The Running Vikings
August 10, 2025
Wow, did the summer fly by! Monday is our first official practice of the 2025 Cross Country Season. Check below for important information.
Upcoming Dates:
- August 11th - First Week of Practice
- August 18th - Parent/Guardian Meeting
- August 20th - Fall Athlete Onboard Meeting
- August 21st - Dine and Donate at Mendocino Farms
- August 23rd - Volunteering at Santa Rosa Marathon
- August 30th - Lagoon Valley Classic
Freshman Orientation:
Our captains will be representing Cross Country at Freshman Orientation with a table. The team is welcome to join them and help get freshman sign ups. We will be in the quad from 9am to 12pm.
First Week of Practice
August 11th - the 15th we will have all of our practices at the school starting at 4pm. We will meet out by the track snack bar. For the first week of practice we will be taking it easy, having introductions, and checking paperwork.
Cross Country Guidelines
These rules and expectations we will start to discuss on Monday and throughout the week. You will be asked to sign an athlete contract during this first week of practices.
Communication
- XCStats.com account required (athlete + parent emails).
- Used for updates, absences, and meet results.
- Check vikingxc.com for schedule, newsletter, and team info.
Attendance Policy
- Practice: M–F, 4:00–6:00 PM
- Max 5 unexcused absences → 6th = removal from team
- Excused = approved in advance via XCStats
- Must attend practice before meets
Meet Expectations
- Required to attend all assigned meets
- Stay until last teammate finishes
- 14-day notice for invitational conflicts
- Early release = go straight to meet, no stops
- Uniform = team singlet + plain black shorts
PE Exemption
- Must meet attendance & meet requirements
- Only head coach signs completed form
Conduct & Consequences
- Respect teammates, coaches, officials, and competitors
- Disciplinary actions: Warnings > Missed meets > Removal
- Injuries must be reported ASAP; athletes still check in
August 3, 2025
We had a great run at the Marin Headlands and a nice little adventure in the city this past weekend. The first week of practice is coming up pretty quick so let's make sure you check the summer check list.
Upcoming Dates:
- August 11th - First Week of Practice
- August 18th - Parent/Guardian Meeting at 6:30pm
- August 21st - Dine and Donate at Mendocino Farms
- August 23rd - Volunteering at Santa Rosa Marathon
- August 30th - Lagoon Valley Classic
First Week of Practice
August 11th - the 15th we will have all of our practices at the school starting at 4pm. We will meet out by the track snack bar.
Parent / Guardian Meeting
It is very important that parents and guardians try their best to attend our meeting on August 18th. We will be going over the schedule, team expectations, practices, carpooling, and much more. Athletes will be read into the team handbook during the first week of practices.
Santa Rosa Marathon Volunteering
We will be volunteering at packet pickup once again at the Santa Rosa Marathon. This will be at Sports basement from 1 to 5pm. Please let the coaching staff know right away if you are able to help out.
Summer Check List
Use our Summer Checklist at vikingxc.com to make sure you’re prepared for the season.
The checklist includes getting signed up for XCStats and the SportsNet Clearance. See below in our past posts about these two items
Learn Something
The Making of a Strong Cross-Country Program:
- Culture Over Outcomes
Our focus isn’t on chasing championships—it’s on building a culture where daily effort and process come first. Each practice and race is a stepping stone toward becoming a better athlete. Speed matters, but so does learning to trust yourself, compete with confidence, and grow with every experience. - Sustainable Excellence
Excellence doesn’t happen by accident. It comes from structure, consistent teaching, and accountability. Through our training, your willingness to learn, and your commitment to your teammates, you are given the opportunity to build excellence that lasts—both on and off the course.
Adaptive Leadership
We strive to create athletes who grow, adapt, and take ownership of their development. As you grow, you become a leader—not just for yourself, but for the entire team. Our program thrives when athletes step up, support each other, and lead by example.
July 27, 2025
Thank you all that joined yesterday for our group run at Salmon Creek. Next weekend we have another adventure run!
Upcoming Dates
- August 2nd - Headlands Run and San Francisco Adventure
- August 11th - First Week of Practice
- August 18th - Parent/Guardian Meeting at 6:30pm
- August 21st - Dine and Donate at Mendocino Farms
- August 23rd - Volunteering at Santa Rosa Marathon
Headlands Run and San Francisco Adventure
August 2nd - We will be heading to the Marin Headlands for a run leaving Coach Kevin's house at 7:00am. After our run we will head to Pier 39 and do some exploring before heading back.
Summer Check List (Same as Last Week)
Use our Summer Checklist at vikingxc.com to make sure you’re prepared for the season.
