Congratulations APS City Champs!

Congratulations to all members of the Grady Cross Country team! All of you contributed to an incredible season which resulted in the boys winning 1st place in the APS City Championship Meet, Senior Isabelle Taft winning 1st place in the girls race and the girls' team winning a close second place title. Good Luck to all  runners as they head to the 6AAAA Regional Meet on Saturday, October 27th at Marist High School.

Nash Farms, City, Region, State

Good work today.  Your times keep dropping and your ranking improving. Results from Nash Farms are at this address: http://ga.milesplit.com/meets/120945-golden-eagle-invitational

Based on today's performances, season progress, practices, current physical states, and seniority as a tie breaker, Ms Aldridge and I have set the following teams for the rest of the season.  The first seven in each list will run at the city championship Wednesday.  We will decide before region who will run varsity/JV at the region meet. The list may change at Carrollton if we qualify for state.  With a good effort at region on October 27th, you stand a good chance of finishing in the top 4 and advancing.  We would like to have the 12 in the lists come to practice to prepare for region.  Everyone else on the team, please wash your uniform and bring it by my room as soon as possible.  You are encouraged to come on the bus Wednesday to cheer
for the team.

Girls' State Team:
Grace Powers
Isabelle Taft
Lia Pett
Iman Madyun
Margo Stockdale
Meredith Fossitt
Allison Rapoport
Avery Bufkin (alternate for city, wear your uniform Wednesday)
Sofia LeBlanc (alternate for city, wear your uniform Wednesday)
Reilly Blum
Kate de Give
Alexis Davis-Karanga

Boys' State Team:
Adrian D'Avanzo
Troy Kleber
Axel Olson
Hank Persons
Sonny Romeo
Carter Guensler
Miles Jordon
Dominic Romeo (alternate for city, wear your uniform Wednesday)
Gabe Kupersmith (alternate for city, wear your uniform Wednesday)
Davis Schwartz
Archie Kinnane
Max Dusenbury

Get a good rest Sunday.  Monday be ready for a good workout.  Tuesday will be light.  The rest of the week, and all of next week will be tough every day.  Let's be ready for 6AAAA!

3rd Annual Golden Eagle Invitational Tomorrow

Tomorrow is the 3rd Annual Golden Eagle Invitational hosted by Eagle's Landing High School. The buses will leave Grady at 6:30am. All team members interested in running should be on time.

The Nash Farms course is a 2.5 loop 95% grass course. Most consider the course moderate and it is the most spectator friendly course in Georgia. There will be clocks at the 1 mile and 2 mile markers. The meet will be sanctioned by GHSA as well as neighboring states if needed.  Course map: schoolwires.henry.k12.ga.us/Page/20256

Meet Schedule:
8:30 am: Varsity Boys 5K (limit 7)
9:15 am: Varsity Girls 5K (limit 7)
9:50 am: JV Girls 5K (unlimited entries)
10:30 The Dash @ Nash 5k/Varsity Awards
11:15 am: JV Boys 5K (unlimited entries)
11:45 am: Middle school/youth boys and girls 3K (2 miles, unlimited entries)

For parents planning to attend, a map to the meet can be found HERE.

Directions from Atlanta:
South on I-75 to McDonough, Jonesboro Rd.  Exit on Jonesboro Rd.  Go right (West).  Stay on Jonesboro Rd for about 5 miles.  Nash Farms Battle Field is on your left.  Follow parking volunteers and signs.

We ask that ALL participants bring a snack of their choosing to share after the invitational. After competition, the runners enjoy treats like bagels, muffins, cookies, fruit, etc.

Weeks Ahead

Thursday and Friday will be regular practices with emphasis on speed and hills. Saturday - Meet at the school at 6:30 am.  Please be on time.  Travel to Nash Farms should take about 45 minutes.  The boys varsity race begins at 8:30, girls at 9:15. Directions:  South on I-75 to McDonough, Jonesboro Rd.  Exit on
Jonesboro Rd.  Go right (West).  Stay on Jonesboro Rd for about 5 miles.  Nash Farms Battle Field is on your left.  Follow parking volunteers and signs.

