Adams State

I ran under Martin in the late 90's but the system is still in place (it's mostly Vigil) ...

First year: You enter the program. Unless you ran close to 9 minutes in high school for 2 miles forget about a scholarship. Most upperclassman have the very limited funds locked in. The school is only 1k tuition for in-state and 4k for out of state students so it's not like you need a scholarship anyway. 1k isn't too high of a price for a chance to run for the best cross country program in the nation (35 Team National Titles - no school has won more in any division).

You get a free pass on the 10 mile time trial. Unless you are a superstar you'll be redshirting and getting humbled on a day to day basis. You just try to hang on. Most run 65 minutes a day with a 30 minute morning bike double. You work-out in "group 3" - slow interval paces (that hurt), less repetitions, more recovery.

Summer:

You understand that there will be 20-25 guys competing for 7 spots. Often times you have kids that were state champions in high school, all-americans the previous year, or foot locker types that miss making the national team or are on the bubble to make it. You would be shocked by the amount of 9:30-45 2 mile kids that turn into mid-25's altitude 8kers in 1 year. Competition for the 5-7 spots is usually fierce with 6-8 guys usually capable of running in that spot (30:45ish 10k types). There are lots of time trials for these spots at the end of the year.

Hurdle one is the 10 mile time trial. It occurs during preseason and is a pretty big deal. Pat Porter still holds the record I believe at 48 minutes although I heard from a friend in town that Mario Macias broke the record in 2005 (ran 28:02 for 10k that year) - I'm not positive on this though.

You need to break 55 minutes to make the team. If you don't hit 55 minutes then you don't wear the uniform. Everyone that runs the standard has a chance to run in at least 2 races (the home meet, the first travel meet).

Season:

The basic plan for an upperclassman is:

Monday - (6 AM, frozen nostrils!) 35 minutes, (2:30 PM) 75 minutes

Tuesday - AM 35 minutes, PM 20 warm-up, 8 mile tempo (start at 5:30's work to 5:15ish), 20 cool down

Wednesday - PM 13 mile run up a mountain, usually very difficult and can get fast

Thursday - AM 35 minutes, PM 75 minutes easy

Friday - AM 35 minutes, PM 20 warm-up, 6 x mile in 4:35 with 3 minutes rest, 20 cool down

Saturday - AM 75-80 minutes easy

Sunday - AM 18 - 22 miles, progression - usually start around 7 mins and by mile 5-7 running about 6:30's, then the last 10 miles or so at 6 minutes or faster

Rinse, repeat. The workouts vary slightly. There are no in season tapers. If it is a race week then you delete the Friday workout and insert a 50 minute pre-race run. That's the only difference, the mileage stays up and the intensity stays up until championship season.

Tapering begins a week before the regional championship. This is also time trial season were the competition gets really fierce. It is inevitable that 7-10 healthy guys, that could be top 3 runners on any other team minus Western or Abiline, will miss making the team. They either quit out of frustration or come back harder the next season making the competition stiffer and stiffer.

This has been going on for over 30 years ... thus, there is always a crop of guys ready to roll. In any given year the 12 man at Adams State could probably make All-American if you removed his 11 teammates from the race.

It should also be established that the season is considered a failure if the team doesn't win nationals. There is really one goal - win nationals. If that doesn't happen then nothing else matters. Everything else is just a stepping stone to the national meet.

Racing:

Summer volume

10 mile time trial,

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Start long speed-work

Everyone runs the Joe Vigil Invitational,

First travel meet (usually a nearby race in Colorado)

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Start faster paced intervals

First "real" meet (Rocky Mountain Shootout or big invite)

Conference (Top 9 runners)

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start taper with fastest speed-work, less reps, full recovery

Regionals (Top 7)

Nationals (Top 7)

That was a great post. Thanks.

Indeed. Wish I had gone there back when all I cared about was running. Two guys I ran ahead of in high school came out national champions in the late 80s. I can see why.

texas guy wrote:

Martin is pretty much using Vigil's approach?

for the most part yes. he has changed a few things over the years. what are you looking to know?

I can also tell you after running for Martin most guys hate his guts.

how fast would you say you need to walk-on. if you don't run under 55 for the time trial as a freshman does that mean you off the team or you just don't race.

trying wrote:

how fast would you say you need to walk-on. if you don't run under 55 for the time trial as a freshman does that mean you off the team or you just don't race.

you will be fine. He likes hard working walk-ons. and that 10mile time trial is not a full 10miles (just like the cole park miles)

I disagree. I think a lot guys still like Martin, perhaps more, upon graduation.

