Category Archives: High School Runners

Until the Sprinklers Chased Us Away

Posted on May 19, 2015 by Jon Waldron

Spring Track 2015 began on the third day of March. On that day, the roads of Concord were dangerously narrowed by high banks of snow, and the athletic fields were buried beneath four feet of the stuff. At 3:30 that … Continue reading →

Posted in Coaching, High School Runners | 1 Comment

Peaks, Valleys, and Plateaus

Posted on May 15, 2015 by Jon Waldron

Image: http://www.56thparallel.com It’s not often that I feel sorry for athletes who are much younger and faster than me. Most of the time, I’m too busy envying them (for their seemingly effortless speed, their ability to train and train and … Continue reading →

Posted in High School Runners, Pro Runners, Training | 3 Comments

Promise, but No Promises

Posted on May 13, 2015 by Jon Waldron

(image: http://www.dyestat.com) “I was really nervous [the time] was going pop up, and it was going to be 4:00…  I mean, that’s fast, but you don’t get anything for it.” – Matthew Maton, after running 3:59.38 at the Oregon Twilight … Continue reading →

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(Mis-) Understanding the 800m

Posted on April 6, 2015 by Jon Waldron

Image: onejourneytothenext.blogspot.com I never know quite what to make of Fittish, a mostly running-related blog associated with the edgy sports website Deadspin. On the one hand, it’s exciting to see anyone writing humorous, irreverent, and oh-so-hip articles about our dear … Continue reading →

Posted in High School Runners | Tagged | 2 Comments

From the Archives: All-States… Back in the Day

Posted on November 14, 2014 by Jon Waldron

[Tomorrow, November 15th, 2014, the Mass. All-State Cross Country Meet takes place at Franklin Park in Boston. Hard to believe, but it was forty years ago that I finished 9th at that meet, far behind the 1-2 finish of Chicopee’s … Continue reading →

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The Coach Needs to Train, Too

Posted on November 12, 2014 by Jon Waldron

In retrospect, I don’t think I appreciated how good I had it as an assistant coach. Oh sure, it can be a pain in the neck, especially when you know — you just know! — that you could coach the … Continue reading →

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Reckoning

Posted on November 10, 2014 by Jon Waldron

On Sunday morning at an hour usually reserved for deep sleep, 22 runners, 3 other coaches, and I boarded a coach bus and headed to Saxton’s River, Vermont for the New England Private School Division III Cross Country Championships. Even … Continue reading →

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Your Moment of Coaching Zen

Posted on October 27, 2014 by Jon Waldron

A vignette from Friday’s workout with the team: It is a rather clever workout, I think, and one that I hope will simulate of some of the demands of racing in the league championships in a week. I’m having the … Continue reading →

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A Little Rain (to Brighten Your Day)

Posted on October 24, 2014 by Jon Waldron

According to the Boston Globe, nearly four inches of rain fell in Boston over the past couple of days, as a typical Nor’easter brought strong winds and heavy precipitation to the area. Wednesday night was particularly delightful, as thunderstorms brought … Continue reading →

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We All Just Decided to PR…

Posted on October 22, 2014 by Jon Waldron

See, this is why I love coaching high school cross country. Every so often you have one of those days when the kids defy your wildest expectations and suddenly start racing like young Ritzenheims and Flanagans. OK, maybe that’s an … Continue reading →

Posted in Coaching, High School Runners | 2 Comments