Week of September 26th

Hi all...we talked on Saturday about being in a position where we HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING BETTER THAN THE OTHER TEAMS for these last 4 weeks. We have the talent, but we need to catch up to teams that have a head start on us. Take this seriously!
The All-Catholic meet showed us that we still have a lot of work to do with regards to competing with the right people in the first mile, but we're ready for the challenge! To get a historical perspective on the All-Catholic meet, check the new page I added to the website under important links - see the history of SJA's performances and see how your time stands up.

This week has a FRIDAY meet - be sure to make your schedule accordingly!

Monday, Sept 26 - Mastick 3:40-5:10 (easy mileage day)
Tuesday, Sept 27 - Memorial Field 3:35-5:15 (repeat 1000's at max)
Wednesday, Sept 28 - Mastick 3:40-5:15 (long easy run)
Thursday, Sept 29 - SJA 3:30-5:15 (team meeting, cross train, guest speaker)
Friday, Sept 30 - meet at Gilmour
Varsity - 5:30 Gray Div I (top 7-9 runners)
Open - 6:30 JV/open
return to SJA by 8:15
Saturday, Sept 31 - mastick - 9-10:30am...possible breakfast cookout???
Sunday, NOTHING!

All-Catholic Review

This past weekend the cross country team took its annual overnight to Dayton for the Midwest All-Catholic Championships. The varsity squad was missing 2 key runners from the top 5, so it was a great time for new runners to step up. Finding their way to those spots were Emily Bauer and Caitlin Nagy who, like 22 other teammates this weekend, ran season bests in helping the team earn 8th place at the Championship.
Mary Kate Chambers again was first to the line in a season best 20:22. Sophomores Rachel McGuire and Alesha Vovk were the 2nd and 3rd runners followed by Bauer and Nagy.
In the open race, freshman Lauren Marconi paced the way for the Jags with a letter-earning 21:51.
Individual SJA results can be found on the right side of this page.
Overall All-Catholic results can be found at www.carrollcrosscountry.org
Next weekend SJA will be competing at the Gilmour Invitational.

Open Door Review

In an effort to get the JV and open runners an extra race to make up for the "storm out" at Tiffin, SJA traveled to the Open Door Christian Academy Invitational on Tuesday September 20th to compete in a low key small race. While sitting out the top 15 runners, SJA's "C" team still competed well against 6 other school's varsity programs and nearly pulled off the win losing only to West Geauga (see the big trophy on the homepage).
Freshman Lauren Marconi was top finisher in 5th place for the Jags with a big PR of 22:30. Following Lauren to the line in all season best times were Maddie Miller, Ashley Klimczyk, Molly Moore, Colleen Kramer, Sara Hurley, and Maddy Lanning.
SJA's depth and dominance were even more prominent in the open race as the Jags took the top 12 positions. Winning the race with a spirited effort was senior Summer Roberts who ran a season best and near-PR of 23:30. Kristina Jackson set a personal best to bring home 2nd place, and Kaylay Dunn came in 3rd after months of frustrating injuries.
Another big SJA congrats goes to Halli Grunder for competing in her first ever cross country race - congrats Halli!
See SJA times posted in the "Open Door 2011" under the results section on the right of the blog

All-Catholic Info

This has been emailed to all parents and athletes. If you didn't get the email then I doubt I HAVE your email...

Saint Joseph Academy Cross Country
@ Midwest All-Catholic Meet

Friday, Sept 23
11:30 – bus LEAVES SJA for Kettering. We’ll take ONE bathroom break on the way. Make arrangements with teachers regarding tests, etc… We will probably travel straight to the cc course and stay for a couple of hours for pre-meet run and pasta dinner.

All 46 athletes are expected to go and are asked to bring $10 for hotel (the athletic dept is covering the rest of the cost). You will also want $5 for the pasta dinner Friday night. Any food on the way home Saturday is out of your pocket.

