Saturday Seminar OHSU Sports Medicine Presentation (files)

Thank you to everyone who attended yesterdays seminar highlighting the most pressing topics concerning youth runners. The team of presenters from OHSU’s Sports Medicine department is so generous with their time, knowledge, and experience, and Whisper Running is fortunate to have them present annually, doing so on their own accord.

In the next week, presentations will be shared below, so be sure to come back throughout the week for updated materials.

• Social Media & Athletes, presented by Denice Praxidio.

• Hormone-Supportive Strategies for Enhancing Health & Performance, by Nikia Evans, MS, CSCS.

Click here for the brief video highlighting presenters and topics.

2024 FREE February Saturday Seminars

We are excited to announce the line-up for our FREE Saturday Seminars this February! Kicking off the seminars is Dr. Melissa Novak and her Sports Medicine team from Oregon Health and Science University! Dr. Novak's team will discuss Nutrition, RED-S / Athlete Triad, Hormones & Exercise, Sleep & Performance, and Social Media & Mental Health.

Nike professional ultra runner, Tyler Green, will highlight the second seminar on February 17, discussing his long-term approach to a successful running career. Tyler is an absolute beast, tackling some of the worlds toughest terrains! He finished 2nd at the Western States Endurance Run (2021, 2023), 7th at Ultra Trail du Mont Blonc (2023), 3rd at Transgrancanaria (2023), and several more top-3 performances that he will gladly share with you!

Finally, Heather Holly-Freitag of Options Abound, a college admissions specialist who will provide tips for navigating high school academic do's and don'ts, and college scouting. Both of my kids worked with Heather, and we (my wife and I) found her to be exceptionally informative, and the perfect supporter for our children's academic goals and pursuits. Heather hit a grand slam at last years seminar and we are thrilled to have her back!

Seminars take place in the Foster Auditorium at Clark College, starting at 10am, on their respective dates. See the Calendar for further details. Parents are highly encouraged to attend!

Coaches, if you are still reading this post, please forward this information to your team, as well as the parents of your athletes.

See you there!

How Junior Olympics works

Junior Olympics serve as a place where youth runners may extend their fall cross-country season along with other runners from around the region. As local middle and high school XC seasons conclude around the middle of October, club racing extends the season into the latter fall months. Once November arrives, it’s Junior Olympic season!

Junior Olympic meets go in order - PNW Association meet on November 11, which includes all club teams in western Washington. Next, the Region meet on November 18, which includes club teams from Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. Finally, the National meet on December 9, which includes teams from around the United States.

To participate in the PNW Association meet, runners may register through their team or as an individual. All runners must have a current USATF registration. If a runner is a part of a team, their coach is usually the one who handles race registration. If a runner races unattached, their parent is usually the one who handles race registrations. Whether registered by a coach or parent, all race registration goes through athletic.net.

All USATF registered youth runners are eligible to participate in the Association meet on November 11. From the Association meet, the top 35 individual finishers and top 5 teams advance to JO Regionals on November 18. From the Regional meet, the top 30 individual finishers and top 5 teams advance to JO Nationals.

Whisper has been fortunate to field both teams and individuals at the national meet since 2017, and we hope your child can join us in our pursuit of another year of great competition in a positive and inspiring atmosphere - USATF Junior Olympics!

See our Join the Team page for more information and to get started. Contact Coach Dave Caldwell with questions.

Thank you!

To be continued, by Serena Smith

Hey everyone! My name is Serena Smith, and I am from Vancouver, Washington. I started with Whisper Running back in 2016, and I was one of the first Pacers for Whisper Running during the summer of 2017. My journey after Whisper Running has been a beautiful and empowering experience. I ran cross country and track and field for Union High School, and around my junior year, I met Dave Caldwell, who played a big role in helping me be successful in running. He was the first person that really believed in me and supported me. Dave introduced me to sport psychology and showed me how it plays a very important role in running. 

In 2019, I attended Cal Poly Humboldt University in Arcata, California, where I continued to run cross country and track & field. Throughout all my years of running in college, it has been an enlightening and impactful experience. Running has taught me happiness and has allowed me to create beautiful friendships with teammates and make lifelong connections. 

In 2022, we had a cross country race at Willamette University, and this race was both one of the worst and best races I have experienced throughout my running career. This race is the main reason why running has taught me so much. Before every race, I write on my calf with a sharpie, “I can do all things through Christ that gives me strength”, as a way to motivate myself to keep pushing through the race when I want to give up. 

