Building a Running/Jumping/Throwing Reader

Despite having coached middle and high school sports for nearly ten years, or 20+ seasons, prior to each season I still habitually purchase a variety of texts related to the sport. While some are drill-based manuals, others are fiction and nonfiction narratives set in the world of track and field. Among running readers, or reading runners, there are some clear classics such as Born to Run by Christopher McDougall, Once a Runner by John L. Parker, Jr., or even Running with Buffaloes by Chris Lear. The overwhelming majority of these are bout distance running or endurance racing. There are also some obvious sport-based magazines that include relevant human-interest or historical essays, for example Runner's World, and others, like Outside, that regularly feature well-written pieces that touch on aspects of what could be called "the track and field lifestyle."

In my primary professional role as a high school English Language Arts teacher, I relish the days when I come across books, chapters, articles or paragraphs that I sense might resonate with the student-athletes I coach--often because they do so with me. Getting high school student-athletes to actually read and reflect on such selections is not easy as not all athletes, or high-schoolers for that matter, are readers-for-pleasure. Just as in English class, motivating students to engage text is frequently a matter of trying to fit a square peg into a triangular hole. At the beginning, I did what my coaching-mentor modeled for me: attach 1-3 page articles with titles such as "You Are What You Think You Are" to weekly team updates of information and training tips. After doing so, he and I might refer to the concepts or ideas with individual students-athletes as the teachable moment presented itself. Most times there would be minimal practical impact on the team dynamic as a whole since the articles and the messages inherent in each would be lost to the sands of time.

BEWARE: Typos above!

Last week, in the two days of practice leading up to our school's ten day Spring Break, I tried something more ambitious. I assigned "homework" for the members of the Girls Track and Field team. Yes, homework that did not include self-directed fartleks or core workouts (though those would be great, too). In addition to "enjoying family time," I wanted them to read. For this reading, I selected a personally annotated 10 page chapter entitled "Probing Commitment" from the tremendous book Dirty Inspirations: Lessons from the Trenches of Extreme Endurance Sports by Terri Schneider. I first read Dirty Inspirations nearly two years ago and have waited for the right opportunity to try to use it with a team. With a relatively new squad of girls, and a solid group of returning trackletes, this year seemed the right time to go for it. With a few days prior to break, I assured that everyone on the roster had a copy and articulated the task on the weekly update posted above.

Teaching experience reminds me that simply assigning and hoping text will be read because "it is the right thing to do" is likely to lead to only the few most dedicated girls actually doing so. During our last pre-break team meeting, I let them know there would also be a test of the concepts such as "leaving your ego at the starting line gives your team its best shot" (page 61) at our next full practice upon returning from break. I also reiterated verbally that which I had written in the assignment: "If you ARE part of the TEAM and the coach asks you to READ a selection, how do YOU demonstrate your commitment?" I am confident that this current collection of jumpers, throwers and runners are up to the task of reading and learning, and ultimately acting on something new...

Summer Reading: Dirty Inspirations

Using a popular structural approach, the tone and message
of each chapter is established with a quote.

In my roles as both a weekend warrior and high school coach, I am always on the lookout for books that can provide motivation to the athlete-in-me, as well as break down challenging sports-psychology concepts for those interested student-athletes with whom I work. Dirty Inspirations: Lessons From the Trenches of Extreme Endurance Sports by Terri Schneider is that rare collection of essays that is capable of doing both. A champion endurance athlete turned sports psychologist, Schneider draws on her broad array of competitive experiences (ranging from Ironman tri-athlete to Eco-Challenge team member).

A world-class athlete, Schneider has personal experience battling the mental demons that come with endurance sports. Endurance sports, as defined by the Farlax Free Dictionary, are activities performed primarily by an individual "in which key muscles are exercised at submaximal intensity for prolonged periods of time," and within this competitive arena, the author finds multiple anecdotes illustrating a practical psychological approach.

What Schneider's anecdotes and experiences do so effectively is to add meaningful meat to the bones of  tired coaching code such as "Hang in here" and "You can do this if you try." Anyone who has engaged in athletics at any level (from recreational to professional) have heard ad nauseum, further reinforcing the reality that for many coaches (myself included), the real sports psychology employed is limited to motivational phrases. In the spirit of "physician, heal thyself," Schneider shows how her own application of these theories has resulted in both personal competitive successes and failures.

