Youth Runner Magazine Nov-Dec 2019

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Keeping Up with YR Bloggers and Athletes Eric Hacker beat cerebral palsy and became one of the top runners in the state

BROEN HOLMAN Gets a World Record GET THE LATEST @ YOUTHRUNNER.COM

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YR MOMENTS CHASING DOWN THE LEADERS SAMUEL HANSEN #2439 HAS HIS EYE ON THE LEAD PACK DURING THE FRESHMAN BOYS 4.5K AT FOOT LOCKER WEST REGIONALS AND FINISHED 4TH. JARON HARTSHORN WAS 1ST,RENDON KUYKENDALL 2ND, NOAH JENKINS WAS 3RD.

SMOTHERMAN IMAGES

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YR contents: NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2019

READY.SET.GO

Vol. 24 Issue 5

8

Broen Holman Gets a World Record kyle peters FEATURE

12 Eric Hacker Runs

Down Cerebral Palsy

CHECK IT OUT

TRAINING

16-17 Instagram FAN SHOTS 18-19 MEET HIGHLIGHTS 20 Keeping up 26-27

24-25 Way to Go

MORE 2-3 YRMOMENTS

from the editor 5 CONTENTS 6 letter 7 YR Blogger

Ask A youth runner coach

14-15 poster

29 coming up

YOUTHRUNNER.COM | 5

yr

editor VOLUME 24 ISSUE 5 | nov/dec 2019 Publisher/Editor Dan Kesterson Editor at Large Ian Kesterson Guest Editor Eric Hacker

Photo Run

Art Director Sean Kesterson

Eric Hacker

LETTER FROM THE

GUEST EDITOR My name is Eric Hacker, I was born with mild cerebral palsy and wasn’t promised the ability to walk and do things other kids are able to do. My mom and I got really sick after I was born and the doctors didn’t know if either of us would make it. I went through lots of therapy and wore leg braces up until the middle of the 6th grade. I wasn’t very coordinated and couldn’t do a lot of sports. I tried soccer when I was younger but I would turn my ankle and sometimes fall so they made me a goalie. My sister ran xc and track in high school so they suggested I try it not thinking or knowing I would be good. After a couple of weeks of running in 6th grade I started breaking pieces of my leg braces. The doctors would constantly have to adjust and replace them. One day when I started running I felt something crack in my shoe. I looked down and part of my brace was hanging

EDITOR'S NOTES 6 | NOV/DEC 2019

Contributing Writers, Bloggers & Reporters Ciera Sesock, Cody Jones, Rebecca McConville, Amelia Fleming, Kenan Pala, Jordynn West, Chelsea Ochoa, D’Asia Duncan, Taitum Schaap, Jack Kelley, Evan Gonzales, Will Benitez, Ellie Porter, Pat Tyson, Bob Williams, Matt Walsh

Contributing Designer Scott and Jacqui Scoggin

off my leg. I tried to keep running and they both came completely off so I put my shoes back on without them and kept running. That is also why my instagram handle is the_real_forest_gump18. My family and others who know me often call me the walking and living Forest Gump.

As I got older I became stronger and more coordinated.

In 8th grade at the state track meet I broke five minutes in the mile. In high school all the boys on the team got together and made a promise that none of them would let me pass them in a race.

Near the end of the season I was beating everyone on the team consistently. Later on I competed in many state competitions and have also won two national titles.

I am now preparing to qualify for the Paralympic games to represent the USA in distance.

Eric

Check out more about Eric inside.

CONTRIBUTING Photographers Smotherman Images, Kyle Peters, Klotz Images, Ralph Jones, Rachelle Clinton, Logan HanniganDowns, Sam Gehrke, Eric Ward, Dusty Smith, Eric Trice, Peter Campell-Thompson, Gary Morgan, Photo Run, HKRS, Dingo Images, Fans cover photo Kyle Peters Website-Digital-Video Sean Kesterson THANKS TO: Fort Funston Beach, Trails, Fresh Air, Nathan Sports, Abby Schwamm, Krista Ulatowski ADVERTISING & SPONSORSHIPS dank@youthrunner.com SUBSCRIPTION RATES US One Year: Print $14.95 Digital $9.95 Subscribe at www.youthrunner.com PUBLISHED BY: Youth Runner Magazine is a registered trademark of GoSportz Media LLC. Published 5 times a year by GoSportz Media, LLC Copyright 2019 all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission. Editorial contributions are welcome, submit queries to editor@Youthrunner.com. Gosportz Media LLC and it’s publisher assumes no liability for the content or opinion of it’s writers or advertisers and reserves the right to reject any advertising at it’s own discretion.