Location of course:
Indian Riffle Park/Kettering Community Center
2900 Glengarry Drive
Kettering, OH 45420

HOTEL INFO LEFT OUT HERE

Saturday, Sept 24
8:00am – leave hotel for the course
9:05 – varsity warm up
10:00 – varsity “Gold” race
10:40 – reserve warm up
11:30 – reserve race
12:35 - awards

Expected leave time 1:30pm – one stop on way back for food at Delaware Exit off I-71

Return to SJA (approx): Saturday, Sept 25 – 5:30-6:00pm

Meet website: http://www.carrollcrosscountry.org/AOCC/index.html

Open Door Itinerary

SJA @ Open Door Invitational
Tuesday, Sept 20, 2011

EAT A SMART LUNCH! Know your race times and be ready in all ways possible.
3:15 – bus leaves for Open Door Christian Academy
8287 West Ridge Road, Elyria, OH (directions on team site)

3:50ish – arrive at the campus, set up camp, get checked in, bathrooms, etc…
4:15 – racers meet with Coach Kieser to learn the course and walk some of it
4:20 – non-racers meet with Coach Kieser to get the assigned run for the day.

4:35 – “varsity” begin warm-up (Moore, Marconi, Lanning, Miller, Kramer, S. Hurley, Klimczyk)
5:15 – spikes on and head to start for varsity
5:20 – “open” begin warm-up (the rest of open from McDonough plus possibly Armstrong, Grunder and K. Waters)
5:30 – Varsity girls race
6:00 – open get spikes on and head to start
6:15 – “open” race (both boys and girls!!!)
7:25 – leave for SJA
8:00 – arrive at SJA

Week of September 19

Sunday, Sept 18 - optional (but needed) volunteer at Heroe's Run at SJA starting at 7:30. Probably can be done by 10 or 10:30

Monday, Sept 19 - Mastick 3:40-5:15. Top 15 LT miles, the rest 4 miles

Tuesday, Sept 20 - meet at Open Door Christian Academy in Elyria (directions will be posted). Top 15 NOT racing, but will travel to run and cheer.
varsity (5:30) - Moore, Marconi, Lanning, Miller, Kramer, S. Hurley, Klimczyk
open w/boys (6:15) - the rest...
return by 8pm
Wednesday, Sept 21 - 2pm release at SJA 3:40-5:00

Top 15 mile time trial on SJA track (Helen do 800), the rest have separate workout
Thursday, Sept 22 - typical Thursday, 3:40-5:00

Friday, Sept 23 - depart for Dayton at 11:30. Make arrangements with teachers of PM classes! Go to course, pre-meet, spaghetti dinner, team meeting, bed. Will not post hotel online.

Saturday, Sept 24 - early wake-up
10:00am - varsity GOLD race - top 14 racing together
11:30am - GOLD reserve - the rest of the competitors

Sunday, Sept 25...nothing organized planned at this time.

McDonough Invite Review

Going into the McDonough Invitational in Cleveland Hts the Jaguars knew the first group racing on the day was going to set the tone for the rest of the day, and what a tone they set! The JV team was on the schedule first and they did not disappoint as they took 5 of the top 8 places in the race and won the team division with a low score of 23 points. Breaking the tape first for SJA was senior Caitlin Nagy, who won the first race of her career. Behind Cait was freshman Mallory Fahey in 3rd, junior Jill Bresnahan 4th, sr. Maggie Boyer in 7th, and sophomore Maddie Zimmerman in 8th. Grace Harter rounded out the JV crew in 23rd place.
Next was the open race which saw junior Emily Bauer challenge for first place during the early stages of the race but eventually settled for a solid 2nd place out of 173 runners. Many of the open runners set season bests on the soft, muddy, hilly course.
Ending the day for SJA was the varsity race which featured over 6 of the best teams in Northeast Ohio. The jags had a shaky start, but worked their way up through the pack to the very last stride and snuck in a surprising 2nd place out of 15 teams. The Jags were once again led to the trophy by senior captain Mary Kate Chambers in 12th place. Jess Sirchen was close behind in 14th, with Rachel McGuire 18th, Bridget Egan 26th, and Alesha Vovk in 29th place to round out the scoring.
SJA's splits can be found at the link on the right.
The overall meet results can be found here

