Wednesday, March 24, 2010

early season stuff.

Living in Bend, Oregon and coaching frisbee is tough to do. We're 200 miles from the valley teams, many more miles to the larger frisbee tournaments. Our weather is mercurial at best, crappy as an honest assessment, and sucktackular as a going concern.

But I've got a really great bunch of motivated kids this year, albeit, young, and/or inexperienced. Recruiting has led to an influx of 6-8 talented, varsity (or swing players) soccer players, so we have speed and some field sense.

We played indoor 10 times this winter, so I've got a core (a junta, or funta, if you wil) of players who have at least some reps throwing under their belt. I have some assistant/ co-coaches with good, high level college and club experience. I've got enough field space (it is 1 mile from campus, but I've got two full fields). And I've got 40 plus kids.

Thus far we're just getting into stuff. I finally have enough (50) frisbees (thanks discraft team rate).

We're practicing 3 days a week. Typical practice schedule is

Throw (I move around and give basic tips to new players)
Runn (Probably 5 min warm up)
Dynamic warmup (the usuals, plus some sit ups and push ups)
Drills
-Handler cut
-Come back cut
-Thrower option (cutter starts out away, and handler can wave, or fake the thrower back for an underneath throw. Or air it out)
-Vertical stack plays. Focus is on basics (i.e., handler cut at front, comeback cuts deeper, after releasing, run to the next spot, to get in the idea of moving the whole team downfield).

Games:
- 3v3 in a box. Set number of passes is a point. 3 points is a game. Great game for all, especially for new players, since lack of throwing ability is not a liability.
- Scrimmage. Make teams even, smaller fields right now. No move to break into A/B yet.

Conditioning:
Week one we just did practice. Starting week two I run 2 days after practice. Varying the conditioning. the practice alone is tiring for most of the kids right now. We did Tabatas one day. A 4 mile run one day.

Spring break.
Low numbers, lots of throwing. Played 4v4 today. An alum was there to run me around. Game was pretty good. Gorgeous, 60 degree and light wind.

Personal
Super busy with work, but still skiing on weekends, and getting an extra run or two a week in addition to the friskee.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

this one is for you...

normally i eschew posting non specific workouts to the 'frisbee' tag. but i'm making an exception.

wednesday, we're going to have our first gym practice. i'm going to limit it to throwing, handler cuts, and out in cuts. if it's an amenable group, we'll do some play run througs. i won't allow 'game play' in the small gym. it would probably be fine, but 90% of my athletes are already in sport, so i don't want cutting to injury to be a result.

drills i will run:
1) throwing: forehand and backhand (7min)
2) run 1 min, situps 30, run one min, pushups 20, run one min, situps 30, run one min, stepups on bleachers one min, run one min, stretch it out for 4 min. high knees, buttkicks, side to side, karaoke, skip. total time less than 18 min.
3) handler cut 5 min
4) out in cut 5 min
5) flare break cut deep 7 min
6) work on plays 15 min (flood left, cut under), zipper,
7) handler cut
8) under cut
9) stretch

should be 1 hour.

might have alternate access to the other turf gym in town. if we move there, we'll do this tuesday, and play hotbox and mini on wednesday.

personal:
indoor today, which is a pain. 2 hour nap on couch, ramp it up in a game, i can't sleep. ski tomorrow. gonna be a long week.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

frisbee kickoff.

Summit High Frisbee is on.
I've got the indoor center reserved for an hour a week, it's a decent turf, kind of a field turf. We're playing for an hour, but, it's open before our reservation, so I can get 30 minutes of warm up in before we play: For the kids who can show up early, we mostly kick the soccer ball around and jog (I spent a few painful minutes in goal last week. Turns out gloves are a good idea), and then most of us do some dynamics in an unstructured way. I.e., I do them, and some of them mimic me. I'm not pushing much structure. If the discs are there (I make the kids tote them as I usually do a 30 minute bike ride to the center to get ready) we do the same thing, but with frisbee.

Then we run 2 drills for 7-10 minutes: A basic handler cut 2 line drill, then a out and in continuation cut 2 line drill.

Last week, I added a '3 option drill' tailored to indoor, but applicable to outdoor.

