Welcome to 2025!
I hope your year is off to a great start! With Winter Training beginning this Monday, I’d like to share some general (and some new) information pertaining to the program, how it works, etc., particularly because we have so many new families involved in the program. This is truly an exciting time, and I’m delighted to have you aboard!
REGISTRATION
There are three options, which include the Runcard, the Full, and the Annual.
The Runcard offers an opportunity for runners to attend at their convenience and is a great option for kids who are multi-sport and have responsibilities on nights away from Whisper. For example, if your child has soccer (or other) on Monday’s and Thursday’s, they may join us for training on Wednesday’s or Saturday’s.
The Full offers athletes to participate in as much as the winter session has to offer – 6 weeks for HS runners, 9 weeks for MS/ES runners. The Full is more economical than the Runcard.
The Annual includes unlimited training for 365 days from the date of purchase, forgoing the Runcard or Winter/Summer (Full registration) purchase. The Annual is more economical than the Full or Runcard.
If your child is currently using a Runcard, purchasing the Full registration will place their current Runcard on hold until March 23, at which time their Runcard sessions resume. Visit the Winter Training page for details.
TRAINING DAYS – SOMETHING NEW TO THE PROGRAM!
Monday nights we are at Hudson’s Bay HS, 5:30-7pm, with sprint and distance training being offered. Distance groups will be performing longer intervals or tempos on the track (typically 300m-1k).
NEW!!! Tuesday nights in the Evergreen HS weightroom for an hour of weightlifting. Weightlifting is a great cross-training modality, supporting runner’s muscles, tendons, and ligaments, so they may recover faster, gain power, and gain confidence! 8th-12th grade runners may attend 5-5:50pm, while 4th-7th grade runners may attend 6-6:50pm. I will lead the kids through a weightlifting routine. Since the weightroom option is new to Whisper, we will use the first week to work out any kinks, and by week two, we should be lifting in small groups, with the kids knowing what to do and how to do it. Weightlifting is a passion of mine, and I am excited to share this with the athletes. I do have a NSCA-Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist certification, which will be nice to put into practice!
Wednesday nights we are at McKenzie Stadium, 6:30-8pm, with sprint and distance training being offered. Distance groups will be performing plyometrics and shorter intervals (typically 100-500m).
Thursday nights we are at Clark for mobility training, Propstra Pool for aqua jogging, or in Foster Auditorium for a seminar (Feb 13 – for parents with children in grades 8-12. This is a FREE seminar!). Because Thursday includes three options, please see the Calendar to remain updated.
Saturday mornings, 8:45-11am, we begin at Clark on OSC219. If the weather is good, we will finish at the track (Hudson’s Bay HS track). If the weather is intolerable, we will finish in OSC218. If we finish in OSC218, we will bring all of the kids (being picked up) to the Red 1 (and Red 2) parking lot in front of the OSC building.
WHEN YOUR CHILD ARRIVES AT PRACTICE
On Monday and Wednesday practices, upon arrival, your child will come to the canopy, which will be located at the high jump area of the track facility. Once at the canopy, they will sign-in, review the workout of the day (on a clipboard), note their training group (on a second clipboard), and their Pacer for that workout. Once they are settled, they’ll be encouraged to jog a few laps, followed by team drills led by one of the coaches. Workouts will follow, along with a cooldown (usually).
On Tuesdays in the weightroom, kids will sign-in, and there will be some instruction on room safety, spotting, form/lifting technique, and then an introduction to the program they will be following.
On Thursdays in OSC218, they’ll sign-in, then find a place in the gym for their mobility session. Please bring a Yoga mat for these sessions (there are some mats available if they forget). On Thursdays in the pool, athletes should come dressed ready for pool exercise, being sure to bring a towel, and extra set of clothes for changing into after aqua jogging. An aqua jogging belt will be provided for on the shorter side. There are changing rooms a Propstra.
On Saturdays, we will begin in OSC219 (Clark College) with instruction on the workout of the day, then venture to the track (sprinters) or roads (distance). Saturdays also provide a time to discuss some excellent Sport Psych topics, such as managing anxiety, focus and concentration, goal setting, self-talk, self-confidence, visualization, and more.
WEBSITE & RESOURCES
The Whisper Running website has a wealth of resources and information. Here are a few important pages:
Resources – includes local Physical Therapists options, nutrition specialists/dietitians, a college admissions specialist, and a local running shoe store.
Training Guide – includes training suggestions (calendar, schedule, mileage, etc.) for distance runners, as well as a cross-training (weightlifting) plan.
Coaches - these amazing humans volunteer their time to run alongside your children. Pacers are employees of the program who oversee safety and administer the workouts.
SPRING TRACK
Spring track is a fantastic opportunity to compete alongside track-minded athletes throughout the PNW. Our runners will be encouraged to race in most or all running events (100m to the 3k). I will be alongside them, helping them through self-doubts, sustaining focused, and gaining confidence in their skills. Track provides a great opportunity for all of this, with the long-term goal of developing a complete and confident runner. While our season schedule is still growing, see the Spring Track (Join the Team) page for details. Spring track registration is $49 and includes a uniform for the season. Most meets are $25.