Well we are about half way through the fall sports season and the kids' teams have not performed as expected. Peach's team is 4-8, and Sampson's team has actually done really well, but the way they are finishing is all over the place. In the smaller meets they are winning them because they have 7 or 8 guys finish before most teams get 5 across which I though would happen, but the order of the top 4 or 5 has changed every race, which is unusual for cross country. Normally guys finish in similar order and one or two guys will switch spots every now and then depending on the course, weather, prep, etc., but this team will have one guy finish first, then fourth, then second and the top 4 is just a shuffle and see what happens. Sampson has been hampered by some breathing issues through about 3 races and cramped up in that first race, but has finished first for the team twice, and finished second overall once. He hasn't finished outside the top 10 in any race, which is impressive as the last race had about 243 kids...approximately. Overall they have done well, but still haven't been ranked. I think if they do well at the next meet they could crack the top 20 team rankings but they need everyone to run well.
As for Peach's team it has been a little rougher. They started out 3-3 and they were doing the little things to pass the ball and hit it over that they didn't do last year and eventually I thought it would translate to wins, but instead it was a lot of close losses because they weren't really hitting with power or to the open spots. Also the servers are pretty even talent wise and we don't have one dominate server, but we do have one weak return rotation that always seems to get put up against the other teams best server and that is when we give up the majority of service points to the other team. Anyway, Peach's team was in the midst of a 5 game skid and during the last 3 games they had kind of fallen apart, especially the last game. I would say Peach probably played her worst game on the road at the Huskies. Everything she hit was weak, or hit incorrectly and the coach was laying into her pretty heavy on every point. Well she ended up getting taken out for a 7th grader and this kind of sent her over the edge mentally and she kind of checked out. Well she was so far out of it that the coach decided to give her a call and talk to her. Sophie also had a talk, but that was because one of the girls Mom's had passed over the weekend and she was trying to give her a heads up... for 40 minutes or so.... Anyway I was prepared to throw in the towel thinking the season was lost, I have even given up line judging as I was extremely agitated. In the past I have seen teams fall completely apart and usually they are just done, and mail it in the rest of the season and you might see one or two kids have some individual success, but you never see the team really put it together to pull out a dub in a tough situation. Well the game last night may have changed the out look yet again. We were playing the hated Jets (I mean it is junior high girl volleyball, so hated or rival may be a little overstated) and they had beat us in 3 sets in their house during the 5 game losing streak. Basically that game was 1 set a piece and it was anyone's game and they made a huge momentum play to get the ball over the net, got the mo, and had a server fire fastballs over the net for 6 straight serves or so and every other time she has served was no more than 2 before she netted it or hit it out, so that was extremely unlucky, at least for us. So we won the first set in a close manner, and the second set was not going our way (bad rotation first I think), but about midway through the set Peach started playing out of her mind. She had 4 or 5 kills in a row (which at this level is crazy) and everything that was coming over she was hitting and making passes or hitting it over and she finally got a jump ball at the net. It was crazy!!! Her team was totally fired up and they just kept feeding her and she kept making plays. I was very happy for her, and I think she figured out if she just plays things will go better. That is the trick for young kids, getting them to actually play, rather than just execute A, B, C or X when Y happens. Playing to me is just reacting and letting instinct take over and the instincts result is good plays without overthinking. It is a hard place to get to, and we will see if she was just in the "zone" once or if her playing style is changed as they play again tonight, this time against the evil empire. So that name may be harsh for junior high, but the school has totally earned that nick name, plus they are Sophie's old rival so she definitely has no issue with that name. Hopefully we are trending up the rest of the season, time will tell...
Thursday, September 26, 2019
The Streets are running yellow with rage!!!