Monday and Tuesday will be light, but speed oriented.  I will email the state team list Monday and announce the list at Monday practice. Only those 12 boys and girls will continue to practice, and run at region.  We need to focus on the region meet and fewer runners will help.

Wednesday Oct 17 is the city championship.  We will announce the team on Tuesday.  We will only be able to run 7 in each race.

Thursday, Oct 18 - Friday, Oct 26 will be a build up to region

Saturday, Oct 27 - Region championship, Marist School, first race is at 9:00.  Bus will leave Grady at 7:00 am

Saturday, Nov 10th - State meet in Carrollton if we qualify at region. Top 4 teams go to state.  AAAA is the first race at 8:30 am

December 2nd - likely date for our end of year dinner/awards ceremony. Check your calendars.

Fall Break Practices

You do not have school Monday or Tuesday next week (Oct 8 & 9)  This presents a problem for us with maintaining continuity in practices. Monday is a furlough day for teachers and we have been told we may not
hold practice in any sport.  Tuesday is a professional development day.  We are scheduled to be at the World Congress Center from 8-5. While I doubt that they will keep us until 5:00 I may have trouble
getting off in time to make a 4:00 practice.  Here is a tentative plan:

Thursday (tomorrow):  Practice will be very important.  Please be there!!!  We will to a longer neighborhood run as recovery and for strength. Friday:  Speed workout on the Active Oval.  Please make this one also.
It is the only chance we will have to run fast until the Wednesday meet. Saturday:  Overdistance day at Piedmont Park, a long run in the neighborhood with bike/water support.  9:00-10:30 (one hour later than
in past weeks) Sunday:  relax, stretch, core work, easy run if you can manage (3-4 miles) Monday:  on your own.  Find a partner if possible, but do make an effort to get out and run.  4-5 miles followed by 10 fast strides or 10 sprints up a short hill. Tuesday:  on your own.  5-6 miles run at an easy pace, follow with strides and plenty of stretching. Wednesday:  Meet at Grant Park.  Run hard for two laps, relax the third.  (Last meet before city championship.)

We will be able to run 10 team members at the city championship.  Ms. Aldridge and I will select 12 runners for the state meet before October 15th.  Your attendance and hard work will help us pick the best group to represent the school at Region and State.

You all ran well today.  I will forward the results as soon as they are sent to me.

Aubrae Gunderson Invitational Driving Directions & Schedule

Who is Aubrae Gunderson?

For those planning to go to the Aubrae Gunderson Invitational at the Horse Park in Conyers, here are the driving directions and the schedule.

Directions: I-20 to Exit 82 (Highway 138), go North 4 miles, right onto Centennial Olympic Parkway, go 2 miles, the course is on the right at 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway, Conyers, GA 30013. For a map with detailed directions, CLICK HERE.

The 5K course is all-natural terrain with grass, dirt, and trails with rolling hills. We will use the F course. This is the same course we used in 2011.

PLEASE NOTE: There will be a $5.00 parking fee for spectators.

Race Schedule:
8:00 AM Collegiate Men
8:20 AM Collegiate Women
8:40 AM HS Red Boys Varsity (10 runners) - AAAAA/AAAAAA
9:00 AM HS Red Girls Varsity (10 runners) - AAAAA/AAAAAA
9:20 AM HS White Boys Varsity (10 runners) the most competitive races
9:40 AM HS White Girls Varsity (10 runners) the most competitive races
10:00 AM HS Blue Boys Varsity (10 runners) - A/AA/AAA/AAAA
10:20 AM HS Blue Girls Varsity (10 runners) - A/AA/AAA/AAAA
10:40 AM HS Boys JV (Unlimited)*
11:00 AM HS Girls JV (Unlimited)*
11:40 AM Middle School Boys* (Unlimited entries - 2 miles)
12:00 NOON Middle School Girls* (Unlimited entries - 2 miles)

* Meet management reserves the right to add additional sections of the JV races to the schedule based on the number of entries received. This may delay the start of subsequent races. Awards will also go to the top 20 individuals in the championship, varsity, and JV races. Plaques will be awarded for a new course record.