Youth Runner recommends that you consult with your coach and your physician on any changes with your training, fitness and health issues.

YOUTH RUNNER

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Amelia Fleming Cambridgeshire, England

AMELIA FLEMING:

CROSS COUNTRY RUNNER Hello, I’m Amelia and I’m thirteen. I live in Cambridgeshire, England with my twin sister Izzy, mum, dad, our dog Margot and three cats. I’m in year nine at school and my favourite subjects are History, English and French.

When I’m older I’d like to be a lawyer.

I’ve been running for just over two years after dad signed me up for sessions at our local club when I was eleven. I’ve always been sporty, and after enjoying joining him on runs he thought I would like it. He was right.

I run three-four times a week and try to stretch at home and add in the odd bike session too. My biggest achievements in running so far are qualifying to run at the English Schools Cross Country race last season, and becoming the U15 800m and 3000m county champion. I would love to qualify for English Schools again this year so that’s what I’m focusing on at the moment.

My favourite race that I’ve done to date is also the National Cross Country race. I had to travel and stay at the hotel with my teammates which was great fun. I was amongst the younger ones there and relied heavily on the older girls for advice. On the day of the race we’d had torrential rain for about 3 days so needed 15mm spikes just to stop slipping over. It wasn’t going to be a fast race but it was certainly going to be muddy. I don’t mind mud and I love to run in the rain so the conditions didn’t bother me, and in the end that was what made it so memorable. I was one of the lucky ones that managed to stay on my feet and had a decent run. Everyone there was so supportive and I’ve found that to be generally true of the running community.

Runners are nice people and I’m proud to be a runner!

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Colour - Baby Pink Meal before a race - Vegetable Pasta Bake Running Shoe - Hoka Clifton’s Role Model - Laura Muir (UK runner) and Greta Thunberg (young environmentalist) Movie - Happy Gilmore Author - So many but I love Emma Carroll.

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Gets a World Record

kyle peters 8 | NOV/DEC 2019

Broen Holman from Sonora, California runs track, xc, and recently set a new age group world record in the 5K.

YR: Lets jump right into the world record you recently set. We’ve done some stories on Aidan Puffer and followed him for a few years. I’m sure he would’ve liked to hang onto that record for a while but he was probably happy to see you move the bar up a little higher. Tell us what first got the idea in your head to go after this record?

I had always been interested in going for a world record so when I saw Aidan Puffer’s record, I knew I could get close.

Did you specifically train for it?

No, but definitely one of my main goals within the training plan.

What was on your mind the morning of the race?

On my mind was, just to stay right behind the two pacers. Then see what could happen in the last mile.

Are you normally nervous when you step up to the line or do you get that out of the way before you show up?

I mainly get nervous on the line, not as much before the race.

What did you have for breakfast that morning?

The morning of the race, like normal I did not eat anything.

Any pre-race rituals? Lucky shirt?

I have my lucky shorts, and socks that I like to wear for big races.

What was the race plan or strategy?

My race plan was to run 5:00 pace for the first two miles staying right behind the pacers. Then see what could happen the last mile.

Describe the course and tell us the most difficult parts.

The course was an out and back along the coast. The wind coming off the ocean was strong on the way back to the finish. Definitely right after the turn around a few hills were challenging, but mainly on the start of the last mile I could really feel the hills.

At what point in the race did you feel the record would be yours?

Around 800 to go, I was pretty sure I could break the record, as I still felt I could pick it up quite a bit.

Let’s move to the JO Nationals in Wisconsin. You had some fast competitors in that race including some YR Camper Alums Will Schneider, Drew Oliver, and Max Cervi-Skinner in the top ten.

Give us the play by play of the

race from your perspective. About the start, when did you find yourself up front, and what was the finish like against Nathan Lopez?

When the gun went off my main focus was not to get stuck behind the huge group of athletes. I wanted to get to the front pack as soon as I could and stay out of the mess. Then once I got to the front group I just relaxed and waited for the race to start picking up.

