Haslett Running Club

We've moved!

2011-08-08T09:55:00.000-07:00

The Haslett Running Club blog is moving to haslettrunningclub.com

I'll be in the process of updating links and such, but you can now follow us at the new website. Please book the site and check about 5 times a day for you own good health.

Happiest Running to all!

The Legend

2011-08-06T13:43:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who went out and ran The Legend today at Sleepy Hollow. Running that race at a good solid pace will really help you make a jump in fitness right before the season starts. We had our first overall winner this year as Ryan Beyea took home the 10 mile title by ~2 minutes! Hopefully next year we can get a larger showing of Halsett runners running the race. I should put it on our official racing schedule on athletic.net.

Link to results for all races.

http://rftiming.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=22&Itemid=31

I was unable to make this year's race because I was out at a different race near Jackson, MI. I definitely know what conditions you were working with this morning. After I finished my race it looked like I just got out of the lake.

WAM

2011-07-31T14:15:00.000-07:00

I was out on my run this morning and typically I don't see many people. I was headed out to the dirt roads of Bath... one of my favorite loops to run, Peacock Road. It ended up not being such a typically morning because I think I set a record for saying high to people this morning. For about 2 miles heading out on Upton road there were a few hundred road bikers coming at me. I had to run on the other side of the road because there were so many. I probably ended up saying hi to over 20-30 bikes, and another 10 or so head nods.

When I got home I had to look up what was going on... and that is what I wanted to share. Just another cool event to keep in mind as you get older and are looking for new challenges to conquer. A 300 mile bike ride from Traverse City to support the Make-A-Wish Foundation. More information on the Wish-A-Mile (WAM) event can be found HERE. The map of the 300+ mile ride is HERE.

Biker Gang

2011-07-28T17:27:00.000-07:00

From this picture it looks like Becky went along with no bike. Maybe she ran... or rode on someone's handlebars? Good times!

Boy... the weather has not been friendly for us runners. Hang in there. Once it cools off it will feel so much easier on your runs. I have tons of respect for those of you that are showing up for the group runs, putting in your miles and doing the quality workouts. I know it's not easy... but come fall you will be crushing your competition.

Sunday 9/18 @ 8:30 AM!

2011-07-27T12:23:00.000-07:00

Sunday, September 18 @ 8:30 AM... Haslett needs you for about 20 to 30 minutes to run the 5k at the Cooley Law School 5k. This is the same morning as the Capital City River Run 1/2 marathon water station... so we will need to plan accordingly so we can hopefully do both. We have the ability and organization to make both work.

Race information is here...

http://ccriverrun.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=16&Itemid=54

Basically the more nominations Haslett Cross Country has, the greater the chance we have to win a donation to our wonderful program. Start spreading the word... aunts, uncles, grandma's and grandpa's are all welcome to join us.

Addition

2011-07-26T14:39:00.000-07:00

Please add the following to your calendars. We are going to attend the middle school runs as a second run on some days. Here are the following dates and locations. Meet at 6:00 PM and done by 7:15. If you cannot make these runs you need to let Coach Stanko know.

Tuesday, August 2 - Middle School
Thursday, August 4 - Middle School (Slurpee Run)
Tuesday, August 9 - NO RUN SCHEDULED
Thursday, August 11 - NO RUN SCHEDULED
Tuesday, August 16 - Lake Lansing North (meet by bathrooms and play structure at the NORTH park)
Thursday, August 18 - Middle School (Slurpee Run)
Tuesday, August 23 - Middle School
Thursday, August 25 - Middle School (Slurpee Run)
Tuesday, August 30 - Lake Lansing NORTH

Bike Ride

2011-07-25T17:39:00.000-07:00

...and one random picture

Regional Assignments

2011-07-25T15:05:00.000-07:00

Alex V. our statistician informed us that the Regional Assignments have been posted on MHSAA.

http://www.mhsaa.com/Sports/BoysCrossCountry/2011LPRegionals.aspx

Good Stuff!

Thursday, July 21st

2011-07-18T02:39:00.000-07:00

The group is going to meet at 7:00 AM on this coming Thursday, July 21st. HHS track. It is supposed to be on the warm side, so getting out earlier than 9:00 will help you all get in some better quality running. Speaking of heat... be sure to drink plenty of water and some gatorade during these hot summer days.

Yes Sir!

2011-07-15T10:43:00.000-07:00

U.S. Army Shoots Down 'Toe Shoes'

July 14, 2011 8:57 am

Stop me if you've heard this one before — I'm still playing catch-up after a week off — but it appears that the United States Army recently banned so-called "barefoot running shoes," such as Vibram FiveFingers, that have a separate compartment for each little piggy.

This news came to us via Slate.com, which got it via The Washington Post. The gist, from the Slate.com story:

No, you did not misread the headline. The Army has indeed banned those funky shoes with five individual slots for your toes. …

“Effective immediately, only those shoes that accommodate all five toes in one compartment are authorized to wear” because toe shoes “detract from a professional military image,” states the official Army notice.

Slate includes the "full All Army Activities release," which is kind of fun. Here it is:

ALARACT 239/2011
DTG: R 231424Z JUN 11
UNCLASSIFIED//
THIS MESSAGE HAS BEEN SENT BY THE PENTAGON TELECOMMUNICATIONS CENTER ON BEHALF OF DA WASHINGTON DC//DAPE-HRI//
SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR EXCEPTION TO POLICY TO PUBLISH ALARACT MODIFYING WEAR OF IMPROVED PHYSICAL FITNESS UNIFORM (IPFU)

THE PURPOSE OF THIS MESSAGE IS TO MODIFY THE EXISTING WEAR POLICY FOR THE (IPFU).
THERE ARE A VARIETY OF MINIMALIST RUNNING SHOES AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE AND WEAR. EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, ONLY THOSE SHOES THAT ACCOMMODATE ALL FIVE TOES IN ONE COMPARTMENT ARE AUTHORIZED FOR WEAR. THOSE SHOES THAT FEATURE FIVE SEPARATE, INDIVIDUAL COMPARTMENTS FOR THE TOES, DETRACT FROM A PROFESSIONAL MILITARY IMAGE AND ARE PROHIBITED FOR WEAR WITH THE IPFU OR WHEN CONDUCTING PHYSICAL TRAINING IN MILITARY FORMATION.
HQDA POC FOR UNIFORM WEAR POLICY IS SGM JAMES A. MCGRUDER, JAMES.MCGRUDER@CONUS.ARMY.MIL , DSN 664-0620, (703) 604-0620.
EXPIRATION: THIS MESSAGE EXPIRES UPON NEXT PUBLICATION OF AR 670-1.
EXPIRATION DATE CANNOT BE DETERMINED.

So at least two things about the U.S. Army brass are clear: One, they aren't afraid to use the Caps Lock key; and two, they don't believe that FiveFingers convey a "professional" image.

Sorry, soldiers. From now on you'll have to wear regular running shoes during training, for a more professional, dignified look.

e.g.,

What do you think, readers? Sound off!

From Runners World...

http://rwdaily.runnersworld.com/2011/07/u-s-army-shoots-down-toe-shoes.html

July 23rd

2011-07-13T12:24:00.000-07:00

An update to the week of July 18 - 24. This is a great opportunity to experience something different and hang out with your teammates.

Saturday, July 23rd

Tri Country Bike Ride
Registration Form http://www.biketcba.org/tours/WOW/2011/2011WOWride.pdf

Sunday, July 24th

Summer run at HHS track
7:00 AM
Tihart - progression medium to fast

Why Do You Run?

2011-07-08T17:49:00.000-07:00

This video finishes with one of the greatest races of all time from the 2000 Olympic 10,000 meters. See the final few laps of that race HERE.

Katie J.

2011-07-08T02:58:00.000-07:00

Great video of Katie Jazwinski, Dexter's girls cross country coach who was Brooks featured ID athlete for July. Run on Katie!

Visit Brooks ID for more Videos

Mooooo....

2011-07-04T02:26:00.000-07:00

An MSU Dairy run on Friday, July 8th for 6:00 PM has been set up by the upperclassmen. We can assume there will be a run followed by ice cream or cheese. More on the MSU Dairy Store HERE.

July Newsletter

2011-07-02T07:05:00.000-07:00

Your parents should have received the July Newsletter to keep everyone in the loop. Everyone should be training at full capacity by this point in the summer. We have just over a month until official practice starts in August.

ADAPT

2011-07-01T17:36:00.000-07:00

While out in Seattle at the Brooks Inspiring Coaching Camp I sat next to a coach from California at dinner and we had plenty of time to discuss everything about running. Coach Clemons coaches at Trabuco Hills High School and the team has some pretty fast runners. Jantzen Oshier just ran 4:00 for the 1600 this past spring.