You won't get "cut" or kicked from the team unless you:

(1) Drink, go to parties

(2) Cause trouble

(3) Don't do what Martin says

(4) Don't try

The 10 mile is 4.9 out and 4.9 back ... so 9.8 miles. It's at 7,544 though so it's tough. If you are a 2nd year and you don't break 55 but are close then you are fine (especially with a good excuse like injury). However, if you can't break 55 you don't really have a prayer of racing past the home meet. You'll basically just sit out the year and train.

For a bubble guy (53-54 minute 10 mile), think about the season as elimination rounds. Everyone runs the home meet. If you run in the top 12 or so you'll get another race. The next meet if you run top 7 then you are safe. If you run 8 man or up you are in for a rocky ride. The top 7 will fly to a big sea level meet (Roy Griak, Oregon, Shootout, Arkansas, New York, Stanford, etc ... whatever the meet Martin chooses that year). You'll stay back and train keeping the volume heavy and the mileage heavy. Only 9 runners can run at conference. Usually, this means that the guys running 8-15 spots go to a small meet and race for those 2 spots or they stay at home and time trial around the 5 mile Olympic Trials marathon loop.

If you make the top 2 in the time trial or meet then you get the opportunity to run in the top 9 at RMAC's. Everyone else can pretty much count their season as finished. You still continue to train at full volume and taper with the team (injuries do happen to the top guys).

Then, at the RMAC's usually the "pack" is safe ... if there is a gap then you're back on the chopping block. So, for instance, say the 1-5 have a 30 second spread then the 6-9 are 20 seconds back. 6-9 don't have a spot yet. Usually, the following weekend before regionals there will be another 5 mile time trial, including the rest of the squad, for the 6 or 7 man spot. Usually it's 15 guys competing to run 7 man. These races can get fast, you'll typically have to run about 25 minutes for 5 miles in Alamosa on the 5 mile marathon loop course to nab that spot.

I saw some heart breaking runs in those time trials ... 5th year seniors desperate to make the team losing out to young guys, etc. It can get pretty cutthroat. Dreams are made and broken right there, in situations where nobody but your teammates and coaches are watching. I remember a fella that was a senior when I was a freshman being totally broken after running 25:20 and missing the 7 man spot.

Anyway, a lot of times you'll see the guys that are having to battle repeatedly for their spot flop at nationals and finish in the 50's or 60's. It's simply the outcome of being over-raced every weekend while the top guys rest. So, anytime you see a Adams State 7 man running poorly at nationals it is likely because they are sick, worn out, or just beaten down. It's a great experience though. It will make you tough.

Some people grow to hate the competition though. Don't show up if you aren't fully ready to give 100% and risk failure.

I've known plenty of guys to run under 55 time trials, then run high-25's at the home meet, and have their season end after flopping and running another high-25 at the first road meet.

Talking to Vigil (I ran under Martin about a decade ago), this is pretty much how it's always been. No secret. Just hard work and lots of competition.

Martin and Vigil don't get along anymore ( when I was @ Adams in the late 90's)

Take a remedial writing course during the summer term while you're up there.

calif coach wrote:

say George, i took two of my students to Colorado for 4weeks spend 22days in Boulder 5,400ft and did pick ups every 5days, and we ran to times per day, and i give them 36hours rest, my slow runner was a girl 5;14miler, then when to Alamosa 7,544ft and after 8days we came back to Calif, a week later she ran a all comers meet and she ran the 1,500m

and her time was 4;46, before we when to Colorado here best 1,500m time was 4;59. if you want to train like a champion you need to go to Alamosa and just run in your own zone.

this summer i will take another group back to Alamosa.

Adams State Alum29 wrote:

Martin and Vigil don't get along anymore ( when I was @ Adams in the late 90's)

Not true at all they still get along well. Secondly all the guys on the team love Coach Martin including 5th year seniors. Nearly all the alumni I have met feel the same. Please go spread your lies somewhere else.

Not true wrote:

Adams State Alum29 wrote:

Martin and Vigil don't get along anymore ( when I was @ Adams in the late 90's)

Not true at all they still get along well. Secondly all the guys on the team love Coach Martin including 5th year seniors. Nearly all the alumni I have met feel the same. Please go spread your lies somewhere else.

no lies here. The truth is the truth

All I want to know is, how many years in a row would Adams have made the podium in D1? How many years would they have outright won? Arguably the greatest cross program in the US spanning three decades.