XCStats (Same as Last Week)
We do much of our communication through XCStats. Please have your athlete Sign up and Add all parents and Guardians to their profile along with your emails. This is how we send out weekly newsletters and important texts. https://www.vikingxc.com/resources/documents/start_with_xcstats.pdf
SportsNet Clearance (Same as Last Week)
By August 11th all athletes need to be cleared in SportsNet in order to be able to participate in practice. Information can be found here: https://mhs.srcschools.org/athletics/hsathletics
Summer Training
A lot of our summer training is focused on that steady / comfy effort. These efforts hold an important role in your development as not just a runner this season but many seasons to come.
Aerobic Development Without Over-Stressing:
Steady-state runs sit just below lactate threshold, meaning athletes can hold the pace for an extended period while staying in control. This “comfortably hard” effort strengthens the heart, lungs, and capillary network improving how efficiently oxygen is delivered to muscles without tipping into red-line training.
Efficiency and Strength Building:
Running in this controlled zone teaches the body to run economically at moderate intensity. Over time, this improves running form, builds strength in tendons and muscles, and develops the ability to hold a pace in the mid-race range without fading.
Bridging the Gap Between Easy and Hard Workouts:
During the summer, we focus on a pyramid: lots of easy mileage at the base, some strides and hills for mechanics, and a layer of steady-state runs in the middle. These efforts “bridge the gap” between relaxed running and faster tempo/interval work that comes later in the season, so when workouts get harder in August and September, the body is ready.
Mental Discipline and Focus:
Because steady-state runs require controlled effort—no surging, no racing—they help athletes practice patience, pace awareness, and mental focus. Learning to hold back and run smooth now sets up better race execution in the fall.
Injury Prevention and Long-Term Growth:
By staying on the controlled side of effort, these runs avoid the burnout and overtraining that come from doing too much speed too soon. Instead, they gradually raise the “cruising speed” of the aerobic system, building a foundation for healthy improvement year over year.
Learn Something
Dr. Will O’Connor breaks down the science behind running at the top vs. bottom of Zone 2 heart rate—comparing the physiological effects and efficiency differences of those two approaches. He explains which Zone 2 range tends to yield better aerobic adaptation, endurance gains, and sustainable performance improvements without causing burnout. Finally, he offers practical advice on how to implement zone-based training with pacing and duration recommendations for runners seeking to optimize their workouts.
July 20, 2025
Thank you all that joined yesterday for our group run at Taylor mountain and mini golf. We also had a bit of fun on Thursday with a bit of a scavenger hunt. Hopefully that helped y'all start learning the trails a bit better.
Upcoming Dates:
July 26th - Salmon Creek Beach Run and Picnic
August 2nd - Headlands Run and San Francisco Adventure
August 11th - First Week of Practice
August 18th - Parent/Guardian Meeting at 6:30pm
August 21st - Dine and Donate at Mendocino Farms
August 23rd - Volunteering at Santa Rosa Marathon
Summer Check List
Use our Summer Checklist at vikingxc.com to make sure you’re prepared for the season.
Salmon Creek Beach Run
July 26th - We will be meeting at 8:30am. For those that would like to come with us Coaches we will be meeting at 7:30am at Coach Kevin’s house. We will have 10 seats available. We will send more details on Whatsapp to your athletes.
XCStats (Same as Last Week)
We do much of our communication through XCStats. Please have your athlete Sign up and Add all parents and Guardians to their profile along with your emails. This is how we send out weekly newsletters and important texts. https://www.vikingxc.com/resources/documents/start_with_xcstats.pdf
SportsNet Clearance (Same as Last Week)
By August 11th all athletes need to be cleared in SportsNet in order to be able to participate in practice. Information can be found here: https://mhs.srcschools.org/athletics/hsathletics
Summer Training
Consistent and Control is the name of the game. The more consistent you can be from day to day, week to week, month to month, the quicker your body will adapt to the workload. Consistent does not just mean with run training. This also includes your everyday life. Sleeping well. Eating well. Screen time etc. Control is never pushing too hard where your body will need extra recovery than usual. This is where looking at the week’s training and making sure you are ready for each workout, or long run comes to play. Lets keep in mind Consistent and Control over the last few weeks of summer training.
Learn Something
“My Training History Manifesto” - Steve Magness
Takeaways:
- Historical Perspective Shapes Progress
- By understanding how training knowledge has evolved, coaches and athletes gain clarity on which methods truly work, and why. This helps avoid repeating past mistakes and refine future strategies.
- Evidence-Based Practice
- Magness emphasizes aligning training with objective performance metrics—like race times—to test and validate what actually enhances speed and endurance.
