CFXC Blog

2012 Fall XC Info: August Start Dates & Requirements

Clayton Burnett — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 05:00:00 GMT

CFXC Runners & Parents,

START DATE
Practices will begin on Monday, August 6, 2012. Practice time and location TBA.

ATTENDANCE
We will practice every week day thereafter at 7am. Our attendance and participation policy is be present at 100% of team practices. If an athlete is unable to attend every practice, absences must be requested by the athlete and approved by the coaching staff. The athletes will be provided with a complete summer and season running plan, if an absence is approved the running plan should still be completed.

FORMS
You must complete your Physical Form & Student-Athlete Packet in order to begin practice.

MORE INFO
Summer running information, the Winner's Manual and additional details will be provided in a team meeting during the final week of the school year.

Thanks,

Coach Clay, Coach Serluco & Coach Lisa

Offseason Strength | Phase 3

Clayton Burnett — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 06:00:00 GMT

Offseason Strength continues...

Make sure that you have progressed through Phases 1 & 2, then move on to Phase 3.

This set of exercises is advanced, so watch the video and make sure you understand the movements before you get after it.

Exercises:

Plank with x5 leg lifts each side
Side Plan with x5 leg lifts each side
Belly Up Planks x5 leg lifts each side
Donkey Kicks x10 each side
Scorpions x20
Rockies x5
Donkey Whips x5 each side
Lower Body Crawl x10
Iron Cross x20
Aussies x20
Groiners x5
Hurdle Seat Exchange x10
Quick Leg Cycle x5 each side
Hurdle Trail Leg Forward x5 each side
Hurdle Trail Leg Backward x5 each side
Lateral Leg Swing x10 each side
Linear Leg Swing x10 each side

Offseason Strength | Phase 2

Clayton Burnett — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 06:00:00 GMT

Leg Circuit & Planks

Front Lunge x5 each side
Lateral Lunge x10 Steps
Single Leg Squat x5 each side
Lateral Shuffle x20 Steps Quick!

Plank 40sec each (Front, Left, Right, Back)

Offseason Strength | Phase 1

Clayton Burnett — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 06:00:00 GMT

Did you know that your Winter Offseason is longer than your Summer Offseason?

After Thanksgiving, you have roughly 16 weeks until Track season. What will you do with your Winter? It's the perfect time to prepare for a great Track season and an even better XC season next year. We know that the majority of you will participate in a winter sport OR winter conditioning, and that is the first step toward becoming a better runner and athlete.

The next step is committing a small amount of time to a General Strength Routine. The strength that you will build by doing this routine for 10 minutes 3-4 times per week for two weeks will be the foundation for future gains.

You will significantly decrease your chance of a setback and you will enhance your ability to handle more miles and a higher level of training in the future.

PHASE 1

General Strength Preparation

Some of you may have six-pack abs, some of you may never have completed a sit-up in your life… either way, it's OK. There are many other muscles, tendons and ligaments that are active while running that most runners forget to exercise. These muscles and muscle groups help you balance, stabilize and maintain good form in the toughest parts of races. So, we'll address those muscle groups and get them firing in our first two weeks of General Strength Preparation.

The routine only takes 10 minutes and it's fairly easy. You will feel uncoordinated the first few times you do it, but it will become more natural and by the end of two weeks, you'll be ready to take it up a notch.

Summary:

Plank (Regular, Side, Side, Belly Up) each x 20s
Clams 10x each leg
Jane Fondas 4x Regular, 4x Toe Down, 4x Toe Up each leg
Donkey Kicks 10x each leg
Donkey Whips 5x each leg
Fire Hydrants 10x each leg
Knee Circles 10x forward / 10x backward each leg
Hurdle Trail Leg Forward 10x each leg
Hurdle Trail Leg Backward 10x each leg
Wall Facing Leg Swing 10x each leg
Forward Leg Swing 10x each leg
Forward Bent Leg Swing 10x each leg

CFXC Girls take 12th at States!!!

Clayton Burnett — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 05:00:00 GMT

The CFHS Girls XC Team concluded their remarkable State run this weekend at the National Trail Raceway near Columbus, Ohio. The Girls were not satisfied with just running the race, they ran their best team race in the biggest race of the year!

The Girls...

