Alexis Dominates Kentucky

Having seen her unorthodox, bounding stride develop over the last year and a half, from the start of the girls 13-14 4k race, Alexis had the race all but sealed. In the top-10 after a mad dash into the first turn at 350 meters, Alexis steadily picked off runner after runner, maintaining the same cadence that earned her a 17:58 5k at the Scary Run in Washougal, WA on Halloween day. Never was there a sense of urgency, as the Seton Catholic freshman from Camas, Washington was in complete control of her destiny. Her victory over the second wave of competition at the USATF Junior Olympic race, a 14:47.20 performance, only makes us wonder what could have been had she been able to race in wave one.

No matter, the psychology she experienced throughout the race is the same as any victor from any of the waves last weekend, as it’s impossible to say who would have won had there been only a single wave of each race. Safety and social distancing were the mantra, understandably, so there are no regrets or what-ifs, but rather Congratulations to all the winners of all the waves and props for teetering the red-line of stamina and persistence, and coming out victorious in the end.

Charlie's National Race in Paris, Kentucky - December 13, 2020

Her fastest 5k in the past was on the street, 20:21 in October 2019. She finished 75th at Nationals 2018, but was on the outside looking in last year after placing 9th on the team at Regionals, when we take the top 8. Before yesterday’s race, she asked two times what her goal should be, even though I’m sure we’d talked about this countless times, it was likely the reassurance she needed. The mystery of the unknown can leave an athlete teetering on taking a risk and being brave, or performing cautiously and getting a predictable result. The quote “If You Always Do What You've Always Done, You'll Always Get What You've Always Got” (Henry Ford?) comes to mind. Can she finally break 20-minutes in the 5k in the sole XC race of the season, while on the hilly course in Kentucky? The answer was a gritty “Absolutely!”

It’s hard to say whether one athlete works harder than another, as I’d like to think they are all working at their highest capacity and potential. But watching Charlie run 1k after 1k after 1k, seemingly passing runner after runner, getting stronger throughout the race, and pushing the chips all-in on the final uphill 400m stretch (and trust me, it’s a hill!) was one of the best performances I’ve witnessed. A well earned 19:38 5k, All-American status (15th in her age division), and a huge personal best on the national scene is the perfect way to cap off a year! What a performance!

No Prescription Required

Well, that’s not entirely true.  But if we listen closely to what our bodies are telling us, we can learn a ton!  For example:

• Know your ABC’s for preventing skin cancer.

• Is there a change in bowel habits and/or blood in your stool?

• Acanthosis Nigricans?  Could mean higher risk of Diabetes II.

• The Sleep-Dementia-Alzheimer’s connection.

• Vitamin D and covid mortality. 

• Open-Air treatment – should we be doing this now? (YES)  

Just like the ABC’s can help us prevent skin cancer, social distancing and wearing a mask helps ward off potential airborne virus contaminations.  Yet on the topic of mental health, closeness and connections still matter when it comes to keeping ourselves emotionally fit. So how will the cards fall when we come out of this covid mess? 

The Columbian published an article on Sunday, November 29, 2020 titled “Missing the Miracle of Touch,” by Scott Hewitt, which discussed the importance of human connection.  In layman’s terms, how the body responds to wanted, consensual touching, such as a hug, shaking of hands, a pat on the back, or in today’s age, even an elbow tap. 

Though at practice we shall continue social distancing, remember that closeness matters.  Whether it’s a family game night, or a welcome home hug, any excuse is a great excuse to poor love on family members during this time.  

Looking ahead to December and beyond

As we head into the final month of an unorthodox year, I’d like to take a moment to share general responses to common questions as 2021 approaches.  The topics presented here discuss attendance, training, when to take a break, Winter Training, and the 2021 Annual Membership.   

ATTENDANCE: If your child is attending nationals or has an annual membership, they may attend two days of training each week.  If your child trains via Runcard and is not attending nationals, they may attend one day per week.  This will remain in place until December 21, at the earliest.

PRE-JO TRAINING: If your child is running nationals, they should be running on their own outside of Whisper.  At practices, we discuss how often and how far they should be running on their own – nothing hard, just runs – and I am happy to answer any questions to keep them sharp heading into Kentucky.

