If you just found this page…welcome! Monta Vista Cross Country Summer running meets at the Monta Vista track at 7am, Monday through Saturday, all summer long. Want to learn more? We will try to catch you up.
Some runners are now ready to start their third week of summer running–the incoming freshmen completed their first week of summer running today! This seems like a good time to remind ourselves:
- If you are a new runner…everyone starts at the same place. Everyone’s first couple miles are hard. Everyone’s. So when we look at the returning runners jog out of the school talking and making it look easy, don’t think you can’t do that…think, I can’t do that YET. The person you are watching laugh and talk casually while they trot down the road was in the same place you are, they have just run more miles. Give it a few weeks, you will see!
- If you are a returning runner…it’s worth reminding ourselves that running rewards consistency. Just like we remind the new runners, stick with distance running and you will amaze yourself…returning runners need to be reminded, if you stick with running, you will find new levels of success.
- No one on this team has found their peak yet! New runners and returning runners both. Your limits are unknown and unknowable. Keep running, keep pushing, keep challenging yourself and there can be amazing things in your future. Keep piling up the miles and put them in your bank and next season we can make some withdrawals!
“We all have dreams. In order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort.”–Jesse Owens
“Championship teams aren’t always the most talented or the best coached. Often, they are simply the most stubborn.”–Chris Webber
Next Two Weeks
Attached is a plan for the next couple of weeks. As always, these are suggestions. Feel free to modify these runs; use your judgment. If you are traveling or can’t run with the team, you can adapt these runs to wherever you are able to train.
Adventures are nice too! Organize a group to explore a new run–as close as Rancho, as far as the beach–or further! Coach has ideas if you want to try someplace new. There is a great tempo/steady state route from Los Gatos to Campbell if you can get some parents involved as support drivers, and you can end the run with a visit to Running Revolution for some shoe shopping! 🙂
Fourth of July is coming up…maybe an Independence Day 5km or 10km run? Don’t think of this as a race–I don’t want you tapering or cutting the Saturday long run short. But this could be your steady state run for the week, a good excuse to get up early and head to the beach before it gets crowded, and have a bunch of people around you as you do your steady state run. Don’t kill yourselves, we want to be running solidly for our training for the rest of the week!–but this could be fun. Or…plan a holiday pot-luck breakfast with the other XC runners on the track after your run together that morning. In any case…make some plans with your teammates to do something together than morning!
A Shout Out!
A shout out to the boys! A bunch of the boys got a team together and with much support, they ran the Lake Tahoe Relay–a seven runner relay around Lake Tahoe. The boys took a strong second place! Well done you guys! Check out the relay web page, there is good info there (I was hoping they would have results posted by now, you will have to check back later for times). This is at least the third time a group of boys have competed in this race. It’s so inspirational!
More Notes for New Runners
If you are a brand new runner, if you are going to be joining the team as a freshman from Kennedy or from Lawson, summer running is a low pressure way to get started. For incoming freshmen, you can get to know people in high school–and ask them questions–before school starts. If it’s your first day running, you can get started without a coach looking over your shoulder. By the end of the summer, you will feel accomplished, you will make friends–and the first day of practice will not be scary or hard at all!
You aren’t even on the cross country team? You are a sprinter, a hurdler, a soccer player, you do another sport? You are always the fastest person in your PE class? Summer running can be for you, too! Get fit with other runners, who will become friends as you rack up the miles together…you will have a high level of fitness when the summer ends, you will feel like you achieved something, and you will have new friendships!
If you have questions about summer running or want to confirm schedules, or you would like to be added to the MVXC chat, or anything really, you can contact Amogh Rajagopal MV2023 at rajagopal.amogh@gmail.com or Anika Bhandarkar MV2025 at anika.bhandarkar@gmail.com .
The thing about running is…everyone can do this! We are all at our own levels and we can make progress. Getting out and running everyday is a test of will and grit, not talent or ability. We can CHOOSE to get up and meet our teammates every day. And I believe in you! I know you can do it!
I hope that you are off to a great start with your running! See you on the trails!