Mid-Season Update

This has been a busy week.  Wednesday's meet was a prelude to the Marist Invitational, but still showed we are getting stronger and more confident on the Grant Park course.  We will begin to push the pace more the next couple of weeks.  Thursday's service project at the PK Corporate Challenge was a huge success.  We had 32 team members helping and you once again showed why Grady High School is so well respected in the community.  We filled 15,000 cups, handed out most of them, cheered for the runners, and then cleaned up two city blocks in less than 15 minutes.  Saturday at Marist was our first big meet. There were 23 boys teams and 19 girls teams.  We were back in the pack on the team scoring, but our times continue to improve and we did well against our region competition.  North Atlanta will be strong contenders for the APS title this year, so we need to do some focused training to get ready for that meet, October 17th.

This week will be fairly normal.  Look for long intervals on Monday, a long run on Tuesday, meet on Wednesday, shorter speed workout on Thursday, easy runs and hill sprints on Friday, long run on Saturday.

We have about 20 boys right now who are running within two minutes of each other for 5K.  This is a good situation in that we like pack running.  This a less than desirable situation in that everyone must improve by at least 2 minutes to be competitive at State.  Only 12 will be named to the state team, only 7 will run.  This week I am looking to see who shows a genuine desire to be on that team.  You can't sit back and goof off any more.  Time to begin to push each other in practice.

Girls are in a similar situation.  Keep chatting with each other, keep your groups together, but turn your chatting to inspiring each other to run harder in practice.  North Atlanta would love to beat you at City.  Let's keep the Grady streak alive!

Next invitational will be at the Conyers Horse Park, September 29th.

Busy Week Ahead

This will be a busy week for the Grady Cross Country team. The second city meet of the season will be on Wednesday at Grant Park. Come on out and cheer on the team!

Then Thursday after school is the Corporate Challenge Service/Fundraising Project at Georgia State. Team members run down to Georgia State University and fill cups and pass out water to Challenge runners. Once the race is over they will take down tables and sweep the streets.  The race begins at 7:00pm and clean up should be finished by 7:55pm. The XC team receives $10.00 for each participating team member! This is the team’s only fundraiser so ALL runners are encouraged to participate. Participating runners also receive five hours of community service. Runners must have a signed Waiver form to participate.

On Saturday, the team will run in the first invitational of the season: the Coach Benson Double Dip at Marist on Saturday, September 15th.  Two groups of runners will participate: a Varsity and JV team. The bus will leave the Grady 10th Street lot at 6:30am, so runners should be prepared for the early morning. Team members that are not on the roster often ride along to cheer on their teammates and get a feel for the invitational experience.

You may also have noticed that there are no VolunteerSpot sign-ups for Saturday invitationals, Regional and State meets; this 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.

First Meet Parent Info.

This afternoon is the first meet of the Cross Country season! Most of you received Mr. Cramer's email regarding today's meet and uniforms. Just a reminder that the team rides together on the bus over to the meet this afternoon. 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.) It is the perfect spot since you can see the runners race by on both sides of the course.

In the past, the Girls' race begins between 5:00pm and 5:15pm with the Boys' race starting about 10-15 minutes later. 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 and drinks for the upcoming meets. I am pleased to announce that snacks and water are taken care of for ALL city meets!

First Meet & Corporate Challenge

Today's run was excellent.  We tacked on an additional half mile to the regular run.  Everyone did very well.  Have a relaxing (with a run or two thrown in) Labor Day weekend.  Practice Tuesday.  I will have the list of runners for the first meet.  Uniforms will be issued Wednesday afternoon after school.  Get there as soon as possible. Those with fewer than 15 practices may ride the bus, do the warm ups and cheer for the team.  T-shirt may be ready, but no guarantees.

