First Meet of the Season

Most of you have received the email regarding this week's first meet and uniforms. Just a reminder that the team rides together on the bus over to the meet. For those parents who are new to Grady XC, the meets are held at Grant Park in the field behind the baseball fields. Parking can be a bit tight in the lot at the end of the park, but there is usually ample parking on the street (behind the school buses on Park Ave.) Please remember that if you come to watch the meet on Wednesday that Mr. Cramer has asked that we allow the team to warm-up together and get their "game on" for the meet without interruption.

Thanks to everyone who signed into Volunteer Spot and signed up to bring snacks for the upcoming meets. I am pleased to announce that snacks are taken care of for the first few weeks! If you haven't signed up yet, there are still a few spaces open. You will notice that there are no sign-ups for Saturday invitational, Regional or State meets; that is because traditionally we have asked that all participants bring a snack of their choosing to the meets. After competition, the runners enjoy treats like bagels, muffins, cookies, fruit, etc.

I also want to take the opportunity to thank all of our wonderful fundraising volunteers. In addition to the folks mentioned in my last email, please be sure to thank Beth Denenny, Kay Monroe, Susan Van Duyne, Nancy Habif, and Scott Kleber. I am overwhelmed with the response for volunteers. It is ever clearer to me why the Grady Cross Country team is so cohesive and shows such amazing teamwork!

See you all on Wednesday!

The Importance of Staying Hydrated

During these dogs days of Summer, it is important to remember the importance of remaining well hydrated. The benefits of hydration are well described in the following excerpt from a blog post* by the authors of Atlanta food blog, We Like To Cook!:

"The benefits of staying well hydrated are too numerous to count, but here are a few biggies:

1.    Proper hydration keeps you healthier. Doctors agree that 6–7 glasses of water (approximately 2 liters) daily is the minimum to maintain proper hydration. Drinking plenty of water helps maintain your immune system to fight against flu and other ailments like kidney stones and heart attack. Water consumption helps to relieve headache and back pains caused by dehydration. Water helps to replenish skin tissue, moisturizes the skin and increases skin elasticity keeping you younger looking. Proper hydration helps keep your joints and muscles lubricated, so you are less likely get cramps and sprains when exercising, and water helps to fuel your muscle tissue. Drinking water also regulates your body temperature.

2.    Water helps you to lose weight and maintain a healthy body weight. Drinking water raises your metabolism because it helps in digestion. Fiber and water goes hand in hand so that you can avoid constipation. Drinking water acts as an appetite suppressant, so you’ll eat less. Drinking water also helps you lose weight because it flushes out by-products of fat breakdown.

3.    Drinking water keeps you more alert. Your brain is composed mostly of water, thus drinking water helps you to concentrate, to maintain focus and be more alert. Water is used by the body to help flush toxins out of the body. When your body is depleted of water, vital organs (like the heart) need to expend more energy to work properly. When your body is tired, so are you."

So, grab those water bottles and refill them often to combat heat and fatigue that can plague athletes during the hottest days of the XC season.

* Republished with the express permission of the authors.

The season is about to begin.  We practice Monday and Tuesday, then our first "race" is Wednesday at Grant Park.  We have 18 boys and 10 girls who have 15 practices as of Friday.  10 other girls will have the full 15 if they are present Monday and Tuesday.  6 boys are in range as well.  Everyone else should plan to go with us to Grant Park and run the warm up with the team.  You will get credit for one practice, and with the possibility of 5 more for the week, most everyone should be ready for Sept 7.

Uniforms will be assigned and distributed Wednesday afternoon in the boys coach's office at 3:25.  Please be on time.  We hope that t-shirts will be ready and will be issued with uniforms.  Only those cleared to run will get uniforms and shirts.  Others will wait until next Wednesday, if you have 15 practices.

Just because you have earned the uniform does not mean you become lax in attendance.  We have averaged 65 kids a day in August.  Let's continue to have over 60 until October 12.  Everyone will improve and the whole team will get stronger because of your individual efforts.

Wednesday will be warm, but no warmer than what we have had every day in practice.  Keep drinking water during the day and into the evening. Eat a good breakfast and lunch.  Lots of fruit and vegetables along with good protein.

