@FossRunningCamp Week 2 (August 19th-26th) Review

#FossFamily Sports is a powerful tool no matter your residence your school district your gender and most important complexion of your skin. Competition doesn’t have a color. Proud of these boys the respect for our common man is the motto.

Entering my Third year as Staff at Foss Running Camp, it came a perfect time. The everyday hustle of city life can wear one’s soul and body, occupying my mind with other people’s stresses. I couldn’t wait to get to Strafford New Hampshire. Fortunately I was placed in the Zelander Cabin with the boys team of North Attleboro and Cohasset respectively. Nevertheless I am familiar with the North Attleboro XC, kept in contact over the last year since camp with several members so I knew this week would be a smooth week.

Every year when I attend camp, I pick the brains of the guest speakers and the coaches who are there who I wouldn’t usually have the opportunity to do so. Besides close mentors in Coach Kevin Maloney, Rick Kates & George Rose. I was fortunate to speak with Coach Phil Maia and Art Demers, in my opinion two of the best the New England Region has seen in the last two decades. My father once told me to be sponge, and soak up the wisdom, knowledge and experiences. I have learned valuable lessons, most of the top notch coaches had some hurdle to conquer on the way to a successful season and careers. Most important lesson taught this year is learning how to prioritize the Wife and balance out coaching and personal life.

Write here…

Special Salute to Caroline Johannes from Hingham HS Camper of the Week #HuntingSeason

Man oh man recovery after runs !

Foss Running Camp 2017 (Year 2) Best week of Mileage in 20 Years

New Hampshire is a beautiful state in the United States of America. I am fortunate enough to be born in the Northeast (Boston), Massachusetts to be exact, so the NH(New Hampshire) border was forty-five to an hour drive away. When I was younger the memories that I remember was visiting the amusement park Canobie Lake, my Aunts use to take me and my cousins there when we were younger. Memories don't live like people do - In my Beenie Man voice

Now that I am older and the sport of running has brought me full circle, I am happy to share that the State of New Hampshire is providing me new memories and friendships that will last a lifetime. Foss Running Camp is located in Strafford, New Hampshire on the YMCA Camp Ground. I was fortunate that my colleague my brother from Another Boston English's Finest, Massachusetts Track and Field Hall of Famer, Arkansas Razorback Said Ahmed, introduced me to some amazing individuals that changed my life  Coach Kevin Maloney over 40 years of Coaching experience, Coach Rich Kates, Coach Dennis Sheppard opened their arms and embraced me into the #FossFamily FRC (Foss Running Camp is one of the oldest running XC(Cross Country Camps) In New England. 

The first year I attend Foss I went for half a day check out the piece from the Boston Public Schools XC team blog, Thank you Coach Kevin Maloney , I fell in love with the scenery, the peace of the wilderness, mother's natured awe and most important the energy. Student Athlete's travel from all over the New England Area, to kick start their XC season. I joined the Foss Staff and the first year I served as the Cabin Coach for the wildcat Cabin which hosted the students from Hingham High Schools, For a week there wasn't an issue of race, class, didn't matter the car your parents drive or the school you attended, for this one or two weeks in August it was about synergy. The common goal was to become a better runner. 

As I entered Year 2, I was a seasoned Cabin Coach, I was advised by my other peers to come up a day early between the transition weeks between week 1 and 2 where some of the counselors rent a boat, and enjoy a beautiful saturday afternoon on Lake Winnipesaukee, this set tone to be for me an amazing week. I was assigned to the Zelander Cabin where I shared the cabin with the boys XC team from North Attleboro. Addressing the campers by the last name was easy for me to remember, the names (Flood, Prem, Joey Bags, Liam, Skye, Dylan, Mac Daddy, Cam, Bradley, Clarke). The goal and rules of the cabin was simple do the morning runs chill for the remainder of the day, keep the cabin clean and when it's time for chores we take care of business. 

Foss is such a great experience I get to pick the brains of some of the best Coaches in the area, from New Balance's own Head Coach of h Mark Coogan from Newton's South Great Coach McChesney, Coach George Rose, Coach Fletcher from Woburn, Artie Demers just to name a few, plus get to meet some of the talented runners and teams in the New England Area. This year was a real treat because the week started off with a guest speaker Ryan Wagner who was an amazing competitor in High School who is now the Assistant Coach at Colby College, this was a real treat. Most importantly I was impressed and even more proud of my student athelet's behavior for the week and that Douglas Alvarado & Sarah Lawton were voted Camper of the week in their respective cabins. 

Marrying my Life partner on April 23, 2017, I had the attitude and the mindset that 2017 would be the Year that I would always remember. A new memory established a new milestone my best week of running in over twenty plus years where done this year at FRC. 

Below is a breakdown of my week at FRC

Sunday August 20, 2017: Easy 40 Minutes 4.29 Miles at 9:22 mi/pace for 40:11 Minutes   

Monday August 21, 2017: 3 Mile Fartlek (1:00/1:00) at 8:43 mi/pace  

Tuesday August 22, 2017: 8 Mile Run: Longest Run in 22 years  

Wednesday August 23, 2017: 5 Miles x 6(100 Meter) Hill Strides 

Thursday August 24, 2017: Warm Up: 6 x 1k (60) sec recovery: Cool Down 

Friday August 25, 2017: 9 Miles  

Saturday August 26, 2017: Rest

Sunday August 27, 2017: 5 Miles Easy  

This body work is the best to what I have done in a long time, I am looking forward to superseded the mileage, the time, the pace because Dreams Are Tangible Goals.