A Letter to McMaster Coaches from Veteran Jill Wyman

Dear Coaches,

I have enjoyed the process that is cross country season more with each passing year. This last one certainly was the most special. I have never been part of such an amazing team - athletes, coaches, trainers, supporters - and know enough by now to cherish these moments, as they so rarely come along. In the past, I didn't allow myself to be immersed in any sort of team environment (I won't bother analyzing the psychology behind that one just yet), but I sure learned in the nick of time.

McMaster XC is an incredible blend of circumstance and character. Every one of its members is such a different, strong personality. The team opens its mind and heart to the local running community and its supporters (family, friends, significant others, other sport coaches, alumni, members-in-training, shoe stores, clothing companies, Twitter and Facebook followers, recruits - the list goes on). The program does not run its athletes into the ground but it doesn't set the stage to plateau either. So many people have improved leaps and bounds, some with hardware to show for it, others massive PBs and lengthy running resumes. Somehow, you coaches have found the magical distance formula of pace-specific training, varied terrain, personalized recovery plans, and emphasizing "time on your feet" with a dedicated long run, all of which is achieved without hammering interval after interval or burning your athletes' physical/mental reserves. Sure, we push each other in workouts, but we don't cross the red line. It is a healthy environment with the attitude of pushing each other to improvement, not as a dropping or assertion technique. (Like it used to be for me. If only I had known then how enjoyable and rewarding workouts could be with friends-teammates-competitors, without maxing myself out and pissing everyone off. Ah, hindsight.)

In any case, the positive energy surrounding the McMaster program is evident even to the casual observer. It certainly is no wonder that recruits like Maddy McDonald (as fine a girl as I have met) and Connor Darlington (yes he's a stud but he's also a pretty decent guy) choose to become Marauders. There is no doubt in my mind that the program will succeed for years to come. Four key members of our women's team are either graduating or used up their eligibility - man, time friggin flies, Lindsay and I are the old ones now - but a lot of talent and quality remains, likely with a recruiting class to match. They will make magic of their own, with you as coaches, overseeing their improvement, progress as students/athletes/people, daily to annual highs and lows, and continuing to nurture such a close-knit, caring environment. I will forever look back on these days as some of the best in my life, and remember you as three of its key players. Thank you.

Love Jill

Andrew Douglas - Sub 2 Minute 800m

Track is back! Today was the signal that McMaster track was back as alumni Andrew Douglas put his feet where is mouth was and went after the 2 minute barrier in the 800m. After 3 years away from training competitively. Doug claimed that he could still break 2 minutes on any given day. He was called out and came up smiling earlier today with the help of some veteran friends. He finished in an impressive 1:58.4, a stone's throw away from his 1:57 PB, and what stands as the track record for the new McMaster track.

Here were the predictions:

CIS 2012 Cross Country Championships Review - Results, Video, Recap

Laura Sinclair Article
Laval Video

CIS Cross Country Championships All-Time  List - Marauder Women

CIS Cross Country Championships All-Time  List - Marauder Men

All-Time Thames Valley Golf Course Times

Men's Highlight Video (curtsey of WU)
Women's Highlight Video (curtsey of WU)
York Region Article on Coates
Marauders.ca Article

Results

Recap
The women picked up another silver medal at the CIS championships lead by Victoria Coates' bronze medal performance.

The men were lead by Lionel Sanders and his 11th place.

Video

More videos and photos

2012 CIS XC Championship Preview #CISXC

The CIS Cross Country Championships are one day away!

Race: CIS XC Championships
Location: Thames Valley Golf Course, London ON
Start Times
12:00pm Women's 5k
1:00pm Men's 10km

Past Results
2011

2002 (Last time at this course)

Course Map

Weather Report

Some wind, lots of humidity, some rain that will leave a damp but not muddy course, and great racing temperatures.

The women are ranked 2nd and the men 7th as we head into the final race of the season. Follow the #CISXC twitter hashtag we got going on the right side -> as well as the live tweeting from @TrackieGroup. We'll have some tweets, and videos posted here afterwards.

Go Mac Go!

#tw

CIS Prerace Rankings

ot's of predictions being thrown around on men's and women's side. Should be interesting to see how things shape up Saturday.

SportingCanada - Women 2nd, Men  7th
TNF - Women 2nd, Men 7th
TNF CIS Fantasy Team Thread
TNF CIS Prediction Thread
Montreal Endurance and Putdowns & Prognostications to come

One prediction that will certainly be correct, Mac will have the best cheerers.

CIS Preview blog to come out tomorrow

#tw

Road to Hope 2012 - Video, Results

Many PBs and medals at this years Road to Hope. IN the 5k, Sam Foran and Rui Xu picked up 2nd and 3rd respectively, while Raquel Burgess was 2nd girl. In the 10k Nat Smith brought home the gold.

Full Results
5km
10km