Over thirty plus years as a high school cross country, and track and field coach, I was privileged that many athletes and parents sought advice about college recruitment. Deciding which college to attend is not easy. The college recruitment for a runner is unique. A recent PAC-12 cross country champion, and former California State Champion, Haley Herberg is one of those runners. Another, Carly Corsinita is currently at Oregon, and a third, Alyssa Bautista is at UCLA. So how does a high school runner decide which college to go to?

I developed guidelines for athletes, and parents to deal with college coaches during the recruiting process. I offer suggestions for the decision-making process.

WHERE DO YOU WANT TO BE?

Go to a school where you want to be, even if you can’t run there. Many years ago, the top runner in Southern California, from a beach community, went to an elite program in the South. When she suffered an injury and had conflicts with the coach over training issues, she looked around and asked herself, “What am I doing here?” Make sure that the school, courses of study, culture and region are experiences you value, aside from running.

THE NATURE OF COLLEGE ATHLETICS

How does a high school runner decide which college to go to? Remember that college athletics is a business. There may be nice, nurturing coaches, and friendly teammates, but there is a bottom line. Athletes compete for roster spots in order to maintain or develop scholarships. Coaches can literally be fired if not successful. This will not likely be a warm, fuzzy, high school coach who acts as pseudo-dad or mom.

WHAT IS THE TRAINING LIKE?

Ask questions! How many miles do they run? What is the coach’s workout philosophy? Does everyone get to race? How are decisions reached about who races? Is there an “athlete only” dorm? Do athletes get priority in registration for classes? This information is important to factor.

WHO ARE YOU ON THE TEAM?

What is your role going to be, and what do you want it to be? If you are recruited, you are probably the number one runner on your team. Sometimes, high school runners are tired of being the #1 runner, who is expected to lead all the time. Often, he or she wants to be behind the scenes for a while and work his/her way up. Make sure you know what the coach’s mindset and intentions are regarding your role on the team. Are you slated to be the savior of the program? Are you going to be an important cog in the wheels of the program but not the leader just yet?

In conclusion, college recruitment is an exciting privilege. Take an active role in the process so that the next chapter of your running career fits with your goals and makes you happy. I hope this article has helped you decide which college to go to.

Here is a link to article on college coach’s view of recruitment and how a high school runner decides which college to go to.

A Guide to the College Recruitment Process | Runner’s World (runnersworld.com)

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Jeffrey Parenti of Mile Split, a national high school cross country and track and field website, interviewed Coach Sayles about his new book, Coach, Run, Win. Jeffrey clearly loved the book and asked lots of questions.  The resulting interview is extensive. Each question or topic is indicated in a sidebar according to the minutes into the interview where it appears.

TOPICS COVERED IN THE INTERVIEW

Coach Sayles and Jeffrey covered a wide variety of topics.

Included in the interview are Coach Sayles’ motivation for writing the book. He also discusses his use of Jack Daniels VDOT training system. Jeffrey and Coach discussed how to determine the paces of key workouts. Coach Sayles provides information about hydration, nutrition and cross-training. Coach discusses how to peak for championship time. Jeffrey prompts Coach Sayles to explain his mental approach to racing. There is a discussion of how to develop a championship mindset so that teams and individual runners can achieve ultimate success.

Jeffrey asks about some “tricks of the trade” like; shoe-tying and special methods to keep cool on hot days. Coach talks about his mentors. The interview also covers how Coach came to develop the system of training and racing that resulted in so much success. Coach Sayles discusses case studies of individual athletes he coached because they illustrate some of the most important themes covered in the book. Many other aspects of coaching and running are covered in this wide-ranging exploration interview. Coach, Run, Win can be purchased at https://www.coachrunwin.com

https://ca.milesplit.com/videos/502235/ken-sayles-chats-new-book-coach-run-win

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The engine of your car needs gas and various fluids to operate. If it doesn’t get them, the result is that you don’t get where you are going or you breakdown on the way. The same is true regarding hydration and nutrition for runners.

HYDRATION-four considerations

First, is safety. You can die if you are poorly hydrated, especially under extreme heat conditions. The second issue is performance. A 2% loss of fluids due to sweat can lead to decline in performance. Blood is fluid and loss of fluid through sweat thickens the blood resulting in the heart having a more difficult time pumping it out to the muscles. When the muscles don’t get the oxygen from the blood, they don’t work as well. The third consideration regarding hydration for runners is, how much fluids to have.

