Summit Preparatory comes into the 2015 XC Season Ranked 3rd in Class 1 Girls behind Crystal City and 2014 Team Champions Salisbury. Look for returning Individual State Champion Claire Workman to dominate the Class 1 Field again while the MCCune girls try to close the gap.
2015 State Meet Prediction based on 2014 results: 3rd
Interview Questions with Coach Workman
Give a brief recap of last season.
Last season was a lot of fun for us because it was the first year that we fielded a girl's team (we had 5 girls). Only one had run cross-country and a few had run a 5K road race before the season started. We finished well with 3 all-state individual finishes and 3rd place team finish. The girls had a great track season at NCA with a first place team finish- all distance events. The team is definitely excited for cross country. /span>
How has training been going for your team? What is your current focus for training
Many of our runners swim year round but compete in winter and summer seasons, which limits their running. However, all athletes were able to run a little more this summer than last year but we are still focused on base miles and training. Everyone has improved their running fitness from last year and has been working hard in the first few weeks of practice.
Who are your team captains or leaders and what stands out about them as examples for the rest of their teammates?
The Summit-NCA team does not have team captains. Everyone is expected to be a leader, show positive attitude and support each other. This is best observed during the most difficult part of the workout when you can hear them cheering each other. Everybody makes practice and works hard.
What are some staple workouts your team does during the season?
We have a wide variety of workouts to keep things fresh. We include at least one hill workout and long distance run per week. However, the kids favorites are running to Sonic and game runs.
Final Thoughts/Comments?
We have a very small team and any injury will be difficult to overcome. Last year we were lucky and had no injuries. We will need to be lucky again if we want to make the top 3 as a team. Everyone has individual goals of self-improvement and is focused on the things they can control. We do not focus on team or individual placement in a race as much because it is out of their control. Our team goals are to train smart, run hard and have fun. If we can do that, everything else will fall into place.
Conclusion:
The Class 1 Girls State Meet could be as exciting of a team race as any other division. Summit returns all their 2014 team. Clair Workman will be looking to repeat as State Champion, and the McCune Sisters will be trying to close the gap. Moore and Cummings have a year of experience under their belts and will be looking to improve upon their 2014 season. Salisbury, Crystal City, and Summit Prep will be set to battle in November. I can't wait to see how this race turns out.