How a XC Season Works

I have been answering excellent questions pertaining to the cross-country season ahead, so I figured it would be appropriate to share some of these answers on a broader scale

REGULAR SEASON:

There are eight (8) regular season XC meets on the schedule. For a few reasons, the Richland Invite will be removed from our schedule tonight, unless there is an uptick in interest. The main two reasons for removing this meet are, 1) there is a local meet the day before that is also on the schedule, and 2) there is an out of town (Seattle) meet during the regular season for those needing the out-of-town-fix. Keeping in mind the post-season (Junior Olympics) has up to three out of town races, I’d prefer to keep the Rust Buster (Sept 29) on the calendar, and possibly run the Richland Invite in 2025 (swap races each season). Pending input, a decision will be made by tomorrow morning. Our meet schedule for 2024 XC includes:

  • Sat, Sept 7, Ultimook: 9:00am girls, 9:30am boys

  • Sat, Sept 14, Ash Creek: 8:00am girls, 8:25am boys

  • Sat, Sept 21, Three Course Challenge, 9:30am boys, 9:40am girls (meet info)

  • Sun, Sept 29, WSRR Rust Buster: first race for us at 10:50am, final race is at 1:20pm

  • Fri, Oct 11, Rose City Championship: 11:10am 2k Elementary, 11:30 3k MS Boys, 12:00pm 3k MS Girls

  • Sat, Oct 19, Halloween Dash Bash: B/G 2k at 9:30am, final race at 11:15am

  • Sun, Nov 3, Stumptown: 1:00pm to 3:00pm, four races

  • Sat, Nov 16, USATF Junior Olympic Associations: 2k starts, usually around 9am. See the Calendar for updates.

  • Sat, Nov 23, USATF Junior Olympic Regionals: 2k starts, usually around 9am. See the Calendar for updates.

  • Sat, Dec 7, AAU Junior Olympic Nationals:

PRIORITIZING RACES TO ATTEND: Runners may choose which race(s) to attend. This is usually based on family/child schedules. While some programs have a firm stance on requiring participating every week, I take a different approach in an effort to increase an intrinsic desire to run - a long-term approach to running. Essentially, leaving the choice up to the runner, not the coach, similar to how I approach training - they know when they practice or race, they will improve.

I have prioritized five races (in bold above) that I believe provide the greatest value to a runner by balancing the fun-challenge experience. If your child wants to race all that is on the schedule - great! If they can only race a few, that is fine as well. See Junior Olympics below.

SOLICITING INTEREST: Meet entries are due sometime between Sunday and Wednesday of the week leading up to the race - entry due dates/times are up to the each meet director. Therefore, you can anticipate an email from me approximately two weeks from any given race. For example, Ultimook registration closes next Wednesday, and I am asking parents to RSVP before Tuesday, September 3, so I have time to ensure the registration of all of the interested runners. Since Ultimook is free to all Whisper kids, there is no meet fee due on your end. If there is a meet registration fee, then it’s usually $25, and I will include a link to pay, or you may pay via Venmo, whichever is most convenient.

Uniforms will be distributed next week for Ultimook, which runners may use for the season. Warm-ups will be ordered mid-September, in time for races in October.

The online Calendar was updated moments ago and includes meet information such as race start times, locations, etc. NOTE: I get all of our information from what the coaches provide on athletic.net. If you come across anything that doesn't match, or if you have more questions, please ask. I will update the Seattle meet on Sept 29 , with lodging information this week, and Junior Olympic lodging by mid-September.

RACE DAY: Runners should arrive at the race venue 75-minutes before the start of their race, taking into consideration drive and parking time. Upon arrival, the Whisper canopy will be set-up for you/runners to come to, pick up their bib, have a light snack (click here if you would like to sign-up to bring snacks), and hang out until the warm-up begins, which is usually 50-minutes prior to race time.

HOW JUNIOR OLYMPICS WORKS:

Association Race: Age groups are U8, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, 15-16, 17-18 and divided by gender. Anyone can race. The top-5 teams and top-30 individuals qualify for the Regional Race. Our Association (#310) is the Pacific NW division, which consists of western Washington teams.

