Roosevelt XC FAQ
What is Cross Country? The Sport of Cross Country (abbreviated XC) is a competitive team sport. All runners in a division (typically classified at meets and invitationals as Varsity, Junior Varsity, Freshman and / or Open races) race together at the same time with other teams. High School races are generally 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) for both boys and girls and are held over varying terrain including parks, golf courses, and public trails. Everyone runs the same course, and all athletes get to participate at every meet.
What are the expectations for the Boys team? At Roosevelt we challenge our top runners to develop themselves mentally and physically in a responsible manner designed to put them in the best position to be highly competitive in high school and to give them a real opportunity to run in college. In-season and off-season programs are carefully detailed by our experienced coaches, and runners should expect and be willing to accept clear and specific feedback related to training, attitude, and comportment. The program works: recent Roosevelt graduates are currently competing at top programs including Yale, the University of Portland, Case Western, and other schools. Finally, we encourage all runners to develop a life long love of distance running and view athletic endeavor and physical fitness as core life values.
Who is the coach? Our team is coached by Mr. Howard Collier. Coach Collier has been an elite marathoner, highly competitive distance runner, and an educator and coach for more than thirty years. He also coaches the Roosevelt Girls and Boys track and field teams, and teaches during the day at Highline. Coach Collier has led three Roosevelt teams to the state meet, winning District Titles outright in 2001 and 2003 and sharing the title with Juanita in 2006, and has been instrumental in developing a program that is designed to make the boys competitive, keep them injury free, and reinforce expectations of personal excellence and a team-first approach.
Will I still have time to study and do other things? We have high expectations for academic excellence and citizenship, and we expect our runners to responsibly manage the inevitable conflicts that occur between running, academics, and other school related obligations. Many of our top runners excel in other arenas at RHS, including Jazz Band, the Roosevelt News, ASB, Quick Start, and other programs that reward dedication, perseverance, and a commitment to self and team. We understand that there are times when an athlete must miss a practice. Our best runners communicate exceptions proactively and clearly, while still finding a way to get their workout done during a busy day. If you are the type of student who endeavors to achieve, you’ll find like-minded teammates on the cross country team, and they will help you find ways to give your best self.
How fast do I have to be to join the team? Our team welcomes runners of all ability levels and expects them to break through barriers on their way to their individual top performance. Many students join the team expecting a "recreational team" experience with low expectations and the acceptance of intermittent participation, only to quickly realize that our team is built on a shared belief of total commitment to exceptional performance. If you don’t think you can run 5 kilometers quickly or keep up with training runs, do not worry. Starting in the summer, Captain-led team runs are organized by ability, and all we ask is that you show up, do your best, and make a commitment to come back and do it again the next day. For a neophyte runner who already has acquired the essential life habit of giving their best effort, who is accustomed to overcoming adversity, (the essence of running or any endurance sport), and who enjoys a challenge, we guarantee that runner is not only ‘fast enough’, but will learn a great deal about themselves and have a life-changing experience during the course of the season.
If I join the team will I qualify for a PE waiver? The short answer is ‘yes’, but cross country is not the best way to secure a PE waiver if that is your sole motivation. It is simply too difficult an endeavor, and there are many easier options.
What kind of equipment do I need? If you are a ‘gear head’, this sport may be a disappointment. All you need is a good pair of running shoes (the RHS team receives a 10% discount at Super Jock n’ Jill near Green Lake) that fit well, comfortable socks, shorts, and a shirt in which to run. If it rains you may want to add a shell, but most runners don’t bother. A running watch can be helpful but is by no means required. You will be issued a uniform, including a racing singlet, racing shorts, warm up top and bottoms, and perhaps even a team t-shirt. You may also elect to buy a pair of racing spikes, which are lighter weight racing shoes with screw-in variable length metal protrusions on the bottom of the shoe. Spikes are usually only worn grass surfaces. Roosevelt runners use spikes at our Cowen Park meet but usually install ‘blanks’ (steel pugs with no protrusion) when we race at Lower Woodland Park. Spikes are not used in practice. If you must buy something, get yourself a good thermos for tea or chocolate milk to take to meets and invitationals.
OK, I’m in. What does it take for me to be a successful and competitive runner? There are not shortcuts. To be a successful cross country runner takes time: time to learn, train, sleep, rest, and recover. It takes after school time, and weekend time. Our best runners acknowledge their limitations and make the effort to eliminate them through time management and focus. They do not make excuses, work on their weaknesses rather than their strengths, sincerely appreciate the achievements and efforts of teammates, and generally model the habits of successful people. You should keep a training log from day one, memorializing each day your diet, route, time, distance, the weather, and annotating any notes about how you felt, whether positive or negative. You should have a clear training plan from your coach and a commitment to follow it. You should set specific goals before each season, and synthesize your daily activities with those objectives. Your goals should be challenging and realistic (“I want to run a 14:50 5K and win State, but I can’t be here on Tuesday or Thursday or even run in the evenings on those days because of Activity ‘X’” is a sub-optimal plan). You should communicate clearly, directly, and effectively with your coach. If you are ill or injured, communicate personally and in advance. Finally, to be a successful runner you must be coachable at all times, willing and able to take direction and accept feedback, and you must give your best.