More on Trabuco Hills Cross Country http://www.runnerspace.com/THcrosscountry
More on Trabuco Hills Track & Field http://www.runnerspace.com/THtrack

What you need to know from this discussion is that we do what other successful teams are doing around the country. Coach Clemons uses the word ADAPT to describe what we call progression runs. ADAPT stands for Average, Daily, Aerobic, Pace, Training. The goal is to increase the high end of your aerobic pace... which we both agreed on being the biggest factor for a distance runner. So.... keep on working on your medium and fast running efforts. Let it come naturally and don't force it. Just run and run fast.

If you need some more explanation of what I mean PLEASE let me know. It's how we will get our team to reach it's full potential.

Brooks Inspiring Coaches

2011-06-30T03:25:00.000-07:00

Over the past few days I was fortunate to attend the 1st annual Brooks Inspiring Coaches Camp just outside of Seattle, WA. This was all made possible with your nomination that was spearheaded by Mrs. Stanulis who submitted an application. I owe Mrs. Stanulis and all of you a huge THANK YOU for your kind words. Without any of you I would not have had the chance to be in this position. Coaching great kids and in such an amazing community is such an honor! There were over 600 applicants that were submitted... and in the end Brooks brought out 55 coaches from 30 somethings states. More on the top 10 coaches HERE. The winner of the Inspiring Coaches Award went to Amy Pitzel from Texas. See more about Amy HERE.

From those 55 coaches Brooks narrowed the list down to 10 finalist. After hearing the stories of each of the 10 and what they have done over the years I feel so privileged with even making the top 55. These coaches coach national championship teams, most have been coaching for over 15 years and some even over 30 years, have coached many state champions, and have made a huge impact on their local running communities over the years. These 10 are the "cream of the crop" and to even be in the same room as them was an honor. I have definitely been Inspired by them all.

Brooks always does a great job of putting on 1st class events. Whether it's one of their Rock 'n Roll marathon events, a coaching camp like this, or anything else that has to do with running you can be guaranteed that it will be pretty cool. We got to run each morning and the trails were amazing in these mountains. Another coach from Michigan, Jeremy Hurley from Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern and I ran for over an hour in these woods and were just floored by the views we encountered on our run.

At the camp there were many great speakers who presented information to us on a variety of topics. Brooks has some amazing new shoes coming out this fall. They are making solid efforts now to get product into the hands of high schoolers who are the future of our sport. A new line of shoes they are working on is the Pure Project. For those of you that love your minimalist type shoes these 4 shoes have the potential to do great things for the running world. See these shoes HERE!

To fill our extra time we had field day... think elementary school field day. Even though we are a little older, we still enjoy the lawn dart toss, relays, etc. The mid-west coaches took 3rd overall... but we think the other teams cheated or something because we were on fire. We also played 18 holes of golf on a beautiful course in the mountains. As a middle schooler I enjoyed playing tons of golf in the summer but got out of the sport as the years past. The night after the golf outing I had a hard time sleeping because I was so sore and tired. I now have a new respect for the world of golf.

I learned a ton at this event that can be used in our specific environment in Haslett and I am looking forwarded to adding some new things to our program to make it that much better.

Running Times

2011-06-16T12:20:00.000-07:00

On newsstands now is one good Running Times... maybe one of the best issues to date. It's a close call. If you have $4.99 and the time go buy yourself an issue at a local book store.
Some highlights from the magazine that you can look forward to reading.

"Back to the Future" A story written by a former Michigan runner, Rachel Sturtz. Not only was she a pretty fast runner, she is also a pretty good writer. The story talks about 2 famous runners from the 90's. One of these runners was born and raised right here in Michigan... Monroe, MI to be exact.
"Lesson of the Long Run" Running long is important and running long and fast is even more important. Many other successful teams know this, just like Haslett knows this.
"Innovative Injury Insurance" Hurdles, calisthenics, forms drills... you name it, we do it so we can increase our chances of staying healthy and running fast.
"Hot Myths" Running in the heat is not easy, but you can get used to it. Some of this information will help explain why you see Coach Stanko running around in layers in the early part of spring... so when it does heat up it's not such a big deal.
"The Magic from Maywood Park" Talk about setting the stage for what is normal. These runners helped each other achieve some pretty fast times on the track.

Go get a copy and read up. I know most of you have the time now.

Almost

2011-06-11T03:29:00.000-07:00

Almost a record... http://highschool.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1230222

NCAA Women's 10,000

2011-06-09T03:17:00.000-07:00

Watch more videos on Flotrack

From Letsrun.com.

"I love the heat!" exclaimed Juliet Bottorff after winning the women's 10k at the first day of the NCAA Championships at Drake University in Des Moines, IA this evening. " I'm from Delaware, so it doesn't really match up, but I really like the heat!" Bottorff has good reason to forever love the heat as in hot and humid conditions (race time temperature: 85 degrees, 39% humidity), Bottorff bided her time and ran in the pack and saved energy for the whole race before grabbing glory with a last lap that truly was a thing of beauty.

The pace really dawdled in the opening miles as the Wichita State Shocker duo of Aliphine Tuliamuk and Tonya Nero led the field through the 1600 in 5:46 and 3200 in 11:43 (5:56 2nd 1600). The third 1600 split of 5:18 pared the lead pack to 15.

In terms of kilometers, the pace was very slow for 3km before getting a little bit more honest on the 4th kilometer and the pace would stay modest but consistent until the very end. From 3k on, the lead pack got in the groove with steady kilometer splits between 3:21-3:25 for kilometers 4 through 9. After 6k, slowly the death march in the heat was taking its toll as a few runners would fall off the lad pack each kilometer. At 7k, the race was all about Cyclones and Shockers as the Iowa State duo of Betsy Saina and Dani Stack joined the two from Wichita State up front for much of the time. No one was really making a move. At 7,600 meters, U. of New Mexico's Ruth Senior tried to mix it up but would fade to 9th place overall. With 4 laps remaining, there were still 10 or 11 women still in the lead pack. The pace would get faster each lap to the finish but not by much until the final lap. At 8,700 meters, disaster struck as Betsy Saina, who had done much ot the leading, suddenly collapsed to the infield and became an unexpected DNF.

At 9,000, there were still 8 in the lead pack and women's running was going to have a rarity - a ton of girls battling it out for an NCAA title over the last 1k. So many women were still in contention as no one was making moves and the pace wasn't increasing that much. Over the last four laps, the steady stream of 81 and 82 second laps got faster but only to 80, 79, 77 before there was one lap to glory.

And in an instant, the race was over. As the runner's approached the bell, Duke's Juliet Bottorff hammered to the front and within the span of maybe 20 meters it was clearly over. In May, we had watch Bottorff sit patiently in a large pack and then destory the ECAC field over the last lap and had been so impressed we called her our upset pick to win in the LetsRun.com preview. Now Botorff, who came in seeded 5th (but only 8 seconds behind #1), was destroying the NCAA 10,000 meter field just as we had thought might be possible. If you have the best kick, a wise energy is to do zero work, save energy and then unleash it at the very end and Bottorff did this perfectly.

Bottorff's 67.4 last lap was a thing of beauty. It was 3.44-seconds better than what anyone else in the field had in the tank and it gave her a huge 4.49-second margin of victory as West Virginia's Kate Harrison finished 2nd. Arizona sophomore Jennifer Bergman had a great run to finish 3rd as gradually moved up and equalled her Pac 10 placing. After the race, Bergman remarked how her coach Erin Dawson is always encouraging her that she is capable of great things. Looking outside the interview area, she laughed as she saw her coach jumping up and down and going nuts. Iowa State's Dana Slack finished fourth while the Witchita State duo of Tuliamuk and Nero finished 5th and 7th, respectively.

Tara Erdmann of Loyola Marymount had the fastest time going in (33:10) was never a factor and finished in 21st place. After nearly tripping twice in earlier laps, BYU's Morgan Haws hit the wall in the last lap and crawled over the line on all fours in 12th place, a testament to the very tough conditions in tonight's 10k.

Success

2011-06-09T03:00:00.000-07:00

Failure by definition is a lack of success, but we must remember that sometimes without failure there will never be success. I guess it's just part of the process.

