Home of the Lancers

Hello TOXC Family,

I do hope that all of you are staying safe and well in the midst of this crazy storm.  Gosh, I really miss seeing all of your faces … even when those faces are clearly not paying attention to me when I’m giving some long winded, super inspirational speech about how you can do anything you … see, I already lost your attention again!    But seriously, I miss my team.  I miss TOXC.

So what do we do?  Track season is canceled.  We can’t meet as a team.  What the heck do we do now?

We continue to be what makes TOXC so special.

  • Communicate!  Stay in contact with your training groups!  See how they’re doing, support one another in this difficult time!
  • Dream Big!  We got an early jump on XC, and it will be here before we know it.  What are your dreams for this XC season?  Is this the year you break 24’?!  20’?  Do you want to be on Varsity?!  Every year we have someone new make an impact on Varsity that wasn’t anywhere close to that level the year before … could that be you this year?
  • The dream of NXN … those hopes and dreams were alive and well in December … do they still hold now?  I believe we can get to that level, and I hope you do too!
  • Check out this video from Runnerspace, CLICK HERE, great message from the Track & XC world re-affirming that we are all in this together, and we will get through this!

Next Week Plan

  • Coach Marlene is putting together a training plan for our entire Track team to complete in 30’ intervals, this will be part of your track participation grade, details coming soon
  • Additionally, as we look toward XC, I will be organizing team meetings on a Zoom chat for those that can attend, this will be an opportunity for us to keep the fire & hunger going for XC
  • I sent the following podcast last week, please check this out if you haven’t done so yet for next week’s discussion, https://blog.finalsurge.com/episode-149-marc-bloom/; the podcast is with Mark Bloom, author of the book, Amazing Racers, the book details the rise of Fayetteville Manlius, an incredible high school cross country team that has won 11 girls National Titles, and 1 boys National Title.  The “Process” that we talk about comes directly from what I’ve learned studying their coach, Bill Aris, over the years

XC Pics!

We had a Track contingent cheering us on at XC League Finals, Mrs. Brown, Booster Member from Track, took some pictures and wanted to share with us https://link.shutterfly.com/LIDN9hemr1.  Please thank her next time you see her!

Iron Deficiency – Time To Check Again

  • The aerobic energy demand of a 1600m race is approximately 82%. The remaining 18% is an anaerobic energy demand.  The 3200m is 90% aerobic, and the 800m, often thought of as a sprint event, is even 60% aerobic.
  • Recognizing that all distance Track races are primarily an aerobic challenge, oxygen transport is crucial.
  • Approximately 99% of human oxygen transport is mediated by the binding of molecular oxygen to an iron-containing molecule (within red blood cells) known as hemoglobin.
  • If an athlete is iron deficient, their endurance performance inevitably (and, likely, significantly) suffers.
  • Accordingly, we strongly encourage twice yearly iron testing for our student-athletes in order to support the maintenance of optimal iron status.
  • Standard blood panels include the assessment of both hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit, and most importantly FERRITIN.
  • By analogy, hemoglobin and hematocrit are equivalent to “money-in-your -pocket” while ferritin is correspondingly equivalent to “money-in-the-bank.”
  • If hemoglobin and hematocrit appear normal yet ferritin is sub-optimal, one might extend the analogy to suggest that subsequent to spending all available “money-in-your-pocket,” an individual is essentially “bankrupt” consequent to minimal iron reserves (i.e. minimal ferritin or, again, by analogy … minimal or no “money-in-the-bank”).
  • In summary, the opportunity to periodically analyze hemoglobin, hematocrit, and ferritin enables our coaching staff to quantitatively appreciate a student-athlete’s current iron status and to potentially recommend (to parents / guardians) a reasoned iron supplementation strategy (if appropriate) in order to contribute to ALWAYS maintaining performance-supporting, healthful iron status.

Photos to Share?  Upload Here!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/pkayobtphmHFFAan6

Come and see why students describe our Cross Country program as the best experience of their high school lives.

TOHS Cross Country is a combined boys and girls program that has a tradition of excellence including many Marmonte League, Ventura County, and California State Championships and many runners that go on to compete at the collegiate level.

Whether you’ve never run a step in your life or you enjoy running youth track and local 5k’s, we would love to have you come join the Lancer Cross Country program.  We are the most decorated team at TOHS and you will have the time of your life making friends and lasting memories in this wonderful program!

We’re excited for another year of Lancer Cross Country and invite all of you to join us for our first week of practice and activities to see if cross country is right for you! We are busy making plans for our summer training program, which will include pool parties, beach trips, and much much more.

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