2 lines, cutter cuts 'break mark', then 'deep', then back in for 'open side underneath cut.' You can throw any throw you want. Mostly they jack it, but next week i'll make the deep cut to the forehand side, and I'm hoping they choose the under, since my young team doesn't have really solid long flicks. I'm not overlooking the skill, but my intent is to get them dialed in for THIS GAME and work on decision making. I'll be working in the longer throws, but hoping to always do it in the vein of decision making being important. If I get a bunch of kids who can throw it 20 yards flat, or 30 yards floaty, and a few kids who can crank it, we'll be as good as we can be living in the ice land. The drill cut takes a little longer to develop, but i'm looking to foster ideas of

1) running the whole field
2) taking the easy shot
3) get comfortable using the full stall count.

ideas that i will build on this are to

4). short stack. this makes it more viable for your longer run to be more viable. (in a full field, it would probably be as a continuation cut).
5) realistic pivots: the 'fake' to the break side is an attempt to throw, even if the mark takes it away. the only flaw here, is that the 'BIG FAKE' TO 'HUCK' (It's probably only a 30 yard throw indoors) tends to move the mark flatter, but it shouldn't stop the open side throw to the under cutter. And in this drill, or indoor, there is time after the long look to move the mark back to the break mark side by looking to another (imaginary) cutter cutting break before throwing to the open under cutter.


Indoor is nice. And if I can work the schedule around basketball, I'll probably offer an extra evening of skills and drills in the HS Gym. The lack of wind makes kids gain confidence, the relative warmth makes it pleasurable. Or today, we could play outside and 40 degrees and 20 mph winds. And it could be just like that in april.

Right after drills we play: The endzone is curved, the sidelines are very small, but it's fine. I played one game where there was no sideline, and walls and nets were in, and a goal caught in the goal was a 2 pointer.. UH, let's just say this led to some, um, physical play. now we use the side lines, but i allow the walls to be in, just for fun. Nets are out. The sidelines are very tight, so there aren't a lot of downfield passes on the sideline, but, my view is that just playing some is good.

I'm using the indoor 5v5 (sometimes 6v6) to work on a bit of experimentation in an 'H' Stack, 2 handlers,3 forwards (prefer that language to cutters, we're all cutters). We try to go back vertical in redzone. It's OK. I have had some success in past going vert in midfield, spread in endzone.

I expect the numbers to grow from 12-14 to the full winter 20 pretty soon. So I'll have to modify it. Games of mini or dutch drill, or if say we have 15, 3 teams of 5, score a point and stay.

Frankly, this has been a really nice addition to my winter, as i still love playing frisbee, but i'm really only interested in playing when it's moderately warm. If it's cold I'd rather ski. Which I've been doing. PRobably 3-4 days a week. Today I dropped my bike off at the shop, ran 3 miles to gym, situps, chinups, single leg squats, and some machine work for the shoulders, ran to pub for dinner, ran home.

For the next few weeks it should go,
Mon: Indoor Soccer.
Tuesday: Ski coach
Wednesday: Rest or run/lift or ski.
Thursday: Ski coach
Friday: Indoor Frisbee
Saturday: Long day ski coach.
Sunday: Rest or Ski (See Wednesday)

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

How do I get to prague?

well, it ain't going to be easy.
today, i ran 3 miles to the bike store, picked up my bike, went to the gym, did core, bosu squats (2x20 fast), 2x15 single leg fast, 2x8 single leg sitting onto a bench and up, 2x10 chinups with 90 seconds rest. dinner and beer.

sunday, rest
saturday, 2.5 hours classic ski drills, basically going round and round. groin hurt horribly the next day.
friday: 1.5 hours, hike up, ski down.
thursday: play a game of sharks and minnows, run 1 mile, high knees, butt kicks, power skips, hurdle jumps, long jumps, side jumps, more hops.
wenesday: hike 1.5 hours and ski down
tuesday, see thursday.
monday, rest.
sunday: rest. end of a 4 day rest cycle
saturday: intterupt rest cycle to run 3 mile warmup with 3rd in state boys.

what's it going to take to go to prague.
well, first, a team.
2nd, get near or above the rim again. i think plyos one day a week, and weights 2 days a week until march, then plyos 2 days a week, plus track workouts. tons of nordic skiing for fitness, and throw. a lot to do to catch a ride on a team to play a couple points here and there in the open division.

but, the bottom line is...
the blog is back.
and so am I.
not the last ride, but one more ride.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Thousands...

