Darts,
If you're getting this email, you or your athlete signed up for Davis Cross Country Summer Running! Wahoo! Best decision! We are stoked to have a strong group returning and to be adding a number of potential Davis XC legends. It was great to see so many of you at the meeting!
We are extremely excited to see what you are made of. Our hope is that each of you will find the motivation, determination, and love necessary to become true members of DXC (Davis Cross Country). Best of luck this summer. If you do it right, the next 12 weeks will transform you into a tougher, more disciplined runner and a stronger person.
Whether you are returning varsity or trying cross country for the very first time, there is a place for you here.
One thing I may not have emphasized enough at our meeting is HOW MUCH FUN WE HAVE during the summer. There is something pretty amazing about a group of teens getting up early, working hard together, and then hanging out afterward. It's the best. Summer running should be fun, and we truly have a blast together.
Meet the Coaches
Coach Jami-many of you already know me and I introduced myself at the meeting so I'll be brief. I ran for Davis back in high school and had the most amazing experience. I ran one year for Utah state and then three years for BYU. Again, I had the best experience. I believe those experiences taught me how to create a TEAM with a winning and positive culture. I LOVE coaching and I love these special teenagers. This is truly one of my favorite parts of my life. I love trying to stay in shape by keeping up with these kids!
Coach Sweat will be an Assistant Coach again this year. I mentioned this at the meeting, but I think we are SO LUCKY to get him. He is the epitome of a positive coach and role model. He is incredibly knowledgeable, positive, and brings a ton to the table. Coach Sweat will also be in charge of our cross country class during the school year. Coach Sweat is the best.
Coach Camie Draxler will be helping in a more official role this year. Coach Camie coached at the junior high and has coached Race Cats with me forever. We decided we wanted a coach dedicated to the younger and newer athletes, and Camie is the perfect fit because she already knows so many of them. Camie has a ton of experience with distance running and is our resident ultra runner extraordinaire! We love Camie and are so grateful for her!
I'm also super excited about another new coach we'll be adding this year! Coach Taya Kilgore graduated in 2022. She didn't run cross country during high school, but after graduating she ended up running in college! I cannot wait for her to tell us her story. Coach Taya was finishing up her college season when we had our meeting, but is now done and will be joining us for our first practice.
I will be sending weekly emails on Saturdays or Sundays for the upcoming week. Expect another email with more summer running details before our first day of practice next week. (Let me know if you would like to be removed.)
Last year we were Region Champs in both girls and boys cross country, in both Varsity and JV. I know we are capable of this again, and it all starts here in the summer! We'll work hard and get faster, but we'll do it while bonding as a TEAM, seeing beautiful places, having fun, and becoming better people in the process.
I shared a story at our meeting last year, and I'll share it again here for those who weren't there.
I ran at BYU from 2001–2004. I walked on to the TEAM, but was able to earn an athletic scholarship after my first couple of years. When I was a freshman and sophomore at BYU, we won national championships (incidentally by the lowest score ever at the time). As a walk-on, I wasn't one of the top seven racers, but I was on the TEAM practicing with those girls every single day.
Years later, BYU honored those TEAMs and inducted us into the Hall of Fame. Initially, the athletic director wanted to honor only the seven racers on each TEAM. However, my coach, Coach Shane, insisted that every single person on that TEAM deserved to be honored, whether they raced that day or not.
So every single one of us was included in the Hall of Fame and participated in the ceremony.
While my coach wasn't perfect (as none of us are), I have always appreciated that he understood something important: EVERY SINGLE PERSON matters.
Not just the few who score, but those who push the scorers to be better. Those cheering on the sidelines. Those building TEAM culture in positive ways.
Everyone matters and contributes to the personality, unity, and success of the TEAM.
(Spoiler alert: I ended up running varsity at nationals and earning a scholarship. I was definitely a late-bloomer runner 
)
XC Email List
Forward
this form and this email to your friends to sign up for cross country. I think a bigger TEAM is a better TEAM and I truly think we're the best club at Davis so let's get as many people here to experience this with us as possible!
