Blog Posts

Week 8

7/26/2026

Schedule for July 27th-August 2nd
Mon: DeKoevend Park@ 7 a.m.
Tues: MVHS @ 7 a.m.
Wed: MVHS @ 7 a.m.
Thurs: Redstone Park @ 7 a.m.
Fri: MVHS @ 7 a.m. TEAM Breakfast #2 (8:30-9:30)
Sat: Audobon Center Parking Lot (Waterton Canyon) @ 7 a.m.

Week 8 Notes
TEAM Breakfast #2 is this Friday. Please see the Sign-Up Genius link below if you are able to bring anything. We hope to see as many runners as possible!

Over the final two and a half weeks of summer we are going to be stacking some big training weeks in preparation for the beginning of the official XC season. Athletes please ensure that you are taking care of little things like 8-10 hours of sleep, eating a big breakfast right after runs (and throughout the day), and staying hydrated throughout the day. Running consistently is the biggest piece of the puzzle, but quality sleep/nutrition will always put you in the best position to succeed.

See Jay Johnson's article below on the importance of sleep for distance runners, and sample meals/food ideas for distance runners from Dr. Jeff Messner. The final link is a document I stole from Coach Dalby that touches on everything.

Jay Johnson's Article on Sleep

Jeff Messner's Notes on Nutrition
*See Dr. Jeff Messner's Bio here

Dalby's Document on Sleep, Nutrition, Hydration

TEAM Breakfast #2
We will be hosting our 2nd TEAM Breakfast of the summer on Friday, July 31st. After our run that morning we will enjoy Waffles and Pancakes on the MRMS grass fields.

Please see the Sign-Up Genius HERE if you are able to bring any items and RSVP.

2026 MVHS XC Registration
The first day of the official CHSAA season is exactly two weeks from tomorrow! Please register at the link HERE. Practice on the August 10th/11th will most likely be in the morning to avoid the heat while we can, and we will switch to afternoon practice on Wednesday the 13th.

All Athletes must be registered, have a current physical on file, and the Participation Fee must be paid before they will be cleared to participate.

You will receive an email when you are cleared. If you have any questions about the registration process please reach out to our Athletic Secretary Ros Seale ([email protected]). The coaching staff has access to the list of who is currently registered but Ros is the only school staff who can approve final eligibility.

Iron/Ferritin Check-up (High School Athletes)
If you haven't checked iron levels in six months, the coaches strongly encourage doing so before the CHSAA season officially begins in August. This is a preventative measure to ensure that levels are where they should be before the official CHSAA season.

You can consult with your physician first or order directly from a lab. Info on ordering direct

Below is information about the importance of iron/ferritin for distance runners.

A ferritin level of 30 is the minimum number acceptable for adequate performance as a distance runner. Please come talk to the coaches if you have questions.

Week 7

7/19/2026

Schedule for July 20th-26th
Mon: Redstone Park @ 7 a.m.
Tues: Orchard Rd Highline Canal Trailhead @ 7 a.m.
Wed: MVHS @ 7 a.m.
Thurs: Aspen Grove Panera @ 7 a.m.
Fri: MVHS @ 7 a.m.
Sat: Bluffs Regional Park @ 7 a.m.

Week 7 Notes
We are only three weeks away from the CHSAA season officially beginning, and about a month away from the Vista Nation 2-Mile. We know a lot of families are finding time to travel in July before school starts back up, but we have been incredibly impressed with how consistent everyone has been with their running in-town and out-of-town. We are excited to see all your hard-work pay off in August!

Please see the link to the pin for Tuesday's run. I don't believe we have ever met at this starting point before. We're starting at a different section of the Highline Canal a little bit further north than DeKoevend. There's a small parking lot w/ a bathroom and water fountain that we will start at.

2026 MVHS XC Registration
MVHS registration for the 2026 XC season is officially live. Please see the registration link HERE. Athletes will need to be registered and have a valid physical on file in order to practice with us on 8/10/26 when the CHSAA season officially begins. They will need to be registered and have a physical on file to practice on August 10th even if they have running with us all summer.

