Murrieta Valley Cross Country

Off Season

2011-12-13T20:23:00.000-08:00

Best of luck to each of you participating in a Winter sport! If you are not, and are going to participate in track, please see coach Hilton for practice times and locations over the winter break.

Have a great rest of the school year!

Coach G

2011 Banquet

2011-11-14T18:08:00.001-08:00

Team Banquet Information

When: Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Where: Staff lounge- for pot luck dinner
Performing Arts Theater- for awards

Time: 6pm, please arrive on time with your contribution to the pot luck

The following grades please bring:
Freshman- Dessert
Sophomores-Main Dish
Juniors- Main Dish
Seniors- Side dish

Families are welcome to attend.
If you have any questions please contact Coach Gilliland or Coach Hilton

Friday & Saturday

2011-10-19T13:43:00.000-07:00

Friday's Team dinner will be at The Morgan-Wilson Residence. Dinner will start at 5:30pm, please bring $3.00 to cover the cost of dinner. Please bring a beach towel, and bathing suit if you would like to swim. Also, if you have a beach-type chair to sit in then there will be enough chairs to accommodate everyone. Please check your email for the address to the Morgan-Wilson's.

Friday night there is also a football game. Two San Diego Charger tickets have been donated to the cross country team. If you would like the chance to win the tickets, please see Coach Hilton at the football game.

Our race schedule this Saturday at Mt. Sac is as follows:

Race #86- Sophomore Boys 2pm
Race #91- Sophomore Girls 2:36pm
Race #92- Freshman Boys 2:44pm
Race #95- Freshman Girls 3:08pm
Race #101- Varsity Boys 4:05pm
Race #104- Varsity Girls 4:27pm
Race #108- JV Boys 5:00pm
Race #113- JV Girls 5:37pm

We will meet at MVHS at 10:30 am to avoid traffic and to find a place to set up tent.

We will have a food stop on the way home, please bring money for dinner. MAKE SURE TO BRING HEALHTY SNACKS FOR BEFORE AND AFTER YOUR RACE AND PLENTY OF WATER!!!!!!!

Please email me if you have any questions
Coach G

LEAGUE MEET #2 INFORMATION

2011-10-12T17:35:00.000-07:00

Our second league meet will be at Linfield High School. Here is a map:

View Larger Map

Linfield Christian School

31950 Pauba Road

Temecula, CA 92592

This is our first time racing at Linfield, the race will be hosted by Chaparral High School.

We will meet in the front of the school at 2:30pm. They have asked parents and athletes not to arrive untili 3:30pm so that Linfield students will have time to get out of the parking lot without traffic. Here is the tentative race schedule:

4:30- JV boys

4:55- Varsity girls

5:20- Varsity boys

5:45- JV girls

The course is an all-dirt, 1 mile loop which follows a wide, graded path. The loop will be run 3 times, with the finish on the road behind the high school building. I tried to add a picture of the map and it didn't work. I will email all a copy tonight. (10/12)

There will be a student trainer/ice available for injuries/emergencies, and other items will be for sale. Bathroom facilities will are available in the Linfield gym (please do not use the school buildings!) Please make sure to stay in the areas designated for the runners and pick up ALL your trash! Coach Gilliland will have a trash bag in case trash cans are overflowing! (Give all your recyclables to Coach G also!)

Please email me if you have any questions! Get ready to race and have some fun!

Coach G

Inland Empire Championships

2011-10-12T17:16:00.000-07:00

Congratulations on a great race day everyone! Please make sure to log in to www.xcstats.com to check your results, and the break down of your race. And make sure to add a goal time for our upcoming League race on Thursday!

Below are a few photos that I was given from race day. If you have photos, please email them to me and I can add them to our blog!

Congrats Varsity Girls on your 3rd place finish!

Congrats to Freshman Ashley Davis and Morgane Vuillemey for being top 7 all county!

Great Race guys! Keep training hard!

Every day counts!

FUNDRAISER

2011-10-03T15:09:00.000-07:00

We are going to be doing another VERY simple fundraiser. Here is what we have to do:

There is a 5k run-walk race in Temecula at Lake Skinner on Sunday October 30th. All we have to do is get people to sign up and race. Each registration form turned in with MVHS Cross Country labelled at the bottom (including waiver) will give us part of the proceeds! The more people we get signed up, the more money we make.

Only catch, they have to sign up by printing out the form, and NOT online. There is no way to verify it is from MVHS if they register online. SO, Coach Hilton will print out some forms, I will email them to the entire team, and if you want to print MORE copies that helps the team even more! It costs $30 per person to register. They can pay the day of or pay with cash or check (in a envelope stapled to their registration and waiver form) and bring it to Coach Gilliland.

We are VERY lucky to have this opportunity. A former MVHS Cross Country runner, Anthony Flores, is organizing the race and contacted the coaches to help give back to MVHS Cross Country!!

REMEMBER: It is against CIF rules for you to race in this competition because it cross country season, however ALLLLLLLLLLLL of your friends and family can run and YOU can cheer them on! (Coach G might race!)

Click Here for ZOMBIE 5K WEBSITE for more Info...

Talk to Coach Gilliland if you have any questions!

DATE CHANGE

2011-09-22T15:54:00.000-07:00

PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGE IN DATE FOR OUR FIRST LEAGUE MEET.

The race will still be at Temecula Valley High School, however it will be on WEDNESDAY September 28th, beginning at 4pm. The races usually occur in this order:

JV Girls 4pm
JV Boys 430pm
Varsity Girls 5pm
Varsity Boys 530pm

If you have any questions please see Coach Hilton or myself. The course should be the same as previous years. I was not given a map, I will hunt one down and post it on the blog.

