Introduction to Sal Gonzalez Rio Ranch High in New Mexico

• Started running in high school to stay in shape for basketball
• Had more luck and was only 5' 7" so ended up running in college

School demographics

• 2400 students in school
• One of higher academic achieving schools in the state
• 80 kids this year 30 girls and 50 boys
• First year there was 2008
• The second year the school split, was 4000 kids the first year
• The first year with the bigger population was 25 boys and 20 girls
• When took over with new program lost kids and had to rebuild

What was your previous school like?

• 50 kids
• Cultural changes
• Had to adjust to geography changes to change training
• Kids at Rio Rancho have more homework and push themselves more academically
• Kids were stronger at prior school had to do more strength work here at Rio Rancho

When you took over the school split and things changed, did you try to keep the traditions of Rio Ranch like they were before you got there or did things change?

• Rio Rancho was a bigger school that I was at, but did not make the podium nearly as often as we were. Our boys did not make the podium in 2008 when I arrived, but we have every year but one since then
• We had to change things up to get different results
• Team is a reflection of coaches attitude
• Work ethic had to change, implemented new things
• Some things did well at Pecos could not get them to work well at Rio Rancho

You talked about the injury rate is different at Rio Ranch, can you talk more about that and what you have had to do?

• Not super high miles, boys 50-55, but that was more than what they were doing
• Over a long 4 year period build them up, but we were getting injuries like IT Band
• Had a couple stress fractures
• Suburban kids I was with now just were not doing as much when they were kids outside so not as strong
• Added in strength work as cut down on injuries
• We do Jay Johnson strength work

How much time do you spend on strength and how long is your practice?

• 50 minute class in AM 30 minutes of strength ancillary work with 1-3 miles easy
• Afternoon another 30 minutes

What is the thinking of doing speed ladder and strides and hurdles before the run?

• We do both, before and after
• Access speed when fresh not depleted

What kids will you work with for dual athlete kids in the same season?

• Pecos had to with a small school
• 50/50 practice and 50/50 competitions

What does the summer look like?

• 2 weeks off after XC and 2 weeks after track
• Slowly get back into running by 4th week at full mileage
• 1st Monday of June will meet for first time every other day
• July will meet M-F
• Touch all speeds at all times from week 1
• Get to max milage by end of June

What is max mileage?

• Freshman with experience 35 miles, maybe 40 by mid-season
• Senior lots of weeks at 60
• Very individualized depends on the kid

How about boys vs Girls

• A lot of people do minutes but we do miles
• Top end senior girl will be 45 miles about same minutes as boys
• Girls try to get from 25 to 45 miles

You talked about touching on energy systems, how does the structure change going into September and the season?

• We take a lot from Dr. Jeff Messer
• Long run, race and one other quality day in
• 21-day cycle In week 1 short intervals, week 2 long intervals, week 3 tempo workout
• Tempos vary a lot

On long runs how do you structure the 'spice' and monitor

• Several coaches so have someone with each group
• Often out and back or big loops

How often do you race

• Top varsity 2 weeks on and 1 week off
• Occasionally may have 3 in a row
• District, State, Nike Regional are 3 weeks in a row

When you do race what does your week look like

• Long runs can change with breaks
• Interval/tempo day do no change
• Wednesday Tempo day
• Thursday aerobic day
• Friday premeet aerobic day
• Saturday Invitational

Do your three-week cycles build upon each other so the last cycle is the biggest one?

• Short interval days speed stays about the same but rest gets shorter as season goes on
• Long intervals rest stays same but pace gets faster

Is State always the focus and how do you get ready for it the last two weeks?

• More we talk about it the more stressful it becomes
• Remember, they are kids
• For training, yes always State
• Last big Vo2 workout is 10 days before State
• Last really long run is the Saturday before that
• Week of State tempo and snappy 200s

Dean Ouellette Ben Rosario Sal Gonzalez