Friday December 8, 2006
Another beautiful day in San Diego. A little cooler and windy today; however, if
the forecast holds true, there should be perfect conditions tomorrow.
Athletes arrived about 9:30 a.m. local time to the course. There they practiced the
introductions for tomorrow and then walked the course with coordinator Max Mayo. At
that point Ben, his father, and I ran the course one loop and then ventured on the
trails near the course to get in a little more. After that, Ben did his usual
pre-meet routine (stretching, drills, striders). The athletes then had a \"Hawaiian
Luau\" at the course where they ate lunch and then had some bonding time. Let\'s just
say BRD, Steve Murdock, and Cybulski need to stick to running, because they won\'t
make it as hula dancers.
Most of the rest of the days was for the athletes to relax. Some hung out on the
beach while others played pool or video games. The highlight for me as a coach,
runner, and a fan of XC and Track was the evening entertainment. Nike brings in top
athletes to serve as \"team captains\" for the various regions. Tonight they sat up
on stage and talked to the athletes, parents, and coaches in attendance about their
experiences (high school, college, pro). The list included: Adam and Kara Goucher,
Alan Culpepper, Matt Tegenkamp, Shalane Flanagin to name a few. Great insight and
good speakers.
Now it is time to rest. Saturday at 10:00 a.m. local time the two local heros will
toe the line for the South and let it all hang out. Good luck and good night!
Coach Travis Gower
McEachern High School