Team Camping Trip
When: July 18th-19th
Where: Golden Gate Canyon State Park
Who: All high school runners on the team who have been consistently running this summer. 
Cost: $25 per athlete
Additional information about the trip will be posted on Monday along with the link to registration. 

Schedule: July 1st-7th
Monday: Writer's Vista Park(1900 W. Mineral Ave.) 7 a.m.
Tuesday: MVHS 7 a.m.
Wednesday: The Bluffs Regional Park 7 a.m.
Thursday: 4th of July (run on your own)
Friday: MVHS 7 a.m.
Saturday: Hildebrand Ranch 7 a.m. 
Sunday: On Your Own or call a teammate to run

Training Calendar for July 1st-7th
Every week a training plan will be posted for you to follow. This will help you to know what your daily workouts are before you come to practice each day along w/ knowing what to run when you are out of town during the summer. 

• Training Calendar for July 1st-7th (link)
• Training Plan Assignments for the Season (link)

Schedule for June 23rd-30th
Monday: DeKoevend Park 7 a.m.
Tuesday: MVHS 7 a.m.
Wednesday: Redstone Park 7 a.m.
Thursday: MVHS 7 a.m.
Friday: East/West Trail Lot 7 a.m.
Saturday: On Your Own or call a teammate 
Sunday: On Your Own or call a teammate to run

Training Calendar for June 24th-30th
Every week a training plan will be posted for you to follow. This will help you to know what your daily workouts are before you come to practice each day along w/ knowing what to run when you are out of town during the summer. 

• Training Calendar for June 24th-30th (link)
• Training Plan Assignments for the Season (link)

The Importance of Iron Level Upkeep For Distance Runners
Every season there is one issue that we see time and time again with our runners that impacts them regardless of age, sex, or amount of training they are doing. That issue is anemia, or being iron deficient. If not careful, this is something that can compromise an athletes XC season very quickly. Our goal is to educate every family about the importance of iron and how it can enhance an athletes performance when taken seriously. 

Start Here:
Please begin by looking at this simple slide show presentation we have put together with the help of our good friend Coach Jesse Griffin (Lee's Summit West HS, MO) for families to look at. This should inform you as to why the coaching staff talks about iron/ferritin levels so often, and how you can successfully make sure your iron levels are sufficient. 

• Iron Level Upkeep and Ferritin for Distance Runners (link to presentation)​

Educate Yourself 
Educating yourself on these issues is very important. Here are a few things every family should be thinking about in regards to iron/ferritin levels:

• Educate yourself on what iron does for you as a runner, and how it can hurt when you are lacking.
• Get your ferritin levels tested 2-3 times a year by your medical provider, and know your numbers. The off-season is the best time to get your levels checked. 
• Set a goal for yourself to get your ferritin levels to at least 30. 40-50 is better, and gives you a nice surplus of iron. 
• If your ferritin is under 20, you are most likely not going to be able to perform at your best as a distance runner. 
• Eat lots of iron rich foods daily such as red meat and spinach. 
• Take an iron supplement. 

Articles about Iron for Distance Runners:
I have included several articles below about this very important issue to help you educate yourself on the matter. Please feel free to talk to the coaches if you have additional question. 

• Iron Level Upkeep for Distance Runners
• Are Your Ferritin Levels Up to Speed? Top Coaches Take Tests for Iron Seriously 
• Ironing Out the Details: Know the facts about ferritin and iron before deciding to supplement
• Iron Deficiency In Runners

Talking to Your Doctor
In the coaching staff's experience some doctors are hesitant to test for ferritin levels because they do not fully understand the critical role ferritin plays in endurance athletics. Below is a letter from Dr. Kim Colter (Washington, MO) w/ references, about ferritin levels for endurance athletes that you can take with you to your medical provider when you ask to get tested. Please take this letter with you so that your doctor fully understands why it is you are asking to have your ferritin levels checked.  

Parent Meet and Greet
What: This is a chance for all of our parents to get together, have fun, and socialize during the summer. 
When: Friday, June 21st at 6:30 p.m.
Where: The O'Sullivan Household
            1117 Southbury Court
             Highlands Ranch, CO 80129
Food: Appetizers and deserts
Who: All Vista Parents Veteran and New (no kids please, this is just for the adults to get to know one another. 
Parent Contacts: Teresa Smith (720-840-6335) and Kelly O'Sullivan (720-670-6032).

Summer Running for New Vista Families
Please take a look at the following post from some of our veteran Vista Nation families to help the new parents on our team out w/ all thing Mountain Vista HS XC.

