Last Post of 2009

OK, so I'm definitely not a frequent blogger. No one reads a blog rarely updated, but now that I've had a chance to lie low for a while and catch my breath form the XC season I think I'll try and get pack to posting at least once a week. I'll officially start with the new year and a couple things I've found to share.

For now I'll simply pass on a cool race opportunity that Coach K passed on to me. The race is called Mud N' Gutz and is a 4k or 8K event held at Jefferson Barracks on Feb. 21. Advertised as european style XC it sounds like great fun. The thing is that the entry fee goes up after January 1. If you happen to read this by New Years day you can still get in for the lower rate. Here is the link for the entry flyer http://www.splitmastertiming.com/files/MudNGutzflier.pdf

You can also register through Active.com here http://www.active.com/running/st-louis-mo/mud-n-gutz-8k4k-2010?dart=M

That's all for now. I know I'm looking forward to the first run of the year and I hope you are too. More tomorrow..

Have a safe and Happy New Year.
Coach F

Winter Fun..

The Germans have the right idea. Who says winter running isn't fun.

Check out the links below.

By the way..I'm not encouraging you to do this as I don't want anyone to get hurt, but it sure looks fun.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQh94MtAdCk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYxrq6VKd3A

Enjoy your runs!

Super Important Announcements - Again!

1)Hey PHS RUNNERS! We still need sweats and uniforms from a lot of you. Please retrun them to Coach Lamb or Coach Fader ASAP. You will not receive awards (and will be fined) if you do not return your gear.
2) Make sure to mark your calendars for the Cross Country Awards Night on November 24th at 6:00pm. I passed out a flyer to all you in school so you should have all the details. If you did not receive a flyer stop by my room (g114) or let me know someother way and I'll get you one. Don't forget to make your "special award" for your designated teammate and make sure to meet up with your desert team to make your entry for the desert competition. See the flyer for details.

3)Speaking of awards night, I am now assembling the slide show and I could use any pictures from the season that you are willing to share. I'm also very open to suggestions for music, unless you want to risk a soundtrack completely composed of Coach Fader's "old guy" music. Banjos anyone?

4) Keep that love for running alive, prepare for Track or just run for fun this winter by joining the PHS Winter Running club. Sean-Z has been hard at work forming a club for winter road races and running. Meet in my room next tuesday(Nov. 19th) during contact time for more information. Stop by my room sometime beforehand to pick up a pass.
CUrrently Sean has come up with a schedule of road races for those interested and the club will meet on thursdays at 1:08 (immediately after school) at the stadium for a weekly run. There is also talk of a weekly satuday morning run beginning at the Falls in Creve Coeur PArk at 8:00am. Come on by the meeting and share your thoguhts and discuss teh details. Oh,.. and bring a friend.

5) Finally, running never ends, it just changes seasons. Now is the season to just simply get out and enjoy the freedom, fitness and many other benefits of being a runner. I'll likely post some running inspiration and running tips over the winter, so stop in from time to time and see whats happening on winter version of the XC blog.

News of the week Nov. 2- 7,2009 - last of the XC season

Practice- you know who you are and where to meet - we will likely be done by 4:15 everyday
Mon 2- Creve Coeur Upper
Tues 3 - O'connor Park
Wed. 4 - Athletes choice
Thurs. 5 - High School
Fri. 6 - Leave for state meet in the afternoon and tour the course.
Sat. 7 - Missouri State Championship Cross Country Meet - Good Luck Jalisa and Hannah!

Missouri State Championship Info.
Location: Oak Hills Golf Center, Jefferson City
Race Times:
class 4 girls: 11:30am
class 4 boys: 12:45pm

H2O + XC = Racin' in the Mud

The photo above was taken on the starting line at Sectionals , before the race.

Torrential downpours over the past week or so have left us with some true cross country action to finish out the season. Pirate runnners split up last wednesday between the Findley Memorial Inv. at Forest Park (boys) and the Finn Dawg Inv. at Kirkwood park (girls).Congratulations to all our competitors in these races for finishing your season in style...true muddy-soggy- swampy style.

Our Sectional meet at Forest Park this past weekend offered up more mud lovin' fun. Two collegiate races were held immediately before our races, leaving the already soggy course the consistency of pudding. What is normally considered a race track became a swamp fest for a ticket to the state meet. Congratulations to Sean, Jalisa,Hannah and Geri for making the best of the day and battling hard in a sloppy sectional meet. In the end, Jalisa(3rd overall!)and Hannah (19th overall) both cruised through the mud bogs fast enough to earn a spot in the state meet next weekend. Congratulations and best of luck. Go Pirates!

News for the Week Ocotber 26- 31

Practice Schedule (2:30 - 5:20) meet at the stadium
** *Wednesday will be our last official last day of the season for all other than those qualifying for the Sectional and State meet. However, team support at the remaining meets is encouraged.

