Announcements

Hello TCA Running Families! Wow! Can I say that again, Wow! What an exciting performance our runners gave at the Fountain MS Invitational. We have a strong team this year and it is revealing itself early in our first few XC Meets. First up was the Girls A-Team who knew the competition was going to be fierce but stepped up to the start line with confidence. Lucy and Emma led the charge and Madylin, Emma L., Selah, Lauren and Ariele were close behind. The finish line was our 'bread-n-butter' as Emma L. made her move to pass Madilyn who stayed steady and held off a Cheyenne Mtn runner that came from behind with a blast of power.  This is a great example of the mental-toughness we have been cultivating in our practices. Each place mattered in that final stretch and it was a team effort to secure that finish. TCA Girls won 1st place with 33 pts over Cheyenne Mtn with 34 pts. Top 5 runners; Lucy Swartzendruber (2), Emma Briggeman (3), Emma Leiker (8), Madilyn Discoe (9), and Selah Kallemeyn (11). Great Job!! The Boys A-Team were charged and ready at the start! No shortage of confidence as the gun went off! Daniel and Jacob pulled the team forward with a strong start followed by Jack, Titus, Cole, George and Evan. The plan was to go out fast and they did with Daniel capturing one of the fastest times we have seen on that course in the last decade. Each runner was on the offense pursuing their place to help secure the team score and they captured 1st place with 39 pts, followed by Holmes at 61 pts, and Chey Mtn at 65 pts. What a site to see!! Top 5 runners; Daniel Schwartz (1), Jacob Edwards (4), Jack Moylan (9), Titus Hickerson (11), and Cole Witmer (14). The Girls Open B-Team Race was impressive to say the least. Excitement and nerves we evident at the start but when the gun went off, they went out hard. They captured 3rd place with 58 points, Holmes in 2nd with 50 pts, and Cheyenne Mtn with 26 pts. Of note, Dahlia Maxwell's time qualified her to run up to A-Team on the next Meet. Working hard at practice is paying off. Great Job to all our Open Girls!! I love being at the start of the Boys Open B-Team Race. Their comradery is fun to watch and when they need to focus on the job at hand, they dial in. Jackson led the team out with a strong pace and was followed closely by Daniel, Micah, Reece, Corbin and Sawyer. A strong finish was evident as Jackson came around the corner closing on the first and second place runners. Then Daniel appeared, then Micah with Reece and Corbin on his heels. They blew the competition away with a 1st place finish at 46 pts, followed by Timberview  at 93 pts, Cheyenne Mtn 94 pts. Jackson Gillespie will move up to A-Team for the next Meet. Great job working together to move our team forward!! It is truly amazing what we can accomplish as a team when the focus is on preparation and self-improvement with hard work and dedication to each other to be the best we can be for our teammates. Coach Allan crunched some data on how times dropped from last year, on this same course, and I have shared it below. Team stats and all runner results are attached as well. NO Practice, Monday September 7th. It is a 'run on own' day. I suggested a 20 minute recovery run with core and stretching at the end. Take advantage of the earlier morning when temps are cooler or a later run when the sun is not so intense. This will keep us limber for the Meet on Tuesday, September 8th, at Holmes Middle School (more information coming in another email). I appreciate all the support from parents this year. We are definitely feeling appreciated and feel like we can count on you to partner with us as we prepare our team for each challenge that comes our way. I hope you are having as much fun as we are watching the progress of your runners. Enjoy the long weekend! I will be heading to the BalloonFest at Memorial Park which runs each morning Sat-Mon. It has been a tradition of our family since my oldest daughter was two years old and we always stop by Amy's Donuts afterwards for a sugar rush. Maybe I will see you there!! Go Titans!! Coach Brim, Coach Allan, Coach Allison, Coach Schwartzendruber, and Coach Daron

Hello TCA Runners and Families, Our next XC Meet is the Fountain Middle School Invitational. Please see information below; You are invited to participate in the Fountain Middle School Cross Country Invitational on Thursday, September 3rd at 4:15 p.m. The meet will be held at Metcalfe Park (618 E Ohio Ave, Fountain, CO 80817). Please make sure runners and spectators bring a filled water bottle to the event, as we do not have access to water on site. There are restrooms available. We will have a Rita’s Italian Ice truck available. RACE Schedule:  Girls’ “A” Division (top 7, score 5)          4:15pm  Boys’ “A” Division (top 7, score 5)          4:45pm  Girls’ “B” Division (unlimited entries)      5:15 pm  Boys’ “B” Division (unlimited entries)      5:45 pm  *If we get ahead of schedule, we will stay ahead of schedule Students will be dismissed at 2:30pm with the last carpool leaving by 2:50pm. Look for the TCA Coaches by the shade tree near the pavilion. We  will start the course walk at 3:25pm. We will meet as a team after the race to debrief at our team camp and get a group picture. Make sure to pack your bag the night before and include your uniform, two bottles of water, running shoes rain jacket, snack for before and after the race. This race will run on mostly dirt trails, but include sidewalk, asphalt and grass. Should be a good challenge for our team. The distance 1.5 miles, but there are some muddy areas and they may adjust the distance. Course Map is attached. Thank you for volunteering for carpool and supporting your runners as they continue on this journey of discovery. They are improving every week and it is a joy to coach them. Go Titans! Coach Brim, Coach Allan, Coach Allison, Coach Nathan, and Coach Daron