• Finished 12th of 16 D2 Teams
• Beat Regional teams Beaumont and Minerva
• Beat area powerhouse team Woodridge
• Ran their fastest team average time of 20:41 (Previous best 20:58)
• Ran on par with the area's best D3 teams: Berkshire 20:44, Gilmour 20:39
• Top 5 split was 0:35
• Top 7 split was 1:05

View Results >

View CFXC Results >

Girls Top 7

Allie Dustin - 20:28
Rae Carleton - 20:31
Jessica Walker - 20:38
Claire Barcelo - 20:46
Kate Girouard - 21:03
Kathryn O'Neil - 21:17
Anne Moyse - 21:33

Girls Qualify to States, Boys Finish with a Rumble at Regionals

Clayton Burnett — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 05:00:00 GMT

The mud, mush and rain were no match for the Tigers at Boardman. The Girls ran strong, finishing 3rd and qualifying for the State Meet as a team! The Boys ran their final race of the year, finishing 15th of 16.

The Girls finished a definitive 3rd place, beating 4th place Minerva by 42 points. The Girls mission was to mix it up with Beaumont and they did just that, however Beaumont's front runner finished 2nd, giving them a slight 6 point edge. The course was not fast, the team's average time was 22:02. However, the State course will be flat, dry and fast so fast times are ahead!

The Boys were riding the high of qualifying for Regionals, but it was not enough to move on to next week. Ted Cogan led the team to the line in his final race as a Senior. Nate Stapulionis and Eric Sampsel trudged through the slop to lead the team while the pack of Elliot Corrigan, Jack Karyo, Patrick Donley and John Ganger managed the mud as best they could to finish strong.

View Girls Results >

View Boys Results >

View CFXC Results >

View Photos >

Girls Top 7

Jessica Walker - 21:46
Allie Dustin - 21:50
Claire Barcelo - 21:58
Kathryn O'Neil - 22:16
Anne Moyse - 22:21
Kate Girouard - 22:36
Rae Carleton - 23:32

Boys Top 7

Nate Stapulionis - 19:32
Eric Sampsel - 19:43
John Ganger - 20:11
Jack Karyo - 20:42
Elliot Corrigan - 21:09
Patrick Donley - 21:15
Ted Cogan - 22:25

Tiger Girls & Boys Get It Done at Districts

Clayton Burnett — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 05:00:00 GMT

The Girls placed 2nd, Boys 4th – both qualifying for the Regional Meet! The rain held off, but the course was saturated, making the course slow and difficult but the teams tore through it proving their toughness and ability to adapt to any course.

The Girls placed 2nd beating Laurel and NDCL amongst other District rivals. The team averaged 22:24, a slower pace than last week's 20:58, but the mud was a major factor. The Girls finished 2nd of 11 teams. The Girls ran well which is very exciting, but still more exciting is the fact that we know that their best race is ahead of them!

The Boys peaked perfectly to beat Edgewood and Benedictine for the final qualifying spot. The team averaged 19:39, also slower than last week's 18:35 due to the mud. The Boys finished 4th of 11 teams. The Boys ran their best race of the year. Now it is on to Regionals to do some damage!

View Official Results >

View CFXC Results >

Girls Top 7

Allie Dustin - 21:46
Claire Barcelo - 21:49
Jessica Walker - 22:05
Anne Moyse - 23:08
Kathryn O'Neil - 23:13
Kate Girouard - 23:16
Rae Carleton - 23:22

Boys Top 7

Nate Stapulionis - 19:00
John Ganger - 19:33
Eric Sampsel - 19:46
Patrick Donley - 19:58
Jack Karyo - 19:58
Elliot Corrigan - 20:35
Drew Ganger - 21:00

CFXC Interviews British Olympian Scott Overall

Clayton Burnett — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 05:00:00 GMT

Today the CFXC team was fortunate enough to do a Skype interview with Scott Overall of Great Britain. Scott placed 5th running 2:10:55 at the Berlin Marathon, qualifying him for the Olympic Games in London. Scott has also represented Great Britain at the World Indoor Games amongst other track and cross country events.

Scott ran for Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana. He has run a 3:58 mile, 7:48 3k, 13:28 5k and a 1:03:21 Half Marathon.

Thanks Scott for taking time out of your training schedule to inspire our team. You've got a new fan club in Chagrin Falls, Ohio!

Here is the story of his marathon:
http://www.scottoverall.com/Scott/Blog/Entries/2011/9/27_2_10.55.html

Interview Script

How did you get started in running?
Athletics is very different here in comparison to the US. I started when I was young, but I ran for a club rather than my school. The main sports in England are Football, Rugby and Cricket... most kids play silly sports like that... running is far less popular here than it is in the US.

What were your PR's while you were ages 15-18?
1:53 in the 800m, 3:51 in the 1500

What made you choose to come to the US for University and why did you choose Butler?
I had a friend that belonged to Butler. I did not visit the University before I committed. At first I hated it, but it turned out well.

How do you mentally prepare for races?
I sit with my coach and talk about targets for the race. It is important to have a plan going into the race.