Mon. 26 - bus to Lost Valley for some trail running (assuming we get a bus)
Tues. 27 -O'Connor Park
Wed. 28 - Finn Dawg Inv. and Findley Memorial races (details below)
Thurs. 29 - High School -
Fri. 30 - Off
Sat. 31 - Sectional meet at Forest Park (details below)

Meet Info:

Saturday Oct. 31 - Sectional Meet
Location: Forest Park - Central fields
Directions: The race course is located on the Central Ball Fields in Forest Park. From PHS take HWY 70 east to Hwy 170 south, then go east on Forest Park Parkway. You can take the Parkway all the way to Forest Park and enter just as you cross over Lindell. Once in the park make a quick left on Grand (over a small bridge) and you will be facing the Central Fields. Veer left onto Jeferson OR right on to Union and find a parking spot.

Bus: be at the high school at 9:50, bus leaves at 10:00 Team members not running are welcome to ride along.

Race Times: Boys Race 11:30am, Girls Race - 12:15pm, Open Race 1:00pm

Awards/Qualifying: ceremony at 1:30, 30 medals, Top 4 teams and top 30 individuals advance to State Championships

Note: Sectional Championship t shirts will be for sale. short sleeve for $13.oo, Long sleeve for $15.00

Congratulations to Sectional Qualifying Individuals

Despite an extremely close race for a team spot to Sectionals and an outstanding effort by the girls varsity team, the district 4 meet became the end of ours Varsity team's regular season. However, several individuals have qualified for the Sectional meet at Forest Park next weekend. Congrats to Jalisa, Hannah, Geri and Sean for earning a spot in the next big race! While we won't be running with you in the race, the team will still exist in support and spirit.

Also, don't forget we also have one last meet for the rest of the team this Wednesday at the Finn Dawg Invitational for the girls and Findley Memorial Inviatational for the boys.

Run Hard!

News for the week October 19- 24

Practice Schedule (2:30-5:20 unless otherwise noted) Meet at the stadium
Mon. 19th - bus cancelled- rescheduled to Creve Coeur Falls
Tues. 20th - drive to Vago Park
Wed. 21st - bus to McNair Park
Thurs. 22nd- High School
Fri. 23rd- Varsity only- finished by 3:30
Sat 24th - Class 4 District 4 Meet - only Varsity race
Sun 25th- off

Meet information for District 4 Meet
Date: Saturday October 24
Location: McNair Park
Time Schedule:
Bus leaves PHS stadium at 8:30 am (be there by 8:20am)
Varsity Girls 10:00
Varsity Boys 10:40
Awards Ceremony 12:00 or as soon as possible
Return to PHS about 1:00 pm

Driving Directions:
I-70 west
Take the First Capital exit and turn right off the exit ramp
Left on West Clay
Right on Droste
Follow Droste until you see the park entrance on the right.

General Announcements and upcoming dates of importance:

- Lost and Found- The coaches have come across a couple team shirts and various sweats that have been found at meets. If you are missing something please check with us.

-**Any team members (other than Varsity) who have decided not to continue with the season until the meets on the 28th should turn in their sweats and uniform immediately. Also, please don't forget to create the special award for the team member you have chosen. If your stuck for ideas the Coaches may be able to help.

Wed. Oct. 28 Finn Dawg Inv. Kirkwood Park (Girls) (Sectional qualifiers excluded)
Wed. Oct. 28 Findley Memorial at Forest Park (boys)
Saturday October 31. Sectional meet (qualifiers only) Boys 11:30am Girls 12:15pm
Saturday November 7 - State Meet in Jeferson City(qualifiers only)
Tuesday November 24 - 6-8pm Cross Country awards and slideshow

Congratulations!

Congratulations to the Varsity Girls and JV Girls teams for capturing the team championships in their respective divisions at the Suburban North Conference Meet. Outstanding work Girls! Let's carry that winning team effort with us into the District meet and beyond..

Slice of Pie run this Saturday Oct. 17

With the rain out of the Apple run last week and the sudden change of date for the Conference meet, we have decided to make the best of our new schedule and use Saturday morning for an optional fun run. It will be a bit too cold and late in the season for apples, so the plan has been altered to running the trails at Pere Marquette State Park and then follow that up with some tastey pie from My Just Desserts in Alton.
Interested teammembers should meet at the stadium at 8:30 am Saturday morning (Oct. 17). The Coaches will then drive everyone over to Illinois for our morning adventure. Bring warm clothes for after our run and a few dollars for pie etc. I believe a slice of pie is about $3.50. We should return just after noon.

News for the Week October 12-17, 2009

Practice Schedule
2:30-5:25 (unless noted otherwise)meet at the stadium

It looks like it might be a bit chilly this week and possibly a little wet. Make sure you have sweats, hats (gloves optional), and dry clothes for after practice.

Mon. Oct. 12 - bus to Hamburg trail for some downhillin'
Tues. Oct. 13 - drive to Oconnor Park
Wed. Oct. 14- bus to Koch Park
Thurs. Oct. 15- Coach Fitz's Team Builder Special -stay on campus, don't dress out, meet in room E209 at 2:20
Fri. Oct. 16 - SNC Conference Meet (rescheduled from original date of saturday 17th)


Suburban North Conference Meet Info. (Please note that due to scheduling conflicts with the hosting school the date, times and location have been changed from our original Meet schedule)
Date: Friday Oct. 16th 2009
Time: meet at high school stadium at 2:30 - immediately after school
Race times:
4:00 pm Varsity Girls
4:40 Varsity Boys
5:15 JV( boys and girls will run together and be sorted in the chute)
Location: McCluer North High School
Directions:
- take I-270 North/East
- Exit at Washington/Elizabeth Exit 28
- turn sharp left onto N.Elizabeth Ave./Washington (continue to follow Washington)
- turn Right on Lynn Meadows Ln.
- turn Right on Derhake Rd.
-turn Left on Waterford Dr.
McCluer North High School will be on your left, 705 Waterford Drive
ALternate route which is probably more direct than the mapquest generated one above:
Take I-270 and exit at New Florissant Rd. and go North 1.3 miles
turn Right on St. Catherine go 1.1 miles to Waterford, McCluer North is on the left.

