Neuqua Valley Mens Cross Country

 

 

 

Paul Vandersteen – Head Coach  paul_vandersteen@ipsd.org

Jaime Janota – Varsity   james_janota@ipsd.org

Steve Saul – Sophomores   steve_saul@ipsd.org

Mike Rossi – Freshmen   michael_rossi@ipsd.org

Arnoush Javaherian – Freshmen   arnoush_javaherian@ipsd.org

 

Our Mission and Values          

 

Chris Derrick is 3rd in NCAA Championship 5k!  

 

Chris continued to impress us all.  Links to interviews, video of the race, and results can be found here. 

 

167 Signed up for Wildcat Summer Cross Country Camp!

 

We have record numbers signed up for our camp despite the decline in enrollment for next year.  Our track and field numbers are at 180 participants.

 

IHSA State Championsips – May 29 and 30, 2009

 

Wow, what a weekend!  We placed second as a team in the State and had some great performances.  Full results can be found here. 

 

Last spring, we as a coaching staff, talked about getting our sprinters to run cross country.  Coach Saul and I discussed a plan and he took ownership of it and made it work.  I believe it paid off in the form of a third place 4 x 800m relay, a fourth place 400m, and a first place 4 x 400m relay.   Video of all of the State races can be found here.  A really good video of the 4 x 400m can be found here. 

 

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The 3rd place 4 x 800m relay of (L-R Top):  Brian Griffith, Aryan Avant, Robert James, and James Krist.

 

I could not be happier for Coach Kennedy, his assistants, and the athletes.  Junior Aryan Avant deserves a lot of accolades for putting this team on his back and making this happen.  Our only chance of placing in the 4 x 800m was to put him in there.  He came through with a 1:55.7 split and put us in contention for that race and a team trophy.   When we talked to Aryan on Friday night, he listened, believed what the coaches told him, and took on the challenge.  We looked like geniuses because we told him he could run a 1:55 J

 

Danny and Aaron deserve a lot of credit.  I know both were a little disappointed in their places.  I was impressed with their confidence.  Both of these young men ran tactically smart races and neither had anything left at the end.  Danny Pawola goes down in history as the best distance runner in our history not named Chris Derrick.  9:09 is nothing to sneeze at.  Aaron Beattie showed the State he is to be contended with this fall.  Barring any misfortunes, he will be the fourth nationally elite distance runner that will represent NV in the last three years. 

 

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Danny and Aaron on lap 2 of the 3200m race. 

 

Last, but not least, I wanted to acknowledge our team manager this past spring.  His name is Pat Peters and I cannot say enough great things about this young man.  To illustrate the respect and love that is teammates and coaches have for him, we showed up in full force to watch him run in the open race on Friday night.  He ran a very respectable 5:09.  We will miss you Pat!  I know I speak for everyone when I say that you represent all that is good about the human spirit.

 

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Manager Pat Peters blazes a 5:09 at the Open race on Friday night

 

The most recent performances are in dark red………relay splits are not recorded.

Outdoor Bests 2009

400m

800m

1600m

3200m

Underclassmen Updated 5-31-09

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aitken, Robbie

 

2:18

 

 

Antonson, Josh

 

 

9:51.5

Berkowicz, Paul

59.3

 

Blacker, Kyle

 

5:09

10:44.4

Boclair, Shelton

63.3

2:16

 

Brinker, Danny

 

 

5:31

11:32.7

Cederoth, Ben

 

 

5:13

11:09.3

Coyne, Matt

 

 

5:12.8

10:22.8

Dal Pozzo, Vincenzo

 

 

5:11

11:11.1

Derrick, Mark

 

 

4:59

10:40.9

Ferguson, Josh

 

2:07.6

4:46

10:19

Gaikwad, Hirsh

 

 

5:05.8

10:11.7

Graham, Nick

 

 

4:58

10:33.4

Guenther, Pat

55.2

 

 

Haga, Kevin

55.2

2:17.5

 

 

Hill, Matt

 

 

4:50.5

10:21.8

Hynes, Jon

 

 

 

Lynn, Joel

 

2:09

4:42

10:19.9

Miller, Geoff

 

 

5:16

11:25.7

Pembrook, Eric

54.6

2:06.7

 

Skrip, Kevin

 

5:09

 

Soltys, Taylor

 

 

4:56.5

10:25.9

Stricker, Jon

 

 

4:58.1

10:54.4

Torke, Harsha

 

2:04.1

4:27.8

9:47.8

Tout, Andrew

 

2:06.2

4:40

9:57.5

 

 

 

 

 

Upperclassmen Updated 5-31-09

 

 

 

 

Avant, Aryan

48.6

2:01.0

 

 

Beattie, Aaron

 

 

4:22.1

9:20.0

Brown, Cale

50.3

2:04.0

Egan, Greg

2:06.2

4:52.4

 

Folster, Carlton

 

 

4:43.0

9:47.4

Griffith, Brian

52.8

1:55.4

4:25

9:59.7

James, Robert

 

 

 

Klimczak, Billy

 

 

4:53

10:09.6

Krist, James

 

1:59.5

4:37.4

10:33.8

Lagomarcino, Jordan

 

 

Mahmoud, Jaffar

 

 

9:49.1

Maunder, Tanner

51.4

2:06

 

 

Merkley, Alex

 

 

4:46.7

10:21.0

Morenus, Brian

 

2:09.8

4:28.4

9:38

Pawola, Danny

 

2::01.8

4:17.5

9:09.7

Shields, Connor

 

 

4:38.7

9:57

Verbus, Luke

 

 

4:36.5

10:02

Winek, Bryan

2:00.0

4:31.5

9:51.6

Wing, David

 

 

4:39

9:56.6

 

IHSA AAA Plainfield Sectional Meet – May 22, 2009

 

Overall it was a great night.  Our 4 x 200m dropped the baton, but we also qualified a high jumper and a 300m low hurdler which was far from a given. 

 

I first have to tell the 300m hurdle story for it may be something I never see again.  During the 300m hurdle race, Kevin Long had a hurdle from another competitor fly into his lane and hit him in the legs and chest!  Kevin fell to the ground, got up, and limped to the finish.  He quickly learned that he would get another chance at the end of the meet to qualify.  I have seen this many times - a hurdler getting another chance.  When they get their second chance, the hurdler is by him self and emotionally and physically drained from the prior experience of crashing to the ground and never comes close to qualifying.  Well, this story had a different ending.  With the whole stadium watching, Kevin showed what athletics is all about – to demonstrate the courage and determination to do what most thought impossible.  He qualified by .01!  Unlike some Sectionals, FAT was used and there was no fudging of times.  His teammates and coaches hugged him and there were few dry eyes for those that knew what was at stake.  Kevin had never broken 40 before, and here he was, doing the unlikely by running 39.83 FAT all by himself.  This was a moment I will never forget. 

 

Our 3200m relay ran well but there is definite room for improvement.  Robert James showed he is back to form by running 1:56.7.   James Krist ran his first 300m too fast and tied up at the end.  Tanner Maunder is still recovering from his bout with the flu but showed he is recovering by running 2:01.  This relay has a huge upside.  We will see if they show it next weekend. 

 

Beattie, Gibson, Jermann Sectional 09.jpg

 

Danny Pawola and Aaron Beattie looked good in the 3200m run.  It was a four-man race with NN’s Kyle Gibson and Tyler Jermann.  As usual, these four guys battled throughout.  Places really did not matter.  What mattered is that they qualified for next weekend.

 

Pawola sectional 09.jpg

The biggest story in this race may have been Danny’s haircut J

 

Brian Griffith ran a solid 1:55.7 to qualify in the 800m.  Bryan Winek also ran a solid race.  Brian Morenus and Harsha Torke each ran a great 1600m.  Both ran pr’s and we will miss them both next year (Torke is moving to Florida). 