Where do we practice, at what time, and for how long? Summer Captain runs typically start in late June shortly after the end of the school year and leave from the West side of Cowen Park near the intersection of Ravenna Boulevard and University at 15th. The team traditionally meets at 8:00, begins with stretching, followed by a run, more stretching, and a core strengthening session, typically ending by 10:15. Once Official WIAA practices start around August 22 the team typically moves to a 2:45 start time, ending each day around 5:00. Once school starts, practice will always be at 2:45. Each day the coach will provide a workout plan, divide the team into groups, and end the session with a team meeting once the work is done.
Are there any team traditions? During summer and regular season practices, team members take tuns providing refreshments at the end of the Friday practice. Chocolate milk and cookies are traditional. On the evening before each meet the boys and girls teams convene for a runners-only (no parents or friends) potluck from 6:30 to 8:00 at a host home. Hosting alternates on a weekly basis between the girls and boys teams, and hosting a potluck is a great way to step top and show your commitment. Attendance is not mandatory but is highly encouraged, and these events tend to be the place where team lore is demystified and bonds are formed. If you do attend you should arrive and depart on time, contribute a healthy pasta or vegetable dish or a sensible desert sufficient to feed at least 10, and make an effort to get to know your teammates. The food is good, the company always exceptional, and rumors to the contrary, these events are better than dances. The team also holds an annual Chili Dinner for parents each year, usually on a Friday evening in mid to late October. The dinner is a fund raiser for the team and the funds get deposited directly into the RHS XC account by the Booster Treasurer, so we get to decide what we do with the money. This typically raises about $800-$1000 which is sufficient to get a team shirt for all of the boys which they get to keep. Finally, we have an end of season party each year in November, usually held in the Roosevelt Commons.
Where can I get information about the team and events? Several places. If you have a Facebook account, the team page is RHS XC Mob, and you should join immediately even if you are only thinking about participating. The team website and blog can be found at www.roughridersxc.blogspot.com. If you would like to be added to the email list please send an email to frfulton@mac.com with the subject line ADD ME XC and include your first and last name, email address, your parent(s) email addresses, your mobile phone number, and your class graduation year.
What does a typical season look like? Official practice starts on August 22, our first meet is usually in early to mid September (Coach will share the schedule with the boys once practice begins), and we compete once during the week in dual or league meets at Lower Woodland Park, Lincoln Park, or Cowen Park, with 3-4 large invitationals on weekends. The season ends with the State Meet for those who qualify in early November.
How are meets scored? The basics of scoring for cross country are relatively simple; you run (seven or sometimes fourteen runners in a varsity race, larger fields for JV), and you determine team score by adding the place numbers of your first five runners. Low score wins.
What is a good time for a top runner? Since courses and weather conditions vary significantly, placement in a race is often more meaningful than time (though runners are all acutely aware of their personal best, or ‘PR’). The website www.athletic.net tracks times for nearly all High School and College programs in the nation, so the best way to understand what constitutes ‘good’ is to go to that web page and just explore. All Roosevelt results are loaded to that page within a couple of hours of race completion, so it is a resource you will use with frequency, and in many cases the results go back twenty years. The top runner in the state is frequently around the 15:00 minute mark for a 5K, and during a Metro Conference Varsity race we see spreads ranging from the low 15:00’s to 21:00 or so.
Do I have to eat differently? If you’ve gotten this far you have an interest in running and you care about your performance, so just focus on eating a healthy, balanced diet. There are loads of articles on the internet, but there are no magic formulas. For morning races, always eat something 2-3 hours before race time. Some toast or a bagel with some peanut butter is an excellent race day breakfast, and be sure to drink 8-10oz of water with breakfast. For afternoon races you should eat a typical breakfast and then try to eat an easily digested meal at school like a chicken sandwich, banana, and 8-10oz of water. Assuming a 4:00 start try half an energy bar PowerBar and another 8-10oz of water about 1-1 ½ hrs before the race if hungry. After you finish your race and your cool down, you should eat something within an hour to help your recovery process. An athlete who eats properly "post race" has an advantage over teammates and competitors almost immediately. Yogurt, fruit, or a sandwich with some more water are great choices, but cookies, crackers, chips, or soda won’t get it done. In short, eat smart, eat appropriate portions, avoid processed food-like substances (more than 3 colors and a cartoon on the package = no), and recognize that your diet is part of training.
We hope you’ll join us for 2016!
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