All around the state, today was scrimmage meet day. Oh, sure, some teams did private little time trials, and probably a couple teams ran in local 5Ks, but a whole lot of coaches--and no doubt a few athletes as well--learned something today.
The Doherty scrimmage here in Colorado Springs hosted the Denver Eagles, Gateway, Mesa Ridge, The Classical Academy, Doherty, Coronado, Peyton, Palmer, Air Academy, Woodland Park, and, of course, Doherty. My apologies if I missed anyone there. Air Academy left a lasting impression on me this morning. The rest of you will see it soon enough.
Other scrimmages happened at various and sundry locations around the state, and everyone at each learned something. Undoubtedly, a few folks learned something about what transfers are showing up at which schools. Much more of that will take place this coming weekend.
I learned anew that the breakfast tacos at Monica's Taco Shop on Fillmore are a splendid dining option to meet new parents over. If you haven't tried Monica's Taco Shop in Colorado Springs, you really owe it to yourself on your next visit to our fair city.
A whole lot of athletes learned how having a regular training schedule puts you ahead of your peers who didn't. Some of that gap will close over the course of the season, but it's always an eye-opener for some in the early stages of the season. And, the advantages of training over the summer (and winter!) are never completely eclipsed during the season, nor from season to season.
For scrimmages that didn't start within an hour of sunrise, there was the feel of blazing heat today. It's been a cool summer for most of us here in Colorado, but the last couple of afternoons and this morning served to remind a lot of folks of what running in the heat feels like. Acclimation will take place, but it's never quite the same as running in overcast conditions at 50F.
I can't think of much more to say about Scrimmage Saturday, so let's talk a little about what's been published here on Colorado Track XC and what's coming up in the week ahead.
Over the last month, plus a little, I've been writing classification-by-classification top ten teams previews. It's all my opinion, of course, but it may help alert you to some teams you might not have thought about in a while. Most of these are still on the front page, but you might have to dive into the articles archive to find others.
I've also been publishing individual team previews for several different teams. If you'd like to scroll through the teams that have been covered, you can do that here.
Earlier this summer, I also offered a take on the state's top returning individuals (boys, girls) and the Southwest regions top teams (boys, girls). And, earlier in the summer, we took a look at who appears to have the toughest regions this fall.
All that should give you plenty of summer reading to catch up on.
In the week ahead, I'll try to do quick previews on most, if not all, of the week's upcoming meets. We'll have time to wedge in at least a couple more team previews for that series. And, we'll mine out some data about upcoming meets.
In short, I aim to give you all sorts of reasons to take a break from the piles of homework and see what's new on Colorado Track XC!
It's good to have you back!