 

Griffith, Lorenz sectional 09.jpg

Eventual winner Emmet Lorenz leads Brian Griffith in the 800m

 

Our 1600m relay ran solid.  We need to improve our second leg and we will be in contention for the State championship in this relay.  Results of the meet.

 

Upstate Eight Conference Meet – May 13, 2009

 

We won the meet easily with some good performances.  Highlights were mainly in the 800m and 1600m.  For a reason I cannot fully explain, our 3200m performances were again not very good.  An emphasis on developing some speed might have come at the expense of aerobic development with some of our guys.  That’s ok, because some added speed may pay off this fall after a summer of focusing on aerobic development.  It is good to stress different systems.  Results.

 

It was good to see Robert James run again.  His split of 2:00.0 in the 4x800m relay shows he is ready to make a run of it the last two weeks.  Brian Griffith looked great in both the relay and open 800m.  I clocked him at 54.9 the first 400m of the relay before he backed off the last 200m to save some energy for the open 800m.  In the open 800m, he ran 57.5/57.5.   Can he run 55x/57x in Charleston and break Houtman’s 800m school record?

 

Brian Griffith conference 09.JPG 

Brian Griffith (headband) battles Max Clink of StCN in the final stretch of the 800m

 

Pawola, Beattie, and sophomore Joel Lynn looked great in the 1600m.  Joel is starting to show he could battle for a top 7 spot this fall with his 4:42.  Danny and Aaron look ready to run sub 9 and sub 9:10 in two weeks.  Danny and Aaron are now the 3rd and 4th fastest 1600m runners in our history.  If Danny runs the mile at the MDG meet in June, he will have a good shot of breaking Chris’ best time before running at Penn State. 

 

NV, Lake Park, South Elgin Meet – May 5, 2009

 

We had some guys look good, while others struggled.  For some reason, the 3200m had the majority of the poor performances.  We have been working hard and I think it showed in the 3200m more than the 1600m.  Brian Morenus, being a senior and therefore stronger, had little problem and ran a comfortable 9:38.  The highlight of the meet for me was watching Mark Derrick and Nick Graham crack the 5:00 barrier and Thadeus Johnson running his first 400m in 51.6.  Latest pr’s in red below……

 

DSC00544.JPG

Danny Brinker, Andrew Tout, Mark Derrick, and Kyle Blacker before the 1600m

 

13:29.98! Chris Derrick Sets The American Junior Record In The 5K!

chris_derrick_stanford_2.jpgFrom the Stanford website - Stanford, Calif. - On a day that honored former Stanford track coach Payton Jordan, the Stanford track and field team performed in a way that the late legend of the sport would have appreciated. The Cardinal shattered records on their way to an impressive Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational from Cobb Track and Angell Field. Nobody was more impressive than Stanford freshman Chris Derrick who highlighted the meet by shattering the American Junior Record in the 5,000 meters with a time of 13:29.98. Derrick battled with Oklahoma State freshman German Fernandez before pushing the pace over the final three laps to create the necessary gap. Fernandez also ran under the old record of 13:37.91 set by 2008 U.S. Olympian Galen Rupp. Both Derrick and Fernandez are still considered juniors because they will not turn 20 in 2009. The time for Derrick was also the sixth fastest in school history with four of the five ahead of him on the all-time list being former Olympians for the Cardinal. It is also the fifth-fastest time in the NCAA so far this year.  Video of the race.  Interview.

Red Ribbon Invitational – May 2, 2009

 

It was a rare nice day for this invitational, but the wind was at a steady 12-15 mph all day.  Therefore, we had very few pr’s.  The highlight of the meet was James Krist’s open 800m and our 4 x 400m relay running 3:21.1. 

 

WV vs. NV dual – April 28, 2009

 

Following tradition, this was the night of the 3200m run.  However, compared to last year, we did not have the weather on our side.  With 20 mph winds and temperatures in the low 50’s, there were still some notable performances.  Junior Carlton Folster ran a pr of 9:47 to finish third behind teammate Brian Morenus and winner Emmett Lorenz of WV.  Junior Jaffar Mahmoud continues to show his toughness in running 9:49.1.

 

Emmit Lorenz reminds me of Geoff Houtmann in regards to the range of distances he can run well.  He can run a sub 50 400m, and can run a 9:31 3200m in non-ideal conditions.  He has already run 1:54x and 4:19x in less than desirable weather.  Watch for him to run 1:51x this spring. 

 

Freshman Mark Derrick and I had a nice conversation today.  He and I talked about his future as a runner and student.  He has a bright future if he decides to dedicate himself to excellence.  We had three freshmen run 10:44 or better in today’s race.  We had 9 sophomores run 10:33 or better.  I believe that given better weather conditions, and four more weeks of training, that at least 13 underclassmen would run (I am including the injured Vincenzo Dal Pozzo) under 10:20. 

 

So far, we have 11 guys (7 return this fall) under 10:00 for 3200m.  I remember when Jeff Goode and Evan Roberts broke 10:00 in the Sectional meet at Naperville Central back in 2000 and how excited I was that we got three guys under 10:00 that year (Matt Bailey broke 10:00 earlier that year).  We have come a long way.

 

Lastly, Juniors Aryan Avant and Cale Brown are showing they are more than sub 50 400m runners.  2:01 and 2:04 in these conditions is worthy of recognition! 

 

DGS Bob Cohoon Invitational – April 24, 2009

 

This was definitely one of the more fun meets I have ever attended.  It was fun because Coach Kennedy and his staff decided to make this a meet where we would score the most points possible.  We asked some of our guys to double in the distance events, something we rarely do because we like to give other guys on the team as many opportunities as possible.  As a result, we beat York by 31 points.  York could have scored more points by placing some of their guys in different events, but it still would have been close even if they did.  The York guys are a class act.  The athletes took the initiative to shake our hands and their coaches immediately offered congratulatory hand shakes once they knew we had won the team title.  We need more team battles in track and field.  It makes it more fun and everyone is more invested in the meet. 

 

DSC00506.JPG

James Krist closes the gap in the 4 x 800m relay

 

There were so many great performances that it would take me many paragraphs to describe them all.  The most recent best performances are posted in red below and the times speak for themselves considering the windy conditions.  Results of the meet.

 

DSC00507.JPG

Coach Janota cheers on Aaron Beattie and Danny Pawola as super soph Jack Driggs

from York drafts in 3rd

 

The 3200m relay finished a very close 3rd thanks to James Krist’s 2:00:00 anchor.  With Robert James injured and Brian Griffith running the open 800m and 1600m, we inserted sophomore Harha Torke who ran a solid 2:03.7.  Tanner Maunder continues to learn how to run this race and Bryan Winek ran competitively again. 

 

The 3200m run was a great race to watch.  Aaron led the pack through 6 laps before Danny took over.  I think Aaron’s hair added another two seconds to his time in the windy conditions J Jack Driggs from York caught Danny with 150m to go and the sprint to the finish was on.  Danny edged the super soph at the line with Aaron finishing third.  Aaron did all the work for this race.  It was a great performance for him considering he missed two weeks of training after the indoor IPTT meet with a foot tendon injury.

 

Other great performances were turned in by Brian Griffith in winning the 800m, James Krist coming back from the 4x800m and running 2:01 to finish fifth, Aryan Avant and Cale Brown finishing 1, 2 in the 400m, Brian and Danny finishing 4, 5 in the 1600m, and our mile relay cranking a 3:23x with Aryan running 48.9 in the anchor spot.   Our sprinters really ran well in this meet and many of them have made big leaps as a result of running xc in the fall.  Prince Riley and Zach Splan started this trend and we continue to get more and more sprinters running xc.  So much for xc ‘slowing you down’ as many people claim. 