Teams consist of 5-8 runners (top-5 runners for each team score), so if runners 4-8 finish outside of the top-30, they still advance to Regionals if the team finishes in the top-5. If we have 10 runners, 8 will be placed on a team, and 2 will run individually. The top-8 runners (of the 10) will advance to Regionals. If we have 12 runners, we will likely divide into two teams for that age division to maximize the opportunity for multiple teams to advance to Regionals.

Regional Race: Runners who met the qualification standards for this race may participate. The top-5 teams and top-35 individuals qualify for the National Race. Our Region consists of teams from Oregon, Washington, and Idaho.

National Race: I usually arrive on Thursday and depart on Monday, but most families travel Friday-Sunday.

We will have a team hotel for each of the races, but families may stay anywhere they wish. There is always an effort to eat dinner as a team the night before an away meet. If the dining venue allows, parents may dine with the team. Stay tuned for more information on travel, lodging, dining, and more.

Jason Hagen, Lake to Bay 100k Ultramarathon Finisher Report

Lake to Bay 100K “Relay” Report–Team Me, Vancouver, Washington, July 6th, 2024

This was my first ultramarathon over 50 miles and my first really long run under high heat. It was over 90 by noon and topped out at 99 around 5pm. I had to throw every little trick in my growing book to keep myself moving forward without physically burning out, since my heat training is pretty limited. Most of my training occurs at 4 or 5am on the daily. So, I rolled with what I theoretically knew about completing long distances while staying cool and luckily things worked out. My theoretical knowledge comes from studying what folks do to successfully complete Badwater, which is a 135 mile ultrarun through Death Valley in July. 

 My biggest concern was heat exhaustion. Once the heat was above 90, I was drinking about 120 ounces of liquid every 10 miles while having no perceivable sweat (only a bit of residual salt) and without peeing for ~30 miles. So that was weird. A little surprising. It felt like my kidneys basically went on vacation and said, “Dude, whatever the hell you’re doing, we don’t want anything to do with it. Good luck. We’re out.”   

While I felt good throughout, I walked more than I probably needed to out of an abundance of caution. My primary goal was to finish.

Overview of Pre-Race Training. Coros 100k, but I did about x4 the long weekend splits recommended, meaning five weekends in total with back-to-back 20 miles-to-marathons on Saturday/Sunday or I’d do a 50k on Saturday and a Half-marathon on Sunday. Sometimes, I’d mix it up with long bike rides up to 100 miles. The miles are not as relevant as the time at about 2.5 to 4 hour blocks for building aerobic endurance. I often prefer longer than this to understand what my body needs to keep going, so I’d sometimes be active for a good part of a day with AM/PM splits (say, 15 miles AM/10 miles PM or 10 miles AM and cycle 50 miles PM). My goal was not to just finish 100k but to do so “comfortably.” I enjoy doing these things but I’m very careful these days. (I traumatized myself many years ago by running a 50 mile ultra at close to a 8 mpm marathon pace. I took 4th but suffered severe exhaustion, hallucinations and never wanted to do it again. So now I try to take it easy and enjoy the ride.)    

Strategies While Running 100k

Heart Rate Consistency. Zone 2 running with recovery to Zone 1: For me, this meant staying around 120-135 bpm with recovery to under 110 bpm with intermittent walks after mile 5, approximately 30 seconds every mile or so. The time for the walks ended up scaling to the heat, getting longer as the day got hotter. The timing for walks eventually went out the window and I walked when I felt like it, targeting 15-16 mpm power walks.  

Drinking Constantly. This was mainly Tailwind or Electrolit mixed with Redbull, carrying about 60 ounces and refilling with water or Gatorade at exchanges. Race organizers wisely dropped some out there for me, thankfully, and I ended up needing that.  

Consistently Eating. This was Gu every 30-45 minutes, even if I didn’t want any or felt like it. The trick is to stay way, way ahead of the bonk curve.  