Upcoming Events:
Oct. 24 District meet at McNair Park
Oct. 28th Finn Dawg Inv. at Kirkwood Park (Girls) and Findley Memorial Inv. at Forest Park(Boys)*** These will be the last races of the season for all JV, Sophomore, and Freshman runners.
Oct. 30th Sectional Meet at Forest Park - qualifying Varsity only
Nov. 7 State Meet in Jefferson City- qualifying Varsity only
Nov. 24 Cross Country Awards Night 6:00 - 8:00 pm (details will be posted soon)

Great fun at the Middle School Cross Country Meet

How many runners can you find in the picture above?

Congratulations to the Pattonville Middle School runners and their Coaches for good times and hard running at the first official Pattonville Middle School Cross Country Meet. Eigth grade runners from Heights, Holman and Remington schools competed against each other in a girls and boys race. The morning was full of Cross Country goodness with cool temps, heavy fog and a course with just enough sogginess to make it fun. Excellent job Middle schoolers. Keep on running and we hope to see you as part of our team next year. We will be in touch ;-)

Special thanks to Mr. Schnatmeier for arranging an excellent meet and for starting a middle school cross country program. Thanks also to Coach Brown, Coach Lancaster, and Coach Walker for building and training your respective middle school teams. Nice work to all!

Finally, I also want to thank our own cross country team for arriving early on a saturday , helping run the meet and then following it up with a quality workout. Your work was greatly appreciated and I hope you enjoyed the "other side of a meet" as much as I did. Today you made an investment in the team in more than one way.

Apple Run Cancelled

Due to the past 24 hours of rain and the current 100% chance for rain until noon today the Apple run will have to be cancelled. I will be at the high school at 7:00 am to meet anyone who doesn't get this message and I plan on doing a run in the rain if anyone wants to join in.

The plans for the Middle School meet have not changed and the weather looks to be much more favorable. I will see you at the stadium at 7:15 Saturday morning. Be prepared for a workout following the meet as mentioned in practice.

XC Photos

Ms. Willingham has generously offered to share some photos of the season thus far. You can check them out at http://phscc2009.shutterfly.com

News for the Week - October 5th -10th

Practice Schedule 2:30-5:25pm unless otherwise noted. Always meet at the stadium.

Mon. 5th - Drive to Creve Coeur Falls
Tues. 6th - Drive to Appletree Park
Wed. 7th - Creve Coeur Upper level by tennis courts.... finished by 4:15 activity bus
(parent/ teacher conferences)
Thurs 8th - practice at PHS...finished by 4:15 activty bus (parent/teacher conferences)
Friday 9th - No School - (optional special practice) "Apple Run" - meet at PHS at 7:00am -Coaches will drive all to Pere Marquette State Park for some trail running and hills of epic proportion. Distance will be adjusted based on ability level. After our run we will drive to nearby Eckert's Orchard in Grafton and enjoy some post run apple picking and munching. Some apples will be purchased for all, but bring money if you wish to have some extra for yourself. We will return to the high school around noon.
Bring an extra t-shirt/dry clothes to change into after our run (there is a lodge at the park to change) and money if you wish to purchase extra apples for yourself or anything else at Eckerts.

Saturday 10th- (Required Event) Pattonville Middle School Meet on the PHS campus
This is our chance to be on the other side of the race course and support the middle school XC program. Hopefully, many of these runners may be your teammates next year. We are hosting the meet so your attendance and help is necessary. We will also have a short workout after the meet is over. Details will be provided at practice this week, but here is the time schedule:
7:15 am: Meet at the high school stadium
8:00 am : Girls competition
8:45 am : Boys competition
9:30 am : Awards
10:00- 11:30 our workout on campus

MEET SCHEDULE for the remainder of the 2009 XC season
Saturday Oct. 17 - Surburban North Conference Meet - Koch Park
Saturday Oct. 24- District meet - McNair Park
Wednesday Oct. 28 Boys and girls teams (Varsity excluded) will go to two seperate meets. Both meets will be the last race of the season for everyone except Varsity runners who have qualified for Sectionals.
Boys - Findley Memorial JV and Freshman XC Invitational - Forest Park 4:30pm
Girls - Finn Dawg Invitational - Kirkwood Park 4:00pm

Saturday Oct. 31 - Sectional meet - Forest Park
November 7th - Missouri State Cross Country Meet - Oak Hills Golf Course, Jefferson City

Why do you run?

One runner's answer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iuy1GSYoOr8
What's yours?

News for the Week Sept. 28-Oct. 3

Practice Schedule
2:30 - 5:25 (unless noted otherwise) Always meet at the stadium.

