S2 E9: Jonathan Dalby

You had an amazing end of season qualifying both boys and girls team for the Nike Nationals. Want to talk about how that went for you?The boys and girls did so well, and they continue to do so year after year, it has to be a program thing. So what is it about what they are doing at Mountain Vista that is making both the boys and girls so good.

• Get everyone involved
• Over 40 athletes ran at Nike Qualifying meet

The challenge for many coaches is finishing up at State on an emotional high, qualifying for nationals then running well at nationals. So can you talk about how you planned that physically and emotionally?

• Both teams had the goal to get back to nationals this year
• Took goals of a long season into the whole season programming
• After State took a few days down then by end of next week they were back emotionally.

Do you think the 3 weeks is a little more of an advantage than the teams that need to go two weeks later?

• This year raced them a little less so they were ready to go

Southwest was extremely difficult, especially on the boy's side. Your goal was Nationals before the season when you saw how tough the SW was did any goals or plans change?

• We discussed there were no guarantees, but we stayed focused
• First two weeks were a little less intense, we backed off a little

So many good coaches out there and good programs. On the mental side, once you get there it seems it is easier to get back, is that a psychological aspect of it? Do you notice a change in the kids in their confidence once they have been there?

• Once you make it you know it is possible, where before seemed like a maybe someday dream.
• When it becomes a reality it changes the make-up of the team.

Year after year it seems the same coaches and teams are showing up. Is it the kids or is it the coaches who are instilling the belief that they can get there?

If you want more training, check out the earlier episode we did with Jonathan Dalby.

Now that nationals are done, what do you do now to transfer the kids out of cross country and really start thinking about track season?

• Different kids are in different spots depending on when they ended the season
• Everyone shuts it down for 2-3 weeks
• Between mid-Dec and early January, few are going to do more than 30-35 miles

What happens once early January comes with training?

• Their volume will not go over what they did in summer/fall
• Volume stays level for about a year before they move up
• Anyone who had injuries will move down a little
• January will add in some threshold running
• Add in hill work
• Some moderate speed work towards later in the month

How similar is Jan/Feb to your July/August

• It is similar, then add in race-specific stuff that is where it changes
• Most of the kids are trained at mile distance which gives them versatility to go up and down
• When kids are Junior/Senior if they show promise in an event will get them more specific work

Many kids live the team aspect of cross country over track. So many coaches continue to pound that type of work. How do you get the athletes to buy into the need to work on the speed which may be their weakness?

• We put emphasis on the 4x800
• Magnus and Marcus talk about the blank slate philosophy if you do the same thing over and over for an athlete who plateaued, where do you go next. What needs to be added to the slate?

One of the big difference between XC and Track is the team aspect. More people think of track as an individual sport. How do you tackle this? 

• Keep practices the same as it was in XC
• Team outings
• Recognize accomplishments and how it helped team
• Encourage them to watch their teammates compete

Do you lose some of the XC kids in the spring or do you retain them?

• Our top 50% usually come out for track, we lose some. Maybe 65%.

You said when they are older they may specialize in the 800 or one event, but how many of your kids specialize in one event vs a variety of events?

• Just a few, and usually the racing part only later in the season

If the mile is the base, what are some good mile specific workouts?

• We do 3 800’s at 1600 pace with 5-7 minutes rest, usually later in the season after midseason, but build up to it
• Earlier version may be 3-4 x 4x200 on 30seconds rest at 1600 with 3-minute break between sets.

During the track season if you have a meet on the weekend, how often do you hit on race paced work during the week?

• Depends on kid, but in a 2 week stretch may do a mile specific workout plus meets
• If could would have higher end kids race once ever two weeks and during that two weeks would touch 400-800-1600-3200 pace workouts.

For your top kids are they doubling much, and if not on race day what other work are they getting in?

• With large team hard to double
• Likes to get as many kids as possible into meet
• May have a longer 30 minute run after a race
• Dirty 800’s - If another track close will run 800 race, take a 30-minute break, run to other track and do a 500 and 300 at 800m pace, slightly faster. But need to make sure nothing else coming that is hard for a few days to do it

You have no problem admitting from your mistakes. What is something you did wrong in the past during track season and realize it was a mistake?

• One workout 10x200 on 30-second rest at mile pace, but did first one at 26 seconds and then 27. Did 5 under 30. Let it go instead of shutting it down
• You don't need to go to the well often
• Build up to intensity, ok to do early, but scale it

You have a long invitational meet, do you have everyone show up the same time and do you have them stay or do you let them cut out early?

• Most will show up on time, but if only race is end of the day then may come later
• Usually, arrive a couple hours before race
• For those racing early we pick 2-3 meets that are a big deal. We want everyone to stick around until the end on these meets

How does your XC squad look for 2018?

• Girls are young so most come back
• Boys are solid, will need to develop a few towards the back end

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Ben Rosario
Dean Ouellette
Jonathan Dably