Conference

Well...not exactly the showing we had hoped for. Sometimes you plan everything and do everything possible to be prepared for the championship meet and it just doesn't fall into place. On the men's side we had alot of untimely injuries that ultimately led to our poor showing. Sometimes those things just happen and you have to roll with the punches. Our depth came back to bite us as we just currently do not have the numbers to be able to run well when one or two are injured or sick. Thats why I have been out recruiting very hard and have been really trying to boost our numbers. In cross country depth is a major determinant of championships. On the women's side we just seemed very flat and couldn't really turn it over in the middle of the race. I thought we were very well prepared for the hilly course, however it didn't seem so when we stepped out there Saturday. No coach ever wants to be at the bottom of the conference and I don't plan on being there long. I still believe that we are doing the right things and taking steps in the right direction to move up. It just takes a couple years to set that foundation of training and attitude. This will be my last cross country post, so if you are reading and want to hear more. Please check out the Track and Field blog as I will begin posting there shortly. Thank you to everyone who supports our program! Its always great to have support for our improving programs. 

Posted by maasn [Cross Country] ( October 30, 2007 11:00 AM ) Permalink | Comments[0]

CONFERENCE TIME!!

CONFERENCE TIME!! I am always excited about conference time. Its our opportunity to show all of the hard work we've put in and to lay everything on the line to perform at our best. Of course we have the regional championships coming up two weeks after the conference meet. However our main focus this year and every year will be working towards a championship. Our men really proved something to themselves last weekend that they could fight every step and really showed alot of heart. We're looking to do the same this weekend and every weekend from this point on. The women keep getting better each week and are really set up well to run great this weekend! We'll go down to Dubuque on Friday afternoon and try to tour the course and get a good meal in the night before the race. Should be a fun one and sounds as though it will be a nice cool day to run, which should be good because every race we've had this year has been hot and humid. Either way, each team should run very well. Wish us luck and please join us on Saturday at the Dubuque soccer complex and cheer on your BEAVER Cross Country team!!! Email or call me if anyone needs directions. We would love to see a large fan base for BVU.
 

Posted by maasn [Cross Country] ( October 23, 2007 10:34 AM ) Permalink | Comments[0]

Dedication

Its crazy to say that in a week and a day we will be competing at the conference championships in Dubuque! As a coach you always wish you had more time to prepare and be at your best. However, I think we're in the best possible shape we could be in and are peaking at the right time. We've had a few people out with minor aches and pains and they are beginning to heal up just in time for the big meet.

People don't realize how long of a season these distance runners have and that they really have to do alot of extra things to ensure they are healthy and fit throughout the entire year. After the cross country season is finished, each member will take about 2 weeks off and begin training again for the track season which won't end until the middle of May. Then they get a couple weeks off again and start back base training for cross country again. That's how you have to train in order to continue improving fitness and really turn yourself into a great distance runner. Many other sports can take off large chunks of time, come back and be not far off of where they were the year before. Granted, they never really take time off either, they're always taking jump shots, throwing passes, lifting weights, agility training, etc. However, a distance runners life is a year round continuation of running with very few breaks in training. Many exercise physiologists have pointed out that its this year after year of aerobic training which truely molds great distance runners. If you take a look at the best distance runners in the world, most of them have spent the majority of their lives putting in mileage that has molded them into fit beings who can handle unbelievable loads. A great example would be the Africans (namely; Kenyan's, Ethiopians, Sudanese and Morracans), each has spent a large portion of their lives running from place to place as a way to get around, to get to school or work or whatnot. It's the years of training that have aided these runners to have such a strong cardiovascular system and respiratory system. I wish more US high school distance runners could understand that year round training is what it takes to truly improve and to reach a higher level, it must be done. It's not just the running we do, its the weight lifting, the core work, the change in diet, hydration, proper stretching, rest and sleep, etc. We have to be consistent and live our lives by these things to truly see yearly improvement. I think when I was in college I took a total of 4 months off over 4 years, of course you have people say, well didn't you miss out on other parts of life while doing all of this running, my answer is no! All you have to do is prioritize your time and you can always find time to do other life fulfilling activities. I have a great passion for running and will continue to run at least 5 days a week probably for the rest of my life. I feel its my duty as a coach to help my athletes feel as though they can say the same once the leave college and move on in their lives. Plus I feel as though I have added time to my life, due to my increased fitness and healthy diet I have reduced my risk of cardivascular disease, and have improved my overall quality of life. This all probably seems like a lot of rambling, and I apoligize to you all reading right now, I have a strong passion for what I do and want people to understand the world runners live in and how dedicated we have to be. To close on this topic, i'm gonna refer to a great cyclist and avid runner who once said:

"You hear a lot of comments about 'He makes it look easy,' or 'His face shows no effort....' Come look at my face when I'm trail running in Texas and I'm hurting like a dog. It's an ugly face. But I'd rather have the face then and feel good here. It's called sacrifice." - Lance Armstrong, en route to his third Tour de France Victory

Posted by maasn [Cross Country] ( October 19, 2007 08:59 AM ) Permalink | Comments[1]

A WIN FOR THE BEAVERS!!

Where to start! This weekend went about as good as it could have for the Beaver CC teams! The men won the meet in convincing fashion and most importantly found their passion, heart and determination for competition! The plan was to get out hard and keep pushing, always fighting for that extra inch. Each man out there Saturday really pushed themselves and tried to prove something. They were really fired up this weekend and came out with alot of heart. None bigger than Kyle Baker who fell in the early miles and injuried himself pretty bad but refused to give up and wanted to finish for his team to have a chance to win. He got back up and was still able to place 11th. He wins the heart award for the week. Jacob and Jordan Flaws both ran with alot of heart and really pushed each other throughout the race, both run their best races to date with Jordan breaking 30minutes for the first time in his life! Travis Deridder battled the lead for a long while and refused to give up, placing 4th. Zach Newberg was close behind and is rounding into form after a time with illness. The men really grew as a team this weekend and are begining to believe that anything is possible if you have the right attitude. 

The Women also ran amazingly! They too really fought hard over the hilly course and refused to back down. Courtney Jones had her best race of the year as she pushed with the front pack through a majority of the race. Ali Bunde also ran a breakthrough race and set a huge season best! As a whole they really ran tough and placed 3rd out of 6 teams, last year the women were 4th out of 5 teams, so they are really showing improvement. We are battling some illness and injury so hopefully in the next few weeks they will all be healthy and ready to show the conference what we're made of!

 Things are looking great and hopefully we can stay healthy and really show the rest of the IIAC that we are not to be overlooked!

 My Training

Well my training has been going well i guess. It continues to be hard getting up early in the morning, but sometimes that's what you have to do in order to get the job done. I've tried to get in some tempo runs of about 3-4 miles at around 5:30 per mile. This morning I ran 5x800 with 2 minutes rest in an average of around 2:25. So things are looking good. I'm beginning to get back into weight training and core work. I keep reminding myself that I have a long season, but I am getting that itch to compete again. Who knows when that will be, I may jump into a thanksgiving 5k somewhere, who knows. I think I'm in about 16:40 or so 5k shape but you never know until you try. Nothing fantastic but ok for me. I recieved a comment on my last post about my training, that I am too busy and chasing a foolish dream, all I can say is....It's comments like that which continue to fuel my fire!

Posted by maasn [Cross Country] ( October 15, 2007 10:31 AM ) Permalink | Comments[0]

Briar Cliff and my training

Well I suppose its time to talk about our weekend....The women ran pretty well considering the heat. They all moved very well through the pack and seemed to have good race. They look better and better each weekend and are really looking good just in time for the conference meet in three weeks. Missy Reinhart was our lead runner again this week and has been really running great. Courtney Jones and Andrea Ahrendsen have been right on her heals the last couple weeks; its great to see a group like that working together! Courtney ran well considering she has been fighting an illness all week. Ali Bunde, Jenni Schomers, and Bre Platt have been consistently improving every week and their progress is amazing. Especially Jenni who is leaps and bounds ahead of last season. 

