Northern High School Cross Country and Distance Squad
Durham, NC

     Q3:  Tempo run -- either 20 minutes at 5000m pace plus 20 seconds per mile, or, on a track, 3 X 1 mile at your mile PR plus one minute, with a 1 minute rest between miles. 

Workouts, December 26-January 2:

Try to get in the following workout prior to next week: either 10 X 300m with a 100m rest (which I usually write as 10X300/100) if you can get to the track, or 10 X 1 minute hard and 1 minute easy (written as 10X1 min/1 min) if you can only run on roads/trails. Run distance on the other days, with a longish run (40 minutes or more) on at least one day. 

Workouts,  January 3-January 8, 2011: 

     Monday:  5X200/200,5X400/200, 5X200/200, continuous, 200s at 39, 400s at 78.

     Tuesday:  40-50 minute run, 6X150m striders

     Wednesday: 4X1000/200, at 3:55

     Thursday:  40-50 minute run, 6X150m striders

     Friday:  4X200/200,3X400/200, 2X600/200, 1X1000, 400m between sets, 40, 80, 2:00, 3:20

     Saturday: 60 minutes

Workouts,  January 9-January 15, 2011: 

     After the snow has gone away and it has warmed a bit run  5X200/200, 5X400/200, 5X200/200, continuous, 200s at 39, 400s at 78.  

    Try to get in workouts of a 40-50 minute run followed by 6X150m striders, as well as one 60 minute run.  We'll get back on schedule next week! Best of luck on exams!

Workouts,  January 16-January 22, 2011: 

     Q3:  Tempo run -- either 25 minutes at 5000m pace plus 20 seconds per mile, or, on a track, 4 X 1 mile at your mile PR plus one minute, with a 1 minute rest between miles. 

Workouts,  January 23-January 29, 2011: 

     Q3:  Tempo run -- either 25 minutes at 5000m pace plus 20 seconds per mile, or, on a track, 4 X 1 mile at your mile PR plus one minute, with a 1 minute rest between miles. 

 Check out the sites listed in the updated Links section.

1)      a water bottle;

2)      a towel for the ab workout;

3)      a watch to time your run;

4)      a lightweight training shirt, as we don't run shirtless;

5)      good running shoes.

   Each day we will talk about some aspect of running, from equipment to goal-setting, from running form to running etiquette.

Realignment:  Goodbye MidWest, Hello MidEast (again)

and

State XC Champs Have Moved! 

We've moved BACK to Wake Med for our Regional Meet, the MidEast again!

The NCHSAA Cross Country Championship Meet will be held at Wake Med this fall instead of Tanglewood.

Check out the sites listed in the updated Links section.

NEW RUNNING AD LINK!!!  (From adidas)

What Athletes Deserve

Tim Stevens of the News and Observer wrote a column back in 1998 which was republished last year.  This explains what an athlete not only deserves, but what they should expect.  This is great reading for athletes, coaches of all sports at any level, parents, and administrators.  Click here on What Athletes Deserve.

Saturday Runs

Saturday optional runs will take place in Duke Forest, starting from the intersection of US Hwy 751 and Kerley Road.  We will meet at 8:00AM, and practice will be finished around 9:45AM.  Directions from school may be found at

http://www.mapquest.com/mq/10-CzJTC7uwx*Re .   These runs are an important component of our training, and attendance is highly recommended.

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Cross country and distance runners are different.  Here begins a list, not original, of statements that complete: “You know you are a cross country runner if…”   

1. you roll your eyes when people say, "You run three miles...at once?"

2. you get irritated when more than half the people you know don't know the difference between cross country and track.

3. you come up with weird answers to questions like "why do you run so much?"

4. you run farther in a week than your bus travels for meets.

5. the most enjoyable time you've had all month is a day off from practice.

6. all your socks are either stained or torn.

7. you can spit while running.

8. you finish the race looking like you wrestled a bear and you don't care.

9. if you schedule dates around meets.

10. you spend more on training clothes than school clothes.

11. you have running withdrawal if you don't run everyday.

12. you wake up every morning in pain.13. Gatorade is your drug of choice.

14. you would give up homecoming to go to the State Meet.

15. your Saturdays for the past 4 years were ruined.

16. you enjoy running hills.

17. your favorite food group is carbohydrates.

18. you are always hungry.

19.. your room smells like Icy-Hot.

20. track is the other "sport". 

Please feel free to send more to Coach Payne.  This list will grow as often as possible.  My own list is over 400 statements, collected from many sources.

Quote from Steve Prefontaine (uncredited):

"A lot of people run a race to see who is fastest. I run to see who has the most guts, who can punish himself into exhausting pace, and then at the end, punish himself even more. "
Steve Prefontaine

Link to Nike "I've got soul" commercial: Soul