September 13th is the Corporate Challenge water stop service project. We would like as many as possible to participate.  Leave the school at 4:15.  Run to Georgia State University.  Fill cups, pass out water to runners, take down tables and sweep the streets.  Race begins at 7:00, we should be finished with clean up by 7:55 if we can match the record set by last year's team.  Five hours of community service, $10 per person donated to our team for yearly expenses.  This is a Thursday. They lost contact with us and were very excited to learn that we were still interested in helping.  THEY LOVE GRADY because you do such a wonderful job.

June, July, August were base training.  September, the racing season has begun.  Workouts will begin to change a bit, week by week.  Every practice is important for a different reason.  The first couple of Wednesday meets will be relaxed (not slow, just relaxed).  The first invitational of the season will be the Coach Benson Double Dip at Marist on Saturday, September 15.  We will run varsity and JV teams at Marist.  Everyone will run together at Grant Park on Wednesdays.  Focus!!  Be there daily!!!  Complete all workouts, run past the finish, go a little extra distance, encourage your teammates.

Week 4 Beginning

The team is making great progress. Thanks for embracing "The Cramer Philosophy" for training and racing.   Attendance has been mostly good.  Keep coming daily or let us know before practice.  The two time trials indicate that the team is beginning to form a corporate identity, even as each of you grows individually.  Saturdays are making many of you stronger runners, and our mileage has increased in weekday practices.  We will need at least 15 boys who are willing to push beyond what is comfortable to get the final group to state.  Everyone else will need to push themselves also.  The lead group is a flexible grouping with the option for anyone to move into it.

We will try to have one more time trial, with an eye out for Hurricane Isaac moving through midweek. We practice rain or shine.  Pay no attention to wimpy friends.  Be there every day.

Team - Team - Team.  Run together, support each other, encourage each other, compliment each other. I feel the adrenaline flowing as I watch you train.  Soon we will be racing.

Parent Information & Update

Our first meet will be held on Wednesday, September 5th at 5:00pm. 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.) If you come to watch the meet on September 5th, please remember that that Mr. Cramer has asked that we allow the team to warm-up together and get their "game on" for the meet without interruption.

The coaches have asked that we (parents) provide snacks for runners after the weekly City Meets to include water, fresh fruit and healthy treats like bagels, muffins, granola bars, etc. We will be using VolunteerSpot again this year to coordinate the snack schedule. Look for an email invitation to VolunteerSpot in your email box immediately following this email. If you do not receive that email, you can visit http://www.volunteerspot.com/login/entry/344922878067 to sign in. You will notice that there are no sign-ups for Saturday invitationals, Regional or State meets; that is because traditionally we have asked that ALL runners bring a snack of their choosing to the meets to share with everyone. If you are a student receiving team emails, please send forward a copy to your parent(s).

Physical forms and copies of your runner’s insurance cards are past due. If your student is truly interested in participating in the Grady XC team, these forms must be returned immediately.

We look forward to a great XC season! Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.

~Denise Romeo
  Team Parent

Leaves of Three - LET IT BE!

Cross Country runners are very proud of the fact that they traverse all types of terrain, however, there are some hazards of running “off the beaten path.” The biggest risk is that of running through poison ivy (or poison oak or sumac,) so it is very important to learn how to identify these dangerous plants and learn what to do if you come in contact with them.

Over 350,000 people are affected by poison ivy annually in the U.S. The sap of poison-ivy (and related plants) contains the chemical urushiol which causes an allergic reaction. After injury to the plant, the sap leaks to the surface of the plant where the urushiol becomes a blackish lacquer after contact with oxygen.

The urushiol binds to the skin on contact, where it causes severe itching that develops into reddish colored inflammation or non-colored bumps, and then blistering. These wounds may be treated with oatmeal baths and baking soda or over-the-counter products such as Calamine lotion or "Ivy Dry Super."

For more information on identifying and treating poison ivy, oak and sumac, please visit http://poisonivy.aesir.com/view.

