Update on Pictures

Over the past couple of days there have been some updates on the links to pictures that were taken this year, mainly with pictures being posted from the 2 mile time trial/end of season gathering.  So, please check those out on the right side of the blog and thank you to all that have contributed this year!
Thanks,
Denny

Uniforms

The following runners still have their uniforms.  We would like to close the season up and in order for that to happen we need all of the uniforms.  Please bring them to the Activities desk at the main office ASAP and/or let me know when you can bring it to the school:

Lachlan
Caleb
Judah
Caine
Alex
Ben H

Thanks,
Denny

Thank You

Thank you once again for a fun filled, albeit a little chilly, evening on Friday!  Thank you to Vicki, the Chesser's, the McKenzie's, and the Bones's for helping with the food serving and set up and thank you to the runners for putting forth a great effort while still having fun doing it!! It was a different type of closure to our season, but quite fitting for all that everyone has had to deal with the past 7 months!

To close things out, we will have the athletes turn in their uniforms on Wednesday or Thursday, depending on what day they are at school.  For those that are full time distance, you can come either day.  Coach Lauren will be outside the high school at about 2:45 to collect the uni's and there will also be a quick survey that we would like everyone to take, so make sure you have a device you can go online with.  Have your uniforms cleaned.

As we move forward, the one thing we hope everyone is staying active.  It is not always easy with the cold and snow/ice of winter, but to help with development, it is important to stay active.  If you are in an activity already, stay focused and give it your best. If you are looking for something, let us know, we can help direct you to the many programs at our school (You can ask me about Nordic Skiing or Coach Lauren about Alpine Skiing).  And if you are just wanting to keep running, let me know and I can help you come up with a plan for running during the winter months.

Thanks again for a fun season and if there are any questions, please let me know,
Denny

Items for Tonight (Friday, 10/16)

Just a couple of items for tonight's end of season time trial and gathering. 

We will have the gates between the tennis courts open, so please enter the stadium at that location and try to be there by 6:30 so we can start right away.

Runners will meet on the track in front of the press box, parents/families, we'd like to have you to go to the stands.   Please help by keeping yourselves spread out.

We also do want everyone to bring their masks and wear them when around others as well as when you are getting food.  

If there are any questions, please let me know,
Thanks,
Denny

Section Meet Review

An overall positive day as those that were competing in today's Section 5AA Meet ended the 5K season for us in below average temps.  The Boy's got the day going with an early morning, 35 degree windy race.  Despite being short one of our top runners, the Boys went out and performed and took steps forward.  Times aren't always the indicators you'd like them to be, but what we saw as coaches from the Boys was determination and desire to finish better than they did the last time they raced, which is what they did.  Andre was the top Boy placing third in our wave of the race with Aaron picking up a valuable 4th place finish.  In the end though, missing Peyton allowed others to catch us as a team and when the last race was completed the Boy's finished in 14th out of 16 teams, just a couple of points out of 13th and not far out of 12th.

The Girl's got to enjoy a little bit warmer weather, with temps under 50 but stronger and cold winds.  Once again Ilsa was leading the way, not only for the Cardinals but all throughout our wave of the race and not being challenged.  Zoe and Lilah continued their battle with each other with Zoe getting 3rd in our wave with Lilah close behind in 4th.  The Girl's moved up as a team to 12th out of 16 teams, catching Totino Grace and beating them in a tie breaker, which was the placing of the 5th runners for each team, as Akala passed one girl from another team in the last 100m to help earn that tie as well as beat St Anthony Village by 1 point!!  It makes for fun racing when teams are that close, even if one was in a different wave and shows why it is important to finish the race all the way past the finish line!!

It was another mentally challenging race with not as much competition as one would expect at the Section Meet, but they all handled it well and fought to the finish, with more runners being passed by Cardinals in the last 200m than being passed by our opponents.  It is tough to run by yourself, but they fought the whole way.  Had Ilsa had the opportunity to run with those faster than her, as with all of our runners, the chances that times would have been faster is probably a certain.  But in this year and season of complete change and unfamiliarity, it is the lessons that we learn from handling adversity, change, and things that are not what we are used to that will make us stronger later, and I hope it is something that they all take with them!!

Thanks to all of the parents that were able to come out and support the runners.  More pictures were taken today, so make sure you check all of those out.  Also, a huge shout out to all of the JV runners that came out for the Boys race as well as the Girls race to support their teammates.  It was a big positive to see the pride they had in their teammates and the cheering they were able to supply!

But, we have one more chance to come together for this season and one more chance for the runners to get a race in, as well as an opportunity to honor all that they were able to do in this odd year.  It will be a much more relaxed and fun atmosphere, with the CC team getting to run under the lights of the track.  It will be a little cold, so for those coming out to watch and support make sure to dress warm.  We will have hot chocolate and cider to help as well, but we are hoping the energy the runners have been showing this past couple of weeks will be all we need to stay warm!!  For those that are eating, if you are bringing a check please write them out to Denny Green.  If you are helping, we will need one person to help pick up the food at Noodles in Riverdale at 6:15 with the rest meeting at the concession stand of the track around 6:00.

Thanks again and lets have fun tomorrow night!!
Denny

Section Results

Results for the Girls race were just recently posted and the Boys were posted earlier, so you can find Section Results at the following site: https://www.mtecresults.com/event/show/3663/2020_MSHSL_Section_5AA_CC

The Girls moved up a spot in the overall standings and the Boys fell back one.

I will have more detailed info later tonight.

Thanks

Denny

Last Week of Season

Well, we have made it to the last week of the season and we didn't lose a meet and no one on the team has come down with Covid!!! But, it does mean we are about to finish off the season and bring everything to a close.  Here are the basics for the week.

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday: Practice for everyone, Girls at 3:15, Boys at 3:30.

Thursday: Section 5AA Meet at Anoka High School.  Boys will race at 9:00 with the bus leaving at 7:45; Girls will race at 1:30 with the bus leaving at 12:15.  Both teams will be competing at Fridley, Park Center  and St Anthony Village.  Only those racing are able to be on the bus, in camp, and at the start or finish area.  Anyone else that can come out to support would be great.  Here is the list of who will be racing:
    Boys - Andre, Ryan, Aaron, Josh, Joey, Nolan, Judah
    Girls - Ilsa, Zoe, Lilah, Ash, Lily, Akala, Sydney

Friday: Cardinal Cup & End of Season Gathering (Racing under the Lights!!)
    We would like to have everyone meet at the High School Track at 6:30, at which time we will do an intro of all of the runners and hand out Letters/Participation/Academic awards at that time.  Once that is complete, the runners that will be running first will go out for their warm ups, with the rest starting their warm ups 15 mins later.  Also at that time, we will have all Parents and Families that are present get their meals and eat before the first race, which will happen at about 7:15.  We are not sure if the Boys or Girls will go first yet, that will be decided at practice tomorrow between the Captains.  

In between the two races we will do the team awards and have the Captains say a word or two for those that just raced, and then after the other race is done we will do the same.  Parents will be allowed to sit in the bleachers or be out in the field to help with social distancing.

One thing we need everyone to do is to fill out the form that is linked HERE by the end of the day on Tuesday so we can set up catering.  We will be having Noodles and Co. cater food in, and we will need to know how much to order prior to.  You will need to fill the form out for each individual in your family that will be attending.  The total cost per person eating will be $10.

If there are any questions, please let me know,
Thanks
Denny

JV Dual Results

Our Individual Results are now posted on the right side of the blog.  We probably won't do overall results unless Blaine sends their results to me.

Congratulations to Stella for winning her first race and to the JV Girls for placing 5 of the top 7 to win their first meet!!  Times were a little slower than last week, but the Girls ran a great team race sticking together for most of the race and having a positive experience while finally coming together for most of the race!  Grace moved up through the race and just missed a 2nd place finish, with Megan just behind her in 4th.  This could be a moment that we are able to build on for the future with all 5 of those girls being Freshmen and under!