Gear Order
The first gear order of the season will close on July 22nd.

During the CHSAA season athletes will race in green jerseys/black shorts. The coaches will check out green jerseys to athletes in August, but we are asking families this year to purchase their own black racing shorts this year. Boys please order a pair of the Nike Men's Team 10K Running Short. Girls can order either the Nike Women's Team 10K Running Short or Nike Pro Women's 365 3" Short. Any other gear from the gear order is optional.

LINK HERE

TEAM Breakfast
We will be hosting our 2nd TEAM Breakfast of the summer on Friday, July 31st. After our run that morning we will enjoy Waffles and Pancakes on the MRMS grass fields.

Please see the Sign-Up Genius HERE if you are able to bring any items and RSVP.

July 19th, 2026

7/19/2026

Week 6

7/8/2026

Schedule for July 13th-19th
Mon: Writer's Vista Park (Highline Canal) @ 7 a.m.
Tues: Redstone Park (Highline Canal) @ 7 a.m.
Wed: MVHS @ 7 a.m.
Thurs: DeKoevend Park (Highline Canal) @ 7 a.m.
*We will meet in the parking lot before the Goodson Rec Center light.
Fri: MVHS @ 7 a.m.
Sat: Audobon Center (Waterton Canyon) @ 7 a.m.

Week 6 Notes
Families please note the change in schedule for off-campus days. Thank you for your flexibility as we break up the routine from the first five weeks of summer.

MVHS registration for the 2026 XC season should open up tomorrow on Arbiter. Please see the registration link HERE. Athletes will need to be registered and have a valid physical on file in order to practice with us on 8/10/26 when the CHSAA season officially begins.

League Champs Update*
ThunderRidge was unable to secure Redstone Park for 10/10, so League Championships is officially Wednesday 10/14. Our hope is that all athletes will stick around to compete as this is the final opportunity for ALL athletes to compete before Regionals/State. Regionals/State we are limited to 9 and 7 runners respectively.

Athletes planning on joining us for NXR are required to race League Champs and we ask that athletes in contention the Regional/State roster stay in town for the entire duration of break in order to maintain a regular training schedule. We know this is a big ask given that families want to take advantage of the opportunity to travel, but there are only 8 days that separate League Champs from our State Qualifying Meet (Regionals) and 17 days to the State Championships. The coaches are trying to avoid a disruption in training that could negatively impact the TEAM's ability to qualify for State or compete to the best of our ability at the State meet. Thank you for your support.

TENTATIVE 2026 XC Schedule

Summer Gear Order (7/12-7/22)
LINK HERE

Please see the link above for the 1st Gear Order of the summer for MVHS athletes/families.

During the CHSAA season athletes will race in green jerseys/black shorts. The coaches will check out green jerseys to athletes in August, but we are asking families this year to purchase their own black shorts. Boys please order a pair of the Nike Men's Team 10K Running Short. Girls can order either the Nike Women's Team 10K Running Short or Nike Pro Women's 365 3" Short. Any other gear from the gear order is optional.

When we head down to NXR we have to race as a "club" so we will wear black jerseys with a skull and CO flag. If you are planning on joining us for NXR we encourage you to order your own singlet. We will have Nike singlets for our Top 7 Boys/Girls to ensure that we are matching for the Championship races. If you aren't sure if you'll be joining us for NXR yet, we will have a handful of old Pirate jerseys that we can check out to athletes in November.

Week 5

6/30/2026

Schedule for July 6th-12th
Mon: MVHS @ 7 a.m.
Tues: Redstone Park (Highline Canal) @ 7 a.m.
Wed: MVHS @ 7 a.m.
Thurs: Aspen Grove Panera @ 7 a.m.
Fri: MVHS @ 7 a.m.
Sat: Salisbury Regional Park (Parker) @ 8 a.m
*Long Run w/ Continental League Teams. We will meet in the east parking lot close to the Equestrian Pond.