What do you do to prepare in the days leading up to a race?
For the marathon, I pay close attention to diet. I make sure I am eating plenty of carbohydrates. I don't run too much the week of the event. There is nothing you can do to get more fit at that point, you just get tired. I make sure to be well hydrated.

Do you have a race day routine?
Not really. I make sure I eat at the right time. I do about a 10 minute warmup for the marathon. I make sure that I am not sitting around a hotel room all day because then I am not ready to race.

Who do you look to for inspiration?
I've trained for a long time with Mo Farah. Seeing him do the things that he has done is pretty amazing.

Do you do any other training aside from just running?
I do core and weights twice a week.

Why do you like running?
Well, I think you enjoy things that you are good at. If you don't enjoy something then you should probably not be doing it.

Outside of running, what do you enjoy?
The same stuff as you guys... going out, my girlfriend.

How many pairs of shoes do you have?
5 or 6 pairs of running shoes. I'm sponsored by Adidas.

Have you ever had a low point in your career, if so, how did you recover?
Yes. Two years ago I tore my calf at Indoor Worlds. I felt my calf tear with 400m to go, I finished the race and I couldn't walk for a month. I didn't run for three months. There is always a positive from a negative. At least I was injured then and not now.

What do you eat before a race?
Cereal. Toast. An energy drink and maybe a banana right before the race.

What nutrition advice do you have for recovery?
I like Clif bars or protein bars. Clif shots are good. I prefer protein drinks with a 3:1 protein to carb ratio. Chocolate Milk is good.

When you were our age, did you ever see yourself running a marathon?
No, I was always a 1500m runner.

What was your first marathon like in Berlin, was it quite an intense stage?
It was a flat course. I ran the first 13 miles with a French dude. Then the second half of the race I ran alone. I was in 12th at the half and I finished 5th. Two Kenyans came back to me, so that kept my head in the race. I was not aware of the World Record being set ahead of me. The last 5k was the hardest part. I visualized a 5k loop where I run at home and just clicked off marks in my head.

What do you think about during a race?
Random stuff. For example, in Berlin I saw a friend in the crowd and I had no idea why he was in Berlin. I spent the next K or so wondering what he was doing in Berlin.

Do you have a goal time in the London Marathon?
In the Olympics it's more about position. I think if I can get myself in 2:06-2:08 shape I'll be in a good position.

Are there any tips that you have for us that you wish you had when you were our age?
Don't be lazy. I was lazy when I was young and still a bit lazy at Butler. It's amazing what you can do when you are not lazy. Don't regret not trying your best. Get out there and run. You don't want to be sitting there at home and injured thinking that you wish you were running, so take advantage of every time you can run.

What's your favorite workout?
10x400 @58-59s w 60s rest. This wwas from back when I was at Butler.

Do you work on your running form?
When it comes down to it, it's how you run. You don't want to mess with it. My coaches tell me that when I am fatigued I tilt my head back and overstride, so I pay attention to that. But you can overthink it, you just have to run.

The running community is fairly small, what are some of the things that you've done within the community or who are some remarkable people that you've met?
I've stayed in Flagstaff and run with Bernard Lagat. I trained in Ethiopa and I ate dinner at Tirunesh Dibaba's house.

Do you have any advice for those of us thinking about running in college?
Take a visit. That is a mistake that I made, I didn't visit. Get to know the coach and the training and how it fits with how you've trained in high school. Meet the team becasue the last thing you want to happen is to get stuck with someone like Chagrin Falls coach Chris Smith for four years.

What is most exciting about running in the Olympics?
It's in London. I was born in London. I've run in London my whole life. It's a 3 lap course, so the people will be great. In Berlin the crowd was going crazy every time a German ran by, so I think that's how London will be. The people will be looking for the British vest and they will be loud.

Do you know Prince William and Kate?
No.

Tigers earn honors at CVC meet

Clayton Burnett — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 05:00:00 GMT

The Tigers rushed to Perry to compete in the rescheduled CVC meet on Monday night.

Seniors Ted Cogan, Dan Wolfe and Sean Dougherty led the squad to the line just in time for the starter's gun. Kevin Dole led the team while Ross Newbauer, Jane Girouard and Tyler Thompson scored Varsity points. Considering the short notice on the meet, and the even shorter warmup, the boys ran well. The Boys averaged 21:52, placing 7th of 8 teams.

The Girls had a bit more time to prepare, but it was still short notice and they ran well in spite of it. All 7 Girl runners scored their first Varsity points of the year. Megg Cantlay led the charge followed by Seniors Emily Van Wagoner and Claire Anderson. Caroline Peterson, Anna Weber and Cate Cantlay also contributed to the team score and Molly Hopkins finished her first high school 5k ever!