So yesterday I hear from Peach that Sophie got yelled at and honked at on the way to school by the paper delivery guy. Apparently Sophie didn't have her lights on and this guy thought that was entirely unacceptable and bordered on unsafe. So he proceeded to tell her that she need to turn her lights on and honked generously at her apparently to reinforce the idea. Well Sophie tells the whole story over dinner that after she dropped off the kids she saw him again on the way home. This time he was stopped in the middle of the road and Sophie being the ever kind and gentle soul that she is, decided that "no matter how small the space was between the car and the side of the road she was going to squeeze in". I didn't say she was patient. Also on the way through she rolled the windows down and informed him that "It would be nice if people didn't park in the middle of the road." To which he responded "Were do you want me to park?" I don't think she replied, but the obvious answer is not in the middle of the road. Anyway Sophie says she saw the guy later at Kroger, but he apparently didn't recognize her. Perhaps his vision was blurred with rage during the earlier encounters. This morning Sophie is looking out the window and she sees him delivering papers to the neighbors... and some urine to the bush in front of his business. Well the neighbor has some cameras, so Sophie is going to check and see if the cameras got anything.
Sunday, September 15, 2019
Brooks Ghost 12 - A review
Good:
- Comfortable and versatile for different styles of runs
- Nice amount of padding - use the Brooks DNA foam which feels soft but responsive.
- Easy to run in - shoe feels very efficient, not necessarily fast but doesn't seem like it wears you out.
- Good amount of tread - should hold up for a while.
- No rubbing in the toe box
Bad:
- The laces are kind of short - wasn't able to lock the laces without skipping a loop.
- The heel rubbed me when I was wearing short socks - with long socks was not noticable.
- There is a lot of fabric in the heel area and the upper is a double layer so it may hold water.
- Heavier shoe - listed as 10.4 ounces - I think this is for a size 9.
Overall I would score the shoe a 8.5 or 9 out of 10. If you are just starting out, it would be a great shoe as it is very versatile. I wouldn't recommend it for a race necessarily because it is a little heavy, but would be a great daily trainer.
Cecil and the Sorority?
Well wonders never cease. You see just as I was getting ready to turn 42 and turn the page on my college life, finally, I was asked to join a sorority. Well technically not asked to join, just asked to try out or what ever it is they do. I know what you are thinking...hasn't it been like 20 years since you were in school? Well 19 actually, well 19 years, and 3 months and 3 days to be exact. And aren't you a dude? Well yes, but all I can assume in these new times is that gender identity and age discrimination are no longer apart of the Sorority way of life. Alas with the kids and wife and job, it just isn't the right time, so I had to decline the offer...for now. In a few years, who knows.
First 20 mile week
I was able to run 21.2 miles this week, plus walked 3 and went to 2 cross country meets. So pretty busy week, plus there were 2 volleyball games. I was pretty psyched for this and even though I didn't really feel like running last night, I knew I only needed 2 more miles to get there, so I ran 3 just to be safe. I did have to take a vacation to do this. Not sure I could pull this off with the kids competing in sports and things during a normal week. It may be a while before I get another one...
Wednesday, September 11, 2019
Beginner Running Tips
So I have been running for a while and it dawns on my how hard it is to become a runner / jogger and all of the advice out there isn't necessarily geared towards or applicable for someone who is just starting out. You see I never ran before, not in high school, not in college and not for fun (didn't even think this was possible), and it is really hard to go from the couch to a 5k or even just running to stay in shape. About the only running I did do was playing basketball in pickup games. Needless to say I wasn't in great shape to start, in fact I was probably in the worst shape of my life, tipping the scales at over 220 lbs. and just hating the feeling. So I decided to start running, well mostly walking at first. I didn't look too much for tips or tricks to start running, but after I got into it I started looking a little harder. Wouldn't you know it, there are tons of people out there offering advice to start running, but there was one little problem. Most of these people were far removed from when they first started running, and most of them were runners when they were young. There is a big difference between starting running at 10-12 years old, and starting in your 30's or 40's. When you are young you don't have all the mental hurdles, someone tells you to go run 2 or 3 miles you really don't know any better and because young people are usually in better shape or at least able to push themselves to a higher level they don't know they can't do it. Fast forward about 30 years and if someone tells you to run 2 miles an expletive may come out. Or at least your brain will will start swearing at your body telling it that you need to stop or else you risk death. Basically it takes a while to break down all these hurdles if you are starting later. My favorite piece of advice is that you should run "at conversation pace" to start out. Well if you are out of shape, and you start running there may not be a "conversational pace". It is basically 0 to struggling to breathe, right out of the gate. So here begins my tips to go from not being able to run to hopefully running a 10 minute mile without much struggle, and how to get there by by-passing some of the mistakes I made.
Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional, and this is not medical advice. As always you should seek medical approval or advise or however that gets worded, before beginning any exercise routine.
1) The basics - Get a comfortable pair of shoes that can support the effort you want to put forth. I wouldn't advise spending $200 on shoes to start, but if you can find a pair of good running shoes, that can maybe double as shoes you would just wear on a day-to-day basis where you can get some good value out of them that is best. I wouldn't advise getting a ton of running gear to start, because then it could become cost prohibitive, or you fell like you have invested so much into it that you "have to" go do it, and running shouldn't feel that way. It is literally the cheapest cardio exercise out there if you don't over complicate it. I mean all you need are your feet and outside. Some people don't even run in shoes (I wouldn't advise this, I would say you likely have a form issue if running in shoes bothers you or some type of chronic issue that maybe you shouldn't be running anyway). As running starts to become easier I would highly recommend a device that can give heart rate feed back when you are training (more on that later).
1b) When starting to run, if you want to run for an extended period, slow down. If you go out and think "I am going to go for it and just take off running", it likely won't go well. You can do this and try and do it in spurts of 100 meters or 200m to start with, but you will run too fast. If you run slow, it can feel like you aren't really "running", but if you haven't run before your heart will physically not be able to sustain the effort. Start from walking and gradually speed up, if it becomes unsustainable slow down. The more you can run the more it will help.
2) Start on a track. This way if you are feeling good you can go an extra mile, or if you are hurting or the weather gets bad all the sudden, you are no further than a quarter mile from being done. (Vin Diesel would be proud). The only bad thing about running a route out from your house is if you get 2 or 3 miles out and you hurt yourself or cramp badly, you are 2 or 3 miles from getting home. I would wait until you feel a little better about running, until you are more into it, before venturing out a couple miles from home base. Vin Diesel may still be proud. If it is convenient to go in a loop around your house, say a block or so, maybe trying doing laps at home if you don't have a track available.
3) Stay on your feet. If you run a little and need a break, that is fine, just don't go sit down and take a break. Walk if you can, so that you stay moving, or stop and stand if you have to. This is called active recovery.
4) Warm up. At least a little. Sometimes for me this is a mile or so or maybe less, then do some light stretching or some dynamic stretches.
5) Learn the difference between soreness and being hurt. Sometimes you can run through some soreness, again this will be your brain telling you to stop, not you being physically unable to run. If there is a shooting pain in some part of your legs or body every time you step, this is more likely an injury. If you are injured, you may only need rest to feel better, but if you have severely injured yourself you may need medical help. If you are having pain every time you try and run or if you run and are unable to run for 2 or 3 days, you may have some form issues. A search on youtube may help you find proper running form techniques, I would suggest filming yourself too, so that you can compare what you are doing versus what is correct. Fixing the problem could be a bigger challenge, because you are probably running how it feels natural and you are going to have to change. I have changed the way I run a good bit in the last 3 years and feel much more efficient even if I am not appreciably faster. I am faster, just not super fast. yet... I have had shin splints, sore calves, some knee pain, sometimes shoes can cause pain if you are switching between high offset shoes to low offset. (Offset is the difference between heel height and toe height. A quick search of your shoe can tell you what the offset is. Going more than 3 mm down in offset did cause me issue for about 3 weeks until my body adapted to the new shoe.)
6) Ignore too much quick start advice. Good thing I saved that for last ammirite? There is a lot, and I mean a lot of tips and tricks out there, but like I said before, it has been a long time since these people were starting out and likely they don't remember or haven't even encountered this issues that you are when first starting. Look at my levels of running post, and try and avoid taking or trying to implement tips from people that are more than 5 levels away. When you are just starting don't worry about cadence or pace, just stay on your feet and keep moving.