Itinerary for McDonough

SJA CC @ McDonough Invitational
Sept 16, 2011

9am – bus leaves SJA for Forest Hills Park in Cleveland Hts. Direction on team website
Please wear the official team purple top and black pants.
9:30 – arrive at the park. Set up camp, hit bathrooms, whole team view course (including hill)
10:20 – Girls JV warm up (Nagy, Fahey, Boyer, Zimmerman, Jill Bres, Harter, Steve)
10:55 – spikes on head to the line
11:15 – Girls JV race (from both big and small school divisions - GO FOR THE WIN)
11:30 – Girls open warm up (see below)
12:25 – Girls open race (from both big and small school divisions)
12:40 – Varsity warm up (Chambers, McGuire, Sirchen, Vovk, Egan, Riley, Jess Bres)
1:35 – varsity “Red” Race team
3:15 – leave for SJA
3:45 – arrive at SJA

Open (probably not officially scored but I will score it!)
Timmons Roddy Dunn Waters, MB
Miller Grunder Lanning Marconi
Bauer Hurley, S Roberts Kramer
Jackson, K Fibbi, C Grove Moore
Jackson, M Klimczyk Konys Miranda
Russo Hennings Swit Kelley
Fibbi, B Hurley, K

Not Running: McGinty, Farris, Borden, Lenehan, Armstrong, K Waters

Competing Teams (Red)
SJA
Solon
Shaker Hts
Walsh A + B
North Royalton
Lakewood
Lakeside
Valley Forge
Brush
Euclid
Avon
Lincoln West
North Olmsted
Parma
Magnificat (B?)
Cleveland Hts

Week of Sept 12

Greetings all - we are in the heart of the season and hopefully we're getting into a groove.

I want to thank the parents who have helped so much with meals the past few weeks including the Bresnahans and Sirchens helping with the meal this past Friday and Mrs. Timmons helping with bagels and such for the Tiffin meet.

We are very thankful also for the parents who went above and beyond to help their daughters come out to Tiffin after the ACT that morning as well as make arrangements for getting rides to homecoming. That kind of commitment and dedication FROM THE PARENTS is huge. Thank you.

Monday, Sept 12 - Mastick 3:40-5:30 - longish run with some build up 2nd half
Tuesday, Sept 13 - SJA 3:25-5:15 - team meeting, mileage, lift, etc...
Wednesday, Sept 14 - SJA/Impett post mass-(5:15?) - max 700's! be ready!
Thursday, Sept 15 - SJA 3:25-5:00 - typical Thursday
Friday, Sept 16 - SJA 3:25-5:10 - meeting then regular pre-meet day
Saturday, Sept 17 - CC MEET! Held in Cleveland Hts at Forest Hills Park
McDonough Invitational Hosted by VASJ
schedule:
9:00am - bus leaves SJA
11:15 - girls JV (Nagy, Harter, Steve, Boyer, Zimmerman, Jill Bres, Fahey)
12:25 - girls open (the rest including Dunn, Roddy, and Timmons we hope!)
1:35 - girls varsity red (large schools) (same as Tiffin)
4:00pm return??

