Tag Archives: running

A Fun Way to Stay Healthy

At Dodd, there is a variety of sports you can try out for, and one of those is cross country. I have been a member of the Dodd Cross Country team both of the years I have been at Dodd. The cross country team practices every day, and normally runs 3-4 miles in practice. Practice starts right after school at 3:00, and runs until 4:30. A cross country meet is 2 miles, and are usually held once or twice a week. Home meets are held at Cheshire Park and last until about 4:45. The cross country season runs through September, October, and part of November.

I think that joining Dodd Cross Country is a great idea. By joining, you get a chance to stay in shape and still have fun. I met many new friends through cross country, and running with them makes the workout fun. You can stay healthy and active and still be with your friends. During cross country season, my body is in good shape and I feel good. Running is a great way to stay active and have fun at the same time.  Overall, cross country has helped me stay fit and make new friends, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes to run.

~Kaelie

My Track Experience

This past spring was my first track season, and it was some of the most fun I have ever had. When I first tried out, I wasn’t sure I would like this sport as much as cross country, but I was very wrong. I found that I liked the fact that we had so many different events to watch and practice like throwing, relay, sprints, and longer distance runs. The Dodd track team consists of shot put, discus, 100m sprints, 4 by 100 relay, 4 by 400 relay, 200m sprint, 400m run, 800m run, and 1600m run. I made the team for the two longer distance runs, the 800m and the 1600m (mile). After a week of training and lots of running, it was time for the first meet.

The first meet we were away at Moran Middle School and everyone was nervous. We all did a warm up lap around the track then continued to stretch and prepare for the first events. It started with the 4 by 100, and everyone who wasn’t in this event went to the bleachers. People everywhere seemed to be super enthusiastic as the runners made their way around the track. After the 4 by 100 it was time for the mile. I was anxious as we lined up on the starting line and the coach went over the rules. “Start here, end here, no shoving, a second gunshot will go off if we need to restart… everyone ready?” and then the gunshot sounded. The sidelines were filled with cheering spectators as we ran multiple times around the track. I was surprised how much I was enjoying the run as I was getting onto the last lap. I picked up my pace and ran straight through the finish line, nearly beating my record. I had a much better time at the meet than I had expected, and when it came time to do the 800m, I was ready and very excited. As soon as the meet ended, I started to look forward to the next one. If you would like to know more about track, check out this website, The History of Track, and see if it’s something you might want to do!

~Gabrielle Messeder

INJURIES… AND LIFE

When you see someone on crutches, you usually say “oh what happened?” and “that sounds so horrible” or “I feel so bad for you!”. Have you ever considered the fact that if you are a  runner or involved in a sport with a lot of running,  you could be that person? Many teenage athletes are often getting hurt because their bodies are still growing. For a runner, knee and leg injuries are a big issue.  Runner’s knee and shin splints are just a couple. Achilles Tendinitis (Achilles tendon attaches the calf muscles Gastrocnemius and Soleus to the heel. This can become inflamed through overuse) and ankle sprains are a couple of the most common foot and ankle injuries. Injuries often happen because everything is so repetitive. All you’re doing is putting your foot down. With every step you take you could be injuring yourself more and more. That’s why it’s important to stretch correctly, do a warm up, have good running shoes, have good core strength, and eat well. Especially as a growing teenager.

I never thought that I would ever be the one hurt. Now I’m out for the season and I know how horrible it feels. However, I didn’t hurt my leg or foot. I have what’s called the “Apophysitis of the Pelvis/Hip”. It would have never happened if I wasn’t growing and the bone/muscle plate wasn’t weak in the spot where the muscle attached. This just goes to show we all need to be careful. I think that this made a little bit of an impact on my life because now I’m seeing it from the other side. I guess you never know what it really feels like until it’s you.

~Abigail Del Vecchio

Go The Distance

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There are many reasons why running is one of the best sports to do. One thing is that you get a lot of exercise because it is a high intensity form of exercise. You also can do it quite inexpensively. All you really need are a good pair of running shoes and some comfortable clothes. Plus, everyone knows how to run so you don’t need to learn new skills. That also makes it easier for anyone to do this sport. It doesn’t matter if you’re young or old or skinny or not because you can still run.  When you run in a race you meet a lot of really nice people. Also, when you run you can run in a group or on your own. You can also run as slow or as fast as you want to.

I personally love running cross country and track. Everyone on the team is very nice and friendly. You can make a lot of really close friends. Cross country is also a sport that anyone can do. As long as you are willing to run and put in effort then you will make it onto the team. Meets for cross country and track are really fun and exciting to be part of. I think that everyone shows a lot of sportsmanship. Other teams will cheer each other on and congratulate one another.There are many more reasons why running is a great sport, these are just a few of them.

~Kendall Redlitz

The Best In Us

    Meghan Vogel, a high school student in the state track meet at Jesse Owens Stadium in Columbus Ohio, was accompanied by another finisher when she crossed the finish line for the 3200 meter run.  Alongside Meghan was Arden McMath, a sophomore from Arlington High School.  With about 20 meters to go until the finish of this race, Meghan saw Arden collapsing in front of her and instead of just running in front of her, Meghan quickly ran to help her up.  “When she picked me up I was pretty amazed, and I didn’t expect that at all,” Adren recalls after finishing the race.  This wonderful act of kindness quickly spread across the nation and was broadcasted on national news.  “It was just something that I knew was right,” Meghan said to reporters a few days later.

