A successful team beats with one heart.

Saint Ignatius Boys Cross Country

2017

Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ernsttracksicp

Chicago Catholic League Varsity Champions

1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1980, 1981, 1994, 1998, 2010, 2012 IHSA State Regional Champions

1982, 1984, 1991, 1994, 2007, 2009, 2010, 014 IHSA State Qualifiers 1980, 1981, 1982, 2010, 2013, 2014

IHSA State Runners-Up 1982 IHSA State Champions

1980 Mike Patton 2013 Jack Keelan

Welcome to Saint Ignatius Boys’ Cross Country!

The first thing you need to know if you want to join the team: Start running! As a freshman, you have a chance to make tremendous improvement in your first cross-country season. The earlier you get started, the more improvement you can make. Summer is an important training time for all cross country runners. Success as a distance runner requires basic talent and ability. But it also requires serious training. Few of us have so much talent that we can skip the training. In fact, in my experience, often the people who train harder—especially in the summer—can beat the people with more talent. It is important to build up slowly when you begin to run—but that’s another reason you should start now. When prac-tice begins on August 9, we will have two groups. The boys who ran in the summer will start training aggressively; the boys who did not will have to start slowly. We’ve provided a schedule on our web page: http://www.ignatius.org/athletics_cross_country_boys.aspx. Start with a two-or three mile run—or just run ten or fifteen minutes in one direction, then return. Pace doesn’t matter—in fact, start slowly. You will naturally get faster as your conditioning improves. A small piece of advice: Develop a routine, run at the same time every day, and just make it a part of your life. In the heat of the summer, mornings and evenings are the best time to run. You can also join us at our summer camp at 7:00 AM, Monday-Thursday. Contact Coach McPherson for more infor-mation. Coach: Ed Ernst, ed.ernst@ignatius.org, 773-407-5220 (cell) Asst. Coach: Nate McPherson, Nathan.mcpherson@ignatius.org Follow us online! The information in this handbook is available online on the Igna-tius web page: http://www.ignatius.org/athletics.aspx. You can also find weekly updates on the team, with results, once the sea-son begins. We have an Edline page with information. We also have a growing web site: https://www.ignatiusxc.com. Once the season is underway we will have a picture photo site for the team. You can also follow us on twitter: @ernsttracksicp. Practice Our first practice is on Wednesday, August 9, one week before classes resume. All members of the team are expected to attend

the first practice. In addition, you must have a completed IHSA physical examination form, along with associated school paperwork. You cannot practice on the first day unless you bring that paperwork. You can get this paperwork on the athletics web page under quick links. Once school begins, we will practice after school from 3:15 to 5:15. We are efficient with our time; compared to many sports at Ignatius, this is a short practice time. Boys are expected to attend practice every day that they are in school. If they are in school but not feeling well, they should report to practice before going home. Simi-larly, if a runner has an injury, he should report to the coach after school to make a plan for recovery and alternative training where appropriate. Saturday Morning Races Many of our Saturday races are located in the distant suburbs—like our first big race at the Connelly Invite on September 2. Unfortunately this means an early morning bus here at Ignatius. We post instructions and directions on a hand-out before each race. Please be on time. Team members who can drive are allowed to meet us at our races and they can drive themselves home. Runners who travel on the bus from school can leave the meet with a parent to go home. In the interest of sportsmanship (and so that all the boys help clean up the team camp), we ask that all boys stay at the meet until the last race has been completed and until after any awards ceremony For a typical Saturday race, our boys should be up at 6:00. That means they should be in bed at a reasonable hour; save the fun for Saturday night. They should also eat something like pasta for Friday night dinner. In the morning they should eat a small breakfast—bagel, breakfast bar, Power Bar, at least. Orange juice is probably not a good idea. Water and sports drink is better. They should bring a sports drink and a snack—even a lunch—for after the race. It is important to re-supply the body after a race exertion. Shoes Runners should expect to buy one new pair of training shoes during the x-country sea-son. It just seems logical to do that at the beginning of the season. For a first pair of shoes, it is generally a good idea to visit a specialty store—Fleet Feet on Roosevelt Road and North Ave., Running Away on Damen, Dick Pond in Park Ridge and Lisle, Universal Sole on Lincoln, Running Excels in Beverly, Run Chicago in Forest Park. Sales people there can help pick out an appropriate pair of shoes. Then you can buy the same shoe online or at Sports Authority. At many of the specialty stores they will give you a discount if you mention you are running on a high school team. Shoes in the $60-100 range are probably most appropriate. Sometimes our runners like their new shoes so much that they wear them during the day. They shouldn’t. If they insist on wearing gym shoes, they should not wear their cross country training shoes; those should be just for running—in part so that they last longer. Our boys don’t like to hear it sometimes, but during they day they should probably wear old-fashioned school dress shoes. They provide the most support and protection for feet and ankles that take a pounding during practice. Many runners also buy racing spikes. There are special racing spikes de-signed for x-country running. But if a runner is going to run on the track team, as well, a good general purpose pair of distance running spikes will be good for track and cross-country. Distance spikes have a slightly more substantial heel and bottom. You can find spikes on sale for as little at $20, or you can buy the newest models for as much as $100.