Judah continued his improvements through the season as he was the first CR Boy to finish today.  Blaine had the first 7 boys in, thus earning the team win.  The CR Boys battled though, and even though times this week were a little slower than what they were able to do last week, they still ran hard and the youth continues to show big improvements. Collin had his best race, just missing breaking the 20 minute barrier to be our second runner in.

A reminder for tomorrow, with team pictures, we will need everyone to have their uniforms.

Thanks for all of the support tonight!
Denny

Reflection plus Info for Thursday and Friday

Once again, congratulation to Ilsa on a well deserved and earned All Conference honor at today's NWSC Meet!  It was a tough situation for both the Boys and the Girls having to only run against one team and with the Girls racing against two other Girls from PC.  It becomes a challenge to just race by yourself or one or two other teammates, and not know how everyone before you has raced.  Was it a perfect day for us, nope, but it is a learning experience and one that we are hoping we can use as we get ourselves ready for next weeks Section 5AA Meet at Anoka (times still TBD). What also made things more of a challenge for the Boys was the fact of running at 12:30 in the afternoon, a time that they have not trained at all season, thus making it a difficult adjust for their bodies and knowing how much to eat/drink and when.  The Girls had a bit easier in being able to race at a time we usually train or race at, and I feel that helped them run hard.  In both races, however, we have things that we have to improve on and most of it are things that are tweaks as we finish out the season.  There are a couple of things we will need to work on to be more prepared for next year and if we come across similar situations as what we have had to deal with this year, but we are not going to focus on those, we will just prepare everyone to finish off the season next week with their best possible race for this season.

There is one minor change for the JV meet tomorrow,  the Boys will still be first but we are moving their start time to 4:00.  The Girls will stay the same with a 5:20 start time.

Friday will be team pictures as well as a normal practice and team voting.  Pictures will be different this year in that we are not allowed a "Team" photo but also they have a new way of ordering pics.  You will not need to have a form filled out before, and in fact all orders will be done online.  What you will need to do is text the code PGWA87573 to 90738 and then David Banks Studios will notify you when the pictures are available to be viewed and ordered.  Please note that this will be about a one week period, so you will not be able to order them until you have been notified. 

One thing to remember for next week also, is that we will be doing a fun two mile team time trial on the evening of Friday the 16th on the High School Track under the lights.  It should be a cool evening and one in which we hope the runners have a good chance to finish strong.  So even though tomorrow is the last 5K for most of the team, we are still planning to run through next Friday evening.

Any questions, please let me know,
Thanks,
Denny

Conference Results

Here is a link to today's Northwest Suburban Conference Meet Results: https://www.gsetiming.com/results/cc_rslts/cc_rslts.asp?meet_id=802&race_id=4158&show_indiv=n&hide_team=n&hide_ind=n&sport=Cross-Country  For the Girl's results, click on the top right to switch.

I will post more detailed information about the race later this evening, but Congratulations to Ilsa for earning All Conference by placing 28th.  This was the our only individual award today, but was welled deserved and earned by her solid solo effort today!!

Thanks,
Denny

Week Ahead

Here are the basics for the week ahead as well as information for Wednesday's NWSC Meet at Bassett Creek in Crystal.  

Monday at CRHS: Girls 3:15, Boys 3:30
Tuesday at CRHS: Girls 3:15, Boys 3:30
Wednesday, Varsity: Boys bus leaves at 11:00, race at 12:30, Girls bus leaves at 2:00, race at 3:30; JV at CRHS at 3:15
Thursday at CRHS: JV: Boys race at 3:50, be to the fields by 2:45 (middle school as soon as you are done with school), Girls race at 5:20, be at the fields by 4:15; Varsity at 3:15
Friday at CRHS; Girls 3:15, Boys 3:30 (team pictures and team voting)

Here is the address for Bassett Creek Park in Crystal: 32nd Ave N & Xenia Ave N.  Easiest way to get there is to take Hwy 100 south to 36th Ave and take a right, and then take a left on Zane or Xenia Ave's.  Either road will take you right to the park.  Parking is limited, so expect to be parked on the street.

Meet information, including a course map, can be found at the following link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oVvElFIdsopMKzBEEk-BkJJRxLCFqOKvcdD1J51bcIM/edit?usp=sharing

Those competing:
Boys:
Andre, Peyton, Aaron, Ryan, Josh, Joey, Ben H, Nolan
Girls:
Ilsa, Zoe, Lilah, Lily, Akala, Ash, Sydney

One last thing, if there are any parents that would like to help at the meet, please let me know.  We do need one adult worker to help on the course for each race.

Any questions, please let me know,
Thanks
Denny

Friday Results

Our Individual results are posted on the right side of the blog and once I get a link to the Overall results I will add them as well.

On a nice, chilly afternoon/evening, we had by far our best overall meet on the season, despite not having our top two boys and top girl not running.  With 31 of the 38 who ran today running all time or season personal bests, it is hard to complain about losing to two of the top teams in the conference and section on both sides.  And after the struggle that we had last week, it was a very big positive in their development as well as in their confidence as we go into the last two weeks of the season.

Top finishers for the Boys were Aaron and Ryan who continue to make big improvements from last year.  Big movers on the team today, whether by place on the team or in time went to Lachlan, Josh H, Nate, and Jacob with many more have big improvement days.  The Boys are really in a rebuild after losing 5 of our top 7 from last year, but the youth (Sophomores and under) are really developing nicely and good become a factor as a team again next year if they continue working the way they have been.

Top finishers for the Girls were Lilah and Zoe who raced it out to the finish line and led the vastly improved, yet still young and inexperienced team.  The biggest mover on the day for the Girls in both tim and team placement was Stella, having dropped almost 4 minutes and 7 from last week! The Girls are getting stronger every day, not only in their running but in their bond for each other and it has been fun to see them having so much pride in themselves and doing the best that they can.

We hope to build off of this confidence and move forward as a team and in individual growth.  I will post our Conference runners as well as meet information for both the Varsity meet on Wednesday and the JV meet on Thursday some time on Sunday.

Thanks for the parents that came out tonight and for all of the support!!
Denny

Friday Meet Info

 Below is all of the information for tomorrow's meet. Please note the items that pertain to the parents as well.  The course will be north of the Main Chalet that get to on Elm Creek Blvd off of Hwy 610.  Follow the road until you get to the entrance for the Playground and Beach taht will be on your left.

Any questions, let me know,
Thanks
Denny

Schedule:

3:50 Boys race (5 waves – wave 2 - 0:30 on the clock - wave 3 - 1:00 on the clock, etc.)

• Boys should be packing up and leaving around 4:30 or 4:45

• Girls should be arriving around 4:10-4:20.

5:20 Girls race (4 waves  – wave 2 - 0:30 on the clock - wave 3 - 1:00 on the clock, etc.)

Notes:

Parents, As with any other race, we are asking that parents not come near to the camp area, start or finish as to limit exposure. Please just cheer along the course in a spot or two. Also parents need to wear a mask.

Parents that want to spectate you can park at the chalet and walk into the northern lights, park at the beach and walk up, or park at the playground and walk into the ski trails from there. Also, if you come early, please either stay in your car or go for a walk or something away from the race course. DO NOT congregate or hang out by the race course please. The same goes for after the race, please go back to your car or go away from the race course as soon as your son/daughter is done. We need to limit our footprint but I do still want you to be able to watch the run part. We do not want to cause a scene. 

Course Map: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_3yPUs5RdVhuJ4oSLSVjRhBMlvCwI5Zb/view?usp=sharing

NWSC Meet

 Here is an update for the NWSC Meet.  At the beginning of next week we will send out all of the meet details.

The races will be held on Wednesday, Oct 7 at Bassett Creek Park in Crystal.  There will be 5 sets of races for the Boys and then 5 sets of races for the Girls.  After all of the races have been completed, they will combine all of the Boys times and all of the Girls times to determine All Conference, Honorable Mention, as well the Conference Champions.  Our Boys will be racing at 12:30 against Park Center, and the Girls will be at 3:30 also against Park Center.