The text is broken into sixteen easily digestible chapters, each illustrating a different psychological training principle through the lens of the author's personal experience. This stricture allows time for the reader to intellectually breathe and reflect upon the insights offered in each chapter. While chapter titles such as "Afraid of Fear" and "Painting Your Authentic Self" have  whiff of self-help pop psychology, given the practical experiences behind each principle, Schneider avoids the potential pitfall of celebrity how-to book. In addition to being an exceptional endurance athlete, Schneider is also an academic who has pursued education in sport psychology. Interestingly, the author often refers to her motivations for pursuing such training as events in her competitive life give rise to the possible need for it. If anything, it is her academic writer's voice that puts this text in the realm of psychology and training literature rather than purely adventure biography. This is not to suggest the words lack passion, but to remind that this really is, I believe, intended to introduce valuable ideas within the exciting context of adventure racing. It is one thing to run a 10k or half-marathon and describe what it is like to work through discomfort, and another thing entirely to address the subject having successfully completed a 100 mile foot race.

Author Terri Schneider.

Two chapters I found of especially meaningfully, given my own current state of affairs were "Probing Commitment" (pages 58-68) and "Finding Comfort in Discomfort" (pages 138-155). Next week, I will be embarking on my sixth (!) season as a high school Varsity Cross-Country coach, in all likelihood with a team comprised of young women with little prior experience at running the 5k distance competitively. Additionally, I very recently participated in a 20k that frankly did not go as planned, and during whcih I sustained an injury, that had me questioning whether to continue or not. In both instances, "professional" and personal, the necessity of commitment, to the individual as well as to those who rely upon them, is significant. Both chapters spoke specifically to questions I had around internal motivation and the necessity of powerful self-talk in persevering.

Dirty Inspirations: Lessons From the Trenches of Extreme Endurance Sports by Terri Schneider is worthy reading for both the competitor and coach. Unlike similar books which speak to sports psychology in a specific athletic endeavor (basketball coaching books for basketball coaches for example), the anecdotes and information in Schneider's text are readily transferable to any sport, especially as the athletic feats of the author imbue her words with instant credibility. I look forward to sharing parts of this text implicitly through some decisions I make this seasons and explicitly by sharing an excerpt (or two) with the team.

The Running Wheel Turns Again

In most matters, I am what can best be described as a "planner." For my work (teaching) it is a fine attribute, especially as I am willing to quickly deviate from a lesson plan if the situation (or class) necessitates it. While a willingness to map out goals, whether personal or educational, appears to be a mostly positive trait, the most significant drawback can be that on occasion I spend too much time planning and not enough time acting: it allows me the out that "I am working on it." Such has been my on-again-off-again love affair with recreational running.

Past best laid plans.

In September, my previous plan culminated in my successfully completing a half marathon, a race that was perfectly scheduled for my purposes as the taper came during the start of the school year and the recovery afterwards was positioned during a period of intense coaching and teaching. But now, weeks later, I find myself saying at the the end each work week, "This weekend I begin a new plan," even going so far as to jot down a course for the following morning.

This morning, after waking up early at the dawn of the second-to-last meet of the high school girls' cross-country meet of the season, I acted. The past three years it has become increasingly difficult to get outside on the streets in "the cold."  Years ago I loved running in the hard pact snow at 5 a.m., an experience which, of late and in much kinder conditions, held little allure. Today was a cool, damp, autumnal one and it was glorious. Inspired (deluded?) by the short, easy three miles I put in, I decided to blog about it here (thus inspiring accountability) and begin to put in action another plan for a future race. In a little over two months I will be running another local half marathon with other more lofty goals crystallizing in the ether beyond January. For now, it has to be first things first.

At least that is the plan.

A Deer Skull Preserved

A white-tailed doe deer skull preserved by yours truly. (8/26/14)

There are some discoveries than can be made participating in high school cross-country that are just not likely to be found in other more traditional fall sports such as football or swimming. Chief among those would be finding decomposing animal remains on the field of play.

Each cross-country preseason, the student-athletes and coaches, travel to the courses we will be competing on during the regular season. Last Tuesday, while running with members of the girls team, we found ourselves slightly off course at Mendon Ponds Park, and came across the remains of a decomposing deer carcass. Half-joking, I told the girls I would be coming back later to retrieve the bones. Though it took me a few days, this past weekend, while on an early morning bottle return run, I drove back to Mendon and, searched back through the trails we had run earlier in the week.

