Coaching Freshman Runners

We just started our summer training with the team, and we have many new faces. I’m currently trying my best to learn all their names. Each year, my goal is to help freshmen have a smooth transition from middle school to high school, considering they had only one month dedicated to cross country in middle school compared to joining a team that trains year round. Here are some of the things we focus on to support our freshmen runners in our program.

Training

To ensure the safety and prevent any athletes from getting hurt or quitting due to intense training, we take a slow approach with new team members. Although I aim to push them, my primary goal is to have the freshmen ready to race three miles when the season begins. During the first week, we keep it simple by focusing on dynamic warm-up drills, running 1-2 miles, and cool-down stretches.

We have seven training groups throughout the summer, with the freshmen starting in group seven, which has the lowest weekly mileage. Below is an overview of our team’s first full week. I believe 10 miles for the first week is reasonable and understand if an athlete needs to take walking breaks.

Building Relationships

During the summer, I prioritize building relationships with our freshmen athletes. I make an effort to arrive at practice 15 minutes early to greet them by name (if I can remember!) as they enter. After their workouts, I ask them about their run and tell them good job before they leave. Although it may seem simple, I hope that by the end of the summer, we will know each other better and feel more comfortable communicating.

I also encourage our veteran athletes to welcome and learn the names of the freshmen. We discuss the experience of joining a new program and emphasize the importance of being friendly and welcoming to all athletes. Additionally, once a week, we have a team breakfast at one of the athletes’ houses. I intentionally do not attend these breakfasts, as it provides an opportunity for the team to bond and get to know each other without the coach present.

Learning about Running

Summer practices serve as an opportunity to educate the freshmen about the basics of running. Topics such as the significance of proper footwear and nutrition in the morning are discussed during our morning meetings or in a more casual manner after their workouts. For instance, we recently talked about the equation “STRESS + REST = GROWTH.” As the freshmen experience the stress of daily running, we emphasize the need for adequate sleep to facilitate recovery and growth as athletes.

We also address the importance of having appropriate running equipment. Often, we find boys wearing excessively long shorts or girls opting for thick, oversized cotton shirts. We discuss the benefits of wearing breathable lightweight materials, especially during the hot summer months. It’s worth noting that running clothes are available at various stores in our area, and they don’t need to be expensive brand items like Lululemon for our practices.

In addition to running attire, we encourage our athletes to replace their middle school gym shoes with 1-2 pairs of running shoes. If possible, we suggest having two pairs to rotate during the summer. This practice helps prevent overuse injuries and allows the shoes to air out for a couple of days.

Safety

One of the most important topics we stress over the summer is safety while running. We make sure they understand the importance of utilizing sidewalks whenever possible. In cases where sidewalks are unavailable, we instruct them to always run against oncoming traffic. Additionally, we emphasize the significance of waiting for vehicles to come to a complete stop before crossing streets or intersections. Lastly, we strongly encourage the practice of having a running buddy. As our groups can sometimes spread out, it is essential for athletes to have a teammate with them for added safety and support.

Freshmen athletes with running experience

One last thing. We are fortunate to have running clubs and summer track programs in our area. It’s not uncommon for us to get athletes in high school that have previous running experience. With these athletes we talk about their training experience and try to put them in the correct training group. Usually I err on the side of caution and have them run the same or less mileage than they did in middle school. I do this because our training is still most likely different and they will need time to adjust. I also feel that most middle school kids are like all other runners and occasionally overestimate their weekly mileage.