Mon. 28th - bus to Queeny park ** we may be slightly later than the 5:30 activity bus, please make arrangemnets if necessary
Tues. 29th - bus to McNair park for tri meet with Fort Zumwalt East and Villa Duchesne - not your average meet - details at practice
Wed. 30th - drive to Creve Coeur Falls
Thurs. Oct. 1 - drive to Vago Park
Fri. 2nd - High school - finished before 5:00 activity bus
Sat. 3rd- Parkway West Inv. at McNair Park (also PHS Homecoming)

PARKWAY WEST INV. Information
Location: McNair Park
Date: Saturday Oct. 3rd
Times: Be at the stadium at 7:30am - bus leaves at 7:45am
We should return by 1:30pm or possibly earlier
Race Schedule: 9:00 JV Boys
9:30 JV girls
10:10 Varsity Boys
10:40 Varsity Girls
11:10 Sophomore Boys
11:40 Freshman/Sophmore Girls
12:20 Freshman Boys
12:45 Awards

Distance: All races are 5K
Directions to McNair Park:
- I-70 West
- take the First Capital exit and trun right off the exit ramp
- Left on West Clay
- Right on Droste
- Follow Droste until you see the park entrance on the right

Important Upcoming Dates:
Friday Oct. 9th - No school - Varsity Practice

Saturday Oct. 10th - 1st Official Pattonville Middle School XC meet - We are running off the meet and will also have a workout. Attendance is required.

Saturday Oct. 17th - Conference Meet at Koch Park

Meet Results

Looking for meet results on the web? You can find most of our meets, other meets in the state and lots of good Missouri XC stuff here: http://mo.milesplit.us/

News for the Week - September 21- 26

Practice Schedule
Everyday from 2:30-5:25 unless noted otherwise- always meet at the stadium
Mon. 21st - drive to Oconnor Park
Tues. 22nd - Bus to Lewis and Clark trail for some good ole trail running (bring bug spray)
We should be back before the 5:30 bus, but could be late - please make arrangements
Wed. 23rd - bus to Hazelwood East Fresh/Soph meet (Details below) Juniors and seniors workout at meet
Thurs. 24th - High School - done by 4:15 bus
Fri. 25th - Hazelwood West Inv. at Koch Park (details below) Bus leaves stadium at 2:35
Saturday 26th - Varsity practice- location TBA

Reminders:

-SWEATS - We have been really lucky with the weather so far this season, but those cool and rainy days will come. Be prepared and bring extra socks/shirt and sweats from here on out. As it gets cooler hats and gloves will also be necessary. Please remember meet sweats are only for meets. Don't spend a fortune on sweats, any nylon sweats from Target, Kohls or Walmart will work great. You can get cotton garde gloves for $1.00 at most stores and I found a great hat myself for two bucks at walmart.

- T-SHIRTS -Parents/Friends/Pattonville XC fans - I have about 7 large team shirts left that I am putting on mid season sale for $10.oo a shirt. First come, first serve.

- MEET Attendance- If for some reason you can not attend a meet, please let Coach Fader know in writing as soon as possible. An email or simply a hand written note is fine. This is important in terms of me remembering and also a critical factor when entering meets.

Meet Information this week:


Hazelwood East Freshman/Sophomore meet - Wed. Sept. 23
Location: Hazelwood East High School
Bus leaves stadium immediately after school at 2:35. We will not make it back for the 5:30 activity bus, please make arrangements to get home from school.

Race Times:
4:00 Freshman Boys/Girls
4:45 Sophomore Boys/Girls
Boys and Girls run together in both races, but have separate finish chutes

Directions to Hazelwood East High School:
-Take 270 east to 367 North
-Shortly after turning on 367 you will take the first exit to Dunn Rd.
-Turn right off the exit ramp onto Dunn road
- Turn right again on Dunn road as it turns again itself (you will now be driving parrell to Hwy367, but in the opposite direction from which you came)
-continue to follow Dunn Rd. to Hazelwood East High School.

Hazelwood West Invitational - Friday Sept. 25
Location: Koch Park
Bus Leaves Stadium immediately after school at 2:35. We will not make it back for the 5:30 activty bus, please make arrangements for a ride home from school after the meet.

Race times:
4:00 Varsity Boys
4:30 Varsity Girls
5:00 Junior Varisty Boys
5:30 Junior Varsity Girls

Directions to Koch Park:
- take 27o east/north
- exit at McDonnell and turn left off exit ramp
- McDonnell becomes Howdershell - stay straight
Koch Park is located at the corner of Charbonier and Howdershell

Upcoming Events:
Sept. 29th - PHS/FZE/Duchesne tri meet- not really a good one to watch- details at practice
October 3rd- Parkway West Inv. - McNair Park (this also happens to be Homecoming at PHS)

News for the Week- Sept.14-19

Practice Schedule
2:30-5:30 (unless noted otherwise) - Always meet at the stadium

Mon. 14th - Bus to McNair Park for a workout and lining the course for tuesday.
Tues. 15th - Pattonville/St. Charles West Freshman Sophmore meet at McNair Park- meet at stadium immediately after school for a bus to the park. JV and Varsity will practice at park and help with the meet. (details below)
Wed. 16th - Vago park (drive) Bring any type of ball (1 or more, but nothing expensive)
Thurs. 17th - Creve Coeur Upper level by tennis courts (drive)
Friday 18th - High School- finish before 5:00 activity bus

MEETS THIS WEEK

Tuesday Sept. 15 - PHS/SCW Freshman/Sophmore meet at McNair Park (2 miles)
2:30 Bus leaves from stadium at usual practice time.
4:00 Sophomore Girls
4:30 Sophmore Boys
5:00 Freshman Girls
5:30 Freshman Boys

Awards: top 20 in each race

Directions: Hwy 70 west
Take the First Capital exit and turn right off the exit ramp
Left on West Clay
Right on Droste
Follow Droste until you see the park entrance on the right.

