Duluth East Cross Country

Great practice today! Lots of hard working and kind kiddos!

One change is that practice is only going to last 1 ½ hours. It is so different having smaller groups that we can navigate through practice and transitions faster. Thank you for your patience as we figure out this new normal.

We do plan to have practice Monday – Friday, with meets on Thursdays.

There will be no practice on Friday, August 28th.

FANTASTIC first day of practice!!!  The last day to join cross country is Wednesday, August 19th. 

Just a couple reminders, please make sure you have completed the Cross Country Running Google Form Registration 2020

The COVID 19 – Daily Check-In Form/Cross Country Running needs to be done every day before practice.  This is critical and temperatures must be taken each morning before coming to practice.  Thank  you for keeping our team safe and successful.

Social Distancing at practice is going to critical for the success of our team. Please, we need to work together to make this season a success.  With over 100 runners, we must keep athletes in their groups.

Practice

Athletes should be able to run 3 miles comfortably the first day of practice. This is a varsity sport.

August 17th – September 4th at Lester Park. Meet at the Pavilion by the playground.

To help with social distancing we are going to do a staggered start for practice for the first week. Practices will be about 2 hours in length.

8 am – 7th and 8th graders arrive
8:30 am – 9th and 10th graders arrive
9:00 am – 11th and 12th graders arrive

Families with multiple team members can arrive at any of the time spots.

September 7 -Labor Day, Practice is at 6 pm at Chester Bowl.

When school starts on September 8th, practice will be twice a day to give students options and hopefully keep our numbers smaller. Morning at 8 am and after school Monday – Friday. More information to follow on morning locations. After school will be at East.

Please reach out to any of the coaches if you have any questions.
David Wicker – Head Coach 218-576-9871 dhwicker5009@gmail.com
Scott Keenan – Assistant Coach scottkeenan4@gmail.com
Laura LaFontaine – Assistant Coach (218) 336-8845 ext. 2334 laura.lafontaine@isd709.org

Thank you for helping our team have a great season. We know this is a lot of information to read but is important for the safety and success of our team. This website is constantly being updated. It will be a great reference for the season.

A few reminders before our first practice tomorrow. Students must be in attendance at practice everyday. This season is very unique and we need students to commit to the team. We can not have student athletes do cross country part time. We need to know who is going to be at practice daily. For students new to the district, and 7th and 10th graders, please make sure your physicals are updated and completed physical forms are given to the activities office. No physical, no practice. All athletes should complete the Online Athlete Registration under ELIGIBILITY in the black header on the website.

Athletes will bring their own water and hand sanitizer. Masks will be required during the informational meeting at the beginning of sessions and after workout is completed. This is for the safety of coaches and athletes. Social distancing is required during workouts.

Attendance and COVID 19 – Daily Check-In needs to be accurate. There will be an option to scan the QR code and fill in a google form when athletes get to practice. The form can also be done at home before coming to practice. This form is necessary for attendance and follows expectations set by the MSHSL and ISD 709.

Temperatures must be taken at home before coming to practice. 

Here is a link to the attendance and health questioning form. This form needs to be filled in for every practice and meet your athlete attends. It is also on our website.

COVID 19 – Daily Check-In Form/Cross Country Running

Practice

Athletes should be able to run 3 miles comfortably the first day of practice. This is a varsity sport.

August 17th – September 4th at Lester Park. Meet at the Pavilion by the playground.

To help with social distancing we are going to do a staggered start for practice for the first week. Practices will be about 2 hours in length.

8 am – 7th and 8th graders arrive
8:30 am – 9th and 10th graders arrive
9:00 am – 11th and 12th graders arrive

Families with multiple team members can arrive at any of the time spots.

September 7 -Labor Day, Practice is at 6 pm at Chester Bowl.

When school starts on September 8th, practice will be twice a day to give students options and hopefully keep our numbers smaller. Morning at 8 am and after school Monday – Friday. More information to follow on morning locations. After school will be at East.

Please reach out to any of the coaches if you have any questions.
David Wicker – Head Coach 218-576-9871 dhwicker5009@gmail.com
Scott Keenan – Assistant Coach scottkeenan4@gmail.com
Laura LaFontaine – Assistant Coach (218) 336-8845 ext. 2334 laura.lafontaine@isd709.org

Season begins August 17th. Last day to join is August 19th.

Students must be in attendance at practice everyday. This season is very unique and we need students to commit to the team. We can not have student athletes do cross country part time. We need to know who is going to be at practice daily.

Again, please fill out the google form to help us know who to expect at practice and with information to make communication easier. If you already filled this out, thank you!

Cross Country Running Google Form Registration 2020

For students new to the district, and 7th and 10th graders, please make sure your physicals are updated and completed physical forms are given to the activities office.

All athletes should  complete the Online Athlete Registration under ELIGIBILITY in the black header on this page. It should be up and running the week of August 10th.

Athletes should be able to run 3 miles comfortably the first day of practice. This is a varsity sport.

