XC intro

I am Paul Armstrong, the head coach this year. I have a lot of running experience that includes cross country (4 years college, 2 years high school), many road races, and ten marathons (2:42 best), as well as track (many years of open and corporate competition, 4 years college, 1 year high school. I still run and race competitively (when I'm not injured) and I will run with you all some of the time this fall.

We will start XC training on Aug. 18th at 6:00PM (we meet at the track). We'll
start off with an 1 mile time trial on the track and then some fitness By the
end of the season, you'll be able to run at least 6 miles in the hills without
struggling. You need to have your Athletic/Activity Participation Authorization form,
Athletic Pre-Participation Screening Exam form pages 1 and 2, and Athletic Emergency Information form
submitted before you can OFFICIALLY run for the team. So please get your packet
and get your physical ASAP. Everyone is encouraged to join the Cupertino Boosters. This group helps support sports and other activities. More information on Boosters will be presented at the Parent Meeting which will be held on September 4th. The CHECKLIST will need to be completed before you can compete - get a start on it now. You can get more info by going to the Web page (URL at the bottom). Please get your checklist items in ASAP so you won't miss a single race. We expect some great things from you runners this year.Please share this letter with your parents. Practice will be from 3:15PM to 5:30PM (most days we will be finished by 5:00PM), Monday through Friday, and Saturdays generally in the morning.Sundays is our mandatory rest day. You are not allowed to race in any meets outside of our cross country schedule.

A few words about running/racing shoes: Depending on how much you want to spend,
you can get by for as little as $50 on sale or as much as $160. Most important, get a
good pair of training shoes with good absorption and arch support if the foot needs
it. I strongly recommend that you buy your shoes at a reputable running store,
such as MetroSport in the Oaks (across from De Anza) or Ryan's Sport Shop (Homestead
& Lafayette near SC University) especially if you do not have much experience with
running shoes. These stores have knowledgeable staff that will help you find the
right shoe for you and let you try it out before you buy. The shoe may also double
as a racing flat but will be heavier than if you were to buy a separate racing shoe.
A good training flat will run you about $80 but both Metrosport and Ryan's Sport
Shop will give you a 10% or 10-20% respectively -depending upon if you buy trainers
or racing flats- discount if you tell them you run for Cupertino High School. Make
sure the fit is comfy with toe room. A racing flat will be many ounces lighter and
make you feel like you're flying when you put them on, but it's also another $80 or so.
Your choice. I prefer to race in shoes that I do not train in. I strongly recommend
that you obtain a new pair shoes every year or running season, because the shoes
will breakdown over time and continued use will lead to injuries. Also, Spenco inner
sole inserts are recommended to help with shin splint type problems, especially if you
have them now.