Sorry about the background noise. This practice provided an excellent opportunity to record some of the runners during Winter Training. The workout was 15x200m with 60-second rest intervals. We spent the next practice in a classroom so the kids could see themsevels on the big screen to better internalize how they run and how they can improve. From there, we went straight to practice and tried to practice some strategies aiming to improve gate.
“I put too much pressure on her!”
“She looks stressed!”
“Why is she smiling?”
“I over-trained them!”
“I under-trained them!”
The incessant stream of thoughts floods my mind as the racers go flying by.
“Where are the Whispers? They should be here by now!”
Underestimating the field and under-appreciating the fluid form of the front 50 runners and how they make their pace look so easy, I can’t help but think my runners should be here by now!
“Where is our front-runner? Who is our front-runner of the day? Kira? Abby? Katelyn? One of those three should be here by – ABBY!”
Abby runs distances like a sprinter – aggressive. Her form needs some tinkering, but the girl can fly! On this day, she looks fast! Her place in the pack – the top 100 – was unusual, but her feet spent little time on the ground, something I noticed during the warm-up. When she races, you’d be shocked to know she is only five feet tall.
I was standing at around the 1200m spot, where I was expecting to see Kira, then Abby. After seeing Abby, Kira flies by seconds later. In the midst of this chaos, those moments seem to take minutes. All I can do is continue to encourage, but Kira looked stressed at that time.
One of my key factors in training is to always remember that these are kids I’m training, not adults. They’re kids! With one exception, this team is a group of middle school runners – kids. Asking one runner, a middle schooler, to take on the responsibility of leading the group through the first two kilometers was a tall order, one we spent the previous four weeks rehearsing. Abby, Kira, and Katelyn were to run shoulder to shoulder, with Kira bring our barometer - the pace-setter in the middle. She was to govern the pace for the first two kilometers, or for as long as possible.
Soon after Katelyn, Callie and Ashley raced by, quickly followed by Emily, Kiley, and Candi. Kiley looked less than pleased. The race was fast and I could only wonder how she was feeling. Encouraging her was all I could do.
Along with coaches and spectators, I raced to the other side of the double-looped course in the opposite direction of the runners. It was during this moment, where I was seeking a good position to see the girls, that I began to question myself as a coach. Reflecting on workouts and miles run over the last six months. Reflecting on pre-race pep talks from this race, and others. Were the workouts too much? Was the mileage too little? Were their psyches too worked up or were they asleep at the wheel?
At around 2.5k into the 4k race I found myself at the top of the slick, 40-meter stretch of claylike mud. In my angst, counting by fives was all I could do. It wasn’t until around 80 that our first Whisper girl came by. Doing my best to gauge my runners merely by the look in their eyes, most of the Whispers looked spent. The downward spiral of doubting myself as a coach continued, myself as a person soon after. It wasn’t until Emily came by, as I now reflect, that I should have known to live by the Bob Marley song of Three Little Birds, which I reiterate to my runners at practice when necessary, “Everything’s gonna be alright.”
Sprinting my way back to the other side of the spectator path, nearing the 3200m mark, I took a peak at my watch as Abby raced by, “12:15-ish.” This can’t be right. She’s running sub-16 pace, with her previous 4k at 16:40. Kira right behind her, and Katelyn not far behind, I began jogging toward the oncoming runners. Callie, Ashley, Emily, and Kiley zoom by, and like all the other coaches, it was then a mad-dash to the finish line.
Missing Abby’s finish and knowing my watch was a few seconds off, I asked Fiona, Kira’s mom, “What did you have for Abby?” “I didn’t catch Abby’s time, but Kira was around 15:35,” she replied.
Wait, what? Are you kidding me? Did I miss the entire race? This whole time, I had been questioning every decision I have made since last April, and now we might have three girls running huge personal best times?
Far off, up the hill, Callie is seen controllably-uncontrollably sprinting down the hill, bobbing and weaving through the foot traffic. Soon after, the rest of the Whisper crew scream by. Six personal best times of the eight runners in one day. On the right day, at the right time.
It appears I should have remembered our mantra: On this day, everything went alright.