Hello TCA Runners and Families, I appreciate your flexibility and positivity as we have been battling Mother Nature this week. Living in Colorado is always an adventure :) Some quick updates for next week are below; Next week: Mon-Wed - Regular practice Thursday - Fountain MS Meet (more details to follow but students will be dismissed at 2:30 with last carpool leaving by 2:50) Friday - Regular practice SpiritWear: Last chance to order shirts and hoodies is by midnight tonight (Friday). Here is the link; Amazing Gear! JH Cross Country Hub Link: Amazing JHXC Hub! Don't forget to stay informed by logging onto our custom Hub for all things JHXC! Pictures: I will send the link for pictures on Monday. Be looking for an email specific to ordering them. Reschedule Elizabeth Meet: The Elizabeth Middle School AD has reached out to if there is enough interest to reschedule. I will keep you updated. We may have to move fast to mobilize a carpool if they decide to hold it on next Tuesday, Sept 1st so please keep this information in in the back of your mind. It looks like such a fun course! We have been working on setting the example of being resilient and positive even when things don't go as planned. I have the best coaching staff who are very creative!! Our team has really shown their true colors in their efforts and flexibility. They really want to work hard to improve and are amazing to coach! Thank you for raising such respectful and hard-working children. We continue to be impressed with their effort at practice and how they advocate for themselves. Make sure to encourage rolling out sore muscles and getting good rest over the weekend. We will be back at it on Monday. Please send any questions my way. Go Titans!! Coach Brim, Coach Allan, Coach Allison, Coach Schwartzendruber, and Coach Daron

Hello TCA Running Families, Please see updated information regarding the meet on Monday; You are invited to participate in the Elizabeth Middle School Cross Country Invitational on Monday, August 24th at 4:00 p.m. The meet will be held at Casey Jones Park (4189 CO-86, Elizabeth, CO 80107). ● Parking: To access event parking, go off County Rd 17 and park by the softball nest. ● Team Camps: All team camps must be set up at the south softball field. ● Kona Ice: Kona Ice will be on-site for runners and spectators to enjoy! ● Water: Please ensure all runners and spectators bring filled water bottles to the event, as on-site water access is limited. ● Course: This course is a 3k, flat and all dirt Race Schedule: ● Girls’ A: 4:00 PM ● Boys’ A: 4:30 PM ● Girls’ B: 5:00 PM ● Boys’ B: 5:30 PM *(Times are approximate. If we get ahead of schedule, we will stay ahead of schedule) A Teams and B Teams will require labels and be coach timed. Students will be dismissed at 1:50 with last carpool leaving by 2:10. We will set up camp at the South Softball Field. Be looking for your coaches. We will start the course walk at 3:10pm. Directions:  Here Course Map: see attached Sorry for the last minute change. This does happen from time to time depending on park availability or weather. Although this is unfortunate, We Are Titans and I am sure we can all pull together to accommodate this change and continue in our plan of pursuing excellence and remaining resilient. Please reach out with any questions. Go Titans!! Coach Brim

