Watauga Home Meet #2

The second test on the modified home course had both the boys and girls teams winning.  A number of new 5K PR's were reported by Watauga runners.  The next test on the home course comes a week from Saturday with the High Country Classic Invitational.  There will be a variety of races including both a 2-mile junior high and a 5K open race; full schedule here.

XC this Week

Racing returns to the home course again Wednesday afternoon with several conference rivals competing on the new/modified home course.  Last week there were reports of some distress on the two trips up Hoyt Hill; everyone still looked great at the discus cage turn around!  Racing starts at 5 & 5:35 pm, as last week, likely.  This will serve as the last racing before the High Country Class here on 9/27. 

Furman Classic Results; A champion and strong team finishes

Kathleen won the girls varsity race in 18:44 (national elite time).  Mia Walker was the second Watauga finisher (31st) with a 22:23 (PR), followed by C. Kaprel (34th, 22:37), L. Welsh (57th, 23:29), and F. Collins (61st, 23:42) scoring with the girls finishing 5th out of 16 teams.  Michael paced the boys with an 11th place finish (17:01), followed by M. Hellenbrand (24th, 17:48) , G. Pilkington (38th, 18:32), P. St.Clair (50th, 18:49), and Z. Styron (52nd 18:51) scoring for the boys.  The boys finished 6th out of 19 teams.  John Corley (19:03) had a strong second place finish in the boys JV race, where Watauga finished 5th as a team. The girl JV racers finished 3rd as as a team.  Complete race results here.

Watauga Home Meet #1

The modified 5K home course debuted yesterday.  Challenging racing with two hill climbs and close encounters with the public along a narrow section of path due to the ongoing stream restoration project on the greenway.  Michael and Kathleen won their respective races and both teams posted wins as they prepared for the race Saturday at Furman.  Results posted here. View a few photos here.

Racing this Week

Conference competition we just saw last week in Lenoir will be here for a race on the home course tomorrow.  Races likely to start 4:30-5 pm; volunteer course marshals likely needed, especially with the ongoing greenway restoration project.

Athletes will depart early on Friday for the Furman Classic on Saturday.  They will need $30 for hotel and extra for food.  Return late on Saturday.

Pioneers Dominate Caldwell Invitational

K. Mansure outdistanced all competition in the girl's varsity race by the first lap and finished clear by (a staggering) nearly 3 minutes.  The remainder of the scoring runners finished in the top 20 and captured the team win, well clear of Alexander Central.  The boys varsity team also won ahead of conference rival St. Stephens.  The boys were led by M. Holland in third and M. Hellenbrand in sixth place.  The rest of the scoring runners finished in the top 22. 

In the open race, the Watauga boys team captured the first five places and a perfect team score.  C. Zimmerman led the squad and finished first in the race.  E. Sevensky won the girls open race which also saw the team complete the day with a Watauga victory.  All invitational results can be viewed here.

Caldwell County Invitational

Today the team will race the Caldwell County Invitational, at Lenoir Aquatic & Fitness Center.
Last year the varsity races began at 5 pm, followed by the open races -though I have not been able to find a posted schedule for this year.  The races also began and finished at the Lenoir soccer complex adjacent to the aquatic center.

Directions to Lenoir Soccer Complex  (Map):  From Boone, take Highway 321 through Blowing Rock to Lenoir. Take a left at Nuway Circle (stoplight before Bo's), go about 0.5 miles and turn right onto Zack Forks Road, which will take you to the soccer complex (on your right) and the start and finish of the race.

Western NC Carnival Results

The girls paced by a strong 2nd (3rd fastest of day) place finish by K. Mansure (19:06 -2nd team elite time) finished 7th among the NC schools competing.  Others scoring for the team included, F. Collins (36th, 22:40), C. Kaprel, (44th, 23:07), A. Selong (64th, 23:69), and L. Weeks (71th, 24:19).

The boys put forth a solid team effort to finish 4th among NC schools.  M. Holland's 4th (6th fastest time of day) place finish at 16:46 was the fastest Watauga time of the day and others scoring for the team included, M. Hellenbrand (18th, 17:58), G. Pilkington (38th, 18:48 ), J. Lamont (39th, 18:53), and Z. Styron (50th, 19:19).