The race was fairly slow until about 1k to go.Then an athlete I had raced in track nationals this last summer, surged into the lead and tried to break the pack of 4 which I was in. Once Brennen Drapper started his long kick to the finish I followed making sure not to let the gap get too large. I knew that I could slowly catch him, and I did with around 400m to go.

From here I kicked into the lead trying to gap Nathen knowing he had good speed. From there on the race had really started, a drag race between me and Nathen to the finish. I gave it all I had but just could not get him on that day.

Favorites Color - Blue XC Course - Golden Gate Park Place you like to run Mammoth Lakes, CA Things to do beside running Basketball, Downhill Mountain biking NBA player - Kobe Bryant App - Snapchat Food - Pizza Subject in school - P.E YOUTHRUNNER.COM | 9

How did the cold affect you? And... how did you work through it?

I was really only cold on the starting line, once the gun went off I had too much to think about, and did not focus on the cold.

Did you take any time off after nationals?

Yes after Nationals, I took a week off, and am slowly getting back into training.

What are your goals for spring track?

I would like to run a good mile under 4:20, and do well with lots of PRs in my USATF races.

Do you keep a journal? If so what parts of it do you look back on...

OR what entries are the most useful for you to gauge your improvement over time.

I do not keep a journal, but I put all my runs and workouts onto my private Strava account.

How would you describe your personality?

Outgoing, ambitious, competent.

Three words that best describe you?

Athletic, funny, role model.

What motivates you to stay with your training?

I’d like to run well in high school, and hopefully run for a D1 college.

What’s it like to have your dad as your coach?

I really think of him as just my dad not as much of a coach, because running is just one of the many things he helps me with.

Advice for other middle school runners that are thinking about dropping a WR? Don’t be afraid to set big goals that at the time seem impossible.

10 | NOV/DEC 2019

kyle peters YOUTHRUNNER.COM | 11

18-year old Eric from Chillicothe, Ohio was born with Cerebral Palsy but he didn’t let it slow him down.

Eric, how do you get your legs ready for a workout with the team?

How do you prepare and get your confidence on race day?

Growing up with CP sometimes has its ups and downs but overall it’s alright. My legs are tight sometimes and have to stretch them more than other kids do before workouts or races. Sometimes I need to warm up more than the rest of my team. To improve you need to embrace the extra things you do. Of course you are putting in work or doing things other runners aren’t but that’s the point of it. Even if it is to perform at their level or to avoid being injured. The guys on my cross country team understand that I need more preparation before runs and races and support me. People are willing to help if you open up to them. This cross season there were at least three boys who were always ready and willing to stretch me before a race if I needed it.

For me races are everything. The atmosphere and the energy they have is amazing. When I was younger in high school I would always get nervous at meets which were usually track.

I think it was the fact that people see you 100% of the time and there’s a lot of pressure. At one point you don’t wanna let your team down but on another you don’t wanna let the audience who wants to see you succeed down either. My old friend Tucker Markko who was my team captain when he was a senior taught me to always look back on my training.

Remember who you are and what you have accomplished. If you usually beat someone in a race and lately they have been close to you, remember how hard you work and how much more time you have put in than that person. Use that and feed off of every bit of it. I often find that the more populated meets are the places where you learn the most and can build the most confidence if you do well. A lot of runners will get to the State meet in both track and xc and flip out because they can’t handle the stress and nerves. Getting the most experience you can before tournament serves a lot of good.

12 | NOV/DEC 2019

What’s in the future for you and your running?

For a long time I didn’t know if I would run in college. In junior high it never crossed my mind once. This past year I have accomplished more than I ever imagined I could. Some of these achievements include: getting an article in Runners World Magazine, winning two national titles, getting state runner up in D2 and 5th in the whole state, signing a scholarship to run in college, etc. Nobody is saying you have to go to college and run but it is something that will help you grow and become stronger. In the future I plan on going to the Paralympics to compete for team USA as I have already qualified as a rising athlete in part of the journey. It is a process though, if running was easy then anyone could go and win state titles and go to college to compete in D1.

It may seem like it comes easy for some athletes but believe me, there was a lot of hard work that came with their success. Talent can only get you so far, you won’t grow without trial and error.