Thanks,
Coach G

Woodbridge Recap...

2011-09-18T20:17:00.000-07:00

The results have been posted on www.xcstats.com from the Woodbridge invite. Please make sure to look over your results and your goals. Several of you beat your goal time and/or crushed your times from last year! Your training is already paying off! (Yay!) For our new athletes, it is only the beginning. If you did a few things you wish you could change, the good news is you have plenty of time to evaluate your race and train hard for the next race. I hope you all had a great time, I sure enjoyed watching and cheering you on! Our next race is league meet #1 on Thursday, September 29th at Linfield School. This will be our first competition against just the teams in our league. Work hard, train smart, because every day really does count!

Practice on Monday will be at 3pm, we will run our long run for the week! See you then!
Coach G

ESPN Cross Country Inspirational Video

2011-09-15T14:09:00.000-07:00

Thank you to the Morgan-Wilson Family for sending me this video. I have had it for a little while, but I had to wait to watch it and post it until after I got my computer back.

May it motivate ALL of you to be thankful for the fact that you have legs that work and the gift to run.
<3 Coach G

2011-09-12T19:04:00.000-07:00

Our next invite is this Saturday at the Woodbridge Classic. Here is a link if you would like more information:

http://www.gowoodbridge.com/ccwoodbridge_xc_classic.html

This is our only night meet. It is completely flat and will race under the lights. Please make sure to post your goal times on www.xcstats.com.

The first race begins at 4pm. We will leave the school at 2pm. Please make sure to take a flyer on Wednesday from Coach Hilton. If you are not in 6th period PE, make the effort to stop by his class room to get a copy. I believe we are the blue race bibs, but will confirm with Coach Hilton.

Looking forward to a great raceday!

Coach Gilliland

Chick Fil A Success

2011-08-25T12:49:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone that attended our Spirit Night Fundraiser at Chick Fil A. I do not have the final count yet, but we raised $160 just from the spinning wheel alone! We had that place packed all night! You guys did a great job spreading the word, and only 3 athletes did not show up. Thank you again for supporting YOUR team! Great job guys!!!

XC STATS

2011-08-12T18:40:00.000-07:00

MAKE SURE TO REGISTER AT XCSTATS.COM!!!

The website notifies me when you register. I will pass out team t-shirts Saturday to those that have registered!

It is FREE (obviously) and it takes just a few minutes!

Saturday's practice is 7am at the Pleateau!

PLEASE PRINT OUT AN AUGUST CALENDAR... (SEE LINK ON THE RIGHT)
All Monday and Thrusday practices will be at 5:30pm until further notice (due to the heat, and the intensity of the workout).

Thanks!
Coach G

TEAM T-SHIRT

2011-08-09T15:33:00.000-07:00

MAJORITY VOTE CHOSE THE ABOVE T-SHIRT AS YOUR TEAM T-SHIRT FOR THE 2011 SEASON.

The shirt will be black... (even though it looks 2 toned here, it is just a proof). Your team t-shirt is to ONLY be worn on race day as part of your pre-meet uniform!! NO EXCEPTIONS!! DO NOT WEAR IT TO PRACTICE UNTIL AFTER THE 2011 SEASON. Thank you.

They should be ready in a few weeks. Hope you all like it! You voted for it. :-)

Thursday's Practice

2011-08-09T15:27:00.000-07:00

THIS IS JUST A REMINDER THAT THURSDAY, AUGUST 11TH PRACTICE WILL BE AT 5:30PM AT THE SANTA ROSA PLATEAU.

PLEASE MAKE SURE TO ADJUST THE TIME ON YOUR WORKOUT CALENDAR.

THANKS.
COACH G

SPIRIT FUNDRAISER NIGHT!!

2011-08-04T13:26:00.000-07:00

SAVE THE DATE!

WHO: MVHS CROSS COUNTRY
WHAT: SPIRIT FUNDRAISER NIGHT
WHERE: CHICK FIL A IN MURRIETA OFF OF MADISON AVE.
WHEN: WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24TH FROM 5-8PM
WHY: TO RAISE MORE MONEY FOR THE CROSS COUNTRY TEAM!

COME SUPPORT YOUR TEAM, EVERY PURCHASE YOU MAKE; DINE IN, TAKE OUT AND DRIVE THROUGH WILL PROVIDE MVHS CROSS COUNTRY WITH 20% OF YOUR ORDER!

PRINT THIS FLYER!!!!!

Recovery Drinks

2011-08-03T17:02:00.000-07:00

Hey all,
I have been asked several times this week to give some information about recovery drinks. It is VERY important to replenish the glycogen (sugar) in your body after your workout. You are given about an hour window to replace the sugar. Here are some recommendations, some are more costly than others.

Chocolate Milk:

The most simple way to replace the sugar is with chocolate milk. It has vitamins, proteins and carbs needed to help you not feel exhausted after a hard workout. If you can't get any other type of recovery drink, at least have this. You can get this in a large tub at Costco, or just at the grocery store.

Gatorade, Cytomax, Enudrox:

Three other popular products are Gatorade Series, Cytomax and Endurox. They replenish your body and have a few additional athlete-specific carbohydrates in them to help you from feeling wiped out. Cytomax is commonly used after many 5ks all the way up to marathon distance. This can usually be found at sporting good stores, grocery stores and places like NutriShop or the Running Center.

P90x Recovery Drink:

Don't let the name fool you. It isn't just for doing P90x, if you are strength training or increasing your cardiovascular endurance (like when you run) this stuff is one of the best on the market. I took a packet to Nutrishop and they didn't have anything like it. It works the best, tastes the best, but of course costs more- but you can't get anything like it anywhere else. You can get more information about it and order it HERE if you are interested. It comes with a 30 day money back guarantee.

