This information is intended to
support our distance training throughout the year. The Georgetown High School
Cross Country team is a competitive program that will give back to each athlete
something they will get in no other place, at no other time, in their life.
Proper nutrition, hydration, sleep, and training shoe maintenance are essential
to this program and we hope that once the parent and athlete are educated on
these matters, a commitment will be made to adhere strictly to the following
guidelines. Running at a championship level has no compromise either physically
or mentally.
TRAINING AND RACING SHOES
A good pair of training shoes lasts about 300-400 miles. For a Georgetown
distance runner that is about six to eight weeks (maximum). After 300-400 miles
of pounding the cushioning is no longer there. Athletes who buy a new pair of
shoes every six to eight weeks (or 300-400 miles) will have fresher legs for
workouts, less injuries, and a happier existence in this program. You should
buy any kind of training shoe that you feel comfortable running in. Purchase
your shoes at a reputable shoe store to make sure you are getting the best shoe
for your dollar.
Every athlete must race in spiked shoes. Runners should purchase their racing
spikes through the school when the group order is placed. This will ensure you
purchase a quality spike that is uniform with the team at a group discount
price. If you choose to buy your own spikes, make sure to buy a “distance”
spike with a cushioned heel. Do NOT buy a sprinters spike. They are built for
explosive speed, not controlled racing over a two-mile or 5K distance.
SLEEP
Distance runners place a tremendous amount of stress on their bodies due to the
high mileage run each week. One of the best ways to reduce the impact of that
stress is to get the proper amount of sleep each night. Adjusting a high school
athlete’s lifestyle to try to keep them healthy is a major project for the
coach. The parents can really help with this aspect of our training. Sleep is
when the body restores itself in all areas. Carbohydrates (glycogen) are stored
in the liver and muscles, blood acidity drops, enzymes are replaced, and the
immune system is restored after the stress of running and other activities. The
most respected study ever published on athletes and sleep found that going to
bed at the same time every night is the most important thing that an athlete can
do for himself/herself. Going to bed within 15 minutes of the same time every
night can even help reduce the number of colds a runner gets. Getting up at the
same time was much less significant. Go to bed at the same time EVERY night if
at all possible!
GENERAL NUTRITION INFORMATION
There is an almost overwhelming
amount of nutrition information available for today’s athlete. For specific
dietary needs consult with your physician or a registered dietician. It is
very important for competitive athletes to eat the right kinds and amounts of
food. You should consume some type of protein every day to keep your muscles
healthy. Complex carbohydrates should also be eaten daily; including breads,
fruits, vegetables, and pasta. Eat a variety of foods in the proper portions.
Don’t over eat but more importantly never under eat. Distance runners burn a
huge amount of calories each day and you need to feed your body to stay strong.
Snack on power bars, cliff bars, harvest bars, etc., and use a variety of them
so you do not get sick of them. Stay away from low nutrition, junk food and
soda.
HYDRATION
Proper hydration is critical to the health of a distance runner. You need to
have a water bottle with you at all times, including in class, and you need to
drink from it. Don’t share your water bottle because you will pass germs and
possibly get sick and lose valuable training time. Plain water is not always
enough to stay properly hydrated. You should also consume electrolyte
replacement drinks like Gatorade and orange juice throughout the day and after
all runs.
VITAMIN SUPPLEMENTS
If you want you can take a quality multi-vitamin supplement and a calcium
supplement. Vitamins are not wonder drugs. They simply help the body’s cells
perform better. Do not expect miracles to come from a bottle of vitamins or
other supplements. Hard work and consistent training is the key to improving
your performance.