During this particular race, I blacked out while running, but even during my blackout, I kept running and finished the race. It was one of the scariest, but eye- opening experiences I ever had in life. I shared this experience with you all because we are all going to have bad races and not everything is going to go the way we want it to. The most important lesson that I learned from this experience is how I am going to pick myself up out of this situation and keep going. 

In Spring 2023, I graduated with a degree in kinesiology with an emphasis in pre-physical therapy. Also, during that time, I started the Black Student Athlete Union at Cal Poly Humboldt. I am the first person to create the Black Student Athlete Union at Humboldt. I started the union to provide a safe space on campus to connect, embody, and empower the next generation of Black student athletes, setting them up for success.

 Starting the union has opened so many new doors, and I have been blessed to have a great mentor, Douglas Smith, who is the coordinator of the Umoja Center for Pan African and Student Excellence at Cal Poly Humboldt. He has had a significant impact on my life, as I decided to pursue my master's in higher education. My goal is to work in a college and be part of the athletic department, providing resources for Black student athletes and advocating for them.

During this time, I was awarded through the Diverse Male Scholar Initiative at Cal Poly Humboldt University for being a woman of color on campus, who helped bring people of color together. Lastly, I work on campus at the Umoja Center for Pan African Student Excellence. 

Curiosity & Wonder

It's easy to get caught up in where you think you belong, and last night was the perfect example of this.  I often tell the team that complacency is a dangerous place to be in running - thinking you belong in a place because that's where you've always been.  "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always be what you've always been," is a quote by Henry Ford, something I share often with the team. 

A prime example of this played out last night between Nolan (red shirt/shorts) and Jackson (gray Adidas shirt).  Historically, Nolan has always been a step ahead of Jackson in practices and races, and again during our workout last night.  Similar to the elephant tied to a stake from a young age believing it could never break free, runners often believe they belong in a certain place on the team because they've never experienced anything different.  Last night we put this to the test.  The group was running 200m repeats (if you've been with Whisper for any length of time, you know the workout) between 38-47s, with Nolan running 44s and Jackson running 46-47s.  Upon starting, the group would immediately get strung out before the turn, each finding "their place" within the group.  On one of the middle intervals in the third set, I pulled Nolan and told him my theory - that pulling him might make Jackson stay more connected with the front runners, and instead of the group being strung out by 20-meters, they remain closer together. Low and behold, it worked.  Jackson ran 41-seconds!  Nolan seemed shocked - realizing that he, like Jackson, was running with complacency - merely staying ahead of someone he felt he was faster than, rather than pushing himself to his potential, for consistently better results.

To ensure this pattern didn't happen again, I asked Lucas and Jackson to run together, and Charlie and Nolan to run together.  In pairs, they ran the next five 200m intervals in opposite directions around the track at the sound of "Ready, go," and the kids ran consistently faster, 36-39s.  

If you always do what you've always done, you'll always be what you've always been.  Like I told Seamus at last race, I want my runners to feel a sense of vulnerability when they race.  Taking a risk, testing their limits, pushing their body beyond their safety zone, exploring a new pace, balancing fear and wonder in the safe confines of a 3k/5k.   Again, balancing fear and wonder.

My words of encouragement to all of the runners reading this post is to remain curious as you explore yourself as a runner, embracing fear as an ally, and wonder like a child. 

The image to the right is of Grayson, my son, admiring the painting on the ceiling of the Washington Capitol.  Anytime I think of the words Curiosity and Wonder, I think of this picture.  The picture is a prime example of being intellectually curious in a low-pressure setting.  This is the same sort of curiosity I encourage in challenging practices and racing.  Out of the womb, animals, humans included, are naturally curious beings.  Sustaining this level of curiosity is vital for optimal growth and development, in running and beyond!

The Ultimook experience never fails!

Having just finished the early middle school races of Ultimook on Saturday, Josh Christensen, Head Coach of McNary HS XC, asked how the course was prior to start of the high school divisions. I responded, “Fast!” I didn’t know how fast until I got home and reviewed the results.

The Whisper boys wrapped up the middle school division finishing second to a fine team out of Portland. Our boys were led by last years Ultimook champion, Cooper, and teammate Payten. Together they powered through the course, first to the mud pit, then to the water crossings. They were 1-2 at the 2k mark, and finished 1-3 in the end. Cooper ran an incredible 10:44, 8 seconds faster than his winning 2022 time, but this time finished third.

Hands down, the performance of the day goes to Payten, who set a course record on his way to victory, running 10:32. Keep in mind, the course distance is a 3k, with a mud pit and two water crossings!

Whisper has had the fortune of racing Ultimook annually since 2017. Ultimook’s inception was in 2012. In the seven years participating in Ultimook, Whisper now has three boys in the top-5 of Ultimook’s 12-year history - Payten (1) and Cooper (5), and Sam Soto (3) in 2020, a year in which no mud pit was included in the race for social distancing purposes.