This degree of self-doubt, I'd imagine, is what most passionate and involved coaches must feel, no matter if the race is at the start of the season or the end. It's healthy, so long as there is balance, self-awareness in program design, and a willingness to continue learning - this includes learning from the good races, as well as the not-so-good. The kids put in some grueling workouts between November 18 and December 9, each workout aiming toward one common goal - Nationals. We all knew the kids were talented and could run fast. It merely came down to knowing how to run, and run well at the right time. Putting small bits of controllable energies into play, and doing what we've trained the bodies to do, which was to run fast, implementing a plan, and staying awake at the wheel.
Not two hours after the race, one parent asked about the team plan for 2018. Although I said that I am trying to enjoy the present moment of earning 13th place at Nationals, my mind had already begun thinking of the kids lined up for next season, and it'll be just as eventful.
To all the coaches and runners: Here's to a healthy amount of self-doubt and the beautiful reward reaped through patience, perseverance, and believing in yourself!
Whisper Runners, Katelyn, Ashley, and Candice.
Whisper Runner, Abby and her mom, Katina.
Whisper Runner, Callie, and her dad, Levi.
Whisper Runner, Emily.
Whisper Runner, Kira.
Whisper Runners, Kiley and Candice.
Before the start of the USATF National Junior Olympic Race in Tallahassee, Florida on December, 9, Whisper Runners, Kira, Abby, Ashley, Kiley, Katelyn, Emily, Callie, and Candice pose for a timeless photo.
For more pictures from the Association, Regional, and Nationals meets, check us out on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/whisperrunning/.
Click the photo above to view the online article published today by the Columbian newspaper of Vancouver, WA.
This past fall I had the honor of guiding this group of talented young ladies into the USATF XC Junior Olympic series of three races. This being my first year on the circuit, I really had no idea what to expect. What transpired over the past two months has been nothing short of amazing! Qualifying for and running at Nationals was an experience these kids, their families, and I will remember for a very long time. We were blessed to have a videographer join us on the trip (Lindsay, a sister of one of the) who put this video together, highlighting the races, including the final race of the year in Tallahassee, Florida. These girls worked so hard over the last 7-18 months, it's truly inspiring. Enjoy the video!
Click on the image above to watch the YouTube video of the USATF XC JO races of 2017. Pictured above are the eight representatives of the 13-14 year old (age bracket) team, which include Abby, Callie, Ashley, Emily, Candice, Kiley, Kira, and Katelyn.
Click here to see the results of the 2017 USATF National Junior Olympic Cross-Country Championships. Whisper Running participated in the 13-14 year old division.
Whether you missed the Runner/Parent Information session on Tuesday, November 7th, or you need a refresher, there is still plenty of time to help get you caught up. Below are a few FAQ’s from the Info Session that were addressed:
Which online training option is right for me? Whisper offers a few different options. With the Winter Training session beginning January 16, High School runners should register for the six-week package since their season begins in late February. Likewise, Middle School runners should register for the nine-week session since their session begins in late March.
What if my child can only make it to one or two days a week of training? That’s totally okay! The RUNCARD/Punchcard works for Winter Training. This option allows runners who are involved with other activities to remain involved and conditioned in preparation for the 2018 track season. The RUNCARD option also accommodates families who live in the outer regions (south Portland, Woodland, etc.). RUNCARDS are good for any day of group training throughout the year. Though the Winter Training six or nine week pass does offer a better price for the package, RUNCARDS do offer more flexibility. The choice is yours! Be mindful that the RUNCARD expires after three months from the first day of use.
When and how do I register my child to run? Registration is a simple process. First, be sure to complete the Contact or Prospective Athlete link to introduce yourself to Coach Caldwell. Next, you may pay by check or online. Once your payment has been processed and your waiver (see below) is submitted, you’re set! Be sure to register before December 31, as prices will go up on January 1. Payment by checks is preferred. If you plan to pay by check, please make arrangements with Coach Dave if, for any reason, you cannot pay before January 1.
Is there a waiver for participation? YES! The waiver is sent out periodically. If you have not yet received a waiver, please be sure to inquire by contacting Coach Dave via email. The waiver process requires a current physical on file.
How are practices structured? During the six- or nine-week group training sessions (January through February/March and June through August), there will be one to three coaches at every practice. Additionally, Whisper aims to have a Pacer for each group of runners. A Coach designs the workouts and Pacers administer the workouts. A Pacer may not be every practice, and that is okay, as it allows runners to experience a greater sense of autonomy within their running. Practices typically consist of interval-based workouts to develop speed-endurance, or at least, the mentality to train at higher than normal levels.