Full results for NC teams can be found here (only includes the championship race).  Full results for all teams and races at WNC can be found here (click 'Show Full Article' at the bottom of girls championship results).

Clash of the Classes, photos

Photos of everybody? from the Saturday race here.  Great start to the season.  Click the photo and toggle the photo details to view the file name and send an email here for a copy of the full-size image.  Some are well focused...some not so much. 
 

Clash of the Classes results,

Kathleen Mansure won Saturday's senior race and had the best overall time, 11:40.  Michael Holland was second in the Boys' senior race and third overall, with 9:56.  Finley Collins won 2nd with 13:25 in the Sophomore Girls, and 3 of Watauga's top Boys' times were by underclassmen: River Rhodes, Price St. Clair, and Josh Lamont.

GoBlueRidge -- "Mansure, Holland Pace WHS In Saturday's Opener"

Full results at NCRunners.

Usually, Coach Mac needs to know by Monday morning if runners will not be going on the overnight trip to Hendersonville this Friday and Saturday.  It usually costs about $20 for the motel.  The WNC Carnival is a big meet, including out of state teams.

Also, we have a meet Wednesday, the Northwestern Conference Relays, in Newton.

Clash of the Classes -- Park at Watauga High School this year

This year the races will start behind Watauga High School.  Park at the High School, on the Wilkesboro side of Boone.  The course no longer starts at the covered bridge, although it will extend almost to the edge of the bridge.

Clash of the Classes this Saturday

It's almost here.  The Clash of the Classes.  The freshmen races start at 11am.  It looks like it's going to be a beautiful day, with high of 77 degrees.  The 2 mile course is still intact (although the bank restoration project could start at any time).  Ranked teams: Boys #7 Pinecrest.  Girls #15 and #19 AC Reynolds and West Forsyth.
Lots of volunteer opportunities!

Watauga XC rules and other information

From Coach Mac:

              Welcome to Watauga High Cross Country.  This is general information about the program for parents and athletes.

            The coaching staff has had a lot of success training athletes of all abilities and we feel we have a good system in place.  We realize not everyone will adapt as quickly as others and we do adjust as we see a need to so we expect everyone to follow our program.  If the athlete or parent has any questions regarding our system please feel free to talk to the coaches after practice or call Coach Mac at home or at Hardin Park.

            We practice five days a week and some Saturdays.  As long as each athlete comes to practice everyday, on time, and with all the necessary equipment, we do not “cut” anyone.  We are not a social club.  We are a varsity sport.  We do require everyone to participate in the meets.  We do try to have fun along the way, but our practices are not designed to be fun, they are planned to make every athlete excel and improve.  We try to bring beginners along slowly so as to lessen the chances for injuries.  We also try to help runners get through their racing phobia. 

GENERAL INFORMATION

Equipment needed:

Good pair of training shoes (two would be better)

Comfortable running clothes (shorts, t-shirt/tank top, non-cotton socks, sweat suit)

Warm clothes for cold weather and to put on after practice during warmer weather

Watch with stopwatch function

Water bottle

We will supply ice water (and occasionally Gatorade or chocolate milk) and injury ice and bags but no cups (our way of helping the environment) NO ONE WILL BE ALLOWED TO DRINK OUT OF ANYONE ELSE’S CONTAINER.

PRACTICE

We will practice after school until approximately 5:30 PM. A few days may be shorter and a few longer. Practice schedules will be posted on the websites.  These tell where practice is each day.   90% of the practices are at the Greenway and we will meet at the stadium. Occasionally we travel to Bass Lake in Blowing Rock, Watauga River Rd. in Cove Creek, or Roby Greene Rd. in Green Valley.  A bus will take the students that need a ride. It should arrive back at school between 6-6:30.   Runners can be picked up at the venue or at school.  Any student not picked up at the site when the last coach leaves will be transported back to school. Runners often ride with other runners.  If anyone has a concern please speak to Coach Mac, Coach Hoyal, Coach Quick or Coach Pack.

MEETS

No one sits the bench in track and cross country.  Everyone on the team will participate in the weekday meets provided they are healthy, have followed the rules, and have been to practice regularly.  The only limitation for having everyone run is lack of transportation.