9/29/2005 3:42, 3:49, 3:49, 3:49, 3:34.
10/3/2005 3:41, 3:38, 3:38, 3:40, 3:30
9/20/2006 3:37, 3:25, 3:21, 3:20, 3:16, 3:16
9/19/2007 3:45, 3:35, 3:30, 3:25, 3:30. Plus 2km warmup, 1.5 km cooldown.
9/26/2007 3:40 3:35 3:30 3:25 3:30 3:40 plus 2km warmup, 2 kim cooldown.
9/22/20009 3:25, 3:21, 3:15, 3:11, 3:20, 3:25
10/6/2009 3:35, 3:20, 3:15, 3:02, 3:18
10/23/2009 3:26, 3:21, 3:18, 3:15, 3:12

and 10/27 400/800/4/8/4/8/4 in drake
:85/2:55/:80/2:40/:75/3:00/:85

achy hamstring at end of last 400

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Dirty 2nd Half, October 3, 2009

This was my second half marathon.  The "Dirty Half" is held in Spring, and the "Second dirty Half"in the fall.  Cute, eh?  Since 2009, the race has been changed to the Down and Dirty Half.  Here's the link to the 2013 Registration.

Technically, this was my 4th Marathon, if you count the Portland Marathon as 2 half marathons.

I ran it in 1:36:15, which was 1minute 42seconds  faster than the Spring Half marathon. Both are trail marathons with 1000 feet of hills the first time, 1600 feet in the fall.  The net elevation gain was 950 feet or so.  As far as i can tell, from analytically retentive review of the results, I'm the only runner who ran in both, who was faster in the fall.  I guess the course is a little harder, I trained a lot, and had a good day.

In any event, I improved in the second dirty half, with most of the competition dropping from 1-4 minutes back from their time in the "Dirty Half."

It was 25 at race time, and I was a bit chilled after a 7 mile bike ride to the race.

I went out steadily but allowed people ("allowed?") to run by me after a bit, and settled in and held my position up the 6 mile climb. I had to stop to tie my shoe (doh), and slowed at a feed station and took two little sips of water.

I passed probably 5 runners on the way up, and another 4 on the way down, and I finished a respectable 28th out of 320.  I was 2nd in the 40-45 age group, but that guy was a studly 5 minutes ahead of me.

My gps shows elevation gain as 1300 total feet of climbing, but the race director's altimiter (more accurate) shows as much greater.  I'm going with the big number.  Makes me feel better about myself.

Fun, nice to improve.
Morrison Luke Smith
Morrison Luke Smith
(c) Morrison Luke Smith

Saturday, October 10, 2009

light week.

kids are racing today. but in town, which was a nice treat. always great to not set an alarm, and actually get some sleep. wednesday was an easy 45 min run and an easy 2 hour ride, thursday and friday was rest (well, biked around a bit), today i may run a couple miles, tomorrow, a half marathon on trail.

it's hillier than the last one, so if i simply beat my last time i'll be happy, but i'd like to crush it. Illio tibial band has been cranky, so i'm going to play it by ear.

after this, I'm going to try to get in a couple of epic rides, and if snowfall allows next weekend i'm going to to try to do a long ride/ mountain hike combo. the long runs are over for the year though. (longer than 10 miles).

i dreamt of snow in copious amounts, however, NOAA and el nino tend to disagree with me.

Wednesday, October 07, 2009

1000s

9/29/2005 3:42, 3:49, 3:49, 3:49, 3:34.
10/3/2005 3:41, 3:38, 3:38, 3:40, 3:30
9/20/2006 3:37, 3:25, 3:21, 3:20, 3:16, 3:16
9/19/2007 3:45, 3:35, 3:30, 3:25, 3:30. Plus 2km warmup, 1.5 km cooldown.
9/26/2007 3:40 3:35 3:30 3:25 3:30 3:40 plus 2km warmup, 2 kim cooldown.
9/22/20009 3:25, 3:21, 3:15, 3:11, 3:20, 3:25
10/6/2009 3:35, 3:20, 3:15, 3:02, 3:18

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

highlands loop

easy highlands... about 32 from stopsign and back (call it 4.5)
6x100 m strides on turf on 18-15 seconds
a few core excercises.

hammy a little dodgy, but ok.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

hills

8/18/09 3:45, 3:35, 3:25, 3:21.