BREAK: After nationals, Coach Dave will self-quarantine through December 20.  Morning practices will resume Monday, December 21, with intermittent breaks to celebrate Christmas and New Years with family.  Anyone who has been training regularly since August should take at least one week off from running starting December 13.  Ideally, two weeks off would be best (resuming Dec 28), but knowing there isn’t much going on right now and the kids need one another physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally, one week will suffice and we will steadily resume training by creating a solid foundation of miles at lower to moderate intensities through late January.

POST=JO TRAINING: Runners whose training/attendance has been irregular since August may resume December 21.   

WINTER TRAINING: At this time, school districts are not accepting reservations for 2021, so we will continue with what we are presently doing, which is a la carte training for distance runners.  If things open up and we are able to rent the tracks, then we will most certainly offer some semblance Winter Training.  However, due to limitations on the size of groups allowed at facilities, mandates on social distancing, etc., there’s a good chance that sprint/jump conditioning will not take place, pending any miracles.  

2021 ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP:  The short of it is, I don’t have an answer for 2021 at this time.  However, here are some thoughts:

• Training via Runcard gets expensive.  If a child attends twice per week at the current Runcard rate, that’s over $1,700 per year just for training. 

• Surprisingly, race registrations got expensive in 2020, and frankly, I don’t see them  going down.  For example, in years past, registration for both boy and girl teams at Ultimook was $75 for 50 runners.  This year, the social distance Ultimook race was $250 for 10 runners.  Ultimook is planning another race in April, and at this time, it’ll likely be a very similar operation – social distance racing - far removed from what we are used to.  Ultimook registration isn’t the only race that has increased substantially.  Outside of USATF race registrations, which is $15-20 per runner per race, every race registration for middle school races has increased at rates similar to Ultimook. 

• Though 2020 seasons were cancelled, we were still able to salvage a few races – Teddy Twilight, virtual track and XC races, weekend track or XC intersquad races, Scary Run, Yakima, and now nationals. 

• For 2021 Whisper race registrations (to be able to race in a Whisper uniform at track or XC meets), we need to see what 2021 will look like in terms of the number of meets taking place for both track and cross-country.  The earliest a race could possibly be in 2021 would be March, so we can circle back to this around March 1.

• The best-case scenario at this time would be a training-only registration at the same training/race registration rate as last year, which was $1,249, then a separate race registration for track and XC seasons (see previous bullet).  Essentially, pay for training to avoid the Runcard, then once we know whether we will have a track and/or XC season, offer race registrations (track season, XC season separately).  If this is the route we can go (if things look good as far as covid mandates, vaccine releases, community protection, etc.), then this will be offered near the end of December.  Feel free to share your thoughts, as I am happy to listen and consider a new or different approach.

• Look at the Calendar and you will see that practices are scheduled through December 9, with nothing in the books immediately after.  This is to protect us both – we cannot commit to something that we cannot fulfill.  If covid mandates force us into a temporary hiatus, this means refunds, which I am not comfortable doing.  Until the light is at the end of the tunnel in full view, the Calendar will be updated in 4-6-week increments, similar to how it was published in waves through the fall months.

Finally, please bear in mind that Whisper is not just a small business, but a tiny business which does not qualify for PPP’s or forgivable SBA loans.  I am fortunate to put your money back into Whisper in several ways, my favorite of which is  hiring high school Pacers, which we now have at every practice – a first ever in 2020! 

Thank you for taking the time to read through this information.  If you have any questions at all, please feel free to reach out at any time.

Thanks!

Coach Dave

Post Yakima - Thanksgiving Week Runs

If you ran Yakima, then the covid self-quarantine will keep you from attending Whisper practices. It also means you raced on Saturday, which I am proud of you for doing. It sounds like the courses were a bit long, but as I review the results that came out after yesterday’s email to the parents, I am actually quite pleased with the results. Of course there will be disappointments, but lets chalk those up to learning opportunities. If you’ll recall the Stuff You Should Know episode on “Can you remember being born,” that we listened to at last Wednesday’s practice, resilience in racing is important. How you talk to yourself on a consistent basis creates a callusing of the muscles (synapses) within the brain to remember who you truly are as a runner. Positive self-talk and imagining successful performances will prepare you to be confident and strong in the midst of adversity. Positive self-talk can be in the form of having a mantra, such as sustaining a rhythm, hitting splits, of a specific feeling within your gate. Of course we will all have performances to grow from, but again, as I review the results, for the first race in several months, this was a great meet and I hope we get a chance to lace up against those teams in the future.

