Saturday, October 27, 2012

2012 Cemetery Ridge 5K Challenge

Daniel waiting for the start of the 5K Race.


Daniel's last 5K race took place at Gravel Hill United Methodist Church on Oct. 27, 2012, called the Cemetery Ridge 5K Challenge in Palmyra, Pa. The results of the race will be posted on Monday Oct. 29, 2012 at; www.gravelhillumc.org

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjGBWSgq3RQ
Place this link in your browser so that you can see the beginning of the race. 
 
 Daniel ran the 5K in 24 Minutes, 2 Seconds. He finished 3 seconds ahead of his Harrisburg 5k time. The race went through a cemetery, up and down hills, past farm land, and through a development. The final sprint to the finish was back through the cemetery. Over all, he finished 49th out of 238 runners of all ages. You can get the details of how Daniel finished in the 14 and Under Group on Monday Oct, 29, 2012 or after on www.gravelhillumc.org.

The "Flash" had a surprise visitor cheering him on during the race. His Physical Education Teacher, Ms. Correll was screaming in support of Daniel. She is very proud that she has him as a second grade student. I hope that Ms. Correll will give him extra credit in Gym class for his work!   

I could not find Daniel when the race was over. He ran through the finish line and headed straight for the playground.


Cross Country Running

Daniel as he finished the race in Northern York
Daniel Tulloch is about to go into Natural Terrain running as he enters the USATF Cross Country Series. He will change from running shoes to spikes. Do you remember this conversation with a member of one of York’s Cross Country Clubs when Daniel ran the Sasquatch Preservation Trail Run?
This Cross Country racer was asking if Daniel preferred the road or the country side?
What was she talking about when the lady asked does Daniel like to run on the road or through the woods?  We are going to discuss the difference between street vs. natural terrain or woods courses.
Cross country running is a sport in which teams and individuals run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically 4–12 kilometers (2.5–7.5 mi) long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road. It is both an individual and a team sport, runners are judged on individual times and a points scoring method for teams. Both men and women of all ages compete in cross country, which usually takes place during autumn and winter, and can include weather conditions of rain, sleet, snow or hail, and a wide range of temperatures.
Cross country running is one of the disciplines under the umbrella sport of athletics, long-distance track and road running. Although open-air running competitions are pre-historic, the rules and traditions of cross country racing emerged in Britain. The English championship became the first national competition in 1876 and the International Cross Country Championships was held for the first time in 1903. Since 1973 the foremost elite competition has been the IAAF World Cross Country Championships.
Cross country courses generally are laid out on an open or woodland area. The IAAF recommends that courses be grass-covered, and have rolling terrain with frequent but smooth turns. Courses consist of one or more loops, with a long straight at the start and another leading to the finish line.
Because of variations in conditions, international standardization of cross country courses is impossible, and not necessarily desirable. Part of cross country running's appeal is the natural and distinct characteristics of each venue's terrain and weather. Terrain can vary from open fields to forest hills and even across rivers.
According to the IAAF, an ideal cross country course has a loop of 1,750 to 2,000 meters (1,910 to 2,200 yards) lay out on an open or wooded land. It should be covered by grass, as much as possible, and include rolling hills "with smooth curves and short straights". While it is perfectly acceptable for local conditions to make dirt or snow the primary surface, courses should minimize running on roads or other macadamized paths. Parks and golf courses often provide good locations. While a course may include natural or artificial obstacles, cross country courses support continuous running, and generally do not require climbing over high barriers, through deep ditches, or fighting through underbrush. 
A course at least 5 meters (5.5 yards) wide allows competitors to pass during the race. Clear markings keep competitors from making wrong turns, and spectators from interfering with the competition. Markings may include tape or ribbon on both sides of the course, chalk or paint on the ground, or cones. Some courses use colored flags to indicate directions: red flags for left turns, yellow flags for right turns and blue flags for continuing straight ahead. Courses also commonly include distance markings, usually at each kilometer or each mile. 
The course should have 400 to 1,200 m (440 to 1,300 yards) of straight terrain before the first turn, to reduce contact and congestion at the start. However, many courses at smaller competitions have their first turn after a much shorter distance.
Courses for international competitions consist of a loop between 1750 and 2000 meters. Athletes complete three to six loops, depending on the race. Senior men compete on a 12-kilometre course. Senior women and junior men compete on an 8-kilometre course. Junior women compete on a 6-kilometre course.
 In the United States, college men typically compete on 8 km (5.0 mi) or 10 km (6.2 mi) courses, while college women race for 5 km (3.1 mi) or 6 km (3.7 mi).  High school courses may be as short as 2.5 km (1.6 mi), but the most common distance is 5 kilometers (3.1 mi) (although a few states, such as California and Louisiana, race 3 miles (4.8 km)).
All runners start at the same time, from a starting arc (or line) marked with lanes or boxes for each team or individual. An official, 50 meters or more in front of the starting line, fires a pistol to indicate the start. If runners collide and fall within the first 100 meters, officials can call the runners back and restart the race. Crossing the line or starting before the starting pistol is fired most often results in disqualification of the runner.
The course ends at a finish line located at the beginning of a funnel or chute (a long walkway marked with flags) that keeps athletes single-file in order of finish and facilitates accurate scoring.
Depending on the timing and scoring system, finish officials may collect a small slip from each runner's bib, to keep track of finishing positions. An alternative method (common in the UK) is to have four officials in two pairs. In the first pair, one official reads out numbers of finishers and the other records them. In the second pair, one official reads out times for the other to record. At the end of the race the two lists are joined along with information from the entry information. The major disadvantage of this system is that distractions can easily upset the results, particularly when large numbers of runners finish close together.
Chip timing has grown in popularity to increase accuracy and decrease the number of officials required at the finish line. Each runner attaches a transponder with RFID to his or her shoe. When the runner crosses the finish line an electronic pad records the chip number and matches the runner to a database. Chip timing allows officials to use checkpoint mats throughout the race to calculate split times, and to ensure runners cover the entire course. This is by far the most accurate method, although it is the most expensive. 
Picture of Damine Stephanie David and Daniel Tulloch