CVC 2nd Team - Megg Cantlay
CVC Honorable Mention - Claire Anderson, Emily Van Wagoner, Kevin Dole, Ross Newbauer

View Results >

View Results on BaumsPage >

View Photos >

Tigers JV Peaks and Varsity Performs at CVC

Clayton Burnett — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 05:00:00 GMT

Thank you for your flexibility today! The meet at the Polo Fields with Kenston was a great experience. Both of our teams had a chance to run on their home course during an important week of the season. We were able to get a better workout than any of the other teams in Northeast Ohio, which will give us a clear leg up in the meets to come.

WE HAD 32 SEASON'S BEST TIMES TODAY!!!

CFXC Results >

View Photos >

Our JV team peaked with perfection. It was an inspiration to see the determination and focus throughout the race. This race had the potential to be another boring set of loops around the Polos, but you chose to take the opportunity and make the best of it. Congratulations to each of you for finishing on such a high note, it was awesome to see you run so well today! Everyone should be inspired by our JV team. They ran their best when it counted the most!

The Varsity teams ran their best races yet which is very exciting, but when you consider our best races are still ahead of us, that's even more exciting!

The Girls improved their team average to 20:58, 24 seconds better than our last run at the Polo Fields two weeks ago. Guess what 24 seconds improvement in 2 weeks is... 12 seconds per week... 4 seconds per mile... 1 second per 400m... just like we talked about... you are on track to an amazing peak, keep up the great work!

The Boys improved their team average to 18:35, 26 seconds better than our last run at the Polo Fields two weeks ago. Just like the Girls, you improved an incredible amount in that time period. You are ready to rock at Districts! We are very excited to see you perform on the next level at Lakeland!

Tigers Tear through the Mud at Medina

Clayton Burnett — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 05:00:00 GMT

The Tigers embraced the first sunny race day in weeks. The team ran well despite the mud and soft grass. The times may not have been there, but our effort was outstanding. The Boys ran their best pack race to date and the Girls earned their first win!

The Girls beat Regional rivals Minerva, Claymont, Indian Valley and Dover among other teams. The Girls remain undefeated against District and Regional competition. The Girls finished 1st of 19 teams and 1st of 12 D2 teams. The Top 5 gap was 1:27 and the Top 7 gap was 1:42.

The Boys ran strong races, finishing 14th of 23 teams and 11th of 15 D2 Teams. The Top 5 gap was 0:58 and the Top 7 gap was 2:15.

The Boys and Girls now have their sights set on CVCs!

BaumsPage Results >

CFXC Results >

View Photos >

Boys Top 7

Stapulionis - 19:20
Sampsel - 19:34
Karyo - 19:54
J. Ganger - 19:55
Corrigan - 20:18
D. Ganger - 21:17
Cogan - 21:35

Girls Top 7

Walker - 21:45
Dustin - 21:57
Barcelo - 22:26
Carleton - 23:05
Girouard - 23:12
O'Neil - 23:26
Moyse - 23:27

"A" Goals

Dole - A Goal 22:00, Result: 21:51

"B" Goals

Kohn - B Goal 25:00, Result: 25:00
Dustin - B Goal 22:00, Result: 21:56
Cullen - B Goal 28:00, Result: 26:43

Pouring it on at the Polo Fields

Clayton Burnett — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 05:00:00 GMT

Thank you for coming out in the rough weather today. The support from the parents was awesome! It really helps to have fans on the course! The team ran very well, we saw a great number of Season's Best times and some Personal Records as well. We ran remarkably fast considering two major factors: 1 - Weather 2 - A non-competition atmosphere. As soon as we line up at Medina, we're going to be ready to race!

The Girls ran 14 Season's Best times. The Girls Top 7 improved their Average Time from 21:49 to 21:22! The Top 5 gap was 0:46 and Top 7 gap was 1:17. Currently, we have the 2nd Best Top 5 Split in our Regional and the #1 Top 7 Split in our Regional! Today's race is a positive indicator that we are strong contender for a State Meet qualification.
- The Girls Top 7 improved their average time from 21:49 to 21:22

The Boys ran 13 Season's Best times. The Boys Top 7 improved their Average Time from 19:42 to 19:01! We have set the stage to be a strong contender for a Regional berth. Plus, we will continue to improve, so our hopes are high for a Regional Qualification!
- The Boys Top 7 improved their average time from 19:42 to 19:01