Poison Ivy Epidemic

I have heard that several members of the XC team have come in contact with poison ivy and are dealing with the consequences. Just one of the hazards of Cross Country!

A product called "Ivy-Dry" Super, which comes in a spray bottle, works wonderfully. It is a drying agent containing four active ingredients to control itching; zinc acetate, benzyl alcohol, camphor and menthol.  The mentol and camphor are also natural pain relievers, while the benzyl alcohol helps control the itching.

It burns a bit when you put it on and it causes the rash areas to ooze a bit, but it really does work. We bought ours at CVS, but I'm sure you can find it elsewhere. Ask the pharmacist if you can't find it.

Hoping everyone recovers quickly! Good Luck.

We had the opportunity to pick up another slot in the ABC parking lot fundraiser. So please add Melissa Aberle-Grasse, Dagney Grant and Jessica Tuttle to the list of parents to thank for graciously volunteering to help the XC team raise money! The first meet of the season is quickly approaching (Wednesday, August 31st) so please look for an email next week about helping to provide snacks for the team. Enjoy your weekend and stay hydrated!

Fun Cross Country Sayings:

• In the spirit of good sportsmanship, please refrain from making little race car noises as you pass your opponents.
• It’s rude to count the runners you pass… out loud.
• We don’t yield to pedestrians.
• To run fast, you must run fast.
• May the course be with you.
• Finish lines are just the reminder to stop.
• You know you ran the best you possibly could when you barf and then pass out at the finish line.
• It hurts a lot less when you win.
• Pass them, don’t pace them.
• If you’re not the lead dog, the view remains the same.
• If you can't run with the big dogs, stay on the porch.
• Don’t worry about the map…we’ll show you the way!
• Slow down? Yeah right!
• Slower traffic keep right.
• Running is the feeling of someone pushing you from behind… and realizing it’s you.
• When the gun goes off. I am the bullet.
• The faster you run, the quicker you get done.
• Tread on the weak. Hurdle the dead.
• We’ve got a bad case of the runs.
• Love hills and they will love you back.
• Roads? Where we’re going we don’t need no stinking roads.
• In a world of give and take, give what it takes.
• No refs, no fouls, no benchwarmers; Cross Country - It’s not a game.
• We’ve got more legs than a bucket of chicken.
• We don't need wings to fly.
• When I race, my mind is full of questions…”Who will come in second? Who will come in third?”
• Everybody finishes… some just sooner than others.
• Run, run as fast as you can, You can’t catch me, I’m the gingerbread man.
• We're not fast, you're just slow.
• “WARNING: the Surgeon General didn't say anything about smoking the competition.”
• We work ours off so we can kick yours.
• Run like you stole something.
• Eat our dust.
• We have promises to keep, teams to beat and miles to go before we sleep.
• Cross country is a mental sport and we're all insane.
• No one ever drowned in sweat.
• Runners don’t die; they only smell like it.
• Hey - why are all these people following me?
• Cross Country - finally a practical use for golf courses.
• You cannot propel yourself forward by patting yourself on the back.
• Out run, out work, out think, out play, out last

Chant:
Good. Better. Best:
Never let it rest, until your good is better and your better is best.

The true team spirit of the Grady Cross Country team never ceases to amaze. Within a few hours of the call for volunteers, four wonderful parents expressed their willingness to donate their time. Please join in thanking Brian Kish, Mellie DeRouen, Karin Dusenbury and Donna Taylor for graciously volunteering on a busy Saturday to help the team raise money! We had several others who spoke up, but we were only allotted 4 slots at this time.

The other teams will have until tomorrow (Wed. 8/16) to respond. Any remaining slots will be opened up allowing teams (like us) to add more volunteers to the list and increasing our allocation of the proceeds. So stay tuned for the next wave of dates!

Thanks to all for your support of Grady XC!

We have an opportunity to help the Cross Country team earn some money (to help fund race entry fees, team T-shirts, etc.). It is actually SO easy it only requires 4 XC parents to work a one-hour shift in the Grady parking lot. Runners can help for community service hours. PLEASE let our team parent, Denise Romeo, know as soon as possible if you can donate one hour of your time to help the Grady XC team, so that slots can be reserved.