3:25, 3:20, 3:25, 3:18, 3:15. good 1:30-2:00 rest. maybe best ever. hammy a little tight from cramping sunday.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

1000s

9/29/2005 3:42, 3:49, 3:49, 3:49, 3:34.
10/3/2005 3:41, 3:38, 3:38, 3:40, 3:30
9/20/2006 3:37, 3:25, 3:21, 3:20, 3:16, 3:16
9/19/2007 3:45, 3:35, 3:30, 3:25, 3:30. Plus 2km warmup, 1.5 km cooldown.
9/26/2007 3:40 3:35 3:30 3:25 3:30 3:40 plus 2km warmup, 2 kim cooldown.
9/22/20009 3:25, 3:21, 3:15, 3:11, 3:20, 3:25

I don't know. arguably better than ever.

Monday, September 14, 2009

fine wine...

2009 (sep 13) 5:50, 5:40, 5:45, 5:45, 5:50 (2:30 rest. best set ever)
2009 (2:15 rest) 5:52, 5:52, 6:00, 6:04, 6:35 (last was at tempo rate).
2008 (3 minute rest) 6:10, 6:00, 5:50
2007 (don't know the rest) 6, 5:55, 5:50, at 5:57.
2006 (don't know the rest) 6:18, :15, :15, :05, :10.

Saturday, September 12, 2009

long run.

1:37 easy run with athlete.
11, or 12?
highlands, kents, phils.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

thursday

wednesday, did a 4 mile run. is that it? oh, biked a bit, walked a couple k to set a course. lots of work work.

thursday, 3.5 mile run, then 4 intervals on the bike of 3 min each. say another 10 miles of just whomping around. friday, i'll run short, bike if i can, and lift.

saturday i'll run long. sunday i'll lift, but otherwise take it easy.
monday hard miles interval set. going for 5-6 this time...

Tuesday, September 08, 2009

miles

2009 (2:15 rest) 5:52, 5:52, 6:00, 6:04, 6:35 (last was at tempo rate).
2008 (3 minute rest) 6:10, 6:00, 5:50
2007 (don't know the rest) 6, 5:55, 5:50, at 5:57.
2006 (don't know the rest) 6:18, :15, :15, :05, :10.

we're repeating the workout next monday.
goal is 6 down to 5:(anything faster than 5:50)

Sunday, September 06, 2009

today...

my house, highlands loop white road loop. 1:37 or 1:38 or so.
11 or 12. i think. have no idea of pace, or distance...

Saturday, September 05, 2009

recentstuff.

team time trial: 12:43 possible slightly longer (i.e., course was fully marked this time). had asthma, now have inhaler, will redo TT soon for check.

today, 6 mile-ish 'highlands loop' with time of 50:00 even. Very slow out, breezed in (12 min over 1.55 course) in the desired 147-155 HR.

Metatarsalgia flared up.

11 miler tommorrow.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

workin' out

Hill Repeats.

3:45, 3:35, 3:25, 3:21.

Gettin' faster, not older.

Or in my case, I should say, getting less slower, not older.

Well, older too.

Friday, August 14, 2009

Summer Camp.

Summit Cultus Running Camp.
Lessee, last years blog said i did it in 56min, did it in 54:50 this year, and didn't cut the corner at the log, so, yeah for getting faster.

Did the 12.5 mile run in 1:40 straight up, a little faster than last year.

Did the paddle accross and back in way less time.

The biking, well, I didn't kill it on the hill, so close there, but no cigar, but it was a solo ride, and it's hard to Time trial.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Dirty Half Marathon

Not terribly much to report.
Here's the race website. I got up, biked over (just 3 miles or so), went to the bathroom, jogged 1/2 mile to the start. The first mile was too fast (6:50) and with no warmup I was toast for a while. The next two miles, where much of the climbing occured, were around 8:00 as I was just trying to get it back together.

Finished in 1:37:50 or so, so, 7:28 miles on average... I was hoping for 7-7:30's so it was just OK.

Little warmup, better first mile and I hopefully go 2 minutes faster.

That's all.