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KATELYN TUOHY NIKE CROSS NATIONALS 3X WINNER Katelyn TUOHY WINS FOR THE THIRD YEAR AT NXN BUT THIS TIME IT WAS DIFFERENT, SHE HAD SOME COMPETITION. TAYLOR EWERT & SYD THORVALDSON ALMOST TOOK HER AT THE FINISH.

photo KLOTZ IMAGES YOUTHRUNNER.COM | 15

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Here are some of YOUR best shots this season! Wanna see your own photos in these pages? It's easy! All you have to do is hashtag #youthrunner when you post to Instagram!

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MEET HIGHLIGHTS FOOT LOCKER WEST REGIONAL TO QUALIFY FOR NATIONALS AT THE MIDWEST, NORTHEAST, WEST AND SOUTH REGIONS SMOTHERMAN IMAGES

USATF JUNIOR OLYMPICS XC REGIONALS SMOTHERMAN IMAGES 18 | NOV/DEC 2019

THE “HUNT” 5K AT NIKE KLOTZ IMAGES

PDXC MIDDLE SCHOOL CHAMPIONSHIPS LOGAN HANNIGAN-DOWNS

NXN’S KLOTZ IMAGES

CROSS COUNTRY HIGHLIGHTS THERE WERE SOME AMAZING RACES INCLUDING KATELYN TUOHY’S THIRD WIN AT NIKE CROSS NATIONALS, FOOT LOCKER, AAU XC CHAMPIONSHIPS AND USATF JUNIOR OLYMPIC XC IN WISCONSIN.

CIF STATE XC CHAMPS SMOTHERMAN IMAGES YOUTHRUNNER.COM | 19

KEEPING UP WITH

DANIEL WHITE When we first met Daniel, he was in the seventh grade and part of the Southern California Wildcats. He was a national champion in the 800m, the 3000m and into surfing and skateboarding. Last year as a senior at Tesoro High School, Daniel ran the 3rd fastest 3-mile in school history and currently holds the school course record at the OC Champs.

Dan also competed at CIF Masters in track and New Balance Nationals in the SMR and made All-American. This interview was from last year when we caught up with Daniel in the middle of the track season. He’s currently competing on his collegiate team Cal Poly SLO.

20 | NOV/DEC 2019

Describe your season so far this year (2019).

This season went off with a slow start.

I broke my collarbone on January 1st, and that is right about when everyone started training. I had to get surgery on my collarbone a week later. Luckily, the recovery time was very short, but I was set back. I was behind most of my running teammates for a while. I knew I had some hard work ahead of me. My coach put me on a special schedule to get my season going, and eventually, I caught up with the front-runners on my team, Bryson, and Dylan. Training with them was not easy as they had

many more base miles in than I did.

Each hard practice was really difficult to complete. Some times I even questioned if I was going to make it to the level at which I was performing before.

But I stuck with it. I knew that things would get easier for me if I just stuck with it. And I did. Our first meet at the Trabuco hills roundup, I ran a 2:03 800 meter. It was not a great 800m time for me. But the thing I was really happy about was that I didn’t feel dizzy like I did last year at the Trabuco Hills Roundup. I was diagnosed last year during track, and to come back and not feel any symptoms of my heart problem was a major motivational factor of this

season. The next week I ran a 4:23 mile and saw that I was right behind Bryson during the race. I was further motivated to train hard, and by the time we raced at Laguna Beach Trophy Invite, I was in good enough shape to go 1:57 in the 800 and win the Invitational heat. Fast forward a couple of weeks of hard training and keeping healthy, and I see that the Azuza Pacific Meet of Champions is coming up. I had no idea that all the runners in my race were the best 800-meter runners in California until The race went off. I stayed in last place for the first lap but kicked in a fast 2nd lap and placed 5th with a 1:53.

What are your individual and team goals for Arcadia?

Our 4x8 relay team has a really good shot at making the podium at Arcadia. There is a lot of competition, so it will be a fun race to be in. I am not running any individual events at Arcadia. My Coach and I both agreed that running the 4x8 and the DMR relay (800 leg) was more than enough excitement.

stepping onto the line with some of the fastest athletes.

What do you do when you’re not running?

Are you still surfing and fixing stuff?

I usually spend time at the beach with my dog, Kia. Sometimes I enjoy going to my friend’s house to watch movies or watch Netflix.

Currently, I am very enveloped in my school and running that I don’t have much time. I have not been surfing because I want to take care of my back and my body this season. But occasionally, I do enjoy my passion for building and testing things, whatever the project may be.