Saturday, September 19 - Edwardsville Invitational at SIUE
Be at the High School stadium by 7:00am
Bus leaves at 7:15am

Race Times: 9:00 Varsity Boys
9:45 Varsity Girls
10:30 Fresh/Soph Boys
11:15 JV Girls
12:00 Open Race

Course Distance : all races will be 5k

Awards:
-top 25 individuals in each race
-3 team awards for varsity races
-1 team award for fresh/soph and Girls JV races

Directions: I- 270 east to I-255 North
I-255 to New Poag Road exit
Turn right on New Poag road (drive 2 miles or so to the first stop light)
Turn right on North University Drive, the course will be on your right shortly.
Parking is on the left across from the course.

Forest Park Cross Country Festival Results

Saturday brought sunny skies and warm temps for the biggest (and longest) meet we will attend this season. For the Varsity teams and JV Boys it was also their first shot at a 5K race this season. I saw a lot of great effort in all the races and I know a few PRs were set.

Regardless, if your race was super good or a little-off it can be a valuable learning opportunity? Ask yourself: What did you do well in the race? What could you have done better? Did you achieve your goals? Is this a step in the right direction for your long term goals? If not, what can you learn from this race to get you where you want to go?

Congratulation to the Varsity Girls team for 1st place in the White Division Varsity race. WoooHOOOO!

Results will be passed out at practice, but you can also find them at http://mo.milesplit.us/meets/56114

Fleet Feet Cross Country Kickoff - Go Green!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tf6cKNrv0Vc

Volunteers for tuesday Sept. 15th?

Pattonville and Saint Charles West are hosting a Freshman/Sophomore meet on Tuesday September 15 at McNair park in St. Charles. We could use a few volunteers for jobs like course marshalls, chute watchers, or even scoring if you enjoy the record keeping side of things. No experience is necessary for most jobs, just a willingness to be part of the Cross Country experience. The meet will last from about 3:30 - 7:00 pm, but any time you can contribute will be appreciated. If interested please email Coach Fader at sfader@psdr3.org

News for the Week: September 7-12, 2009

Practice Schedule
2:30-5:25 (unless noted otherwise) Always meet at the stadium.
Mon. 7th- Labor Day - Enjoy a distance run on your own. A good day to hit the trails.
Tues. 8th - Matson Trails (bus)- Hints: What is the longest hill you have run up? Make sure you have a watch today. *We will try to be back for the 5:30 activity bus, but could be late. Please make arrangements for rides if needed.

Wed. 9th - Forest Park (bus)
Thurs. 10th - Gentry Park (driving)
Fri. 11th - High School- freshman and a few others off (listen for directions on thursday)
Sat. 12th - Forest Park XC Festival

Notes: A big thank you goes out to all the parents/gaurdians for signing and understanding the need for the driving permission form. The chance to frequently get off campus enables our team to train on diverse terrain/conditions and offers some much needed variety to our daily practice. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Forest Park XC Festival Information
website: www.bigriverrunning.com/fpxc.php
Location: Forest Park Central Ball Fields - Directions below
Date: Saturday September 12, 2009
Times: Meet at the stadium no later than 6:40am (tardiness may mean missing the bus)
Bus leaves for the meet at 7:00am sharp.

Pattonville is in the "White Division" for all races, only our race times are listed below.
8:10 JV Boys race (5k)
9:20 JV Girls (4k)
10:30 Varsity Boys (5k)
11:30 Varsity Girls (5k)
12:40 Freshman Boys (3k)
1:00 Freshman Girls (3k)
2:00 Awards
****Attention Team members****- If you can not attend the meet due to the ACT, please notify Coach Fader ASAP at sfader@psdr3.org

Runner Celebrity Siting: US Olympian Brian Sell will be at the meet (don't worry he is not racing) for autographs and to meet participants. You can learn more about this super fast marathoner by checking out the Big River website link above.

Directions: The race course is located on the Central Ball Fields in Forest Park. From PHS take HWY 70 east to HWY 170 south then go east on FOrest PArk Parkway. You can take the parkway all the way to Forest park and enter just as you cross over Lindell. Once in the park make a quick left on Grand (over a small bridge) and you will be facing the Central Fields. Veer left onto Jefferson OR right onto Union and find a parking spot.

UPCOMING MEETS:
Tuesday Sept. 15 - Pattonville/St. Charles West fresh/soph meet at McNair Park 4:00pm
Saturday Sept. 19 - Edwardsville Invitational at SIUE 9:00am

Congrats to Summer Mileage Club Members

Congratulations to the following team members for their summer mileage accomplishments. The Pirate Mileage Club was established this year to reward team members for training through the summer, which is a necessity for the Varsity level runner.
The club has two levels with different awards for total mileage accomplished in the 10 week period of summer break. Following is a list of this years winners and their rewards.