1.  Athletes are required to ride the bus to meets unless prior arrangements have been made with Coach Mac (test last bell, previously scheduled appointment, not doing well in last bell).  On these occasions a parent must transport the athlete to the meet. ATHLETES MAY NOT DRIVE THEMSELVES. 
2. Athletes may ride home with parents provided they check out with a coach.  We usually stop to eat on the way home so food money will be needed.

We will travel to several invitational meets on the weekends.  Some of those meets require overnight stays in hotels.  Money will be collected from each student for his or her part of the room.  They will also need food money.  We try to stay in hotels with continental breakfast as much as possible.  These meets often sell t-shirts also.  Any athlete with financial concerns can speak to Coach Mac.  We do not like to leave any eligible athletes at home due to financial constraints.

The conference meet is the last meet of the season before the regional and state meets.  We have to cut down to the top seven on each team.

RULES

1.                  Practice will begin at 3:50 on most days.  Anyone not ready to practice will be sent away with an unexcused missed practice.  Practice ends between 5:15-6:00.  Anyone leaving early without permission or finishing practice will be charged ½ unexcused missed practice. 

2.                  Home from school is excused.  If you are not at practice and not on the absence list or sign-out sheet you will be charged an unexcused missed practice.  Notify a coach if you know you will miss.  Cross training must be set up with a coach or it will count as a miss.

            1st unexcused missed practice -- a warning will be given.

            2nd unexcused missed practice-- warning and one meet suspension

            3rd unexcused missed practice-- dismissal from team

3.                  Detentions will need to be served in the time the teacher requires (even on meet days).  Just because you are an athlete does not mean you do not have to serve detentions.  If you are tardy to practice because of a detention you will be allowed to practice provided you told a coach in advance.  Each detention counts as ½ unexcused absence.  Make arrangements to get to practice after the detention or it will become a full missed practice.  Or better yet don’t get detentions.

4.                  Respect others/treat each other with respect.

5.                  Hazing will not be tolerated in any means.  This means on the internet also.  The principal will deal with this offense.

6.                  Captains are an extension of the coaching staff.  If you cannot talk to a coach talk to a captain.  Also respect what the captain tells you to do.

7.                  No offensive clothing.

8.                  All distance runners will run in groups of no less than 3.

9.                  We clean up after ourselves.  We are guests wherever we go, especially other courses and the national parks.  It does not matter if you left the trash—pick it up.  We leave our areas at the meets cleaner than we found them.  We will also leave the buses clean after every away meet.

10.              Everyone pulls his or her weight on the team.  This includes carrying water and tents in and out of meets, cleaning, or any other duties the coaches or captains assign.

11.              No athlete may drive to or from a meet or ride in a car driven by another athlete or student. Failure to follow this rule will result in automatic dismissal from the team.     PARENT DRIVERS ONLY.

12.              Talk to Coaches about injuries.  We have channels to follow to get you going again.  It will be unexcused if you just don’t come to practice because of injury.

13.              Athletes are now subject to random drug testing. This is not negotiable. If they don’t want to take part, they cannot take part in the sport.

14.              This is something I tell the runners:  ‘You are a student/athlete; student first athlete second.  If you don’t behave in the classroom, you will not be an athlete in Watauga CC and Track & Field.”

15.              Uniforms areissued or  purchased. $30 for shorts and singlet.

Notes -- 7 August 2014

• Be looking for information about volunteering for the August 16 home meet.  Coach Mac will be asking for volunteers to help run the meet, to bring foods and beverages to sell, and to sell stuff to raise money.
• It looks like nobody is going to pick up this blog or some equivalent.  If you would like to help the team in this way, contact Coach Mac.  A couple of posts per week would be more than enough, usually.  I'm going to be extremely information deficient, even more than usual, so I'll be abandoning this spot soon. I will update the results and history information on the left column, if someone is taking over.
• By the way, the general information does not change so much year to year, so consider referring to the last several Augusts on the Blog Archive on the lower right.

Practice 6pm tonight at the high school

The real practices start this evening (Monday), at 6:00pm at the WHS track.

Watauga Democrat -- "WHS Cross Country Reloads." 

NC Runners has posted its preseason Top 25 teams, Boys and Girls.  NCPrepTrack has them in easily readable lists.  The Girls West 4A looks very strong again.  The lists include several teams visiting us a week from Saturday.