Describe yourself in five words.

Strong, ready, improving, dedicated, willing.

Any pro tips for the young athletes?

Looking back to my days with the Wildcats, I noticed that all the stretching and strengthening exercises I did helped avoid a bunch of injuries I could have had. I would say focus on stretching and hydrating before workouts.

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How about CIF State?

That is the big goal this season, and I hope to make it to the last round. I am really looking forward to competing in CIF. What is a typical week of training look like for you and the team right now?

Currently, during our hard workouts, we are focusing on speed with short rest periods. Every other day we are doing roughly 8 mile easy runs to shake out the legs for the next hard workout.

It usually goes - Monday, speed workout / Tuesday 8 mile tempo/ Wednesday, hard speed workout / Thursday, easy 8miles / Friday, easy 6 miles/ Saturday, Meet day/ Sunday, rest day or easy 5 miles.

What are your dreams?

At the moment, running has been a major focus for me. I dream of becoming a world-class runner one day and

DANIEL WHITE A WILDCAT THAT DO

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YR GEAR

GEAR

Nathan Gear for Trail Running We’ve been a big fan of all things “Nathan” since Andrew reviewed the Nathan VaporAir 7L Hydration Pack earlier this year. Their products are lightweight and designed for trail runners. At the Youth Runner Camp in August, we tested out the Mirage Pak Adjustable Belt and the SpeedView Plus Insulated 18oz Flask with Phone Case near Mt. Hood in Oregon.

The Mirage Pak Adjustable Belt is so lightweight

you barely know it’s around your waist. It has a zipper across the front so you can carry your keys or an energy bar that would usually be bouncing around in the pockets of your running shorts. It’s compact and narrow, and elasticized so it will stretch. $19.99

If you’re out on a shorter run and you carry your phone, the SpeedView Plus Insulated 18oz Flask with Phone Case is an alternative to a hydration pack. It has an adjustable strap for your hand and a thumb hole, which makes it easy to hold. When you’re thirsty the top has a push-pull cap for a quick burst of fluids. They also made the flask with a unique material that keeps your water cooler longer. Warm water doesn’t taste so good when you’re hot and exhausted. The case has a zipper to keep your phone dry and protected. It also has an audio jack for your earbuds. $39.99

You can buy these at Nathansports.com YOUTHRUNNER.COM | 23

way to

go

What about goals for spring track?

For the spring track season, I want to win every race and run 9:15 in the 3k and 4:20 in the 1500m.

How much has your brother’s success influenced your goals?

He has influenced me so much, I started running because of him, and all my goals and training is based off my older brother. Overall, I want to be better than him and accomplish more than he could.

How old were you when you started running?

I was eight years old when I just started running in fun runs.

What has your running-training been like over the winter?

LOGAN HANNIGAN-DOWNS

Josiah Tostenson Winner of the PDXC Super Champs 3k YR: Summarize the highlights of your running career so far.

The highlights of my running career are beating some of my brothers’ middle school times and winning the cross country state championship this past fall.

What are your top accomplishments, including school and volunteering?

I think school is very important, so my number one focus is good grades. I’ve been on honor roll a couple of times which is 3.5 GPA or above.

24 | NOV/DEC 2019

I also volunteer at fun runs sometimes and work at the snack and hydration station, such as the Pine and Palm.

I also volunteered at a crater cross country running camp to help elementary school kids start running and learn to love the sport

What are your recent best times?

Age 13 Mile: 4:51 1500: 4:42.78 3000: 9:30.14 5k: 17:31

Training has been hard because at the moment I am enjoying my time playing basketball. Some days I have to double running and basketball practice.

Once track starts, what will your mileage or minutes per day be?

I run about 30 miles away with a longer run on the weekends. I think it is important not to overwork your body.

Interests off the track? What do you do besides running?

I play a lot of video games and also compete in basketball.

Advice for other young runners you can share?

Run for fun. I feel like running is all about finding your love for the sport.

Not everything has to be a competition. I love the days where I can walk out the front door and go on a nice run and clear my mind.

National XC Champion

Jessica Abbott

At the 2018 USATF Junior Olympic XC Championships, Jessica ran a smart race to finish second in the 9-10 girls 3000m. She learned some things from that race, and this year in Wisconsin, she won the championship race for 11-12 girls.

