Cathedral Track and Field 2020

Good morning everyone! What I posted below is a copy/paste with a few changes from our last meet which was almost 2 weeks ago. If you’ve been consistently putting in the practice work, go 100% on the events that you are able. If you haven’t been consistent, that’s okay, but put yourself in a position where you can compete but not into an injury situation. In other words, be smart!

Sprinters, Hurdlers, Jumpers, Vaulters, Throwers:

Put yourself in 4 events today.

Meet preparation:
VIDEO
Find a video of a college or Olympic athlete performing the event(s) that you plan to compete. Watch it and study the finer details (power knee, foot placement, arm angles, tall chest, etc.)

MENTAL TRAINING
This mental training is just as important as they physical training on practice days. Your body will try to perform the way your brain is thinking.
Lay on your back, close your eyes, take a minute or two to deep breathe, and using your 5 senses (sight, sound, taste, touch, & smell) I want you to imagine yourself performing the way that athlete did. Spend 1 -2 minutes on this. Use your mind to make it feel real for your body and perform the following while still laying on your back and pretend you are at the Little Falls track today. Now spend at least 5-10 minutes on this on the following.
– In your mind, simulate packing your bag, checking your spikes the night before, riding the bus to Little Falls, making camp with your team, team lap and prayer, jogging more laps and other warm up drills with your event group.
– Perform your event. Imagine being that previous college/Olympic athlete and put yourself in their shoes (spikes) as you perform your event. If you are competing in a field event, perform the 3 jumps, throws, or moving the bar up in the HJ and PV.
– Also mental train your warm up and cool down. If you have another event, warm up, compete, cool down again. If you have concurrent events going on, plan how you will balance those multiple events.

COMPETITION
If possible do this on a soft surface. The tracks we compete on are softer than the roads we run on in practice.

Do your warm up and any drills that your coach would normally suggest. Make sure you are very warm and completely ready to perform. Keep your warm clothes on until ready to “compete”. I know it will be over 60 degrees today, but take care of your body always.

Sprinters, hurdlers: Mark out your distance and compete 1 time at 100% effort. Hurdlers: Are you able to set up any sort of barrier(s) that would collapse and not hurt you if you clipped them?

Throwers: Do you have anything 8 pounds (girls) or 12 pounds (boys) that you can throw (both shot and discus)?

Jumpers: Follow Jason’s suggestions for today -
Measure some Standing Long Jumps or Standing TJ. 3-4 of each like a meet.
In addition, they can do 2 sets of 10 of:
1) Squat jumps or Box jumps ( if they have a safe option for an elevated surface 12-24”)
2) Scissor jumps – with one foot up on a 12-18” step or platform, push off the top foot, jumping as high as they can, switching feet on the way down in prep for next rep with opposite foot.
3) 20 meters of Repetitive take offs focusing on last step being short for higher vertical.

Vaulters: Stay safe and stay away from vaulting. :) Do run throughs like you would at a meet to get your steps down. Are you able to hang from a pole at a park or a strong rope and simulate some of the movements once you take off.