Palmyra Invite and Runathon Recaps

The early season heat didn't subdue the feeling of fall in the air as the 2021 cross country season officially kicked off last Thursday.  The men put in a big week of training with the focus on being on growth as a team through the season.  Workouts and races are all used as part of the learning process in becoming better racers and a better team.  Thursday brought a great opportunity to get back to racing and in both races the men were able to take home first place.

In the first race, the field was a bit smaller but the Hale men were focused internally on our own race plan and put in great efforts nonetheless.  Sam Walder went out near the front and kept his teammates close behind on the pedal.  Deven got out aggressive and we LOVED that.  These are the meets we look for athletes to take risks and show courage in challenging themselves.  It is risks and failing that bring about improvement.  If Deven continues to take those types of risks in practices and meets, great things will happen.  While he fell back a bit this week, Mikey and Dylen were able to come back up on Sam and form a pack of three.  Mikey kept fighting and ultimately finished as our top scorer with Sam and Dylen right behind him.  For his effort in staying with the pack, Mikey earned athlete of the week.  This has been stressed a lot at practice, to give yourself a chance to stay latched on with teammates as although you'll experience discomfort in the short term, ultimately you'll be rewarded with the energy of your teammate.

Chase Witty and Deven rounded out the team scoring.  A shout out as well to Elijah Sayeg for completing his first 5k and putting in positive work his first two weeks.  We look forward to watching him improve!

In the 2nd race the men experienced a quick start with Carson leading the Huskies out.  Collin and Alex stayed right off his pace while Jack and Parker created a bit of work for themselves early but were positioned ready to move up.   We sent just five men to the line, so all of them knew they would be needed for scoring.  Alex found himself in 5th place on his 2nd lap entering the woods and was able to focus ahead seeing 1st place not too far ahead.  Coming out of the woods Alex was in 2nd place and finished 3rd overall in a tight battle.  Collin was able to finish strong as well after feeling fatigued coming off a great Tuesday workout and Monday double.  He is a guy who will do well off a restful Sunday and reap huge gains from the great week.  He finished with a great runathon Saturday to boot.  

Jack Hutter was our 3 man and ran a solid first race.  He has made huge strides with some great training and is now working on improving the pace to go off his already strong aerobic capacity.  Carson Shane, who took the race out, fought back late to help his team garner a lower score toward the victory and earned runner of the week for this.  Parker Szura rounded out our 5 man scoring and didn't have his best race but is fit and ready to surprise a lot of people this year.

The team finished the busy week with a Runathon Saturday night.  We faced some adversity at first with the lights not being able to get on, but we were patient and ready to find a way to overcome any obstacles.  The night turned out to be a great success and we thank all the parents who came to be involved with it!  

Donations to our Runathon will be due by Thursday's practice.  Make any checks payable to 'Nathan Hale Boy's Cross Country'.  Athletes can turn the money into me.

Below are the meet results and Runathon results so you can use for lap donations!  Let me know if you have any questions on that.  


2021 Hale XC Results.

2021 Runathon Results
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Betz Invitational this week!

Meet information and lineups can be found here -  Betz Invitational

​This is our home invitational and it's a 20 team invite.  It's one of the best invitationals in the state every year and we look to put on a great meet.  With that, any parent help is appreciated and we have some simple jobs if you are willing to help when your son isn't racing.

I can use a few parents from 3:45 - 5:30 (var parents), and a few from 5:30 to 6:30 (frosh/jv parents).  Just let me know if you can help.  Thanks!

Here's what the week looks like, all the way through Labor day practice next Monday.
Monday - 7:45 a.m. practice at Hale
Tuesday - 7:45 a.m. practice at Hale
Wednesday - First day of school!  Practice will now be 3:30 p.m.  - meet in Room 108 (Dewitt's room)
Thursday - 3:30 p.m. practice  - 5:00 pasta party at 1750 S. 96th St.  (Thanks Zabzebski's and Witty's!)
Friday - Betz Invitational!  See the meet information.
Saturday - On own runs assigned (no formal practice)
Sunday - Veteran's long run meet up / assigned (younger athletes off)
Monday - Practice at 6:00 p.m. - is mandatory so please communicate

Week 1 Recap

Thank you to all of the families that made family night a success!  We overcame the heavy rain and made it a blast.  The alumni came out on top of the current Hale squad with a 27-29 victory.  The current Hale squad came back in dodgeball to defeat the parent/alumni team.

I put in some improvements from last year's 3k to this year as I believe they are pretty comparable even on different course.  Some nice improvements and I am excited to see some big breakthroughs coming for our team in the weeks ahead as we focus on being where are feet are and being all in on the process.

Full results can be found here

We kicked off the season as we always do looking at our team standards.  Our team motto this year is 'Pursue' and after finishing up week one, we are looking for our team to pursue better.  We are going to look for guys to start stepping up this week and sending it in practices.  If the team desires to improve we have to improve in our intention (max effort) at practice and remove doubts and limits.  We have had a lot of fun with activities but want the true love and fun to come from the running itself.   The coaches really believe the team can do well but for that to happen we see a need for more intention and focus at practices.  Which guys are ready to step up and be all in?

Week 2
We look ahead to this week with our first meet which will be at Palmyra High School.  The meet information is linked here, you can also find meet information on our schedule.  I add the information as I receive it which is usually about 10 days prior to the events, all depends on when the host schools send it out.

