The Core Elements of Being Excellent

  • Passion

    • Passion for running

    • Passion for community experience

    • Passion for learning 

    • Passion for growth

    • Passion for service

  • Commitment

    • Commitment to team

    • Commitment to service

    • Commitment to training

    • Commitment to team goals

    • Commitment to academic success

  • Integrity

    • Integrity in motives

    • Integrity in action

    • Integrity in interaction

    • Integrity in commitment

    • Integrity in focus

Philosophy of Training

"There is not one way to successfully train a runner for the task at hand. From experience to physiology to personal goals every individual deserves the right to receive coaching that is unique to their situation. Yet, within the team dynamic, there is room for flexibility in a unified training plan that allows individuals to achieve higher levels of excellence than they while would training alone."

  • Specificity

    • Training should be specific to the physiological demands of the event

    • Training should be specific to the experience and ability of the athlete

    • Training should be specific to desired outcomes of coach and athlete

  • Balance

    • Training should include the proper balance of variation in training load

    • Balanced periodization for goal setting

    • Balanced focus on the proper physiological systems involved in event

    • Balanced training that challenges without overwhelming or overtraining

  • Progression

    • Training should progress in volume, intensity and specificity according to a periodized training calendar

    • Training should progress in away that allows time for adaptation and recovery for key workouts

    • Training should progress according to the adaptation of the athlete under the watchful eye of an organized and thoughtful coach

  • Overload

    • Training should include elements of the overloading principle in physiogical adaptation

    • Training should push athletes through a workload that pushes beyond initial fitness

    • Training overload is slightly increasing workloads in the following areas

      • Overall volume

      • Overall intensity

      • Specific workout volume

      • Specific workout intensity

    • Training overloading MUST include sufficient recovery to allow for adaptation

  • Adaptation & Recovery

    • Training should include both active and passive recovery within workouts

    • Recovery within meso & macrocycles and in between macrocycles

    • Training should include recovery which allows for super-compensation which, when properly planned, gives opportunity for adaptation

    • Training should include active recovery days where workload is not creating overload but also allows training stimulus that maintains fitness

    • Training should include passive recovery periods where no training occurs to allow for overall recovery and adaptation which in turn serves to prevent overtraining and overuse injury