Let’s talk about this coming week of training. If you are able to meet with a friend for a run, please do so. If you can run a new trail, get lost for an hour and find waterfalls. Spend at least two of your runs this week running a distance without timing, and just being free of the judgement that may come with using a watch or feeling like you have to hit a particular pace. For workouts, here are a few suggestions:

• Run 4-6 days this coming week, whatever you are accustomed to. I recommend running the same number of days you have been used to, but add a mile or two to a couple of your runs to give yourself a slight bump in mileage this week. Doing so will pay off a couple of weeks down the road when we run Nationals.

• Two tempos of the following:

  • 3/4/5x5min at race pace +10%. If you run the 3k, then run 3 tempos, if you run the 4k, then 4 tempos, if you run the 5k, then 5 tempos. “+10%” means the pace should be 10% slower than your actual race pace. So if you’re running 3:45-minute 1k’s in a race, then your tempos should be closer to 4:05-4:10 (so you’ll run just over 1k in each interval). Rest intervals are 90s.

    • If you are new to Whisper and aren’t sure how to calculate all of this, then just run. This is especially important if you are running Nationals - get out and run at least 3-4 times during the week of Thanksgiving.

  • 6-8x300m hills, with the recovery being an easy jog back to the bottom of the hill. Grassy hills preferred.

  • The 2-4 other days of the week should be runs of 20-60-minutes total. Give yourself runs that you can be proud of. Find a route and explore. When my dad lived in Othello, I’d always wanted to run around the city of Othello merely to say that I’d run around the city of Othello (kind of silly, but there’s not much to do in Othello). When he lived in Moses Lake, I’d always wanted to run to a nearby city called Ephrata. Both runs were merely for exploratory and personal reasons, but when they were accomplished, they felt good. There’s something cathartic about finding youself through runs governed in curiousty rather than miles.

For what it’s worth, after Nationals, I will ask those who have been hitting consistent weeks of running to take 1-2 weeks off, at least through Christmas. For those who have been inconsistent, feel free to continue attending Whisper practices and we can get you on a consistent routine in the New Year. We will likely begin cross-training, weather pending) with hurdle mobility drills, ladder work, and core, which you are welcome to join - just text or call to find out what the plan is…

I’ve chatted with a few of you about Yakima, and it sounds like you’re all in a good place. If you’d like to chat about your experience, nothing would make my day more than talking running with you! Please feel free to call anytime.

Looking forward to seeing you in 8-9 days! Happy Thanksgiving!

Sincerely,

Coach Dave

360-989-0935

Whisper Community

“I’d been coaching for many years, but it wasn’t until December 2014 that I started private coaching.  Ethan, a middle school-aged runner from Portland, was the first.  At the time, it was just us, no Whisper, hitting the track every Saturday for a solid year and a half, before a few of his friends asked to join.  Then, in July 2016, our first runner from Vancouver, Kiley, joined us for the weekend bouts.  A few months later, Emily, then Katelyn, Sara, Serena, and so forth.  In the meantime, Whisper Running was formed with a sincere desire of giving back in some capacity, sometimes offering free or reduced fees for training, race entries, uniforms, or even buying shoes for runners who simply could not afford a new set.  I feel blessed to help kids find their purpose within the sport of running, and to share this blessing while serving youth in need through a larger audience is the true success story.  Runners come from an array of socioeconomic backgrounds, and even the smallest of donations can go a long way. From a pair of running shoes or a uniform, to sending a runner to a running camp, this is where Whisper Community comes in. Your personal donations or business sponsorship to Whisper Community are not only tax-deductible, they reach kids in need in our community. Thank you for checking out the website and welcome to the team!”

= Dave Caldwell, Whisper Community President/Whisper Running Owner.

Junior Olympics 2020 is here!

Mark your calendars for the weekend of December 11-13 in Lexington, Kentucky, home of the 2020 USATF Junior Olympic National Championships!