“All my successes have been built on my failures.” Benjamin Disraeli
“I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.” Michael Jordan
“Experience is the name we give mistakes.” Oscar Wilde
“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Thomas Edison
“Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.” Sir Winston Churchill
“Do not fear mistakes. You will know failure. Continue to reach out.” Benjamin Franklin
“My reputation grows with every failure.” George Bernard Shaw
“Failure is only the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.” Henry Ford
“Success is built on failure. It is built on frustration. Sometimes it is built on catastrophe.” Sumner Redston
“Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising every time we fail.” Confucious
“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” Rober F. Kennedy
“My imperfections and failures are as much a blessing from God as my successes and my talents.” Mahatma Gandhi
“But there is suffering in life, and there are defeats. No one can avoid them. But it’s better to lose some of the battles in the struggles for your dreams than to be defeated without ever knowing what you’re fighting for.” Paulo Coelho

Words of Wisdom

2011-06-07T16:58:00.000-07:00

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.
You're on your own.
And you know what you know.
You are the guy who'll decide where to go.
~Dr. Seuss

OFSAA

2011-06-07T16:34:00.001-07:00

OFSAA is the Ontario Federations of School Athletic Association. Many great runners come out of these championships in Canada. 3 great races from the 1987 Championships. Ian Forsyth who ran at Michigan won the midget 3k. Some very good videos from OFSAA. The commentary is pretty darn good, as they talk about a variety of different topics.

This is a epic race featuring 3 girls, who to this day, each hold records. Jennifer Armstrong of Saunders SS who holds the ofsaa record for both Midget and Junior 3000m and Canadian under 18 record. Leanne McVey of New Liskerd who holds the 1500m ofssa Junior record. Finally Carol TREPANIER of Theriault who holds the 10000m u20 Canadian record .Leanne probably would have ran a record setting race , but was out kicked in the last 50 m. Enjoy!

Graham Hood running the 1987 ofsaa midget 3000m race... and getting beat by Ian Forsyth (yellow jersey)! Bam!

This is an amazing video of Greg Anderson from Dundas Parkside high school running the 3000m at OFSAA 1987 at McMaster University. He set an OFSAA record and it is the Canadian National record for his age. This was a North American record for 22 years until Hernandez from California broke it in 2009.
Sean Cleary of Georgetown took the field out fast and spread out the pack. His efforts assited Greg to run the record breaking race. Brendan Matthias pushed Greg for 5 laps (Brendan later won Canadian Junior 1500 meter Championship and set a Canadian Jr. 1500 meter record of 3:39.1 and then went on to the1992 Olympics)

Spring into Summer

2011-06-05T07:56:00.000-07:00

What a great spring we had! Well... not so much weather wise, but as distance runners. Many of you set PRs and improved your training this spring. As a group we are challenging what is normal and rising up to new levels. It takes a great deal of focus to reach your full potential.

As we now spring into summer here is something that we will need to focus on over the next few months. We will cover this at our girls and boys cross country meetings this week. If you want a color version (I have black/white for you) you can click on the image and then print out a color version to hang up where you will see it every day this summer.

Food for Thought

2011-06-03T08:07:00.000-07:00

The Agriculture Department unveiled "My Plate" on Thursday, abandoning the food pyramid that had guided many Americans but merely confused others. Full article link... LINK

Personally I think this new logo is perfect for giving Americans a direction on what a meal should look like. As distance runners the foods we eat fuels the running we do. The cleaner the fuel source the easier our bodies can convert this food into useful energy.

http://www.choosemyplate.gov/ has additional resources to help steer us in the right direction. You won't see foods like pop tarts, oreos, or pepsi on the list. It's just my opinion, but I think our government should step in and not allow stores to even sell this junk food. A lot of problems would be solved if we only have natural foods to select from and then eat.

Run Happy!

2011-06-01T07:21:00.001-07:00

Brooks 2011 Run Happy Survey

In honor of National Running Day, we want to know more about you. What makes you run happy? Do you prefer the track or the trail -- or the treadmill? Do you like to run with a group, a friend, or solo? What do you carry with you when you run? What are your favorite shoes to train in? And most importantly, why do you run?

The survey should take you less than 10 minutes to complete. We know your time is valuable so we'll pick three lucky runners from the pool of completed surveys and award them a head-to-toe Brooks package -- shoes, shorts, shirt, jacket, and hat -- worth up to $350. The survey will be open through June 30, and we'll notify the winners via email the week of July 5. Good luck!

Here is the link... Take the Run Happy Survey

Saturday, Sunday, Monday

2011-05-26T10:44:00.000-07:00

Due to our League meet being reschedule for next Tuesday we need to update our training a little. Here is what we will do over the holiday weekend.

Saturday. 9:00 AM. Track. 5-8 x 200 (200r) @ 800m race pace.
Sunday. On your own. 45 minutes
Monday. 9:00 AM. Lake Lansing Trails. 45 minutes

The weather is looking to get a little warmer over the next few days. Be on top of your hydration by drinking water throughout the day and having a sports drink after your runs.

Saturday, July 16

2011-05-26T05:34:00.000-07:00

Mark your calendars for the Ullianna Dalton Szych Memorial Race on Saturday, July 16. Whoever is in town that weekend I hope you can make it to the race. Last year we had a good showing of Haslett runners and this year we hope to have even more. Pictures from last years race can be found at... http://timeframephoto.exposuremanager.com/g/10_ulli_dalton_szych_5k

To register for the race visit... https://sites.google.com/site/uszychmemorial5k/home

Any questions just let me know.

Born to Run

2011-05-25T13:00:00.001-07:00

Finished Born to Run and there are some really good quotes that we all need to keep in mind.

"Think Easy, Light, Smooth, and Fast. You start with easy, because if that's all you get, that's not bad. Then work on light. Make it effortless, like you don't give a _ how high the hill is or how far you've got to go. When you've practiced that so long that you forget you're practicing, you work on making it smooooooth. You won't have to worry about the last one-you get those, and you'll be fast." (p. 111)

Watch most elite runners race and they make it look effortless. The moment you start to fight the uncomfortable feeling when you are pushing your body to its limit is the moment you start to slow down.
Recall a race where you ran really well and probably set a PR. The image you have in your head is most likely of you running smooth and fast.

"... the greatest marathoners in the world run like kindergartners. "Watch kids at a playground running around. Their feet land right under them, and they push back..." (p. 204)

Keep your feet under you and behind you as you run. Don't reach out in front of you.
Your stride length should come from behind you.

"Kenyans have superquick foot turnover," Ken said. "Quick, light leg contractions are more economical than big, forceful ones." (p. 205)

This is one of the key reasons why we have started doing our hill sprints this spring. The more power we can create with each step the faster we can run. Hill sprints teach our muscles to do this.
Also drills and strides in spikes help to develop this quick, light leg turnover.

"When you're focused on the hunt, you push to the limits. You're not aware you're exhausted," Louis later explained. In a way, if he'd triumphed; Louis had managed to cross over and run as hard as if he were the one being pursued." (p. 237)

When you focus on the competition and just competing with them you will allow your true potential to shine. Look at your competition as a gift. Be thankful you have people to help you run faster. Without their help you would be slower. Sometimes you will win and be the fastest... and other times you might not win, but you can still run fast.

"If it feels like work, you're working too hard" (p. 263)

This is a tricky one to define. It takes a lot of running to reach your full potential, but it's a work that is productive. You want to let the fast running come out of you and very rarely force the issue.
Once again progression runs allow the fast running to come out of you without forcing it out of you. Think Easy, Light, Smooth, & Fast. Get the first three (Easy, Light & Smooth) and Fast will take care of itself.

runlansing.com

2011-05-24T16:39:00.001-07:00

Ran across this site...

http://runlansing.com/

Enjoy!

Where life takes you...

2011-05-23T16:56:00.000-07:00

Reid Coolsaet in Kenya from Francis Coral - Mellon on Vimeo

Back in the day when I had no idea running would become a passion of mine, neither did Reid Coolsaet. Reid was the cousin of one of my good friends growing up and when Reid would come into town we would enjoy our time together... mainly on our skateboards. Our paths would soon separate as we grew up and then many years later they would join up again as we both were running in college. Reid has become an amazing runner and is Canadian's top marathoner right now. You never know where running will take you or who you will meet along the journey.

5%

2011-05-22T16:57:00.000-07:00

If you happen to see Jacob Kastens in the halls be sure to congratulate him for being awarded with his Eagle Scout this past Sunday. 5% of scouts go onto earning this award. 5% of scouts! Jacob is part of Scout 63 out of Williamston. http://www.troop63mi.com/ Our last runner to receive this award was Tucker Heiler a few years ago... it goes to show what great people runners are.

Standards

2011-05-18T05:14:00.000-07:00

This statistic is pretty cool and something for Haslett distance runners to be proud of . We have 41.6% (10 out of 24) of our boys that have broken 5:00 in the 1600 and 40% (4 out of 10) girls that have broken 6:00 in the 1600.

There are many ways that we can get a higher percentage of runners under these marks. As your coach I'd like to encourage more of our runners to think about what an easy pace is to them. If we can get more girls at 8:00/mile and faster on easy days and more boys at 7:00/mile and faster on easy days these percentages will skyrocket. There will be other things that you have to work on too, but this factor might give you the biggest bang for your buck.