 

RJ McNichols runs 34:04 10k; Chris Derrick 8:18 3000m. 

 

The Alumni Page has been updated.  Check out the latest results.

 

West Aurora Invitational – April 18, 2009

 

DSC00481.JPG

Senior Danny Pawola leads the 1600m

 

Beautiful weather was the highlight of this meet.  However, Danny Pawola’s double definitely showed greater things to come.  Danny ran a lead-off 1:59 in the 4 x 800m and came back to run all alone to win the 1600m in 4:24, running even splits.  Another highlight was getting another sophomore under 10:00 in the 3200m.  Andrew Tout looked strong the last 500m, as he picked up the pace to run 9:57 or so.  Junior Carlton Folster continued to run consistent as he ran 9:54.  Our middle distance runners looked strong as Tanner Maunder ran 51.4 in the 400m to win his heat and Brian Griffith battled Alex Lyons from Lyons Twp. to finish second in the 800m in 1:56.2  Brian ran 58, 58 so we know faster times are ahead.  Sophomore Harsha Torke ran a 2:04 split in the 4 x 800m and came back in the open 800m to run 2:03.9.  

 

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Junior Carlton Folster leads the 3200m early in the race.  Andrew Tout is in third.

StCN, Steamwood Triangular – April 14, 2009

 

We had some solid performances for a Tuesday meet.  A lot of guys had an opportunity to run an 800m to work on their speed.  Updates are in the chart below.

 

Schaumburg Invitational – April 11, 2009

 

With Beattie, James, Lagomarcino, and Pawola not running, it gave other guys an opportunity to race.  However, they really did not take advantage of the opportunity.  The highlights were at the frosh/soph level with Torke, Tout, Antonson, Soltys, Pembrook, and Ferguson all running pr’s.  Given the windy and colder conditions, it is very possible Torke and Antonson could hit state qualifying marks in the 3200m if given the chance in mid-May with good weather.    In our history, only Beattie, Derrick, and Pawola have run faster as sophomores in the 3200m. 

 

Team wise, we got second at the varsity level to a very good York team.  We were able to capture the team title at the f/s level.  Results.

 

Beattie second at IPTT meet

 

Junior Aaron Beattie ran a 9:18.1 3200m on Saturday, March 28th to finish second in the Illinois Prep Top Times meet.  Senior Danny Pawola was 5th in 9:25.  Our 3200m relay also finished second running 8:01.6.  Senior Tanner Maunder ran the 800m for only the third time in his running career to run a 2:01.6 split.  Senior Brian Griffith ran 1:56.9 to lead off the relay.

 

Chris Derrick 15th in the World XC Meet!

 

Chris finished 15th in the World Junior Cross Country Championships.  He was the second American behind teammate German Fernandez who was seven seconds in front of Chris in 11th place.  The US team finished 5th as a team.  Individual results.  Team results.

 

Former NV runner Lucas Cotter signs with The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga

 

Lucas Cotter was an integral part of our team as a freshman and sophomore but then he moved to Tennessee.  He was his high school’s 1st or 2nd man most of the season and they won the Tennessee State Championships.  We miss you Lucas!

 

Lucas_and_coaches_at_signing.jpg

Lucas Cotter with his two coaches in Tennessee

 

Chris Derrick to run at World Jr. XC Championships

 

Chris will run in the World XC Championships at 8 a.m. CST on Saturday, March 28th.  E-mails from Chris indicate he is having a great time visiting the Dead Sea and getting his courage up to ride a camel.   I will be out of the country from March 28th – April 5th so I will not be able to update this site for a while.  Check here for results.

 

Upstate Eight Conference Meet – March 18th and March 23rd

 

Josh Antonson.jpg

Sophomore Josh Antonson finishes second in the 1600m

 

We had a pretty good two days at the conference meet.  We won each meet easily.  The STCE track is not very fast, but we still managed to produce some quality times.  The most recent performances, if they are a pr, are in red below.  Aaron Beattie’s victory in the varsity 3200m, our 1,2,3 finish in the f/s 3200m, a 1,2 finish in the f/s 1600m, and the 1, 3 finish in the f/s 800m were the highlights. 

 

Taylor Soltys and Joel Lynn.jpg

Sophomore Joel Lynn leads freshman Taylor Soltys in the 3200m

 

The most recent performances are in dark red………splits are not recorded.

Indoor Bests 2009

600m

800m

1600m

3200m

Underclassmen Updated 3-24-09

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aitken, Robbie

 

2:26.6

 

 

Antonson, Josh

 

 

4:55.8

10:12.4

Berkowicz, Paul

 

2:27.1

 

Blacker, Kyle

 

2:25.9

5:34.3

 

Boclair, Shelton

 

 

5:48.0

 

Brinker, Danny

 

 

5:41.8

 

Cederoth, Ben

 

 

5:36.8

11:36.7

Coyne, Matt

 

 

5:07.3

11:16.3

Dal Pozzo, Vincenzo

 

 

5:01.7

 

Derrick, Mark

 

 

5:20

 

Ferguson, Josh

 

2:12.3

4:50.0

 

Gaikwad, Hirsh

 

 

4:58.2

10:28.0

Graham, Nick

 

 

5:02.1

11:46.0

Guenther, Pat

 

2:31.4

 

 

Haga, Kevin

 

2:21.4

 

 

Hill, Matt

 

 

5:03.6

11:02.1

Hynes, Jon

 

2:33.2

 

 

Lynn, Joel

 

 

4:57.6

10:36.0

Miller, Geoff

 

 

5:35.7

 

Pembrook, Eric

 

2:08.5

5:09.0

 

Skrip, Kevin

 

2:14.9

 

 

Soltys, Taylor

 

 

5:14.3

10:31.1

Stricker, Jon

 

 

5:06.6

 

Torke, Harsha

 

 

4:44.2

10:01.5

Tout, Andrew

 

 

4:41.4

10:27.1

 

 

 

 

 

Upperclassmen Updated 3-24-09

 

 

 

 

Avant, Aryan

1:26.1

 

 

 

Beattie, Aaron

 

 

4:34.6

9:18.1

Egan, Greg

1:32.1

2:08.5

 

 

Folster, Carlton

 

 

4:53.0

9:57.3

Griffith, Brian

 

2:01.3

4:31.7

 

James, Robert

 

2:04.6

 

 

Klimczak, Billy

 

 

4:58.4

10:19.4

Krist, James

 

2:04.5

4:37.3

 

Lagomarcino, Jordan

 

2:08.3

4:37.0

 

Mahmoud, Jaffar

 

 

4:47.5

10:12.6

Maunder, Tanner

 

 

 

 

Merkley, Alex

 

 

4:53.4

 

Morenus, Brian

 

 

4:37.0

9:32.2

Pawola, Danny

 

 

4:32.2

9:15.5

Shields, Connor

 

 

4:40.0

9:49.0

Verbus, Luke

 

 

4:36.3

9:46.0

Winek, Bryan

1:32.2

 

4:35.8

 

Wing, David

 

 

4:44.7

9:59.0

 

Chris Derrick fourth in NCAA 5,000m!  5th in NCAA 3000m!

 

Interview and recap of the race.  Chris continued to amaze everyone by finishing 4th in the 5,000m at the NCAA Indoor Championships in College Station, TX.  Chris ran a 2:02 last 800m (who said he did not have speed?).  He will run the 3,000m today.    Splits. 

Interview #2.

 

Oswego Invitational – March 13th, 2009

 

Updated times in red below.  Junior Jordan Lagomarcino showed his ability to kick to win the 1600m in 4:37.  Freshman Mark Derrick had a nice debut in the 1600m.  The time of the meet probably came from freshman Taylor Soltys.  Taylor’s 10:34 was 14 seconds faster than Chris Derrick’s time at this meet when he was a freshman.  Connor and Luke’s performances in the 3200m would probably get them automatic qualifying into the Top Times meet if it was on a fast 200m track. 