Strategy
Because of differences between courses in running surface, frequency and tightness of turns, and amount of up and downhill, cross country strategy does not necessarily simplify to running a steady pace from start to finish. Coaches and cross country runners debate the relative merits of fast starts to get clear of the field, versus steady pacing to maximize physiological efficiency. I favor training to fun full speed for the duration of the course. Stephanie Tulloch, Daniel’s mother believes in starting slow and making up the time and distance at the end of the race. 
Some teams emphasize running in a group in order to provide encouragement to others on the team, while others hold that every individual should run his or her own race. In addition, whether you run ahead 'of the pack' or behind it and pull ahead in the end is important, but can vary according to the runner's individual skill, endurance, and the length of the race. Most important, however, is the training beforehand.
United States
USA Track & Field hosts four annual national cross country championships. The USA Cross Country Championships, first held in 1890, include six races: master’s women (8 km), master’s men (8 km), junior women (6 km), junior men (8 km), open women (8 km) and open men (12 km). In addition to crowning national champions, the championships serve as the trials race to select the Team USA squad for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships. The USA Masters 5 km Cross Country Championships, first held in 2002, include a men's race and a women's race. The USATF National Club Cross Country Championships, first held in 1998, feature the top clubs from across the United States as they vie for honors and bragging rights as the nation's top cross country team. The USATF National Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships, first held in 2001, has races for boys and girls in five different two-year age divisions.
Most American universities and colleges field men's and women are cross country teams as part of their athletic program. Over 900 men's cross country teams and over 1000 women's cross country teams compete in the three divisions of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Men usually race 10 km (6.2 mi) or 8 km (5.0 mi), and women usually race 6 km (3.7 mi) or 5 km (3.1 mi). The season culminates in men's and women's championships.
Every state offers cross country as a high school sport for boys and girls. Over 440,000 high school students compete in cross country each year, making it the sixth most popular sport for girls, and seventh most popular for boys. The standard high school cross country race distance is 5 km (3.1 mi), though some states run a shorter, 3- to 4-kilometer course for girls. Beginning in 1979, the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships have offered a national championship for high school cross country runners. Since 2004, the Nike Cross Nationals have offered an alternative national championship, focused on teams rather than individuals. A 2008 film, The Long Green Line, documented the success of Joe Newton, cross country coach at York Community High School in Elmhurst, Illinois
While many middle schools (grades 6-8) in the U.S. offer cross country as a school sport, youth running clubs dominate in this age group. A typical middle school course is 3 km (1.9 mi) or 2 mi (3.2 km), and races may not split up boys and girls. Few elementary schools in the U.S. have school teams, but many running clubs exist for youth runners. Youth running clubs compete in local, regional, and national championships sanctioned by the AAU or USATF. Course distances for this age group vary depending on the age of the athlete. Common championship distances are:
Group
Ages
Race Distance
Sub-bantam
Under 8
3 km (1.9mi) 
Bantam
9 to 10
3 km (1.9 mi)
Midget
11 to 12
3 km (1.9 mi)
Youth
13 to 14
4 km (2.5 mi)
Intermediate
15 to 16
5 km (3.1 mi)
Young
17 to 18
5 km (3.1 mi)
Daniel in last year’s USATF Cross Country Race, 2011
In the fall of 2012 and 2013, Daniel will run in the Sub-bantam group. 
Road Running
Road running is the sport of running on a measured course over an established road (as opposed to track and cross country running). These events would be classified as long distance according to athletics terminology, with distances typically ranging from 5 kilometers to 42.2 kilometers in the marathon. They may involve large numbers of runners or wheelchair entrants. Road running is part of a group of road events known as "road races". Road running is one aspect in the overall sport of athletics.
Road running may offer those involved a range of challenges and interests such as dealing with hills, sharp bends, varied surfaces, inclement weather, and involvement in a large group. Aerobic fitness, or the ability of the body to use oxygen, is the biggest factor contributing to success.
The impact of running on roads puts more stress on the feet, knees, and lower back than running on dirt or grass. It can compensate by providing a consistent, level surface. It may put less strain on the Achilles tendon.
Race Courses
Race courses are usually held on the streets of major cities and towns, but can be on any road. The IAAF recognizes nine common distances for road races: 10 kilometers (6.2 mi), 15 kilometers (9.3 mi), 20 kilometers (12 mi), half-marathon (21.097 km or 13.1 mi), 25 kilometers (16 mi), 30 kilometers (19 mi), marathon (42.195 km or 26.2 mi), 100 kilometers (62 mi), and Ekiden marathon relay.[2] Other common distances include 5 kilometers (3.1 mi), 8 kilometers (5.0 mi), 12 kilometers (7.5 mi), and 10 miles (16 km).
Some major events have unique distances. The "Round the Bays" run in Auckland, New Zealand is 8.4 kilometers (5.2 mi); the Falmouth Road Race in Falmouth, Cape Cod is 7.1 miles (11.4 km); "City to Surf" in Sydney, Australia is 14 kilometers (8.7 mi); Honolulu's "Great Aloha Run" is 8.15 miles (13.12 km); the "King Island Imperial 20"[3] is 32 kilometers (20 mi) long; and the "Charleston Distance Run" in Charleston, West Virginia is 15 miles (24 km).
Most road race courses have a certificate of course accuracy which confirms that they have been measured with an accuracy of better than 0.1%, i.e. to within 10 m for a 10 km race. It is common for formally certified courses to be intentionally lengthened by one meter per km to ensure that they are not short. Measurement is normally done by means of a calibrated bicycle fitted with a Jones Counter. If a world record is set on a race course, the course is independently remeasured to verify that it was the correct length.
Is Daniel Ready for the 3K RUN?
Daniel’s as he finished a 5K Race in 2012

The Jamaican Flash spent the last two months; running 5K races (3.1 Miles) on streets as well as through the woods. We practiced running at 10 mile per hour for 3 minutes each for 5 runs each night. He is capable of running full speed for 1.9 Miles. 
Saturday Nov 3, 2012           USATF Mid-Atlantic Association
                      Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships               
                                              Belmont Plateau – Philadelphia, Pa.
The Hall is rented, the orchestra is engaged. Now let’s see if Daniel can dance! 
 

1 comment:

  1. Nice family photo. Wishing Daniel well. Cicily

    ReplyDelete