Tim Rowen XC/Track Scholarship

2011-05-17T07:20:00.000-07:00

If you will be attending a cross country or track camp this summer you are eligible to receive the Tim Rowen Scholarship to help with some of the cost. One boy and one girl will be selected to receive this award.

Tim Rowan, graduate of Haslett High School was an avid cross country and track athlete while attending Haslett High School. He passed away in a car accident while in college. Mr. John Rowan was a teacher and coach for over 30 years while his wife, Joanne also retired from Haslett after many years of teaching. Mr. and Mrs. Rowan have donated money to Haslett schools in Tim's name to help athletes defray the cost of attending a cross country or track and field summer camp. The concession building between the track and football field is dedicated in Tim's honor.

Please email me if you are interested so I can send you the form or stop by the main office to pick one up from Mrs. Schaibly.

Centipede

2011-05-17T02:57:00.001-07:00

There is a race in San Francisco called Bay to Breakers. It is known for runners wearing costumes and having a good time. A few years ago my friend Tommy Greenless ran in a pink gorilla suite and dominated the costumed runner division. Sub 6:00 pace for 12k. I believe I shared this around that time.

Well this year he took on a new challenge and joined in on the team event of the race. At Bay to Breakers they have a division called The Centipede division. 13 runners are joined together by a bungee cord and must run the race from start to finish tied together. They went on the set the course record of 37:02... 4:58 pace for 12k of running. If that's not teamwork, I don't know what is. Wikipedia entry on the race LINK.

More Photos

Getting Close

2011-05-14T05:35:00.000-07:00

Getting closer to Regionals now, our 4x8's are starting to take shape. To qualify for states we either need to finish 1st or 2nd, or run...

10:05 for the girls. 10:05 for the girls is averaging 2:31
8:18 for the boys. 8:18 is averaging 2:04 for the boys

With our best races ahead of us these marks are within our reach. To have everyone run a PR at Regionals in the 4x8 is possible, but it looks like if everyone has a solid day both relays have a chance at advancing. Think positive!

One of my goals as a coach is to have both our girls and boys teams have a 4x8 at states every year. If we don't I feel we are not yet a solid distance team. Thinking back to my high school days a fast 4x8 was the perfect way to start off a track meet.... it was the distance runners relay and our chance to show off our stuff as a distance squad.

If we take our best times from the 800 we have...

2:29, 2:32, 2:33, 2:38 = 10:12
2:03, 2:04, 2:06, 2:06 = 8:19

Racing vs. Time Trial

2011-05-12T06:14:00.000-07:00

I have received a number of POSITIVE comments over the past few weeks from those that have watched many of you race. I believe it is very important to learn how to run a tactical race and also how to run a time trial type race.

A tactical race is run by not leading and responding to your competition. Understanding that the race to the finish line starts sometime after 1/2 way. Dual meets are a great opportunity to practice this type of racing.
A time trial type race is going from the gun... and maybe leading the entire race. Not worrying about responding to your competition and just going for a good time regardless of your what other's run.

The comments have been... "how smart you race"... "how you know when to go at the right time"... "how beautiful it looks to see teammates working together against other runners and running away from them in the final laps." That last quote came from a lacrosse parent that happened to be watching the 3200! That one hit the nail right on the head... how beautiful it is to watch.

A good race is a performance... a work of art!

Optimal Form

2011-05-09T13:56:00.000-07:00

Perfection is something many of us would love to achieve... but is it really perfection that we should be aiming for? Perfection means that we have reached an end and no runner wants their running to end. So lets call it OPTIMAL RUNNING FORM.

Another cool finish.

Inspiration

2011-05-07T03:20:00.000-07:00

Here is a good source of inspiration for Haslett Runners. All of these runners have walked the same hallways as you. Drank the same water. Had many of the same teachers. Ran on the same roads and cross country course.

School Records (top 20)

Tweak

2011-05-05T16:04:00.000-07:00

It takes years of consistent work to "tweak" one's form, so you will not see a huge difference here. I'd like to emphasize the word "tweak" and that I did not use the word change. We all have a unique running style and we want to keep what was given to us. What we want to do is make slight adjustments to it to make it the best it can be. Getting our feet under us as quickly as possible is one of these key things we need to do. Keep that in mind as you move... well run forward!

Anyone name the band that was used in the video?

Watch more videos on Flotrack

Chuck Norris never ran a marathon

2011-05-03T18:37:00.000-07:00

My friend ran a 1/2 marathon in California this past weekend and ran by some people holding a sign that said "Chuck Norris never ran a marathon."

On another note.... There is an open mile at Stockbridge that is open to anyone not running in the meet. I have updated the schedule to add some of you into this race.

Roll Call

2011-05-01T12:17:00.000-07:00

The 1st Honor Roll came out last week and the second one will be coming out this week.

Honor Roll #1 LINK

For many on the team this is a good benchmark to have. The more "Haslett" on the list the better. Keep challenging yourself!

Daily To Do List

2011-04-29T08:23:00.001-07:00

Just think if we had 75 to 90% of our team doing these things on a daily basis? Each runner has the freedom to pick at least one of the 12 from the list. Mix it up and pick a new one each day.

Be the hardest worker at practice today.
Be a spark of energy and enthusiasm today.
Model mental toughness today.
Connect with a teammate today.
Compliment a teammate today.
Challenge a teammate today.
Support a teammate today.
Constructively confront negativity, pessimism, and laziness today.
Build and bond your team today.
Check in with your coach today.
Remind your team how today's work leads to tomorrow's dreams.
Represent yourself and team with class and pride today.

These great ideas comes from the following LINK. Read up if you are interested in making your team the best it can be!

Regional/State Qualifying

2011-04-27T03:29:00.000-07:00

Additional qualifying times for the Regional and State meets! Many of you should have these times in the back of your mind. These times are above average marks and most of you are well above average. Friday Invitationals are a perfect day to go after these times (and some Tuesdays when the competition is hot). Some tips on how to prepare to run these times...

Know what pace you have to run prior to the meet.
Establish that pace in the first few laps of your race.
Once your pace is established forget about it and run as fast as you possible can for the remainder of the race.

Regionals

800 - B 2:05.2 / G 2:32.0

1600 - B 4:42.6 / G 5:39.0

3200 - B 10:19.7 / G 12:26.5

States

800 - B 2:00.7 / G 2:25.8

1600 - B 4:31.0 / G 5:22.5

3200 - B 9:56.0 / G 11:50.9

4 x 800 - B 8:18.0 / G 10:05.0

Form

2011-04-25T15:39:00.000-07:00

We will go over some of the basics of dialing in your form when we get a nice day. For the time being keep these images in your head. Look at how their feet land pretty close to underneath their bodies. The forward moment is created from their legs driving them forward (not pulling). Your stride length comes from behind you.

MEN:

1. Geoffrey Mutai - Kenya (2:03:02) and Moses Mosop - Kenya (2:03:06) with .5 miles to go. The two fastest marathon times ever:

2. Gebregziabher Gebremariam - Ethiopia (2:04:53) and Ryan Hall - USA (2:04:58) with .5 miles to go. Both set personal bests at Boston:

WOMEN:

3. Caroline Kilel - Kenya (2:22:36), Sharon Cherop - Kenya (2:22:42) and Desiree Davila - USA (2:22:38) with .5 miles to go. All set PR's at Boston:

4. Kara Goucher - USA (2:24:52 - 6 months after giving birth) with .5 miles to go. Set a marathon PR by over a minute at Boston:

Inspiration

2011-04-24T15:54:00.000-07:00

A great series of videos that features the DII powerhouse Adams State in Colorado.

http://www.runnerspace.com/gprofile.php?do=title&title_id=529&mgroup_id=30241

Be inspired, be fast, be happy!

Saturday

2011-04-24T05:23:00.001-07:00

Some random photos from Saturday's workout.

A Happy Place

2011-04-22T14:07:00.001-07:00

The track is a happy place... as Claire's journal reminds us all. This photo comes from Claire's kindergarten homework journal. She came to the track one crisp spring morning to hang out with Dad and watch the kids run.

We can see from the picture that the runner is running fast... which the distance runners do and we can see that the track is a happy place from the bright rainbow of colors. I am really happy for everyone's running. You should have confidence in the skills you have developed. Some nice spring weather is on the way, which will help you all display the fruits of your labor at the up and coming meets. I have a secret to share, but I just have to find a time to share it with you all. It's just a little trick of the trade that you all should know about. Remind me next week if you would.

A great finish after the finish

2011-04-17T16:31:00.000-07:00

The final stretch of this past Sunday's London Marathon. Mutai's turnover is incredible after 26 miles of running... and then he casually crosses the finish line and let's it all come out. Watch the video to see what I mean.