Then we move to the men.....we didn't exactly have our greatest weekend of the year. We tried to get out and run the first 4k together to help pull each other to a faster time. This plan however didn't really work on the day. Our times were not great and we looked really sluggish. We have been hitting it pretty hard for a while, so from this point on its really about keeping ourselves healthy and try to get some good controlled workouts to be ready for next weekend and the coming conference meet. The good thing we did do on the men's side is really move by people in the second half of the race, which is something we had hoped would start happening. The times weren't there but we have always said that place and how you compete is more important. The guys have great spirit, which we will definately see in the next three weeks.

My Training 

As far as myself. I thought it might be interesting to point out that I am still in the training mode myself. I usually get up at 5:30am and get in a workout of my own or occasionally go on a run with the team. I figure, i'm still young and I might as well take advantage of it. I haven't really decided what races I'm going to get in, but I do have a goal to get under my PR of 1:53 in the 800 and try to get under 4:00 in the 1500. I think those are both pretty attainable, it just depends on how much time I have to train. My job is to coach the BVU runners and my training will always take a back seat to that. I'll just have to make sure I manage my time effectively and it should all work out. This is an Olympic year, so I shouldn't have a hard time finding the great meets to compete in and drop my time. Things are a little harder than i'm used to in my training as I train alone most days. Its easy to push myself, however sometimes its better to share that experience with a buddy and really test yourself. This morning I did a workout of 4x400 at 71,68,69,67 with 90sec rest, and 4x200 in 29 with 90 sec. rest. Felt ok, but a little heavy in the legs. I'm still in the base phase and really trying to increase my strength and add in a little bit of speed from time to time. I have many months until my first competition, so its ok if I don't feel great at this time. On occasion I may post how my own training is going if anyone is interested. Hopefully you'll see me on the awards stand at the USA Track and Field Club Championships in July, that would be a pretty good goal I think.
 

Posted by maasn [Cross Country] ( October 08, 2007 02:40 PM ) Permalink | Comments[2]

BVU Homecoming 5k

It's that time of year again. Time for the Alumni to come out of the woodwork for a weekend and show their colors. It's always an exciting time as I get to see old friends and meet many BVU Alumni. This year I am really trying to gain more interest in our Homecoming 5k fun run. It's a great time for students and alumni to mingle and mix it up on a fun run at twilight. This year we will be having the race at 7pm on Friday, October 5th. The race will start near the football stadium turn left on 4th Street heading west down the lake and follow an out and back format. Hopefully we can get more numbers each year and really turn this into a premier event for the homecoming week.

Besides that little plug for our 5k, the BVU Cross Country team will be heading off to Sioux City for the Briar Cliff Invite Saturday morning and will return just in time for kick-off. The Women's race begins at 10am and the Men's race will begin at 10:45am. The course is fairly flat and runs mostly in a wooded area. We should be able to continue the strides we made in Davenport. 

Posted by maasn [Cross Country] ( October 01, 2007 11:52 AM ) Permalink | Comments[0]

Making Strides

The BVU CC Team made some great strides Friday in Davenport, IA. We tried to take things slow and under control the first mile of the race as there were almost 400 men and 400 women running. Then we would pick things up in the middle miles. First of all, the women ran fantastic and are all starting to look great in competition. The course was very flat which aided us to some fast times. As a whole the entire Womens squad each set season bests, with many setting personal bests. The best part is that each one improved tremendously from our meet at Grinnell College. Here is the run down of times and improvements since our last meet; Missy Reinhart (26:11, improvement of 2:56!!), Courtney Jones (26:28, improvement of 1:12!!), Andrea Ahrendsen (27:05, improvement of 1:13!!), Ali Bunde (27:48, improvement of 2:07!!), Jenni Schomers (28:00, improvement of 1:18!!), and Bre Platt (30:55, Improvement of 1:04!!). Hopefully we can continue on this path and really be set for the conference championships in 5 weeks. 

The men improved from our performance at Grinnell and are also starting to turn things around after some injury issues. We still have a long way to go but are beginning to put things together. Travis Deridder led the team once again and would have ran much better however in the woods during the second loop was clotheslined in the woods by a branch which slowed him a little. However he still managed to improve on his season best. Travis Deridder (28:46, improvement of 10sec.), Jacob Flaws (29:37, improvement of 1:13), Zach Newberg (29:57, improvement of 1:37), Jordan Flaws (30:16, improvement of 42sec.), and Andrew Humphrey ran very well also considering this is his first ever CC season. I expect to see him run much better in the coming weeks.