Week 5 Notes
A big thank you to Jen Baker and Sarah Bolthouse for organizing the TEAM Breakfast, and a big thank you to all the families that contributed. We are planning on doing it again on Friday, July 31st.

This Saturday, HS runners will be meeting for long run at Salisbury Regional Park in Parker. Coach Grant from ThunderRidge organized a group run for a bunch of schools from the Continental League. It's a fun opportunity to meet and run with some other runners from local schools. Please note the time change for practice. 8 AM START!

We have 5 more weeks of summer practice until the CHSAA season begins on August 10th. Registration info will be posted in the coming weeks, but parents/families please consider getting a sport physical sometime during July. Athletes will not be allowed to practice with the team on August 10th if they do not have a physical completed and submitted even if they've been practicing with us all summer.

Denver Twilight Series
Denver Twilight Series.

2026 Fall XC Schedule
TENTATIVE 2026 XC Schedule

League Champs Update
Thunder Ridge was unable to secure Redstone Park for 10/10, so League Champs will be hosted on Wednesday 10/14. All athletes planning on racing at NXR are required to race at League Champs and are expected to be in-town for all of Fall Break train together and avoid a disruption in training before Regionals/State.

Time for New Shoes?
As a general rule of thumb, your shoes will need to be replaced every 300-500 miles, depending on the brand/model. If you've been wearing the same pair of shoes since track season, you might be due for new shoes by the end of the month.

Iron/Ferritin Check-up (High School Athletes)
If you haven't checked iron levels in six months, it is strongly encouraged to do so before the CHSAA season officially begins in August. This is a preventative measure to ensure that levels are where they should be before the official CHSAA season.

You can consult with your physician first or order directly from a lab. Info on ordering direct

Below is information about the importance of iron/ferritin for distance runners.

A ferritin level of 30 is the minimum number acceptable for adequate performance as a distance runner. Please come talk to the coaches if you have questions.

NXR Update
The NXR page has been updated with information on Parent Block for families along with coaches flight information. You are not obligated to pick the same flight as the coaches, but you are welcome to join. Parents can stay at the team hotel or choose to stay elsewhere.

Coaches Flight- Southwest
11/19/26- Depart DEN @ 8:25 a.m./ Arrive PHX @ 10:30 a.m. (WN #1155)
11/21/26- Depart PHX @ 7:25 p.m./ Arrive DEN @ 9:10 p.m. (WN #3423)

Parent Block
Hyatt Embassy Suites
Special Rate Code - G-VSP6

Week 4

6/26/2026

Schedule for June 29th-July 5th
Mon: MVHS @ 7 a.m.
Tues: DeKoevend Park (Highline Canal) @ 7 a.m.
*Please see the Google Maps link above. We will meet in the parking lot before the Goodson Rec Center Light.
Wed: MVHS @ 7 a.m. (TEAM BREAKFAST after our run)
Thurs: Bluffs Regional Park @ 7 a.m.
Fri: MVHS @ 7 a.m.
Sat: NO OFFICIAL PRACTICE. See Final Surge for minutes OYO/With a Teammate

TEAM Breakfast- Sign-Up Genius
After our run on Wednesday (July 1st) we will be having our first TEAM Breakfast of the summer. We will be having a Banana Split Breakfast Bar and hanging out at the MRMS grass fields after practice. Bring spikeball, frisbee, cornhole and any other games that you want. This is for both High School AND Middle School athletes. Please see the Sign-Up Genius below to RSVP and sign-up to bring an item if you can.

SIGN-UP GENIUS

Week 4 Notes
Due to the 4th, we will not be meeting for Saturday practice. Get the minutes in on your own or hop in a local 5K if you're itching for a race.