T-Shirts

2011-04-16T07:49:00.001-07:00

It's always inspiring to see cool t-shirts. Here is a handful that are just great.

http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=21373

Speaking of inspiring... it has been inspiring watching Haslett compete this past week. If you want to improve on these marks keep training with passion and using each other to help us all get faster. Watching Haslett race is like going to the movies. I can't tell you the last time I went to the movies because my main source of entertainment is watching the distance runners compete in track and cross country. To clarify there is a major difference between running in a meet and competing in a meet. Watching running is not to thrilling, but watching runners compete is a completely different story.

Next up is Charlotte. This will be a very competitive meet for both the boys and girls. We will need every point we can get to make sure we secure the win. I am going to start working on the line up for Tuesday, but be aware (like always) that it is subject to change.

The Basics

2011-04-14T16:50:00.000-07:00

Former Haslett Distance Ace Emma Claucherty running for the University of Oakland in a dual meet against U of D the other weekend. Link to results. Emma has been having a great freshmen year at Oakland and hopefully she will join us when she returns home for the summer.

I thought I covered all the bases when coaching Emma but I guess I forgot to teach her one of the most basic elements. By taking a close look at the picture, can you tell me what I did not teach her? If you click on the picture you can get a closer look.

Also see below post that has been updated with another new option to replace Hamilton.

Murphy & Benson

2011-04-13T09:59:00.000-07:00

A new route to replace Hamilton... let's give it a try next week sometime. http://www.usatf.org/routes/view.asp?rID=425828

And another 4 mile loop from Alex.

http://www.usatf.org/routes/view.asp?rID=425865

Spring Break

2011-04-08T05:59:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone is enjoying their spring break. Whether you are in Haslett or away on a vacation I hope your running is treating you well. The Stanko's are in Florida for the week and I was fortunate to be invited to speak and run with the Wellington Triathlon Club (Wellington, FL).

It's always nice to meet other like minded people and enjoy each other's stories. After our workout we got to talk about training, nutrition, Brooks shoes, racing, running form, mental preparation, injuries, and the joys of running. Running in Florida has been great, but like always we are looking forward to our return to Haslett and the beginning of the spring track season.

Run Fast, Run Happy, and Run Run!

Middle School Form Clinic

2011-04-01T03:09:00.000-07:00

For those middle school athletes who participated in the form running clinic I hope you still remember the 2 key things we covered.

Carry your ARMS at the happy medium (not too high or not too low).
Keep your FEET under and behind you.

The video is of you running before we talked and then after we talked. Maybe not a huge change, but it allows you to see your form in slow motion and to see if you are carrying your ARMS at the happy medium and keeping your FEET under and behind you.

Watch more videos on Flotrack

Risky Business

2011-03-31T05:11:00.000-07:00

The other day when I talked about taking risks I meant on the track. When I walked into my classroom this fine Thursday morning, I was lucky the sprinklers where not going off.

Back to taking risks. You train passionately and intensely in practice so when you toe the line on race day you are ready to take risks and jump to the next level. It's definitely not easy being a distance runner... if it was it would be called checkers... or something like that. Running all out for 2 miles, yes it is intimidating but do it right and it can be one of the most rewarding experiences you will ever have. For most of you that is 9 to 12 minutes redlining it. I'm sure it took you longer than that to light those candles... so I know you are willing to take risks. My friends, have no FEAR!

Captains

2011-03-27T15:06:00.000-07:00

I'd like to officially announce our distance captains for the spring 2011 track season. Ellen C. and Tara M. will help lead the girls team. Ryan B., Ian M., Travis S., and Alex V. will lead the boys team. We all know these individuals are top notch individuals and will help raise Haslett to the next level.

Establish the Culture

2011-03-25T15:21:00.000-07:00

What kind of culture do you want to establish at Haslett?

This is 100% in your hands. Do you want it to be a great culture? It is up to you to do this. I (your coach) can only do so much. I have been working my tail off to try to get it through your heads that it can be done. That a sub-4:30 mile for a boy and a sub-5:30 mile for a girl can be the norm. Let me say that again...

A sub-4:30 mile for a boy and a sub-5:30 mile for a girl can be the norm!

The main thing that you should be concerned about is running fast. When the day calls for a fast/medium effort or intervals at race pace you need to put it on the line. Train your mind and body the except nothing less than the best.

Here is a quote from Letsrun.com that inspired me to write this post.

"On a track in Kenya, say, you have a great number of Olympians and major athletes all there at one time. They're all watching each other and pushing each other all the time. Some of them are earning lots of money, but they're living in camps with no electricity, no water, that are horrible, dirty, awful. I remember saying to one of them 'Why are you staying here? This is a pretty awful place.' He said: 'See that beautiful house up there on the mountain? That's my house. If I live there I'll become fat. Here, I'm sharing a room with a 17-year-old who wants to kick my backside. I'm not going to let him do that.'"

Another quote from the article....

"But what I would say in addition, which they may not want to hear, is that what appears to produce the quality guys assuming they have the right genes is how hungry they are. And often that is dictated by how hard their living conditions are."

Boys and Girls... both need to help establish this culture. When others are running faster than you question this. Why can't you be doing this? How can you reach that level of fitness? Don't come up with excuses. Come up with answers.

I have proscribed the training to get you there. It's up to you do to it passionately and with an effort that can't be described with words. Get focused!

Reflection

2011-03-23T08:15:00.001-07:00

Good conversations are going on amongst the group. Some thoughts to reinforce what we are doing.

Stress. It came up that the first day of practice is very stressful. Showing up and running 4-6 miles fast. Stress is great! When we stress ourselves, then relax to recover we grow. Next time the original stress is not such a big deal. Over time you will find that you can handle more and more stress. Stress comes in a variety of forms. Physical and mental. Embrace stress!
Progression runs vs. Intervals. Why aren't we on the track running intervals at race pace or faster? Won't we lose speed? Not necessarily. For the 800 to the 3200 the biggest factor that will determine your success is how big your "aerobic engine" is. The larger your aerobic engine is the faster you can run at a given pace before your body begins to create energy anaerobically (without oxygen). Running on the roads at a medium to fast pace will develop your aerobic system. This system can be developed a great deal. The higher this threshold the faster you will be able to run over any distance from the 800 and up. Even fast progression runs tap into using your fast twitch muscle fibers.
Some reasons runners lack speed. 1. They run slow "junk" mileage every day. 2. They don't vary their training from day to day. 3. They are over trained. 4. They do too much intervals "speed work" at race pace or faster.

Meet Line-Ups

2011-03-21T12:13:00.000-07:00

You can find the line ups for each meet on the team website.

haslett.k12.mi.us/stanko

Run, Run, Run!

Talk About Tough

2011-03-17T13:57:00.000-07:00

Friday & Saturday & Sunday

2011-03-16T16:45:00.000-07:00

Friday

4:45 practice. 4-6 mile run with Chelsea distance runners. Pizza after run in Coach Stanko's room. Brief talk from Coach Stanko about 10 Commandments of Running.

Saturday

9:00 AM practice. Meet on the track and ready to run by 9:05. Medium Progression run on Tihart. Out and Back. The mile marks are officially marked up to 5 miles (which would be 10 miles total).
Mile 1 left hand side of road "H" on electrical post, maybe 400 meters before Cornell intersection.
Mile 2 left hand side of road "H" on tree on VanAtta Road, after the road bends to the left and before it bends to the right.
Mile 3 left hand side of road "H" on ground.
Mile 4 left hand side of road "H" on ground.
Mile 5 left hand side of road "H" on ground.
If you have an odd number distance for the day, then add your last mile on the track.

Saturday Evening

6:30 Playmakers Spike Night. Go tell everyone how cool Haslett is. Jonah should wear his jean shorts.

Sunday

Rest up. Many of you can't wait for this day. You deserve it.

Off and Running

2011-03-14T16:55:00.000-07:00

They're off and running. Mother nature gave us one of the best days to start track. Off the top of my head we head one of our best first day workouts... it was also on a new course so it's hard to compare apples to oranges. But overall the group should be happy with everyone's effort. Now the name of the game is to improve off of these times.

Girl 4 milers

Ellen C 30:27 (7:37)
Jordan S 31:47 (7:57)
Victoria R 33:00 (8:15)
Brianna O 33:26 (8:21)
Tara M 34:05 (8:31)
Cassie W 34:38 (8:40)
Taylor 37:52 (9:28)
Lexi 37:52 (9:28)
Emma W 38:37 (9:39)
Sara T 39:15 (9:49)

Boy 6 milers

Alex V 35:01 (5:50)
Ryan B 36:27 (6:05)
Travis S 38:20 (6:23)

Boy 4 milers

Luke C 25:15 (6:19)
Dotson 26:10 (6:33)
Scotty 26:10 (6:33)
Kenna 26:15 (6:34)
Quinn M 26:35 (6:34)
Ian M 26:20 (6:35)
Drew M 26:57 (6:44)
Grant W 27:13 (6:48)
Ian J 27:27 (6:52)
Ian C 30:02 (7:31)
Justin 30:03 (7:31)
Tanay 33:05 (8:16)
Jonah 33:20 (8:20)
Jacob 34:50 (8:43)
Harrison B 35:35 (8:54)
Mitchell A ?