There are several methods to consider when determining the right amount for runners. In addition to the normal fluids a person takes in in a day, a runner needs at least 16 ounces before, 16 ounces during and 16 ounces after the workout. Another formula would be to take in one third of the runner’s weight in ounces before during and after the workout. Many experts recommend the urine test. The color of the urine should be light. If it’s too clear, it’s because there are too many fluids present and if dark, not enough. The final consideration is what to drink. When a runner sweats, they lose potassium and sodium in significant amounts. These minerals need to be replaced through proper hydration and nutrition. Various sports drinks and juices can easily do this task.

WHEN SHOULD YOU DRINK?

When you should drink is an important consideration. The easiest answer is, “all day”. It is important not to wait until right before a workout and then gorge on water. The result is likely to be uncomfortable and counter- productive. It is best to take your last fluids about fifteen minutes prior to vigorous exercise. One trick is to take a swallow, swish it around in the mouth and then spit it out. Science tells us that this tricks the mind into thinking it is hydrated, but you don’t feel full after. Of course, you need to be adequately hydrated before.

NUTRITION-Fuel for your engine, “no gas, no go”

What should a runner eat?

Roughly 55-60% of your diet should be carbohydrates, 20-25% protein and 20-25% fat. Complex carbohydrates (whole grains, veggies) provide the runners key energy source. Protein rebuilds and strengthens muscles and helps replace damaged cells. Fat is necessary for injury prevention and prolongs the use of carbohydrates for energy. Since hydration/nutrition for a runner is crucial, pay attention to what you eat.

When should a runner eat?

This answer can vary depending on workout or race times. A big meal should be at least two hours before a race to give time for digestion. For morning races and workouts, 20-50 grams of carbohydrates within two hours of the race or workout is a good guideline. This can take the form of bagels, toast, energy bars and bananas. Post-race is crucial too. Studies show that within 15 minutes a cup of low-fat chocolate milk is a great source of recovery products.

Use a Food Log to determine your hydration and nutrition for runners

Take a week and write down what you eat and drink daily including snacks. Then go to a website of your choice and find a calorie and nutrition calculator. MyPlate Calorie Counter | Livestrong.com Input your foods and see how you are doing with your balance of carbohydrates, protein and fat.

DON’T MAKE EXCUSES for proper Hydration and Nutrition-There are none

If you think you can go without water (it makes me full!) YOU CAN’T

If you think you can go without fuel, YOU CAN’T

Experiment, explore but work at it

RESOURCES for Hydration and Nutrition for Runners

Run Fast. Eat Slow. (runfasteatslow.com)   This is website for the wonderful cookbooks by Olympian Shalane Flannagan and Elyse Kopecky–my wife and I have had many of these

www.active.com     Nutrition Tips for New Runners by Scott Gray

Nutrition for Runners by Jeff Galloway   https://shop.jeffgalloway.com/products/nutritionforrunners

Performance Nutrition for Runners-Runners World

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All of us have a little, critical version of ourselves, sitting on our shoulders during races. This little self tells us we are going too fast. It challenges our sanity. It demands that we slow down. It ridicules us for thinking we can race at such a pace. The voice is negative and demeaning and critical. Now here is the key: Do not ignore that voice. Instead, have an answer ready. The secret is to respond with positive facts, such as, “I have done the workouts to be able to go this fast . . . I have trained for this goal . . . I have prepared for this challenge, for this race, for these competitors.” Make sure you have an answer that emphasizes positive and fact-based responses to dismantle that negative voice.

For more on the mental aspects of racing and how to build confidence for races, see Chapter 5 of Coach, Run, Win, which includes some proven techniques for implementing the approach described above.

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Set a season long goal. A winning mindset is rooted in being clear about where you want to go. Then study and plan your season of workouts to help you progress to those season end goals. Each workout you do should have goals. As an individual runner, keep a record of your workouts. Set goals and then record how you did in each workout. Not every workout is successful nor needs to be. In fact, they should be challenging enough that you don’t always accomplish the daily goal. Look at your progress week to week. Are you progressing towards your season end goal? Modify your workout plans accordingly.

Hoping to be better will not make you better. Wishing you could win will not make you a winner. Committing to the work and focus necessary to achieve your goals will bring you success. We often limit ourselves with a fear of failure. The result of this fear is that we limit our goals. What is the worst that can happen if you reach high and fall short? At least you tried. So, try to be the best. Have a winning mindset.

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