Three Weeks of Practice

We had 19 runners at our Saturday morning run.  Most took the 5.5 mile route and did very well.  The temperature was very nice and with no traffic, plenty of water and good people to talk with all the way through the loop, we had a great workout.  These longer runs on cool mornings will make out team competitive with all the other schools who are doing the same thing every week.  Keep coming, take the challenge.

I still need parts of physicals/insurance waivers/insurance card copies (download here if needed) from several people.  I have called your name every day.  If you don't have it tomorrow - no practice.  You can get it and return later in the afternoon, or bring it Tuesday.

1.  Insurance waiver (three signatures)
2.  Personal history (two signatures)
3.  Two sheets signed by the doctor/NP
4.  Photo copy of the insurance ID Card

We will run a one mile time trial Wednesday.  I trust everyone will be there.  We need a baseline time for each of you so we can track improvement.   We will run the boys and girls separately and keep score just like a regular meet.  I will set up the teams, five runners per team.  We plan to time trial for the next three weeks, two miles next week, three miles the week after.  Then we begin regular meets at Grant Park.

Remember, 15 practices.  If you were there all six days last week, and the four days before school started, you already have 10.  It isn't hard to get the 15, but anyone starting new this week will begin counting on their first day of practice.  I am going to stop taking new recruits this week, and only if they have extensive running experience and can be certified easily.  It is time to concentrate on training, not paper work.

We are beginning to see who the team leaders will be.  Your goal should be to work your way into the lead groups   Don't take short cuts, don't miss practice without good reason, encourage your team mates to support each other.  We are on a roll,  Keep it going.  See you tomorrow at 4:00, rain or shine, hot or cool, happy or sad, hilly or flat, one loop or 10 loops, scratchy grass or dusty dirt, it is all for your good.

Go Team USA

Hope you all are having a great first week of school. I have noticed you guys are working hard and I just want to say give yourself a pat on the back for all your efforts. Just a reminder we still have practice on Friday with an optional morning practice on Saturday.

I would like to encourage everyone to come and train with us tomorrow. We meet at our usual meeting spot in  in Piedmont Park ("Stone Henge") at 8am and do a longer distance run around the neighborhoods. Also, tonight is the Olympic women's final for the 1500m and 5000m and on Saturday is the men's final for the 5000m.

Go USA!!! and have a good weekend!!

~Dominic Romeo

Parent Meeting 2012

Agenda:

1.  Introductions: Jeff Cramer, Tamara Aldridge, Denise Romeo (Team Parent) and New Athletic Director, Kathleen Washington

2.  Review of requirements for participation:

• Physical forms
• Insurance cards
• 15 official practices before competition

3.  Practices Schedule and Expectations:

• Schedule: 4:00 - 5:30pm M-F, 8:00am Saturday mornings
• Typical routine
• Safety from heat and traffic
• NO Jaywalking 
• Positive attitudes and statements ONLY
• Leadership 
• Teamwork Focus

4.  Meet schedule & protocol:

• Wednesday meets are for EVERYONE
• Conflicts please let us know now.
• APS championship is for top 7 only
• Saturday meets are for invited faster runners (usually 10)
• Transportation (APS school buses)
• 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; and, Clean and return all school equipment the Monday after the last meet

5.  Parents at meets:

• Team Parent (Denise Romeo) will solicit help with meets including simple healthy snacks and drinks
• Give the kids room to warm up and concentrate on the meet and their team 
• Stay off the course
• Cheer for everyone
• Help clean up at the end of the meet

6.  Team Finances:

• Corporate Challenge Fundraiser
• Season Expenses: T-shirts, Entry fees, Awards for end of year banquet (Need host family!)

Week One

We have had good attendance this week.  Over 50 both Monday and Tuesday.  I am still looking for about 15 more who have signed up and should be running with us every day.

Physical forms and paper work is coming slowly. I went through the list at practice today.  Please bring in the final copies tomorrow.

Groups are working well together.  TEAM!!  That is how we will get to state.  Encourage each other at practice and in school.

Parent meeting in the gym at 6:00 Thursday.  Hope to see as many families as can manage that time slot.