The girls side was just as impressive. Never before in the history of the Ultimook race has a female middle school runner broken 12-minutes in the 3k course. That was, until Saturday. Sofía, like Payten, broke the Ultimook course record by running a blistering 11:53.04, .02 seconds ahead of third place finisher, Lilly of Enterprise Running Club. Though Sofía broke the course record, shockingly, she placed second behind Cassidy of Timerhill Harriers. The top three girls were .4 seconds apart, or about the length of time it takes to blink your eyes. Charlie, of Whisper, was in the mix in the final 1k, finishing fourth overall with a time of 12:13. Charlie’s time would have been third all-time on the Ultimook course, but this years top crop set a new standard, and 12:13 now ranks her sixth all-time.

Collectively, Whisper now has three female performers in the top-6 at Ultimook. Sofía is second, Daphne (2020) a junior at Skyview is fourth, and Charlie is sixth.

STILL CONTEMPLATING CLUB?

For runners on the fence, still wondering if they’d like to run club cross country this fall, here are some stats that you may consider. As good as our front runners were on Saturday, our average 3k time for the girls on Saturday was 16:03, and the qualifying time for USATF JO Nationals was around 12:30 for the 11-12 girls in 2022. The 3k qualifying time was around 11:20 for the 11-12 boys in 2022, who averaged 13:36 on Saturday. Runners in the 13-14 age group run the 4k distance at Junior Olympics. The converted average to the 4k distance from Saturday’s/Utlimook’s 3k distance was 21:26 for the girls, and the typical qualifying time to get to nationals hangs around 16-minutes. For the boys converted 3k to 4k, 18.08 would be the average 4k time using Ultimook’s 3k distance. The average qualifying time from regionals, qualifying for nationals in 2022, 14:15. If you are intimidated by the use of the word “Club” or words “Junior Olympics,” I tell our runners this: a course is a course is a course. Once the gun goes off, it’s all the same, whether you are wearing a Whisper singlet, or other. Come join the fun with Whisper this fall! You won’t regret it!

Joining the Team Q & A

HOW DO I REGISTER MY CHILD TO RACE?

First, register them with USATF and Whisper (see the instructions on the Join the Team page).  Meet registrations typically close one week prior to the meet date, so expect an email two weeks prior to a meet seeking RSVP’s.  For example, if a meet is on October 15, the meet host may close registration by October 8.  Therefore, an email will be sent to team parents by October 1, for the October 15 meet, seeking RSVPs by Oct 7, so we have time to get kids registered, and the host coach can get organized for the meet. 

CAN MY CHILD RUN WITH WHISPER AND THEIR MIDDLE SCHOOL / HIGH SCHOOL TEAM?

If your child is in high school, then they cannot train or race with Whisper until their HS season has concluded.  If they are in HS but not participating in XC or TF, then they may train with Whisper, but not compete.  An example of this is if a female athlete plays HS soccer in the fall, meanwhile trains with Whisper in the fall to remain in shape for spring track.

If your child is in middle school or elementary school, they can participate in training and/or racing with Whisper during their season.  This is very common.

WHEN IS THE FIRST RACE (WHEN CAN MY CHILD BEGIN)?

The first XC race of the season is Ultimook, on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend. If your child cannot race Ultimook, no problem, they may join us in another meet down the road. Middle school XC typically concludes in mid-October, so if your child would prefer to start running with Whisper then, that is okay!

DO RUNNERS RACE IN ALL OF THE RACES ON THE SCHEDULE?

They may, but they certainly do not have to race in all the meets.  We typically have 8-12 meets per season.  Some runners run 1-2 regular season meets, then Junior Olympics, while other runners run all the meets.  It really depends on the commitment your child may have to other sports and activities.

HOW WILL I KNOW IF MY CHILD IS REGISTERED?

Once you have communicated to Coach Dave (email or text) that your child is available to race in a specific race, he will reply indicating your child is registered for said race. Early in the week leading up to the race, he will send an email to all of the registered parties with general meet information. Double-checking/Confirming that your child is registered is encouraged.

WHAT ARE THE REGISTRATION COSTS?

RACING: USATF registration is $33 and is good for the calendar year.  Whisper registration is $29 and is good for the season.  Races are paid as we go, and rates vary depending on the meet.  Race registrations are typically $20-30 per race.

TRAINING: There is no registration for training.  Most often, kids train using a Runcard or an Annual Training Membership. 