Slightly More Advanced Tips
1) Learn the difference between the aerobic and anaerobic systems. When you are running long distance you want to try and use the aerobic system, because there is a steady flow of energy. The anaerobic system is more quick energy and it can get depleted fairly quickly. You also won't lose a lot of weight if you aren't in the aerobic zone, that is were fat stores are used. Think marathoners use the aerobic system to convert the fat to energy for most of the race and use the anaerobic system for the kick at the end. If they were running with the anaerobic system they probably wouldn't be able to get over 10 miles.
2) Monitor your heart rate while running. Your heart rate will determine what energy system you are using. The rule of thumb for max heart rate is 220 bpm minus your age. So for me this is around 180...okay fine it is 179, but this is the max rate I should ever run at. And I can tell now if I am in that range, I start to breathe really hard, and I can feel the blood racing. To stay in that aerobic zone you want to be 70-85% of the max rate. For me this is between 125 - 152. This is where I will be burning fat and can run for an extended period of time. If I shoot up to 160 or higher that effort will likely be unsustainable. It maybe ok for a 5k, but anything longer I will need to whoa up. If you heart is racing, you are going too fast, slow down to get your heart to slow down. Once you build up the aerobic base, you can run longer and get more out of your workouts. This is why I said get a heart rate monitor. Usually a smart watch will give you the feedback you need. Also the max heart rate calculation is just a rule of thumb. That means it works for most people, but not everyone. If it doesn't seem like it is working for you, then you may have a much higher or lower max heart rate. You can get tested (VO2 max test) but it is costly, listen to your body.
3) Use a run tracking app. It will help you be honest with yourself about your miles and your frequency and intensity. Plus it makes it easier and more rewarding when you see the increase in pace or distance in your training. I use the Under Armor Map my run app, but there are tons out there. Samsung has one that comes on their phone, fit bit has one (but on this one I couldn't get it do the GPS without having my phone), Garmin has surprisingly sophisticated watches for tracking runs, and there is a thing called Strava. I haven't used this but there are some neat features I have seen other people use.
Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional, and this is not medical advice. As always you should seek medical approval or advise or however that gets worded, before beginning any exercise routine.
1) The basics - Get a comfortable pair of shoes that can support the effort you want to put forth. I wouldn't advise spending $200 on shoes to start, but if you can find a pair of good running shoes, that can maybe double as shoes you would just wear on a day-to-day basis where you can get some good value out of them that is best. I wouldn't advise getting a ton of running gear to start, because then it could become cost prohibitive, or you fell like you have invested so much into it that you "have to" go do it, and running shouldn't feel that way. It is literally the cheapest cardio exercise out there if you don't over complicate it. I mean all you need are your feet and outside. Some people don't even run in shoes (I wouldn't advise this, I would say you likely have a form issue if running in shoes bothers you or some type of chronic issue that maybe you shouldn't be running anyway). As running starts to become easier I would highly recommend a device that can give heart rate feed back when you are training (more on that later).
1b) When starting to run, if you want to run for an extended period, slow down. If you go out and think "I am going to go for it and just take off running", it likely won't go well. You can do this and try and do it in spurts of 100 meters or 200m to start with, but you will run too fast. If you run slow, it can feel like you aren't really "running", but if you haven't run before your heart will physically not be able to sustain the effort. Start from walking and gradually speed up, if it becomes unsustainable slow down. The more you can run the more it will help.
2) Start on a track. This way if you are feeling good you can go an extra mile, or if you are hurting or the weather gets bad all the sudden, you are no further than a quarter mile from being done. (Vin Diesel would be proud). The only bad thing about running a route out from your house is if you get 2 or 3 miles out and you hurt yourself or cramp badly, you are 2 or 3 miles from getting home. I would wait until you feel a little better about running, until you are more into it, before venturing out a couple miles from home base. Vin Diesel may still be proud. If it is convenient to go in a loop around your house, say a block or so, maybe trying doing laps at home if you don't have a track available.
3) Stay on your feet. If you run a little and need a break, that is fine, just don't go sit down and take a break. Walk if you can, so that you stay moving, or stop and stand if you have to. This is called active recovery.
4) Warm up. At least a little. Sometimes for me this is a mile or so or maybe less, then do some light stretching or some dynamic stretches.