Students who attend Saint Ignatius on financial aid can write a letter to the

financial aid office requesting assistance with the purchase of a pair of shoes and spikes. Clothes In August and September, the boys run in shorts and t-shirts. But October requires sweatshirts and pants. For cross country runners who will also run track, investing in a nice set of running attire—waterproof and warm pants and jacket—is worth the invest-

ment. They will live in these clothes from October to April. Running clothes are also a good idea for Christmas and birthday presents! Injuries Cross country runners miss more practice and competition time due to injury than any other sports athletes. But this isn’t really because it is a dangerous sport. The main injury is going to be to your legs—and if you have a leg injury, you are going to miss time.

We try to build our runners up slowly in terms of their mileage and work. But cross-country is a short season—only two and a half months long. We have to push to get runners ready for competition,

For future reference, the best way to avoid injury during cross-counrty season is to run in the summer BEFORE the actual cross country practice begins.

When runners are injured, we recommend ibuprofen and ice in the evening after practice for chronic problems—shin splints, sore muscles, sore knees and ankles. If the trainer or doctor recommends taking time off from practice, we try to find alternative activities—pool running if a runner has access, or weight training or exercise machines here in the school. We try to keep runners training even when they are injured. Eating and drinking Runners should eat three or more meals a day—including breakfast. They should be careful to hydrate during the day—drinking water and sports drinks where possible. Even in severe heat, the running we do is not so strenuous that it should cause heat or dehydration problems for our runners. Dehydration and heat problems really result from what happens during the day before and after running.

Schedule

Wed 8/9/17 8:00 AM First day of practice SICP Track

Sat 8/12/17 8:00 AM New Buffalo Run New Buffalo, MI

Sat 8/19/17 8:00 AM Bahai Temple Run Loyola Beach

Sat 8/26/17 9:00 AM Jones, Uhigh Washington Park

Sat 9/2/17 9:00 AM Connelly Invite Lewis University

Sat 9/9/17 11:00 AM Peoria First to the Finish Detweiller

Sat 9/16/17 8:00 AM Practice TBD TBD

Sat 9/23/17 8:30 AM Palatine Invite Deer Grove

Sat 9/30/17 9:00 AM Pat Savage Invite Niles West HS

Wed 10/4/17 4:30 PM Jones Dual Meet Washington Park

Sat 10/7/17 8:00 AM Practice TBD TBD

Sat 10/14/17 9:00 AM CCL Lewis University

Sat 10/21/17 3:00 PM IHSA Regional Washington Park

Sat 10/28/17 TBA IHSA Sectional Lake Park HS

Sat 11/4/17 1:00 PM IHSA State Peoria