Athletes will bring their own water and hand sanitizer. Masks will be required during the informational meeting at the beginning of sessions and after workout is completed. This is for the safety of coaches and athletes. Social distancing is required during workouts.

Attendance and Health Questioning needs to be accurate. There will be an option to scan the QR code and fill in a google form when athletes get to practice. The form  can also be done at home before coming to practice. Temperatures must be taken at home before coming to practice.

COVID-19 MITIGATION STRATEGIES:
Please check your runner for ANY COVID-19 related symptoms. If there are ANY COVID-19 symptoms, please keep your runner at home. These symptoms include the following:
– Fever 100.4 or higher
– Chills
– Cough
– Shortness of breath
– Sore throat
– Muscle Aches (not sport related)
– Headache
– Runny/stuffy nose
– Recent contact with ANYONE who has been diagnosed with COVID-19

Behavior expectations and guidelines to stop the spread of COVID 19 will be strictly enforced. We want to ensure a safe environment for all athletes and coaches.

PRACTICE

August 17th – September 4th at Lester Park. Meet at the Pavilion by the playground.
To help with social distancing we are going to do a staggered start for practice for the first week. Practices will be about 2 hours in length.

8 am – 7th and 8th graders arrive
8:30 am – 9th and 10th graders arrive
9:00 am – 11th and 12th graders arrive

Families with multiple team members can arrive at any of the time spots.

September 7 -Labor Day, Practice is at 6 pm at Chester Bowl.

When school starts on September 8th, practice will be twice a day to give students options and hopefully keep our numbers smaller. Morning at 8 am and after school Monday – Friday. More information to follow on morning locations. After school will be at East.

MEETS

Meets will be on Thursdays starting August 27th and going until October 8th.

Transportation will not be provided for meets in Duluth. Parents need to make arrangements for athletes to get to and from meets in Duluth.

Buses will be provided for the September 10th meet in Cloquet. Parents may transport their child to and from that meet with a travel release form.

August 27 @ Lester Park 10 am vs. Lakeview Christain Academy/Hibbing
September 3 @ Lester Park Golf Course 4 pm vs. Denfeld/Lakeview Christain Academy
September 10 @ Pine Valley Ski Chalet Cloquet 4 pm vs. Hibbing/Cloquet
September 17 @ Marshall High School 4:15 pm vs. Denfeld/Marshall
September 24 @ Lester Park Golf Course 4:15 pm vs. Hibbing/Superior
October 1 @ Marshall High School 4:15 pm vs. Hermantown/Marshall
October 8 @ Lester Park Golf Course 4:15 pm vs. Grand Rapids

Thank you for your patience as we do our best to keep you informed about the ever changing situation.

No Captains Practice August 10th – 14th.

Our season begins August 17th at Lester Park. Meet at the Pavilion by the playground.
To help with social distancing we are going to do a staggered start for practice.

8 am – 7th and 8th graders arrive
8:30 – 9th and 10th graders arrive
9:00 – 11th and 12th graders arrive
Families with multiple team members can arrive at any of the time spots.

Athletes will bring their own water and hand sanitizer. Masks will be required during the informational meeting at the beginning of sessions and after workout is completed.  This is for the safety of coaches and athletes.  Social distancing is required during workouts.

In the quest to keep everyone safe, just a few reminders.

COVID-19 MITIGATION STRATEGIES:
Please check your runner for ANY COVID-19 related symptoms. If there are ANY COVID-19 symptoms, please keep your runner at home. These symptoms include the following:
– Fever
– Chills
– Cough
– Shortness of breath
– Sore throat
– Muscle Aches
– Headache
– Runny/stuffy nose
– Recent contact with ANYONE who has been diagnosed with COVID-19

If you or your athlete have not filled out the brief google form requesting emails, etc., you can do that anytime.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf3FNFmq1QgPtbq5D9Tk_8vad87Mx0jCVdkv9PG9dAPCFOP5g/viewform

For students new to the district, and 7th and 10th graders, please make sure your physicals are updated and completed physical forms are given to the activities office.

All athletes should  complete the Online Athlete Registration under ELIGIBILITY in the black header on this page. It should be up and running the week of August 10th.

We are still working on a meet schedule. We promise to update you as soon as we know.  

The Minnesota State High School League has approved a cross country running season. We are in the process of getting details about what the season will look like. We will update the website as soon as possible.

If you or your athlete have not filled out the brief google form requesting emails, etc., you can do that anytime.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf3FNFmq1QgPtbq5D9Tk_8vad87Mx0jCVdkv9PG9dAPCFOP5g/viewform

For students new to the district, and 7th and 10th graders, please make sure your physicals are updated and completed physical forms are given to the activities office.

CHANGE – All athletes should WAIT to complete the Online Athlete Registration under ELIGIBILITY in the black header on this page until next week.

Our season will begin August 17 at Lester Park at 8 am!!!!!