Summer Training Meeting
We're really excited for this season of cross country! We have a lot of fun adventures and prizes planned for this season. If you missed the meeting, or lost your handout, you can find it
here along with other relevant documents.
Cost
The cost of the 12 weeks of summer training is $100. Thanks to those that have already paid. The easiest way to pay is
venmo @davisrunningclub. Also, checks made out to "Davis Running Club" or cash will work. This helps cover chocolate milk, pancakes, mileage prizes, coaches etc. (Last year I wasn't able to quite cover my expenses so I had to adjust cost. This equates to $8/week. I generally charge $15-$20 for group training sessions (similar to what Coach Sweat charges as well)--and I teach the same things, so this is a great deal)! The Davis Running Club is a non-profit that sponsors the activities and athletes of the Davis Cross Country team.
Summer Miles
We start keeping track of summer mileage on Mon, June 1st. New athletes should start running this week. Run for 15-20 min every day, Mon-Sat. Don't worry too much about your pace yet. Call up your friends, take the dog for a run, go explore a trail, and look for the joy in being active outside. Veterans can start running a little this week if you took last week off. I would go very easy. Cross Training would be awesome. Our first official TEAM practice is Wednesday, June 3 at Davis High. Meet by the 1400 hall west of the school on the grass.
Athletes, remember to send in a summary of your miles after your final run on Saturdays. Keep track of miles and comments however you would like. If you want to use the spreadsheet coach T made, download
Running Log Template to your computer.
We may end up using an app as a TEAM. More info on that to come later this week. I want more information than just distance. Here are a few ideas of what you can write:
- Time
- Pace
- Route
- Weather or scenery
- How you felt during the run
- Crazy encounters with dogs or wild animals
- Anything else you would like to tell me
Here's an example:
There are many athletes on the TEAM. It's hard to coach everyone if we don't know what you're doing. Sending in your miles is very important. Please, send them in promptly without needing to be reminded.
There will be prizes for hitting summer miles (includes cross-training). There will be a new prize every time the athlete hits 80 miles (girls) or 100 miles (boys). We already have prizes for the first 6 landmarks. Here's one thing we've done in the past:
Polarized sunglasses. The rest of the prizes will be revealed later (we have to finalize some designs/themes).
Cross Training
We count cross-training towards summer miles. Make sure to get your heart rate up during these activities. Sitting on a bike, or wading in a pool doesn't do much for your aerobic fitness if it doesn't challenge you. Running is the best way to get better at running, but cross training can help you increase volume without getting injured.
- Swimming
- 1 mile of swimming = 2 miles of running
- Road biking
- 3 miles of road biking = 1 mile of running
- Mountain biking
- 2 miles of mountain biking = 1 mile of running
- Exercise machine (arc-trainer, elliptical, etc.)
- 12 min of use = 1 mile of running
XC Camp
The dates for camp are July 27-July 30. We have room for about 50-70 athletes. It will be held in the Uintas at Marsh Lake. This is one of the best weeks of the year. We will have an invite list for camp. You must be attending practice (when possible) and be able to run 5 miles to be able to go.
GroupMe
I use emails to get information out generally, but if I need to get something out quickly, here is groupme info. (Again, we may switch to a different app for mileage tracking and messages. Details coming soon).
Saturday Breakfast Run Hosting and other volunteer opportunities.
There are so many of you willing to help in lots of ways and I am so grateful for that! If you're willing to host a Saturday breakfast run or help our TEAM in some other way this summer, we will have a sign-up! I will get that to you this next week!
Iron Information
Please read through
this and consider getting tested this summer. I'll emphasize this over and over again all summer and talk about it more in depth in a future email.
I am truly so excited for this summer! Summer running is the best!
Please reach out to any of us if you have questions.
Jami Caldwell
Porter Sweat
Camie Draxler
Taya Kilgore
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