A couple of other things of note, we are planning to put on a JV race on Thursday Oct 8 on the same course we ran a couple of weeks at CRHS.  We are not sure which team(s) will be with us at this time.  Also, since the NWSC and the Section 5 meets will be limited, we will be doing a 2 mile time trial on the Track on Friday, Oct 16 at 7:00pm so that we can be under the lights.  This will be a way for the runners to end the season in a more fun way.  We will be using this to determine the Cardinal Cup winners, thus we will be breaking the teams up to have some fun competition.  We know that this will be MEA weekend so if there are runners that cannot make it, it won't be an issue.  With both of these, we will send out more info when we get closer.

Thanks,
Denny

Week of Sep 28 Info

Here is some information for the upcoming week:
We will be meeting at the High School all 4 days of practice, Mon-Thur, with the Girls at 3:15 and the Boys at 3:30.  One thing of change, with at school learning starting to happen, we will have access to the locker rooms, however we will only be using them to change before practice.  We will have a scheduled time which will be based around when the middle school athletes would be able to make it.  With that, the Girls would be have access to the locker room at 3:05 and the Boys at at 3:20.  Then, anyone that has items with them will bring them out to practice and either put them into one of the sheds or a coaches vehicle.

Friday's meet is at Elm Creek.  I will have more detailed information about the meet later in the week, but the Boy's will be racing at 3:50 with the bus leaving at 2:30 and the Girls racing at 5:20 with their bus leaving at 3:50.  The start/finish area will be near the big play ground in the middle of the park.

I am hoping to have finalized information on the Conference Meet tonight and once I do I will get that out.  Please note, though, the meet will be on Wednesday, Oct 7th at Battle Creek Park in Crystal.  Once this information is finalized and we find out about the Section Meet, we will have a plan set for those that won't be participating in those events.

Lastly, since we are coming to the last couple of weeks, we are not in need of doing any more strength training, so the need for the bands is not necessary.  We will be collecting the bands tomorrow, Monday, at the beginning of practice, so please make sure all are brought to practice.

Any questions, please let me know,
Thanks
Denny 

No Friday Practice

We have chosen to give the runners the day off on Friday, Sep 25. We notified the runners at practice today. We will be back to practice on Monday.

Thanks

Denny

Wednesday Results

Our Individual results are posted on the right side of the blog.  Once I get a link to the overall results, I will add that to them as well.

Yesterday was a rough day as a whole for the team.  There were a handful that had solid days, but for the most part it was a struggle, and that is ok.  There are many possible reasons for the struggles, and we as coaches will analyze and make and changes that we feel can help, but for the most part we are not going to dwell on this race and we are going to use this as a learning experience for the runners.  You are going to have bad days.  You will have days where one thing or another is bothering you.  You are going to have days where the energy level isn't high or what it could be for a race or you just don't have the race you hoped for.  It happens.  But it is how you react and move forward and learn from what has happened.  No matter if it is a positive or negative, there is always something to learn from and we will discuss it with everyone, take the steps we need to move forward, and do what we can to reach goals by the end of the season. 

We know that we can run better, and we will.  We still have a few weeks left in our season and we will make any adjustments needed, but we will be looking forward, helping each other, staying positive and having fun.

As for the rest of the season, our next meet is next Friday, Oct. 2 at Elm Creek.  I am currently not sure where at Elm Creek the course is or what the course is, but once I have the info I will get it out to everyone.  After that, and this is still not a definite, there will be a Conference Meet and it is currently planned for Wednesday, Oct. 7 at Bassett Creek Park in Crystal.  The Conference Coaches are wanting it to be run similar to how the Section races will be run, so the Boy's will be running in the morning with groups of 3 or 4 teams going at a time, one group every hour, and the Girls in the afternoon in the same format.  Their hope is to have a complied race to help determine Conference Champions as well as All Conference and Honorable Mention.  It is a strong possibility that the number of runners each school is able to run will be smaller, possible 10-12.  If that is the case, we will still have something for those not running.  As for the Section Meet, I still have not heard a definite answer on date, but chances are it will be either Wednesday the 14th or Thursday the 15th, but this could change.  Once this information is given to us, I will get it out to you.  

Thanks for all of those that made it out to the races yesterday and all of the support.  I will be putting a few more links in the Pictures section on the right of the blog, so please check those out and if there are any you are interested in, let me know and we can hook you up with those who have taken the pictures.

Denny

Boy's Start Time Change

The Boy's Start Time for Wednesday's race has been moved to 5:00pm. 
Any questions, let me know,
Thanks
Denny

Post Season

The State High School League sent out guidelines for a Section Meet last night and we as coaches got this information this morning.  https://www.mshsl.org/sites/default/files/2020-09/section-tournament-cross-country.pdf  This will be a lot different than how we have had sections in the past, but we can now start to have an end point and know what we are building everyone to.  We do not know what day, time, or location yet, but myself and our other coaches will come up with a plan for those not participating so that we are all still getting the most out of this season.

If you have any questions, please let me know,
Thanks
Denny

Week of Sep 21

Here are the basics for the upcoming week.  If there are any questions, please let me know,
Thanks

Denny

Monday: Girls 3:15, Boys: 3:30 at CRHS

Tuesday: Girls 3:15, Boys: 3:30 at CRHS

Wednesday: Tri vs. Andover and Blaine at Anoka High School
                Girls: Bus at 2:30, Race at 3:50
                Boys: Bus at 3:50, Race at 5:20

Thursday: Girls 3:15, Boys: 3:30 at CRHS
Friday: Girls 3:15, Boys: 3:30 at CRHS

Review of Thursday

It was a long day for me yesterday, with set up, take down, work, the races, etc, but it was a good day and fun to watch the runners put out such a great effort and show continued success!  The weather was good, there was a great fan support, not only from our parents and families but from CRHS students, and the energy on the team was positive!

Centennial did beat us in both races, but they are traditionally a deep and strong team.  But we are not looking at it as we lost, we as coaches are looking at the improvements, the effort, and the attitudes of the team and we are moving in the right direction.  Times individually and as a team were the fastest they have been this year, which shows we are moving in the right direction.  It's been a tough couple of last weeks, but they are putting their time in coming together more as a team while having fun (well, as much fun as COVID allows us to have!! lol).  

We did have one race winner however, despite it not showing in the results posted last night on Gopher State.  Congratulation to Lily who was the top JV runner on the day (the top 3 from Centennial only ran 2 miles, so they were supposed to be out of the results).  She helped the very young Cardinal runners in JV show major improvements as they continue to work together and learn about themselves and this sport.  The youth of both teams is looking very good, as Judah and Lachlan tied for the top spots for the Cardinal boys in JV.  Andre and Ilsa led the way for the Varsity teams, and even though both of their streaks were broken, both of them ran their best times on the season and are starting to get closer to where they want to be!  Great work to all of the runners!! 

Over the weekend, I will put up a Season best list on the blog and make another page that will show all of their times so far to show the progress they are making.

Here is a link to some pictures taken by one of our parents, which I also included in our picture page on the right side of the blog: https://benberndtphotography5137.zenfolio.com/p328648687  Thanks for the great pics and if there are any others that parents/fans took that you'd like others to see, send them my way.

There is a change to our next meet.  It was supposed to be on Thursday at Rum River Central, but we were told earlier this week that we were not allowed to have our race there.  The other teams and us looked at other options, but came down to having to move our meet to Wednesday, Sep 23rd, and the location will be at Anoka High School again.  Not the most ideal thing to have a 3rd race there already, but it will allow us to continue to see if the work the runners is putting in is helping them improve.