All meet information is posted on our Join the Team page.  If you registered your child for the 2020 year to compete, then your registration for both the Scary Run and Junior Olympics is covered.  Many of you did this so your child could run in the Teddy Twilight last March. 

If your child wishes to run the USATF Junior Olympics, be sure their USATF membership is up to date. USATF will publish race information as it becomes available.  A Zoom call is scheduled October 4 with the USATF Youth Chairs who will then disseminate that information to club coaches.  That information will be updated on the Join the Team page, shared on our Facebook team page, and also via email.

NOTE: A couple of thoughts going into nationals for families to consider: First, the 2021 USATF XC Junior Olympic race will also be in Lexington, Kentucky (2020 and 2021). Second, we will do our best to field full teams by age group and gender. The age divisions, which can be found online, are as follows:

• 8 & Under (born 2012 - present)

• 9-10 (born 2010-2011)

• 11-12 (2008-2009)

• 13-14 (2006-2007)

• 15-16 (2004-2005)

• 17-18 (2002-2003)

Please communicate with Coach Dave on whether or not your child will be participating in this national race. Taking into consideration all that is involved (i.e., travel, hotel, food, registration), if you wish to wait and see if we can field full teams (by age and gender), that is fine. RSVP by October 15 so everyone involved is on the same page (coaches, runners, parents). Whisper age and gender divisions should be near finalized by October 31. This will be a fluid and evolving process and your patience and input are appreciated.

Whisper Miles Challenge

INSTRUCTIONS

• Using this Excel spreadsheet, or your own method of tracking mileage, track your miles and keep this saved on a home computer or your phone.

• Upload your weekly mileage each Sunday between noon and midnight to the shared Whisper Miles Challenge - please only update the mileage between those times. Late uploads will not count.

  • Each participant will have access and editing privileges to the Whisper Miles Challenge Google Sheet. If they have not been granted access, please have them email or text me their email address so that I can get them added to the page.

• If you are local and taking part in this challenge, you must average at least one Whisper practice each week throughout the 18-week challenge.

• Although some runners may run more than 50-miles in a week, you cannot log more than 50-miles weekly onto the Google Sheet in any given week.

INTRODUCTION

When I reflect on my initial years of running distance, they really started around 2010.  Until then, I was a sprinter, a weightlifter, a CrossFitter, and leisure distance runner.  But that year, I took part in the Fleet Feet Half Marathon and ran rather well – 1:25.  Far from the elite level, but not too shabby for a former collegiate 400m runner.  Then came my first marathon in 2011, the Vancouver USA Marathon where I figured I would be a one-and-done marathoner.  But after the race, my wife said, “Wow!  You qualified for Boston!”  In hindsight, this meant we were going to Boston, which also meant I wasn’t done being a marathoner. 

All the while, I began following a guy on Instagram, who was running for a sincere cause with the goal of reaching 3000 miles in a year – of running!  250-miles per month, 57-miles per week, 8.2-miles per day.  Obviously, there will be days off, so the average per day goes up.  I attempted this fete in 2012, and again in 2013, only to fall short of something so simple – journaling my runs.  With a teaching schedule, everything is regimented during the academic year.  However, my wheels always fell off in June through August, when my only schedule was taking care of my littles.  I was still running, but not jouraling.  However, in 2014, something clicked.  I can’t put my thumb on it, but it was a collection of factors that ultimately led to the pursuit and accomplishment of running 3000+ miles in 2014.  Along the journey, I shared this goal with a class that I was teaching at Clark College.  Hunter Nelson, a student of mine at the time, and now friend, took heed in my goal, and then created his own, as you’ll see by his YouTube channel.  In January 2015, he and I bumped into one another in the halls of Clark College and he asked about the goal, and what my goal was for 2015.  When I informed him that I hadn’t thought of a 2015 goal, that the 2014 goal was quite large and that I wasn’t sure I could top it, his look of disappointment astounded me.  I needed to get back on the saddle, and the only goals I could come up with included some unfinished business that I had thought of in 2014, which included:

• Averaging 100 miles on each day of the year (adding the miles from each first day of the month, adding the miles from each second day of the month, and so on, with each of the days being at least 100+ accumulated miles.  The challenges came on the 31st day, of which there are only 6.

• Running 100 miles in a week.

• Running 1000 miles in 100 days.