Three (3) adults will be needed to work each 1-hour slot.  There are 20 teams/clubs so each team/club gets 4 1 hour slots.  Example:  Water polo can have 3 folks work 12 to 1 on Sun, then 1 person work 1 to 2 on Sun.  If kids want to come along, they can earn double community service hours, but they can't be one of the 3.

We will charge $10 per car on 8/20 and 8/21 and $20 per car on 8/28 (which is why we will pool the money for both weekends and divide accordingly). The beneficiary is Grady's Athletic Booster Club, which is a 501(c)(3), so the donation is tax deductible, thus receipts will be available to hand out if requested. NO CHECKS ARE ACCEPTED.

Last year, for Dogwood festival, each volunteer earned about $150/hour for their team/club with teams earning up to $500 (not a bad return).

Optional Saturday practice tomorrow morning at 8:30. Meet at the circle in the usual place. Expect to do a longer neighborhood run of 45-60 minutes. Finish by 10:00am.

Excellent first week!!! We had over 50 attend each day Mon - Thurs. Friday dropped off a bit, with many team members not telling us they would not be there. Please keep us informed, but better yet, be thereon Fridays. We always run a shortened practice so you can get to your weekend activities.

Grady Cross Country Parent Meeting

1.  Introduction of coaches: Jeff Cramer, George Darden, Tamara Aldridge
2.  Review of requirements for participation:

• Physical forms
• Insurance
• Certification List of students with incomplete forms 
• 15 official practices before competition

3.  Practice:

• Schedule: 4:00 - 5:30 M-F, 8:30 Saturday morning (optional announced practices)
• Typical routine
• Safety from heat and traffic

4.  Meet schedule & protocol:

• Conflicts please let us know now.
• Wednesday meets are for everyone
• APS championship is for top 7 only
• Saturday meets are for invited faster runners (usually 10)
• Transportation (APS school buses)

5.  Refreshments at meets:

• Parent coordinator will solicit help with each meet 
• Simple healthy snacks and drinks

6.  Uniforms:

• T-shirts - will look at technical fabric costs vs. Cotton (property of the student, no cost) 
• Jersey/shorts - distributed after school on meet day (only to those with the 15 practices) 
• Sweats - distributed to the top 12 on each team before the region meet
• Clean and return all school equipment the Monday after the last meet

7.  Parent behavior at meets:

• Stay off the course
• Cheer for everyone
• Help return numbers at the end of the meet
• Give the kids room to warm up and concentrate on the meet and their team

8.  Season Budget
Expenses:

• T-shirts, 
• Entry fees
• Awards for end of year banquet
• Copy physicals 

Income:

• Cash on hand (S700)
• Corporate Challenge ($300)
• ABC Parking Lot
• One hour run if more funds needed

We had 31 loyal soles (sic) at practice Friday.  We got in a good run in the park. Practice Monday at 4:00.  Meet in the gym.  Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors please see that the freshmen find the locker rooms.  Don't forget your socks!!

I need about 4 managers for the team this year.  If you have decided not to run, but still want to be a part of the team send me a note. You can get MANY community service hours for helping take roll, watch book bags, collect water jugs at the end of practice.

We need to have a parents meeting.  For those parents who can make it we will have a short informational session at 6:00 pm Wednesday of this week (Aug 10th).  Meet in the big gym.  Share plans for the season, answer questions, introduce new faces, arrange snacks, discuss schedule, SAT dates and much, much more.  Meeting will be over at 6:26.

If Monday is your first day of practice in August, you must have a completed physical form - signed, insurance company and policy number.

We had a fun trip to WestStride this morning.  We met lots of kids from Westminster, Lovett, North Atlanta, and Grady.  Took a run through Buckhead neighborhoods, and even got lost, just for old times sake. Then ate hot waffles and frozen yogurt.

Good group tonight.  Thanks to all of you who got your physicals done and braved a warm evening.  We were able to get in a good team building exercise and run several miles with stops for ice water.  The rain started just as the last people were heading across the street. Hope to see even more of you tomorrow.