She said, “Last year I had the same strategy, hold back a bit on the start and get to the front.” Jessica took the lead about 600 meters into the race. To get warmed up, she went for a jog and then did some dynamic stretching in the tent. Then some strides outside. Her time on the super cold 3000-meter course was 10:47.

Jessica’s goals for Hershey Youth Indoor Nationals is 10:30 in the 3000m and top six and 4:55 in the 1500m.

For fun, she hangs out with friends, goes to art class, and takes care of her dog and three cats.

Photo is from the 2018 USATF JO XC Championships

Klotz Images

YOUTH RUNNER TOP DOG OF THE MONTH NXN Boys Winner

Nico Young Newbury Park Nico took a commanding lead early to win the 2019 Nike Cross Nationals Boys Championship in 14:52.30.

Foot Locker Champ

3000m XC Winner

Elle Thomas Jemtegaard, Washington Elle took it out hard and won the Alan Webb Girls 3000m at the Nike XC Meet at Blue Lake Park. Great Run!

Ellie Buckley Moraga, CA Ellie won the Freshman Girls 4.5K at the Foot Locker West Region Championship. Way to Go Ellie!

GET RECOGNIZED Go to youthrunner. com Hit the SUBMIT button Fill out the athletes form. youthrunner. com/events/ athlete/submit

READ MORE ABOUT THESE ATHLETES AT YOUTHRUNNER.COM YOUTHRUNNER.COM | 25

ASK A

COACH

STAYING FUELED AND RECOGNIZING ENERGY DEFICIENCIES Rebecca McConville is a sports specialist and eating disorder dietician. She is the author of Finding Your Sweet Spot, which explains how to avoid Relative Energy Deficit in Sport. This is a must read for young female athletes.

Rebecca McConville

“Coach Sarah said that this was my year to be the leader on the cross-country team!” Reese exclaims. “And if I just gave it my all, we’d be the first girls’ team at our high school to win the state championship.

But here I am in your office, my dietitian, hobbling in on my stress-fractured foot, wearing this stupid boot, when all I want is to be at state with my teammates, bringing home the win today.”

Tears stream down Reese’s face.

“I did just what Coach Sarah asked me to do—I ate perfectly; I never partied; I got to bed early every night; I trained harder than anyone on the team. I even did more than Coach asked.”

Reese shared how, every morning, she would make her ritualistic smoothie of berries, flax seed, almond milk and oats. On Sundays, she would prep salads for the week—kale with at least five different vegetables and her homemade vinaigrette. Having heard that meat is bad for her, she’s been trying to get her proteins from vegetarian sources. Finding herself full from the prior meal, she would often skip snacks, figuring they weren’t necessary.

26 | NOV/DEC 2019

In addition to regular practices, about twice a week, Reese spends a certain amount of time running full out. After such a challenging training run, she does a still fairly challenging recovery run. “Push through it” has become her everyday mantra. She looked at it as a great opportunity for an additional hard workout, even though her teammates were taking time for recovery.

Disappointment is written all over Reese’s face. After Reese finished telling me how she felt, her mom glanced at me with a look of desperation. “Can you help us?” she asked.

This scenario is all too common—an athlete, injured and now unable to play his or her sport, parents lost and confused, and incorrect or misunderstood information on the appropriate fueling needs of an athlete. I’ve witnessed many heartbreaking instances of what’s known as “relative energy deficiency in sport” or “RED-S.” As a sports dietitian, I understand how symptoms of RED-S can appear. They’re subtle at first and can be missed by a parent such as: mood changes, disruption in digestion, low heart-rate, changes in menstrual

cycle, low testosterone, or dismissal of injuries that one figures comes with the sport.

I’ve seen many cases similar to Reese’s.

This energy deficiency is due to an imbalance between the fuel that’s available for use in the body (“energy out”) and the fuel that’s eaten (“energy in”).

When the balance starts to teeter, the brain and the body try to accommodate to get the body into balance. However, there comes a point where that balance can no longer be maintained. I will be sharing my fueling advice in the pages of Youth Runner to help you find your “sweet spot”—the place that all young athletes must achieve to perform at their best, feel their strongest, and stay in their sport as long as they wish to with a healthy body.

Join me to learn how to fuel to perform at your best!