Thanks again for the great fan support yesterday!! It made a wonderful weather day all that much better!!
Denny

Results vs Centennial

 Our individual results are now posted on the right side of the blog.  You can find the overall meet results on Gopher State Events, in which there is a link at the top of the blog.  I will send out more details about the meet on our thoughts in the morning.  Thanks for all of the great fan support today at our first home meet, ever!!!
Thanks,
Denny

Thursday's Race

Just a reminder that the Boys will be running first on Thursday, at 3:50, and the Girls will be at 5:20. I am putting in a link to the course map so you know where to watch, but the race start and finish will be at the west end the High School Tennis Courts (where we practice).  Course Map  Depending on how many parents and how Centennial brings their runners, parking on that side may be a little tight, especially for the Boys race with that lot being a Staff Lot.  It should be big enough, but please do give yourself plenty of time before the race in case you have to park in the main lot off of Raven St.

Below is some information from the timing system that will be taking care of our meet on Thursday so you will be able to see your runners times/place right away as well as a link to pictures at the finish line. 

GSE Timing will provide two features to help with results viewing: results uploaded every 30 seconds, and a Live Finish Line Feed to our YouTube page.  Please note that, in races with waves, results are not official, and finish order may change, until all participants finish.  Results will be uploaded approximately every 30 seconds.  Results can be easily viewed at  https://gtraxc.com/pages/results/results.asp. There is also a link to our LIVE FINISH LINE FEED on that app.  It can be found at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbPxfBaJviUHlgsR-4i2qDw/videos 

If there are any questions, please let me know,
Thanks
Denny

Week of Sep 14

Here are the basics for this week.  I will let everyone know in the next day or two if we will need any help for our meet on Thursday.  I will put out final information, as well as a map, on Tuesday or Wednesday once everything is finalized.  Any questions, let me know,

Monday - Girls at 3:15, Boys at 3:30 at CRHS
Tuesday - Girls at 3:15, Boys at 3:30 at Riverview Park
Wednesday - Girls at 3:15, Boys at 3:30 at CRHS
Thursday - Boys meet at 2:45, Race at 3:50 at CRHS Fields
               - Girls meet at 4:15, Race at 5:20 at CRHS Fields
Friday - Girls at 3:15, Boys at 3:30 at CRHS

Thanks
Denny

Friday Results

Our Individual and a link to the Overall Results is posted on the right side of the blog.  

On a late afternoon/early evening it felt like an early October meet. With cooler temps and a little light rain, it made us as coaches finally feel like it was a regular season for us, and it appears as though the runners were starting to get that feeling as well, as times dramatically improved from our first meet and we were much more competitive throughout the race.  Despite Anoka not being able to run and not having as much competition, it was a big positive step forward for our runners and from those I was able to talk with after their races, they felt better.  One thing I look for in the runners is what they look like before, during and after the race, and yesterday I noticed not as many nerves, a positive energy with smiles, and a desire to do better!  We still have a lot of work to do, and with our possible shorter season we won't have as much time, but we are continuing to work on the plan and we will help the runners get to the best they can.

Congratulations to Andre who won for the second time in as many races!  He looked solid all the way through despite still getting used to having to be a front runner.  Close behind was Peyton who finished in 3rd just mere seconds from giving the team a 1,2 finish!  Ryan also made a big step and finish as our third runner with a 6th place finish.  Champlin Park's depth was able to beat us a team, but we were close and with the continued development of the team, we will keep bringing that closer.  The Boy's youth and depth is improving and they are learning to run better together.  If they can continue to work with each other and push one another, they will move up the ranks quickly!

On the Girl's side, Ilsa was able to gain her second in a row 2nd place finish!  Zoe moved up to 6th and Lilah to 8th, as the Girl's are starting to move towards the team they want to be.  It is a rebuilding stage for the Girl's, but they are working hard, having lots of fun, and are getting better every day.  Yesterday was a big example of their development with all of the Girl's improving by over a minute, and all of the younger ones improving by multiple minutes.  They are all still learning about running and about what they are capable of, so we are just starting to see what they maybe fully capable of! 

For those wondering why Anoka did not run last night, it was due to the fact that one of the members of their team did have symptoms similar to COVID 19 and thus was being tested, and since there was contact throughout their team, they all needed to be certain until test results come back in.  It is an item we as coaches were thinking about and knew there was a chance it could happen.  Without Anoka running, it will hopefully keep things localized if it is COVID 19.  But, please remember that if anyone is not feeling the best, please stay at home and take care of yourself.  If there are symptoms that match COVID, please let me know as well, for I will need to fill out a form for the school district to help with tracking.

Thanks to all of you that were able to make it out to the races last night.  Out next meet will be the first ever official meet at CRHS in Cross Country Running!!!  We are excited for this chance to be at home even if it is on the fields we are so used to.

Thanks, and if there are any questions, please let me know,
Denny

Friday Race Order

The Girl's will be running on Friday at 3:50 and the Boy's will be at 5:20.  Thus, that means the Girl's bus will be leaving from in front of the High School (old main entrance) at 2:30 and the Boy's will leave from the same location at 3:50.  Once the Girl's race is over, their bus back to the High School will leave at that time.
If there are any questions, please let me know,
Thanks,
Denny

No Practice Tonight, Monday, 9/7/2020

 Due to the rain, the colder temps, and the breeze, we are going to play it safe for everyone's health and not have a practice tonight.  No need to give the opportunity for an illness to happen these days, so just not worth the risk.  Hoping all have been active over the weekend and be ready at 3:15 for the Girls and 3:30 for the Boys Tuesday at Riverview Park.

Thanks,
Denny

Monday's Practice

We are watching the weather and depending on which weather predictions you follow, we may be dealing with rain at this evenings practice.  As of right now, we are still going to hold practice and we will so long as it is nothing more than just rain.  But, we are not going to make the decision until we get closer to practice times, so please check the blog or the facebook page prior to practice to make sure if we are meeting or not.  I will try to make the decision by 5:00.
Any questions, let me know,
Thanks
Denny

Week of Sep 7

 Here are the basics for the upcoming week for practices:

Monday: Girls at 6, Boys at 6:15 at CRHS
Tuesday: Girls at 3:15, Boys at 3:30 at Riverview Park
Wednesday: Girls at 3:15, Boys at 3:30 at CRHS
Thursday: Girls at 3:15, Boys at 3:30 at CRHS
Friday: Tri at Anoka vs Anoka and Champlin Park. Bus 1 leaves at 2:30, Race at 3:50; Bus 2 leaves at 3:50, Race at 5:20  (Not sure yet if the Girls or the Boys will go first, once I find out I will let everyone know.)

Also, for those that were not at first meet or are looking for photos of your runner at the first race, you can go to this link by a former parent and look through the pics that she has taken.  Just go to: https://barbscardinalrunskiphotos.shutterfly.com/# password is Cardinals

Any questions, please let me know,
Thanks,
Denny

CC Apparel

 Here is the link to this years apparel. If you have any questions, let myself know and I can forward it onto one the captains, whom were the ones that set this all up.  All orders need to be in by Sunday, Sep 13.

2020 Cross Country Apparel

Thanks

Denny

Week of Aug 31

 Here are the basics for this upcoming week.  We will be switching to just an afternoon practice , minus Friday so if people want to head out for the weekend, starting this week. Expect practices from start to finish to be around an hour and a half long.  Also, Coach Lauren and I will be out of town for the week, but Coach K and Coach Jerlie will be at the practices.  If you need something or have any questions, you can still text or email me and I will get to it as soon as I can.  

Monday: Girls - 3:15, Boys - 3:30 at CRHS
Tuesday: Girls - 3:15, Boys - 3:30 at CR Dam
Wednesday: Girls - 3:15, Boys - 3:30 at Bunker Golf Course Lot 1
Thursday: Girls - 3:15, Boys - 3:30 at CRHS
Friday: Girls - 8:00am, Boys - 9:00am at CRHS

Any questions, please let me know,
Thanks
Denny

No Practice Today, Friday, Aug 28

 Due to the possibilities of rain and/or storms this morning, we will be cancelling our practices for today, Friday, Aug 28.  Once things clear, please get out and do a 20-40 min Level 2 run on your own as well as 2 sets of calf exercises and 2 sets of band work. When completed, do 3 sets of push ups (both regular and wide push-ups), and 3 sets of a core/ab exercise of your choice.