5) Learn the difference between soreness and being hurt. Sometimes you can run through some soreness, again this will be your brain telling you to stop, not you being physically unable to run. If there is a shooting pain in some part of your legs or body every time you step, this is more likely an injury. If you are injured, you may only need rest to feel better, but if you have severely injured yourself you may need medical help. If you are having pain every time you try and run or if you run and are unable to run for 2 or 3 days, you may have some form issues. A search on youtube may help you find proper running form techniques, I would suggest filming yourself too, so that you can compare what you are doing versus what is correct. Fixing the problem could be a bigger challenge, because you are probably running how it feels natural and you are going to have to change. I have changed the way I run a good bit in the last 3 years and feel much more efficient even if I am not appreciably faster. I am faster, just not super fast. yet... I have had shin splints, sore calves, some knee pain, sometimes shoes can cause pain if you are switching between high offset shoes to low offset. (Offset is the difference between heel height and toe height. A quick search of your shoe can tell you what the offset is. Going more than 3 mm down in offset did cause me issue for about 3 weeks until my body adapted to the new shoe.)
6) Ignore too much quick start advice. Good thing I saved that for last ammirite? There is a lot, and I mean a lot of tips and tricks out there, but like I said before, it has been a long time since these people were starting out and likely they don't remember or haven't even encountered this issues that you are when first starting. Look at my levels of running post, and try and avoid taking or trying to implement tips from people that are more than 5 levels away. When you are just starting don't worry about cadence or pace, just stay on your feet and keep moving.
Slightly More Advanced Tips
1) Learn the difference between the aerobic and anaerobic systems. When you are running long distance you want to try and use the aerobic system, because there is a steady flow of energy. The anaerobic system is more quick energy and it can get depleted fairly quickly. You also won't lose a lot of weight if you aren't in the aerobic zone, that is were fat stores are used. Think marathoners use the aerobic system to convert the fat to energy for most of the race and use the anaerobic system for the kick at the end. If they were running with the anaerobic system they probably wouldn't be able to get over 10 miles.
2) Monitor your heart rate while running. Your heart rate will determine what energy system you are using. The rule of thumb for max heart rate is 220 bpm minus your age. So for me this is around 180...okay fine it is 179, but this is the max rate I should ever run at. And I can tell now if I am in that range, I start to breathe really hard, and I can feel the blood racing. To stay in that aerobic zone you want to be 70-85% of the max rate. For me this is between 125 - 152. This is where I will be burning fat and can run for an extended period of time. If I shoot up to 160 or higher that effort will likely be unsustainable. It maybe ok for a 5k, but anything longer I will need to whoa up. If you heart is racing, you are going too fast, slow down to get your heart to slow down. Once you build up the aerobic base, you can run longer and get more out of your workouts. This is why I said get a heart rate monitor. Usually a smart watch will give you the feedback you need. Also the max heart rate calculation is just a rule of thumb. That means it works for most people, but not everyone. If it doesn't seem like it is working for you, then you may have a much higher or lower max heart rate. You can get tested (VO2 max test) but it is costly, listen to your body.
3) Use a run tracking app. It will help you be honest with yourself about your miles and your frequency and intensity. Plus it makes it easier and more rewarding when you see the increase in pace or distance in your training. I use the Under Armor Map my run app, but there are tons out there. Samsung has one that comes on their phone, fit bit has one (but on this one I couldn't get it do the GPS without having my phone), Garmin has surprisingly sophisticated watches for tracking runs, and there is a thing called Strava. I haven't used this but there are some neat features I have seen other people use.
10 Levels of Running
So I started running about 2 years ago, or 3 years ago, well this is my 3rd year of running so how ever that works out. Anyway I have noticed that some more experienced runners have much better form, and much better technique and tons of aerobic capacity. When these people are trying to give advice to new runners some of the stuff doesn't always ring true. What I have found is if you have never run there are quite a few mental hurdles that you have to get through to be able to run for any distance or amount of time. People who have run in the past and are maybe getting back into running have a distinct advantage because they don't have to convince their body that what they are doing won't kill them. When you start running in your late 30's and 40's you have to break through those barriers a little at a time and sometimes the advice from these higher level runners doesn't always translate or are so far from being attainable that people may not stick with it because it doesn't come easy. So I am going to layout what I think are the 10 levels of running and add that advice given from more than 3 or 4 levels away should be taken with a grain of salt. Most of the time if an elite level runner is giving advise you need to be level 5 or higher to be able to incorporate what they are saying into your training.
