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.