The best way to figure out which recovery drink is for you is by comparing ingredients. Sometimes the cheaper product doesn't always have everything you need it in. OR, it is cheaper because it has less servings.

All of these recovery drinks are good. There are additional drinks you can try... again just remember to read the ingredients and reviews to make sure you are filling your body with the resources it needs to really recover and get you ready for the next workout.

Plyometric Drills

2011-07-30T09:21:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone. I have added the plyometric drills that we showed you last season to our website. This is the proper form for ALL of the drills that we do. When they are done correctly, consistently, your running form, and speed WILL improve.

The video is above, and also at the bottom of the blog. I may move it to the side instead so it will be easier to find.

PRACTICE

2011-07-20T15:05:00.000-07:00

OUR SWIMMING PRACTICE TIME HAS BEEN CHANGED THIS WEEK!!!
PLEASE ARRIVE AT THE MVHS POOL READY TO WORK OUT AT 8AM!!

They are going to be working on the pool Friday, so we have to be finished by 9:30am!

CAMP
We leave for camp on Monday after practice. Please make sure you have looked over the camp packing list on the flyer (see important documents to your right). Pack early so you don't forget anything! Also, if you parents are driving on Monday, Wednesday and/or Thursday, make sure they print out the directions information page too.
Practice will be at 8am on Monday. We will meet next to the swimming pool, then head down to the track to warm up, complete the AT's workout, have some fruit, muffins and water, and then head up the mountain at 10am.
When we arrive at the camp sites, there will be a place to set up boys tents and girls tents. I will also need help setting up the food tent.

Looking forward to a fun week with lots of great runs and team bonding time!
Coach G.

Important Upcoming Dates

2011-07-07T13:23:00.000-07:00

Just some reminders:

PARENT MEETING TONIGHT @ THOMPSON MIDDLE SCHOOL IN THE MPR @ 6PM

POOL WORKOUTS ON FRIDAY'S WILL START @ 10AM @MVHS POOL.

Get your PHYSICALS turned in to Karee Mason the Athletic Director's Secretary ASAP!!

Please make sure to pay your TUITION ASAP! New runners $350, returners $250. Cash to Coach Hilton or Credit/Cash to Book keeper.

2011-07-05T16:26:00.000-07:00

Just an FYI, the XC athletes communicate with each other through the team Face book page. In order to have the news posted to your home page when someone writes on the page, all you need to do is "like" the page. Here is the link to the page.

Click here to go to MVHS Facebook Page

Coach Gilliland

WELCOME BACK!!

2011-07-05T11:57:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone!

Welcome back! It's time to start training for yet another cross country season. I don't know about you, but I was starting to have cross country withdrawals. It's finally here and we are off and running.
For those of you that are new, please make sure to add this site to your "favorites" link so that you check back often for any information you may need regarding training and the upcoming season. I have added new calendars, schedules and important dates to the side tab. Please click the appropriate links to send you to any information you may need.
If you have any questions please look for the answers at the website first, and then contact one of the coaches.
ALSO- you will notice below this post there is the option to "subscribe by email." If you click on this link, you will be provided a way to be notified by email every time a new post is added to the blog. Please do this so that you do not miss any important information/updates!

Have a great day! And look back here often for new info!

Coach Gilliland

Track & Field

2011-02-05T17:12:00.000-08:00

If you need information regarding Track and Field season please

CLICK HERE

I (Coach G) am not an official track coach, but I will drop in on Saturday's and an occassional meet. Until Cross Country spring practice in May, work hard and have fun!!!

~ Coach Gilliland

League Finals

2010-11-08T12:45:00.000-08:00

Congratulations on a job well done this season! You can find all the results HERE. I will also be emailing you your mile splits. Please look back here for details about this years banquet.

A special congratulations to Bryan Mercado who made it to CIF as an individual this year. He will be competing in CIF prelims on Saturday, November 13th at Mt. Sac.

If you are interested in participating in the Footlocker Cross Country Championships click HERE. If you register online BEFORE November 20th it is only $15.00!!! The price then goes up to $35.00. Registration closes on November 28th. You cannot register the day of the race, and if you wait until the day before it is $50.00 if there are any spaces left.

Again, Nighthawk banquet information to follow soon!

Need New Shoes?

2010-10-06T20:30:00.000-07:00

Soles for Souls

If you need a new pair of running shoes, check out the link above. Sport Chalet is doing a promotion right now to benefit the needy. Buy a new pair of running shoes and they will give a pair to a person in need in the U.S. Sounds pretty cool if you ask me. So, if you were planning on buying a pair any way, why not help someone else out as well?

Oh, and it applies to ALL the shoes they sell, not just running shoes.

Races & Photos

2010-10-01T21:53:00.000-07:00

Hey Cross Country Studs! Just wanted to congratulate you on a great racing effort this past Thursday! Keep training hard, we have Inland Empire Championships in ONE WEEK! Push yourself each day, be smart- eat right, get plenty of sleep and make good choices!!

We have another parent that has photos from the races available online. Loni Byer's dad took some photos (including the one above) at each of our races, you can save them from his website to keep. I have attached a link on the right side of the page next to Mr. Pearce's pages.

See you all at practice in the morning!

Coach G

WOODBRIDGE INVITATIONAL

2010-09-17T13:49:00.000-07:00

This Saturday we will be competing in the Woodbridge Invitational that will be at Estancia High School. The bus will be leaving the school parking lot at 1:45pm. ALL ATHLETES MUST ARRIVE AT THE SCHOOL BY 1:30PM!! NO LATER!

Our races are scheduled to begin at 4:45pm. Estancia High School is in Costa Mesa, and there is ALWAYS traffic on the 91 freeway to get there!

