Sunday, July 29, 2012

Fall 2012 XC Info (Revised 8/3)

Important Reminders for all cross country runners:

TEAM MEETING: All student athletes are required to attend an NCAA rules meeting on Monday, August 20, at 2:00 pm at the O'Reilly Center.

PHYSICALS: Physicals for all runners (new and returning) will be given by Drury team doctors on Monday, August 20, at 5:30 pm. We'll meet at the Fitness Center and then move to the training room. Physicals are required before anyone can practice.

MEDICAL FORMS: All runners must have all medical forms, including insurance card(front & back) on file with the trainers by 2:00 pm on August 20. Signed forms must be returned to the athletic trainers and must be on file prior to the physical. Links to the forms are on this blog to the right and on the Drury Panthers Athletic Training web page.

HOUSING: New students/runners will be able to move into campus housing as early as Friday, August 17. Returning students/runners are able to move in on Saturday, August 18.

FRESHMEN ELIGIBILITY: Freshmen need to be certain a test score (ACT/SAT) is forwarded from the testing agency and a final transcript is forwarded from your high school to the NCAA Eligibility Center to confirm academic eligibility. Also, in order to receive a "final" amateurism certification, you will need to revisit the Eligibility website, access your file and request a final decision for both DII cross country AND track. This MUST be done soon so rosters can be finalized.

ROSTER INFO: New runners please forward your biographies to Eric Pannell (epannell@drury.edu) as soon as possible so he can put together the cross country roster. Sports Information wants only cross country highlights, no track highlights, for use on the cross country roster web page. Returning runners are welcome, but not required, to make any changes by sending revisions to Eric Pannell.

TRAINING SHOES: Training shoes have been ordered so each runner on the team has a new pair of trainers in the fall. Still waiting to hear from 5-6 runners who have not placed their shoe orders, so those runners need to contact Coach Van Arkel (xcountry@drury.edu) ASAP with their training shoe brand, model and size (no experimental or beta models; only tried and true). Drury will cover up to $100 of the purchase price.

GEAR: During the first couple weeks of practice we will hand out the following gear: Training shoes, Asics backpacks, large duffel bags, gym sacks, Nike track pants and Zoom running jackets, Nike rain jackets, running tee's, racing shorts, racing singlets, socks and possibly other training/racing apparel. Runners are responsible for providing their own racing spikes. The Drury Athletic Department hosts a Sports Auction as a fundraiser in October. Each runner will be responsible for selling an auction cash bash ticket in exchange for obtaining gear.

T-SHIRTS: We will have Drury running t-shirts available for all runners on the team after practice starts and extras for family/friends/boosters to purchase as part of our fundraising efforts for the team. I also plan to make older singlets and jackets available to former runners wishing to contribute to the cross country team through the "D Club" (Drury's athletic booster organization).

PRACTICES: Our first team meeting will be Monday, August 20, at 2:00 pm at the O'Reilly Center. Physicals will be Monday, August 20, at 5:30 pm at the Fitness Center/training room. Our first running practice will be Tuesday, August 21, at 6:30 am at the Fitness Center. I also will be at the Fitness Center on Monday, August 20, at 7:30 am in case anyone wants to bring by medical forms.

FALL PRACTICE SCHEDULE: Once we start, expect to practice six days a week throughout the fall until the NCAA Cross Country Championships, with an extra day off during Labor Day weekend. We'll run most mornings, and work out a second time several days each week. All runners must be at all practices, unless: in class; at a wedding or funeral; sick with a diagnosed illness or fever; or injured and receiving treatment from the trainers. Plan to be in the pool (not on a bike or elliptical machine) if you are injured and cannot run. Other family gatherings, employment, "meetings"  or "not feeling well" are not sufficient reasons to miss practice.

1000 MILE CLUB: We'll award 1000 Mile Club training tee's as each runner runs his or her 1000th  mile starting from June 10. All runners should be aware of their summer mileage and be able to reach that mark sometime during the fall season.

Coach Van Arkel
xcountry@drury.edu

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Off-Season Training: Weeks of July 22 & 29

After six weeks of consistent running it is time to increase mileage again so that the total mileage run during the last four weeks of the summer break is higher than the earlier weeks. Try to increase mileage by an average of at least one mile per day(an extra 7-8 minutes or so of running). For example, if you ran 56 miles this past week(8 miles/day) then run 63 miles(9 miles/day). If you ran 65 miles, then try for 72 miles. Except for hill repeats, the pace for most of your running can remain relaxed/conversational. We are still building our aerobic base. Tempo runs will start in August, and we won't start speed work until we are 6-8 weeks away from the most important meets. Please do core strength work(crunches/pushups/planks/dips) at least two times during the week. It's hot so always drink plenty of water before and after your run to stay hydrated.