Sunday, Sept 18 - Heroe's Run at SJA. Team can get volunteer hours by helping at registration, mile marks, water stops, finish line, and clean up. If you can start early they'll look for help by 7:00. If you need to come later sticking around to clean up is also an option. They will want the majority of us there by 7am for the registration.
You are NOT asked or expected to physically run in this race, however the team may consider going to mastick after for a few miles.
Heroe's Run information here - http://clevelandheroesrun.com/

Wash Out in Tiffin

In more ways than one the SJA experience at the Tiffin Carnival ended up all wet. The varsity team, hoping to knock off some state ranked teams, found out exactly just how fast the best in the state are. The Jaguars ran some fast times, but it wasn't enough to overcome their 21st place finish in the Division I-A race.
Rachel McGuire was the first JAG across the line in 20:29. Mary Kate Chambers followed in 20:49, Jess Sirchen in 20:59, Bridget Egan in 21:36, Alesha Vovk 21:47, Jess Bresnahan 21:58, and Sam Riley in 22:09.
The JV/open runners did not get to race due to storms that moved into the area right before the race began.
Tiffin Results here

Tiffin Itinerary

SJA CC @ Tiffin Carnival
Noon – bus leaves SJA for Hedges Boyer Park in Tiffin, OH. Direction on team website
SJA team gear only! No grade school stuff or anything else – you are all outfitted now!
(empty your bladder before we leave!)
*** Be sure you have eaten properly. Perhaps a breakfast AND a lite lunch when we leave for Tiffin.
1:45 – arrive at the park
Set up camp (will want tent this time), empty bladder, learn course

3:05 – varsity team warm up (Chambers, McGuire, Sirchen, Vovk, Egan, Riley, Jess Bres)
3:40 – spikes on, head to start line
4:00 – varsity “A” girls race
4:05 – open runners warm up (see list below)
4:35 – spikes on, head to start line
4:55 – girls Div 1 open race (comprised of open runners from A and B races)
6:15 – pack up the bus and head for home….homecoming people check out with me before you go!!


Open (TEAM SCORED)
Nagy Fahey Steve Zimmerman
Miller Jill Bres Harter Marconi
Bauer Hurley, S Roberts Kramer
Jackson, K Fibbi, C Grove Moore
Jackson, M Klimczyk Konys Miranda
Russo Hennings Swit? Kelley
Borden Lanning Waters, MB Fibbi, B
Hurley, K Armstrong

Not Running: Timmons, McGinty, Farris, Dunn, Grunder, Lenehan, Roddy, Waters, K., Boyer

This is an important meet competition-wise. Times may or may not be fast, but you are scored on places, not times.
What will it take for you to WANT to defeat your opponents?
COMPETE!

Week of Monday, September 5th 2011

Last week was a good week in many ways. The team had a very successful workout on Wednesday and came back with a solid effort on Saturday against 4 of the best teams in Ohio. We’re on the doorstep of greatness, but we still have work to do.

As promised this week will be considered “down” in some ways because we won’t do any intervals so that we can feel a little recovered for Tiffin, however we still have to get work in. We will do a threshold run on Monday and some pick ups on Wednesday. The rest of the week will be about the same as usual. Athletes have to keep bearing the responsibility of getting as much sleep as possible, using ice baths when necessary, taking multi-vitamins, eating properly and staying hydrated. Above all they should be getting good grades, NOT getting infractions, and being great teammates. It’s a tough sport to succeed in, but with good teammates it makes it a lot more enjoyable.

Temps are supposed to be below 80 all week! But also threat of rain each day. Pack clothes accordingly.

Monday, Sept 5 – 2 OPTIONS for times, but both do same workout – AT run (tempo)
You are expected to attend one or the other EXCEPT for athletes too injured to run at all.
Option 1 – 9am to 10:30 at Mastick
Option 2 – 6pm to 7:30 at Mastick

Tuesday, Sept 6 – SJA 3:25-5:15. post-race team meeting in 331, then run, mini-hurdles, hip mobility, lift

Wednesday, Sept 7 – early dismissal for students, but I still have meetings til 3:30. Practice at Mastick 3:40-5:15. over-distance run with pick-ups at the mile marks.

Thursday, Sept 8 – regular Thursday – 3:25-5:00 and you shall ICE! Nobody runs this day.