Do I need to have Whisper Running gear to participate? No, but runners do look pretty slick in their Whisper apparel. There are many runners who train year-round with Whisper, and they have likely accumulated hoodies or shirts along the way. The Whisper online apparel store opens a few times each year and should be open before the holiday rush. Stay tuned for a link to the Bashor Team Apparel online store coming soon!
If these FAQ’s below do not answer your questions, please email Coach Dave directly: whisperrunning@comcast.net.
FAQ’s:
This article was published in the Columbia County Spotlight on Thursday, November 9. Whisper's own, Kira Mahaffy, was highlighted in the article and will help lead the charge this weekend in Seattle at the USATF Junior Olympic Association Meet.
When’s the last time you ran a race just for fun? With no worrying about PRs or passing the person in front of you? If it’s been a while, you might need to slow down and enjoy the scenery. And there’s no better time to do that than during fall races.
Whether you’re a fan of costumes or you just want to break out of the running rut you’re in, you can’t go wrong with a spooky run. They offer you a chance to forget that you’re putting your body through a hard workout. Most runners are completely in favor of anything that makes a run seem more enjoyable.
While some of these spooky events offer real thrills, others will have you laughing more than screaming as you see some of the get-ups people are running in. You can pretend you’re starring in your very own zombie movie or you can check out the scarecrows passing by you as you head to the finish line to collect a cool medal that will be the envy of all your running buddies.
These kinds of runs are great for adults who want an experience they’ll always remember, but many of them are fun for the whole family as well. Kids will forget they’re getting exercise as they check out the costumes around them and race to the finish for after-run refreshments.
If you’re stumped when it comes to finding a haunted run near you, check out some of our suggestions. No matter what your terror tolerance is, you’ll be able to find a run that’s the perfect blend of thrills and fun. These range from seriously spooky to downright hilarious. Either way, you’ll get some great photo opportunities and the chance to do something unforgettable with your weekend.
This blog was created and written by Shannon Elliot from www.runnersgoal.com
The start of the cross-country season is much like the start of anything new, with a rejuvenated sense of optimism and excitement. This is especially true for runners who worked diligently through the months, accumulating miles and minutes on the trails on a regular basis. It’s a great feeling to go into the season at an incredibly high fitness level, and an even better feeling when racing season begins and it becomes evident that your summer work is paid in full.
Over the last few days, I’ve been receiving text messages, emails, and witnessing with my own eyes the results of the summer training. For the seasoned runners, those who have been running for at least a full year, improvements were evident in race times compared to last season and also by moving up in finish places compared with the season before. For the rookies, there were a few freshmen making varsity squads and others simply achieving their strategic racing plans. The evidence was clear – summer training paid dividends. Physically.
The flipside of performances by those who worked so hard over the summer were also present, making this the primary topic of conversation within this message. What if your child’s race didn’t meet their hopes? What if they didn’t run as well as they’d wished? What if they worked so hard over the summer, only to achieve less than desirable results? This is the stuff that can be difficult to address, but is the elephant in the room, and it needs to be acknowledged.
Poor performances happen.
Without learning how to run with a prescribed goal pace, your interval session or race could get away from you rather quickly. The stairs scene in the movie The Money Pit illustrates what it can feel like when you're running without any sense of control - lost, unresponsive, and dreadful.
No matter the cause or the reason behind a poor performance or racing time, if you trained consistently, then you must believe, deep down, that your fitness level improved over the summer. Going off that, it’s time to devise a simple practice and race strategy, something that can initiate a sense of control and confidence within your performances.
Starting with something simple, recall how much time was spent attempting to hit goal paces throughout summer training with Whisper. There was a reason we used the cones during nearly every practice, separating them by 200-meters, to learn cadence and rhythm. Cadence is something that you can control and work from at practice.
Breaking down your goal.
If your goal is to run a 22-minute 5k, you can estimate a 7-minute mile pace will get you there. However, let’s take a calculated look at a 22-minute 5k, similar to what I would do if we were sitting side by side, creating a goal for your next race. Whatever the goal, do the same math when dividing and multiplying minutes, seconds, etc.
The next number is likely the most important. It’s the 400m, but more importantly, it’s how you internalize the 400m. If you think you’re running 1:45.6, technically, you are right. However, you’ve already let the race get away from you. Though it is important to have checkpoints to ensure accuracy and to make the arithmetic manageable, the mile mark in a 5k is the optimal time to do so. Therefore, it is more important to “stay within yourself” by, rather than thinking 1:45.6 is your 400m goal, think of 52.8-seconds is your 200m goal, even though you might still be looking at 1:45.6 on your watch. It’s a rhythm thing. Lock-in at your goal pace and do your best to not deviate. Yet.