300 milers receive a handmade ceramic cereal bowl by a local artist/coach :-)
Geri F. 328 miles
Kevin L. 302 miles

400 milers receive an exclusive Pirate Mileage Club T-shirt.
Hannah J. 408 miles
Sofia G. 413 miles
Mike G. 424 miles
Sean Z. 503 miles

Congrats to this years winners and remember the greatest reward for your work is how it will payoff during the XC season.

News for the Week Aug. 31- Sept. 6

Practice Schedule- 2:30- 5:25pm (unless noted otherwise) Always meet at the stadium

Mon. 31st- High School - Workout /Race info, maps and Mileage awards presented
Tues. 1st - Fleet Feet Kickoff Meet - meet at stadium at 2:30 for Bus (meet details below)
Wed. 2nd - usual meet time / drive to Creve Coeur Upper area (if all driving permission slips have been returned)
Thurs. 3rd - O'connor Park - Hills today!
Fri. 4th - No school- Staff Development Day- Returning runners do a long run today!
New runner's do 1 hour of cross training

Labor day weekend workouts:
Saturday: Returning runner's do a tempo run and core/strength exercises
New runner's - conversation pace run 3 miles plus core/strength exercises

Sunday: Off- rest day

Monday (Labor Day): standard distance run - a good day for some trail running.

Fleet Feet XC Kickoff Information:
Check out the website at: http://www.fleetfeetstl.com/xckickoff.htm
Location: Quail Ridge Park in St. Charles County
Date: Tuesday Septemeber 1st
2:35 Bus leaves PHS
4:15 JV Boys/Open race
4:45 JV Girls/ Open race
5:15 Varsity Boys
5:15 Varsity Girls
6:15 Pizza Party/Awards
7:15 ish Bus leaves for PHS
7:45-8:00ish - arrive back at PHS (stadium lot)

Directions to meet:
-I-70 west
-Exit onto 40/61 south
-At the first stop light Callahan Rd. turn right
-Then make an immediate right on to Quail Ridge Parkway
- The park entrance is approximately 3/4 mile on the left
- Stay straight after the entrance and drive to the back of the park.
Drive time approximately 30 minutes from 70&270

Upcoming Meets:
-Forest Park XC festival -Sept. 12
-Pattonville/Saint Charles West Fresh/Soph meet- Tues Sept. 15 (we put this one on)

News for the Week -August 24-29th

Practice 2:30-5:25pm (unless noted otherwise)Always meet at the stadium

Mon. 24th - Bus to McNair Park - "Rainy day make-up 8oos"
Do you still need to buy a team shirt? Sorry-out of smalls

Tues. 25th - Team Picture before practice
Wear - your team T-shirt and black shorts
Bring - photo order form and $ if buying photos

Wed. 26th - Green and White Meet. Meet at the Stadium at 4:00. Details below.

Thurs. 27 -Bus to Sioux Passage park for the "Coach Lamb Special"
- You will need to bring a towel

Fri. 28 - Bus to Quail Ridge Park ** possibly return later than 5:00 activity bus. **

Green and White Meet Details
Place: PHS campus 2 mile course- meet at the Track
Wear: uniform, but bring sweats to get in the habit and just in case.
Time: meet at the stadium at 4pm
Race Time: 5:00pm with a picnic following post-race stretching
Food to bring for picnic:
Freshman: Fruits/Vegetables
Sophomores: Drinks
Juniors: Main dish
Seniors: Sweets
Remember to bring your camera and invite your friends and family!

Important Upcoming Dates:
- Our first official meet will be the Fleet Feet XC Kickoff at Quail Ridge park next tuesday (Sept.1)

- No school on Friday Sept. 4 (staff Development day) or Monday Sept. 7 (Labor day)

Running Tip of the Week: A small ,healthy snack immediately after practice will help your body recover. Fruit, granola or cereal bars are good choices.

News for the Week- August 17 -22

Practice Week of Aug. 17-21st
2:30-5:25pm (unless noted otherwise)- Always meet at the stadium
Mon. 17th - High School
Tues. 18th - Forest Park (bus)- Bring inexpensive cameras to run with, not everyone needs one.
Wed. 19th - High school - sweats and uniforms handed out after practice. finished by5:30
Thurs. 20th- Katy Trail Mile (bus)- 1st time trial of the season
Fri. 21st - High School- finished by 5:00 bus

Reminders:
- Make sure you have turned in your survey- ask Coach Fader if unsure
- Don't forget to buy your team T-shirt before team pictures next week.

Important upcoming dates:
- Team pictures will be on Tuesday Aug. 25 before practice -photo order forms will be given out late this week.
- Mark your calendars for the Green and White meet on August 26th. This is a 2 mile race on the high school course. It's a handicapped race, meaning everyone has a chance to win. We will have a picnic afterward. Details to come.

Running tip:
Water is your bodies coolant. Thirst is not a good indicator of fluid needs. Make sure you are staying hydrated during the day by keeping a bottle of water with you.

12 Hour Relay Results

Photographic proof that aliens attempted to abduct one of our runners using some sort of tractor beam during the 12 hour relay. Thankfully, he was too fast for the device.