I think that this race really shows the true power of sportsmanship that a person can have.  Meghan is truly a great runner and definitely a great team player.  It must have felt a whole lot better for Meghan and Arden when they crossed the finish line together than if Meghan had just run by and let Adren lay there collapsed on the track.  I don’t know how much courage it must have taken for Meghan to help Arden, but she absolutely showed a wonderful example of sportsmanship and what it means to be a team player.  I think Meghan should be an example for all of us to be kind and helpful and not just caught up in the win.

~Karl Bishop

Running: Is It For You?

When someone thinks of running, the first thing that comes to mind would probably be something along the lines of how it’s boring, difficult, or even that it has no benefit or point. And even when people do start to try to become a runner, often they find themselves out of shape or “running” into many different beginners problems such trying to find the right shoes/equipment to start running, which by the way aren’t exactly the cheapest things to get. So why bother to start running if it can be such a challenge and so mentally and physically exhausting? Well, if your up to the challenge, you might find that running can be really rewarding.

There are many reasons to start running to help you look your best, feel your best, and to stay at your top health. One of the top reasons someone would want to start running is for weight management. The truth is, if you plan on losing a lot of weight, starting this sport is definitely going to be a challenge. But, running is probably going to be the best effort you ever put in to lose weight in the end. Another good point to running, is like all other team sports, is that it is excellent for your social life. Participating in races, or even just going for a jog can be a lot of fun when running with friends for competition or just for something to do with other runners. However, this doesn’t mean that you have to be on a team to enjoy running with others. Running can just be a simple hobby. And finally, running can lift stress and make you a happier person. Just going for a jog naturally releases hormones that will put a smile on your face. There also are countless other reasons to start running and pretty much no downside. Bottom line, it couldn’t hurt to try this great sport.

When I first started running, I joined my schools cross country team and I thought it was just like the mile run all over again. But, however, when I got into shape it became easier and easier. I could feel the difference as I got more in shape and I felt more healthy. I even got a lot better at all sports as the season went on. Running quickly became one of my favorite sports and I kept on doing it for two years. Basically it a great sport to take up and there is so much more to it that mentioned on my blog. So what are you waiting for? Get out there and start running!

~David Amann

Running Rampage

Work the hill! This is what I hear from the Dodd Cross Country coach Ms. Heffernan during meets. Cross Country is one of the three sports I participate in. I also play baseball and basketball. I was on the cross country team last year and I am on it this year too. Last year as a seventh grader, I thought I fit in nicely with the eighth graders. I was the third fastest on the team. We came in fifth place in the state meet and earned a trophy. This year, we expect to exceed last year’s results. We are currently 3-1, coming off a two point loss to Moran. Earlier in the year, we were supposed to participate in the Pantherfest in East Hampton, but it got cancelled due to rain. Other invitationals we’ve participated in include the McGee Invitational and the Dodd Invitational. We’ve dominated every team except for Moran. The three teams we’ve beaten are Kennedy, DePaolo, and Dag. We’ve beaten each of them by a large margin. Next week, we have a meet against Wilson, which is our last meet as a complete team. Then, on November 5th, the top seven runners qualify to go to the State Championship Meet at Wickham Park in Manchester, CT. I am looking forward to that meet and I hope to do very well there. I’m shooting for a top ten finish this year. Last year, there was a total of 305 runners in the meet. I want to kill it!

I have been running since I was 8 years old. When I was 9, I ran my first mile. I ran it in 7:49. At the time I thought it was amazing, but now I hear about all these phenoms and I’m thinking, Wow! I stink. That mile was really when me and running clicked. I come from a family of runners and they pushed me to give it a try. I’ve just been running ever since. I always had a rivalry with one kid in elementary school whenever the mile run came round the corner. In 4th grade, I got a 7:11 and i wasn’t too happy. My friend got a 6:49 and the Norton School record. I was so mad. But then, I got it back. In 6th grade, we ran the mile run for the fitness test. I was so happy after that run. I got a 6:18! I was pumped. I came in 1st for my grade, beating my friend by four seconds with a sprint at the end. Then I went into middle school and ran cross country and track in seventh grade. In cross country, I did way better than expected. I got no respect in the beginning but then I earned it. My best finish in a meet as a seventh grader was second place. I usually came in sixth or seventh though. In the state meet, i came in 59th out of 305 seventh and eighth grade runners. I ran a 6:10 mile pace over 2.3 miles. I came in third for Dodd. That race is still the highlight of my running career. Then in the spring, during track, I didn’t get off to a good start. I didn’t win an event until the fourth meet. I ran the mile, the 800 meter, and the 4×400 meter relay. My fastest mile during track was 5:24 and my fastest 800 was 2:30. The 800 is my favorite event. We were unable to go to the Track State Championships because of failure to register in time. I was crushed. I was hoping to improve my times. At the moment, it is undecided whether I am doing track in the spring, but if I do, I’m hoping to break some records!

~Dylan D’Addio

SPORTS

Who wouldn’t want to spend an hour running around with all their friends? I know I do. Playing a sport is the best thing to do. Think about it, you get to be with your friends and you get exercise too! There are so many choices, like swimming, football, basketball, soccer, field hockey, baseball, and much more!  I think everyone should try something new, try a sport you normally wouldn’t play. You get a chance to meet new people and make new friends. I love playing sports!  I always get nervous before games, but once I get in the game, I feel much better.

Coaches can be  strict sometimes, but they are only trying to help you.  They do their best to help you improve on your skills. You don’t  always have to be the most athletic person to play a sport. Sometimes, you don’t even have to be that good. Its just about having fun, meeting new people, and getting some exercise.  I recommend everyone  go out and play a sport, or start a new one!

~Ashley Iadarola