The doe remains as we came across them. (8/23/14)

White tail deer are very common in upstate New York; I've even seen them within the Rochester city limits running down Monroe Avenue. The irony was not very subtle that when I walked along the trees looking for the trail head, I came across a deer quietly watching me from four feet deep in to the woods. After inadvertently startling the watcher away, I was fortunate enough to once again happen across the site where the bones lay. Leaving the spine and other mystery bones behind, I respectfully retrieved the doe deer skull and carefully placed it in a plastic shopping bag for transport. (Unfortunately the jaw bone was not in the general vicinity.) NOTE: While I realize that it is illegal in some states, such as Iowa, to take "live specimens" from public parks, I found nothing online regarding the collection of wildlife remains in New York state.

The skull--sans jawbone--as it lay just off the trail. (8/23/14)

I had two thoughts as I drove home. Firstly, I contemplated whether I had somehow been disrespectful to the animal that had passed and whose skull I now carried in the trunk of my vehicle. At that point I quietly promised myself to move forward in a mindful manner, conscious that the activity I was embarking on was not without cost.

My second thought was the activity I thought to engage in: to determine the most practical way to preserve the skull, my thinking being that it would be an interesting display piece in my classroom. In the practices that followed, our engagement with the remains had now become part of an interesting cross-country anecdote. I am by no means a scientist and this post should not be read as a set of how-to directions (though I frame it just that way), but I do often pick up odd activities just to see where they go, and this is just the most recent flight of fancy. In a way, it relates back to a previous one.

A number of years ago I took the hunting gun safety certification course because it seemed (and was interesting). One reason I've never pursued the hobby is the fear that I might actually (through luck rather than skill) kill something and would then be obligated to field dress it. One benefit of finding this gift-wrapped (and meat free) skull on the cross-country trail was the opportunity to look into the preservation of animal skulls and to give it a go...

In its original condition at the bottom of a bucket. (8/23/14)

Thanks to the Internet, the answer to the questions of "How to Preserve a Skull" was easily answered in six easy steps, giving me some basic guidelines for my little weekend project. If Steps 1, "Remove all flesh from inside and outside of the skull using one of several methods," and 2, "Dry the skull," had not already been well-handled by Mother Nature, the remains would still be in the park decomposing. The head did not require water maceration or the use of flesh eating bugs (two possible recommended approaches); it had clearly been laying at rest for a lengthy period of time. The top of the skull already had a bleached appearance due to exposure to the elements, though the underside that had been laying on the ground, including the teeth, was fairly stained.

A quick, cleansing boil. (8/23/14)

Despite the excellent condition of the skull immediately lifted from the trail, there were few odd matted strands of fur remaining, as well as small hairs that had yet to be picked out. This required a Step 2b not mentioned in the written portion of the linked page but is in the Youtube video near the end. Before repeating Step 2, to ease the separation of the remains from the skull, I placed it in boiling water to set for a short time. Using an old toothbrush, I carefully scrubbed in the open areas, careful not to disrupt the fairly intact nasal cartilage. Step 2b (which is not mentioned in the written portion of the linked page but is in the Youtube video near the end).

All the goodies necessary for a 24 hour hydrogen peroxide bath. (8/23/14)

Boiled, gently scrubbed and ready for "bleaching." (8/23/14)

Step 3 is "Bleach the skull," which oddly, based on other reading, would be a mistake. The goal is to give it a whitened appearance, but to use regular bleach would cause the bone to weaken and can lead to cracked teeth. I let the skull soak in 3% solution hydrogen peroxide for 24 hours, turning it occasionally to keep as much of it submerged as possible. It was still bubbling a little when I rinsed the skull of the next morning. I did not want to the skull to look artificial so I did not allow it to bleach completely white. My intention was to have the final preserved skull maintain the yellow-ish hue of natural bone. As a result of both boiling and soaking in hydrogen peroxide, the teeth also have a tendency to drop out. This happened and, as suggested, I glued them back (Steps 4 and 5 combined).

The first of two coats of polyurethane semi-gloss lacquer is applied. (8/24/14)

The last step was the application of a polyurethane lacquer to preserve the skull. The image above was taken on the picnic table in the sunshine, which accounts for it's clean white look. The photo the top of the post is the final product which I'm glad to report did maintain it's natural (thought thankfully cleaner) look. Though superficial I am hopeful that the presence of this artifact will serve as some sort of reminder... of just what, I have yet to fully process.