A few things to remember:
Bring plenty of water to drink and healthy snacks to eat.
Be dressed in your uniform, team shirt and team sweats before getting on the bus. Warm up in your sweats!
All athletes must ride home on the bus unless they are going home with their parents.
There is a $5.00 parking fee for all spectators.
Directions to the meet can be found on the website to the right under the link, "Woodbridge Invitational." I highly encourage you to come and watch your kids run, it is quite an event under the lights once it gets dark.

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask. Each athlete received a flyer in class on Thursday with all the same information.

See you tonight at the team dinner!

Fastback Shootout

2010-09-08T19:39:00.000-07:00

Our first race is this Saturday at Mt. Sac, we will be running the Fastback Shoot out. The first race is at 7:30am. The bus will leave the MVHS school parking lot at 5:45am sharp!!!! There is a flyer to the right side of the page.
Be advised there is a parking fee, for all spectators. It is $3.00 and requires EXACT change. Please be prepared.
Coach Hilton will pass out a flyer on Friday with similar information.

Also- our first team dinner is this Friday, 5pm at the Bilton's home. You received an email with food requests and directions. Please email with any questions you may have.
Thursday's practice has been moved up to 5pm.
ALL FURTHER MONDAY AND THURSDAY PRACTICES WILL MEET AT 5PM!!!!!

Spirit Night

2010-08-11T14:22:00.000-07:00

Chick Fil A Spirit Night!

When: Wednesday, September 1st, 2010
5 pm to 8 pm
Buy dinner- take out, drive thru or dine in
Tell them you are there for the MVHS Spirit Night
and 20% of your bill will go to
MVHS Cross Country!

TELL EVERYONE TO COME!
ALL ATHLETES MUST ATTEND AND SIGN IN!!
Questions see Coach G

Sad News

2010-08-10T15:04:00.000-07:00

Click on the title above to read a recent article regarding the Calfornia Baptist University cross country team. Thankfully the former MV runners are ok. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and athletes as they go through this tragic time. Life is short, we must not take it for granted.

~Coach G

Welcome back!

2010-08-03T16:33:00.000-07:00

Hey All,

Finally getting a chance to welcome back all the athletes that went to camp (ok, so I'm a little behind, it's been a busy week). Those that were unable to attend, you missed out. However, if you want to check out all the fun, Donal Pearce Photography was there the entire week to take photos and video of our runs, our week of events and even video taped our "entertainment" each night. Donal is currently working on putting together a highlight video and photos for anyone to purchase. Some of this footage will also be a part of the season highlight DVD that will be available at the end of the season.

A quick reminder regarding the rest of our summer break schedule. It will go as follows:

Wednesday- mileage at the plateau 7am

Thursday- mile break downs at the plateau 7am

Friday- pool workout 11am

Saturday- mileage 7am

Monday- AT's at the school 7am

Tuesday- Sprints & Plyos at the school 7am

Wednesday- First day of school. "A" day, mileage after school AT THE SCHOOL

Thursday- 6pm repeat miles meet at MVHS track

Friday- "A" day, mileage after school

The rest of the schedule (and above) is on the calendar. Check out the link to the right of the page. Print them out and have them on your fridge!!

If you have questions please call or talk to a coach.

Remember- practice is not optional! The only way to get to your optimal performance level is to be consistant, be at practice every day, working hard EVERY DAY! Take it one day at a time and then it doesn't become overwhelming. You have a week until you have to add your school day into your schedule, one more thing to balance, but you can do it!! Support one another, help each other!

See you at the plateau tomorrow!!

Coach G

Weekly Update July 22nd, 2010

2010-07-22T22:17:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone! It's time for the weekly update!

Camp is only 4 days away!! Here is what will happen the morning of camp:

We will have regular practice that morning at 8am.
Bring ALL of you camp gear with you. You will drop it off in the parking lot area between the pool and tennis courts and it will be loaded into vehicles to be taken to camp.

**** Anything you want to take with you in the vehicle you will be assigned to please put in a back pack. FYI- you will not get to shower until Tuesday.

Practice will be AT's as usual. We will finish and head back to the parking lot next to the pool and have a muffin/fruit and Gatorade's before we get headed up the mountain.

As soon as everything is packed up, we will begin the journey to Green Valley Lake. Directions, packing dos and don'ts are in the link on the right side of this blog click on it and print a copy if you need one. (Same page that Coach Hilton gave you today at practice).

POOL PARTY-
This Saturday after practice there is a team pool party at Austin's House. All of you were sent an email about it last week. If you plan on attending please bring a snack to share. Contact Austin to let him know you will be coming. Austin's address information was in the email. I would rather not advertise his home address on the world wide web. :-) I'm sure his parents appreciate that also.

PHOTOS and VIDEOS
Also, there is a link to Donal Pearce photography on the right side of this page. Some of you were asking me about the highlight video we watched at the banquet last year, that was all done by Donal. If you would like any information about photos/videos from ANY of our meets, he has been there and taken photos of it. Check out his page.

Coupons and Shoes...

2010-07-19T15:07:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone,
I got this in my email from Sports Authority. There are coupons you can print out for discounts on running shoes (and other things). If you need new shoes (every 300-400 miles of training) then this may be a good place to get them.

CLICK HERE FOR COUPONS

Also, I found another website that has great prices on shoes. However, you will want to try them on at a store before buying them online. (FREE SHIPPING TOO!) PLUS- they tell you what kind of shoe it is (neutral, support, motion control, wide, narrow etc.) It really is a resourceful website.

RUNNING SHOES WEBSITE

Weekly Announcements

2010-07-15T12:45:00.000-07:00

As I said before, I would try to update the blog at least once a week. There are a few items to go over (there may be a test, or a chance to get free stuff if you pay attention, hint hint!)

