AD asked why we didn't train on the track every day

So, what did you eventually say?

I'd be stumped, too.

"For the same reason that football and basketball players don't spend all their time scrimmaging on the field/court."

Tell him the track is shoddy and you need a new one. For safety.

lol it is a her and the track is new. I said that runners need to be on soft surfaces and varied terrain to avoid physical and psychological boredom

Explain to him that people are not trains. Therefore there's no need to stay on the "track."

Keep it on the 'crete.

While I'm sure it is frustrating at first, you had and may still have an opportunity to give a well thought out answer. The AD obviously doesn't have an understanding of how or why runners train the way the do. Explain the various thoughts on optimal training - there are many.

be happy she gives a sh%#t

Your AD is right!!! You should be doing real workouts on the track. Roads and trails are for sissies.

HardLoper wrote:

Explain to him that people are not trains. Therefore there's no need to stay on the "track."

Ah yes, but people also are not not 4-wheel all terrain vehicles, so there is no need to go "off road"

French Dawg wrote:

HardLoper wrote:

Explain to him that people are not trains. Therefore there's no need to stay on the "track."

Ah yes, but people also are not not 4-wheel all terrain vehicles, so there is no need to go "off road"

This only applies to the trail. Someone else come up with something for roads.

It's good to be able to answer questions about our own processes. In this case, the right answer is that 40-50 years of advancements since Bannister suggest that the best long-term development comes from focusing the high-intensity stuff to a few days a week and otherwise trying to develop aerobic capacity, for which paths and trails are better than the track to keep people interested.

Perhaps tell him or her how much your top runners are running per week and translate that to laps. I think everyone can relate to not wanting to run 200 laps around a track a week.

Your AD talked to you? I ran xc, indoor and outdoor track in college all four years and was team captain as a senior. The AD at my college never said a word to me, or to anyone else on the team to the best of my knowledge.

One Coach too many wrote:

Today my AD asked me why, not that cross country is over, we not practicing on the track daily`. In particular wanted to know why we were still going to the rail trail near us to do long runs and why the kids were still out on local roads off of campus..

On the bright side it sounds like the AD was asking a question as opposed to making a directive. Imagine if she simply told you that the team had to train on the track because that is what the team races on and is named after.

French Dawg wrote:

French Dawg wrote:

Ah yes, but people also are not not 4-wheel all terrain vehicles, so there is no need to go "off road"

This only applies to the trail. Someone else come up with something for roads.

OP's runners aren't troubled inner-city youth, so there's no need to get them "off the streets."

itsthetrolls wrote:

While I'm sure it is frustrating at first, you had and may still have an opportunity to give a well thought out answer. The AD obviously doesn't have an understanding of how or why runners train the way the do. Explain the various thoughts on optimal training - there are many.

Does AD stand for Art Director otherwise she should know her job

At least your AD communicates with others. Ours is trying to destroy our program.

ukathleticscoach wrote:...Does AD stand for Art Director otherwise she should know her job

Harsh!

I could care less if our AD knows anything about coaching runners, or any other sport for that matter. I want our AD to be a tireless advocate for our athletics programs and to have the respect of the faculty and other high level administration as well as the Board of Directors. I want our AD to understand budgeting and be able to convince the powers that be that athletics needs another $X to provide the best programs we can for our student-athletes. I want our AD to understand the ramifications of the various NCAA proposals as they relate to the long-term goals our college and our individual teams have set. I want our AD to care about and be effective at communicating with our alumni to keep them engaged in what we're doing.

Maybe your Assistant Dean just doesn't know that much about sports. Don't see what the big deal is.