S3 E4: Dave Frank

Dave Frank Central Catholic Introduction

• Grew up in Oregon, won some state titles in high school
• Ran at Stanford in early 80's
• Senior year made Olympic Trials in Steeple
• Made it again in 88 and in the marathon in 92
• 11 years coaches at St Francis in California
• Central Catholic was nothing to speak of when arrived
• Alberto Salazar hired same year and Galen Rupp was a Freshman
• 19 years now at Central Catholic

You had a lot of success as a runner, why did you end up coaching high school?

• Stanford coaches got us interested in coaching
• There was a need for an assistant cross country coach at the school I was working
• When moved to Central Catholic thought would be the head coach, but they hired Alberto
• Enjoyed helping kids get better

How did your training differ between California and Oregon?

• In California, as an assistant just working on making JV kids Varsity
• In Oregon worked closer with Alberto on training

What was the team like when you arrived at Central Catholic and how has that changed, and what impact did Galen being there have on it?

• Was 13 boys and a few less girls
• School is about 850-900
• We should be a middle division school by size but compete up
• Kids and parents at the school are really involved which helps build numbers
• Grew steadily over the years, no sure Galen had an impact
• Strong teams may have scared kids off who thought they would never be good enough
• Up to 50 boys and 35 girls, only coach boys program

You had a unique situation getting to work with Alberto Salazar, what were those years like and how was he with the kids?

• Rumor is Alberto came here because Galen was here and he coached him as a youth, not true
• Galen was a kid in my math class, his mother ran so I convinced them to come out
• Galen was a soccer kid and a soccer fan first
• Alberto worked out a deal with soccer coach that he could run with us a few times
• Was obvious he had some talent
• Alberto was dedicated to kids if a kid was hurt he would throw an exercise bike in the back of his car and drive it to the kid's house
• Was there every day and cared for the kids
• Had kids excited to improve and Alberto was good with them
• Alberto stayed one more season after Galen left

When the report came out on Oregon Project how did that impact the team?

• For a few years after he left talked to Alberto on a regular basis
• Galen still stops by to talk to our kids before State and go for a run with our kids
• Alberto would always try to find any way he could to help our kids get better
• Would push the envelope, but always staying within rules
• If ever a question he always asked about the rules to make sure he stayed legal

You have had a lot of success since 2003 being first or second at State every year but one

• Culture was hard to build at the beginning
• 3-4 years started having a lot of success and kids bought into the culture
• Easier to keep it going than get it started

What did you do to get that buy-in in the early years?

• We had a goal early on to be successful and win a state title
• When they are excited we ask more of them

What is your summer program?

• We now meet 4 nights a week in the summer at different locations
• M/Th are a moderate effort with strides
• T/F uptempo
• Sunday's top kids get together for a long run on trails
• Open it up to anyone even other schools
• When more good kids, more people at your pace to run with

What does early season training look like?

• First meet right before Labor Day and State early November
• When kids are confident they will run well
• Summer and early fall is to build confidence
• 5 weeks in the middle of the season we work really hard
• Last three weeks is confidence again
• Mid Sept going hard, 5k/3k work
• Always touching speed some with strides, 200s, 150 accelerations
• 1k work on trails and 400s

Workout examples

• Most workouts are made up so not doing them more than once
• Taylor workout for what right for them that day
• 2 sets of 4, 8xK where each 4 is progression. A longer break between sets, shorter rest as go in set
• A lot of progression runs because builds confidence. 
• 7xK, first one hard like a start of a race, then race pace or slightly slower for 5, then finish last hard
• If run top kids on Wednesday meet will make it the hardest day of the week so run 3 miles LT, 10 minutes then race at LT for another three miles
• Or 6-8x400 at 3k pace after the meet
• 3x 1000, 800, 600, 400
• Will change workout on fly if see people struggling 
• Remind them running is hard
• When we want them to feel good will often do some sort of 400 workout 

As we get to end, the last week, what does the last session look like?

• We have motto always be closing
• Pick up lots of spots in the last mile
• End of workout is the most important part, want to finish well
• Last week fairly hard Saturday, but not much volume, Sun med-long run so maybe 9-10 miles, Monday 2 sets of 4x200 progression with 30-second jog  36, 35, 34, 33, put on racing flats and run a little faster for next set, Tuesday moderate run at 45-50 minutes, Wednesday a couple 800s slower than race pace then 3 300s, Thurs 35-40 minute run, Friday jog the course, Saturday race

You have built a program from nothing and consistent year after year, so what advice do you have for a young coach who may be taking over a program looking to build something out of it?

• Figure out what you believe in
• Stand up for what you believe
• Minor parts change all the time, philosophy or demands of kids never changes
• Don't expect kids to immediately get it, takes time
• Be incremental in expectations every year
• Use your parents and keep them involved
• Learn from the best

What is that team philosophy?

• Everything is your choice, take responsibility
• To be good at running need to make hard choices
• Being good is hard sometimes have to make tough choices that friends won't understand