PRACTICE:

**We need some additional small water cups to be donated for our runs! Thank you so much to the Neverman family for spending the time each day at practice to provide the water. Each athlete needs to bring one package (at least) of cups to practice to help make sure we don't run out. (No cups = no water!)

**Remember to stay hydrated!! It is sooooo warm outside now, it is not good enough to drink a bunch of water right before practice, drink water all day!! Just carry it with you wherever you go!! (seriously!)

** BE TO PRACTICE ON TIME!!! Every morning starts at 7am! Don't be late (including you Hilton!)

**Friday's practices are the only exception to 7am... they will be at 11am at the MVHS swimming pool. Please change it on your calendars! If you plan on messing around in the swimming pool make sure you bring your running shoes because you won't be in the pool, you will be running instead.

**Parents- you are more then welcome to come and enjoy the scenic views and get in a good run, walk or hike the days that we are there. Remember there is a $2.00 a day fee or a $25.00 one time annual fee! It is always great to see families working out and staying fit!

**If you are not cleared (and you haven't told me a doctors appointment date) you will be getting an email from me, and a note to take home to mommy and daddy. YOU CAN'T GO TO CAMP IF YOU ARE NOT CLEARED!!! Also, please pay cash to Hilton if possible for camp, summer fees and uniform/spirit pack. The book keeper will only be around on the 19th until school is back in session on August 11th.

CAMP

Camp is almost here! There are a few things we could really use some help with:

**If you family has a BIG truck and can help haul up camp supplies (AKA your bags) that would be great! Please let Coach G know so I can collaborate a list to make sure we are covered.

**If you have a 7 to 8+ passenger car and would be willing to take athletes up to camp (and maybe help with food, and drive them around on Wednesday and Thursday) please let Hilton know. As of now we have two 15 passenger vans to take up athletes and we will need at least one more.

**If you do not have the camp information, please click on the paperwork to the right under camp information and it will give you a list of things to bring and things to keep at home. You can print it out, or I have extra copies I can give out at practice.

**There are rules at camp, they are also on the right hand list. (There may be a question tomorrow from this pasge!) We will also go over them at camp.

**We tent it at camp, if you have a tent, bring it and figure out who you want to sleep in your tent with you (Boys with boys, and girls with girls). We will have separate camp sites for boys and girls, and a common eating/meeting area.

Well, that is all! See you tomorrow at 11am at the pool! Be ready to work hard!!

~Coach G

Welcome Back!

2010-07-08T15:15:00.000-07:00

Another year of training has begun!! Welcome back to all the returners and Welcome to the team, for all of you that are brand spanking new!!

I have slowly begun to update information on the right side tabs. Some of the links for races are now current (if I have information from the race officials). The training calendars and competition calendar are also current.

A few house keeping items... you should have each of these check marked off as done ASAP:

-Physical- turned in and clearance form given to Coach
-Summer fee, camp and team packet money turned in to Coach Hilton & receipt to Coach G
-Team Spirit Pack Sizes sheet filled out and turned in to Coach G,
-Athletic PE contract signed and returned to coach G
-Current training calendar on the fridge!!! If you don't have one get it from the right side of this page!
-Have a good pair of training shoes ready for the summer
-A big smile on your face once you have completed each of the items on the list! :-)

Occasionally I will have a prize at practice the next day after I send out a new email and update the blog. That way I know everyone is getting the information that I am sending out. If you don't read the info you will not be updated and you will miss out on a chance for a cool prize. (Briana won the first one!)

OK, that is enough for now... pool workout tomorrow at 11am!! See you all at MV!

Banquet Time

2009-12-03T15:05:00.000-08:00

The Nighthawk Cross Country Banquet will be on Monday, December 7th 2009. It will be at the Bear Creek Country Club at 6pm. Each person in attendance is $10.00. The price is to cover food charges, as there will be a meal for each person in attendance. The award ceremony will follow.

If you have any questions please see Coach Hilton. Please provide the money to Coach Hilton no later than Friday for each person that will be attending with you.

CIF FINALS HERE WE COME!

2009-11-15T19:49:00.000-08:00

CONGRATULATIONS GIRLS!! YOU MADE IT TO CIF FINALS!!

The girls took 3rd place in their heat this past Saturday, securing a spot in the CIF Finals competition next Saturday at Mt. Sac. The top 16 teams in division 1 will be competing for a coveted spot of 7 for the State Meet the following weekend. We are currently ranked 12th, but anything can happen next Saturday!

Come cheer on your girls on the Mt. Sac course! They need your support!

CIF Prelims

2009-11-09T18:38:00.001-08:00

The information for CIF prelims has been posted on Dyestatcal.com. The girls will race at 10:50am, heat #4 for Division 1. Race number 14 for the day... more details to follow. Click the title, "CIF Prelims" for more info.

League Finals

2009-11-06T21:23:00.000-08:00

My appologies to the parents that were given incorrect information on the blog regarding the league finals schedule. In my defense, the kids were given a slip on Wedneday at practice that they were supposed to bring home, and I was not at practice on Wednesday to copy the schedule from it.

Congratulations to the JV and Varsity Girls teams! Third place each in League!

The Varsity girls will go on to compete at the CIF prelims next Saturday the 14th.

The link below has information for the prelims race. The heats will be announced on Saturday after 3pm according to the sheet.
The division 1 girls races are the 4th set of races. Racing starts at 7:45 am, but it does not list a specific time for our race (yet).

http://images.dyestat.com/dyestatcal/images/2009/October/28%20So%20Section/09SSCCPlayoffBulletin.pdf

More information to follow as the day approaches.