View CFXC Results >

View Photos >

Girls Top 7

Dustin - 20:41 (-0:33)
Walker - 21:17 (-0:03)
O'Neil - 21:20 (-1:07)
Barcelo - 21:27 (-0:38)
Carleton - 21:25 (-0:44)
Girouard - 21:27 (-0:47)
Moyse - 21:58 (-1:41)

Boys Top 7

Stapulionis - 17:18 (-1:16)
Sampsel - 18:53 (-0:23)
Karyo - 18:56 (-0:36)
Donley - 19:05 (-0:44)
Corrigan - 19:34 (-0:25)
Cogan - 19:49 (-0:27)
J. Ganger - 19:32 (-0:56)

"A" Goals

Karyo - "A" Goal - 19:00, Result: 18:56
Dustin - "A" Goal - 21:00, Result: 20:41
Dole - "A" Goal - 22:00, Result: 21:27
Moyse - "A" Goal - 22:00, Result: 21:58
Nafziger - "A" Goal - 24:00, Result: 23:26

"B" Goals

Williams - "B" Goal - 26:00, Result: 25:58

Former Ohio State soccer player wins women's race

Clayton Burnett — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 05:00:00 GMT

Former Ohio State soccer player wins women's race Recent Pitt track team member takes men's title
Monday, September 26, 2011
By Chris Adamski, Tri-State Sports & News Service Bob Donaldson/Post-Gazette

Ohio State's all-time leading women's soccer scorer when she graduated five years ago, Lisa Burnett hadn't taken up distance running until her soccer career was over.
Heading into the weekend, she hadn't run a competitive 10K in her life.

Burnett, 28, who lives in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, previously had been to Pittsburgh twice.

And she hadn't even registered for the Great Race until six days before it was run.

Wearing a bib she acquired using Craigslist a week ago because the race already was sold out, Burnett was the virtual wire-to-wire winner Sunday among women of the Richard S. Caliguiri City of Pittsburgh Great Race 10K.

"I never looked back the whole time," said Burnett, a native of Michigan who finished the race in 35 minutes, 15 seconds. "I heard the crowd every time I went by say, 'First girl,' but I really didn't look back the entire race -- which is good for me, because usually I'm checking all the time. I'm not really that mature of a racer."
Curtis Larimer has much more experience in distance running. A member of the Pitt track team before graduating in 2008, Larimer had placed among the top 10 twice previously at the Great Race. He won the men's competition Sunday with a time of 30:48.

"Last year, somebody darted out from the front, and we were all chasing the whole race," said Larimer, who is working on his doctorate in materials science at Pitt. "[This year] the first mile was uncommonly slow. I think everyone was looking around at each other wondering who was going to go first."

A large pack of about 18 emerged throughout most of the first mile, thinning to less than half of that by the second mile marker. By mile marker No. 3, a pack of Larimer, Josh Christopher of Pittsburgh, David Mock of Imperial, Justin Taylor of Wexford and defending champion Sam Luff of Rockville, Md., had separated itself from the rest of the runners.

Mock took off as the group embarked on an upward slope along the Boulevard of the Allies as it headed toward Duquesne University.

"I wanted to try to make a move, try to thin out the pack a little," Mock said. "So I put on a little surge going up the hill. But once we got to the top, I was a little tired, and [Larimer] still had some life left in his legs, so he put some distance on me and it stayed that way the rest of the way."

Larimer, who grew up in Colorado and lives in Oakland, crossed the finish line in Point State Park eight seconds ahead of Christopher, another former Pitt track athlete.

His arms raised but his expression hidden behind red sunglasses and a scruffy beard as he broke through the tape at the finish line, Larimer, 25, hugged Christopher after he finished.

"It was fun, and this is very special," Larimer said. "My parents were here in town, and I got married this year and my wife is my biggest fan. To hear her cheering for me, too, was pretty special for me."

Finishing seventh among men was Clay Burnett, who is Lisa Burnett's husband.

"I knew the competition would be good here, because this is known as a huge race, so we were pretty excited to start it," Clay Burnett said.

Lisa Burnett's bib read "Michelle Harris," who was forced to give up her registration because she became pregnant.

Even the announcers at the finish line proclaimed Harris as the victor.

"We had a laugh about that," Lisa Burnett said.

"It was a great course, lot of fun," she added. "You go through some real nice neighborhoods and a little in the downtown area, which was cool. But the best part was there was people all over every part of the course, and coming in [Point State Park] was perfect because they just lined all over the place. Just the energy for such a big race is really cool."

Burnett, who plans on running the Columbus Marathon next month as part of an effort to qualify for the Olympic Trials, beat runner-up Cheryl Collins-Gatons of Greensburg by 45 seconds.