 

Ryan Perry qualifies for National Meet:

 

College of DuPage freshman, Ryan Perry, ran the 5,000m in 16:32 to qualify for the National Junior College Championships.   The lap counter went to the bathroom in the middle of the race and lost track of the laps.  Ryan ran an extra lap and they took his time from a lap earlier to count as the ‘official’ time.  Marshall Stewart, running for Carthage College, was fifth in the 400m.  Results. 

 

Thornwood Invitational – Saturday, March 7th, 2009

 

The world’s longest indoor track meet was finally over around 6:30 p.m. on Saturday.  We took a lot of guys who have not had the chance to race much indoors.  Jaffar Mahmoud and Carlton Folster went 1-2 in the 3200m run while beating the meet record.  The Thornwood track is also a very slow track, so for these two guys to run 10:16 is very good.  I am confident both men will run well under 10:00 if they are given a chance to run on a decent track with their spikes on.  Aaron Beattie won the 1600m in 4:47 after running the 4x800m relay.  The best performance of the meet probably came from junior Alex Merkley.  He ran 4:55 for the full mile which converts to a 4:53.4 1600m.  To run a pr on this track is amazing.  More times later as they become available. 

 

Downers South Relay Meet – Monday, March 2nd, 2009

 

The guys performed well, a little over 48 hours after Saturday’s meet at Proviso.  We set a meet record in the 4 x 200m (1:32.8), ran a State-best 4 x 400m relay (3:28.5), and showed the rest of the State we again have a 4 x 800m relay (8:06.7) that will contend for a medal come late May. 

 

Our 4 x 800m relay ran 4-5 seconds better than last year’s team at this meet.  We thought Chris Derrick ran an amazing leg (1:58.2) last year, but Brian Griffith’s lead off leg of 1:57.7 was our fastest split ever at this meet.  Brian, the slimmed down leader of this 4 x 800m team, ran right with top returning 800m specialist Alex Lyons from Lyons Twp.  He handed off to Bryan Winek who turned in a solid 2:04.6 to establish a narrow lead over Geneva and Lyons.  The plan was to run Aaron Beattie in this slot, but the flue still had a grip on him.  Bryan showed some guts by taking his place even though he was the not feeling the greatest himself.  Bryan handed off to Danny Pawola, and Danny was able to gap the field by 30-35m while running a 2:03.8.  Danny handed off to the long-legged Robert James who tried to navigate the turns to the best of his ability.  Geneva’s Andrew Nelson turned on the burners with two laps to go and caught Robert on the backstretch on the final lap and pulled away to the victory.  Robert ran a solid 2:01.6 while Andrew ran a 1:56.0 leg.  Robert’s best time indoors last year was 2:05x and he ended up running 1:56.6 at the State meet.  Hopefully, this a sign of great things to come J 

 

I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Nelson and Andrew after the meet.  I was very impressed by their kindness and felt good about the positive relationships the Geneva guys have built with our guys.  Northern Iowa has found another blue chipper in Andrew Nelson.  We might see a repeat of a Dorian Ulrey (who is now at Arkansas).   He ran this amazing split after only running the last 3.5 weeks due to an injury.  The injury resulted from running with our guys down an ice-covered prairie path during X-mas break.

 

Chris Derrick runs 7:57.3 in 3000m to finish 2nd at Pac-10 meet!

 

From the Stanford site – “Freshman long distance specialist Chris Derrick competed in the 3,000 meters where he finished second with a provisional time of 7:57.30. Derrick already has an auto time in the 5,000 meters where he will likely compete at nationals.”

 

State best times recorded at Proviso West Invitational (3/1/09)

 

Danny Pawola ran a 9:15.5 3200m and our 3200m relay ran 8:11.0 to rank them as the State’s best at this point in the season.  Senior Brian Morenus ran a state qualifying mark of 9:32 in the 3200m.  Senior Brian Griffith ran a 2:00 split in the 3200m relay.  Junior James Krist ran 2:02x in that same relay.  Other great performances were turned in by sophomores Harsha Torke (10:01), Andrew Tout (4:41), Josh Antonson (10:17), Josh Ferguson (2:12.3), Vincenzo Dal Pozzo (2:07x split), and freshman Eric Pembrook (2:08x split).   Junior Aryan Avant ran the 600m in 1:26.1 – not bad for a first effort at this distance!  Aaron Beattie did not run due to the flu.

 

Jimmy Riddle wins EIU Invitational 3000m run

 

Jimmy Riddle ran 8:28.2 to win the 3000m run at the EIU invite.  See all the season bests from our alumni by going to the Alumni page. 

 

Chris Derrick 2nd at USATF Junior National XC Championships

 

Chris Derrick placed second at the USATF National Cross Country Meet in Deerwood, Maryland.  He ran the 8k on a hilly course in 23:39, 19 seconds behind Oklahoma State freshman, German Fernandez.  Full results.  Chris fell down early in the race but he got right back up and it did not seem to affect his race much.  Third place was Luke Puskedra of Oregon, finishing 14 seconds behind Chris.  After Luke, it was another 42 seconds before the fourth place finisher came across the line.  As a result of this race, Chris will now be a member of the U.S. team that will travel to Aaman, Jordan to compete in the World Championships. 

 

Check the Alumni page for other marks from past NV runners.  If I missed a mark or left someone out, please notify me. 

 

Danny Pawola Signs National Letter of Intent with Penn State!

 

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L-R:  Mr. Pawola, Danny Pawola, Coach Vandersteen, and Mrs. Pawola

 

Additional Commentary…..

 

Aaron Beattie wrote me in response to the Training Advice written below.  I thought his comments on c. were especially noteworthy.  He said,  

 

“It takes a lot of self-confidence and maybe a little bit of arrogance to say, "You know what, I'm just going to book it from the gun, and see how well I can do out there."  Nobody should race with their heart on their sleeve or run a race purely off an emotional high, because a guy with a better mental focus of his racing plan will beat him every time.  Yeah, this goes against the Steve Prefontaine mentality of leaving it all on the track, but when you're racing against the best, a race strategy based all on guts is not going to bring back home any hardware, no matter how big your heart is.” 

 

I could not agree more.  One has to know their competition and be smart about the race plan before guts matter. 

 

Alumni Off to a Great Start……

 

Chris Derrick is off to a great start, running a automatic qualifying mark of 13:44 at The University of Washington on January 30th.  The video of the race.  

 

eventLogo.pngChris will run in the World Junior Cross Country qualifying meet this weekend in Deerwood, Maryland.  If Chris qualifies, he will represent the United States in Aaman, Jordan at the World XC Championships.  63 teams are scheduled to compete.  Click on the logo for more details.

 

 

Jimmy Riddle ran a 3000m in 8:40.7.  Another great time for a first effort this indoor season (and, coming off an injury this past fall). 

 

The rest of the NV alumni times can be found under Alumni. 

 

25 Guys Run 5:07 or Better!

 

The 2009 track and field team had their tryout meet on Friday, January 30th at Westwood Sports Complex in Sterling, Illinois.  195 men tried out for the team.  13 guys ran 4:49 or better for the 1600m portion of the tryout meet.  11 sophomores ran 5:07 or better with 25 guys under that mark. 

 

Chris Rohde named Metea Valley Cross Country Coach!

 

Chris Rohde, volunteer assistant for the men’s xc and track teams at NVHS, will be the new cross country coach at District 204’s newest high school.  Metea Valley, will open in the fall of 2009 and will become the third and final high school in our district.  Congratulations to Coach Rohde!

 

Time for Some Training Advice…..

