Parent University
Please send me any topic ideas you have - jason@bozemantrackclub.org
Do the BTC coaches get paid great sums of money?
No, this is a completely volunteer-led effort. With that said, we need as much help as we can get. Even if you are not a runner, you can help us at practices and other events we hold. If you want to run at practice (and are willing), talk to one of the coaches about how to get involved. If you don't want to run at practice, we can always use help with people staying with the athlete's gear or sometimes sitting with an injured runner who doesn't need the full workout. We also need helping in planning and discharging events. For example, early season events, movie night, year-end celebration, carpooling, etc. Ask a coach.
How can I help my athlete recover?
Our cross country training can be physically demanding and every athletes handles those training loads differently. The best way you can help them recover is the big 3: sleep, nutrition, hydration. They need 8-10+ hours of sleep per night. They need high-quality, real food. And they need to drink plenty of water. These cover 98% of their recovery needs.
Do I need to buy special shoes?
No, you probably don't need special shoes. Your young runner however could use a decent pair of running shoes. Please know, you don't have to break the bank to get shoes that are suitable for this age of runners. They are not putting huge miles into these shoes so you can find shoes that work for low cost. The most important thing to look for in a pair of shoes is how well they fit. There are multiple places in town to purchase shoes. Chat with coaches at practice for more thoughts.
Does my athlete need spikes?
They might say they do, but it is not necessary to be successful. Until you and your runner are certain they are "into XC" holding off on buying spikes is completely OK. Do spikes help? Sure, they definitely help on certain courses and conditions but don't take minutes off of times. Spikes are definitely lighter than training shoes and you can't help but think when you slip them on, "wow, I'm going to run fast."
Should I rub Icy-Hot all over my athlete before a race?
Please don't. While this may have been done to you as a young trackster, it doesn't do anything but make you forget about being cold because your skin is burning. Save your money and buy your runner some tights.
What pain complaints from my athlete should I be concerned about and when should I just nod my head?
This is one of the hardest parts of being a parent of a runner (especially a new runner.) Running is hard on us. That is why we practice so to build up our bodies ability to handle these pressures we place on it. This also is the reason we run in the summer so as to build a base for the season and break things in gradually. Without a doubt your runner will have pain at some point during the season, sore knee(s), sore foot, sore hamstring..... The hard part is knowing what is typical and won't impact training and what needs to be handled more aggressively (cessation of running, ice, etc.) This is new to you as a parent and new to them as a runner. As parents we work towards no pain and have been turned to as mom/dad to make things stop hurting and "fix" them. This is where it gets tough. You want to help but in some cases there is not a lot you can do and they're really not going to like putting ice on something for 15 mins........... If something is hurting on your runner, the coaches want to know about it so they can a.) adjust the training and b.) watch them during practice. Many times we will tell you something is going on from what we see in practice. Please know, coaches aren't doctors or PTs and while they have seen lots of injuries, understand the logical response that will be given is, "you should get it checked out." A lot of the aches and pains of running will work themselves out over time as the body adjusts to the workload.
Should I be concerned that my athlete's shorts and top don't match?
Your call. I'm just happy they dress themselves. The larger concern is being dressed warmly as the temps start dropping. Another hard part as a parent of a runner is figuring out the appropriate amount of clothing in relation to the conditions. When running, we're hotter than when we stand around so that has to be taken into account. This is something that your runner will learn over time - what do I need to wear for these conditions? And, everyone is different. What works for you might not work for him/her. My mantra is, "you can always take it off, you can't always put it on...." I’m a big fan of pants in cold conditions.
What happens to all of the water bottles that get left at practice?
Depends on the coaches moods at the time. While we try to pick up all of the water bottles and clothes left at practice (to then bring back to the next practice), there is no guarantee this will happen. Bottom line - don't forget stuff if you like it.
My athlete says they need $150 shoes. Do they?
Not really. See earlier post. This will become more likely the longer they run.
What is the order of events at a cross country race?
It depends on the meet. Sometimes middle school races are first, sometimes they are last. Sometimes boys go before girls, sometimes girls before boys, sometimes they all run together in one race………. We ask athletes to arrive approximately 1:00 - 1:15 before the start of their race. This time allows for us to find our camp, get together as a group, go out for a course preview (walk/run), go to the bathroom and get our spikes ready and then get ready to warm-up.
Below is a typical schedule we follow to prepare for a race that starts at 1:00pm. Note: The boys or girls could start first, depending on the the race.
12:00 Arrive
12:10 Course walkthrough. This may be dictated by the race officials, otherwise we typically time this to follow behind another races (such as a high school JV race that would start at 12:00 this example). We walk/ jog the course so the athletes know where they are going and so we can discuss terrain and race strategies.
12:40 Boys warmup and lines. These are a consistent set of exercises to get the athletes warmed up, flexible, and ready to race. The athletes will also switch to their spikes, if they are wearing them. This is also the last opportunity to use the restrooms.
12:55 Boys to the start line. The team will find their location and do 2-5 “strides”, which are 20-50m acceleration runs to get their muscles ready for the start
1:00 Boys race starts.
1:00 Girls Warmup and lines. Same purpose as above, however this may include cheering for the rest of the BTC team.
1:15 Girls to the start line. Same purpose as above.
1:20 Girls race starts.
We will communicate the actual arrival and race times prior to each race.
How long are cross country races?
It varies by meet. For middle school races the distance varies from 1 to 2 miles with 3 kilometers (~1.8 mile) being the most common. You will find a lot of meets are 2.5 kilometers because they will use 1 lap of the 2 lap high school 5 kilometer course. The typical public fun runs/fundraisers are 5 kilometers (3.1 miles). In high school the race distance is 5 kilometers and in college it varies from 5k to 10k (NCAA D-1 Women-6k; Men-10k). At the USATF championship levels, the race distances are age-based with 8 & under = 2K; 9-12 = 3K; 13-14 = 4K; 15 & up = 5K.
If it is really cold at a meet, does sitting in the car and honking count as cheering?
No. Your runner is out there in shorts and singlet, you can at least tough it out in your down coat and long underwear for a bit. Having the car blazing hot inside with a cup of hot chocolate for after their post-race cool down run will raise your stature on their list.....................at least for a little while [length dependent on age.]