League Finals- Thursday Nov. 5th

2009-11-05T05:42:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow's Meet will be at Diamond Valley Lake in Hemet, CA. (Click title above for link to map)

Hilton has mentioned to the kids several times that we have purchased a bus to transport us to and from the meet due to the distance from the school. :)

The kids will check out of class between 1 and 1:15 pm. And head to the bus. The meet schedule is as follows:

This is league finals and we are sharing the course with the Sunbelt League Cross Country Teams. There will be 8 races instead of 4, but we will only be in the usual 4.

2:00- JV Girls Sunbelt

2:30- JV Girls Southwestern

3:00- JV Boys Sunbelt

3:30- JV Boys Southwestern

4:00- Varsity Girls Sunbelt

4:30- Varsity Girls Southwestern

5:00- Varsity Boys Sunbelt

5:30- Varsity Boys Southwestern

(Hilton- Please correct me if anything is off)

The athletes will have permission to leave with their parents at the end of the meet only (there is an awards ceremony) or they may take the bus back to the school. If you have any questions please email me or Coach Hilton...

Mt. Sac Invite

2009-10-19T18:02:00.001-07:00

If you click on the title above, it will take you to the schedule for Saturdays races. I am not sure which "color" our bibs will be, but they will all be the same. All our races are on Saturday division 1.
The last race will be the Freshman Girls race, depending on our bib colors, the latest time would be 11:25am. All athletes need to be at the school no later than 4:45am. The bus will leave at 5am sharp!

Friday's Team dinner will be at the Matta's home in Bear Creek at 6pm, gate check-in information was emailed to everyone Friday morning. EVERYONE needs to come to the dinner if possible!! We are going to take a few team pictures!! You will miss out if you are not there. Also, it is not required for you to dress up, but it would be nice to have you dress nicer than you work out clothes!

Directions and Mt. Sac information is on the website. The link is to the right.

Senior Scholarship Opportunity

2009-10-14T08:32:00.000-07:00

Seniors, if you are interested in applying for this scholarship please read below. Free money for college is always a good thing, and it doesn't usually come this easy. I recommend ALL seniors apply for this scholarship!

BigSun Scholarship

The BigSun Organization is proud to be able to continue to help young athletes succeed in their academic pursuits. We are offering an annual scholarship to a deserving student. All student athletes are eligible for this award, regardless of which sport they are participating in.

Deadline - June 24, 2010

Amount of Award - $500.00

Requirements: The successful applicant will be a high school senior or be attending a post secondary institute and currently involved in some sport at that institution or in the community.

Please visit our website at http://www.bigsunathletics.com to learn how to apply.

This scholarship has been listed with FastWeb

We recognize that each school will have the responsibility for scholarships assigned to different staff positions so we are giving this notice a wide distribution to ensure that each school receives fair notice. Please note that at no time will any student or other individual be asked for a fee of any description for any service.

League Meet #2

2009-10-13T10:18:00.000-07:00

Well, it is already here, our second league meet. Pending the weather, it will be at Temecula Valley High School on Thursday, October 15th at 3 pm. Just like our first meet, you will be responsible for finding a ride to the meet. All athletes must be at TVHS NO LATER than 2:30 pm. You will be released during 6th period PE at 1:30 pm.

The first race is set to begin at 3:15 pm. The order will be the same as the first meet, JV Girls, JV Boys, Varsity Girls, Varsity Boys, every 30 to 45 minutes.

Here is a map of the race course:

If you have never been to Temecula Valley, here are directions to the meet.

View Larger Map

ALL ATHLETES ARE REQUIRED TO STAY UNTIL THE END OF THE MEET. YOU MUCH CHECK OUT WITH COACH G BEFORE YOU LEAVE.

Inland Empire Results

2009-10-12T12:54:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to all our athletes at Inland Empire! Almost every single one of you ran a personal best. We are very proud of you. Below are a few photos from the meet:

Some of our Freshman Girls

Our JV Girls, Inland Empire JV Champions

Our Varsity Girls, 2nd in Inland Empire. Bethany Bilton, Inland Empire Champion!

Varsity boys, 9th place in sweepstakes

Inland Empire Championships- Location Change

2009-10-08T17:27:00.000-07:00

IMPORTANT NOTICE:
The various Fire Agencies are using Glen Helen Park as a staging area for the Sheep Fire. The location has been changed to the Prodo Regional Park in Chino. Below is a map with directions from MVHS to the new location. Please print this for your convenience.

View Larger Map

The bus will leave promptly at 5am on Saturday the 10th. The athletes were given meet information today, and everything on it is correct except the location. If you have any questions please contact Coach Gilliland and Coach Hilton.

League Meet #1

2009-10-06T10:14:00.000-07:00

A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL THE PARENTS THAT HELPED AT THE MEET! IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A SUCCESS WITHOUT YOU! AGAIN, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!

Great race guys!! Time to get ready for the Inland Empire Championships!
Below are a few photos from the meet...JV Girls heading to the start line.
Breanna Maltby

Emily Allen and Mandy Neverman

Leah Santos

Kiana Smith

Congratulations to Carrie Withers and Brandon "Teddy" Scott. They were the Athletes of the Meet.

Some Changes

2009-09-26T15:58:00.001-07:00

Well, take two... The league meet was cancelled due to the inability to determine safety of the drive for the buses to the plateau because of the Bear Creek Fire.

The meet has been rescheduled for this coming Thursday October 1st, at 3:30pm. The good news is that the weather is supposed to be nicer. The bad news is that Coach Hilton, the helping parents and I have to set up all over again. :-(

This Thursday is a B day, you will check out at 1:30pm and head up to the plateau and arrive no later than 2:30pm. Again, you do not have permission to leave until the end of the meet, after all trash is picked up and you check out with Coach Gililand. If you have questions, email or call.