• Averaging 9 miles/day for the year – a seed planted by a friend on Facebook who said about my 2014 accomplishment, “Dang!  That’s almost 9-miles per day!” – Ugh…

Along the way in 2015, I began creating more goals.  I had a few races here and there, but every day I was awoken by the balance of fear and challenge of another 3000-mile goal.  Could I check the boxes of the additional goals I’d created, or will they haunt me for the rest of my life?  And I mean this quite literally!

 As you’ll see in my 2015 running log, I not only ran more miles in 2015 than 2014, but I achieved 40 total goals for the year. Some goals I’d come up with on the fly, while others were originated before 2015.  Regardless, the accomplishment of something mysterious brings sincere joy and fulfillment to my life.  I am grateful that I not only tracked my miles, but that I also took mental notes of how the runs went for me.  My training wasn’t regimented, it was merely regular.  A regular, balanced approach, taking time off when needed, while at times, running when I didn’t want to run or had sore legs.  Knowing, or rather, learning when to take a day (or two) off, and accepting that some runs are going to be rather terrible, while other days are going to make it all worthwhile.  Like when I saw a golden shooting start as I ran westbound on SE 34th St in Camas at 6am or seeing a huge owl swoop down in front of me and land on a perch at Lacamas Trail at 5:30am. 

Running has also brought travels for myself and my family – we’ve run in the Disney World Dopey Challenge (5k on Thursday, 10k on Friday, half marathon on Saturday, full marathon on Sunday), the Washington DC marathon, Punta Cana half marathon, Boston Marathon, and Arizona half and full a few times.  It’s created memories and friendships, both for what I am forever grateful for, and what I look forward to most. 

Looking ahead to the months remaining in 2020, we have four months to make the most of an absent year of competing.  With no foreseeable races on the calendar, it’s time to come up with a goal that encompasses the individual, the groups we train with, and Team Whisper as a whole.  The accumulated mileage will come only from those presently training with Whisper in the fall months spanning September through December, and we will be tracked using the attached logging method and the old fashion Honest Policy.  I encourage each of the runners to use an Excel spreadsheet to begin tracking their own journey, making notes of their runs and tracking their mileage.  Frankly, I don’t track much, but when I look back on the mental notes that are found within each of the hidden columns on the sheet, those notes are what I smile about most.  Seeing all of the mediocre running days, followed by a few good days makes me realize that although I am 46-years old, I am also 46-years young.

DESIGNING A RUNNING PLAN

What should your child’s training look like between now and December 31?  With so many kids on the team, creating a one-size-fits-all model is a heavy task, so I’ll provide some general pointers:

• We run between 4-7 miles at most Whisper practices. 

• Teams Yellow and Green should only run 2-4 days per week, and be active on the others.

• Consistency is key.  Aim for a longer run on the weekend (Saturday or Sunday), and a mid-longer run in the middle of the week (between Tuesday-Thursday).

  • Teams Blue & Purple: 7-12-mile long run.

  • Teams Red & Green:  5-9-mile long run for most, although there are a couple who could go longer if desired.

  • Team Yellow: 3-5-mile long run.

• Building up a few weeks, then backing off:

  • Aim to have 2-4 consecutive weeks of building mileage (total mileage and longer runs), followed by a week of lower mileage.  This can come in the form of taking an additional day off, or decreasing total miles throughout each run for the week.

• Use the 3-5% method when increasing mileage.  A steady approach will keep their bodies healthy six-months down the road.  Jumping all-in at once will likely hinder recovery, leading to issues (six-months) down the road. Therefore, an increase in no more than 5% per week for 4-5 consecutive weeks should help them steadily adapt to the new mileage. After the 4-5 week build-up, they’ll want to decrease their mileage for a week to promote healthy recovery.

  • Note: with the increase in mileage, their body weight should remain the same. If they begin to lose weight, back off the mileage until their body weight returns to where it was at the start of this goal.

• Get to Whisper!  1-2 days each week should be the plan.  During the month of September, we will be doing a greater portion of cross-training to help strengthen muscles, some agility to continue stimulating the nervous system, and balance work for the same reason(s).  We will also be performing more flexibility and core work.