Friday, Sept 9 – pre-meet day – team meeting in room 331 followed by pre-meet run, striders, stretch. Team dinner hosted by the Bresnahans and Sirchens presumably at SJA around 5pm.

Saturday, Sept 10 – Tiffin Carnival.
Tiffin is about 1:40 away by car. Parking will be crowded – this is a GIGANTIC meet.
Bus leaves SJA at noon (sleep in, eat a full, appropriate breakfast)
Varsity A women – 4pm (Chambers, McGuire, Sirchen, Vovk, Egan, Riley, Jess Bres)
Div I open women – 4:55 pm (all the rest)
6:15pm – leave for SJA – return around 8pm

Sunday, Sept 11 – optional long run day. Athletes may be asked to go long on their own on this morning. I will try to organize something with the captains during the week.

Go Jags!

Ashland gets HOT!

The day before the Ashland Invitational news came out that some new teams were going to be joining the field at the Ashland Invitational. The additional talent only added to the heat of the day as some early season battles shaped up.
While hoping to knock off some ranked teams, the Jaguars ended up 5th place out of 11 complete squads in the large school division. All 4 teams that beat SJA are pre-season ranked in the top 20 in the state.
For the second week in a row the first three runners were Mary Kate Chambers (sr./15th place), Rachel McGuire (so./17th place), and Jessica Sirchen (sr./23rd place). Rounding out the scoring for SJA was 4th runner Alesha Vovk (so./30th place) and Bridget Egan (jr./33rd place). Next week's varsity squad was determined by the 6th and 7th placings on the team of Sam Riley (sr./38th place) and Jessica Bresnahan (jr./45th place).
While not a scored event, it doesn't take too much in the math department to figure the JV scores by hand. SJA CLEARLY had the best JV team in the race getting it's 5 runners in before all but one other school had ANY runners in.
On a hot day we give special notice to the 4 girls who ran personal bests - all are first year runners - Mallory Fahey, Clare Fibbi, Maureen Borden, and Melyssa Jackson. Great job, girls!
Next week the team makes the trip to Tiffin for one of the largest invitationals in the whole country the Tiffin Carnival!
results of the Ashland Invite can be found here

Itinerary for Ashland Invite

SJA @ Ashland Invitational
Ashland High School
September 3rd, 2011

6:45 – bus leaves SJA…there will be NO waiting (Margaret). Make sure you are on the bus, no flip-flops, ready-to-go with water bottle.

8:00 – arrive at meet site. Unload the bus, make camp, THEN bathroom, THEN please learn the course, especially the finish! It is a two loop course, so not too difficult.
Bus parks at King Road Alliance Church. Parents can park on campus or Grace Brethren Church
Set up camp (tent, tarps, team sign)

8:35 – warm up begins. Only drink water from here on – no Gatorade, etc…
4 – 1.5 miles
2, 3 – 1.0 mile
1 - .5 mile
Jog followed by full warm up routine with Coach Kieser AS A TEAM.
9:15 – spikes on and uniform/jewelry check.
9:20 – go to start line for striders and prayer (2 striders out, 1 strider back, pray, then 1 more jog/strider back to line)
9:30 – girls high school race – all compete except those listed below (you’ll be helping!)
Amherst wears dark green, Dublin Scioto wears a lighter green. Go for great (but do it smart).

10:30 – warm down whatever you warmed up
11:00 – parent food and drink after a proper cool down and stretch

11:30 – leave for SJA but stop at Lodi Crossing for an hour of shopping, etc…Bring money
1:45-2:00 – return to SJA unless you hear sooner.

Results will be linked from
our website and found directly
on www.baumspage.com

Not running:
Dunn – shins
Lenahan – ankle
Grunder – foot
Roddy – knee
McGinty? – shins
Farris? – back
K. Hurley? - ankle




“It's at the borders of pain and suffering that the men are separated from the boys.”
Emil Zatopek

Tough times don't last but tough people do.
A.C. Green

Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go.
T.S. Eliot