Coach Jay Johnson's Articles

Three Ways To Help Your Runners PR This Week

Published May 7, 2025

I hope you and your athletes are doing well and that they are ready to have their best races of the year this week.

Three things to keep in mind, the most important being:

They’re fit and ready to go, and they know how to be uncomfortable. Don’t complicate things with complicated instructions.

…that said…

📌 KEY TAKEAWAYS

Sleep is the most powerful — and most overlooked — performance enhancer for high school runners. Athletes who sleep more run faster, recover quicker, and stay healthier.
During deep sleep your body releases growth hormone, which repairs muscle fibers broken down during hard workouts — skimp on sleep and recovery slows dramatically.
High school athletes who sleep fewer than 8 hours per night are nearly twice as likely to get i...

10 Keys for Great XC Races in October and November

📌 KEY TAKEAWAYS

You don’t need an A+ race — solid B+ performances will produce a great team score, especially since much of the competition will falter by aiming too high.
Trust running less: the aerobic fitness is built, the “hay is in the barn,” and now is the time for fresh legs and mental readiness.
Focus on what’s in your control — weather, course conditions, and other people’s energy are not. Bad weather is actually an advantage for we...