Once you have gained confidence that you can run your 5k at your calculated pace, then you can turn your pace into a race. This can be done by, when the gun sounds, staying within yourself, hitting your first 200m goal pace, then your target mile, 7:02.4, then your next target mile, 7:02.4 (or 14:04.8), continuing this pace for another half mile, 3:31.2 (or 17:36), and then racing to the finish with negative splits.
Things to consider:
There are a number of useful racing strategies, but for young runners, learning pace, rhythm, and cadence is a very useful tool when learning how to run. Even with that said, relying on your watch too heavily can take the race out of the competition, because you could become too reliant on pacing. Sometimes you have to take off the gloves, or in this case, the watch. If you feel you have cultivated the discipline to stay within yourself and not get overzealous too soon, then ridding the watch temporarily might help. This is something to practice at practice as well.
Finally, have fun. Regardless of your numerical goal(s), your number one goal should always be to have fun. Running should be a lifelong sport that can take you places, be performed almost anywhere, can be done by yourself or with others, and is something that will always be waiting for you. Crunching the numbers is merely a way to ensure you are squeezing out all of your potential. Once you have a positive sensation of pace, it’s time to race and have fun. All of which takes time to hone.
Have fun!
It's just after 11am on a Wednesday morning (two days ago) and I am walking through the gymnasium at Clark College, toward the men's locker room to shower off after a nine mile run at Forest Park. There's a Health/PE class in session and the professor, Dr. Garret Hoyt, is discussing the lab of the day - Relaxation. Interested, I slowed my walking pace to a crawl to listen-in on what Professor Hoyt had to say in his introduction to the class. Eavesdropping, yes, but I was in plain sight, and I am confident that Garret is confident in the topic on Relaxation, so much so that even in my presence - as a peer - his introduction wouldn't skip a beat. It didn't.
Garret was dialing-in on a relaxation principle called Mindfulness, which is an ever-present state of being immersed a moment, where your cognitive and somatic awareness is heightened on many fronts - sights, sounds, touch, instincts, etc. Although I caught just a snippet of his introduction, the impression was a reminder of the importance it can play on daily stress, and the management of those stresses.
When we think about our stresses, the ones most frequently noted revolve around work, bills, relationships, school, daily responsibilities, and more. Today, during my run at Lacamas, I found myself immersed in work and feeling the need to bring my phone on my run. And so I did.
The feeling of bringing my phone with me on my run surely must be like the feeling one would have when eating a 1500-calorie grease-bomb burger, fries, and beverage, right before bed - dreadful! All night - dreadful. The whole run - dreadful. To its entirety, I found myself responding to text messages and answering phone calls to insure that my work responsibilities were going to be okay. What I failed to do was prioritize my running, my health, and my "me-time." Essentially, my run wasn't really a run. It was a failed attempt at what I used to call a run, but instead my work got the best of me. Today.
The picture of the man looking through the Facebook periscope is an illustration of what my run felt like - I really did want to run, but I was shackled in my own doing.
Work 1, Dave 0.
No more.
As I tell the kids when we are performing interval an interval workout: when you're working, really work, and when you're resting, really rest.
Parents, model this: when you're working, really work. When you're exercising, really exercise. When you're relaxing, really relax. When you're with your family, be present in the moment - Mindful.
Team pic, kids lookin' slick!
May 11, I’m sitting in the stands awaiting the GSHL 3A/4A district mile to begin with too much going through my mind. The previous year two of the participants, Paige and Serena, had begun training with Whisper, and lo and behold, they were about to square-off in the same race. Though the girls were not happy with the placement outcome, both set lifetime Personal Records (PR’s). From my vantage point, I was, and still am, very proud of their performance. Both girls took a chance to put themselves into a position to advance, and that is all you can ask.
After the race, Serena came over to the stands to say hello and briefly inquire about summer training. We spoke for a few minutes, and as she left, she looked over her right shoulder and said, “Oh, by the way, I have about six other runners interested in training this summer.”
Gulp!
Over the next twelve hours I began piecing together a plan for summer training, specifically a plan that would include higher numbers and a greater opportunity to work with even younger runners (middle school age). From there, a plan was put into place – a room at Clark College was reserved for two hours to provide an information session for parents looking for a running program for their kids in preparation for the 2017 cross-country season.
