Time trials and good Luck Mr. Binzer

Today we held the second time trial for the team! The kids are always excited on time time days! They seem to try harder and dig deeper and it shows!

The boys went off!

The girls followed right behind!

Everyone tried hard and most everyone improved their time!

Maybe there is something to be said for a lucky shirt!

But there is always something to be said for a big heart...and big effort!

As practice ended we presented Scott Binzer, one of our XC dads, a good luck poster signed by the team. He is off to Canada to to compete in the Ironman there!

Good Luck, Mr. Binzer!

Hillcrest Triathalon 2011

Congratulations to all our runners who participated in the Hillcrest Youth Triathalon! It was a beautiful day for this fun event!

Swim!


Bike!

Run!

It was so much fun!

Way to represent Goshen XC!

a little pat on the back

Our running Gators have been working so hard! We have put many miles on our shoes already and with every practice they become better runners! Tonight coach Lee shared with them a story about a past Goshen runner who put in hard work all year long and at the state meet it finally paid off! He told them to focus on making themselves better and not to worry about what other runners were doing. As long as you, as a runner, are improving then you are having success!

After practice the Coaches handed out letters to every child. Just a little pat on the back for all their hard work so far! Every child brings something special to the team and we are so happy to have each and every one of them!

They read their letters....soaking in the praises







They shared them with their parents.....

The best part was after the kids read their letters they all looked up and had a smile on their face! It feels good to know you have worked hard and that your hard work has been noticed!

We have put in hard work, shared laughter, sweat and tears at our practices. Our first meet is just around the corner and the kids can feel the excitement pulling them to that first Saturday when they put on their uniforms and run for Goshen...when they will run for themselves...and run for each other. Finally we are a team and that just feels good!

Go Gators!

First Time Trials

Now that we have our official team we held our first round of time trials! The kids were excited...you could feel it in the air! Instead of a mass of running kids this would be the first time their run would be singled out and have an individual time.

They all tried hard...and the effort showed in their times, their red little faces, and the smiles of satisfaction that many had as they got that first drink of water after they crossed the finish line...as they realized they had done it...and how good that felt.
Because
Knowing

you
gave


it all

Sometimes

means everything!

GO GATORS!!!!!!

Decision time!

Today we introduced the kids to the Indian run...a classic cross country workout mixing jogging and sprinting with a little fun and team work! They took right to it and handled it like the champs that they are!

We even had a mom team and a dad team! Thank you so much parent runners...we could not do it without you!






Today marks the end of the trial period for the team...it's decision time!

We are excited to see what hands will be back in this huddle next week!


Everyone seemed to love the treat today! Great Job, Gators!

The kids meet "The Beast"

After a nice run through the woods on the rumble trail the kids were introduced to hill work 101.
Coach Lee took them over and introduced them to what we call the beast. It is a whopper hill that will put anyone to the test! Learning to attack a hill is very important in cross country so this was an introduction that had to be.....and the kids gave it all they had!

They divided into 3 groups and one at a time up they went!


Giving it all they had....Go Gators Go!
Then they did it again....AND AGAIN!

The beast is a killer hill but the kids were amazing and we were so proud of them for trying so hard!







By the end of hill work 101 our Gators were tired but already stronger and better at hills than they were yesterday! All this hard work will pay off at the meets! We can't wait to see them in action!