1) Training wise, what do you think contributed to your success in high school?
Calvin: The success I had in high school stemmed from several key components: a great coach, a training system that got me in comparable shape with the other top runners in my section and division, and a drive to "own" the sport both inside and out. It also didn't hurt that I never got a serious injury from running...
I became a runner after 10 years of soccer, so I would guess that the transition was made easier by this basic aerobic base. What made me transition to cross country was three-fold: an ankle injury from soccer, my love of running, and all the friends I had on the cross country team.
First off, Danny Aldridge is both a great coach and a great runner (he's attempting to set the 800 master's record. Go Danny!) Danny's style as a coach was very laid back and inclusive. He appreciated the JV runners just as much as the Varsity runners, which I think has helped our team to be so successful. But more importantly, Danny wouldn't pressure any runners to do more than they wanted, so the kids who came to practice for fun could have their fun, but those who came to improve could learn a lot from his experience and knowledge and realize their potentials as runners.
Danny implemented a training regimen that emphasized low mileage and high quality. My peak mileage in high school was 45, for my senior year of track, but most of my weeks were hovering from the low to high 30s. This is pretty low mileage, but with the success that Maria Carrillo has seen in the past 5 years or so, it's hard to argue that it doesn't make sense. We tended to do short intervals at the beginning of the season (ranging from 200-800) combined with some tempos, and then did cutdowns near the end of the season as we peaked for league, sections, and state. In retrospect, I think that this low mileage sets me up for some real success in college, as I can really move up in the mileage and make some serious improvements.
On top of all this, and I think I speak for both Joey and myself, I truly love the sport of running. I love the sport and enjoy reading training manuals, biographies, and fictional running books. An enthusiasm for running can really make all the difference, as approaching a workout with the requisite sense of dread but with a slight enjoyment can make you work all the harder and improve just that much faster.
Joey: There are several things that really helped me in high school, the two which I think are most important were staying uninjured for an entire year and a half and having two great coaches. I was injured somewhat frequently my first year running, I lost 6 weeks going into junior year including a week during the season to what I believe was a bone bruise on my knee cap. That injury was caused by BMX biking, which I soon gave up for running after having been a rider for almost 6 years. I started running track during sophomore year because my PE teacher was coach Walsh and he is a very inspirational person, he made me feel like I could achieve anything. Walsh had pretty good workouts that were Bowerman style and I was able to progress rapidly. Sorry for going on a tangent but I think this is relevant enough. Anyway after my junior cross country season I decided to run high mileage and thought I should get up to 70 miles a week so of course I got injured and had knee problems which made my winter training very sporadic, with a high week of no more than 45 and quite a few less than 30. After this I didn't get seriously injured again throughout high school, despite having my same mindset of running high mileage and jumping to 70 miles a week that summer, how I kept away from injury is beyond me. The other thing that helped was the arrival of Chuck my senior year. Chuck brought more scientific training and we worked for 9 months on making me have better form. The efficiency paid off, as well as his workouts and the base I had from that summer.
I forgot to mention this before, but having an incredible team as well as front runner in Chris Vizcaino. Having teammates around my level helped a lot during my sophomore and junior years, especially Viz, chasing him and trying to beat his times helped me focus. I never beat any of his times except the 400 and tied his Woodward PR, but having a ghost to chase my senior year was essential. The other Chris, Chris Harland Dunaway, helped with senior cross but as soon as track rolled around workouts were on my own.
2) What do you think you could have done different in hs that would have eased your transition to college?
C: I think I should have done a little more mileage over the summer, but what's done is done. Obviously, I came from a program that stressed low mileage, so transitioning to college mileage and paces could have been made easier if I had worked a little harder over the summer. I really don't regret it too much though, I think I adjusted well in general.
J: I think the only thing I could have done is run more mileage, done longer tempoes and longer intervals, which I personally dont think would have helped my running in high school. I think what I did is working fine because if I had done more, I wouldnt be able to add new stress as easily and thus Jack Daniels' "New Stress New Fitness" module would be hard to implicate and I would have trouble improving.
3) What is the hardest part to adjust to in college running?
C: Although I don't do double days yet, that will be a difficult adjustment. Also, the mile repeats were difficult for me to adjust to, as was the increased speed on the runs. But after a month or so the pace became second nature. As Joey also said, I am constantly tired and wanting to take a nap. But if you're not sore and tired you aren't trying hard enough.
J: The long intervals and double days. I actually picked up on long tempos very quickly, however it took me till the end of the season to have good mile repeats. Just being tired all the time, but I wouldnt want it any other way.
"International running is just about feeling tired all the time. It is very difficult for people to really understand this, the worst thing I can do is to walk around a department store. That is just such a dreadful waste of energy." - Sebastian Coe
Too bad Im not running internationally. I think this quote should be applied taking out the word "International"
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