Weather has been very cooperative so far.  We have a few aches and pains.  Keep coming to practice.  You can do exercises on the side and run as much, or as little as your joints will allow.  We need everyone healthy by mid September, so there is plenty of time to strengthen tendons and ligaments.  First meet is September 5.  I think we will skip Berry and go to Conyers on September 29th (Saturday).

Last Saturday was a good run for the 10 who came.  Perhaps we can double that number this weekend.

First Day of School 2012

Welcome back to school.  We will meet after school in the gym. Practice from 4-5:30pm.

In addition to physical forms, our new Athletic Director wants to have a copy of everyone's insurance card. Please make a copy and bring it with you to school.  Several of you are missing parts of your physical or insurance waiver form.  I will go over all those tomorrow.  No paper work, no practice.

We will have ice coolers, but it will be helpful if you bring your own water bottle.  You can refill and stay cool.

Parent meeting after practice Thursday at 6:00pm in the gym.  We will go over team expectations, volunteer opportunities, fund raising, schedule, answer questions.

We have a good group this year and we can qualify for state with solid training in August, September and October.  Be there every day.

Running in the Rain

Thanks to the 27 stalwart team members who braved the rough weather today.  We met in the park, then went into the gym when lightning got too close, then went outside again, only to go back in.  After lots of drills, core strengthening exercises, crab walking, hopping and such, we went back out in the rain and ran for about 20 minutes.  We were rewarded with a beautiful double rainbow over the meadow, and many puddles to splash through.  We got wet, but got stronger as individuals and as a team.  If we train in the rain, we will be able to race in any conditions.

Remember to stuff your shoes with newspaper overnight.  They will dry and won't smell.  If you forget, you will probably regret it every time you lace up.

Practice tomorrow at 6.  We may get a repeat of today's storms.  Come on out anyway.  Saturday at 8:00 am for a neighborhood run.  Should be fun.  The team is beginning to take shape as you get in shape.

Last Week at Candler

One more week!!  We will practice Wednesday, Thursday and Monday at Candler park.  Then on Wednesday, August 1st, we move to Piedmont Park (still at 6:00pm).  We will meet Thursday and Friday (August 2nd & 3rd) also at Piedmont.  On Saturday, August 4th, I will meet with any team members who are interested in helping the team make the leap to State for a relaxed longer run (5-6 miles) in Ansley Park at 8:00am.  There will be shorter options for anyone not ready for that distance.  I will have my bike to carry water bottles.  We will continue the Saturday optional workouts through August and September.  If we can get a consistent group coming on the weekends, we will be ready in November.

PHYSICAL FORMS!!!!!  I must have these completed by August 1st.  Have them in hand when you come next Wednesday.

Almost everyone on the roster has been certified by the state.  If you have friends who want to join the team, get them out now so I can get the paper work done.

After school practice begins on Monday, August 6th.  Bring your running clothes and shoes to school, change in the locker rooms and meet in the gym at 3:55 pm.  We will walk across the steet together and run a workout designed for the weather conditions.  It is never too hot, too wet, too cold for us to practice.  If there is lightning, we will find a place indoors until it clears.  WE ALWAYS HAVE PRACTICE, M-F (5 DAYS) WITH SATURDAYS OPTIONAL.

We have a good group this year.  Summer has been well attended.  The freshmen look strong.  The veterans are showing leadership.  It will all come together.

Two & Half Weeks and Then...

Keep spreading the news, the summer is drawing toward its inevitable conclusion.  We need the following to happen:

1. Keep coming to practice Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at Candler Park until Monday, July 30th.

2.  Bring me your physical/insurance forms as soon as you get them done (before Wednesday, August 1st).

3.  If you are out of town, find a time and place to run in your alternate universe.

4.  Look at the northern sky tonight and before dawn tomorrow morning to see if we get an auroral display from the recent solar flare.

5.  Wednesday, August 1st, we return to Piedmont Park (6:00pm).  We will meet Wednesday, Thursday and Friday with an optional Saturday morning run at 8:30am.

