Carly Benson
Carly Benson – I’m a 9th grader at West Genesee High School. This is my first Varsity Cross Country Season.
Blog -
Once outdoor track and the New Balance Outdoor Nationals came to a close, I took a week off to recover and then gradually started getting into summer training. During the summer I completed around 290 miles overall. We met optionally twice a week as a team (Tuesday & Thursday) to get in a hard workout Tuesday and a long easy run (8 miles) Thursday. On the days we didn’t have team practice- I would often meet with my senior teammates Elise and Lindsay to get in some fun workouts together. They were really a big help to me during this off season time of adjustment.
Summer came to an end all too quickly and we started to have mandatory practice every morning. This started two weeks before school. Along with those practices we also did some heavy core workouts twice a week.
Week 1 (8/17-8/23)
8/17- I did a relaxed 6 mile run solo followed by four strides to loosen out and get ready for the week of practice.
8/18- I did a segmented general conditioning workout with Elise and Lindsay that totaled to 2.99 miles. The workout felt like a good pace. After that we did our core workout. After getting a quick drink of water- we did a 6-8-6 FARTLEK. run that totaled to 2.53 miles. Following that, 6 long flat sprints. The biggest difference for me from running varsity indoor and outdoor track and doing modified cross-country last year- is the difference in the amount of mileage you run. It’s a great new challenge and I’m looking forward to my freshman year of cross-country and more fun seasons to come.
8/19- I did a 3000m time trial today (it was 1.90 miles) which I ran in 12.44.76 minutes. I was the first girl to finish and 13 overall. I ran the majority of the race with Elise and Grace- Lindsay was out due to a sore muscle in her leg. It was for sure different then a 5k and it felt good to run. We then ran a little under 30 minute GC run in 2.57 miles. We closed the day off with a .50 mile cool down. We had a challenging but fun workout day!
8/20- I ran a 20 minute tempo run with Elise and Grace followed by a 6-6-6 FARTLEK. that was 20:24.43 minutes and 1.92 miles long. Which was followed by 6 strides and a .50 mile cool down. Overall- it was great work. Our team then went around and introduced ourselves and told each other our favorite colors- mine is blue. Teams are definitely closer if you have a smaller group.
8/21- Elise, Grace and I did a 8.52 mile long run in 1:10.36 minutes. Unfortunately, we got caught in a thunder storm. People got rides back in both Coach V and Coach Del’s car but we held in there even though we were soaked. It was a very eventful and a little scary, fun long run today.
8/22- Lindsay and I did a 5 times 800m on the inner loop of our cross-country course, each segment was improved over time. We went from 3:24, 3:12, 3:06, 3:05 to 3:04; a drop of 20 seconds! It’s definitely a good feeling to go negative on a workout.
8/23- I took a day off- just did some light stretching.
Week 2 (8/24-8/31)
8/24- I did a 8.05 mile long run in 1.06 minutes.
8/25- Lindsay and I did a 20 minute (break at 10 minute) hill circuit threshold workout. There is this one steep hill that’s toward the end of our cross-country course that we used in part of the circuit. Then a group of us did a 8-8-8 FARTLEK. run in 2.50 miles. Followed by core in freshly mowed grass. The workout today was hard- but a fun and great experience.
8/26- Freshman orientation was today so I had to do a 6 mile GC run on my own.
8/27- Lindsay and I did a 5 times 1000m on the outer loop of our course. We had to hammer the 3rd one and still were able to go negative, which is a great feeling! We went from 4:14-3:44- a 30 second decrease! I thought we went slower on the last one but we actually went faster.
8/28- Our team got to meet the owner of MileSplitNY- Mr. Brazeil. He took headshots of Elise and I and pictures of us running. Our workout consisted of a 8-8-8 FARTLEK. and a 20 minute GC run. We followed that with 4 strides- getting loose for our time trial / intra squad team race day tomorrow!
8/29- “Blue & Gold” Race Day! Season kicked off!! Coach V split us into two teams and we raced against each other- I was on gold. We warmed up and then got right to our 5k race. I started off the race with both Grace and Lindsay but unfortunately at the halfway point Lindsay had to stop because her knee was bothering her. In the end- I finished 10th- and was the first girl to finish. My time was 20.01.9 which unofficially is the 21st fastest time ever run on our home course! It felt good to run a 5k and I can’t wait for real races! After the race we got to have a yummy brunch, consisting of breakfast pizza, muffins and more! The seniors got to eat first. We were told later that blue won- snap!
8/30- Took the day off did some light stretching.
Week 3 (9/2-9/8)
8/31- It was a nice sunny day today- me and Elise started the week with a nice 8 mile long run. A great way to get lose for Monday’s workout tomorrow.