Our first Cross Country Meet of the season is this Friday, August 21st. Please see information below; Cheyenne Mountain Stampede @ Norris Penrose Equestrian Center 1045 Lower Gold Camp Rd, Colorado Springs, CO 80905 (*Times are approximate.  If they get ahead of schedule, they will stay ahead of schedule) Race schedule: 3:00 A Girls - Chip timed - 12 entries 3:30 A Boys - Chip timed - 12 entries 4:00 B Girls - Coach timed - Unlimited entries 4:30 B Boys - Coach timed - Unlimited entries “A” teams are limited to 12 runners (5 score) with chip time; “B” teams are unlimited entries, and coaches will time their own runners. Top 10 boys and top 10 girls will receive t-shirts. This course is a dirt trail with hills and a river crossing. Super fun as it is the same trail used for the High School State XC Championships,  just not as long. Runners will be dismissed at 1:10 with the last carpool leaving TCA by 1:25. Plan to arrive by 2:00 so we can start the course walk by 2:10pm. We will meet in the grass by the entrance to the stadium. There is a large parking lot next to the stadium. **SPECTATORS WILL NEED TO PARK IN THE NORTH GRAVEL LOT (on the east side of the lot). There will be a parking fee of $10 per vehicle. SUPER IMPORTANT!! We are still looking for one more volunteer to help with the parent carpool. If you can help in this way, please let me know. Many hands make light work. It is not difficult to do and I can give you the information and templates for the emails you can use to send to parents. We need this asap so we can send out the signup for parents to volunteer as drivers. Without this key position filled, we will not be able to participate. Don't forget, tomorrow is Uniform Handout day!!  Two important notes: Wash them in Cold Water, Air Dry! You will be charged $60 if you return a damaged uniform. I know, hard to believe, but these uniforms are $60 each. We are enjoying every minute with your kids and we are looking forward to seeing them improve in their running ability and gaining confidence over the next few weeks. Go Titans!! Coach Brim, Coach Allan, Coach Allison, Coach Swartzendruber and Coach Daron

Hello TCA Cross Country Families, Boy, we couldn't have timed that better! What beautiful weather for our Team Family Dinner! Great food and more than enough for our runners and their families to enjoy. This years team is one of the largest we have had at TCA Junior High and I am so happy to see all the interest in our running program. Thank you for coming out to learn and hear from our coaching staff. Impressive times for our Time Trials! Even more impressive is the effort and courage I saw as they took on this challenge. Our team is not afraid to press in, even when it is difficult, and what an important lesson to learn this early in the season. I will be sending out information about our first Meet on Monday and these runners will be on the first A-Team; Boys: Daniel Schwartz, Jacob Edwards, Jack Moylan, Maverick Urbina, Titus Hickerson, Cole Witmer, George Rothe, Corbin Fox, Evan Short, Jackson Gillispie, Micah Askew, and Reece Zimmerman Girls: Emma Briggeman, Lucy Swartzendruber, Emma Leiker, Dalia Maxwell, Ivy Hayman, Dakota Clark, Arielle Bautista, Hazel Clonts, Ayla Humphrey, Gracelynn Devaul, Cate Mediavilla, and Evelyn Black All other runners will be in the B-Team or 'Open' Race. Congratulations to everyone who stepped up to the start line! Courage and grit are in large supply with our team this year. I love it! Be looking for the Junior High XC Hub link next week. It will have a results tab to access your runner's time from the time trial today. TeamReach App - If you haven't already, Please take a moment to download the TeamReach App and join the TCA JH XC group so you don't miss out on last minute important information. I will continue sending out weekly emails with standard information but this is a great tool to communicate time-sensitive information. Use the link below. Get the Teamreach app at teamreach.com Download the App on iPhone or Android Hit the ‘+’ in the app and click ‘Join Group’ Enter TCAJHXC24 in the group code field Hit ‘enter’ or ‘join’ to finish. IMPORTANT: Carpool As I mentioned at the team dinner, with such a large team, we will need a couple of parent volunteers to organize carpools to our meets. The coaching staff is not permitted, per TCA rules, to help with this. I do have a parent that can organize the Sign-Up sheet but needs a partner to be onsite to get labels to kids and kids into cars in the TCA Carpool line. Not all parents can take time off to drive their kids to the meets and we want to support every runner in getting there. Keep in mind that carpool is only for getting to the Meets, there is no carpool home from the Meet. Parents must pick up their runner from the race after the Meet ends. If you would like to serve in this way, just send me an email, I would greatly appreciate your help. I am expecting there will be some sore muscles this weekend. Please remind your runner to roller out and massage any sore spots. I am sorry we had to rush the explanation of rollering out sore muscles. I don't want this to be taken lightheartedly.  The habit of rolling out or massage after a hard workout is the best way to stay healthy and injury free during the season. It is of upmost importance that runners communicate any concerns they have so we can address them early in the season. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. I have attached the handouts we were planning on giving to you below. Please encourage your runner to do these strength exercises daily. The knee rehabilitation exercises are for runner's knee. This is the most common injury for new runners. Parents, thank you so much for your enthusiasm. It was so nice to meet you and I am looking forward to getting you know you more over the season. If you have any questions, please reach out. I am happy to help! I am looking forward to a very successful and fun season! Go Titans!! Coach Brim, Coach Allan, Coach Allison, Coach Swartzendruber and Coach Daron