Solid Food. This was at my planned Meet Points with my wife and her dad, starting at the 20 mile mark at the Salmon Creek Trailhead and then every 10th mile thereafter, so at mile 20, 30, 40, 50. This was a bottle of Chocolate milk, a bottle of Ensure Plus (350 calories), a small tortilla filled with peanut butter, bananas, crunched up Reese's pieces and maple syrup, as well as a whole banana and some grapes. The target here was high caloric intake, easy to digest.   

 Staying Cool. I wore white and carried ice water in a cycling bottle and doused my back and chest every few minutes. For my head, I’d squirt some in my baseball cap and put it back on.

Sunscreen. Every Meet Point and lotion on my shoulders and arms every now and then.  

Overall I ended up taking a lot longer than intended, especially with a few wrong turns (my bad), but I felt comfortable throughout and was able to finish. I still feel pretty good the day after. A little stiff. It’s a little hard to walk down the stairs, for instance, but I otherwise feel normal. (For those who are curious, in reference to the below stat, 7,500 calories is about 20 hamburgers or 5 large pizzas, just FYI.)

Yours Truly,

The Ultra Guy Out There – Jason

Summer Training - General guidelines to training at Whisper

HS: High School, MS Middle School, ES Elementary School

Welcome to Summer Training! Since 2017, Whisper has offered a comprehensive summer training program for the youth of Clark County and beyond. We offer running training for sprinters, distance runners, and hurdlers, and we will likely spend time on the horizontal jumps.  This summer is shaping up to be our largest field of runners ever, so coordinating who attends on which days is very important.

Each training day we will divide into smaller training packs so that similarly skilled runners will be able to remain in packs together.  Groups are created by age, ability, fitness, and speed.  It may take a couple of weeks to sort the runners into appropriate packs, but by week three, runners should know which group they are in (sprints, distances).  Often, a runner believes they are a sprinter, when in fact, they might be a better middle distance or distance runner, but they’ve never been encouraged to explore these options.  Spotting these runners is what we do as coaches, and by the end of the summer, runners will have gained the confidence to train in the group their body is designed for.

Committed runners should train at least two days each week at Whisper.  Some runners may train up to five days each week, but in doing so, will train in different groups throughout the week, balancing their training between the sprints, distances, and even the hurdles.

WHAT DAYS SHOULD RUNNERS ATTEND?

Like anything in life, if you want to improve in something, consistency is key. Running is no different. Committed runners should attend a minimum of two days each week.

  • Mature Distance Runners: Stronger runners (runners who can run an 8-minute mile without stopping, or a 25-minute 5k) are typically of MS and HS age. Some ES age runners might be able to run an 8-minute-mile, but on days we venture out for a 4–6-mile tempo run, everyone must remain together for safety reasons. While Whisper usually has 2-3 dedicated pacers/coaches to the distance group, we cannot have a lone runner falling behind. On long runs we do get strung out, but the goal is to be able to remain in packs along the run. For mature distance runners, Monday’s, Wednesday’s, and Fridays are the best days to attend. If mature runners attend on Tuesday, they may perform the Monday workout (if they did not perform it on Tuesday) or meet with fellow runners to venture out for an easy run.

  • Young Distance Runners: Typically, of ES and MS age, Tuesday’s, Wednesday’s, and Thursdays are committed to younger runners. Tuesday’s will be the same workout as Monday’s, but with slower paces and less volume (fewer intervals/meters run). Because the volume is lower for this group, they may attend Wednesdays for sprint training, and Thursdays for another workout. It cannot be stressed enough that mixing up the speeds (sprint and distance training) is one of the most important factors in developing a complete (and very good) distance runner.

  • Sprinters: Practices for those who run the sprint distances will be offered on Monday’s, Wednesday’s, Thursday’s, and Friday’s.  Sprint training is for multi-sport athletes, and track athletes who run the 100m, 200m, and 400m.  Much of the exercises within speed training are ideal for distance runners too, so you’ll often find distance runners performing conditioning work with the sprint group.  You’ll also find younger, underdeveloped runners working with the sprint group due to their lesser developed bodies and their need for neuromuscular development.