Heather Melzer of Mars won the women's 5K in 18:27. Pittsburgh's Mark Grogan (15:15) won the men's 5K.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11269/1177592-139-0.stm#ixzz1Z5KxCW47

McDonough: The Hill where memories were made

Clayton Burnett — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 05:00:00 GMT

The huge hill and the soft course did not make for lightning fast times, but the Tigers defeated tough competition at the McDonough Invitational held by Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School.

The Girls took 2nd of 12 Division 2 teams, improving their D2 record to 20-3. Bay was the only D2 team that was able to down the Tigers, but we came home with a solid victory over regional competitor Beaumont.

The Boys finished 7th of 14 D2 teams building their D2 record to 13-16.

View Results on BaumsPage >

View CFXC Results >

View Photos >

Girls Top 7

Dustin - 21:14 (-3:19)
Walker - 21:20 (-2:30)
Barcelo - 22:05 (-3:42)
Carleton - 22:09 (-5:18)
Girouard - 22:16 (-2:45)
O'Neil - 22:27 (-1:58)
Moyse - 23:39 (-2:05)

Boys Top 7

Stapulionis - 18:34 (-1:26)
Sampsel - 19:16 (-3:03)
Karyo - 19:32 (-4:14)
Donley - 19:49 (-2:33)
Corrigan - 19:59 (-3:53)
Cogan - 20:16 (-4:13)
J. Ganger - 20:28

"A" Goals

Cullen - "A" Goal - 26:00, Result: 25:43
Dole - "A" Goal - 22:00, Result: 21:18

"B" Goals

Borden - "B" Goal - 26:00, Result: 23:50
Nafziger - "B" Goal - 25:00, Result: 24:35

Brecksville's Mud makes for a Fun, Successful Day at the Races

Clayton Burnett — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 05:00:00 GMT

The rain poured all morning turning Brecksville's rolling hills into mudslides. The cool rain turned into hot sun through the morning hours, but the course did not improve... slides, slips and dives were plentiful!

The Boys ran first, finishing 16th of 19 overall and 4th of 5 Division 2 teams. The Girls finished 6th of 17 overall and 1st of 4 Division 2 teams, beating perennial powerhouse Woodridge. The Top 6 Girls were split by 1:56 and the 2nd through 6th girls were split by a mere 1:14 continuing the pack dominance.

View Results on BaumsPage >

View CFXC Results >

View Meet Photos >

Girls Top 7

Walker - 23:50 (+2:13)
Dustin - 24:33 (+2:45)
Girouard - 25:01 (+1:47)
O'Neil - 25:25 (+4:27)
Moyse - 25:44 (+3:00)
Barcelo - 25:47 (+3:35)
Carleton - 27:27 (+2:22)

Boys Top 7

Stapulionis - 20:00 (+2:02)
Sampsel - 22:19 (-0:25)
Donley - 22:22 (+2:40)
Karyo - 23:46 (+4:08)
Corrigan - 23:52 (NA)
Girouard - 23:56 (+3:36)
Dole - 24:18 (+2:12)

* Number in italics denotes change from last week

"A" Goals

None

"B" Goals

None

The Tigers Heat Up at Hoover

Clayton Burnett — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 05:00:00 GMT

The CFXC teams endured blistering heat en route to improvements on both the Boys and the Girls teams.

The Girls team finished 9th of 14 overall, and 3rd of 4 in Division 2. The Tigers beat D2 regional rival Tusky Valley, but Akron St. Vincent St. Mary's and Cuyahoga Valley Christan Academy topped the Tigers. The Girls Top 7 placed 14th, 17th, 19th, 20th, 22nd, 23rd and 25th in the D2 race. The Top 5 was spread by 1:17, another great pack race!

The Boys team finished 14th of 16 overall, and 4th of 5 D2. The Boys Top 7 was spread by 5:10 and the Top 5 was spread by 2:53.

View Results on BaumsPage >

View CFXC Results >

View Meet Photos >

Girls Top 7

Walker - 21:27 (-1:26)
Dustin - 21:48 (-0:31)
O'Neil - 21:58 (-0:52)
Barcelo - 22:12 (-0:41)
Moyse - 22:44 (-0:17)
Girouard - 23:14 (+1:01)
Loomis - 24:25 (-0:30)

Boys Top 7

Stapulionis - 17:58 (-0:09)
Karyo - 19:38 (-1:05)
Donley - 19:42 (-0:12)
J. Ganger - 20:28 (-1:35)
Newbauer - 20:58 (-1:07)
Girouard - 21:20 (-0:45)
Dole - 22:06 (-0:31)

* Number in italics denotes change from last week

"A" Goals

None

"B" Goals

Karyo - B Goal: 20:00; Result: 19:38

CFHS XC Opens with a Bang at Berkshire!