Level 1 - Novice - just starting out, never ran before, never been coached.
Level 2 - Some running, but probably not more than a mile or so at a time, low aerobic base.
Level 3 - Somewhat serious, maybe 5 to 10 miles a week or 2 or 3 sessions of running
Level 4 - More serious about running, has purchased shoes specifically for running maybe will run a 5k or local race (I went through the first 4 levels in about 3 months)
Level 5 - Somewhat competitive - Targeted training maybe 15-20 miles a week, 3 or 4 sessions, has some goal times set and works on form or target areas (Me now)
Level 6 - Higher mileage - 25+ miles a week, 80-100 miles a month, good bit of gear, tracks workouts with apps.
Level 7 - Low end racer - Will race competitively in 5k, maybe up to half marathon. I would say most high school runners are in this range. Capable of low 20 minute 5k times.
Level 8 - Competitive racer - will challenge for 5k wins in smaller events, maybe a capable half marathoner or even marathoner. Serious training 40-50 miles per week.
Level 9 - High end racer - Can compete at harder events, BQ (Boston Qualifier) at marathon level, lots of training, lots of miles.
Level 10 - Elite Racer - Best of the best, top 10 at majors, ultra runners. Crazy talent and crazy miles.
In running you absolutely can't skip steps (no pun intended) and you can't skip levels. But I think people who are more that 3 or 4 levels away have a hard time relating with some of the challenges people at lower levels face. I'm not sure that an elite racer really understands the difficulty of the novice runner who is struggling to catch their breath after about 200m of medium effort running. That is why I am going to try and put down some ideas to help people starting out, because I am much closer to that end than to being an elite runner, and I think I have a better handle on the struggles of early running than an elite ultra marathoner. I will reference this in the future, but from what I have seen I think this is fairly accurate. There may be some other levels, but rather than having 14 levels I think most runners can squeeze into one of these categories pretty easy and it keeps the comparisons a little simpler.
Level 1 - Novice - just starting out, never ran before, never been coached.
Level 2 - Some running, but probably not more than a mile or so at a time, low aerobic base.
Level 3 - Somewhat serious, maybe 5 to 10 miles a week or 2 or 3 sessions of running
Level 4 - More serious about running, has purchased shoes specifically for running maybe will run a 5k or local race (I went through the first 4 levels in about 3 months)
Level 5 - Somewhat competitive - Targeted training maybe 15-20 miles a week, 3 or 4 sessions, has some goal times set and works on form or target areas (Me now)
Level 6 - Higher mileage - 25+ miles a week, 80-100 miles a month, good bit of gear, tracks workouts with apps.
Level 7 - Low end racer - Will race competitively in 5k, maybe up to half marathon. I would say most high school runners are in this range. Capable of low 20 minute 5k times.
Level 8 - Competitive racer - will challenge for 5k wins in smaller events, maybe a capable half marathoner or even marathoner. Serious training 40-50 miles per week.
Level 9 - High end racer - Can compete at harder events, BQ (Boston Qualifier) at marathon level, lots of training, lots of miles.
Level 10 - Elite Racer - Best of the best, top 10 at majors, ultra runners. Crazy talent and crazy miles.
In running you absolutely can't skip steps (no pun intended) and you can't skip levels. But I think people who are more that 3 or 4 levels away have a hard time relating with some of the challenges people at lower levels face. I'm not sure that an elite racer really understands the difficulty of the novice runner who is struggling to catch their breath after about 200m of medium effort running. That is why I am going to try and put down some ideas to help people starting out, because I am much closer to that end than to being an elite runner, and I think I have a better handle on the struggles of early running than an elite ultra marathoner. I will reference this in the future, but from what I have seen I think this is fairly accurate. There may be some other levels, but rather than having 14 levels I think most runners can squeeze into one of these categories pretty easy and it keeps the comparisons a little simpler.