 

I decided to change things up a bit during the off-season.  Each week, I will provide a thought-provoking question that may not always have ‘an answer’.  However, I will provide possible solutions based on my many years of running and coaching.  Feel free to e-mail me if you can add to the ‘solutions’.  I will post your input on the site. 

 

1.       What is really important when it comes to competing?

 

This is a loaded question, but worth investigating nonetheless.   When competing, I can think of three things that are critical for success:

 

a.        A strong belief in your training, coach, and self.  If you train hard, eat and sleep right, and believe in what you are doing, then it is important you translate this into a strong belief in yourself for the race. No better example was illustrated by this than Jordan Hasay in the National Footlocker Championships.  Jordan was one of three favorites going into the race.  She knew that she was probably the best finisher of the three, however.  The race started and one of the three favorites did what was best for her.  She sprinted out to the lead and set a torturous pace.  Her lead increased but Jordan stayed with the chase pack almost 80 meters behind.  This lead stayed intact through 4k and I started to doubt Jordan’s strategy.  She did not doubt herself, though.  She knew what she could do and was able to catch the leader and win the championship in the last 200m.  Even if she had not won, it was obvious she believed it was what was best for her in this situation.  You cannot control your competition, but a strong belief in yourself will give you a better chance.   

b.      Have a plan and then execute it.  Very simple, but I have seen many times when an athlete competes vs. someone of equal ability and they get beat handily because they did not have a race plan.   Obviously, the race may not unfold as planned, but if an athlete sticks more to their race plan than simply react to their competition, they have a better chance of running well.  A great example of this was Danny Pawola in the Footlocker Championships.  His plan was to hang back and let everyone go out fast as they traditionally do during this race.  Danny was 35th out of 40 runners at the mile.  He did not panic, remembered that he had been eating better, and stuck to his plan.  He started to pick guys off one by one until he found himself in 20th or so with 1000m to go.  He ended up passing a couple more to achieve All-American status while finishing 13th.

c.       Have some guts.   Are you going to give it your all or what I call, ‘be able to look yourself in the mirror’?  This may be the most important factor of all.  Your belief in yourself may be strong and you may have had a plan, but it will most likely come down to your willingness to put it on the line.  Going into the State meet this year, we had a plan and the guys had a strong belief in themselves.  We went out a little faster than I wanted (got away from the race plan some), but I could not fault our guys for not having the guts to go for it all.  We were only 4 points out of first as a team at the two mile mark!  We could not maintain this pace, but I was not disappointed afterwards.  We showed some guts and as a coach, I will never fault an athlete for giving it their all even if the plan is not executed well. 

 

2.  Which is more important to advance as a distance runner, winter or summer training?

 

Until 4 or 5 years ago, I always felt the summer was more important than the winter when it came to overall improvement as a distance runner.  I changed my mind after seeing some of our guys make huge leaps during the winter.  Obviously, summer is critical to get ready for the fall.  The summer gets ‘all the press’ but it is the winter that can be the true test of a champion.

 

Compared to summer, there is more time to train.  If you count the training days from the end of xc season to the beginning of the outdoor season, there is more time to put in some quality miles.  I suppose if a coach put a lot of emphasis on the indoor season, it negates this argument.  Assuming an athlete takes 10-14 days off after their xc season, there is a lot of time to train before outdoor track.  From the second week in November to the end of March there is about 6-7 weeks more than the summer has to offer. 

 

True champions are made during the winter because there are more obstacles to overcome such as time spent in school (and homework), bad weather, and less structure (no formal coaching).  It takes a disciplined runner to plan ahead and make time to train.  Many miles are run on your own.  However, I have seen that the NV guys are meeting to run together more and more over the years.  Winter is a true test of determination to get a run in every day.  The truly great runners that I have seen at NV train with purpose during the winter.  Chris Derrick and Danny Pawola are great examples.  Danny used to not train with purpose during the winter and decided to model Chris.  It worked, as evidenced by his 9:16 3200m his sophomore year.  A junior or senior should be getting their miles up to a consistent 50-55 mpw if they want to be a champion in the spring and the following fall.  However, these miles should not just be ‘junk’ miles.  Each training session should have a purpose, not just ‘put in some miles’.  I advocate for one long run (over 75 minutes) per week, and two sessions of up-tempo pace for at least 20-25 minutes.  Focus should be on developing strength, too.  A lot of pushups, pull-ups, and core exercises can only help. 

 

Veteran runners should be putting in runs of 1:30:00 - 1:45:00 each weekend by the time January arrives.  I recently met Chris Derrick on the track for a workout.  He did a 20 minute warm-up; 5 x 1200m in 3:26 with 3 minutes rest, 4 x 200m, and a 20 minute cool down.  He planned to meet me a couple days in advance to make sure he could get on the track.  Great runners just don’t step out the door for a run.  Great runners run with purpose.  I know Aaron Beattie is going to have a great track season and great fall because he has a plan.  He is training with purpose and is consistent with his training.  There are about 15-20 other guys who are doing the same based on what I hear.  This is a mark of a championship team.  If a group of guys are willing to meet, train together, and share their goals, great things will happen.  I know there are other teams that also have this dynamic.  For example, Aaron and Bryan drove up to Geneva to run with their guys.  This is possible, not because of us coaches, but because there are athletes willing to set goals and ACT upon them.  It takes LEADERS such as Pat Peters, Rob Covington, Josh Antonson, and others to put pressure on others to make this commitment.  Winter is the true test of this intrinsic motivation.  Winter provides us distance runners with a test; a test of ‘who is willing to do what it takes be at their best?’  As John Wooden would say, ‘who is true to themselves’? 

 

Next week – What is really important when it comes to competing?

 

3.  How can one best avoid the dreaded IT syndrome? 

 

I learned a lot about Illiotibial Band Syndrome this past fall as a result of Aaron’s injury and Connor’s trouble in the past.  I consulted other coaches, talked to athletic trainers and physical therapists, and did research online.  In short, this is what I recommend:

 

·        Do preventive exercises that strengthen the hip abductor muscles (butt muscle that moves the leg away from the body called the gluteus medius).  A Stanford University study found 93% of IT injuries were due to weak hip abductor muscles!  So, you ask, what exercises can I do to keep these muscles strong?  Believe it or not, jumping jacks will help!  Yes, those old fashioned jumping jacks from the 60’s have value after all.  Probably the best exercise for strengthening these muscles is to lie on your side with your legs bent at approximately 30 degrees.  Raise the upper leg with the toes pointed toward the sky while sucking in your belly (this part is important).  Hold the leg up for two seconds before lowering again.  Do 10x per leg. Perform this exercise 5x per week.  This exercise will become part of our active warm-up this summer, and possibly this spring, if I can convince Coach Janota.

 

·        Other suggestions would be to not increase mileage too fast (an experienced runner should not increase mileage by more than 5% after 50 mpw), gradually get used to the track (do some jogging on the track 3-4 sessions before doing intervals), avoid running on the same side of the road all the time, and avoid excessive down hill running.  Obviously, having a roller to stretch out the IT has a lot of value along with keeping the quadricep (thigh) muscles loose. 

 

More information can be found here.  Next week, I will pose a question about training during the winter. 

 

Footlocker National Championships – December 13th

 

As I drove my car during the Footlocker race, I wondered whether I would get a phone call (probably good news) or I would have to wait until later to get to a computer to check the results.  When my cell phone rang with Mrs. Pawola’s number, I was hopeful that he finished in the top 30.  To my delight, he did finish in the top 30, but what I did not expect was that he had just become an All-American!  Yes, Danny had run another great race and finished 13th.  Wow!  Knowing that this race typically goes out fast, Danny was in 35th or so at the mile.  At that point, he started picking guys off and managed a strong kick to pass a couple more guys the last 600m.   Interview with Danny.