• Summer Running for New Vista Families

Schedule for June 17th-23rd
Monday: MVHS 7 a.m.
Tuesday: MVHS 7 a.m.
                   -Boys Goal Setting BBQ 5 p.m.
Wednesday: Aspen Grove Panera Bread 7 a.m.
Thursday: MVHS 7 a.m.
                    -Girls Goal Setting BBQ 5 p.m.
Friday: Bluffs Regional Park 7 a.m.
Saturday: On your own or call a teammate to run
Sunday: On Your Own or call a teammate to run


Goal Setting BBQ's
Our goal setting BBQ's are on Tuesday and Thursday this week. Both goal setting meetings are for all high school members of the TEAM including the incoming freshman. 

• Boys Goal Setting Meeting: Tuesday, June 18th at 5-8 p.m. @ Coach Dalby's house. Email will be sent w/ the address will be sent on Monday.
• Girl's Goal Setting Meeting: Thursday, June 20th at 5-8 p.m. @ Coach Dalby's house. Email will be sent w/ address will be sent on Monday. 

The goal setting meetings are for every member of the TEAM to attend that can make it, and something I consider to be the most important TEAM meeting of the entire year. It sets a purpose for our training this summer, and allows us to set a focus for the season.

• What to Bring With You
  • Please bring a folding chair or camping chair with you to the meeting, and your water bottle. All of the food will be covered. 

Training Calendar for June 17th-23rd
Every week a training plan will be posted for you to follow. This will help you to know what your daily workouts are before you come to practice each day along w/ knowing what to run when you are out of town during the summer. 

• Training Calendar for June 17th-23rd (link)
• Training Plan Assignments for the Season (check back Monday afternoon to view)

​

If you are BRAND NEW to the Vista XC summer program, WELCOME!  Here are some helpful things to know, parent to parent:   


Practices take place at the MVHS track unless otherwise noted on the schedule, which is posted weekly on the blog.  Here's the link to Daniel's Park East-West Trailhead:   https://goo.gl/maps/84i4Pdg1oeC2.  Other locations are easy to find. 


Runners should bring water and any necessary medications.  Asthmatics need their inhalers!  Many kids bring a lightweight string backpack to carry their belongings.  All runners should also wear a simple digital watch to track their minutes.  They can upgrade to fancier watches later, if necessary.  


It's important that your runner be fitted for a good shoe right away!  Your runners will go through lots of shoes, and there might be some trial and error involved at first, which can be frustrating.  But, it's really the only expense for this sport. BEING IN THE RIGHT SHOE PREVENTS INJURY AND IS WORTH THE EXPENSE IN THE LONG RUN.  Runners Roost and Boulder Running Company both offer discounts to MVHS runners.  Their employees are committed to getting their customers in the right shoe.  Once you know what shoes work for your athlete, you can start ordering online or shopping sales.  Do NOT let your runner convince you to buy a certain shoe because their teammates have them or because they look cool.  Those are expensive (and often physically painful) mistakes.  There is no team shoe.       


Along those lines, if your runner starts complaining about a nagging ache or pain, he/she should talk to a coach before too much time goes by, to get some clues about what is going on (there's a decent chance it's the shoes).  Your runner will undoubtedly resist doing this, but there are several coaches to choose from.  Surely one of them will seem approachable.  This is necessary.      

Getting your younger runner from off-campus practice to a breakfast venue can be tricky, especially in the beginning.  You might not know other parents to carpool with, you don't know/trust the student drivers yet and your new kid is probably not going to help you figure this out.  If your kids want to go to breakfast, they will call when practice is winding down, you will transport them from point A to point B, then they will call you when they need a ride home.  That doesn't work for everyone's situation.  It is helpful to get to know other families in your runner's grade/running group/social group.  These people might be your tribe for the next several years.  Have their names and numbers in your phone before you need them.   Carpooling is very helpful to the freshman and sophomore parents, all year round.  Off campus practices continue in the fall.  

If you have a high school runner, be sure to order the lime green Vista Nation shirts at the beginning of the fall season.  Order extras for runners and all family members.  Not only does it show our support and presence at meets, but as parents it makes it easy to identify each other.  Cross country families are generally a friendly, approachable bunch, although it can be hard to mingle at meets because we scatter about.  

Please encourage your freshman or new high school runner to participate in the TEAM goal setting and any other social events.  It's hard being a freshman, but they should buddy up and attend together.  The more people they meet during the summer, the easier the transition in the fall.      


SOME "SEASONED" PARENTS ARE PLANNING A MEET AND GREET ON JUNE 21ST AT 6:30 P.M..  PLEASE CONSIDER ATTENDING.  STAY TUNED FOR DETAILS.   Until then, if you have any questions at all, please reach out:  Teresa (720-840-6335) and Kelly (720-670-6032).