Fall Sports - Off to a hot start...
This is more literal than figurative as the first week of school and sports is in the books. Sampson ran on Tuesday and it was about 91°F outside with the sun blazing so that is where the literal hot start comes from. Anyway he was able to hold on to second place for about 2 and 1/2 miles and then he cramped up. You see, this kid is about 170 lbs. and 5'11", which is very big for a high school cross country runner. I doubt that there will be anyone finish in front of him that is heavier than he is, until we get to maybe regionals or district. So he went out about 5:24 in the first mile, which is about 16 and half for a 5k, which is smoking for the first race. Well the second mile was about 6:38 and the third was another 6:40 or so. He ended up 8th overall which is good, but 5th on his team. Like I said, his team should be really good, and the boy who finished first was the 8th runner on the team last year, so good on him for really putting the work in. I could tell Sampson was a little deflated after the performance, but I think he felt good about how the team did. He was ok the next day, and was able to race on Saturday. The meet on Saturday went a little better. He finished 10th out of 138, and finished first on the team this time. The team got second behind a team that finished second in the state in division 3 last year, so that was good. This time the kid that finished first for the team on Tuesday finished 3rd, so this year it looks like it is totally up for grabs how guys will finish. This weeks race is the home race, but there is no home court advantage for Sampson. So far he didn't run the race as a freshman and finished 4th on the team last year, but was hobbled a little. This will be his second time running it competitively so hopefully he can finish without an injury.
On the volleyball side, I was hopeful that Peach's team was just going to be world beaters and come out of the gate and just jump on teams, but so far they are 0-2. They have only won 1 set, but the 4 they have lost have been by like a combined 10 points. I think they are playing the right way though and just need to be a little more confident when returning the serve. That seems to be the biggest hole right now. That and consistent serving. They seem to be pretty good during the long volleys and setting the ball for each other. I mean I don't know a lot about the game, but based on last year they are ahead technically of what they were doing, when they were just hitting it back over. Interestingly the 7th graders are 2-0, but are doing what the girls did last year and just hitting it over. It will be interesting to see if other teams catch up and can handle those easy balls by the end of the season. On a side note, I did get to be a line judge for one of the games. I won't say I was the best line judge ever, especially for someone who has never played competitively, but probably in the top 5 all time for the first game ever judged ;). See if I can keep that momentum up on Thursday. At the end of the game it was essentially game point for the other team and I was on their side of the court, and our girl served it and it was going out, but one of the girls on the other team took an ill-advised one-handed stab at the ball and just grazed it, so I made the little hand gesture that the ball was tipped. I don't think the opposing coach liked it, but it was the right call and the girl that was serving didn't have to end her last game on a serve out of bounds.
On the volleyball side, I was hopeful that Peach's team was just going to be world beaters and come out of the gate and just jump on teams, but so far they are 0-2. They have only won 1 set, but the 4 they have lost have been by like a combined 10 points. I think they are playing the right way though and just need to be a little more confident when returning the serve. That seems to be the biggest hole right now. That and consistent serving. They seem to be pretty good during the long volleys and setting the ball for each other. I mean I don't know a lot about the game, but based on last year they are ahead technically of what they were doing, when they were just hitting it back over. Interestingly the 7th graders are 2-0, but are doing what the girls did last year and just hitting it over. It will be interesting to see if other teams catch up and can handle those easy balls by the end of the season. On a side note, I did get to be a line judge for one of the games. I won't say I was the best line judge ever, especially for someone who has never played competitively, but probably in the top 5 all time for the first game ever judged ;). See if I can keep that momentum up on Thursday. At the end of the game it was essentially game point for the other team and I was on their side of the court, and our girl served it and it was going out, but one of the girls on the other team took an ill-advised one-handed stab at the ball and just grazed it, so I made the little hand gesture that the ball was tipped. I don't think the opposing coach liked it, but it was the right call and the girl that was serving didn't have to end her last game on a serve out of bounds.
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