THE 12 HOUR RELAY WAS A GREAT SUCCESS! While our participant number could have been better, those that came proved they were up for the challenge. The weather was ideal as 11 team members joined together to form the 2009 pattonville 12 hour relay team. Each member ran 1 mile then handed the "pirate baton" to the next for a continous cycle throughout the night. The run started at 7:25 pm on July 30th and the mighty pirate runners continued doing laps until 7:25 July 31st. Below you will find some details about the race and I also have mile splits tallied on a seperate results sheet I will give to participants. Keep in mind mile averages below are based on those miles that were recorded. A few people missed a few and I also did not average in the times of the "extra miles" a few of you ran.

Runner/Average mile pace/ Miles completed
Kevin C (6:56 average) 10*?
Geri (7:22 average) 11*
Hannah (8:21 average) 6
Elise (8:59 average) 3
Sean (6:04 average) 14*
Rachel (8:38 average) 11*
Melissa (7:53 average) 11*
Sophia (8:58 average) 9
Sofia G. (7:47 average) 11*
Mike G. (6:07 average) 11*
Chelsea (8:15 average) 10
Gina – ran a mile or two, however there was no record of her times or mileage

A few of you ran extra miles with your teammates during the event:
Kevin: not sure of number of extra miles or times, but I’m pretty sure he ran at least 1
Geri: 1 (8:09)
Sean: 4 (times not recorded)
Rachel: 1 (9:11)
Melissa: 1(8:46)
Sofia G. 1(7:49)
Mike 1? (time not recorded)

Statistics:
Total miles completed by the team in 12 hours: 98 official (107 counting extra miles by some)
Total complete revolutions of relay team roster: 10
Total of team members present for the run : 11
Weather: Excellent and somewhat unexpected for late July, partly cloudy with a low around 60 degrees F...very light wind..a night made for running.


Coaches Notes:
- Outstanding work and dedication by those in attendance. Many of you had a busy schedule the following day, but enjoyed the event and put your best efforts forth. This was a great start to your 2009 XC season. Make sure to record your miles and thoughts in your log.
- Great to see the support and camaraderie of team members throughout the event. Cheering went on throughout the night and positive vibes from all kept it up beat as fatigue set in during the wee hours of the morning.
-All times and the mileage counts above are based on the log kept during the event. Mistakes are possible as the log was difficult to follow, but Props to all for recording your mileage despite the zombiesque trance of a very long night.
- Room for improvement- I would like to see more of the team attend these events.

GREAT JOB PIRATES!

Summer 12 Hour Relay

Announcing the Pattonville Cross Country Summer 12-hour Relay

When: Relay starts at 7 p.m. Thursday July 30th and end JUly 31st at 7a.m.

Where: Pattonville Stadium

What: A 12-hour relay is a team (or teams) of 10-12 runners which alternate running a mile over a period of 12 hours.

Who: Any Pattonville Cross Country team member (including incoming freshman) that has enough training to complete at least 10 miles over the period of the night. Remember these will not be consecutive miles. Approximately 9 people will run a mile in between each mile you run.

Why: Just because...accomplishment...shared experience...utilize that summer mileage ...FUN!

Cost: Effort – it’s tough but extremely rewarding mentally and very memorable

What to bring: Changes of clothes/socks, Vasoline to avoid rubs and blisters, rain gear, power gels/bars, snacks that won’t make you sick!, your pillow, magazines, flashlight, towel, bug spray, a great attitude...

Parents: show up at intervals to help chaperone & encourage...or stay all night
-Can field a parent team of walkers if interested.
- Other ways to help: we’ll set up some tents, maybe bring some camp stoves and fire up some pancakes in the morning???

Commitment: If you say you’re going to do it....do it! This is a group effort and if you back out, someone else has to run more times and more often. Of course, do NOT do it if you are injured...in that case give us as much notice as possible & try to find a sub.

Sign up - Please email Coach Fader at sfader@psdr3.org and let me know if you will be participating. I will send you some more information about the event and a permission form to be signed by your parents. You will need to bring the signed permission form with you to the relay or complete one on your arrival. (Keep in mind you will need a parent signature)

In addition to the announcement here, I am sending out an email to everyone whose email address I currently have on file the permission form and some recommendations for participating in the event. If you do not receive this email please contact me and I will send you one.

One last word of note. I will be on vacation for a period of time between now and then, so don't panic if you don't hear from me immediately. I will get back to you before the event.

Important dates for the remaining days of summer

As we close in our second half of the summer these are some significant dates to be aware of:

July 16- Thursday night run at Creve Coeur Park (upper level gravel lot)(Coach Fader won't be at this one)

July 23 - Thursday run at Katy Trail (Coach Fader won't be at this one)
Meet at the Katy Trail parking lot on the St. Charles side of the Page /364 Bridge. Directions: Take 270 to the Page/364 exit, heading west. Go 6 miles to exit 14, Upper Bottom Road / Arena Parkway. Go right (north), and take an immediate right on Hemsath. Follow Hemsath for 0.3 mile, and take the right turn into the parking lot just after Hemsath curves left.