 

Footlocker Danny and Drew Shields.jpg

Drew Shields (Fishers, Indiana) and Danny pose for a picture after the race

 

I could not be more proud of Danny.  My pride was not with his finish place, but with his journey to get to this point.  Danny has always had the intrinsic motivation to work hard to reach his goals. After a disappointing State and NXN Regional meet, he decided to eat better and it made a huge difference.  A lesson for us all.  It is the little things that make the biggest difference.  This is a message I convey often, but it is rare to have such a pointed example as this one.  Two All-Americans two years in a row (Chris Derrick, 2007).  I am a lucky guy to have coached such special athletes.  However, it is not their places at Nationals that ‘makes me lucky’.  It is their preparation and ‘being true to themselves’ that make their accomplishments really special.  It is special because they have mowed a path for others to follow.  Excellence is a habit, not an accident.  You cannot improve if you have no one to model after.  We have been provided with two great role models.  If we follow what they did, great things are sure to come.  Full results.  

 

Footlocker Midwest Regional Meet – November 29th

 

For the second time this week I was pleasantly surprised by a great performance from an NV runner (the first was Chris Derrick’s seventh place finish at the NCAA meet.  Does everyone really think he is human?). 

 

Danny Pawola became the second consecutive NV qualifier for the national Footlocker Championships as a result of this ninth place finish today.  He was the first Illinois finisher!   Full results.  Danny will get an expense-paid trip to San Diego, CA. to compete in the National Championships two weeks from today.  Danny is not known for his kick, and has never beaten Steve Sulkin (York) or Kyle Gibson (NN) in a kick until today.  Aaron Beattie and Bryan Winek also ran well.  Aaron is starting to round into shape (he finished 49th) and we should see some great things out of him this spring.  Bryan is getting his confidence back and it won’t surprise me to see him run sub 9:20. 

 

Lastly, it should be noted that Brian Morenus was accepted to West Point.  I am truly blessed to work with such great men.  Congratulations to everyone!!  

 

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Danny races Steve Sulkin from York to the finish line

 

USATF Regional Meet – November 22nd

 

Junior Carlton Folster was the only NV guy to run this race.  He ran 16:33 to take 5th overall in the intermediate division.  The 5k course was on the grounds of Kishwaukee College in Malta, Illinois, just outside of DeKalb.  The course was bumpy and the wind was howling.  My nephew, Zach Howerton, ran in the midget division and was ninth in that race.  He was the first Naperville Track Club finisher.  They finished second as a team. 

 

Nike Regional Cross Country Championships – November 15th

 

The guys formed a club again (South Naperville) to run in this meet.   This time, they decided to form a team to run in the frosh/soph race too.  We were 5th in the Championship race and were champions in the f/s race, winning a tie breaker with the Belvidere squad.  The Belvidere team is made up of sons of guys I used to run with/against back in the old days – Don Volkey and Troy Yunk.  It was surreal to meet Logan Volkey, the son of Don Volkey.  He looked and talked just like Don.  Don was State xc champion, as a junior, in 1978.  He did not compete for Belvidere High School his senior year (a long story that he has to tell). 

 

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The guys jump over a hay bale during their warm-up

 

Overall, it was a good meet for the underclassmen to get their feet wet for next year, but I know the guys were not pleased with their team performance.  If you were named Brian, Bryan, or Harsha, you ran pretty well.  It looked like the dietary adjustments for Bryan paid dividends.  Danny, Luke, Aaron, and Connor had off days.  Welcome to our season.  We did not meet expectations, but as Coach Rossi said to me earlier, “if I would have told you four years ago you would be the 5th best team in the Midwest, you would have been very happy.”  He is right but I now understand why Mr. Newton and the York crew are disappointed when they don’t win.  I now know why Coach Quick is disappointed when Palatine does not win a trophy.  When winning becomes a habit, it is hard to accept anything else.  I could accept our fourth place finish at the State meet, because even though we did not run particularly smart, we competed.   It did not help that a couple of the guys had the flu this week.  Check out this video and you begin to understand the importance of having a mental focus going into a big race – a lapse, and 10 places can be lost very quickly. 

 

Naperville jacket.jpg

 

On a more positive note, our ‘Open’ guys ran fairly well in the Championship race (they were in this race because they did not register properly).  Brian Griffith (16:35), David Wing (16:42), and Carlton Folster (16:49) would have been in the mix for the lead in the Open race.  Josh Antonson (17:03) was the second highest finishing sophomore in the combined Open and frosh/soph race.    The future looks bright.  I am really looking forward to next year.  We are going to do some different things that I believe will make a huge difference for us.   All in all, it was a very fun season with some great memories.   I was out-coached this year but even a veteran coach like me can learn and make the adjustments J. 

 

IHSA State Meet – November 8th

 

We ran hard but it was not our day to get a trophy.  Results.  I cannot fault our guys for a lack of effort.  Every single guy ran with intensity and guts, and that is all I can ask.  Bryan Winek was 9:50 at two miles but for some reason cannot finish well.  It remains a mystery.  Sometimes, that is what happens and one cannot explain it.  Luke has the same problem to a degree.  Even though we did not run a great team race, you would be hard pressed to find a better 4th place team in the history of the IHSA State meet. 

 

Congratulations to Naperville North, York, and Geneva.  If there was anyone that I wanted to win, if it was not in the cards for us, it was NN and Dave Racey, their head coach.  He has had some disappointing State meets and he deserved this win.  He and Tom Razo at Lockport are responsible for organizing the first distance clinics here in Naperville.  I am convinced this is the reason you have seen a resurgence of other teams like Geneva, and Dixon in AA, rise to different levels.  Kyle Gibson is as nice a young man as you will find.  I am sure the other NN members are just as cool as Kyle.

 

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Brian Morenus looking strong finishing his last State race

 

We got beat by three of the best teams in the country and it will be fun to have another shot at them next week in Terre Haute. Aaron will have a better race now that the IT problems seem to be behind him. Bryan and Luke will run the first half of the race more conservatively to see if they can finish stronger.  Harsha, while only being a sophomore, is showing signs of greatness.  Connor and Brian have run well as of late and I still feel their best races are ahead of them.  Danny is a tough competitor and will continue to run well up front.   Our strength is our depth, and even though it was not enough to help us in the State meet, it may come into play next weekend.  Brian Griffith’s 15:25 time trial run the evening before is a testament to this depth.  Who knows what David Wing is going to do since he did not get a chance to show it this weekend being the eighth man, and me not wanting to risk a time trial the night before the race.  I am looking forward to watching our guys run in the Open race and Championship race next weekend.  

 

Again, the night before the race was very special to me and the other coaches.  To sit in that room and talk about the memories and our feelings for each other is something that will live in my memory forever.   In reflection, we need to do this more often.  Obviously, it won’t have the flavor of the night before State, but I feel we need to meet together to talk about our commitment to one another and our goals throughout the season.  Friday night made me realize even more how lucky I am to coach such great, young men.  It made me realize how lucky I am to be surrounded by such great coaches.  I think the picture below illustrates what we are all about – family.  Thanks to Jim Galen for sending me this picture.

 

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The coaching staff talked on the way home and we are very excited about some new initiatives that will enable us to reach another level of excellence.  We know we have the young guys who are willing to work hard and the talent to do something special next year.   

 

I am really looking forward to this weekend.   Keep the fire.  A lot can change in one week J  I will post some more pictures on Tuesday. 