Festival of Miles Recap
Congratulations goes out to three of our athletes on their performances in St. Louis Missouri last week at the Festival of Miles! Juniors Sarah O'Sullivan and Maddie Reed both ran season best times of 5:02.08 and 5:05.26 for a full mile (5:00 and 5:03 conversions to 1600 meters). Sophomore Harrison Witt competed in the 800 meters with a new school record time of 1:52.87. Race videos, results, and articles about the event are posted on Milesplit. This is a meet we hope to continue to send athletes to in the future:

• Big Runs for Colorado at the Festival of Miles
• Race Videos and Interviews
• Race Results​

Pre-Season Cross Country Letter
All high school athletes and parents should take a few minutes to read our pre-season cross country letter so that you are up-to-date on all things Vista Nation XC for the 2019 season .

• 2019 Pre-Season Letter (pdf)

Schedule for June 4th-10th
​Monday: Summer XC Begins 
             -7 a.m. at the MVHS Track
             -Registration Link
Tuesday: MVHS 7 a.m.
Wednesday: Redstone Park (Duck Pond) 7 a.m.
Thursday: MVHS 7 a.m.
                    -Popsicle Run
Friday: East/West Trail Lot (Daniel's Park Rd.) 7 a.m.
                 - Team Breakfast at Einstein Bagel on
                 University after run. Bring $$$ to eat. ​
Saturday: Writer's Vista Park 7 a.m.
Sunday: On Your Own or call a teammate to run

Summer Training Plans for Athletes
Each high school athlete on the TEAM will be assigned a training plan this summer. I will start putting names on the plans this week once summer registration is complete. Here is a description of each plan. If you are unsure which plan to follow please come and ask a member of the coaching staff. 

• Plan 1: New high school runners, or those needing to be on our lowest volume plan. Most freshmen will be in this group. This group will run 6 times a week. Athletes following Plan 1 will take all Sundays off from running.
• Plan 2: Athletes that have consistently followed Plan 1 plan during the last year w/ little to no injury issues. Sophomores that ran both XC and track will be ready for this plan. This group will run between 6 to 7 times per week depending on the individual needs of the athlete. Athletes following this plan will run on Sunday's or double occasionally during the week. 
• Plan 3: Upperclassmen athletes that are ready for a higher volume plan. Consistently followed plan 2 during the last year w/ little to no injury issues. Upperclassmen that ran both XC and track last year. This group will run between 7 to 8 times per week depending on the individual needs of the athlete. Athletes following this plan will run on Sunday's or double during the week. 
• Plan 4: Upperclassmen athletes that are ready for our highest volume plan. Have successfully followed plan 3 over the last year w/ little to no injury issues. Have run both XC and track for the last 2 years. This group will run between 7 to 9 times per week depending on the needs of the individual athlete. Athletes followng this plan will run on Sunday's or double during the week.

Training Calendar for June 10th-16th
Every week a training plan will be posted for you to follow. This will help you to know what your daily workouts are before you come to practice each day along w/ knowing what to run when you are out of town during the summer. 

• Training Calendar for June 10th-16th (link)

Goal Setting BBQ's
Our goal setting BBQ's are on Tuesday and Thursday next week. Both goal setting meetings are for all high school members of the TEAM including the incoming freshman. 

• Boys Goal Setting Meeting: Tuesday, June 18th at 5-8 p.m. @ Coach Dalby's house. Email will be sent w/ the address next week.
• Girl's Goal Setting Meeting: Thursday, June 20th at 5-8 p.m. @ Coach Dalby's house. Email will be sent w/ address next week. 

The goal setting meetings are for every member of the TEAM to attend that can make it, and something I consider to be the most important TEAM meeting of the entire year. It sets a purpose for our training this summer, and allows us to set a focus for the season.

• What to Bring With You
  • Please bring a folding chair or camping chair with you to the meeting. Everything else will be covered. 

Godzilla Shirt Requirements

• Godzilla is earned, not given!!!
• In order to earn your Godzilla shirt this summer the following requirements must be met. 
  1. Consistently run everyday over the summer by following the summer plan you are assigned. Plans will be posted starting the week of June 10th. 
  2. Be at all morning runs when you are in town. 
  3. When you are on vacation go out and do your assigned runs on your own. 
  4. Keep a running log of your choice to keep track of your summer training. All training must be logged to get a shirt! Examples of running logs include: 
     1. Complete Runners Day-by-Day Log: 2019 Calendar
     2. The Believe Logbook for Runners
  5. Present your running log to the coaches the first week of September to get your Godzilla shirt!!!!
  6. Bring a running watch of your own EVERYDAY  to practice!!!!
  7. ​​ Special prizes at the end of the summer for Godzilla tights and shower curtains...