2 milers

Kathleen D 24:00 (12:00)
Sammer G 25:30 (12:45)

The Right Mindset

2011-03-13T03:35:00.000-07:00

"This sport is all about mental preparation, so I don't really focus on what my score or place is going to be," McLauchlan said. "I just try to give my best. And if I can do that, it doesn't really matter what anyone else does - I'll be happy with myself."

http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20110310/SPORTS02/103100338/High-school-diving-Haslett-diver-hoping-finish-splash?odyssey=mod|mostview

Chris finished 2nd at this past weekends State Finals.

Quote of the Day. March 9th

2011-03-09T04:44:00.000-08:00

"The fundamentals of distance running. Mental is part of the word. I have underlined it. Because you're mental if you don't have a good time. You have to enjoy it." - Michael Scott

I replaced "mental" with distance running to make it more meaningful for us.

Track Capitan's Application

2011-03-02T10:19:00.000-08:00

I will definitely need some help this spring with the distance squad. If you are interested in being a distance captain please complete the application and submit by the end of the first week of practice.

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dqwcr2f_85c8dhj96b

There are new requirements/expectations, so please read everything over before submitting your application.

Friday 3/18

2011-02-28T05:31:00.000-08:00

Mark your calendars for Friday, March 18th. This is the first Friday of official track practice and the Chelsea distance runners are going to be coming to Haslett to go for a run with us, followed by some pizza and a speaker.

Here is the tentative schedule.

5:00 PM - Meet in front of the school (teacher parking lot)
Go for a 4 to 6 mile run
5:45 PM - Pizza and speaker in Mr. Stanko's art room

Routes

2011-02-26T15:11:00.000-08:00

Our up to date database of runs. Know each one so you can help teach the newbies where to run in a few weeks when track begins.

Database of Routes

Wed 2/23 Quote of the Day

2011-02-23T15:23:00.000-08:00

A friend recommended this should be the Haslett Running Club's quote of the day. It comes from a co-worker's former college baseball coach at UCLA. I present you with the edited version...

"You have a lot of potential. But you know what potential means? It means you haven't done squat."

We often talk about the curse of the phenom middle school super star. How potential means very little. We all have potential. It's what you do with the potential that really matters.

What's normal?

2011-02-22T12:09:00.000-08:00

Quote Of The Day (LetsRun.com)

"The secret in Iten is that, when you see everybody running a lot of mileage, 400 athletes on track, very fast long runs, and you discover this is the normal life of these champions, that are very normal persons, you start to think it's possible running fast for you, too.
The secret is to make in your mind possible what was not possible before.
The secret is to make easy what was difficult, instead to make difficult what really is easy."

To grow we must challenge what is normal.

What is normal for one person may not be normal for another.

Look outside your "box" and be inspired by what another person's normal is. One day it will be your normal and then one day you will surpass that normal.

Gaylord

2011-02-21T03:13:00.000-08:00

I am excited for a new loop to add into the mix. I give you The Gaylord 4 miler. Study the map and get a good idea where the course goes. You can click on "hybrid" (upper right corner) and you can zoom in (left side of image).

Gaylord http://www.usatf.org/routes/view.asp?rID=416735

We ran the loop on Friday... but the ending will change a little to make it a solid 4 miles... instead of a weak 4 miles.

We needed a loop that runs by the hill on the TT Path because we will be using the hill there for some SHORT HILL SPRINTS. We will run over there, stop our run, run 4-8 short hill sprints (sprint up at max speed/walk down), then continue on with our run. The short hill sprints will increase your max speed. The faster your max speed, the faster you can run at any distance. You might be a little sore after the first session, but after that you will be able to do them the day before meets and quality running days because they will stimulate your nervous system, which will warm-up your body for the next day of fast running.

Tombstone 10

2011-02-19T12:55:00.000-08:00

Yeah Haslett! It was so much fun to see a large contingent of Haslett runners at the Tombstone 10 miler on Saturday. I know Ellen, Alex, and T-Stank set PRs on the course (let me know if I missed someone). This was my first go at it and I was happy with the effort.

Splits for some of the gang

Ellen (a PR for 10 miles... just over 8:00 pace for 10 hilly miles!)

8:17, 8:12, 8:06, 8:11, 7:48, 7:54, 8:14, 8:24, 8:31, 8:02. 10 miles @ 81:46

Alex (from what I heard was probably the fastest time a high school runner has ever run there)

5:55, 5:58, 6:02, 5:53, 5:53, 5:54, 5:52 5:59, 6:00, 5:53. 10 miles @ 59:23

T-Stanko (ran 12 with 5 miles of it at tempo pace... getting ready for a few spring races)

813, 804, 808, 807, 742, 737, 718, 735, 738, 746. 10 miles @ 78:47. Miles 11-12, 7:55, 10:00

Mr. Campa (ran 12 miles with some of it at tempo pace... who is also getting ready for some spring racing)

8:15, 7:32, 7:30, 7:20, 7:49, 7:42, 7:44, 7:54, 7:54, 8:10. 10 miles @ 1:18. Miles 11-12, 8:07, 7:56 = 12 mi time 1:34

Mr. Stanko (wanted to run a solid steady effort)

6:08, 5:39, 5:15, 5:16, 5:19, 5:21, 5:23, 5:21, 5:20, 5:25. 10 miles @ 54:33

The graph above is of the elevation profile. I am pooped after today's effort. It was a challenging course and I am already looking forward to the next time I can run it. We might even just have to go out there on our own terms and run some fast mile loops on that sucker.

Text me your splits if you can remember.

Lazy Man's Stride

2011-02-19T02:48:00.001-08:00

Even athletes of other sports fall victim to improper running technique. Just look at one of the greatest basketball players of all time. Kobe painfully heal striking. I bet Michael Jordan never did this.

http://hoopspeak.com/2011/02/su perstars-signature-shoes-nba-running-form/ The article ponders the questions of why we pay so much for cushioned/supportive shoes that only allow us to run improperly? These shoes even allowed a great athlete like Jordan to run like a "lazy man."

Can we still benefit from technology (cushion/support) and run with good form? Yes, but we must take an active role and not allow the shoe to do the work for us. We have become victims of technology and it has allowed us to run with a lazy stride. What do I mean by a lazy stride? We allow our feet to just fall to the ground. When we do this we land smack on our heals.

How can we overcome this "lazy stride" and run with a more active stride so we don't heel strike and run inefficiently for miles upon miles? Use what nature has giving us... our gluteus maximums (butts) and our quads, two of the strongest muscles in our bodies. The powerhouse of our stride. This is where the majority of the force for each stride comes from. Let the force be with you!

Ques to think about when on all your runs.

Actively place your foot on the ground underneath you. As soon as your forward (recovery) moving foot comes in line with your planted (supportive) foot start actively placing it back on the ground. Don't just let it fall to the ground... cushioned/supportive shoes allow this to happen. Don't be a passive runner. Be an active runner, in control of each stride you take. Another way to think of it is as stepping over your foot that is on the ground and as soon as you step over it put your foot back on the ground.
Allow your stride to lengthen from behind you. Your stride length comes from behind you (not in front of you). This causes a stretch reflex. The longer the stretch (drive), the more powerful your leg will snap back and recover. Think of a rubber band. If you stretch it a little to shoot it across a room it goes nowhere. If you really stretch it out and shoot it across the room you can cover a great distance.
Lead with your hips... think of pushing them forward. The powerhouse of your running stride needs to be active and in the lead.
Recovery, support, drive. Be aware of each of the three phases of a stride, and what your hips/legs/feet are doing in each.

Remember shoes with a little cushion and support are not bad. They are bad when you allow them to do the work for you and when they allow you to be a passive... lazy runner. To properly use technology to your advantage take an active role and be in control of each stride you take.

Hershey Track Camp T-shirts?

2011-02-17T05:08:00.000-08:00

If anyone has some sweet ideas for a t-shirt design for the Hershey Track Camp please let me know... I'm not coming up with much right now.

Thanks,
Coach Stanko

Worth passing on...

2011-02-14T16:58:00.001-08:00

The Charlie Schulz Philosophy

The following is the philosophy of Charles Schulz, the creator of the 'Peanuts' comic strip.

