Nick Dahl of Germantown Friends School, Pa. is nearly as good a blogger as he is a racer! The junior All-American chronicled his training this past summer and has agreed to continue this fall as he seeks to qualify for his first national cross country championship. Dahl has improved from one of the best freshmen in the nation to one of the best runners in the nation - period. In 2014, Dahl won the New Balance Nationals Outdoor Freshman Two Mile in 9:19.07. Just one year later, he placed third (9:01.81) in the championship section, becoming the nation's fastest sophomore two miler in 2015. Follow along as he looks to keep improving in 2015-2016!
Edition 2: Monday, September 21 - Sunday, October 4
Neither hurricane nor divine intervention will keep our team from training and racing. The city of Philadelphia has been through a dramatic few weeks, hosting the first Papal Visit to the United States since 2008, and weathering the effects of Hurricane Joaquin as it drives up the East Coast and I've never seen it quite so hectic. But yet, the city is as vibrant as ever, and the start of autumn brings with it lots of excitement. Temperatures dropped significantly, going from 82º and humid to 49º and pouring rain over the last 14 days, so we've had a bit of a rude awakening, as we readjust in wardrobe and mentality. I had to dive into the closet for my long-sleeve running t-shirts and sweatpants, which for me always signifies the beginning of a long stretch of training defined by vibrantly colored tights and constant battles with the elements. After the big win for our team at George School last week, everybody has been training with a new excitement. We breezed through our first few dual meets on our way to the Friends League Championships, coming up later in the fall, as well as took on superb competition at out of state invitationals. The arrival of autumn brought with it a new phase in training, and so we've been transitioning the focus of our work from 3k race pace to lactate threshold, a slower but more sustained pace, with longer intervals. This new workout phase is one of my favorites in the season, and I love the endurance required to make it through the longer pieces. For me, it always signals that we're ready to start racing up front, and that we're ready for some serious work.
Nick Dahl running at Belmont Plateau (Photo courtesy of Nick Dahl)
Between our first overnight trip of the season, and the beginning of chilly Sunday morning long runs, I'm remembering why cross-country has always been my favorite season for running. Sure, the weather can get cold way too early, and yes, the races can be brutal battles against the hills, elements, and ourselves, but I still love all of the little things that make this season great. Running down the Wissahickon towards Valley Green when the leaves are changing, racing at Belmont Plateau and being so alone on Parachute Hill that the only thing you can hear are the echoes of your own footsteps, lacing up next to six other hard-working, driven individuals, all with the same intense balance of fear and focus, feeling your heart flutter as you stare down a line of 300 other athletes, each one wanting more than anything to make it back faster than you. All separate experiences, each with their own intensity, which combined make up my mental image of what cross-country is.
Photos courtesy of Nick Dahl