League Meet #1

2009-09-22T10:52:00.000-07:00

We will be hosting our first league meet of the season at the Santa Rosa Plateau. The tentative schedule is as follows.

4:30pm- JV Girls (possibly 2 heats)

5:00pm- JV Boys (possibly 2 heats)

5:30pm- Varsity Girls

6:00pm- Varsity Boys

The main entrance to the Sylvan Meadows will be blocked off. Only the coaches and the snack bar trailer will be allowed to park in this area. Parking is VERY limited and it is suggested that you CAR POOL!! Parking is provided along the street and across the street. Please do not block any exits as this is a fire hazard.

There will be a snack bar providing water and gatorades. All empty bottles will be recylced and funds will go to the MVHS cross country team. Remember to throw away all your trash. There will also be additional raffle tickets sold to win the moutain bike and Bar B Q. They are $5.00 each. If you are still selling tickets, you may attempt to sell them at the meet. Remember they are due Oct. 2nd!!

Parent volunteers are helping with the finish line, crowd control on the course, snack bar, set up and tear down.

Release time for all XC athletes is 2:30pm, they will need to check in with Coach G at the front of the school and then they have an hour to get to the Plateau.. There will be sections provided for each team to set up their EZ up tents within the Slyvan Meadows parking lot. All MVHS athletes MUST remain at the plateau until the final race and you are dismissed by your coaches. You are required to help with tear down, and trash clean up. You MUST check out with Coach Gilliland, she will have a sign-out sheet. More information to follow as needed.

Woodbridge Results

2009-09-22T10:36:00.000-07:00

Woodbridge has come and gone yet again. There were over 13,000 athletes racing over the course of the day. Nighthawks represented with pride rising to the challenge of a course that included even more changes!! Coach Hilton and I are very proud of all of you. Here are some pictures from the events provided by some of the athletes.

And they're off! The crazy start that proved to be no problem for the Nighthawks!

Our freshman gals getting ready for their first competition at Woodbridge! Way to race ladies!!

Carrie Withers taking the challenge on with courage! 14th place out of 154 runners!
To see more results, click on the title to this post. Next up, League Meet #1!! Thursday, the 24th! Races will begin at 4:30pm.

ATHLETES OF THE MEET: Congratulations to Sara Rubi and Scott Gamble. Once again our athletes of the meet. They are working hard consistently at practice and it is showing in their race results. Great job guys!

Fastback Photos

2009-09-16T22:03:00.000-07:00

Alright, I told you I would post pictures from each race if you SEND THEM TO ME!! Matta sent me photos from the big event, so here they are. First, some of our junior girls taking a minute to smile for the camera. From left to right, Amanda, Jenna, Nikki, Christina, Bethany and Kaylene.
Christina, we are glad you are recovering quickly from your appendectomy! You are one tough chick!

Mike Matta, I must say, your form is great in this picture. You look like a serious runner! Well, you raced like a serious runner on Saturday too! Keep up the good work!

Can you spot Emily in this mob? Can you believe this is her first race? She looks like a pro!

This picture is of Emily, Shelby and Eden, our new Freshman! Way to race guys!

ATHLETES of the MEET: Congratulations to Scott Gamble and Sara Rubi for being our athletes of the meet. Scott PR'd by almost 2 minutes from last year, showing he has what it takes to perform at the next level. His hard work this summer is showing. This is Sara's first competition and she ran a sub 13 minute race and took 2nd among the junior girls. She is itching for a spot on varsity! Keep up the good work guys!!

Woodbridge Invitational

2009-09-16T22:01:00.000-07:00

Just a few things for Saturdays big event.

We will leave MVHS at 1:45pm. Please make sure you are there no later than 1:35pm!! We will meet in the front of the school like always. Be dressed in your uniform, team t-shirt and team sweats. Bring your backpack with water, healthy snacks, and anything else you may need.

Please click on the link to the right that says, "Woodbridge," if you need directions to Woodbridge High School or race times. Our final race is at 8:45pm, we should be home around 11pm. Our school is in the "Blue" races.

Our team dinner will be this Friday at the Griffin's house. Jenna will pass out directions at practice on Friday if you have never been there. It will begin at 6pm.

Here's to a great weekend with more PR's and exciting races!!
MVHS Nighthawks, Desire! Work!! Run, Fight, WIN!

Fundraiser

2009-09-11T10:34:00.000-07:00

I know you are all super excited to sell raffle tickets as this years first fundraiser. (Sorry for the thick sarcasm). However, this should be a rather simple task. You will each receive 20 tickets to sell to friends, family, neighbors etc. They are $5.00 each. There are 2 different possible prizes. The first is a Bike, below is a link to check it out:

http://www.globebikes.com/us/en/globe/GlobeBike.jsp?pid=10CAR3

The second item is a BBQ, this thing is AMAZING! Check it out:

http://www.bbqgalore.com/gas_grills/turbo_sts/

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE FAMILIES THAT DONATED THE PRIZES!!!

You have until the 2nd of October (Friday) to sell your tickets. All the tickets will go into a large box and we will pull out the 2 winners during practice on Friday the 2nd. If you need more tickets please see Coach Hilton, we can print out some more. All tickets need to be returned to Coach Gilliland as soon as you are finished.

***THERE WILL BE A PRIZE FOR THE PERSON THAT SELLS THE MOST TICKETS!!!!!***

Fastback Shootout

2009-09-09T18:22:00.000-07:00

Alright, racing season is FINALLY here... our first meet will be on Saturday at Mt. Sac for the Fastback Shootout. The list on the right side of the screen has a link that will take you to the website for racing heat schedules.