You don't have to actually answer the questions. Just ponder on them.

Just read the e-mail straight through, and you'll get the point.

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.

2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.

3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America pageant.

4 Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.

5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.

6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.

How did you do?

The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday.

These are no second-rate achievers.

They are the best in their fields.

But the applause dies..

Awards tarnish..

Achievements are forgotten.

Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one :

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.

2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.

3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.

4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.

5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

Easier?

The lesson :

The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the
most credentials, the most money...or the most awards.

They simply are the ones who care the most

Pass this on to those people who have either made a difference in your life,
or whom you keep close in your heart, like I did.

'Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It’s already tomorrow in Australia !'

''Be Yourself. Everyone Else Is Taken!"

Black Beans

2011-02-07T10:10:00.000-08:00

Ian M. said they were horrible... and that no one else liked them. Cool, more for me! Typically the main/1st ingredient in brownies is flour. In this recipe flour is replaced with black beans... so the main ingredient is Black Beans. They add an interesting texture. The large amount of cocoa and sugar mask the flavor of the beans. Not bad for a dessert in my book of healthy living.

http://www.annarbor.com/entertainment/food-drink/peggy-lampmans-wednesday-dinnerfeed-gluten-free-brownies/

Saturday's

2011-01-25T07:27:00.000-08:00

I am going to add the option of joining the Mid-Michigan Track Club on Saturdays. They won't always be doing exactly what I recommend, but you can always add on or cut it short. MMTC meets at different locations around the area. Here are some of the pluses to joining them.

Run new routes and in new locations
Meet some other runners
Inspire and be inspired by other runners

For those of you running this winter let me know what you think about that.

Off and Running

2011-01-22T03:15:00.000-08:00

A few runners kicked off the indoor season with a 1600m at MSU last Monday. Ryan Beyea ran a PR of 4:40.15 and Ellen Corder ran a solid race of 6:16.5. Next up is a 3200m at GVSU today, Saturday 1/22.

The Playmakers Super Bowl 5k (Sunday 2/6) is right around the corner. Sign up early to get a much better deal. Sign up online for $19.85 by 2/3. Event link

http://www.runningfoundation.com/Super_Bowl_5k.html

Current Events

2011-01-14T05:36:00.000-08:00

Mileage Club

If you would like a spiffy mileage club shirt please hand in your 2010 training log to Mr. Stanko. He enjoys seeing all the important running you do. This also helps him see what is "normal" and "comfortable" for you.

Portland 5k

Saturday. Information at http://www.runningfoundation.com/Portland_Winter_Run.html

MSU Indoor Meet

Monday. Information at http://www.mitstrack.org/Venue%20Information/2011/2011_MSU_Venue.asp
5:00 PM track events start. 1600m @ 7:00 or later????

Winter Running Thoughts

One of my favorite running blogs by Coach Jay Johnson. He is a very knowledgeable guy and I use many of his ideas in my own training and in coaching the best Haslett runners.
http://www.coachjayjohnson.com/2011/01/winter-training-for-college-runners/

2011 Greater Lansing Distance Project

2011-01-09T11:34:00.000-08:00

The 2011 Greater Lansing Distance Project will be held...

Monday, June 20th to Friday, June 24th
9:00 AM to Noon

More information can be found at...

http://greaterlansingdistanceproject.wordpress.com/

Spread the Good Word!

Athlete vs. Runner

2011-01-04T04:27:00.000-08:00

If two runners of equal RUNNING ABILITY toe the line for a mile race who will win the race? Runner A and runner B have done the same exact running workouts over the past year and their running fitness is 100% equal. What makes runner A different from runner B is that runner A has done the extra work to become a well rounded athlete.

Runner A will win!

We do hurdle drills; max pull ups, push ups, single leg split squats; cals; and drills/strides. Some of you go beyond this and acquire athletic skills by doing supplemental work in the morning on your non-running days. All this makes you a better athlete. The athlete will win every time over the equal runner.

Below is a site I "ran across" while I was researching how to work into performing a single leg squat. One of my new goals is to be able to rip off a handful of single leg squats (like some of you can do). The last week + my legs have been telling me some unkind words... but I keep telling them they will thank me down the road. The website has some pretty cool tutorials on skills that would make you all better athletes.

http://www.beastskills.com/tutorials/tutorials/38

Get to work!

Wed 12/29 & Thur 12/30

2010-12-28T10:27:00.000-08:00

Change to the schedule.

Wed will be at VanCamp's house
Thur will be on your own... or you can meet up with friends wherever your heart desires.

Run, Run, Run!

Thursday 12/30

2010-12-27T16:25:00.000-08:00

Thursday's run will take place at Alex VanCamp's house. If you are lucky enough maybe he will even treat you to an intense push up and pull up routine.

Get Running!

Wednesday 12/29

2010-12-26T13:49:00.000-08:00

The meeting location for Wednesday 12/29 will be at the High School. If someone wants to pick up that day or another day where the meeting location is the High School just let me know.

Just Plain Cool

2010-12-23T16:45:00.000-08:00

http://www.architizer.com/en_us/projects/view/3d-athletics-track/14695/

Training Logs

2010-12-19T06:26:00.001-08:00

I have training logs for anyone that would like one. Please email me stankona@haslett.k12.mi.us, send me a txt, or a message on Facebook if you would like one.

I honestly can't think of one reason to not keep a training log/journal. If I was a "dictator" I would require everyone I coach to keep one... but I am not a "dictator" so I can only suggest that you keep one. Here is a nice piece on a different perspective for recording and not recording your training. http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/6/6_1/51.shtml It brings up some good points.

Don't become a slave to your running log.
Record what is important. Your quality workouts for the week should have the most detail.
You can cycle how detailed you are in your log. In down (easier) times of training you can be more general. During important (specific) times of training you can be more detailed.

A training log can take many forms. I have a good friend that records his training in an Excel spreadsheet. One Haslett runner I know keeps his in a Word document. I personally use 2 ways to track my training. I use a pencil and paper journal that I have done since my freshmen year of high school. I have also started to use an online training log called RunningAHEAD. That can be found here...http://www.runningahead.com/logs/3d1d439b854b4d19a15e58e6462e67c7/calendar

Here are some reasons...

To push your limits. If you don't know what pace you are running for your workouts (quality) and how many miles you run a week (quantity) you can't challenge these limits to get better.
Keep you honest. If you miss a day because you just were being lazy you have to record it. It's hard to put a zero down when you know you should have been training.
Training history. What you have done in the past can help direct your future. If you get injured you can look at a training log and see maybe where you did too much, too soon.
Motivation and Goals. When you record your times for key workouts you will see improvement over time. This will provide motivation to keep at it. These details will also give you a good feel for what your running goals should be. If you are doing intervals at 6:00 pace, then you can aim to run a sub-6:00 mile.

Updated Holiday Running

2010-12-17T06:58:00.001-08:00

I went ahead and filled in a couple blank spots so there is a meeting location M-F if the group wants it.

Monday 20. High School Main Entrance
Tuesday 21. High School Main Entrance
Wednesday 22. Jacob Kastens's
Thursday 23. Scot Stanulis's
Friday 24. Ellen Corder's

Monday 27. High School Main Entrance
Tuesday 28. Grand Travers Pie Company
Wednesday 29. Cassie Wagner's
Thursday 30. High School Main Entrance
Friday 31. Dan Alchin's
Saturday 1. Grand Travers Pie Company

Holiday Running

2010-12-16T17:34:00.000-08:00

We will soon be on winter break... which leaves a lot of time for running and wrapping a poor teacher's desk in wrapping paper.

Here is a schedule for families that have volunteered some of their valuable time to host a run and snack/breakfast after. Runs will be at 9:00 AM sharp. Please keep a look out for any updates on the winter training (which can be found at the upper right side of this page). If there is not a meeting location for the day feel free to run on your own or call a friend or two or three... to go for a run.

Tuesday 21. High School Main Entrance
Wednesday 22. Jacob Kastens's
Thursday 23. Scot Stanulis's
Friday 24. Ellen Corder's
Tuesday 28. Grand Travers Pie Company
Wednesday 29. Cassie Wagner's
Friday 31. Dan Alchin's
Saturday 1. Grand Travers Pie Company

Happy Running!

Article

2010-12-08T08:14:00.000-08:00

Remember one nice fall day... when it was warm out and we had our picture taken before we headed out for a nice afternoon run?

Here is the final result... http://www.capitalgainsmedia.com/features/run0446.aspx

Winter Racing/Event Schedule

2010-12-08T07:04:00.000-08:00

I think I have the winter racing/event schedule finalized and will be tweaking the training schedule a little to accomodate a few changes. Mark your calendars...