Tomorrow, as I continue setting up my classroom for the start of a new school year next week, I will bring the skull to work. Among the books, team photos and artificial crows it is sure to give students, as well as student-athletes, (and myself) something to talk and think about.

Summer Reading: Eat & Run

As much as I enjoy a good western or sci-fi novel, the genre I most enjoy hunkering down with is non-fiction. Especially if the book's topic is one about which I am passionate about, and Eat and Run by Scott Jurek with Steve Friedman, is that and more. Equal parts autobiography, running advice book, diet/nutrition treatise and inspirational story, Eat and Run is a book I have returned to quite bit over the past few months (at one point tweeting out its cover on a bus ride to a high school track meet that met with resounding support from some of my son's collegiate teammates), and with my own return to plodding, found myself once again engaging it early this week with a fervor that found me reading straight through the final 120 pages in three sittings.

As suggested by the book's subtitle, Eat and Run is written as a narrative explaining "My [Jurek's] Unlikely Journey to Ultramarathoning Greatness." Though I am went into it with a knowledge of Jurek's feats and backstory as a result of having read numerous articles and interviews with him in running magazines, he is probably most recognizable to the non-runner as one of the characters in Christopher McDougall's uber-successful Born to Run. Jurek does briefly revisit the events of that novel, while telling of his success in the world of ultramarathoning.

As one who doesn't "believe in secrets"(Eat and Run, 155) when it comes to training, Jurek also imparts on the reader a variety of practical recipes, dietary experiences and insights garnered from his personal experiences as a champion athlete in one of the most grueling ports imaginable. For those who have never run an ultramarathon, Jurek also offers detailed descriptions as to the impact on the body during the course of such a  race in a manner that clearly paints for the reader an image of the pain and glory. "my hypothalamus was pumping antitdiuretic hormones, which told my kidneys to mitigate fluid loss by concentrating my urine. ... without enough water, dehydration would thicken my blood." (97).

At the heart of the novel, and Jurek's story to this point in his life, is his relationships with his father, mother and the sport he continues to love. Two attributes further elevate its potential for enjoyment: the inclusion of accessible vegetarina recipes which the reader is invited to try and the multiple book titles and authors Jurek references as influential that are sprinkled throughout. I found myself frequently dog-earring recipe pages (which, along with basic running advice, conclude each chapter), and starring margins that include potential future reading materiel.

After finishing Eat and Run while waiting to board a flight to visit a high school friend, it was clear why my son's teammates were so enamored with Jurek memoir/handbook: he clearly and sincerely speaks to the nascent mystic-philosopher that lies in most distance runners, even those (like myself) who enjoy the practice of reading and recollecting about races more than competing in them myself. I highly recommend this book to athletes (runner and non-runner alike), as well as those searching for some meaning in their physical activities, and look forward to sharing my copy with others.

Teaching Reading & Running Together?

High school Track and Field student-athletes, and the adults who coach them, are fairly set in their ways. This can be seen in their commitment to individualized training groups: sprinters complete drill work with sprinters, jumpers stretch with jumpers, throwers lift with throwers, and distance specialists run distance with one another. Similarly, genre-lovers (especially those who are less adventurous about stepping outside their military biographies, romance novels, or zombie fiction) can subconsciously find themselves pigeon-holing there reading fare.

As both an English teacher and high school coach, I am always on the lookout for selections (technical articles, motivational biographies and commentaries, mostly) to share with my students and athletes. To this point, however, the "great white whale" of Track and Field reading has eluded me. For a number of reasons ranging from the perceived relevancy ("Why would a sprinter read a book about milers?") to interest ("I read in class not at practice!"), my search continues for that book that would be appropriate for those who love to run, jump and throw--especially those who are currently secondary school students. It would be wonderful to find the Track and Field equivalent to Friday Night Lights or The Natural.

The elusive "recommended reading" would be that extended text with a moderate reading level and an explicit appeal to sprinters, distance runners and field event student-athletes, the supposition being: if community reads, such as the NEA's annual Big Read, be used to facilitate a conversation of big ideas at a community, can't the same be done with literacy and sport?

Fortunately, there are a number of books out there that may have some appeal to distance runners, chief among these being Christopher McDougal's Born to Run. I recently began rereading McDougal's book for the fourth time, and as a former (sort of) competitive high school and road race runner, I found the mix of storytelling, social commentary and biography immensely entertaining. More importantly, it was accessible, which is likely what has contributed to its immense success.