Clayton Burnett — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 05:00:00 GMT

The CFXC teams hit the mud, dirt and grass on the trails of Berkshire

The Girls team finished 4th of 16, only falling to Division 1 teams: Chardon, Cleveland St. Joseph, and Kenston. The Girls Top 7 took their pack to the front of the race, placing 20th, 24th, 32nd, 35th, 36th, 41st, 55th. The Top 7 was only spread by 1:47 and the Top 5 was only spread by 0:33!

The Boys team finished 9th of 18, beating CVC foes: Hawken, Perry, Newbury, Cuyahoga Heights, Kirtland, Wickliffe and Grand Valley. The Boys Top 7 was spread by 3:56 and the Top 5 was spread by 1:56.

Overall, the start to the season was positive. The soft and muddy course did not produce any lightning fast times, so we can all expect to improve next week. It's always a good feeling to complete the first race, learn from it and build on it next week!

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Girls Top 7

Girouard - 22:12 - 20
Dustin - 22:19 - 24
O'Neil - 22:50 - 32
Walker - 22:53 - 35
Barcelo - 22:53 - 36
Moyse - 23:01 - 41
Lang - 24:00 - 55

Boys Top 7

Stapulionis - 18:07 - 23
Donley - 19:54 - 59
Sampsel - 20:06 - 65
Karyo - 20:43 - 80
Cogan - 21:03 - 92
Newbauer - 21:58 - 107
J. Ganger - 22:03 - 108

"A" Goals

None

"B" Goals

Dustin - B Goal: 23:00; Result: 22:19
Dole - B Goal: 26:00; Result: 22:39
Kohn - B Goal: 25:00; Result: 24:18

Tuesday Tune Up With Lizzie Halper

Clayton Burnett — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 05:00:00 GMT

Lizzie Halper finished her senior year of cross country with a PR of 24:19, but somewhere in her mind and in her heart, she knew could do more. Lizzie started running with the Winter running group twice a week and decided to go after a goal. She wanted to break 6:00 in the mile. Her previous PR was in the 6:40s. She knew it was a big jump, but she believed in herself and knew that with patience, hard work and consistency she could do anything.

She trained consistently and began to come nearer, and eventually hit, the workout paces that indicated she could run a 6:00 mile. She started the track season with a huge PR of 6:16 and eventually dropped to 6:05. She also dropped her 3200m time from 13:25 to 12:57 on a blistering cold and windy day at the conference meet. When the season was over, she felt like she had more fuel in her tank, so she ran a few timed miles with Coach Clay and Coach Lisa and achieved her goal... 5:59!

Next, it was the 5k. She knew her improvements in the mile would translate to a much faster 5k time than she ran in the Fall. First, she ran the Gates Mills 5k setting a new PR of 21:27. Then she got back to training... she put in a few Summer month's worth of consistent work. She ran again at the Independence 5k and ran another PR of 21:03, taking 2nd in her age group. Lizzie improved her 1600m time by 11% and her 5k time by 14% in less than 8 months.

"I am so inspired by Lizzie. Her commitment to her goals, her patience through the process and her focus during training and races is outstanding. I've never seen someone come so far in such a short amount of time. She always believed in herself in the classroom and in other areas of life, but her belief in herself as a runner and a competitor has really blossomed this year." – Coach Clay Burnett.

Somewhere though the process of training and improving Lizzie decided that she would like to run in college. She chose Kenyon and she will be running for the Kenyon Cross Country team this Fall.

Nathan Breitsch finishes 23rd in the Burning River 100 Mile Race

Clayton Burnett — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 05:00:00 GMT

Nathan Breitsch ('10) completed the Burning River 100 in 21 hours 31 minutes and 44 seconds. 312 runners started the race, 143 finished. Nathan had an outstanding race finishing 23rd overall.

Nathan is one of three triplets who all ran for Chagrin. His brother, Evan, helped him along the way by pacing him after the 50 mile mark. His other brother, Brian, was in Iowa at a conference, but sent his support via text messages and calls throughout the day. Nathan's parents, aunts, uncles and friends also showed up to support him throughout the 21 hour trek.

The race started at 5am at Squires Castle, then traversed trails through the MetroParks and the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and finished in Cuyahoga Falls. Lisa and I were lucky enough to catch him around 6am at the Polo Fields, the second aid station, near the 10 mile mark. We rushed to the sled hill to see him again about 2.5 miles later. We also caught him at Happy Days Lodge, the 13th aid station, in the CVNP around mile 64. Nathan was running as high as 10th place throughout the day. It was quite an inspiration to see this magnitude of an endurance performance out of one of our own CFXC runners.