Coaches plan on attending the practice on Monday, August 3rd, Wednesday, August 5th and Friday, August 7th at 8:30 am at Bagley.   Parents are welcome to come by if they have questions and would like to meet the coaches.  We are hoping for the best for some sort of a season.

In the quest to keep everyone safe, just a few reminders.

STUDENT run practices will held at the following locations and times.  Check the Duluth East Cross Country Fans Facebook page for cancellations due to weather.  Be safe!

Mondays: 8:30 am @ baseball field by Bagley Nature Area  or  4:00pm @ Lester Park
Tuesdays: 7:30 pm @ Lester Park
Wednesdays: 8:30 am @ baseball field by Bagley Nature Area
Fridays: 8:30 am @ baseball field by Bagley Nature Area

Summer Training

The best way to train for running is by running. In order to achieve your best results in cross country running, you need to run in the summer. More running translates to greater success as a distance runner. A suggested summer running plan is shown here.

Monday (Advanced) 5-8 mile run at moderate pace-50-70 minutes (Intermediate) 3-6 miles at moderate pace, 30-50 minutes (Beginner) 2-3 miles, Try to run the whole way.

Tuesday (Advanced) Hilly run of 4-6 miles- push the uphills. (Intermediate) 3-4 miles on hilly course. (Beginner) Move for 30 minutes by biking, jogging, swimming, rowing etc.

Wednesday (Advanced) Long run of 8-12 miles, starting easy, getting faster. (Intermediate) 6-8 mile run, increasing pace.as you run. (Beginner)Run steadily for at least 30 minutes.

Thursday (Advanced) 3-5 miles, 30-45 minutes easy pace (Intermediate) Easy run of 30 minutes. (Beginner) Active movement for one hour.

Friday (Advanced) 5-8 mile run at moderate pace-50-70 minutes (Intermediate)3-6 mile run at moderate pace- 3-50 minutes (Beginner) 2-3 miles running the entire way.

Saturday Find a 5k race or run 4-8 miles fast or rest. Warm up properly. Cool down by running 2-3 miles after race.

Sunday-Same as Saturday, only one race or one rest day.
Stretch well after you run. Work on core strength.

By midsummer, you should also be running a bit faster and adding 6-8 100 meter strides. You can change the order of this program to fit your schedule, but remember 2 hard days per week is enough. A weekly long easy run is important.

Coach Wicker

Cross Country is a wonderful, healthy and a lifelong sport that provides individual and team athletic fulfillment. It is a varsity sport that everyone can participate in and enjoy.

With a little preparation each student/athlete can make tremendous improvements throughout the season and it will help you from getting an injury.

Proper preparation is the key, there are no shortcuts in becoming a better runner. It starts with a summer training program, which of course takes dedication and a little persistence on your part. Please remember running is fun, this must be your mindset, never look at going for a run as a chore or that you have to do it. It needs to be that you want to do it!!!

This your first lesson to become a better runner: RUN FOR FUN

Running 5 days a week is a good start. The distance at first doesn’t really matter. What counts is that you get your run in and develop a routine.

This the second lesson to become a better runner: DEVELOP A DAILY TRAINING ROUTINE

Your potential is unlimited, but you need to want it and then go for it.

If you are going for a 4 mile run and you are getting really tired at mile 3 and you think you can’t finish your workout. You can….go into a power walk, this will help you recover. It will make you fill wonderful that you did it.

Remain positive the good days will out way the bad days. As the weeks go by you will become more physically and mentally strong. Your energy will increase weekly. But for good energy you must have a good diet.

Lesson three: DEVELOP A GOOD DIET THAT IS FULL OF HEALTHY NUTRITION

One principal in training that works for many good runners. The secret is simple when you are feeling good and
strong during your run… go for it…run hard and give it your best. The feeling of strength that you will have when you finish will be unbelievable. This will give you confidence. But, when you are tired and your run is hard, take it easy and don’t over do it.

Lesson four: LISTEN TO YOUR BODY, IT SPEAKS LOUDLY

After 3 or 4 weeks of running, it is time to increase your distance and pace in your workouts. It is important to do one longer run per week and maybe 2 faster pace runs. The rest of the days should be easy running.

Lesson five: YOU MUST CHALLENGE YOURSELF BY INCREASING YOUR MILEAGE AND PACE

Remember we are only doing base training in the summer. Please no speed training at this time. You are building your aerobic condition, which will gradually raise your fitness level.

It is important to run on soft surfaces as often as you can, maybe 2 or 3 days per week. Grass, Trails or Sand. This is important because we race on grass and it will help prevent injuries.

Run hilly courses as often as you can, this will help strengthen your legs, which will also help you tremendously in adapting to speed training later in the season.

Lesson six: HILLS ARE YOUR FRIEND

Enjoy your summer running and remember your daily run should be fun!

Coach Keenan

Please Complete the Google Form Sign Up for the 20/21 Cross Country Season (using this information to communicate about summer training)

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf3FNFmq1QgPtbq5D9Tk_8vad87Mx0jCVdkv9PG9dAPCFOP5g/viewform