Next Saturday, July 11th we will doing our Long Run from Salisbury Park in Parker. Daniel Grant from ThunderRidge has organized a group run with a handful of teams in the Continental League to meet up and run together. It's a great opportunity to meet athletes from neighboring schools

I've opened the tab for NXR information. NXR is for our high school athletes only. It is a regional race in Arizona in November where the best teams in Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Nevada, and Arizona will meet up for a championship style meet at the end of the season. We want to take as many athletes as possible on the trip, but this is an earned opportunity. Please see the requirements for the trip on the NXR-SW tab. I will continue updating the tab with information as it rolls in. The coaches are booking their flights this week. Just wanted to put it on everyone's radar as soon as possible so families can start planning.

Nike hasn't updated their website yet, but we got email confirmation that it will be November 21st.

Week 3

6/18/2026

Schedule for June 22nd-28th
Mon: MVHS @ 7 a.m.
Tues: Redstone Park (Highline Canal) @ 7 a.m.
Wed: MVHS @ 7 a.m.
Thurs: Rocky Heights Middle School @ 7 a.m.
Fri: MVHS @ 7 a.m.
Sat: Hildebrand Ranch @ 7 a.m.
*Group 1/Incoming 9th Graders will be ready to pick-up around 8:00-8:15 for Saturday's practice.

TEAM Breakfast Sign-Up Genius
After our run next Wednesday (July 1st) we will be having our first TEAM Breakfast of the summer. We will be having a Banana Split Breakfast Bar and hanging out at the MRMS grass fields after practice. Bring spikeball, frisbee, cornhole and any other games that you want. This is for both High School AND Middle School athletes. Please see the Sign-Up Genius below to RSVP and sign-up to bring an item if you can.

SIGN-UP GENIUS

Week 3 Notes
The coaching staff has been really impressed with attendance at both the MS/HS levels this summer. I've been even more impressed with all of our athletes logging their runs on Final Surge while you're out of town. Keep up the great work!! You'll be thanking yourself in October and November.

We will be off-campus for runs on Tuesday and Thursday again this week. We will meet in the main parking lot of both locations.

Looking ahead at the next couple weeks. We will not be holding practice on July 4th for HS athletes. Training will be in Final Surge. Get the run in on your own/with a teammate or hop in a local 5k. We are planning our first TEAM Breakfast of the summer on July 1st after practice. Keep an eye out for more info over this week.

As we get our legs back under us for training keep in mind how important your habits are the 22 hours outside of practice time. To be at our best for the XC season in October and November, good habits have to start in June and July. See the chart below that I stole from Jay Johnson's Consistency is Key (I have extra copies in my car if anyone wants one) on sleep. If you want to take your running to the next level consistent running (5-6 days a week) and consistent sleep is the easiest place to start.

See everyone tomorrow!

Week 2

6/13/2026

Schedule for June 15th-21st
Mon: MVHS @ 7 a.m.
Tues: DeKoevend Park (Highline Canal) @ 7 a.m.
*Please see the Google Maps link above. We will meet in the parking lot before the Goodson Rec Center Light.
Wed: MVHS @ 7 a.m.
Thurs: Writer's Vista Park (Highline Canal) @ 7 a.m.
Fri: MVHS @ 7 a.m.
Sat: Audobon Center (Waterton Canyon) @ 7 a.m.
*We meet in the Audobon parking lot and run from there because the Waterton Canyon Lot is incredibly busy on Saturday mornings. We will meet in the far back corner of the parking lot.

Week 2 Notes
Week 1 is in the books! We were so happy to see old and new faces this week at practice. I know plenty of families are traveling, and we'll look forward to seeing everyone else once they get back into town.

Starting this week we will begin meeting off-campus twice a week for runs. We are fortunate to have excellent trail systems around Highlands Ranch (that are also flat) that we want to give the kids the chance the opportunity to run on. We do our best to keep off-campus practice within a 15-20 minute radius of Highlands Ranch.

Middle School Parents: Middle school athletes will be ready for pick-up by 8:30 every day.