• Runcards are $149 in the spring and fall, $189 in the winter and summer, and are good for eight sessions.  Once your child reaches the seventh session, an update about your child’s progress will be sent via email, along with an update on the Runcard, at which time you may purchase a new Runcard. 

• Annual Training Memberships are a one-time purchase for training that spans 365 days.  It's much more economical, and good for kids who wish to fully commit to training for both track and XC.  Annual Training Membership registration is based on estimated contact hours.

  • Grade 3-7: $1,599 per year

  • Grade 8: $1,299 per year

  • Grade 9-12: $999 per year

• Whisper does offer Winter Training and Summer Training packages for middle school and high school runners, which are typically $499 for nine weeks.

HOW MUCH IS A UNIFORM?

Uniforms consist of a top (singlet) and bottom (shorts).  Uniforms are free to borrow for the season, and unreturned uniforms are $129.  Warm-ups, which consist of an Adidas zip-up jacket and sweat bottoms, are $149 for the set and yours to keep.  Returned warm-ups may be borrowed to runners for the season.

WHAT ARE THE JUNIOR OLYMPICS?

The regular season consists of 7-10 meets in September and October.  These meets are typically for middle school-age runners, but you’ll often find elementary age runners racing in these same races.  Regular season meets that Whisper participates in are within 2-hours of Vancouver.

Junior Olympics commence the post-season, and typically begin on the second Saturday in November.  There are three JO races, starting with the Association Meet, then the Region Meet, and finally Nationals.  The Association Meet consists of teams from western Washington.  The Region Meet includes teams from Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, and is on the weekend after the Association Meet.  The National Meet can be anywhere in the nation, falls on the second Saturday in December, and typically rotates annually between western, central, and eastern states. Junior Olympic races are divided into age divisions (U8, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, 15-16, 17-18). 

IS THERE A DEADLINE BY WHICH MY CHILD SHOULD REGISTER FOR JUNIOR OLYMPICS? 

The worthwhile answer is that race registration closes approximately one week prior to the first JO meet.  Your first step will be to register your child with USATF ($33), being sure to upload a copy of their birth certificate for age verification purposes.  Plan to have your child registered by November 2.  Registering your child after November 1, ensures your child will have a valid registration through the end of the following year (membership is good for 14 months).  If you register your child prior to November 1, then their membership will only be good for the rest of the calendar year.  Be sure to let Coach Dave know of their interest in participating in the Junior Olympics, so he can keep you up to date with general information (i.e., travel, overnight plans, meet information) before registering with USATF. 

The short answer is November 1.  Runners will need to be registered with USATF ($33) and Whisper ($29).

CAN RUNNERS PRACTICE AND NOT RACE?

Of course!  This happens a lot with runners who are more committed to other sports but wish to gain skills or stamina through running training.  However, don’t be surprised if Coach Dave continues to encourage your child to race – it’s fun!

To be continued, by Chris Amato

As I began my evening run down the Centennial Trail, my old training habits from years of competitive running kicked in: checking my watch, ensuring my pace was correct, and keeping my stride even and smooth.  I worked my way through downtown Spokane, staying close to the river and observing the nighttime bustle that was all too familiar on Friday nights.  As I circled back through the city, headed back to my apartment on campus, I realized that while I loved my time competing during high school, my interests had shifted once I entered college.  Instead of using running as a method of competition, it became more therapeutic and comforting, a way to reduce the stress of a busy week at school filled with assignments and exams.  My life has completely changed since I left for school, and using running as a method of relaxation has helped me countless times during the last three years.  This realization has led me to an activity that, before college, I had no idea I would enjoy in the slightest. 

Chris, along with his sister, Lauren, at the USATF Junior Olympic Cross-Country Opening Ceremonies on December 7, 2018.

Over the last three years, during our summer breaks, me and my friends from high school plan a backpacking trip to different places in the Pacific Northwest.  Backpacking presents some of the same challenges as running, including the constant pain that is present during a 10K or a half marathon, but it also provides many new challenges.  Before these trips, I had no idea how to camp, clean and filter water, and monitor my intake of water and calories to ensure that I could continue hiking.  More surprisingly, despite how difficult running competitively can be with sprint workouts, long runs, and tough races, I have found backpacking to be just as difficult, but equally rewarding.  These trips have led me to some of the most beautiful places in our area, and I have found that the more challenging the trip, the more beautiful and rewarding the views seem to be. 