As for Saturday, for those that are able to make it, we will be meeting at 8:30am at Salk Middle School in Elk River (directions posted in a previous post), where we will be doing a hill workout to work on our leg strength.  The workout will be challenging, but we will modify for where every one is currently at in their development.

We will be starting afternoon practices starting on Monday, Aug 31, with the Girls going at 3:15 and the Boys at 3:30.  We will send out more details on next week by Sunday.

Thank and any questions, please let me know,
Denny

Anoka Dual Results

Our individual result are now posted on the right side of the blog.  Once I get Anoka's times I will post the overall results as well.

Congratulations to Andre for winning his first race and starting the season on a high note.  Also congrats to Ilsa for placing 2nd in the girls race, on what was a warmer race than hoped for, and tough knowing that we were in our first race a week earlier than usual.  

It was a good start, with what I was looking for was how they did the first mile as well as the first lap, and how they finished.  We knew as coaches that we wouldn't be at our best and we are also a ways off from where we would like to be, but the first step is out of the way, they got the first race in, and we were at a solid position in both races through the mile and half way through the race.  We will have some work to do to build to the next step, but with more work all the runners will be improving and getting more comfortable racing and know more of what they are capable of doing this season.

Our next meet will not be until Sep 11, back at Anoka, so we have two weeks to get ready and it will be fun to see how much the runners could improve by that meet, as well as if we can move up on Anoka, whose depth was able to beat both the Girls and the Boys teams today.

Thanks for those that came out today.  It was a little different and I'm sure things will be tweaked by the next meet to make things run smoother.

Denny

Spectators Are Allowed

I know there has been confusion on spectators for the races, but all spectators are welcome to come, you just need to stay out of the team camp, start, and finish areas, and when out on the course, you need to stay back from the race area as well.

Thanks, Denny

Tuesday Evening Practices Cancelled

Due to the heat and the high dew point, we are going to cancel practices for tonight, Tuesday, August 25th.  
Any questions, please let me know,

Thanks
Denny

Uniforms

We will be handing out uniforms today (Tuesday) during practices.  If by chance someone is unable to be at practice, I will have the uniforms with me and I can get a uniform to them at any of the practices before the meet on Thursday.

The one thing I ask that everyone does after they get their uniform is to wash them.  They have been in storage since the end of last year, and it is better to be safe and clean them before they are used.  Please do not put the uniforms in the drier.  Also, I am asking that the uniforms be washed after every meet. We won't be using the locker rooms this year, so all uniforms will be brought home after their races, so please make sure they are being washed.  

Thanks,
Denny

Week of August 24

Here are the basics for the upcoming week.  Please remember to be checking with your athlete on how they are feeling and that if there is anyone that is not feeling well to keep them at home until they are feeling better.  Also, with Thursday being our first race, at Anoka High School on the south side of the school, I have put the basic guidelines put forth by the MSHSL at the bottom of this post, but please continue to go through the guidelines given to us that I posted last week. These will be extremely different than what has been allowed at meets in the past, but please help us make sure we have a full season and follow these guidelines.  If you have any questions, please let me know.

Under General COVID Safety:
11. When spectators are allowed at outside events, they should not have access to student athletes during the competition. Social distancing should be practiced throughout the entire event and spectators may connect with participants following the completion of the event.  

Under MSHSL Cross Country Guidance and Information:
Competition:
When spectators are allowed, they must NOT have access to athletes and must be restricted to areas outside of the course width.
Team camps areas, if permitted, should be isolated from spectators or other non-essential personnel. Team camps must be only available to members of that specific team, and not a shared/common space. Social distancing requirements of 6 feet must be maintained in these areas.
There must be a restricted area at the finish that keeps spectators away, so they do not interfere with the "quick exit" of each athlete. 

If you would like to talk with your athlete after a race, please set up a time to meet them at your vehicle so that it is away from everyone else.

Thanks
Denny

Monday, Aug 24
Girls - 8:00am at Bunker Golf Course Parking Lot 1
Boys - 9:00am at Bunker Golf Course Parking Lot 1
Girls - 6:00pm at CRHS
Boys - 7:00pm at CRHS

Tuesday, Aug 25
Girls - 8:00am at Bunker Golf Course Parking Lot 1
Boys - 9:00am at Bunker Golf Course Parking Lot 1
Girls - 6:00pm at CRHS
Boys - 7:00pm at CRHS

Wednesday, Aug 26
Girls - 8:00am at CRHS
Boys - 9:00am at CRHS

Thursday, Aug 27
Race at Anoka High School
Girls, Bus leaves at 8:00am, race at 9:00am
Boys, Bus leaves at 9:00am, race at 10:00am

Friday, Aug 28
Girls - 8:00am at CRHS
Boys - 9:00am at CRHS

Saturday, Aug 29
Meet at Salk Middle School in Elk River at 8:30am
This is not a mandatory practice, but one that we are using to help replace the loss of our annual Running Camp, so we would like to have as many as possible show up to this, but are not going to force everyone to be there. We are not allowed to ask anyone to car pool, so if transportation is an issue, we understand. 

Directions: 11970 Highland Rd NW, Elk River, MN 55330 US Hwy 10 to Elk River and take a right on Jackson Ave in downtown ER.  Continue north on Jackson to Highland Rd (just past Cub) and take a left and follow until the entrance for Salk Middle School on the left.

First Week of Practice

Here are the times and locations for the first week of practice.  I will be giving out a more detailed schedule as well as other information to the runners after the first practice tomorrow.  One thing to note, which will be for more than just this week, is that other than Monday morning we will be staggering the start times for the Girls and Boys. We are doing this to keep the group sizes down and allowing more space. Once school starts and we go to just afternoon practices, start times will be 3:15 and 3:30. 

These are some of the changes we will be needing to do as we move through the changing times. The link below is from the State High School League and has all of guidelines for all of us to follow. Please make sure read through them all: https://www.mshsl.org/sites/default/files/2020-08/mshsl-cross-country-guidance-and-information.pdf

Face masks will need to be worn at the beginning and the end of practices for warm ups, stretches, drills, and our strength training. Once we start the workouts, masks can be taken off. We are working on having some disposable masks in case someone forgets theirs.

If there is anyone that is not feeling well, we ask that you stay home, let us know, and we will be contact with you.

We will have exercise bands that we will assign to everyone for our strength training. We ask that these are not shared and that they are cleaned with dish soap and hot water once a week. 

We will be receiving hand sanitizer from the school district this week that we will have at practice every day. We ask that this be used often.

As much as possible, we want everyone to keep social distancing a priority. We want to try the best that we can to have a full season, and following these guidelines as well as those in the link will be helpful to give us this opportunity.

If you have any questions, please let me know,

Thanks
Denny

Monday, Aug 17

All - 8:00am, CR Dam Visitor Center

Girls - 6:00pm, CRHS

Boys - 7:00pm, CRHS

Tuesday, Aug 18

Girls - 8:00am, Bunker Golf Course, Parking Lot 1

Boys - 9:00am, Bunker Golf Course, Parking Lot 1

Girls - 6:00pm, CRHS

Boys - 7:00pm, CRHS

Wednesday, Aug 19

Girls - 8:00am, CR Dam Visitor Center

Boys - 9:00am, CR Dam Visitor Center

Girls - 6:00pm, CRHS

Boys - 7:00pm, CRHS

Thursday, Aug 20

Girls - 8:00am, Moor Park (10921  Magnolia St) (best way would be to go off of Northdale Blvd to Olive St, go south to 112th Ave and go east and it will enter the park lot.

Boys - 9:00am, Moor Park

Girls - 6:00pm, CRHS

Boys - 7:00pm, CRHS

Friday, Aug 21

Girls - 8:00am, CR Dam Visitor Center

Boys - 9:00am, CR Dam Visitor Center

Sign Ups

 Just a reminder that we do start the season on Monday, August 17th at 8am, meeting at the Visitor Center of the CR Dam. I will post the rest of the schedule for next week on Sunday along with the regulations that the State High School League has just given us for the season (get ready for some changes, some big, some really different!).