High School Parents: Incoming 9th graders and newcomers to the program will be ready for pick-up by 8:30 every morning. For the remainder of summer, returning 10th/11th/12th graders will be asked to stay until 9 a.m. in order to fit post-run work in.

Summer Conditioning Sign-Up
HERE

Week 1

5/27/2026

Schedule for June 8th-14th
Mon: MVHS @ 7-8:30 a.m.
Tues: MVHS @ 7-8:30 a.m.
Wed: MVHS @ 7-8:30 a.m.
Thurs: MVHS @ 7-8:30 a.m.
Fri: MVHS @ 7-8:30 a.m.
Sat: Redstone Park @ 7-8:30 a.m.

Summer Conditioning Sign-Up
HERE

1st Week Back Reminders
We're back! The coaches are excited to start meeting with our summer runners starting on Monday, June 8th. A couple reminders as we get back into our summer running routine. The coaches will meet you in the front parking lot and we'll wait for everyone to trickle in during the first week.

1) Please bring a water bottle/snack for after your run.

2) We do training runs based off of minutes not miles, so please bring a watch to practice if you have one. It doesn't have to be a fancy GPS watch, as long as it has start/stop function it'll be perfect.

3) We will use "Final Surge" to log training and to send out communication directly to athletes throughout the summer (schedule changes, weather, etc). If you need assistance activating your account please see one of the coaches this week and we'll help you get set up.

ENTRANCE/DROP OFF: Due to construction at Vista this summer, it will be a one way entrance and exit. The entrance will be the West Lot (Student Parking Lot) and the exit will be the East entrance (Staff Parking Lot). Thank you for your patience in the first week as we figure out how this will impact our practices in the morning.

Please email [email protected] if you have any questions.

Iron/Ferritin Check-up
If you haven't checked iron levels in six months, it is strongly encouraged to do so before summer conditioning officially begins. This is a preventative measure to ensure that levels are where they should be before the official CHSAA season.

You can consult with your physician first or order directly from a lab. Info on ordering direct

Below is information about the importance of iron/ferritin for distance runners.

A ferritin level of 30 is the minimum number acceptable for adequate performance as a distance runner. Please come talk to the coaches if you have questions.

Time for New Shoes?
As a general rule of thumb, your shoes will need to be replaced every 300-500 miles. There's a lot of variation depending on the brand/model, but please be proactive in recognizing when you think you need new shoes.

We know that a good pair of running shoes can be expensive, but it's better to be safe rather than put too many miles on them and risk injury.

Girls State Champs Gear Store Open
If anyone would like to purchase Girls State Champs gear (shirts, sweatshirts, bag, etc), we have a team store open through 6/8. Orders will be shipped directly to your home.
STATE CHAMPS GEAR STORE LINK

Time Off from Running

5/17/2026

Uniform Turn-In
LAST CALL FOR UNIFORMS!!!
Please bring your uniform with some sort of label w/ your name on it (in a baggie, painters tape w/ name written, etc) and drop off to Coach Kunz up at the track shed Tuesday the 18th after school. You can also drop off your uniform to Coach Trevino in the library, just make sure it is labeled!!

ANY ATHLETES THAT DO NOT RETURN THEIR UNIFORMS WILL RECEIVE A $50 ATHLETIC FINE!!!
Distance athletes that checked out a black top for league champs/State must return them by the banquet or will be fined $55. If you want to keep the top, bring Kunz $55 cash or check (made out to MVHS Track Booster).

End of Season Banquet - Wednesday May 27th 5:30pm
Date: Wednesday, May 27, 2026
Time: 5:30 – 8:00 PM
Location: MVHS Commons
FAQ:

Everyone who wants to eat needs a ticket.
Yes, athletes will need a ticket if they want to eat.
If you do not want to eat, you do NOT need a ticket and you do NOT need to RSVP.