6.  Practices will be at 4:00pm in Piedmont Park beginning the first day of school, (August 6th.) Let's start with the resolve that we will attend every day and work toward another year of qualifying for the state meet.

7.  A T-shirt design.  Deadline will be August 10th.

8.  You must have 15 recorded practices (after August 1st) to receive a uniform, team T-shirt and the privilege of running in the first City Meet on September 5th.  Not everyone has run the first meet in past years.  This year can be different!

9. First meet will be at Grant Park Sept 5th, with a meet there every Wednesday after school (5:00pm) until October 17th.

10. Pencil in September 15 (Marist), Oct 13 (Asics), Nov 3 (Region), Nov 10 (State);  Official schedule will be made available on August 1st.

We have had 62 team members attend practice at least once.  We average 21 kids each day.  This may be our best summer ever! Freshmen/women are looking good.  We need your numbers to support the team.  Everyone is a varsity runner. I have a new computer so maybe those who have been missing emails will get them now.

Return to Candler Park

Congratulations to all who ran the Peachtree Road Race.  The day turned out to be fairly cool, and we would have thought it was cool even if the temperature had been much higher.

"Dead Week" is now officially over!!!  I trust you were all able to find time and partners to get out and run last week (every day?)  We will meet again Monday at 6:00 and get back to our three day/ week routine.  If you are going to be out of town, find time and place to get in your daily running.  If you are in Atlanta, come join us at Candler (and recruit a friend to join also).

Make your appointment for a physical NOW!!!  We always have team members who put it off until the last minute, but not this year.  On August 1st, no physical, no practice.  You must have 15 practices before you can compete with the team in meets.  There is also a minimum number of practices to earn a varsity letter.  I will give you a team contract to sign on August 1st.  It will spell out all the expectations.

The fall schedule is not final yet, but plan on Grant Park meets every Wednesday at 5:00 (6 meets + City championship).  Region will most likely be the last Saturday in October or Nov 3rd.  State is November 10th.  We will try to compete in three invitationals spaced out over the fall (Sept 15 is Marist invite on the course where region will be held)  I will give you the full schedule as soon as I can get dates confirmed.

Boys' Team: Eat Watermelon

It is time to re-focus our efforts on training both for the upcoming Peachtree Road Race and for the 2012 XC season. Just a reminder, Sonny and I are still planning to hold a voluntary practice on Tuesday morning at Piedmont Park for all interested runners. We will meet in the Grady parking lot (10th street) at 9:00am and plan for a good stretching session and a 2-3 mile run.

As Mr. Cramer mentioned, the Peachtree Road Race is coming up in two weeks; Sonny and I have received our numbers and plan to run. If anyone is interested in extra training, please let us know.

Please be thinking of a T-shirt design for the 2012 season! Let’s plan a get-together to discuss this and other guy stuff at the 2nd annual Grady XC foosball tournament.   

Eat watermelon! Watermelon juice can not only rehydrate you, but also provide you with certain nutrients that can promote your health and reduce your risk of disease. Watermelon juice contains potassium, a mineral that regulates water balance of your cells and kidneys. Watermelon is also a good source of lycopene and vitamins A, B-6 and C. For more information please visit http://www.livestrong.com/article/493530-watermelon-juice-for-hydration/.

Happy Running!
~Dominic Romeo

Week 4 of Summer Running

Looking forward to another week of running. Last week was a good one.  The weather was mild, attendance was strong, and we were able to get out on the bike path and see some of the sights.  Be ready for a quick quiz on John Lewis and Jimmy Carter, as well as names of your teammates.

Remember, the three days I am meeting with you each week are not enough days to build the base of mileage you need for the season ahead.  I have suggested running 7 days a week knowing that there will be days when you "just can't seem to find the time" to get out.  Try anyway!

Peachtree Road Race is 2+ weeks away.  If you have a number let me know so we can arrange to meet at the start or finish.  I will be going to the 2012 Peachtree Health and Fitness Expo at the World Congress Center on July 2nd or 3rd.  If you would like to go (you don't have to be entered in the race to go to the expo) let me know so we can arrange transportation.