- Interpreting Old & New Research
- He reflects on how classic studies (from periodization models to interval theory) still bear relevance, while newer science can refine but not necessarily replace traditional wisdom
- Training as an Ongoing Dialogue
- Rather than blindly applying methods, Magness argues for a critical, adaptive approach—one that balances historical insight, evidence, and the unique needs of each athlete
Read the full article: https://stevemagness.substack.com/p/my-training-history-manifesto
July 13, 2025
Another week of summer training completed. This week we start building up some more into what the cross country season will be like. This coming Saturday July 19th we will be running at Taylor Mountain. I will be sending out a meet up location later this week via our Whatsapp. For those athletes that are not on whatsapp yet, let's get you in there. We will then later meet at Scandia at 12pm for mini golf. You do not need to come to the run to come to mini golf. As always feel free to reach out with any questions.
Upcoming Dates:
- July 19th - Taylor Mountain at 8:30 am. Mini Golf at Scandia at 12:00pm
- July 26th - Salmon Creek Beach Run and Picnic
- August 2nd - Headlands Run and San Francisco Adventure
- August 11th - First Week of Practice
SportsNet Clearance:
By August 11th all athletes need to be cleared in SportsNet in order to be able to participate in practice. Information can be found here: https://mhs.srcschools.org/athletics/hsathletics
Summer Training:
As we progress through this summer and through summer training we are going to start progressing into our workout sequence of training. Along with run training it is important to keep in mind Strength Training as well. Strength training is not about building strong muscles for runners, it is all about injury prevention. And no one wants to get hurt. Strength training is connected in the link below.
XCStats:
We do much of our communication through XCStats. Please have your athlete Sign up and Add all parents and Guardians to their profile along with your emails. This is how we send out weekly newsletters and important texts. https://www.vikingxc.com/resources/documents/start_with_xcstats.pdf
Case Study
Case Studies are a great way for both athletes and coaches to learn. Every coach and every athlete is not perfect. No training fits all. But we can all live and learn from other athletes and other coaches.
Case Study 1:
Male - 22 years old
10 weeks out from goal race - 5000m
30 Threshold workouts (Often as double threshold)
8 Mile Pace Workouts
2 Race Pace Workouts
Result - 12:45.27 American Record
What are the take-aways?
- Importance of threshold training - Improves Lactate (what slows you down) Clearance, Boosts Aerobic Capacity, Raises Lactate Threshold (The limit).
- Lack of goal pace workouts - We need to take time off after a race. Why, because it is a major toll on our body. With Goal Pace workouts you are running your goal pace for just as long or maybe even longer but with rest. BUT you are also NOT doing this on a taper so it does take just as much of a toll.
- Above and below - Running workouts slower than goal pace allows you to build that endurance, allows you to do also much more work. Running faster than goal pace like mile pace helps dial in that neural muscular connection.
Consistent and control is the goal.
July 6, 2025
As we get everyone up on XCStats and Parents up on XCStats, Athletes please share this with your parents and guardians. We are up to 9 new freshman boys! How exciting! If you have friends that would like to give XC a try, have them come out to our summer practice!
Upcoming Dates:
- July 7th - Bob Shor Summer Series
- July 19th - Taylor Mountain at 8:30 am. Mini Golf at Scandia at 12:00pm
- July 26th - Salmon Creek Beach Run and Picnic
- August 2nd - Headlands Run and San Francisco Adventure
- August 11th - First Week of Practice
XCStats:
We do much of our communication through XCStats. Please have your athlete Sign up and Add all parents and Guardians to their profile along with your emails. This is how we send out weekly newsletters and important texts. https://www.vikingxc.com/resources/documents/start_with_xcstats.pdf
Kenwood Footrace:
We had several past and present Montgomery athletes race at Kenwood! Way to go! (Did I miss anyone?)
- 3k
- Elliot Larsen 11:00 4th overall
- Lucas Morthole (Alumni) 12:58 24th overall
- Cora Morthole 12:58 25th overall
- Lucas Estrade (Alumni) 14:47 54th overall
- 10k
- Hanne Thomsen (Alumni) 36:34 4th overall
- Oliver Haupt 38:12 7th Overall
- Seelah Kittelstrom (Alumni) 38:48 9th overall
- Max Azevedo (Alumni) 39:11 11th overall
- Bodhi Finnerty (Alumni) 39:19 12th overall
- Sydney Stroud (Alumni) 53:19 130th overall
SportsNet Clearance:
By August 11th all athletes need to be cleared in SportsNet in order to be able to participate in practice. Information can be found here: https://mhs.srcschools.org/athletics/hsathletics
Our Summer Goal:
Building a Strong Aerobic Base
What it is: Developing endurance through consistent, moderate-paced running.
Why it matters:
- A strong aerobic base increases the body’s ability to use oxygen efficiently
- It helps prevent injury by strengthening muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
- This base allows athletes to handle higher-intensity workouts later in the season without burnout.