 

IHSA Sectional Meet – November 1st

 

Well, to say that we did not run well would be an understatement.  Results.  No excuses other than we need to be more focused this week to get ready for the State meet.  We will be ready.  We will get more rest and do the other little things that will make a difference.  If our 2-5 guys run just 15-20 seconds better than this meet (something we have done many times before), we will be in good shape with Aaron back in the lineup.  I KNOW that we can accomplish this with more rest and a renewed focus on the task at-hand.  I am excited!  Saturday cannot come too soon J

 

IHSA Regional Meet – October 25th, 2008

 

I love this part of the season.  This past week, we were fortunate enough to listen to world class marathoner Dick Beardsley and super coach Al Carius of North Central College on two separate occasions.   Their enthusiasm is contagious and their message is inspirational.  Both of these men have witnessed and personally overcome adversity to be truly successful people.  We were very lucky to have both of them with us this past week.   

 

We are looking good and we keep getting better each week.  I base a lot of how we are doing off of our split from Danny.  Danny ran a good race and we had a 41 second split 1-5.  If we can get that down to under 35 seconds, we will be faring very well.  Naperville North ran another great race to beat us 26-33.  Results.  However, this is about the same score that they beat us at Lockport when we had Aaron in the lineup.  If Aaron runs, it is much closer.  But, when it’s all said and done, it really doesn’t matter.  What matters is that we continue to get ready for the next race to be in good position to run well at the State meet. 

 

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Another race where Pawola and Gibson dual it out to the finish…….

 

Upstate Eight Conference – October 18th, 2008

 

It was a beautiful day to run with temperatures in the high 50’s and sunny skies.  We managed to win all three races again.  Pawola was back in form which was good to see.  Walking the course before the race, I think we have figured out how to get Danny to run well more consistently.  He was drinking excessive amounts of water before races.  Drinking too much water can deter performance just like being dehydrated and can actually be dangerous.  Many times we don’t realize that water also comes from our food and other drinks.  For example, if you eat a lot of fruit, they are water-rich and you should not have to consume as much water.  Even though the thirst mechanism is delayed by about 20 minutes, it is still very reliable before a race to determine if you should drink more water. 

 

After talking to Coach Bral at Bartlett, he confirmed that this course runs about 30 seconds slower than Detweiller.

 

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Varsity Conference Champions, L-R:  Danny Pawola, Connor Shields, Billy Klimczak, Brian Morenus, Bryan Winek, Luke Verbus, David Wing

 

Again, the guys running in the Open race will make it difficult for me to decide who runs at Regionals.  The one good thing about Beattie being hurt is that is allows me to juggle the lineup more to see who gets hot here at the end of the season.  As said before, I am looking for potential top 5 guys who will compete vs. other runners, not a guy who is satisfied with being in our top 7.  Stacking up the times from all three races, it looks like this:

 

Pawola – 15:04

Winek – 15:27

Morenus – 15:29

Verbus – 15:44

Shields – 15:48

Klimczak – 15:53

Lagomarcino – 15:53

Folster – 15:54

Griffith – 16:00

Wing – 16:01

Torke – 16:04

Antonson – 16:05

 

The IHSA Regional meet will be on held on our home course – DuPage River Park.  We know every root and bump in those woods and it will be fun to race on the paths opposed to working out on them.  This is the really fun part of the season.

 

I updated the Alumni page.  It is great to see so many guys running well in college.  

 

Sterling Invitational – October 11th, 2008

 

I remember this meet last year and how poorly we ran as a team overall.  Our #4-#7 men ran 15:48, 15:54, 16:10, and 16:19 (actually, the 15:48 was a solid effort from Bryan Winek, because he had been our 7th or 8th man in past meets).  Granted, it was hot, but it was also fairly warm this year too.  Compare these same spots to a lineup that did not include Aaron Beattie, and we were 15:45, 15:45, 15:46, and 15:51.   In other words, we have potential to do some great things in the next 4 weeks.  Bryan Winek ran 14:59 a week later at Lake Park once he got a little rest.  Kevin Grady ran 15:16 at Lake Park after running 16:10 at Sterling.   Kevin went on to run 14:59 at State while Bryan ran poorly in 15:53.  One guy was focused mentally to do the little things, one was not.  You get the idea.

 

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 L-R:  Sophomore Harsha Torke leads David Wing at the 2 mile mark

 

A lot of things can happen in the last four weeks.  Luke Verbus ran faster at this meet than Aaron Beattie did last year.  Can Luke run just as fast as Aaron did last year at State?  Yes, he can.  The system is the same.  Obviously, the key is to now take care of the details that will add up to success the last 4 meets.  Luke told me he was getting to bed early all week.  It made a huge difference. 

 

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Luke Verbus leading Fenwick’s Martin Grady.  Grady would later out-kick Luke

for 3rd place.

 

Who on this team is going to make the sacrifices necessary to do great things in the end?  Those of you willing to do the little things, when a coach is not around, will enable this team to achieve greatness.   If you don’t, you made that choice.  You have worked just as hard or harder than any team in the country.  Working hard is awesome, but without eating right, getting regular sleep, and looking your teammates in the eye and making the commitment to excel, it is all for naught.   You might have noticed that I deleted the accomplishments from last year in the blue box.   It is time for you to determine what I should put there this year.  I believe in you guys.  Results.  

 

Lockport Invitational – October 4th, 2008

 

Last week we had the determination to make a mark.   This week was a little different.  We were beaten by a very good Naperville North team at every spot in our lineup.  If you compare the efforts of our top seven from last week to this meet, only Danny, Aaron, and Jordan ran faster.  Again, our #3-#5 from last week were not ready to compete or made tactical errors on a hilly course.  Believe it or not, even with an ok team race, we were not far off of our effort from last year when you add up the times.  Naperville North ran about 7 seconds per man faster than our team from last year on the same course in similar weather conditions!  Credit goes to them for running a great team race.  Results. 

 

I am looking forward to the Sterling Invitational.  We have a more specific race plan and I look forward to seeing it implemented.  I feel a great deal of excitement about our future races. 

 

Culver Invitational – Sept. 27th , 2008

 

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The team in front of the lake at Culver Academies the day before the race

 

We were determined to run well after our disappointing performance in Peoria two weeks ago.  However, I did not anticipate that we would run away with the championship.  Results.  All in all, we had a great time and that was the primary goal of this trip – to bond as a team and run well.  It is a real pleasure to travel with so many guys who are such a class act.

 

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The varsity guys accepting the first place trophy

 

After our frosh/soph team set the tone of aggressive running, our varsity stepped to the line to do the same.  The outcome of the race was in little doubt right before the first mile.  Carmel had a pack of three guys in the high teens, but we had seven guys in the top 22 at this point.   Winek was right with Beattie and Morenus and Verbus worked together to help put five guys across the line in front of Carmel’s #2 guy.  Danny continued to run well as he finished second overall while running six seconds faster than last year on a slower course.  We had a :45 second split between our 1-5.  If we can get this split down under :35 seconds, we will be hard to beat this year.  I updated the all-time list.  We had many additions, including Josh Antonson, the fourth sophomore in our history to break 17:00 on this course. 

 

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The 36 guys we brought to this meet lineup to jump in the lake

 

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The guys chant for the coaches to jump into the water

 

Overall, we had a blast this past weekend.  The plunge into the lake from athletes and coaches alike was a memory to last a lifetime!  We will continue to work hard and get ready to take on a very good Naperville North team this weekend at Lockport.  I can’t wait!

 

Peoria Woodruff Invite – Sept. 13th, 2008

 

I think the best way to describe our team right now is that we have an identity crisis J  We had four guys in the Open race run faster than our 4th man in the varsity race.  We seem to be too satisfied making our top 7 and we are not preparing mentally for the next race once we achieve this status.  I remember listening to legendary coach Joe Vigil at a clinic talk about the importance of an established pecking order on an xc team.  I now understand that importance.  I also understand that competition to make our top seven is a healthy thing as long as guys don’t get complacent. 