Last summer, our chosen destination was Mount Hood, and we planned a three day trip that would see us completely circle the mountain.  This was by far the most difficult activity I have ever done, as it required walking through hours of heat and sore legs to reach our goal.  However, I also saw some of the most beautiful scenery and captured some amazing moments, and it reminded me that, unlike my competitive running experience, I can stop to enjoy the moments instead of being focused purely on results.  Instead of pushing to reach the finish line, I can enjoy the moments along the way there, and reach it in due time.  This mentality has transferred to my college experience, as on top of working towards my finance degree and a job following graduation I have made sure to cherish the experiences and memories along the way. 

Me (right) and friends during our circumnavigation of Mt Hood, 2022.

The Brief Psychology of Lane Placement

Grayson, Lane 8, participating in the final heat of the WIAA State Meet on May 27, 2023.

Imagine the 400m dash being run in a straight line. Exhilarating!

With Grayson and Josh hashing-out their final 400m together in the prelims of the WIAA State Track & Field Meet last weekend, I couldn't help but reflect on the countless times I've considered lane selection as a potential influence of outcomes. This was to be their final meeting of their high school careers, with Josh graduating from Camas High School the following month. Courtesy of the governing rules, Josh was slated to run in lane three, and Grayson would be running in lane six. The runners between them in lanes four and five were regular sub-50 second runners in the open 400m, heavy favorites of this event.

Whether a simple dual meet, or state championships, I often wonder if there are any psychological advantages of inside, middle, or outside lanes in the 200m and 400m races. Based on some light browsing on the internet, and sifting through a few articles, it appears that lane selection has no significance on outcomes, and if there is any advantage at all, it would be to run in an outer lane in the 200m, as doing so takes less energy to run on a wider curve. The open 400m has seen no statistical advantage, although the 2016 Rio Olympics produced a shocking result in the open 400m dash - from lane eight.

One thing we continuously focus on at Whisper is setting personal running goals. Race goals are supported best by practice goals, and prescribed practice intervals along with markers placed at regular distances help kids learn to govern their pace. Two time medalist, Enefiok Udobong contends, "If you have been trained to self pace and work on yourself, you will not be bothered about lane placement."

It's fun to discuss, and undoubtedly track enthusiasts have certainly bantered about this topic for years. To consider the role Nature v Nurture may play, or Fight or Flight, add additional layers in the factors that influence outcomes. No matter the outcome, no matter who wins or loses, or from what lanes they participate, one thing that is important to remember, is on any given day, any one runner may be beat - or win! Run a race 10 times and get 10 different results.

Standing on the Shoulders of the Best

I'd never heard the expression "Standing on the shoulders" of another person before a morning Zoom call last Friday. From the context, I had narrowed the expression down to learning from others, and blending that wisdom into your current practice.

Following this past Saturday’s meet in at Rex Putnam High School in Oregon, I received a text from Amy, the mother of Eva, who captured on video a moment of her daughters 1500m race, where I can be seen encouraging the girls to sustain pace through the emotional rigor of the moment. Running is hard, but when trained well, a good race should feel right. Difficult, but right. Difficult, but slightly easier when supported by those who are equally invested in the athletes potential. This is what I learned from Coach Larry Beatty, the head coach at Spokane CC, who I coached under for six years before taking on the head coaching responsibilities at Mt. Hood CC in Gresham, Oregon in 2022.

Larry had a perfect blend of coaching. His heartfelt passion touched the lives of so many, and still does to this day. He was a wizard at creating the perfect workouts, balancing the physical with the mental, leading to the perfect racing crescendo as the season would come to a close. The way he could speak to everyone in the room, his motivational tactics were unparalleled, or as one of his former athletes said on a November 4, 2022 Instagram reply post, “When you talk about influencers, he is on the top.” I’ll add, it’s not even close.

Larry, now retired from coaching, had a way of encourging his athetles throughout their race. You’d see it occassionally in practice, but at races, especially big races, his passion for extracting the best from a runner was apparent. He knew splits, he knew his athletes potential, more impressive he even knew the competitions potential, and he knew how to press the right buttons at just the right time.

Before Larry, I’d never observed a manner of coaching such as this in the sport of running, but to be fair, when I first met Larry, I likely wasn’t mature enough to observe what I have come to know as the only way to coach. Rather than remain idly by, I have a need to feel as much a part of the action as my runners. To talk them through another lap at an uncomfortable pace, to read their body language and facial expressions, to get a front row seat at assessing their gate and posture, only to provide the perfect feedback for the moment - all of which Larry was masterful.

As the season gets underway, I am thrilled to lead our small group of committed Whisper runners into the unknown. I am grateful for the handful of runners who trust the process, see a vision for themselves, and fearfully go into the emotionally dark places that running brings. I do this from the shoulders of coaches of the past, most notably Larry, who I am fortunate to remain in contact to this day.