ALL ATHLETES! You need to be at the school by 5:05 am. You MUST be wearing your uniform, team t-shirt and team sweats to get onto the bus. If you are late, you will still be required to attend the meet, and you will not race, you will also not race next weekend at Woodbridge. Needless to say, BE ON TIME!!

The first race (junior girls) is at 7:30am, please eat and hydrate accordingly. Get a good night sleep, and be ready to race! Those of you that are not racing are still required to attend and help out. You will help with all equipment (tents, first aid kit) and possibly recording splits. Bring a healthy sack lunch. From years past, that I recall, there has not been a snack bar and they are usually filled with junk any way. I just found out that Robek's will have a booth there, bring money if you like, but also remember to bring a sandwich, water, fruit, and healthy crackers. If you race early, have it for when you are done. If you race late, bring small items (banana and peanut butter, other fruit, string cheese etc.) Don't stuff yourself right before your race (TEDDY!)

Once everyone has cooled down and is ready to leave, we will possibly get lunch in our usual shopping center near the Rubios. It is not required, but you may bring money to get food if you like. We should return to the school by around 2:30 or 3 pm.

Our first team dinner will be this Friday at the Calhoun's residence. You will receive directions on Friday during class if you have never been there. Time TBA, it is really fun, plus you get free food!! If you have any questions please call or email.

Choices

2009-09-02T07:38:00.000-07:00

INTEGRITY-
–noun
1. adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty.
2. the state of being whole, entire, or undiminished: to preserve the integrity of the empire.
3. a sound, unimpaired, or perfect condition: the integrity of a ship's hull.

I'm sure this is nothing new to you, but in life we have MANY choices. With each choice we make, our character is shaped and our lives changed. Sometimes the change is small, other times it can be massive.

You only get four years of high school, four years to shape who you want to be when you leave and attempt life in the "real world." No one can choose for you what you will become, choose wisely and live without regrets. One of our past team motto's was, "Excellence Everyday," I think I would like to add to this... "Live life on Purpose." Don't waste your time complaining, or just getting by. You will look back and regret your choices if you do.

With all that said, our first meet is in less than 2 weeks. You have a total of 4 invites and 3 league meets this year, that is only 7 races! Unless, you choose to push yourself and do your best, (every day on purpose) you will look back on this year and wish you would have done better.

I speak from experience. My senior year I had a minor injury, hamstring, and I let it get the best of me and didn't achieve much that track season. I finished high school and left for college with the same mindset and only competed for one year. At first I thought maybe I was burnt out from running and needed a break. Later I realized I was more or less just being lazy and wanting more free time. When I stopped running I started working (there went the free time). I look back and wish that I would have given my all, I wished that I would have stayed focused. I don't want any of you to regret your choices.

So here is your free advice, learn from other peoples mistakes, live life on purpose and do your best every day. Then you can look back without any regrets...

Practice Requirements

2009-08-19T21:25:00.000-07:00

Just a quick reminder about practice requirements. You are required to show up to each practice and complete the full work out. Any athlete that does not do the entire work out assigned to them each and every day will be removed from competition. Be at practice and be ready to work hard each day! Remember your goals you made at camp! You can't achieve them if you don't push yourself every day!!

Injuries are creeping up and it is to be expected. You are putting a lot of strain on your body. Please make sure to communicate with us daily and we will alternate your activity if needed. Remember to ice, stretch, tiger balm etc. Take care of your body! Plenty of rest, nutritious meals, and water!

For those of you that did the bear crawls and plyos Tuesday, we didn't mean to give you blisters. We will relocate them to another spot in the future. (Sorry). The turf gets pretty hot, something we are still getting used to, we've always had grass in the past.

Schedule Change

2009-08-19T21:23:00.000-07:00

Please note a change in the schedule for the night practices. Mondays and Thursdays we will have practice at 5pm. The schedule states 6pm, but we decided to bring it down to 5pm so people aren't running in the dark! We will meet you at the track tomorrow night, and every Monday and Thursday until further notice. Questions please see Hilton or Gilliland.

Attitude

2009-08-10T14:20:00.000-07:00

"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than success, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearances, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is that we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is plan on the one strength we have, and that is our attitude... I am convinced that list is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our attitudes."

--Charles Swindoll

Camp Photos

2009-08-09T16:02:00.000-07:00

If you have any photos from camp, I would like to post some of them onto this blog. If you could send me one or two in an email that would be great. You all should have my email address as I have been sending you information all summer. :) I will be adding the Killer Peak Times to the right of the screen within the next few days.

~Coach G & kellen (MVHS XC's Biggest Fan)

MVHS 2009 Cross Country Schedule

2009-08-09T14:57:00.000-07:00

Nighthawk Cross Country
2009 Schedule

9/12 Fastback Shootout @ Mt SAC 8:00 am
9/19 Woodbridge Invite @ Woodbridge HS 5:00 pm
9/24 League Meet #1 @Santa Rosa Plateau 3:15 pm
10/10 Inland Empire Championships @Glen Helen 8:00 am
10/15 League Meet #2 Great Oak Site TBA 3:15 pm
10/24 Mt SAC Invitational @Mt SAC 7:30 am
11/5 League Finals @ Chaparral Site TBA 2:30 pm
11/14 CIF Prelims @Mt Sac TBA
11/21 CIF Finals @Mt. SAC TBA
11/28 CIF State Finals @Woodward Park--Fresno TBA

“Some race to see who’s the fastest, I race to see who has the most guts.”
-Steve Prefontaine

MVHS CC!!

2009-08-09T14:47:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the MVHS Cross Country Blog. Please check back regularly for updates and information regarding practices, races, and other items!