 

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L-R:  4:09 miler, and Fishers, Indiana runner, Drew Shields, leads Danny Pawola at the 2.25 mark

 

Geneva ran a great race to beat us soundly; they deserved the win.  Results.  Our own win streak came to an end but it had to happen sooner or later. 

 

I thought our Open guys ran well last year but we may have surpassed it this year!  We went 1,2,3,4,5,7,8, and 9 and there were 737 runners in the race!!  It was great to see our two sophomores run well and it was a very good first race from David Wing. 

 

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L-R:  Aaron Beattie battles super soph Anthony Manfrin to the finish

 

The races themselves and the picnic in the rain afterwards were memories to last a lifetime.  I have never seen a ground as soggy as it was Saturday.  I estimate the times to be 50-55 seconds slower than normal.  The tent city built by our parents was awesome!

 

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These guys had a blast slopping in the mud for their first xc race!

 

We will have our first interval workout this week (4 x 1600m) as we start working toward improving our body’s ability to use oxygen more efficiently.  I look forward to seeing the improved times at the Culver Invitational in two weeks. 

 

Hornet-Red Devil Invitational – September 6th, 2008

 

Our summer work paid off as we swept all three levels at Katherine Legge Park.  Results. 

 

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Freshman team champions – Hornet Red Devil Invitational

 

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Sophomore team champions – Hornet Red Devil Invitational

 

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Varsity team champions – Hornet Red Devil Invitational (Connor Shields not pictured)

 

The varsity race was fun to watch as we packed up 8 guys through the first 2 miles.  The pack eventually became 6 guys with only 600m remaining.  Brian Morenus lost his shoe in the creek but still managed to finish 16th.  Pat Peters also lost his shoe in the same race!  We had 9 guys finish ahead of every team’s 2nd man except Palatine.   Danny and Aaron looked very strong finishing 1-2.  The course was very soft from the 4 inches of rain we received on Thursday.  I look forward to getting David Wing and Hirsh Gaikwad back in the lineup this Saturday in Peoria.  Naperville Sun Story.  More photos.  Milesplit story.

 

Run-a-thon another huge hit!

runathon 2008.jpg

 

With warmer conditions than last year, we had 9 guys run 10 miles faster than

60 minutes.  This did not include Brian Morenus.  Of the nine guys, two were sophomores and five were juniors!  Five other guys ran 10 miles in 60:30 or better.  Eight freshmen ran 32 laps or more in an hour.  Danny Pawola ran under 55:00, only the second guy in our history to achieve this distinction.  Every year we get a surprise guy to enter the mix in battling for a top 7 spot and after tonight, two guys never mentioned before, showed us they have the ability to do so – Junior Jaffar Mahmoud and Sophomore Hirsh Gaikwad.  We also had the most participants ever in this event and it was Labor Day weekend.  Our team membership is now up to 144 men, the largest team in our history on this date. 

 

Jim Riddle (Illinois) and Kevin Grady (Illinois State) are off to a great start!  See the Alumni Page!

 

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Seniors Pat Peters, Brian Griffith, Connor Shields, and Danny

Pawola enjoying themselves at an impromptu BBQ

 

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Coach Saul and the sophomore gang begging for food

 

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Richie!!!  One of our most dedicated runners.

 

NV Cross Country in the News (and other links)

 

Illinois Coaches Poll

 

Top Illinois Teams by Milesplit

 

Season Preview by Milesplit

 

Pre-Season Rankings by DyestatIL

 

The Harrier National Rankings by the Harrier Magazine

 

Pre-Season Rankings and Danny Pawola by Chicago Tribune

 

www.logarun.com

 

Fall 2008 Important Dates and Schedule

 

Saturday, August 30th – Run-a-thon – 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Tuesday, September 2nd – 203/204 meet; Waubonsie Valley High School; 5:00 p.m.

Saturday, September 6th – Hornet/Red Devil Inv.; all levels; Katherine Legge Park, Hinsdale; 9:00 a.m.

Saturday, September 13th – Peoria Woodruff Invitational; all levels; Detweiller Park, Peoria; 10:30 a.m.

Tuesday, September 23rd – Upstate Eight Quad Meet; all levels; Lordes Park, Elgin; 5:00 p.m.

Saturday, September 27th – Culver Invitational; all levels (top 25 guys); Culver Academy, Culver, Indiana; 9:00 a.m.

Monday, September 29th – York F/S Inv.; top 7 frosh and soph; Newton Park, Elmhurst; 5:00 p.m.

Tuesday, September, 30th – Upstate Eight Quad Meet; all levels; Bode Lake, Streamwood; 5:00 p.m.

Saturday, October 4th – Lockport Inv.; all levels; Dellwood Park, Lockport; 9:00 a.m.

Saturday, October 11th – Sterling Inv.; all levels; Hoover Park, Sterling; 9:30 a.m.

Saturday, October 18th – Upstate Eight Conference Meet; all levels; Sunrise Park, Bartlett; 9:00 a.m.

Tuesday, October 21st – Plainfield North Invitational; frosh/soph; Hammel Woods; 4:30 p.m.

Saturday, October 25th – IHSA Regional Meet; varsity; TBA

Saturday, November 1st – IHSA Sectional Meet; varsity; TBA

Saturday, November 8th – IHSA State Meet; varsity; Detweiller Park, Peoria; TBA

 

Cross Country summer training begins!  Summer workouts found under ‘Workouts’. 

 

NEW!  All summer runners are highly encouraged to log their miles at www.logarun.com.  See instructions below.  To receive a letter this fall, one MUST log their miles on this site starting Wednesday, August 13th.  You might as well start now.  Remember, summer mileage jerseys must be backed by logging your miles on this site.  No use of site = no summer mileage jersey!  No use of site starting August 13 = no letter!

 

Mileage club begins Monday, May 26th.  All participants in the summer running program should register for free at www.logarun.com.   After registering, ask to be invited to join our team (Neuqua Valley). 

 

Summer Camp Registration (click on the appropriate links below……..)

Brochure               

Summer XC Information – scroll to page two

Registration Form

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Important Summer Dates:

 

Sunday, July 26th – Wednesday, July 29th - Oregon Cross Country Camp

 

Fall Schedule

 

Wed, August 12th  - 7:15 a.m. @ Knoch Knolls Park - First day of official practice

Sat, Aug. 29th  6:00 p.m. – Run-a-thon

Sat, Sept. 3rd  9:00 a.m.  – Hornet Red Devil Inv., Katherine Legge Park, Hinsdale.

Sat, Sept. 12th  10:00 a.m. – Woodruff Inv., Detweiller Park, Peoria.

Tues, Sept 22nd ???– 4:30 p.m., Conference dual – TBA

Sat, Sept 26th – 9:00 a.m., Plainfield South Inv., Hammel Woods, Shorewood

Mon, Sept 28th – 5:00 p.m., York f/s Inv., Joe Newton Park, Elmhurst

Tues, Sept 29th – 4:30 p.m., Conference dual – TBA

Sat, Oct 3rd – 9:00 a.m., Lockport Inv., Dellwood Park, Lockport

Sat, Oct 17th – 9:00 a.m., Upstate Eight Conference Meet, TBA

Mon,

Sat, Oct 24th – IHSA Regional Meet, TBA

Sat, Oct 31st – IHSA Sectional Meet, TBA

Sat, Nov 7th – IHSA State Meet, 3:00 p.m., Detweiller Park, Peoria

 

 

 

More information found at www.napervilletrackclub.net

 

 

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The guys with the Nike truck at a Friday practice

 

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Brian Morenus puts on a USA body suit and pretends to be victorious – funny stuff J

 

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Coach Rohde, Coach Janota, Anne Grabow from Nike, Pat Peters, Coach Saul, Bryan Winek, and Coach Javaherian

 

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