July 25 - Opportunity for early Cross Country fun at the Mud Mtn. 5k. More info at: http://www.mudmountain.org

July 29 - Boys Physicals offered at PHS (see previous post about physicals for more info)

July 30th - Girls Physicals offered at PHS (see previous post bout physicals for more info)

July 30th -12 Hour Summer Relay 7pm July 30th -7am July 31st (see the specific post about this special event for more details) This also means that the previously scheduled thursday run at Sioux passage is cancelled.

August 10 - 1st Official Cross Country practice 8-9:30 am at the High School
You need to have the following:
Physical
Emergency Card
log book (a record of summer mileage)
Waterbottle and watch
You will not be able to participate until you have turned in a Physical and Emergency card.
For a copy of the Pre-participation exam (physical form) or Emergency card you can visit the activities office at the high school or download a copy from the PHS website at http://phs.psdr3.org/activities.php

August 11- Practice 3-5pm meet at Creve Coeur (upper gravel lot by tennis courts)

August 12 - Practice 3-5pm meet Creve Coeur (west side)

August 13 - 1st day of school. Practice from 2:30 -5:30

Running inspiration from the Ultra Running crowd

If you like trail running this video should get you out the door on the laziest of days.
Check out http://vimeo.com/4600647

Thursday Night Run 7/9/2009 and Fun Stuff

Howdy Runners,
I hope you all (if anyone actually reads this :-) had a great 4th of July and found a chance to get out and run. What better way to celebrate our independence than to enjoy the simplicity and freedom that can be found in a run. I had a great run in the pouring rain in which I thought a lot about how thankful I am to be able to just head out my door and run where I please. Freedom like that is not possible everywhere in the world. I was especially reminded of this during last weeks thursday run when one of your teammates mentioned the dangers of being out and about in another country she had spent the first part of this summer visting. So continue to celebrate your freedom and enjoy your runs.

While the post concerning the schedule for the Thursday night runs is still accessible on the blog, I will also make a short post as a reminder each week. This week, thursday 7/9 we will meet at the usual time at O'connor Park. See ya there.

Summer is now in full swing and I found an appropriate little ad to share. If you have not seen any of the Brooks Running Superfan ads, you might check them out for some running entertainment.
Here is one of my favorites http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jREaZYB8ozY

Enjoy some ice cream... after a loooooong run. :-)

Physicals for the fall XC season

How was your run today? Great I hope. I had a nice long run myself.

This is just a reminder to all team members that you need a current physical to compete this fall. Don't wait till the week school starts to get this done.

You can get your physical at the high school during the last couple days of July. Check out the information below for more details or see the front page of the PHS website. http://phs.psdr3.org/

Physical exams will be offered at Pattonville High School on Wednesday, July 29 (Boys) and Thursday, July 30 (Girls) in the multipurpose room. The cost is $25 and make checks payable to Advanced Training and Rehab. Cash will also be accepted. Athletes, cheerleaders and drill team members are required to have an updated physical exam on file in order to participate on these teams. A physical exam administered and passed since February 1, 2009 will be good for the 2009-2010 school year. Time slots available for physical exams are 12-2 pm, 2-4 pm and 4-6 pm. Please call the Activities Office at 314-213-8051 Extension 8058 to schedule your time slot.

Thursday Night Runs

The thursday night runs have started and I have enjoyed meeting up with some team members for a weekly run. However, it would be nice to see more of you out there. The runs are a good oportunity to stay connected with your team and keep motivation rolling for summer running. I hope you all are putting in the daily miles even if you can't make the thursday runs. Remember, there is nothing better you can do to improve team and your own success this cross country season than to put in a mileage base over the summer. Besides, this is something you like to do..right? Don't forget to record your miles in the training log.

I have decided to mix up the location of the thursday night runs for a little variety. The following is a list dates and locations for the rest of the summer.

Meeting time for all runs is 6:45 pm with the run starting at 7:00 pm sharp.

All are welcome and we divide up into groups to accomadate different ability levels.

6/25 Creve Coeur Park (upper level gravel lot by the tennis courts)
(Coach Fader won't be at this one)

7/2 Katy Trail - meet at the Katy Trail parking lot on the St. Charles side of the Page /364 Bridge. Directions: Take 270 to the Page/364 exit, heading west. Go 6 miles to exit 14, Upper Bottom Road / Arena Parkway. Go right (north), and take an immediate right on Hemsath. Follow Hemsath for 0.3 mile, and take the right turn into the parking lot just after Hemsath curves left.

7/9 O'connor Park

7/16 Creve Coeur Park (upper level gravel lot by the tennis courts)
(Coach Fader won't be at this one)

7/23 Katy Trail - same meeting location as 7/2
(Coach Fader won't be at this one)

7/30 12 Hour relay at PHS track (see post for details)

Welcome

Welcome to the intial post of the Pattonville High School Cross Country Blog. The purpose of the blog is to serve as a message board for all things involving PHS cross country. Topics will likely include important team announcements, current events, training information, meet directions and results, inspiration, fun and anything else deemed applicable to the team members, parents and supporters of the team.

The former PHS cross country website at http://phspacers.isportsdot.com/index.php appears to be dead, so until a new site is developed (not happening anytime soon) this blog will also take it's place for now.

This blog is a work in progress and I'm always open for ideas or suggestions for topics that would be beneficial to share with the team. Email me your thoughts or ideas at sfader@psdr3.org