 Overall I would say we had a good weekend. We have another week off and then head to Briar Cliff on October 6th for another flat fast course. Hopefully a few local fans can make their way over for a fun meet!

 Coach Maas

 

 

Posted by maasn [Cross Country] ( September 24, 2007 11:16 AM ) Permalink | Comments[0]

Traditions

I thought it was a good time to go into some detail about our traditions here at BVU. Some of the things have changed a little bit over the years, but i'll do my best to remember most of them. First off we have a little yearly tradition which is something that has been around for a while. It's really simple but usually comes as a suprise. Every year at a random time, the team does a run along the lake, veers off and dives off of a nearby dock. Its usually something that comes a total surprise to the newcomers and usually is a pretty fun shake-up to the day. This hasn't happened yet this year but I have a feeling that time is about to arrive. Another tradition which has come in the last few years is the yearly Ice Cream trip. After our first meet of the season which is usually in Sioux Center, IA, we head down to Lemars, IA to the Ice Cream Capital of the World and get a few scoops from the Wells Blue Bunny Shop. Not a tradition a healthy cross country coach likes to embrace, but on occasion everyone should have the chance to indulge. Everything in moderation like I always say.

A tradition which I have tried to bring back to BVU is that of the Cross Country/Soccer superfans. Years back, the Beaver CC teams would go to random home Soccer games, get painted up in their Blue and Gold, run around the soccer fields and just go crazy for the BVU Soccer teams. Then when the time come for us to have a home meet, they return the favor. This is always a great tradition as its great to have those screaming fans regardless of what sport you support. You may even see our teams and other sporting events...beware.

These along with our pre-meet chant have always given me great pride in Buena Vista Athletics and were the reason I decided to return to my Alma Mater. I look forward to keeping these traditions and adding a few more, like a constant pursuit of the conference championships. Look for a preview of this Friday's meet in the next few days. 

Coach Maas 

Posted by maasn [Cross Country] ( September 18, 2007 08:56 AM ) Permalink | Comments[0]

Off week - training notes

Well this weekend we don't have any races. I think its a perfect week to not have a race. In my experience, we start to see little aches and pains about 3-4 weeks into the season, so I usually try to be cautious about this time of the year. We had a pretty good week of practice this week. We started with a Monday workout of some goal paced 1000's followed by a few 600's and a few 400's. Usually what we do during this workout is keep them in a controlled race pace rhythm and then quicken things up gradually with the 6's and 4's; all of it is done with short rest periods. The total distance covered is about 3/4 of the race distance. Good workout we are controlled and really find our race pace.

Wednesday, we went out and ran a hill workout which is something where we are continuously running. We did alternating mile repeats where the groups would run at a pace about a minute slower than goal pace the first mile then go right into goal pace for the next mile. The men continued this pattern for 8 miles and the women ran this for 6 miles. The entire course has hills with the major hills in the faster miles. This workout really helps them to work the hills and continue moving throughout the run. Alot of coaches think you need to run hill repeats to get in good hill work. I believe in running over rolling hills as it is more of what you will experience during a cross country race. Everybody did great during this workout and really had a fantastic day.

Thursday we did our shake-out morning run then came back in the afternoon for a game of continuous football, where we don't stop running for about 30 minutes, take a break then play the second half. Its a fun game where we get a little bit of running in. We needed a day like this after 3 hard weeks, to have a little fun.

Then this chilly morning we had a controlled fartlek day where everyone ran 3 min. hard, 2min hard, 1min hard x 3 with a 1min rest in between the whole workout. This is a purely effort based workout where we tell everyone to run at race pace on the 3min. and 2min. sections and then turn it over a little bit on the 1min section. Often as distance runners we become consumed with times, in our program, the most important thing is effort and place. That's a little insight into a week in our world. I will try to include things like this from time to time, to let people know how things are going and give you some insight into our overall philosophy. Check-in next week as we prepare for the large Brismann Lundeen meet in Rock Island, Ill. 