Becca McConville, Sports Dietitian and author of Finding Your Sweet Spot: How to Avoid RED-S by Optimizing Your Energy Balance Questions? Contact Becca: beccamcconville1014@gmail.com

Photos by Sam Gehrke Matt Walsh, Physical Therapist

Klotz Images

MATT WALSH

What Is the FUNDAMENTAL FIVE?

A Runner's ability to maintain a relaxed posture and fluid running form requires a complex interaction of mileage, intensity, postural awareness, strength, stability and mobility. If you will devote time to each of these components you have a better chance of improvements in running economy, reducing the risk of injury, and increasing speed.

The Fundamental 5 focuses on just one of these components, a runner's postural awareness. Successful runners train this ability to maintain great body shape/postural alignment and control (even when they are fatigued), through all the phases of a running cycle.

The Fundamental 5 is a series of running specific motions challenge balance and control. What I have outlined next is the most basic form of the fundamental 5 that we give to many of our runners, elite and recreational. Once mastered, more volume is added, then load, and finally greater complexity and speed. This not a PAY CLOSE to your regular trainATTENTION substitute ing such as dynamic warm ups, TO FORM, AS lifting and mobility programs.

Pay close attention to form, as QUALITY IS quality is critical to success.

CRITICAL TO SUCCESS

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1

RUNNER'S MARCH

Tall posture, knee drives up high, tighten the glut on the stance leg, keep your chest up and forward, hold for 2 seconds and then return the leg to the start position SLOWLY close attention to form as quality is critical to success.

2

RUNNER'S TOUCH Start with the March Posture, reach down and forward until you feel a light hamstring stretch, keep the back flat and abs lightly drawn in while holding the stance leg almost fully straight at the knee.

3

RUNNER'S CLIMB

Start again with the March Posture and then lean forward as you place your foot on a regular sized step or block; in one smooth motion step up by engaging your gluts, staying tall and drive your leg up as high as possible. Hold for 2 seconds and lower back down to the start position SLOWLY.

4

SWING PHASE ‘Kick and Flicks’ Swing the free leg up until you feel a light hamstring stretch, keep the spine tall, arms swing opposite mimicking running sequence, let the leg flick up behind as the thigh sweeps back, keep the stance leg steady.

5

RUNNER'S LUNGE

Alternating Lunges, continue to start with the March Posture, fall slowly down into a lunge, drive up to the March Posture in one clean fluid knee drive.

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COMING UP! HERE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP MEETS YOU’LL WANT TO ADD TO YOUR CALENDAR

AAU XC

AAU CROSS COUNTRY NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP | KNOXVILLE, TN| DECEMBER 7th Regional and Association Meets go to youthrunner.com or aautrackandfield.org

FOOT LOCKER MIDWEST REGIONAL | KENOSHA, WI. | NOVEMBER 24TH NORTHEAST REGIONAL | BRONX, NY. | NOVEMBER 24TH SOUTHEAST REGIONAL | CHARLOTTE, NC | NOVEMBER 24TH WEST REGIONAL | WALNUT, CA. | DECEMBER 1ST NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS | BALBOA PARK-SAN DIEGO, CAL. | DEC 8TH More info @ footlockercc.om

NIKE CROSS NATIONALS HEARTLAND | SIOUX FALLS, SD | NOVEMBER 16TH NORTHWEST REGIONAL | BOISE, IDAHO | NOVEMBER 16TH MIDWEST | TERRE HAUTE, IN. | NOVEMBER 18TH SOUTHWEST | CASA GRANDE, AZ | NOVEMBER 23RD SOUTH | THE WOODLANDS, TX | NOVEMBER 23RD SOUTHEAST | CARY, NC | NOVEMBER 30th NORTHEAST-NY | WAPPINGERS FALLS, NY | NOVEMBER 30TH NEW YORK-NY | WAPPINGERS FALLS, NY | NOVEMBER 30TH NATIONALS | PORTLAND, OR | DECEMBER 7TH

USATF JUNIOR OLYMPICS XC NATIONALS | MADISON, WISCONSIN | DECEMBER 14TH Regional and Association Meets - youthrunner.com or usatf.org For more results, and event dates check the calendar at youthrunner.com

USATF JUNIOR OLYMPICS XC NATIONAL YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIPS | SHELBYVILLE, IN | NOVEMBER 23RD FOR THE DETAILS AND REGISTRATION LINKS GO TO YOUTHRUNNER.COM YOUTHRUNNER.COM | 29

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