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Charlie Kern – Excerpts from his “York Cross Country and Track: More than Winning” presentation at the Boulder Running Clinics

Coach Kern will be sharing his outdoor track training with us in the coming days. To whet your appetite for that content, check out this video, a video of three excerpts from his “York Cross Country and Track: More than Winning” presentation at the 2015 Boulder Running Clinics high school clinic.  Clinic videos will be available for purchase in early 2016 and HSRC members will get a discount on the videos.

Thanks Coach Kern for your energy and the time you put into these presentations. Can’t wait to see your outdoor track training.

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Mike Callor – Key Workout

Cross-Country: “Death Quest”

This workout is done at a park about 2 miles away from the school on a hilly, grass course. It is a workout steeped in tradition where athletes of the present can compare themselves to athletes of the past (boys that get “around the turn” at the top of the hill typically have been sub 16:00 athletes). After a 2-mile warm-up and muscle activation exercises, it consists of anywhere between 4-6 x 4:00 on with 3:00 of recovery (walk/jog). The goal is to get further on the course with each one (progressive), with a stress placed on listening to your breathing. 2 mile cool-down back to the school, and that is it!  

This is just an XC workout. The amount of rest before this workout depends on the time of the season. Early, they might have a steady run Saturday, off, or shake-out on Sunday and then the workout on Monday. Later, the Saturday before is typically easy.  I have also added my own variations to the workout, such as 2 x 400 meter hills before the first Death Quest in order to make sure they don’t hammer the first one and regress.  

I believe that progressive workouts (done correctly), build fitness as well as confidence, which can be much more important.

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Mike Callor – Season 2

Mike is a tremendous coach who has coached both boys and girls footlocker finalists, something that only a small number of coaches have done.  Thanks Mike for joining us on HSRC. 

Born and raised in Colorado.  Ran high school track and cross country for Arapahoe High School in Littleton, CO, and collegiate track and cross country for Colorado Christian University.  Graduated with a Masters Degree in Human Performance and Physical Education with an emphasis in Coaching from Adams State University in 2011.

Was the Head Cross-Country Coach from 2003-2011 and the Head Track and Field Coach from 2006-2012 at Dakota Ridge High School in Littleton, CO before moving to Fort Collins and joining the Lambkins in 2013.  Have coached 13 individual state champions (track and XC), 2-4 x 800 state champion teams, and 3 state championship teams (XC-5A), including the state record 2007 girls that scored 28 points.  Have also coached 3 Footlocker Finalists and 2 Nike Cross National Finalists, 1 girls team that finished 6th at NXN (2013).

I still enjoy training and racing and remind the athletes often that I started out running cross-country as an overweight Sophomore in high school and have gone from a 29:15 5K to a 15:40.  Everyone has to start somewhere!   I am extremely blessed to have married my best friend, Sara and have recently added to our family with our first child, Nathan Michael (2).

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