But, please make sure you are signed up before the season starts. More than ever, athletes will not be allowed to practice until they are officially signed up. I know that there has been some issues getting signed up, but be patient and keep trying. If there are any questions, please call the Activities Secretary at the High School and she can guide you. If there are any that are trying to signed up a middle schooler and having issues with the physical, contact the middle school office and they can make sure it gets sent over. 

Thanks, and there will be more information coming on Sunday, but you do have any questions, please let me know.

Denny

Schedule

 I just posted what our schedule currently looks like, which I am sorry to say is not much.  However, it will give us an idea of what the time table of our season will look like.  Any meets that we do have will be either against one or two teams, however we do not know how many total athletes we will be able to have competing at those meets.  The hope that is within the next day or two more information will be available for us as coaches and a final schedule can be put together.  It is going to be a lot different than in years past, but we are going to adjust and do the best that we can to have a successful season,

Thanks,

Denny

Registration Issues

Below is a message from the Activities Directors Secretary in regards to any middle school athletes trying to sign up. Also, if there are any other issues, please contact the AD Sec and she can guide you a little better: 763-506-7307. There is a new system and they are having some issues: "FYI, our system is currently not working for middle schoolers. They can still go in and do the first part of filling out the two MSHSL forms but they can't sign up for the sport. They are working on fixing it now. Thank you!" Thanks, Denny

Friday's Practice Location

For Friday's practice, we will be meeting at the High School Track. Thanks, Denny

1.5 Mile Time Trial Results

Here are the results from the 1 1/2 mile Time Trial at Riverview today, which was more challenging then the previous two we have done. Also, the runners did more of a workout before, as well as after, so they really worked and I felt that they had a solid overall day! Thanks, Denny 

 Lap 1 Lap 2 Lap 3 Total

 Andre 2:39 2:53 2:49 8:21

 Peyton 2:43 2:57 2:57 8:37

 Joey 3:04 3:16 3:18 9:38

 Cole 3:16 3:20 3:13 9:49

 Collin 3:34 3:43 3:43 11:01

 Ilsa 3:38 3:52 3:56 11:26

 Lilah 3:45 4:00 3:51 11:36

 Caleb 3:39 4:03 4:05 11:47

 Zoe 3:49 4:05 4:04 11:48

 Nico 3:55 4:06 4:15 12:15

 Ash 4:00 4:24 4:15 12:39

 Sydney 4:10 4:24 4:26 13:00

 Megan 4:16 4:38 4:20 13:15

 Kendall 4:23 4:48 4:45 13:56

 Grace 4:43 4:58 4:45 14:26

 Liz 5:35 6:21 ---- 11:56 1 Mile 

Landon 6:11 6:34 ---- 12:45 1 Mile 

Nate 7:09 6:44 ---- 13:53 1 Mile

The Season is Good to Go!

As many of you may have heard already, we were ok'd today for the upcoming Cross Country Season! Which means, you can start to register starting tomorrow, August 5th (instruction on how to below), and then we will start on Monday, August 17th at 8:00am, meeting at the CR Dam. There are still many things that will need to be discussed and figured out, but we do know that our meets are to be Dual or Triangular meets, thus changes are going to happen with our schedule and I have no idea how the end of the season meets will take place. Once that information comes out, I will let everyone know and I will also be working on a new schedule. If there are any questions though, please let me know, Thanks Denny HOW TO REGISTER (for parents) Login into AHConnect Click the My Student Info Icon/ParentVue Click the Fees Tab on the left hand side Click Pay Fees Add the MSHSL Bulletin to your cart Fill out information Checkout Add the MSHSL Checklist to your cart Fill out information Checkout Add specific sport to cart Fill out information Checkout/Pay (Free/Reduced pricing will be adjusted once you click checkout)

Week of August 3rd

We are in the final week of our summer training in which we as coaches can work with the runners, which means we are two weeks from the start of the season, hopefully!  The State High School League is meeting on Monday and Tuesday this week to determine Fall sports, so I am hoping that we will have a decision Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday on what our season will look like.  If we are able to have a season, registration will be online ONLY and will be available starting Aug 10. Please make sure that all Physicals are up to date that you are able to be signed up before the first day of practice, which will be on August 17th.

We will continue to ask everyone to wear their masks to practice for when we are in close proximity to each other.  Everyone did great with this last week and it may become the norm as we move forward.

Here is the schedule for practices this week.  Any questions, please let me know,

Monday - CR Dam, This will be a long run day
Tuesday - CRHS Track
Wednesday - Riverview Park, across the street from the National Little League fields at 2420 105th Avenue
Thursday - Bunker Golf Course Parking Lot 1
Friday - TBD

Thanks,
Denny

Week of July 27

Here are the basics for the upcoming week.  We are just 3 weeks from the start of the season, so the focus of what the goals you want to accomplish this season should be in focus and the time to start putting in some harder work will be helpful to reach those goals.

One thing new to note is the need for a face mask at the beginning and end of workouts.  With the new executive order for masks indoors, even though we are outdoors, we are in close enough proximity to each other that we need everyone to please bring theirs to wear during warm ups, drills and at the end of practices. 

Monday - CR Dam
Tuesday - CRHS Track
Wednesday - Moor Park
Thursday - Bunker Golf Course Parking Lot 1
Friday - Bunker Golf Course Parking Lot 1

Thanks,
Denny

Workouts for the Week of July 20

Here are the workout locations for this week.  I will be out of town this week so the captains will be in charge of the workouts.  The weather is looking good for the morning runs,  but if it is questionable, then there won't be a practice that day so the captains don't have to make that decision.
Any questions, please let me know,

Monday: CR Dam
Tuesday: Bunker Golf Course Parking Lot 1
Wednesday: Pheasant Ridge Park (Off of 119th Ave between Northdale and Crooked Lake Blvd's)
Thursday: Bunker Golf Course Parking Lot 1
Friday: Bunker Golf Course Parking Lot 1

Thanks,
Denny

No Practice Today, Tuesday 7/14

Due to the weather, we will not have practice this morning, Tuesday, July 14.  However, once the weather clears out, please get out and run the following workout to keep yourself moving towards the season:
3-4 miles at Level 2
Within the run, after 10 mins do 6 x 20 seconds at Level 4 (Race Pace) with 2 mins of Level 2 running in between each.

Thanks
Denny

Week of July 13

Here are the locations for this weeks practices.  Weather looks like it will be much more doable this week, with only Tuesday as a possible da of rain.  We will pay attention to it and adjust if needed.  If we cancel a practice, please check out our running2win.com page for the calendar of workouts.
Thanks,
Denny

Monday - CR Dam
Tuesday - Bunker Golf Course, Parking Lot 1
Wednesday - Moor Park (10921  Magnolia St) (best way would be to go off of Northdale Blvd to Olive St, go south to 112th Ave and go east (left) and it will enter the park lot.
Thursday - Bunker Golf Course, Parking Lot 1
Friday - Bunker Golf Course, Parking Lot 1

Time Trial #2 Times

Here are the times from today's time trial, a 1.25 mile course that was more challenging than the last one we did.  Some positives, still things to work on though.
Girls:
Ilsa 8:51
Zoe 9:23
Lilah 9:26
Ash 9:55
Sydney 10:05
Megan 11:31
Grace 13:26
Tara 13:30

Boys:
Andre 7:06
Peyton 7:11
Cole 7:59
Joey 7:59
Caleb 10:09
Gilbert 10:17
Nico 11:58
Nate 10:31 (.8 miles)

We are Running today

The weather appears to be just a chance of rain this morning, so we will move forward with practice as planned. If things develop during practice then we will make the call at that time.