See everyone at 6:00 pm Monday, June 18th.

More Summer Training Opportunities

[Grady XC Boys:]

Welcome to the 2012 XC season. As you all know we have been practicing at Candler Park for the last few weeks. In order for us to be competitive in our region we need to really be working hard NOW. Other teams are also practicing this summer. If you can’t make practices, you should try to run a bit on your own so you stay in condition and remain acclimated to the Summer temperatures.  

In addition to our regular practices on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at Candler, I would like for us to get together to run some drills (form, speed, endurance, etc.) I would suggest that we meet on Tuesday mornings in Piedmont Park beginning the week of June 19th. I would prefer to meet at 9:00am to take advantage of cooler morning temperatures. Please let me know if you are interested and we will set up a meeting place. I am also open to running on Saturday mornings with anyone who would like to run.

Sonny and I would like to take anyone who is interested to run the City course at Grant Park (especially new team members who have not run this course) to get familiar with the layout and strategies for tackling the hills. The tentative date for this outing will be Sunday, June 24^th. If you are interested in going, please let me know as soon as possible so that we can set a time.

For some good information on running, please read the excerpt from Men’s Health at http://ghsxc.blogspot.com/2011/08/running-for-beginners.html. Remember that it is important to stay well hydrated even when you are not out running. Try to drink an extra glass of water each day. Caffeinated drinks are diuretics and cause you to eliminate water from your system. Try substituting at least one soda per day with water.

I look forward to hearing from you. Feel free to email me. Happy running!

~Dominic Romeo

This was a good beginning to our summer together.  We had another good group both yesterday and today.  Girls have been in short supply the past two days, but the boys are developing a strong group ethic and running well together.  We are talking a lot about physiology and anatomy, so come get your biology fix and prepare for the science graduation tests.  Today we tacked on a lesson on botany with a leaf hunt in the arboretum along Ponce.

Every day will be different, so don't miss anything.  If you are in town come join us.  I talked with the St. Mountain coach Tuesday night and they are doing a similar practice schedule, but we have much greater numbers and probably better athletes as well.  They are in our region and you will have to beat them to make it to state.  Don't let the other schools out train us.  The summer is when all the base training and physiological changes occur.  Racing fast only happens when you have put in the miles. THERE ARE NO SHORT CUTS TO STATE!!!

See you Monday.

Good showing today.  We had 26 team members with a good mix of girls/boys and 9th graders/upper class people.  Keep coming, and start coming (the other 90 of you who are on the list).

I will try to have the physical forms ready Wednesday.  I still need some additional information from several of you, (you know who you are.)

It looks as if the tropical storm (B) won't send us much rain, not that it matters to our workout plans, we just need some water for the plants.

Do something daily - run, walk, bike, swim, work on core, stretch. Unplug and breath deeply.

See you all Wednesday.

Summer 2012 Practice Begins

This is the first attempt to check email addresses. If your email is incorrect or you need to be added to the list, please contact us.

Candler Park Meeting Spot

The first practice will be held on Monday, May 28, 6:00 - 7:30 pm at Candler Park.  Enter the parking lot on McClendon.  We will meet in front of the swimming pool.

Please be on time, bring a water bottle, wear light weight/color clothing, find a good pair of shoes (we will discuss footwear).  Most of our running will be on grass.

The weather is not a factor!!!!!  If it is hot we will be careful and drink lots of water.  It it looks like rain - we go anyway.  If there is lightning we will wait in a safe place until it passes over, then go out and run.  That is what we do...... we run, then run some more.

Please schedule a physical exam with your doctor or local drugstore clinic.  I will have physical forms and they must be done before you can participate in official practices August 1.  June and July are optional (but encouraged).  When you are in town we expect you will join us.  I will take attendance just so I know what progress you are making.  We will meet Monday, Wednesday and Thursday each week.  If you run on your own, or with a friend, on other days you can mark them on the attendance list.

Email me with questions.

Hope to see you all Monday.  (There are 115 on the roll right now!)