FHSU CROSS COUNTRY It is the purpose of this document to help
incoming Tiger cross country runners to understand the
THE CITY
Fort those of you unfamiliar with Hays and the surrounding
area, it is a mid-sized town of about 22,000 people located in North Central
Kansas. Hays is located about 90 minutes west of
THE UNIVERSITY
The
University is located on the southwest corner of the city, about one mile from
downtown Hays. The campus is characterized by the beautiful limestone buildings
that are part of the western
Academically, FHSU offers a wide variety of majors to
choose from; over 60, in fact. Our students
are first rate having won numerous national academic awards in debate, graphic
design, technology studies, agri-marketing, financial planning, leadership
studies and many more.
More than 99 percent of FHSU graduates are employed within 6 months of graduation or have begun study for an advanced degree. FHSU has the lowest tuition rate among four-year universities in the state offering students intensive interaction with top-notch faculty and unparalleled facilities.
THE TRADITION
The FHSU cross country program is one of the most storied
programs in the state of
THE COACH
Coach Jason
McCullough recently completed his third season at the helm of the cross country
program. In his three years, he has worked to re-establish the great tradition
that makes up FHSU distance running. He has rebuilt the women’s team into a
regional and national contender after only three seasons. Inheriting a team
that consisted of only one returnee, McCullough gradually built the team into a
nationally-ranked squad. His women’s teams have improved from 12th,
7th and now 4th in the region over the last three years. The
2007 squad earned its first national ranking since the 1997 season as they
ended the season 24th in
the national polls.
The men’s team was 12th in the region before
McCullough helped transform it into one of the top squads in the area. The 2006
team placed fourth at the regional while last year’s squad was seventh, despite
redshirting three of its top runners. Patience and planning are two of the
virtues that have been instrumental in creating long-term success with this
program.
THE PROGRAM
One look at the squad and you will notice a theme of over-achievement. There
are very few state champions or state-caliber athletes that make up this squad.
In fact, several athletes are new to cross country and distance running in
general. You will notice a marked improvement among athletes who have embraced
the training program and have risen to the level of college athletics. There
are several stories of average high school runners who have improved though training
and proper preparation. It sometimes takes months and/or years of persistence,
but belief in the athlete, and belief in the program have produced several
runners who are now capable of competing on the conference, regional and
national scenes.
THE TEAM
The basis behind any good individual is a strong support
system. The athletes’ successes are very much due to hard work, but also stem
from the team atmosphere that has developed in the program. There is an
emphasis placed on friendship and team camaraderie. These characteristics of the FHSU program are essential
to its success as a team on the cross country course. The men’s and women’s
squads are not separated. Everyone on the team is encouraged to get to know
each other. The squad hosts dinners, both formal and informal, to help this
cause. The coaching staff is also instrumental in creating opportunities for
team bonding through different workouts and trips. Common workouts create common runners and
common people. Coach McCullough and his staff are always creating new ways to stimulate
the body and the mind through new workouts and workout venues. Consistency is
the bread and butter of great distance running. Yet, workouts are meant to be
exciting and challenging.
THE TRAINING
Distance runners at FHSU work very hard. Coach McCullough
meets with the incoming athletes to determine the type of training that they
have completed prior to coming to FHSU.
From this meeting, appropriate training volumes are determined. During
the cross country season, each athlete will train as part of the team, yet with
differing mileage and intensity goals. Freshmen runners are expected to log
anywhere from 40-70 miles (men) and 30-55 miles (women) per week. With the
progression that takes place at FHSU, many top runners near 80-100 miles (men)
and 55-75 miles (women) per week as seniors in our program.
All of our athletes are expected to carry out training during
the “offseason” each year. For many reasons, this is often viewed as the most
important ingredient in producing great results.
During the season, all athletes are required to attend 6:30
am practices three days per week and 3:30 pm practices four days per week. The
weekly long run is carried out on Saturday mornings at 6:30 am when we are not
attending a meet. Most morning practices consist of easy recovery running and
core training. The afternoon workouts are usually longer and more intense.