Born to Run makes the sport of ultra running, one that can be accepted by any reader who has run races recreationally or competitively in the past an approachable one. Most can appreciate or relate to the idea of running, so the leap from the more traditional distance to hundreds of miles was a believable one. We've all come across crazy athletic types like those mythologized in the book, even if we as recreational athletes have not embraced our sport to the same degree. While a tremendous read, and one I recommend to student-athletes who are intrinsically motivated athletically, as well as academically, it could prove a challenging starting point for the struggling readers who make up the majority of my charges.

The best place to start looking for beginning team reads is likely the most obvious: anthologies. While I completely understand the attraction (short, simple, euphemistic, "inspiring") to certain Chicken Soup-style books, I'd rather have something more... authentic to use. To that end I'll continue this trail by perusing an anthology, Going Long, I bought my own son last year for Christmas, starting with the stories he (himself not a particularly avid recreational reader, but a dedicated high school/collegiate runner) dog eared. The title implies its emphasis on distance running, reflecting the focus of the magazine (Runner's World) from which the stories were culled, I remain hopeful that there may be something accessible to a range of track and field student-athletes with an equally broad range of reading abilities.

Roadie: NYC Track Meet!

Hitting the Big Apple! (March 9, 2013)

Though it has been more than a few week's since my son, I and other local track and field student-athletes travelled to New York City for the New Balance Indoor Nationals, I am just now getting around to posting some pictures.

The Armory facility in New York City (March 9, 2013).

My son, Jack, getting ready to run (March 9, 2013).

The day following the meet, and after having checked out of our hotel in Paramus, New Jersey. We were let loose for a few hours in the Big Apple. Of course, we spent most of the time walking in and around Times Square, stopping my the usual site seeing locations.

The New York Public Library (March 9, 2013).

Rockefeller Center outside "30 Rock" (March 9, 2013).



My son, Jack, in the Big Apple for the first time (March 9, 2013).

It was my son's first trip to New York City, and only my second, and fortunately we had a coach from another team who was willing to guide us past some points of interest. After two days of snow, the weather was remarkably pleasant and the city was beautiful as the sun set and the bright lights of Broadway came up.

Walking pictures (March 9, 2013).

Times Square (March 9), 2013.

Radio City Music Hall (March 9, 2013).

Into the Spring of Things



One of the first Robins of Spring means it's time to get in shape... again (3/17/12).

This past week I was not completely successful in adhering 100% to Week 4 the Couch-Potato-to-10k Plan, but I did get out for three of the four days. The primary challenge continues to be allocating my time in such a way that when I can get out, I am motivated to do so. What I will not do is excuse my lack of discipline with "I don't have the time..." I have the time, I just need to take advantage of it! While I started the plan with Week 4, and despite not sticking to it fully, this week (my training week also begins on Sunday), I am moving on to Week 5.

The most significant shift is not in cumulative time (still 30 minutes), but in the amount of time "run" (or jogged) without rest: 10 minutes. I am trying to be patient with my running but this to is not easy as I can still remember running for 60-80 minutes for long weekend training runs. Given my need to drop some weight and raise my level of conditioning before adding more significant training expectations, at this point, patience is the best way to avoid overuse and unnecessary additional knee pain.

With the first week of Track and Field practice completed, I also found myself being much more active (running from station to station, or modeling drills for new participants), but it would be generous to suggest these coaching necessities constitute a consistent workout. It was very nice to be on the move again.

'Nuff Read: Once a Runner

Me, Finger Lakes Trail 50k, July 2009.

Occasionally I am reminded of quotes or excerpts from previously enjoyed books which are so well crafted that they stay in my memory and speak for themselves (except, of course, for my need to frame its presence on this blog). Last week a student of mine had inquired as to whether or not I had ever read Once a Runner by John L. Parker. As a recreational athlete, high school track coach and English teacher, I was proud that he had even heard of, let alone read, the book. The novel is chock full of well turned descriptve nuggets, such as:

"We can blaze! Become legends in our own time, strike fear in the heart of mediocre talent everywhere! We can scald dogs, put records out of reach! Make the stands gasp as we blow into an unearthly kick from three hundred yards out! We can become God's own messengers delivering the dreaded scrolls! We can race dark Satan himself till he wheezes fiery cinders down the back straightaway! They'll speak our names in hushed tones,'Those guys are animals' they'll say! We can lay it on the line, bust a gut, show them a clean pair of heels. We can sprint the turn on a spring breeze and feel the winter leave our feet!"

