The Week in ReviewLast week was jam-packed with action as we kicked off official practice and started school. We dodged a few rain showers in the front of the week and a heat wave at the end, but all in all it was a great week of training. We made our first trips to both Viola Blechle Park and to the front loop of our course. Saturday we got to debut our new uniforms at Media Day. That evening we also held our first Midnight Marathon at out the course, where collectively our runners completed 26.2 miles in just over 3 hours. It looks like our team this year will have 17 runners, 9 boys and 8 girls. That includes a new addition this week. We definitely want to welcome Cain on board.  Our five senior runners! The Week AheadLast week and the upcoming one have served as a bridge between summer training and race season. In the coming days we'll do our last Neuro day and long run for a while, as going forward the focus will shift toward specificity through race-pace workouts (and the actual races). We'll also get to check out the new trail at Legion Lake.  Mid-America Rally (and Alumni) RunThis Saturday is also the Mid-America Rally Run at the TG Trail. Our runners will do a workout following the run, but for team alumni, family, and friends, there's still time to sign up for the actual run here. For alumni who are participating, the plan is to meet near the start line at 7:20AM for our traditional team prayer and sendoff, and to make sure you get entered in the raffle for $100 in Scrip gift cards.  SpikesI've had several parents and athletes approach me in the last week with questions about racing spikes. The post on shoes from this spring includes a full section on spikes. But below are a few key points: -While not required, spikes are recommended for races. They provide more traction and a lighter racing experience. They also inject variation in footwear, reducing the likelihood of overuse injuries. -Spikes are different than regular running shoes or the everyday shoes most runners wear to school. Their feet aren't accustomed to the structural demands and need to acclimate. If runners plan to race in spikes, they should wear them in increasing loads for at least two weeks before racing in them. -Track spikes are not cross country spikes. I know some people who ran track want to double-dip with their shoes, but I don't recommend this. Sprinter spikes are built drastically different and will create a very painful race experience in a 5k on grass. Even distance spikes for track have slightly less foam and a thinner outsole that lacks the texture for additional traction found in most XC spikes (see image below). -Spikes have less variation than trainers. Due to the minimal foam and other structural components, there's not much room for differences among spike styles. That means a gait analysis at a running store isn't really necessary for these. In fact, many running stores only carry a couple models. You can certainly go their to buy them, but they are also available online. As long as you get the sizing right ( I recommend going up a half-size), they should be fine. -Spikes are cheaper than trainers. Even at full price, spike prices are generally half that of trainers. With closeout sales online, that can get even lower. I regularly find spikes on sale for under $30. -Spikes last longer than trainers. Because they only see use at races and the occasional workout, spikes don't accumulate as many miles. The relative lack of foam also makes them more durable. Most runners can get at least two cross country seasons out of a pair of spikes. -Spikes demand more care than trainers. The metal pins inserted in spikes only last a race or two and need replacing. The pins should also be removed after every race to prevent mud from hardening in the slots and making the pins stuck. Lastly runners should never walk or run in spikes without the pins in, as this can damage the slot threads and/or pack them with mud.  Notice the difference in outsoles between the cross country spike (top) and the distance spike (bottom). What Coach LearnedWith all of the busyness of last week, I didn’t have a ton of time for reading. However, I did get to listen to a conversation with Colleen Quigley on the Strength Running Podcast. For those who don’t know, Quigley is from St. Louis and ran at Nerinx Hall around the same time I was in school. She twice finished in the top three at the state cross country meet, and in her senior year she won the state title in both the 1600 and 3200. Her 3200 time is still one of the top 10 in state history. Colleen went on to run collegiately at Florida State, where she peaked at 6th at the NCAA Cross Country Championships her junior year. She also took up the 3000m steeplechase in track, and in her senior year she won the event at the NCAA Track and Field Championships. Colleen carried that momentum into professional running, joining Nike’s Bowerman Track Club. There she was part of the group that broke the world record in the more obscure 4 x 1500m. In 2016 she made the US Olympic team by finishing third in the steeplechase. In Rio later that summer, she reached the Olympic finals and finished 8th. She planned to improve on that performance in Tokyo but spent the early part of 2021 battling a nerve injury in her lower leg that ultimately took her out of competition at the trials. Quigley never bounced back fully. This year she retired from track and field competition and has shifted her training to the triathlon. The interview focused on Quigley’s 2021 injury, specifically the mental aspects of dealing with pain and discomfort that takes you out of running. While many injuries are the result of poor training choices, this wasn’t really the case for Colleen. Nonetheless, she struggled with blaming herself, thinking that in some way she could have prevented the injury and was responsible. Colleen also highlighted her struggle with the perception that she was weak for not being able to run, despite her reputation as one of the toughest runners out there. I think we can learn a lot from her experiences. Our team has been very fortunate this summer not to have seen any significant injuries. I do think much of that can be attributed to consistency in training, reasonable progressions of volume and intensity, and ample doses of strength and mobility work. But some of it is also just luck. At some point this season one of our runners will likely experience an injury. I think knowing that even elite runners with the best training programs in the world still get hurt can be frustrating to hear, but it can also be a reminder that even when we do all we can, some things our beyond our control, and we have to accept that and make the most of it. For Colleen, that meant focusing on the strength training she could do while unable to run. She also did more cross training through swimming and biking, which ultimately played a role in her move to the triathlon. I think Colleen demonstrates an open mindset that each of us could learn from as we face adversities, setbacks, and injuries in our own performance.  Throwback to Colleen running to victory at Forest Park during her senior year. Comments are closed.
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