Posted by maasn [Cross Country] ( September 14, 2007 09:31 AM ) Permalink | Comments[1]

Grinnell Meet

Well we have finished up with our second meet. Things didn't exactly go the way we wanted them to. Our times were not great but everyone is learning to work together better and we are fighting for places when it counts. We're gonna try and change a few things in practice and see if we can start to see better performances. On a good note, the team is really close right now and its great to have a solid group working towards one goal. One step at a time. 

Posted by maasn [Cross Country] ( September 10, 2007 10:25 AM ) Permalink | Comments[2]

Grinnell Schedule

This Saturday, September 8th the cross country teams will compete at Oakland Acres Golf Course in Grinnell, IA. Race times are as follows:

10:00am - Women's 6k

10:45am - Men's 8k

Please make a trip to Grinnell to support your Beaver CC Team. 

Posted by maasn [Cross Country] ( September 06, 2007 09:20 AM ) Permalink | Comments[0]

Dordt Invite

Well the first meet of the season is finished. As a whole we went in and accomplished what we wanted to for this part of the season. Our main goal was to work on staying relaxed the first half of the race, running in our groups and turning on the jets a little in the second half. Everyone executed very well. The times may not have been the best but we did compete very well which is more important in my book. The women's team competed very well and we really are beginning to look more like a solid team. We have been working on pack running a little bit more this year and it shows as this meet we were only 1:28 between our number 1 and 5 runners. Last year at this same meet we were 2:04. So that shows we are working better as a team. The men are missing a few key components which I believe would have put us in the same position as the women. Things will improve and we will only get stronger. We still have our sites set on the conference championships and that will not change.

 As for next week at Grinnell College we are going to try some different tactics and mix things up a little bit to see where we stand in the conference. Central, Coe, Cornell, Dubuque, and Simpson will all be there, so it will definitely let us see where we stand among that group. The course is an up and down one but has been good to BVU runners in the past. Please come out to support your Beaver Cross Country team!!
 

Posted by maasn [Cross Country] ( September 04, 2007 01:57 PM ) Permalink | Comments[0]

New Coach at the helm

Hello all, 

 I found it necessary to start my blogging with a little note. My name is Nick Maas and I am the new Head Cross Country Coach at Buena Vista University. I'm very excited to return to Buena Vista, as I was a distance runner for the Beavers and graduated from BVU. I hope to post new information about the team and the upcoming season as it comes available. Anyone who wants to drop me an email with questions or comments, please don't hesitate to do so at maasn@bvu.edu.

 Coach Nick Maas

 

Posted by maasn [Cross Country] ( August 08, 2007 01:55 PM ) Permalink | Comments[0]

Cross Country Teams Running Well

After 3 meets the BVU Cross Country Teams are running well and looking forward to the Conference Meet.

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Posted by Carney [Cross Country] ( September 27, 2006 02:00 AM ) Permalink | Comments[0]

Cross Country Teams Ready for New Season!

The BVU Men's and Women's Cross Country Teams are ready to embark on a new season with high hopes.  After a disappointing ninth place finish at last years Conference Meet, the Women's team is determined to finish in the top seven this year, while the Men's team is looking for a top five finish with all varsity runners returning.  The Women's team will be lead by Junior Courtney Jones, who has really stepped up her workouts this year in pursuit of a top 20 finish at Conference.  The team will be without Junior captain Paige Gruis, who is in Washington, DC on an Internship this semester.  The Men's team will be led by it's lone Senior Josh Saba, and Juniors Matt Hanson.and Travis DeRidder.  The Mens team returns all top five runners from last years varsity squad and they are looking to move from up from the dissapointing 8th place finish last year.  Both squads are much stronger this year, with some good depth so we can hopefully avoid the injury and illnesses that plaqued our teams at last years conference meet.  This is a new year and a new season is a upon us, and based off the first few weeks of practice these teams are much improved from last year!  

Posted by Carney [Cross Country] ( August 31, 2006 10:00 AM ) Permalink | Comments[0]