Once a Runner was first published in 1978 and following a limited print run, became a "cult classic" among running enthusiasts. (Somehow in 2007, I was able to purchase a copy online for the very reasonable price of $15.00!) It was recently reprinted in 2009 when Parker publishes a sequel, Again to Carthage. (A book I have yet taken advantage of the opportunity to read.)

Even now, years after my best racing years are behind me (and I wasn't really "racing" all that much or very well)--it is hard not to put the shoes on and head for a jog around the block while re-reading the excerpt above... which is just what I think I'll do.

Haiku in the Machine

Accepting the convenience of modern technology, the author succumbs to the use of his cellphone to "write."

This past Thursday at practice, while the girls team was completing their dynamic stretching/form drills, I was struck by an image. While the image itself was not "earth shattering," I thought enough of it to write it down. Normally, I carry a small spiral bound notebook in my breast pocket, or in the front of my hoodie, for just such occasions, but on that day I left it at home on my desk. Reaching my hand in my pocket, I realized that I had my cell phone. It was then that it occurred to me (as it has to 10 gazillion other folks already) that there might be a notepad function on the fun that I could use and--wallah!--there was.

Though it was just a very rough draft, and something that though I reworked it for about 30 minutes on the word-processor when I returned home after practice (and eventually posted in a from closer to it's orgginal one on my Twitter feed to the right of this post), I had conflicting feelings about the process. The experience of using my cellphone to do this was both satisfying (quick, easy, no worry about poor handwriting) and sad, mostly because I had been a proponent of not losing the skill of using "manual" tech in favor of easy electronic ones.

I suppose you can now count me among those hypocritical psuedo-luddites who both decry modern technology while simultaneously embracing the parts of it that ease their own lives.

Run: Approximately 3 miles @ 9:50 a.m.

The trails at the Mendon Ponds West course.

Weather: Fair, 65°F, 42% Humidity, Wind: WNW @ 9 mph; feels like 65°F.
Route: Mendon Ponds West

Third day of practice and our first together (the girls and I) running one of the courses on which they will be competing this coming season. The past two practices have been at both our home track and our home course, so today it was nice to get out on the trails along with the team. Though the distances were kind of sectioned up (I often fell back to assist newer runners who were less familiar with the course... or running), it was rewarding to be working with the team and to get back out on the trails myself.

Be here now!

Scoutin' Routes: Mendon Ponds West

It has been a few many weeks since I last took the opportunity to scout out any of the routes (the first being Basil Marella Park--our "home course")that the Girls Cross-Country team will be racing on this year, but this afternoon after summer school, I made my way to Mendon Ponds Park. Though I have run many races ranging in distances from 32 (ultra marathon) to 3.1 (5k) at Mendon, and watched my daughter, son and students run races there, too, I had not previously taken first hand walk of the course myself, until today that is. Today I walked one of two high school courses at Mendon Ponds, the Mendon West Course (click map to right to enlarge). Both the course map and verbal directions were plucked form the Monroe County Cross Country website.

The best way to use this walk through is to enlarge the verbal directions posted to the left and follow along with the pictures below. Of course, you'll have to visualize the flags and cones, but despite getting turned around at the "hills," I stayed true to the directions... if not comment below and I'll update accordingly.

Any course at hilly Mendon Ponds is apt to be more challenging than Basil and the West course certainly offers more hills and turns. It would seem to play to a variety of individual runner's strengths: something for those who excel at inclines and a very little something for downhill runners. The course also covers a range of surfaces: packed dirt, small stone, paved roads, grass, and a few tree roots thrown in for good measure. (Of course, surface quality is a huge variable in cross-country as the potential for rain or--brrrr!--snow is always present.)With designations like "Cardiac" and "Coronary" Hill (s), I was expecting something slightly more rigorous, but then again these are high school (and middle school) student-athletes and perhaps the "Directions for course set-up" (posted to the left and right) I used to guide me along the trails may have been tinged with a wee bit of sarcasm.

Above are the directions for the remainder of the course images.

If you happen to spot a miscue or misstep, please feel free to let me know! After a summer of "captain's practices," team practices officially start this coming Friday, and I am looking forward to setting off on my first season as the Varsity Girls Cross-Country coach!