Thursday, October 18, 2012

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.

Sunday, October 14, 2012

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!

Friday, October 12, 2012

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.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

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.

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

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.