This Saturday we had the Nielsen Challenge down at North Monument Valley Park. Great turnout and it was fun to see all the parents and siblings joining us. It was a bit of a challenge because it is 2 miles long and many of our runners have not been running that far in practice. We talked about how to process the 'jitters' before the start and how to pace yourself so you can finish strong. We also focused on form, swinging the arms and focusing on that when your legs feel tired, lifting your feet and not shuffling, and we talked about some mental games you can play to help you reach your goals. Results are here; PPRR This race was a practical way to prepare our runners for their first race of the season on August 21st. Most races are 1.5 miles but we have a few longer ones later in the season. GREAT JOB everyone!! This week's practices are on Monday and Thursday. Coaches have a TCA Meeting on Wednesday that we must attend so I moved practice to Thursday (same place as summer running, Cottonwood Creek Park, Lot 2 upper pkg lot by the soccer fields/same time 6:30-7:30pm). Then, we start 5 days a week the following week. I will be sending the practice schedule out shortly but wanted to share that we got approval for our first week of practice, August 10-14th, will be at Black Forest Regional Park from 6:30-7:30pm. This will give us a chance to acclimate to 5 days/week running when it is a little cooler out. Here is the link to the directions to BF Park. LAST DAY TO REGISTER is today, August 3rd. Please make sure to complete registration today to be able to come to Practice on August 10th. Remember to have your runners bring a water bottle, watch, and wear good running shoes to practice. A light snack before should be some kind of carbohydrate with a little protein such as: apples and pnt butter, cheese and crackers, grapes and granola bar. Save the cheeseburger until afterwards! Thank you so much for your support with the popsicles! WE LOve them!

I hope you all stayed safe inside this evening as the thunderstorms rolled through! We have had some bad luck with the timing of these storms but we can still continue building our base for running this summer with a little individual effort. If you can run tomorrow morning, before the storms come through, I would recommend the following; Depending on your fitness level, You can choose a 15 minute, 17 minute or 22 minute run, at recovery pace, focusing on form; shoulders back, looking ahead, swinging arms, lifting your feet. Don't forget to do a warm up stretch before, and our core routine afterwards. ( fire hydrants, donkey kicks, side leg lifts, flutterkicks and push-ups,  10 of each). This will help prepare for the Nielsen Challenge on Saturday, giving plenty of time for recovery. Please reach out with any questions. I am happy to help! Go Titans! Coach Brim

Good evening TCA Running Families, Our summer runs are going well!  Weather was hot last week but it didn't stop us and we were able to run and fit in a game of Capture the Flag at the end, which is always fun! We had around 28 runners last Monday along with Jonas from HSXC. It is so encouraging for our new runners to connect with our HS runners. I love to see parents jumping in to help too and challenge themselves during our runs. It is not easy, is it? This week we will be focusing on strengthening our core and continuing to develop our endurance. Practices are on Monday and Thursday at Cottonwood as scheduled. Some of you are attending the HS Cross Country Camp which is awesome but if you can't attend camp, we will still meet at Cottonwood. This week I will be talking about diet and hydration. Last week, we talked about using positive interactions to motivate teammates. Thank you for your support in encouraging your runners. Adjusting to running on a regular basis can be challenging but a few encouraging words can go a long way.  This week will be warm again, so make sure your runners drink at least 2 bottles of water during the day and eat a light snack before practice. We have the Nielsen Challenge this weekend on Saturday, August 1st!! Super fun, FREE, race downtown at Monument Valley Park. We like to meet at 7:30am, do a little warm up together, then the race starts at 8am. Did I mention it is free? Parents, siblings, aunts and uncles are all welcome to come out and enjoy the beautiful morning running on the Sante Fe Trail. You do have to go online and register your runner. This link has info on directions, race time, how it works, etc. Click on the RED REGISTER button to enter your runners information.  https://pprrun.org/races/nielson-challenge Once you register, you will be assigned a bib number which you can pick up on race day. This is a very 'family friendly' event and ranges from 5 year olds up to 90 year olds. Its a great introduction to the running community here in the Springs. If you have any questions, let me know. If you would like to bring popsicles for after practice, the team very much appreciates a nice cool treat after a hot workout. I think we have a couple dates left. Here is the link;  https://bit.ly/xc-jh-popsicle I hope we have everyone on the email lists, but please let me know if you know of someone that is missing. It is always a little tricky getting the distribution list together before the first roster comes out. Speaking of rosters,  DON"T forget to Register! This email was sent out by Kim Carl: https://app.smore.com/n/kp0xb-tca-jh-activities-newsletter   It has detailed instructions on how to register this year which is on a different platform than previous years. Coach Allen already navigated it for his high schoolers so if you have ANY questions don't hesitate to reach out to him. Let's go have some fun! Go Titans! Coach Brim

Be sure to get your registration completed with TCA. Here is a link to more information on the TCA Activities site: https://www.gobound.com/co/schools/theclassahs