Saturday 1/8. Prether's 8 mile run. 9:00 AM
Satruday 1/15. Portland 5k. 10:00 AM
Monday 1/17. MSU Indoor. 5:00 PM
Saturday 1/22. GVSU Indoor. 1:00 PM
Sunday 2/6. Super Bowl 5k. 10:00 AM
Friday 2/11. SVSU Distance Festival. 6:00 PM
Saturday 2/19. Tomstone 10 miler (Mt. Hope Cemetry). 9:00 AM
Saturday 2/26. EMU Indoor States. TBA

Additional information on the Michigan Indoor Track Series can be found at http://www.mitstrack.org/

Winter Break Runs

2010-12-06T05:15:00.000-08:00

Over winter break we typically try to organize some runs so the runners can meet up at someone's house and then sometimes have a snack or breakfast after the run.

If you can host a winter break run at your house please email me ASAP. I will put it up on the calendar and training plan. These runs will be at 9:00 AM

Any questions please let me know. stankona@haslett.k12.mi.us

Summer Running Camp. 7/10 - 14, 2011

2010-12-01T03:35:00.000-08:00

The summer running camp, Sauk Valley Jazz Running Camp has officially put out their camp brochure. Camp will be held from July 10th to the 14th. The brochures can be downloaded from the following link.

http://www.jazzrunning.com/

It would be great to have a solid group from Haslett attend this camp. We have had a few runners in the past attend camp and they loved their time there. You will learn a ton, make some new running friends, get a chance to run in a different location, etc.

Any questions let me know.

Turkey Day Running

2010-11-26T06:07:00.001-08:00

Glad to see a handful made it out the the Lansing Turkeyman Trot. If I missed anyone let me know. A few more days of easy running and then a nice week off from all training. Great job!

Ryan B 17:56

Scot S 18:59

Luke C 19:27

Grant W 19:39

Dan A 20:59

Ellen C 23:19

Jacob K 23:38

Tara M 25:47

Sam S 30:25

Winter Treadmills

2010-11-24T12:32:00.001-08:00

Winter will be here shortly and the weather provides a whole new training environment to work in. Like anything else it has it's pluses and minuses.

To overcome the icy-snow covered roads it's not a bad idea to do some faster running on a treadmill. I have done some leg work to line up some treadmills for the group. We have two options right now.

The Haslett YMCA and Anytime Fitness (both on Haslett Road) have offered to allow us to use their treadmills for $7.00/visit. This is a pretty good deal... and if your family has a YMCA or Anytime Fitness membership you can just use that. Is paying $7.00 once a week worth it for a few months out of the year? That's something you can decide for yourself.

I'd like to open this idea up for discussion. If you would like to voice your opinion on using the treadmills once a week please do so. I'd love to have your input. Right now I think we can shoot for one workout a week on the treadmill. More if we run into some rough weather.

This winter the treadmill will replace Raby Road Progression Runs and Strawberry Farm Tempo Runs. We can always change it up if needed, but I think we should give it a try... if you would like.

Information on both facilities.

These facilities could also be of use to those that partake in morning running before school. Something to consider.

Banquet - Dress for...

2010-11-17T07:26:00.000-08:00

Thursday 11/18 is our team banquet from 6:00 PM to 8 'ish in the cafeteria.

Please spread the word. We will be dressing for success... which means formal attire. Tie for boys and dress (or equivalent pants) for girls.

College Bound Runner

2010-11-12T07:08:00.000-08:00

http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=20911&PageNum=1

Think running in college might be for you? Then you should probably read the above link.

Some additional notes...

In 9th/10th grade listen and talk to upperclassmen about what they are doing.
In 11th/12th grade keep an open mind and look at all your options.

There are 346 DI schools, 281 DII schools, and 449 DIII schools. That makes for 1076 options. Every school probably does not have a cross country/track program, but say you have 900 options. That's a lot to choose from. Just think if you went to a running shoe store and had 900 shoes to choose from.

Additional information to consider...
https://docs.google.com/View?id=dqwcr2f_82cmfqsdfw

Moving on...

2010-11-10T07:39:00.000-08:00

The State Finals wrapped up the official season for the cross country team, but for many runners fall training will continue for a few more weeks until after the Thanksgiving holiday.

The picture on the right was sent to me and the email said... Pix of Margo Glew's son Robbie and Ryan at the meet. The Haslett boys have a rep of being nice kids.:)

To get a comment like that is priceless and means a great deal. Yes... running fast is one of our primary objectives, but being nice is a billion times more important. When you are nice to your competition and others you will have their support. Having a great deal of support from many different places is huge in running. You can't do it alone.

The boys ran extremely well at States. Overall they exceeded my expectations. We had 5 of 7 set PRs. That gives us a lot of confidence in our training and racing schedule. Sometimes it will work and sometimes it won't, but over time we will find that it will work more times than not. If you look at Ionia on paper they should have won the State meet hands down. I am sure their training was on, but it just sounds like a few runners were sick and they did not have good days. The level of competition at States is so high that if you are off the slightest you can go from 1st to 5th in a matter of seconds. Typically State Champion teams are 100% on that day... and the others that were in contention were off somewhere. That's why we run the race. It's exciting, entertaining, and often times unpredictable.

Thanks for the Inspiration

2010-11-06T04:53:00.000-07:00

I would like to thank everyone who attended the Haslett Foundation's 2010 Inspiration Awards Ceremony this past Wednesday. It was a very special occasion because of everyone's presence. Words can not express how much it meant to have you all there... or wait. Maybe there is a word after all.

Track and Field Videos on Flotrack

At the ceremony when I was given the chance to say thank you, I briefly talked about how myself and many others are just a piece to the puzzle of raising the youth in our village. The saying "It takes a village to raise a child" is right on. Haslett is a great "village" because we have so many important and unqiue puzzle pieces, that when we put them together we have a master piece.

On Friday evening the Stanko's watched Mary Poppins. Had I watched this movie prior to Wednesday, I would have been able to elaborate on this a little more. Something along the lines of... this award is a product of being a part of a Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious Village. A village that is "atoning for educability through delicate beauty."

When in doubt be Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!

Anything is Possible!

2010-11-04T07:07:00.000-07:00

Going into the State Finals our motto should be "Anything is Possible!" Well... every race should be approached in this manner, but this weekend is a great opportunity to put the motto into action. From a psychological (mental) perspective you need to let your mind and body go on auto-pilot. What do I mean by "auto-pilot?" Just go out and run. You all know how to run fast. You know what it feels like to run fast over 5k. Pay attention to your body and let your competition carry you along.

Anything is possible! Be comfortable with both ends of this equation. Yes we could have a horrible race as a team... and you know what, the world will go on as usual after. On the other end we could have an amazing day as a team... and you know what, the world will go on as usual after.

As your coach I have a rough estimate of where we could place as a team... and what kind of time each of you are physically capable of running. Notice I said "rough estimate". Going into your race you all can have a rough estimate in the back of your head of what you would be happy running. You really don't even have to tell yourself this, because it's an outcome goal. Focus on the process you need to go through to get there. Running your race, in-control, and finishing the last mile faster than your competition.

I gave a good example the other day of how anything is possible. Back in 1996 I was a sophomore in high school. At the Region we finished 4th as a team, only making it to the Finals because we had 4 individuals qualify. At the Finals we finished 3rd overall. I was able to find the unofficial results online at http://www.runmichigan.com/highschools/ccfinalsupdate.html

They are unofficial because our 4th man (*) was missed in the results. It was kind of anti-climatic because we originally thought we finished 6th. Not until we were packed up in the van and ready to head home did we get the official results that we finished 3rd.

14. Ed Garza, Wyandotte, 16:08.85
27. Nicholas Stanko, Wyandotte, 16:25.76
37. Ben Wojcik, Wyandotte, 16:34.77
*54. Eric Salla, Wyandotte, ~16:49
61. Ken Beesley, Wyandotte, 16:54.97
129. Stephen Dudas, Wyandotte, 17:29.60
152. Thomas Allen, Wyandotte, 17:48.47

Remember... Anything is possible. Sometimes setting place or time goals actually puts a limit on yourself. For example... a runner could say I want to run 16:25. Well this runner might be ready to run much faster than that. If they get into a race and start running much faster than that 16:25 pace they might freak out... but had they not set a specific time or place goal THE SKY IS THE LIMIT... and ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!

Foam to Form

2010-11-02T08:08:00.000-07:00

A video that describes some of the key elements to efficient running form.

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2010/11/

An article that goes a little more in depth.

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/11/08/101108fa_fact_kahn

On a Roll...

2010-11-01T08:39:00.001-07:00

http://nzrun.com/article/post/show/id/194-Why-I-fell-for-my-Foam-Roller

A foam roller is one of the top 5 training accessories you can use to improve your running.