Thanks,

Denny

Workouts for the Week of July 6

Here is the basic plan for this week for locations.  We will still be at 8:00am, but due to the heat and possible weather, we will play each day by ear, not only if the weather allows us, but how all of the athletes are handling the heat/humidity.  Locations have changed for Tuesday and Wednesday to give the athletes some change but also allow for the workouts we are going to plan, so please plan accordingly
Monday - CR Dam Visitor Center
Tuesday - Bunker Golf Course Parking Lot 1
Wednesday - CRHS Track
Thursday - Bunker Golf Course Parking Lot 1
Friday - Bunker Golf Course Parking Lot 1
Thanks
Denny

Week of June 29 Workouts

Here are the locations for this weeks practices.   If we cancel a practice Due to weather, please check out our running2win.com page for the calendar of workouts.  We are not allowed to have any scheduled practices on July 3rd-5th, so please check the Running2Win.com page for workout ideas.
Thanks,
Denny

Monday - CR Dam
Tuesday - CR Dam
Wednesday - CR Dam
Thursday - Bunker Golf Course, Parking 1

Week of June 22nd

Here are the locations for this weeks practices.  We are going to continue to have our practices at 8am.  If there is any possible inclement weather I will be paying attention to it and base whether we have a practice on what it looks like may happen.  If we cancel a practice, please check out our running2win.com page for the calendar of workouts.
Thanks,
Denny

Monday - CR Dam
Tuesday - CR Dam
Wednesday - CR Dam
Thursday - Bunker Golf Course, Parking Lot 1
Friday - Bunker Golf Course, Parking Lot 1

Time Trial Times

Here are the times for those that ran the mile time trial this morning at Bunker.  It was really just a reference point for everyone so they can see where they are at right now and give them something to work for since it has been since a long break.  It was also just a fun break from the usual training that happens during the summer and gave them something to work for.  We will do a few other time trials throughout the summer to continue to show them their progress.  But, it has been a solid start to our summer training with averaging just under 20 runners a day.  We know there are others out there and we are hoping they can make it soon.
Thanks
Denny

Girls:
Ilsa 7:01
Lilah 7:31
Zoe 7:38
Ash 7:49
Sydney 8:43
Kendall 8:48
Grace 8:51
Megan 9:11
Tara 10:13

Boys:
Andre 5:32
Peyton 5:41
Ryan 6:00
Cole 6:16
Caleb 7:22
Alec 7:30
Gilbert 8:12
Eli 8:59
Ben 9:16
Nico 9:19
Nate 13:58

Thursday Current Weather

I've been paying attention to the weather for this morning for the past 24 hours and all looked like we wouldn't have any issues.  However, in the past hour things are starting to look more questionable.  As of 7:30 we are still a go, even if it is just raining, but things appear to be developing sooner than the weather apps are predicting.  So, if there is any thunder/lightning or the rain comes down heavier then we have to call practice off. 
I'll be at Bunker and make a decision on how or if we can do a run.  If you don't feel comfortable with the conditions, then there is no problem if you stay home.
Thanks,
Denny

Practices for the Week of June 15

Here is the schedule for workouts this week. We will be going at noon this week due to the predicted weather and we usually are going to have the workouts closer to evening to make sure those that do either Brochman’s, run with the CC team or do the One Team training in the morning are able to come but also have time to recover in between.

Please bring your own water bottles, it will be important and needed. If you don’t have a water bottle holder or water pack, than bring a backpack/cinch bag as well to carry your water with.

Tuesday, 12:00 at Knox Hill (Wintercrest Park begins Hom). We will be on foot working on classic striding, so bring shorter poles

Thursday, 12:00 at Bunker Golf Course, Parking Lot 1. We will be working on double poling, so if you have classic rollerskis then bring them, otherwise just bring  what you have, shorter poles as well.  Helmets are needed!!

Friday, 12:00 at Salk Middle School in Elk River. 11970 Highland Rd NW
Elk River, MN  55330. We will be doing a double pole uphill time trial with other double work as well before and after. This will be more challenging, but I have different courses set for different abilities, so if you are wanting to get better but aren’t quite up to doing a harder hill, there will be other options.

Make sure you fill out the waiver in the previous post as well
Thanks
Denny

Summer Practice Schedule, Week of June 15

Below is a rough schedule of where and when we will be meeting for practices this week.  These are not mandatory practices, but they are important ways to be in better shape for the season when it starts in mid August.  Any questions, please let me know,
Thanks
Denny

Monday: 8:00am, CR Dam, Visitor Center
Tuesday: 8:00am, CR Dam, Visitor Center
Wednesday: 8:00am, Moor Park (10921  Magnolia St) (best way would be to go off of Northdale Blvd to Olive S, go south to 112th Ave and go east (left) and it will enter the park lot.
Thursday: 8:00am, Bunker Golf Course, Parking Lot 1
Friday: 8:00am, Bunker Golf Course, Parking Lot 1

Summer Practice Can Begin on Monday, June 15

Good News,
We will be starting our Summer Running program on Monday, June 15!!  We have been given the ok to start workouts, with some restrictions and changes, but we are able to start getting everyone ready for the upcoming season. It is a small step, but very important to start getting everyone to a sense of normalcy after 3 months quarantine and restrictions.

Here are some items to know:
1. You will need to fill out this Waiver and bring it to me the first day that you practice.
2. We will be putting everyone into groups of no more than 10 on the first day and as of right now they will be expected to stay within that group the rest of the summer. Depending on numbers for summer training, we may stagger start times for each group, but those staggers will be 10 minutes.  It is hard to say how many groups we will have or who will currently be in what group.  It will depend on who is able to come.
3. I will post general information about the upcoming weeks practices, mainly time and location.  We will not be running at the school this summer due to the amount of construction going on inside and out, as well as due to the amount of restrictions currently for entering or using the buildings.
4. If an individual is unable to make practices, we would like for them to use the running2win.com web page where all of the workouts will be posted as well as the runners can post what they were able to do.  This allows myself to monitor, add comments, and help each runner even if I am not able to see them.

If there are any questions, please let me know,
Thanks
Denny

Workout Ideas for the Week of June 8

Below are the basics for workout ideas for this week.  Once again, we as coaches are unable to work with the runners until June 15, unless anything changes during this week.  When we get closer I will post more detailed information on how these practices will work, which may resemble what we will need to do during the season as well.

Also, due to the warmer weather last week, we decided not to do the weekly challenge, but look for one this week within the next day or two.

Any questions, please let me know,
Thanks
Denny

More detailed information on how each run and how to post times and/or distances can be found on running2win.com.  Follow the info below if you have not joined yet.

Monday - Off day.  Due to the heat and humidity, it is just better to not put extra stress on the body and then have it be a factor on how you feel the rest of the week.

Tuesday - 3-4 miles Level 2 with 6 x 20 seconds within the run at Level 4

Wednesday - 4 mile out and back, Level 2 to 3 on the way out, Level 3 to 4 on the way back, however only be about 5 to 10 seconds per mile faster on the way back.

Thursday - 30-40 mins at Level 2 to 3 on turf trails.

Friday - 3-4 miles Level 2

Saturday - Go for a 10-15 mile Bike Ride

What everyone would need to do is to create a profile on running2win.com.  Once you have a profile, go under Menu and look for Find/Join a team under Team /Groups.  Type in Coon Rapids CC and request to be a part of the team.  Once I am notified you have sent a request, I will accept you and give you access to the team "Training Plan" schedule.  You will then be able to see the suggested workouts for the day/week and eventually full month.  Click on the highlighted area for the day and it will show you details of what to do and if there is anything different to look for.  Remember, these are just suggested workouts, but we also want to make sure we don't have anyone over doing their miles in May and either leveling off too soon or even burning out during the season.  We have to assume that not many have been able to get many miles in, so we are playing on the safe side for May workout ideas.

There are a couple of ways to add ones completed workouts to the page, one is through the website by clicking on the highlighted part of the day and select Perform Workout (this is the easiest), or by creating it yourself through the app or the website under Menu and Log a Workout.  Either way, it will bring you to the same form to fill out.  Another function of the app is that you are able to map out your run, give you mileage and time your workout so you do not have to enter the time.  It will just figure it all out for you.

