June 12th-18th: Taking Care of the Little Things

Great start to our summer running last week! We are now up to 167 athletes that are out participating with us. Easily our largest summer group yet! With 167 running right now there is a lot of potential to achieve some big things in the fall. Here are a few tips to help you out during the summer to make the most of  your training when you are away from practice.

• Taking Care of the Little Things: The miles and workouts we do at practice are important, but equally as important is taking care of yourself the other 22 hours of the day when you are away from practice. This usually comes down to 3 simple things: Sleep, Hydration, and Nutrition. 
• Sleep: Athletes get better at rest, and you will break your body down at practice each day. The time to get better from those runs will be when you are recovering between practices. The most valuable time to recover and make your body stronger is when you are sleeping. Aim for 8 to 10 hours of sleep every night and you will see a big difference in your running. Naps are okay, but there is not substitute for a solid 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night for those looking to be at their best this summer/fall. 
• Hydration: Drink lots of water! Staying hydrated throughout the day will allow your body to perform at a much higher level at practice. Our advice, drink three to four 32 oz Nalgene bottles of water spaced out through the day to stay hydrated. Sports drinks and juice tend to have too much sugar. Stick to those types of drinks only in moderation. 
• Nutrition: What you eat is the fuel that makes your body run each day. Think of your body like a Formula One race car. You wouldn't put cheap gasoline in a race car, so don't put cheap gas in your tank! Eat lots of meats, vegetables, fruit, and whole grains to fuel up. Stay away from an excessive amount of fast food, soda, sugar, and other things that will not fuel you up. Simple rule-of-thumb when it comes to eating the "fun things" in life..."All Things in Moderation".
• Consistency and Other Keys to Success This Summer (link). Read last weeks blog post for other tips about how you can improve with your running/training this summer while you are at practice each day. 

Buying Quality Running Shoes
If you do not have a quality pair of running shoes please get a pair. The wrong shoes, or shoes that are too old, are typically the main reason for injury that we see. Your best option is to go to Boulder Running Company in Greenwood Village, or Runner's Roost in Lone Tree off Lincoln. Both will do a full gate analysis for you to make sure you are properly fitted for running shoes, and as a Mountain Vista HS athlete you will also receive 15 to 20% off your purchase. 

As a rule of thumb, your shoes should be changed out in the following situations:

• You have had them for a full season (winter track, spring track, summer XC, or fall XC)
• You have been running on them for 3 full months.
• They have between 400-500 miles on them (Even if the shoe looks fine, change it out at this point). 

Goal Setting BBQ's
Our goal setting BBQ's are on Tuesday and Wednesday 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 13th at 5-8 p.m. @ Aaron Hart's house. Email will be sent w/ address on Monday.
• Girl's Goal Setting Meeting: Wednesday, June 14th at 5-8 p.m. @ Becca Walton's house. Email will be sent w/ address 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 w/ you to the BBQ

• Freshman: Bring water or lemonade for 4
• Sophomores: Salad and dressing for 4
• Jrs: Bring a side dish for 4
• Srs: Dessert for 4
• Coaches: Meat, buns, paper goods

Schedule for June 12th-18th
Monday-MVHS 7 a.m.
Tuesday-East/West Trail Lot on Daniels Park Rd 7 a.m.
                 -Boys Goal Setting BBQ 5-8 p.m.
Wednesday-MVHS 7 a.m.
                 -Girls Goal Setting BBQ 5-8 p.m.
Thursday-MVHS 7 a.m.
Friday- DeKoevend Park (University Lot) 7 a.m.
            -Einstein Bagels for breakfast after (Bring $$$)
Saturday-Breakfast Run From Coach Finger's House 8 a.m. (High Schoolers Only)
Sunday-Run on your own, or w/ a teammate

Summer Training Document
Every week I will post the upcoming week's training (no more than 2 weeks at a time). Please access the following Google Document with your DCSD login to view. If you ever have to miss a practice here is where you can go to see what runs you can be doing on your own. Parents that would like to view the training document simply need to request access from Coach Dalby on the link. 
2017 Summer Training Document (link)