Do we run on Sunday? Never. We
will never meet on a Sunday to practice. That is your personal day to do with
as you wish. Some athletes travel home after the Saturday morning practice and spend
the weekend with family. We expect our older athletes to continue to train
everyday. Our freshmen and middle distance runners will sometimes use Sunday as
a full recovery day or as a cross-training day. Either way, that is an
opportunity for you to determine your own recovery needs. We wish to push our
athletes to their limits. But increased running is not always the best for
everyone. Some athletes require an additional rest day or a very easy workout.
Our program is designed to help you achieve your ultimate potential. Therefore,
it is important to create a long-term plan for your continued improvement. Unlike
many programs that trash your legs with repeated interval work over and over, the
FHSU training program is designed to bolster your aerobic development. As you
get stronger through prolonged training, you are able to carry out faster and more
intense training sessions. The season training program calls for one tougher
anaerobic interval session per week. Each week will also consist of one faster
tempo run, a medium long run, and one longer tempo run, often in association with
your long run on Saturdays. It is not uncommon to work on shorter, faster
repetition work once per week either. Strides, hill work, plyometrics, hurdle
drills, weights and core training are also essential parts of your training. We
incorporate barefoot training, massage, ice therapy and stretching into your
recovery. As a runner, your training makes up only a portion of your
development. Attitude, nutrition, sleep and recovery are also very important
factors in your success as a runner.
The training facilities in and around Hays are often
thought of as some of the best in the state. The majority of our training takes
place along the countryside of Hays. There you can choose from many soft, flat dirt roads for
tempo runs or intervals. Or you can choose several hilly routes that make up
the landscape just west of and north of town. The Tigers train at elevations
ranging from 1800-2400 feet. Most of the countryside is sectioned off into mile
roads. Thus, training becomes easier to monitor. We often explore the visiting
towns of Munjor, Yocemento, Schoenchen, Liebenthal, Catherine, Ellis and
Victoria, just to name a few. The challenging hills and serene surroundings
make these routes perfect for training. Traffic is very rarely a concern for
our Tiger runners, making running that much more safe and stress-free.
FHSU also trains at Alex Francis track, an all-weather
eight-lane track that was recently resurfaced. Many of our interval workouts
and tempo runs are completed here. The remainder of our training takes place on
the Hays city streets or at municipal parks where we can choose softer running
surfaces.
One of the great advantages to FHSU is our indoor running
facilities. We are able to train year-round regardless of the weather. There is
a six-lane indoor track housed inside Gross Memorial Coliseum and a larger running
surface found on the second floor of the coliseum. The brand new student
fitness facility also boasts six state-of-the-art treadmills that go up to 12
miles per hour with a 15 percent grade. So bad weather is not
a deterrent to our training.
We also have some of the best athletic training facilities
in the area. We are blessed with two training centers, one at Gross Memorial
Coliseum and another at Alex Francis Track. We have four different ice baths
and one hot tub for our use. Our athletic training staff is present for all
FHSU cross country practices. We also have the use of four massage tables for
recovery.
THE WEATHER
The weather in
WHAT DOES THIS
MEAN TO YOU?
If you are interested in developing your talent as a
collegiate runner and are willing to work hard, check out FHSU. We offer a true college experience. You can experience life away from home, yet within
driving distance of your friends and family. You will have the opportunity to
be part of a team effort that is striving to be the best. But check us out first and make a visit! FHSU
is not for everyone. But if you choose our University, you will be rewarded with
the top efforts from your instructors, coaches and teammates.
We hope to hear from you soon!
To Schedule a
Visit!
Call the Admissions Department at 1-800-628-FHSU and ask for admissions. Or
you can call Coach Jason McCullough directly at (785) 628-4352 or reach him by e-mail at jmccullo@fhsu.edu.
Come
and see if FHSU is right for you!!!
FHSU Cross Country website
http://www.fhsu.edu/athletics/crosscountry/
FHSU Financial Aid information
FHSU Athletics website