There are a few other items that each runner should fill out in the form for logging the workout and they can be found scrolling down "Other Run Data."  Just click on the down arrow and enter "Hours of Sleep," "My Attitude during the run," and "My Perceived Exertion."  The only other one we would like to see if need is "Injury Type of Pain" and injury comments only if there are issues.  These are helpful for the runners so they can see how they were feeling on certain runs and why they may have done well or if they are struggling.  The rest of the items can be helpful for each runner, but that would depend on how much they want to put into it.

I know this is a lot, but once we have it up and more people using it, we will have another form of communication between myself and the runners, but can give us a way to work together by staying safe.  There are many other things that can be found and done on the web page, so the more comfortable everyone gets the more you can figure out.

Summer Training Can Start June 15

Below is some information that was shared with all of coaches today in regards to summer training and contact period with coaches.  We are not able to have any scheduled practices until June 15th as of right now, which may change at any minute, and how we interface and interact with the athletes will need to be altered as well.  Captains can however put together workouts, so pay attention for those.  They have been informed that they need to be in groups of 10 or less and the basic social distancing requirement.

Once we are able to start getting together as a team, we will have to be in "pods" of no more than 10 athletes and they all need to remain the social distancing requirements apart within their "pod."  Once someone is in a particular "pod" they will not be able to switch to a different one.  I cannot tell you what those "pods" are going to look like right now because we are not sure what the numbers over the summer month will look like.  I personally am going to call them Groups and they will most likely be based on performance abilities.

Any questions, please let me know and I will be putting out updates as they happen,
Thanks,
Denny

Here is the information we were sent though:

Coaches,

The following information is the result of many meetings discussing MSHSL, MDH, CDC, etc. rules and recommendations.

Here are the parameters agreed to by the ADs of AH at this time.

June 1st - June 14th:

• Coaches can only have virtual contact with athletes that would promote leadership, build relationships and share workouts.  No assessment or evaluations are allowed.

June 15th - July 2nd:  

• Coaches can meet in person with athletes for training provided all current recommendations/requirements of CDC, MDH, etc. are followed.
• In all cases, social distancing must be maintained and workouts must be structured so that no physical contact can occur.
• Adhere to facility or field-specific guidelines for COVID-19.

July 6th - August 7th:

• To be re-evaluated based on recommendations as we approach the No Contact Period of MSHSL Summer Waiver Period.

You must obtain parental permission for any of the athletes participating in workouts with you after the June 15th date.

Here is the link to the current version of the MDH Youth Sports Guidelines

And lastly, here is a link to a DRAFT Document where we have attempted to summarize what some of this looks like per sport as of June 15.

You will notice that the Location setting for most of these at this time is Outside because currently, there are no plans to open AH Indoor Facilities for access prior to July 6.

Summer Training

Good Evening,
Well, this is quite the Spring that we are dealing with, and even though Spring Sports/Activities have been cancelled, we are not allowed to start an practices or Captain's practices until June 1st, for now (may change depending on what the Governor says and then the State High School League).

However, we would like those that are able to start getting in some easy miles to prep themselves for the summer months.  None of this is mandatory, and in no way am I forcing anyone to do this, just going to give out some suggested workouts to help everyone.

With this, we have created a team page on a website an app called Running 2 Win that will allow us to be in touch with each other despite not being able to see each other.  On this site, runners will be able to see some ideas for workouts as well as be able to post the workouts they have done themselves so they, as well as we as coaches, can see how they are doing and make any suggestions, especially if they are struggling.  We are going to test it in May and if it seems to work well then we will continue it through the summer, especially if we are not able to work with the runners until July, which is a possibility.

What everyone would need to do is to create a profile on running2win.com.  Once you have a profile, go under Menu and look for Find/Join a team under Team /Groups.  Type in Coon Rapids CC and request to be a part of the team.  Once I am notified you have sent a request, I will accept you and give you access to the team "Training Plan" schedule.  You will then be able to see the suggested workouts for the day/week and eventually full month.  Click on the highlighted area for the day and it will show you details of what to do and if there is anything different to look for.  Remember, these are just suggested workouts, but we also want to make sure we don't have anyone over doing their miles in May and either leveling off too soon or even burning out during the season.  We have to assume that not many have been able to get many miles in, so we are playing on the safe side for May workout ideas.

There are a couple of ways to add ones completed workouts to the page, one is through the website by clicking on the highlighted part of the day and select Perform Workout (this is the easiest), or by creating it yourself through the app or the website under Menu and Log a Workout.  Either way, it will bring you to the same form to fill out.  Another function of the app is that you are able to map out your run, give you mileage and time your workout so you do not have to enter the time.  It will just figure it all out for you.

There are a few other items that each runner should fill out in the form for logging the workout and they can be found scrolling down "Other Run Data."  Just click on the down arrow and enter "Hours of Sleep," "My Attitude during the run," and "My Perceived Exertion."  The only other one we would like to see if need is "Injury Type of Pain" and injury comments only if there are issues.  These are helpful for the runners so they can see how they were feeling on certain runs and why they may have done well or if they are struggling.  The rest of the items can be helpful for each runner, but that would depend on how much they want to put into it.

I know this is a lot, but once we have it up and more people using it, we will have another form of communication between myself and the runners, but can give us a way to work together by staying safe.  There are many other things that can be found and done on the web page, so the more comfortable everyone gets the more you can figure out.

In the end though, it all comes down to each individual and what their goals are for the summer as well as for the season.  We will put more out there, do some virtual time trials to change things up and give prizes for the winners, as well as have gifts for those that reach mileage goals by the end of August, which the Captains and I are working on to come up with the gifts as well as the mileage goals.

Any questions, please let me know,
Thanks
Denny

One other thing of note, in order to get to the teams page once they are approved, just click on Menu in the top right and click on Teams/Groups and then click on Coon Rapids CC. Any questions, let me know,

Personal Property Pick Up

Below is a message that many of you have read already, but we as coaches were asked to send it out as well, mainly for those that may need to get things out of your locker in the locker rooms. Thanks and I hope all the best for all of you!! Denny

Coon Rapids High School Families,

To be ready for distance learning on March 30, we are asking students and families to pick up personal items at school tomorrow Wednesday, March 25th.  Students will be allowed to enter the building through the new main entryway to gather their materials (personal property in school and athletic lockers, musical instruments, etc.) and then immediately exit the building. Staff will be present to help ensure social distancing recommendations are followed and to assist in gathering belongings as efficiently as possible. If you already have what you need, please do not come to school.  See specific pick up schedules below.

The pickup schedule has been created to:

• Minimize the number of people in and near the building at one time
• During pick up, we ask students and families to:

• Keep at least six feet of distance between them and others during the pickup process and stay home if sick. 
• Move quickly and efficiently to pick up what they need. This is not a time to socialize with friends. We ask parents to remind their children of this before they come to school.
• Only pick up what is essential for learning in the coming weeks. We continue to work from the assumption that school will resume sometime this spring. If it doesn’t, there will be another opportunity for families to pick up other materials at a later date.

Coon Rapids High School Pick Up Schedule

8:30 am - 9:45 am Student last names beginning with A-E

9:45 am - 11:00 am Student last names beginning with F-J

11:00 am - 12:15 pm Student last names beginning with K-O

12:15 pm - 1:30 pm Student last names beginning with P-T

1:30 pm - 3:00 pm Student last names beginning with U-Z

Lastly, we hope that this message finds you and your family well.  We know how quickly all of our lives have changed and how difficult this is for our students, parents/guardians, staff and community. We did not anticipate the school year having this challenge, and as our staff plans this week, we will be communicating ways for us to work together to support academic as well as emotional needs for our students.

Know that we miss seeing our students at school, but we will embrace this challenge as CR|ONE TEAM and support each other through it.  Above all, please be safe and take care. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out- we are here to help.

Go Cardinals!

CRHS Administrative Team and Staff