What Is Cross Country
Thomas Jefferson Cross Country 2017
Why Cross Country??
Cross Country challenges you mentally and physically. It increases your body’s fitness and your mind’s power to focus. You will meet new people, both teammates and competitors, who will become some of your best friends. You may qualify for overnight trips to meets. You will join a tradition of TJ runners who have been successful in competition and in the classroom. Other benefits: see yourself improve over time, become unfazed at the prospect of running several miles at a time, make yourself impervious to bad weather, gain excellent cross training for any winter or spring sports.
What is Cross Country??
Cross Country is a team sport centered on distance running and racing. Races are generally 5K (3.1 miles) over varying terrain such as grass, roads, hills, and trails. Teams score points based on their runners’ finishing places.
For more information, visit the TJ Sports Website: www.colonialathletics.org, select Fall Activities, then Cross Country. This website hosts team files and schedules. The Summer Running Schedule will be posted on this site.
Get in-season updates via the team email list (https://lists.tjhsst.edu/listinfo/xc) and the TJXC Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/tjxc2013/).
Submit these Forms To the Athletics Office by 7/28:
· VHSL Physical Form - the exam must be completed after May 1, 2017
· Emergency Care Card
· Concussion Education Certificate - completed by you and your parent
· After review, the Head Athletic Trainer will issue you a Sports Pass – without this pass, you cannot participate in team activities
All forms (or links to them) can be found on www.colonialathletics.org
We WILL NOT collect any forms at practice. Submit them to the Athletics Office!
August Practices
Team practices will begin on August 1st. Practices will be from 5:30-7:30pm, Monday – Friday and on Saturday mornings. Once school starts, we will practice Monday – Friday from 4:30-6:30pm, with meets or practices on Saturday mornings.
· All practices are mandatory
· Absences may be excused on a case-by-case basis
· Athletes must participate in 20 team practices before being eligible to compete in a meet
Summer Training
· Summer training is critical. It determines the level of success of our team! Champions are made by training consistently in June, July, and August! Summer training builds your running base. This base takes time - don’t try to build it overnight.
· Ensure you have appropriate running shoes that are in good condition. Utilize your local running specialty store for recommendations and fitting (Pacers, Potomac River Running, The Running Store, Road Runner Sports, etc.)
· Start with the recommended freshman mileage on the training schedule. The most important part of summer training is to make sure you feel prepared for practice in August and to decrease your chance of developing an injury at the beginning of the season.
· Start slowly and build up. Use a combination of running/ walking if needed. If it takes 2 weeks to get through week 1, no problem. Then, continue from week 2.
· Go at your own pace. This is a suggested progression.
· Use a watch or your phone to track your minutes/miles run
· Log all your runs and send data weekly to coach Withington
· Let coach know if you are injured at any point so we can discuss the appropriate action to take for recovery
· There will be optional “captain’s practices” during the summer which are hosted by our team captains. We will send out a schedule once the days, times, and locations are finalized. Captain’s practices are very helpful in your preparation for the season and a great way to get to know other members of the team.
· Expect two time trials during August. The first time trial is planned for the first week of August practices. Hint: follow the Summer Running Schedule and you’ll be fine J
Email me at or if you have any questions.
Have a great summer. I look forward to hearing from you each week (with your running logs) and to seeing you in August!!
Coach Withington Coach Szabos Coach de Encio