meaning they are better options for  athletes with several seasons of spike use under their feet.  And be aware the Citius is actually a track spike (despite the filter for XC spikes).  

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. This Saturday is also their 14th anniversary sale.  From 10am-5pm, everything in the store except electronics is 14% off.  They'll also have closeout sales on last year's models.  And if you can't make it this weekend, you should consider the gift card promo.  You can go to their website and purchase a $100 gift card and get an extra $14 added to it.  You could cash it in the following weekend with tax-exemptions and save some serious money.

--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.  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 all who signed up to work the carousel this weekend.  We were able to cover all of the shifts.  You can find the full worker list here.  Please make sure to show up on time for shifts!​

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.

Course Build Day 1

The first of two build days for the course in preparation for our home meet will be on Saturday, August 15 from 3-5PM.  For this day, we will get the course mowed, measured, patched, and roped off where needed.  That requires lots of helping hands ... plus plenty of equipment.  Athletes and at least one parent are asked to help.  Signups for the various roles can be accessed here.

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.  ​