9/1- Elise, Grace and I did a nice warm-up that was 1.96 miles in 16:49.91 minutes. The we did a interval workout on our course. Coach V assigned us to groups and I was put with Grace (we got separated at parts because I went faster). We did 3 sets of 3 of the loop we were doing. My first set I ran in 9:38.16 minutes (1.46miles) my second set was ran in 9:44.47 minutes and the third was ran in 9:34.39 minutes. It was a very hot and humid day- bugs were sticking to people and some of us were accidentally swallowing them. Definitely not easy running weather! A tough and hard practice day.
9/2- Practice was cancelled due to a “rain-out” and we had to run on our own. I live very close to Elise so we did a 35 minute long GC run. It poured later- a close call on our run!
9/3- Elise, Grace and I did a 20 minute tempo run in the woods loop of our course. Then we did a 27:05.01 GC run in 2.34 minutes. It was really sticky and muggy outside- making it very hot/ warm outside. I felt like it was a good workout even though it was very hot outside.
9/4- We did segmented GC today. My times are as follows: 11:40.04 minutes- 1:30 miles, 8:59.92 minutes- 1.01 miles, 10:22.18 minutes- 1.20 miles, and 19.39.40 minutes- 1.52 miles. We did 6 hill sprints today as well- definitely a work day. The 4th sprint didn’t count for our group because it wasn’t fast enough so we had to redo it- darn it! Then we did a relaxed cool down. The workout was ended with team core. I feel the workout was good to do after a tempo day.
9/5- We did a interval tempo workout that was two loops- two hill and two woods loops. The hills loops were .50 miles long and the woods were .55 miles long. I ran the hill loops in 3.41.74 minutes and then 3:25 minutes. I ran the two woods loops in 3:27.88 minutes and 3:23.01 minutes. I ran both of those along because I was a lot ahead. Then we did a 3.70 mile GC run. After that we did four bounds/strides (stride down then bound). We ended the workout with a team meeting for suggestions. The guys had a few suggestions- but the girls were mainly happy and we talked about team Pasta dinners. It was extremely muggy and hot today as well. A lot of other sport practices were cancelled due to the heat- the cross-country runners ran through it, kind of like what we do with mud, rain, wind, snow and anything else mother nature throws at us.
9/6- Day off/ light stretching.
9/7-9/16
9/7- I did a long run with Elise today. We did a 7.03 mile long run in 1:01.13 minutes. It was a nice day out- around 70 degrees. I wasn’t sore or anything of that nature- same with Elise. It was a nice and relaxing run.
9/8- We did a warm-up and stretches and then got right into segmented tempo. Which I ran with Elise and a group of girls, I started with them but then I branched off. The first loop was 1.11 miles ran in 7:47.03 minutes, the next was 1.41 miles in 10:11.36 minutes, the third was 1.27 miles in 9:58.46 minutes and the last one was the same distance as the first but this time I ran it in 7:29.36 minutes I went negative-yes! It was a harder workout today, but worth it in the long run. After that we did a cool down and finished with team core.
9/9- First meet tomorrow against Syracuse West/Auburn. We did a one loop warm-up and then went right back and did our stretches. Then we did our official race warm-up (to practice) which was changed and made longer. It is 10 minutes of GC- 30 seconds ups (fartlek) and another 10 minutes of GC. Oh- and then 4 minutes of tempo. After completing that we did two woods loops. It was a good day- and I can’t wait for the meet tomorrow!
9/10- First meet today, it’s on our course! Racing has officially began! We are racing against Syracuse West/Auburn. Our team started the day with our race warm-up and then we did stretches and put our spikes on. It’s perfect racing weather- low 70’s. When we got to the line- we do a few easy and hard strides, and also got to see some of the boy runners finish. After our last hard stride we did a group huddle- and after saying “Cats on 3- 1,2,3…. CATS!” we went to the line to race our competitors. I went out my first mile in 6.20 minutes (courtesy to Coach V for calling my time out) and felt great, I felt fast. Before you knew it the finish line was there and I won with 19.14.14! The next person didn’t finish for a minute and 15 seconds! Other good news- WG got the first 9 spots, we did awesome! Both boys and girl wildcats got 2-0 today. We finished the race day with a 20 minute cool down and 6 hill sprints. And to close a great day- lots of food and drinks!
9/11- A litter chiller today and breezy. We did a two loop warm-up and then did a 20 minute GC run followed by a 4-6-4 minute fartlek run. Then we got a drink of water- and then around cones did 6 one minute ups with 30 second rest in between each up. We closed off the day with team core. It was an easy, relaxed “just ran a good meet” type of day.
9/12- The day before our first invitational- which is the Vernon-Verona-Sherrill Invitational at V-V-S high school. We did 2 segments of GC- each about a mile long and then did another 10 minute GC. To finish our light day we did 4 flat strides. We have to catch the team bus at 8:30 tomorrow for our 11:00 race that about an hour away. Can’t wait!