Sunday Long run of 10-14 miles(> 75 minutes)

Monday 7-9 miles w/ strength training

Tuesday 8-11 miles

Wednesday 7-9 miles w/ hill repeats

Thursday 8-10 miles w/ strength training

Friday 7-9 miles

Saturday 5-7 miles or swim/bike

Coach Van Arkel
xcountry@drury.edu

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Fall XC Gear/Shoes!

TRAINING SHOES: We will be ordering training shoes soon so each runner on the team has a new pair of trainers in the fall. All runners need to contact Coach Van Arkel(xcountry@drury.edu) with their training shoe brand, model and size(no experimental or beta models; only tried and true). I will hand out the following gear to all cross country runners soon after practice starts:

-Training Shoes & Socks
-Running/Racing Shorts
-Racing Singlets
-Short Sleeve Tee's
-Long Sleeve Tops
-Nike Rain Jackets
-Nike Running Jackets & Track Pants
-Gym Sacks
-Duffle Bags

Coach Van Arkel
417-873-7567

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

First XC Practice/Meeting & Physicals August 20


Before we have our first practice/team meeting/physicals, all runners must have all medical forms filled out and turned in to the Drury athletic trainers prior to coming to campus. All runners are then required to get a physical done at Drury by the Drury team doctor. The completed medical forms/insurance info and physicals are required for practice/participation.

The medical forms can be found at the Medical Forms link to the right, or at:

http://www.drurypanthers.com/sports/2011/6/20/GEN_0620111326.aspx?tab=coxhealthdruryathleticssportsmedicine

Cross Country Preseason Practice Schedule:

Friday(8/17) New Students Move In to Dorms

Saturday(8/18) Returning Students Move In

Monday(8/20) 7:30 am Turn in Medical Forms at Fitness Center
2:00 pm Required Student Athlete Meeting re NCAA rules @ O'Reilly Center
5:30 pm Team Meeting @ Fitness Center
6:00 pm Physicals for all Cross Country Runners
-(physicals can also be done at 4 pm Aug. 6
or at 6 pm on Aug 12 at Drury)

Tuesday(8/21) 6:30 am 6-8 miles @ Fitness Center
4:30 pm 3-4 miles w/ strength training @ Fitness Center

Wednesday(8/22) 6:30 am 8-10 miles @ Fitness Center

Coach Van Arkel
417-873-7567

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Off-Season Training Tips

-Run on soft surfaces (grass/trails) as much as you can.

-Be sure you have good supportive running shoes with plenty of cushioning. We will also get new trainers when the fall season starts.

-Start each run with easy jogging. Don't overstretch before you run, but do lightly stretch after the run.

-Stay hydrated. Drink water during the day and drink some kind of sports drink/fruit juice/chocolate milk after a run to immediately replace carbohydrates.

-If you are sore, back off. Don’t run thru sharp pain. Ice areas that are sore. If soreness persists, contact the Drury trainers or a sports medicine clinic and inform Coach!!

-Do sets of core strength work(crunches, planks, pushups, dips, etc.) at least twice each week.

-Run hilly courses as often as you can.

-Follow the hard/easy training cycle. Do recovery runs or cross train between harder runs or longer runs.

-Get lots of sleep and rest between workouts.

Coach Van Arkel
417-873-7567

Off-Season Training: Weeks of July 8 & 15

The summer is nearly half over, so cross country training picks up a bit, with more mileage the next two weeks and an essential session of hill repeats each week. Women and men should be running 50-60 miles/week. The long run can be from 70 to 90 minutes at a conversational pace. During the week add a set of hill repeats (6-8 repeats up a 150-200 m hill at 3k race pace with a recovery jog back down). Any day of the week is okay for the hill repeats (except the day after the long run). Also, do at least two core/strength training workouts during the week. These should consist of crunches, pushups, dips and planks (up, down & each side with leg raises).

Sunday(7/8 & 7/15) Long run of 10-13 miles

Monday 6-8 miles

Tuesday 7-9 miles w/ strength training

Wednesday 6-8 miles w/ hill repeats

Thursday 7-9 miles w/ strength training

Friday 8-10 miles

Saturday 4-6 miles or swim/bike


Coach Van Arkel
417-873-7567