Nutrition/Sleep
Parents please print off/ look at this Nutrition and Sleep Document to help guide athletes at home with eating and sleeping properly.  We will talk this week about fueling as athletes, and just being teenagers in general they need plenty of good foods and sleep.   This document is ALWAYS on our information page and can be referenced to any time.  It's important athletes bring a quick refueling snack for after practice, and as school starts up it's important to plan snacks throughout the day!  A hungry athlete is not going to be able to do the same as a consistently fueled athlete, just as a car with low gasoline isn't going to make it as far driving.

Part of eating and sleeping well is our Accountability standards.  Doing what is right for success for yourself and the team.

Thursday Meet Info
For our first meet Thursday, be aware that not everyone will be ready to compete.  Coach Dewitt and I have set standards for the team that athletes should be able to run the whole 5k and be able to maintain an 8 minute per mile pace average (<24:50 5k) before being entered into competition.  We do believe everyone can get there quickly, and it is a good target to think about this week at practice for some of our newer athletes.  If you aren't competing, you will still come with the team and do a run there and support the guys.

Here's the lineup for this week -->  Meet Lineup

The meet information from the host is also linked in our meet lineup and on our schedule. 

Saturday Runathon!
Our Runathon is this Saturday night!  Hopefully athletes have all got some family, parent, business etc. sponsors!  If not, they still have all this week to do so and the goal is to raise at least $75 per athlete, with 10% of it all going to Children's Hospital.  Here's the information if still needed.  Parents and family members are welcome to come join and even get funding for laps themselves!  We will leave the outside lanes to walking or family members to use.  We will plan to switch directions at halfway once again.

City Clean up!  Optional - highly encouraged
On Saturday morning Hale XC will host a city clean up open to the community!  Jack Hutter and Chase Witty took the lead on this along with mayor Dan Devine.  Meet at Hale parking lot at 9:00 a.m. to participate in this volunteering opportunity!  This is not required but should be a great time to give back.  Information

Pasta Party
We do have a pasta party this week!  The address is 2427 S. Green Links Drive.  Thanks to the Raschkas, Petrovicks and Bergeman's!  Athletes can go to the pasta party around 5:00 p.m.  We are looking for hosts for future meets so please let me know if interested in hosting, they are always a great time for the kids to relax and get a good meal before a great day of racing.

Week Schedule
Monday - 7:45 a.m. practice
Tuesday - 7:45 a.m. practice (will get uniforms/locks)
Wednesday - 7:45 a.m. practice   (Pasta party at 5:00 p.m.)
Thursday - Meet @ Palmyra.  Bus time 1:40 p.m., will leave at 1:45 p.m. be on time (bus picks up and drops off by Hale weightroom)
Friday - 7:45 a.m. practice
Saturday - 8:40 p.m. arrive at Hale track to do Runathon.  Will activate and begin by 9:00 p.m.
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Fan shirts last call!
Last call for fan shirts, please let me know or sign up here for fan shirts by Monday night!

Hale XC Week 1!

Welcome to the 2021 season for Men's Hale Cross Country!  Coach Dewitt and I are honored to work with your sons and look forward to appreciating all of our time together each day as we all grow to be better people for our community and the world.  Read over our team standards as we will commit to those standards as the foundation of our team.  Living by those, along with building and loving, will allow us to achieve our greatest success.  Feel free to look at our past season team books as well to celebrate the success of our program over the years.  The goal of each group of athletes is to leave the program in a better place after their four years.

Let's get after it this season, no limits!

We have a busy but exciting first week planned!  Please read closely so that you are in the loop.  

Practices/Events this week!
The XC season officially begins Monday and we will start practice at 7:45 a.m. so arrive a bit earlier.  We will meet by the commons entrance (West side overhang).  If trailers are still in the parking lot from state fair, have athletes park on 117th street or get dropped off there and walk in.  Expect practices to go until about 10, may end a bit later or earlier depending on the workout/activity for that day so allow some flexibility especially the first week as we do our team olympics activities to end each practice.

Monday - 7:45 a.m. at Hale
Tuesday - 7:45 a.m. at Hale
Wednesday - 7:45 a.m. at Hale
Thursday - 7:45 a.m. at Hale
Friday - Meet at Hale at 8:45 a.m. to go to Minooka Park for team picnic day.  Will return to Hale at 1:00 p.m. for pick up.
Saturday - 5:30 p.m. - athletes be at Hale for family night!  Hope to see all parents, families there and feel free to do our 3k run at 6 p.m. and join in for post race dodgeball!  We will have some snacks and some pizzas for after.  This is a great time for families to get to know each other and be a part of the program.

Athletes can see our workouts for the week linked on our information page.

Runathon 
Please start getting sponsors for our Runathon which will be held Saturday, August 28th at Hale at 8:45 p.m. on the track.  The flier is linked below, and athletes will get a printout of this at practice Monday.

Runathon Flier Form

Fan Shirts
Parents, family and friends sign up to order a fan shirt to rep your son at meets!  Remember, your son will get a free shirt so no need to order one for him.  To order use this google sheet linked here, I will give them a paper version as well if they would like to use that.  Either way these are due by Friday morning of the 20th.  I'll put the image of the shirts up shortly.

Fan Shirt Order Form

Extra reminder
As an Fyi, Labor day practice will once again be at 6:00 p.m. to allow for families returning from up north etc.  This is a tradition at Hale and a required practice so please communicate with coaches if you have conflict that day.  

Our full team schedule for the season is here
Bus times will be posted there, and meet information will be given on blog and to kids to start each new week.  

Any new families that haven't yet may want to look at our Parent Letter (info on shoes, our sport and more!).  This will help answer any questions.  Feel free to ask Coach anything.