  • Friday’s: All Friday practices begin with a 1.25-mile hilly warm-up to the training destination that includes more hills.  Hill training is great for power and an excellent substitute for speed/interval training.  Round Lake offers pristine training grounds with a tree canopy that offers cool shade on hot summer days.  Most of the kids should be able to handle Fridays because the trail to and from the preferred training destination is out and back (we take the same trail, so the kids can always see another runner in front of them).

  • Hurdlers: Tuesday’s will include hurdle training for some MS and HS runners.

  • Cross-Training: Weightlifting and stretching will be part of the program every day, and I am working with a local school to acquire pool time starting June 26.

At this time, practices are scheduled 9-11am.  Because of the large number of kids, we will likely go beyond 11am, Mondays-Thursdays.  The first half of every practice session will be dedicated to running, while the second half will be dedicated to cross-training.  Cross-training  (weightlifting, stretching, aqua jogging, etc.) is an essential component of running, sustaining and prolonging a runner’s career.  Practice times may go until 11:30am, but you may pick up your child at the initial pick-up time.

WHIPSER LITTLES:

A new addition to Summer Training is the Whisper Littles program, a session devoted to kids between the ages of 5-7.  Sessions will be led by Coach Alan Weist and will include games and running-related activities to promote fun, health, and wellness.  Sessions will be Monday’s, 9-10:30am.  If we get more than 12 Littles, then we may extend the finish time to 11am. Keep in mind that Whisper offers club cross-country in the fall, and there is a U8 division for runner between the ages of 6-8.  More information will be available in July about fall club XC.

 

A dose of this, a pinch of that, and voila – we have Grit!

I have been teaching in the Health and Physical Education department at Clark College since April 2003.  Because my schedule wasn’t busy enough, I took on additional teaching duties at Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham last fall, teaching a similar curriculum. I made it through fall 2023 unscathed, and this term, took on two more classes: Beginning and Intermediate Weightlifting and Introduction to Sport Psychology.

Upon learning I would be teaching Sport Psych, and having not taught the class since the early 2000’s, I quickly ordered the 8th Edition of Foundations of Sport & Exercise Psychology and put my studies into high gear.  I’ve heard the expression “chasing a bus with the bus is pulling away” before, and this is my present mode, even five weeks into the winter term.

Last week, we came upon the topic of Grit and Mental Toughness in Chapter 3: Personality & Sport.  Mind you, the weeks leading up to this chapter skimmed the surface of the basics in psychology – Nature v Nurture, Hierarchy of Needs, Pavlov’s Dog(s) – some the good stuff Sport Psychology is rooted in.

Coincidentally, in November 2023, I had considered the topic of Grit for the December Newsletter, but time got the best of me, so I never put fingers to keyboard.  Fast forward two months, and here I sit, with the dense book sitting my lap.  Before digging into the content on Grit and Mental Toughness, I can’t help but wonder what the conventional recipe is for these essential mental factors in running. 

Finally opening to page 50, I see a column dedicated to Grit, which leans on books and studies to explore the topic.  Duckworth & Quinn (2009) state that grit, “involves maintaining interest and effort while strenuously working toward goals and challenges despite facing adversity, failure, and slow progress.”   Cormier (2019) suggests grit is domain specific – the more someone enjoys a particular hobby or sport, the more emotional and physical investment they will practice.

Mental Toughness has similar characteristics – enhanced ability to focus, rebound from failure, ability to cope with pressure, persistence, and resilience.  The text goes on to cite research which suggests, “creating a positive motivational practice environment and intense competitive practices, creating simulations (pressure), setting specific goals, providing instruction and supportive feedback, building confidence through rigorous physical preparation and conditioning, enhancing attentional control through self-statements, and making appropriate attributions for success and failure.”

A dose of this, a pinch of that, and voila – we have Grit!

It’s not that easy.  Relationships must be formed, compassion must be present, meeting runners where they are at, truly believing in them, making them feel welcomed to the team, and having a place for play and fun.

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.

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.