The Whisper Miles Challenge is set to begin on September 1.  If your child will not be regularly attending practices, please let me know so I can take that into account by adjusting the group members and mileage goal.  In other words, if a runner cannot attend an average of at least one Whisper practice each week, then they shouldn’t be included in this team event. You can see your child’s team by color, and teach teams mileage goal on the Google Sheet.  You’ll notice we are including a Virtual Team comprised of youth runners from around the United States. This is really an exciting opportunity for youth runners to connect with one another virtually - pretty exciting!

SUMMARY OF INSTRUCTIONS

• Using this Excel spreadsheet (same spreadsheet as above), or your own method of tracking mileage, track your miles and keep this saved on a home computer or your phone.

• Upload your weekly mileage each Sunday between noon and midnight to the shared Whisper Miles Challenge - please only update the mileage between those times. Late uploads will not count.

  • Each participant will have access and editing privileges to the Whisper Miles Challenge Google Sheet. If they have not been granted access, please have them email or text me their email address so that I can get them added to the page.

• If you are local and taking part in this challenge, you must average at least one Whisper practice each week throughout the 18-week challenge.

• Although some may run more than 50-miles in a week, you cannot log more than 50-miles weekly onto the Google Sheet.

Finally, this challenge includes three mileage goals per group - Bronze, Silver, and Gold. Some runners are mileage monsters, while some put their energy into speed training. This is okay! Focus on your personal and healthy mileage goals for the next 18-weeks, taking time off when needed, and allowing others to carry the load once in a while. Most importantly, have fun! Fun is what it’s all about! Though we hope to offer a prize at the end, the main objective is safety, fitness, and fun.

Sincerely,

Coach Dave

Sports Nutrition for the Serious Youth Athlete

I cringe at the thought of energy drinks, yet they are now commonplace in our society. My diet is not perfect, but limiting the amount of empty calories and processed foods that I consume helps me sustain some level of positive health.

This PDF was forwarded to me by a colleague whom I work with at Clark College. She’s been teaching food-related classes for over 10-years, has a realistic grasp on today’s youth and their challenge against the marketing and advertising schemes that permeate our society. The content includes sound information that caters to both the nerds and the laymen folk, and I hope it serves as a catalyst toward increasing insight into eating well, or even a shift in priorities toward what goes on the dinner table.

Enjoy!

Farewell to Danny

Danny came to Whisper as Daniel, a soft-spoken boy looking for a place to run and make friends.  I would say, he has accomplished both.  

A few days ago, I received word that Danny would be moving to Minnesota to be closer to family, and though it is better for him, it will be a painful loss to the Whisper family, and to me, personally.  Danny has softened my heart in a way that few runners can do.  He has taught me humility, drive, and furthered my nurturing spirit.  He has giving me life lessons that I cannot explain, only feel, and for that alone, I am forever in debt.  

When I think of Danny, three fond memories come to mind.  The first was at a track meet in Hillsboro at Liberty High School, when he was running the open 400m dash.  As he zipped around the first 100m, his teammates cheering him on and hollering his name, in Danny’s excitement, he emphatically raises his left arm into the air and pumps his fist.  You could see Danny’s excitement for the moment pouring out of him.  My second memory of Danny comes from the 2019 cross-county season, when cheering for him during the race, I said, “Great job, Danny!” and he actually replied with, “Thank you!”  Typically, runners are a bit more focused on the event at hand, but Danny remains rather even-keel, taking it all in.  But my favorite memory of Danny comes from his PE class at Laurin Middle School, where he was taking part in the Pacer Fitness Test with his peers.  As the assessment went on, Danny remained.  10 students turned into 5, then 3, then 2, then Daniel.  All the while, his peers cheering his name, “Daniel!  Daniel!  Daniel!”   

Danny has special needs, but he never actually needed anything.  Instead, it was the Godsend that I needed, to further soften my heart and remind me that running, a “no-cut sport,” truly is for everyone.

From the training days in Vancouver, to the competition days throughout the Pacific Northwest, Danny has brought us fond memories and life lessons for over 18 months.  People come and go out of our lives, but may we always remember the special ones who touch us in unspeakable ways.

Danny’s final Whisper practice will be Wednesday, August 5 from 8:50-10:20am. If you wish to bring a card or say goodbye, this will be the final opportunity to do so before he takes flight to Minnesota.