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I'm
back to running. That's good news for me and for anyone that has to spend time
around me. I can't even say what the injury was that sidelined me. But a month
ago I couldn't cover more than a half-mile without radiating pain from knee
to ankle. After two weeks of rest I tried again and it came right back. Today
I finally tested it once more and went a mile pain free. Maybe I'll be able
to start keeping up with Arlene again. Though she doesn't need my company now
that Emily and Matt gave her an I- pod for her birthday.
Friday after practice until late Saturday afternoon I attended the New England
Track and Field Clinic. The timing of it isn't great, coming at the end of the
first week of practice. In some ways, I'd rather have had a Saturday practice
with the team. Yet, the combination of athlete soreness coupled with the positive
experience of spending time with over 200 coaches and some top-flight speakers
makes it a good time to give them rest and me re-enervation.
Track and field isn't a stagnant medium. The science improves, techniques evolve
and there is always more to learn about the art of coaching. In addition, athletes
of today are vastly different than those of twenty years ago. Not only do many
require a different method of motivation, but their lack of general fitness
requires a more incremental approach during the developmental stages. This requires
a different approach, and it was discussed at length.
Back in 1970, the first day of practice was the toughest of the season. The
“run till you drop” philosophy was in vogue. It was a badge of courage
to prove how tough you were and it was also the day to “weed out”
the athletes who “couldn't hack it.” Today, half the athletes would
get injured. Not the way to develop a winning team. The irony was that once
you made the team, you could pretty much goof off the rest of the season if
you were so inclined. My athletes may start slower, but by the end of the season
they'll be breezing through workouts we never dreamed of doing. The point being
- anyone who coaches the way they were coached is missing the boat. What was
successful in the past doesn't always work now.
Back to more reasons for attending the clinic. I'm not about to give another
team the advantage of information missed by my staying home. I'm glad I didn't
miss the opportunity to listen to Olympian Marcus O'Sullivan talk about epiphanies
during his training that now forms his own coaching and Bart Sessa explaining
how a snowy Long Island winter altered his workouts and philosophy. The end
result was a break though - a National Indoor 4X800M record of 7:42. I listened
to jump expert Dick Booth wax poetic about high jump approach speed and watched
Fred Doyle lead some New Bedford Voke athletes through core training, dynamic
flexibility exercises, mini band routines and medicine ball drills. Lactate
thresholds, developing three step hurdlers, choosing relay personnel, 800M training,
and countless other topics were covered. Sure, a lot of it I've heard before,
and I've listened to many of the clinicians at other times, but there's always
something new, or even just a different way of looking at the same information
I've always known.
Then there's the exchange with coaches. I spent a few hours with Newton South's
Steve McChesney. I'll be featuring him in my first “Meet the Coach”
article. Steve is really three stories in one. In the article I'll concentrate
on his coaching, but his life as an elite athlete in Oregon during track and
field's halcyon days and the ways in which family tragedy affected his life
are both interesting and insightful stories.
I found successful coaches more than willing to trade their secrets of success
and in return was able to help some new coaches with the basics of building
a team concept.
I'm more surprised at who doesn't show up at clinics than who does. There's
always good representation from the Hockomock, although there are some coaches
who never attend. Yet, you'll find high school coaches from Maine to New Jersey
and even a few new college coaches. And as always, I got to spend some time
with good friend Jerry Espinosa. He will be spending less time at NAHS because
his son is now running for DR and Jerry will be helping that program whenever
he can. But, he promised to drop by a few times this season, just to let the
athletes know he still cares. He was even sporting NA apparel on Saturday!
Enough about the clinic for now. Just one more quick issue.
The lead-up to the Boston Marathon is in full swing. The weekend of April 14,
15 should be exciting. Whenever I'm not with my team I'll be in Boston following
the final preparation of the KIMbia athletes. This Tuesday Matt heads to Boulder.
Ben and Baba are already there. I hope some of you have been following the chasingKIMbia
website. Though it is distance oriented, there's plenty to learn for anyone.
The videos from both season 1 and season 2 are motivational and educational.
Last Friday Matt focused on the Singore School in Iten, Kenya. High School in
Kenya is not free - it costs about $500.00 per year to attend. That is a fortune
to most families, and if they can only afford to send one child, a son would
attend before a daughter. The school has a track, although by watching Friday's
video you'd see that it is in extreme disrepair.
KIMbia has set up a foundation to help more girls attend school. In addition,
they are identifying other ways in which interested people can help. The chasingKIMbia
web-site has caught my interest and I hope it does yours. In the coming weeks
I'll be identifying ways in which I plan to help, and hope you'll join me.