A typical Tuesday workout with the Whisper crew!
Days later, prior to the meeting scheduled for Wednesday, June 14, a runner from Union High School, Micah Goff, had been in touch regarding summer training. We texted a few times and I asked him to join me at a community workout on a Tuesday night at Shahala, along with Serena and Paige. The workout was pretty basic, however, being surrounded by middle school runners, I was encouraged to ask the three high schoolers if they’d prefer to act as Pacers this summer, rather than be coached. Knowing much of the interest in the summer group training was coming from the middle school age, the idea was off the cuff of sorts, and it worked out like a gem. Thankfully, they all said yes.
Coach Bob was another story. Initially, I had asked him to help on a few specific days so that I could travel with my family to Canada to support my wife during her Ironman, and during the week away at the Whisper Running Camp in Bend. Bob was on board with those few days, but he was also interested in coming out more frequently. Seriously? I was now 2 for 2!
The night of the information session came. I arrived at 6:30pm, about 30-minutes prior to the start, to set-up the room with stickers, journals, and general paperwork. Being the first summer offering a summer training program, I was hoping to get 17 runners. However, having ordered 30 journals and seeing them all disappear at the standing room only session, I was very confident the numbers would exceed my expectations. Indeed they did, and the training then went from Tuesday’s and Thursday’s, to Monday’, Tuesdays, Thursday’s, and Friday’s. This also meant that I could hire two of the runners to help out more days, and hire a second assistant coach, Josh Christensen.
This was all happening so fast, but the pieces were fitting into place so naturally. As I look back on this, God had his finger prints on this entire process.
Summer training began on Thursday, June 22, with approximately 20 runners attending the first practice at Pacific Park in east Vancouver. The first practice was much like the entire nine weeks of training – a steep learning curve in how to maximize the potential of Whisper moving forward – both in tapping into the kid’s potential, and the potential of running a business. Training-wise, these kids had an amazing nine weeks. The primary objective of the summer program was to instill the belief that they can train safely at an intensity they’ve never experienced, and still walk away alive! I fully believe that most of the kids who consistently took part in the training met this outcome.
Water fountains never fail to replensih the soul after a greweling workout.
Over the last year, after watching middle school cross country, talking with the runners and their parents, I’ve learned that these kids aren’t being challenged, something they desire even if they don’t want to admit it. The example of this I share regularly: at the start of the 2016 track season for Shahala Middle School where I volunteered since 2015, Coach Scott asked if I wanted to coach the sprinters for a day. Without flinching, I took on 8-10 runners, gave them a very simple workout – stride the corners, jog the straights for four laps. Many of the newbies jaws dropped at the thought of running a mile, but I had to remind them to do one lap, striding the corners, then “just do it three more times after that.” A mile can be daunting for some, so scale it back – a lot! Leaving the facility, it felt great to coach runners again. The year previous I worked with the middle school relay teams, which is like “herding cats” as Coach Bob would say. Working with the runners was gratifying and I knew I had been missing it. My daughter got into the car and as we drove away, she said, “Dad, you’re not going to have any sprinters tomorrow. That workout was too tough. They’re not going to like you.” My reply: “Madi, I’m not trying to make friends. I’m trying to build runners.” The next day I had over 20 kids ask me for a workout. “Sorry kids, I’m back on relay duty.” This circumstance was one factor that lead to Whisper. In hindsight, there were many, and I’m telling, you, God’s fingerprints were all over this.
The summer of training was on-point. Between myself, Coach Bob and Coach Josh, there was a common, genuine interest in doing what was best for the kids to ensure a safe, fun, and challenging nine weeks of training. The Pacers were amazing and each of them had at least one parent mention the impact they were having on their child.
Moving forward, as the coaches review the things that worked and things we can improve upon, along with the input we have received from the Pacers, the runners, and the parents, it seems as though nine weeks was about right. There is a chance we will begin a week earlier, perhaps mid-June, so we can insert a week off in July so families can perhaps plan their travels around that week. Other changes kids may see is we will perform a 2k assessment rather than a 1k, doing so in smaller groups and on runner-friendly (fewer potholes) grounds. We will also perform more tempo work, so they can learn to run longer durations at varying intensities. There are a number of modifications that will be made, but the foundation is here and you can count on Summer XC 2018 Training!