See complete results at http://www.ultralive.net/br100/webcast.php

2011 CFXC Coaching Staff Announced!

Clayton Burnett — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 05:00:00 GMT

Thank you for all of your support through this transition. We're very encouraged by the participation in group runs this summer and we're excited to see how we will progress as a team this Fall!

Coach Jim Serluco - Head Girls Coach
Coach Serluco has led the CFHS Girls to three CVC Championships, multiple District Championships and a couple Regional Runner up finishes as well as a 3rd place at the State meet in 2005. He has coached numerous school record holders and helped many individuals improve and reach their goals. Coach Serluco will continue to deliver his experience, expertise and enthusiasm to lead the girls this year.

Coach Clay Burnett - Head Boys Coach
Coach Clay served as a volunteer assistant coach for CFHS XC and Track from 2004-2007. He was the head CFMS XC coach from 2008-2010. Clay is a USATF Level I & II certified coach. Coach Clay ran at CFHS and was part of the last Boys CVC Championship team in 1998. He was ac XC state qualifier, finishing 30th in the state with a high school PR of 16:36. Coach Clay aims to implement an athlete-centered program so that each individual will contribute to the team as well as reach personal, performance and team goals.

Coach Chris Smith - Middle School Boys Coach
Coach Chris will be the next leader of the CFMS XC team. He ran at CFMS and CFHS qualifying for the state meet in track (4:24 - 1600m) while earning letters in each of his years on the team. Coach Chris attended Butler University where he ran a personal best of 1:52 in the 800m and 3:50 in the 1500m, an NCAA Regional qualifying time. After college, Coach Chris was an assistant XC coach at UNLV and a shoe expert at leading running stores in Indiana and Ohio. Chris brings collegiate experience, footwear expertise and love of running to the team this year.

Coach John Abbott - Middle School Girls Coach
Coach Abbott will lead the CFMS XC team in his fourth year as an XC coach. Coach Abbott's record as a middle school coach is an outstanding 377-59 for an 86% winning percentage! Coach Abbott will continue his reign as the motivational leader of the team.

Coach Lisa Burnett - Assistant CFHS & CFMS Coach
Coach Lisa achieved her ultimate goals in a soccer career at The Ohio State University. She was a 2 year team captain, she led the team to an elite 8 appearance and she is the all-time leading goal and point scorer. When her collegiate career came to an end, she found running and coaching as a competitive outlet. Lisa was a varsity girls soccer coach at (some other) high school and also an assistant track coach at CFMS. Lisa brings 5k experience and expertise as well as enthusiasm, humor and a good sense of style to the coaching staff.

Thoughts for Thursday: Donnie Cowart

Clayton Burnett — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 05:00:00 GMT

Donnie Cowart is preparing to run at the USA Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon on June 23. Lucky for us, Donnie happens to be in town this week training with CF alum Macklin Chaffee ('05), who is also going to the Championships. Donnie volunteered to talk to the team Thursday morning.

Donnie was recently ranked as high as 8th in the world and 4th in the USA in his event, the 3,000m Steeplechase. He is from Virginia and attended the Virginia Military Institute. He is currently running professionally for Ragged Mountain Racing based in Charlottesville, VA.

Donnie discussed the progression of his career from a good high school runner, to an All-American collegiate runner to a nationally ranked Elite runner. He pinpointed a transition at each level, when he qualified to major events where he gained experience and perspective about his competition, but did not always win. He used the experience to better his training and return to the same events to achieve better results and victories.

The CFXC team wishes Donnie luck, as the Top 3 finishers at the US Championships will represent the USA at the World Track and Field Championships in Daegu, South Korea later this summer.

- - - - - - - - - -

Interview after his 5k PR - 13:54
http://www.flotrack.org/coverage/238137-Flotrack-Husky-Classic-2011/video/456952-Donald-Cowart-1354-5k-2011-Flotrack-Husky-Classic

Race Video of his 3k Steeplechase PR - 8:31
(Wearing all black with orange shoes, he's about mid track on the starting line and he's really short)
http://www.flotrack.org/coverage/238232-2011-Stanford-Payton-Jordan-Cardinal-Invitational/video/488101-M-3k-steeple-H01-Billy-Nelson-battles-Kyle-Alcorn-2011-Payton-Jordan

Collegiate Info
http://www.vmikeydets.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=9800&ATCLID=1425049
http://www.vmikeydets.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=9800&ATCLID=3657931

Post Collegiate Info
http://www.raggedmountainracing.org/athletes/donnie-cowart/