HOW TO PURCHASE TICKETS:
*** DEADLINE: Wednesday, May 20 ***
Tickets are $15 per person. To purchase, visit the link below:
https://www.register.vistagoldeneagles.com/program/track-field/16583
Please purchase before May 20 – no tickets will be available after that date.
CATERED BBQ BUFFET:
This year's banquet will be catered! We will enjoy a BBQ Buffet with:
- Pulled pork, chicken, and sausages with sweet and tangy BBQ sauce
- Sides: mashed potatoes, gravy, mac n cheese, BBQ beans, green beans, and corn
- A selection of desserts and drinks
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
We need help with setup and cleanup. If you are able to volunteer, please sign up here:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4BAFA923A0FA7-63208649-track#/

Thank you for your support, and we look forward to celebrating our athletes with you!

Pre-Season XC Meeting
When: Tuesday, May 18th @ 3:00 p.m.
Where: Brandt's Room (U310)
What: To talk about summer running, fall XC, NXRSW trip eligibility to Arizona, the fall XC Schedule, time off from running.

Time Off + End of Year Reflection (Distance)
After running six days a week since January it's time for a break from running. Hopefully a lot of you have started your break already and are enjoying time-off.

Take a minimum of 10-14 days off from running. We want you excited and itching to come back to run. If you feel like you need more than 14 days please talk to one of the coaches. We want to find a balance between giving you time to recover physically/mentally while also keeping in mind that if we go too long without running it can increase the risk of injury. I created a couple options of what time off might look like depending on when your season ended. If any of you are racing the Boulder Bolder I would strongly encourage to take time-off after. TIME OFF DOC

When you get back into running after your time off keep it EASY. We won't start working out again until July. June will be focused on easing our way back into training.

We won't meet officially again until June 8th for summer conditioning. Get the runs in whenever you can. Meeting up with teammates is a great way to stay motivated while we aren't meeting as a TEAM.

Please see this document attached to reflect on your habits this spring and you can improve the be best version of yourself going into this summer and fall.

With the conclusion of the CHSAA season, check out the updated MVHS distance records below.

Boys All-Time List

Girls All-Time List

Summer XC Registration
Who: All MRMS (incoming 6th-8th grade) and MVHS (incoming 9th-12th grade) cross country/distance athletes wanting to prepare for the upcoming fall cross country season.

Returning athletes/families- Recruit any friends you have in the building who would be a great addition to our TEAM!No running experience required!

*Incoming 5th graders interested in running this summer please email ([email protected])

What: A 9 week summer training program for all runners looking for prepare for the 2026 CHSAA XC season.

When: High-School: Monday-Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. starting June 8th to August 11th. Middle-School: Monday-Friday from from 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. starting June 8th to August 7th.

Where: We meet at a variety of locations within a 30 minute radius of Highlands Ranch area to run. Practice locations will be posted each week at www.vistanationxc.com.

Practice locations include: Mountain Vista High School, East/West Regional Trailhead, Rocky Heights Middle School, Redstone Park, Writer's Vista Park, DeKoevend Park, Bluffs Regional Park, Aspen Grove, Waterton Canyon.

SIGN-UP LINK

Iron/Ferritin Check-up (Distance)
If you haven't checked iron levels in six months, it is strongly encouraged to do so before summer conditioning officially begins. This is a preventative measure to ensure that levels are where they should be before the official CHSAA season.

You can consult with your physician first or order directly from a lab. Info on ordering direct

Below is information about the importance of iron/ferritin for distance runners.

A ferritin level of 30 is the minimum number acceptable for adequate performance as a distance runner. Please come talk to the coaches if you have questions.

Time for New Shoes? (Distance)
A lot of you are due for a new pair of shoes before we start summer conditioning. Reminder that as a general rule of thumb, your shoes will need to be replaced every 300-500 miles. There's a lot of variation depending on the brand/model, but please be proactive in recognizing when you think you need new shoes.

We know that a good pair of running shoes can be expensive, but it's better to be safe rather than put too many miles on them and risk injury.

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