Want to Run in College? Yes You Can!

I've spent the past couple weeks talking with dozens of athletes about the prospect of running at the college level and it's surprising how many just assumed that they weren't "good enough" to run at the next level. I've encountered several athletes that for whatever reason haven't even considered the possibility of taking a shot as pursuing a spot on a college roster let alone a scholarship.

If you're running in high school and have a love for the sport I'm going to let you in on a HUGE secret...there is a program SOMEWHERE that fits your abilities and goals. If you want to compete collegiately I encourage you to do some research...there's a coach out there that would love to talk with you. It doesn't matter if you're a jv runner for your high school program, it doesn't matter if you've only run for one year...if you would like some help finding a program email me and if Cascade isn't the place for you, I'll help you find another option -- GUARANTEED!

Coach Howard
bryanthoward@cascade.edu

XC Signings: T-Bird Men Get Commitments From Two More

Well, the news of the day is the signings of Jake Fisher and Alex La Flamme to the Cascade XC and Track programs. The exciting part is the energy and experience that they both bring to the program. Alex gained a ton of valuable experience racing in the always tough Metro League here in Oregon. He knows what it takes to race at a high level and will play an important role in elevating our program.

Jake is a distance man in the purest sense of the word. As a member of the Vista Ridge High School team in Austin, Texas he also raced with one of the premier teams of his region and developed a work ethic that will serve him well at the college level. During the summer before his senior year of high school he was already logging as much as 90 miles per week, a level that very few high school runners in the country are able to withstand. Jake's competitive fire will benefit every member of the team when he joins us next year.

To read the official press release check out the Cascade Athletics website.

Happy Running,
Coach Howard

Base Training: Island Style

Just another day in paradise...the weather on the beautiful island of Maui begged us to go for a run, and of course we obliged. :-) After an hour of running down the South Maui coastline we followed with uniquely Hawaiian massages before finishing up with a warm-down swim at the Kihei Aquatic Center. Throw in a bike ride and it would have been a PERFECT day! Hmmm...a bike ride...ya, THAT'S what I want to do tomorrow.

I don't know what people are doing back in Portland but I'm guessing there isn't a hole lot of sun tanning involved.

A Tropical Paradise Indeed...But Only If You're NOT a Runner.

I have to say, Maui is an amazing place. The view of the Pacific Ocean outside our condo is stunning and the island itself is an awe inspiring creation of volcanic rock, but as nice as it is I have to say it's a tough place to be a distance runner. Now, mind you, I'm used to running in THE BEST RUNNING VENUES IN THE WORLD (Portland, of course) but this place is completely on the opposite end of the running spectrum. To give you an idea what I'm talking about let me tell you about the run I went on today.

Usually on a Monday afternoon I would go someplace like the Glendoveer Fitness Trail or maybe even the Mt. Talbert Trail...but since I'm not in Portland I had to improvise. After spending the entire afternoon on my laptop looking for trails in the area I finally gave up and went for a run on the shoulder of the Hana Highway. I love to run, and, generally, it doesn't matter where I do it...but today's run reminded me of when I was a little kid and people would suggest I go out to the highway and play in traffic! I'm going to keep searching and I'm hoping that tomorrow I find a better place to run otherwise I may just have to go for a swim instead.
-Coach Howard

Winter Training: Cascade XC Building the Base

Well, today we went to the Willamette River Loop and ran an easy 11. We had a great group of current and future T-Birds on hand to enjoy a relaxing trot around downtown Portland. You can really feel the bonds forming stronger among our team...we have a GREAT group of people in the program and it's exciting to know that next fall we're going to be strong when we show up to race. It's a good time to be a Thunderbird! :-) -Coach Howard

Running in the Northwest...Nothing Compares!

So today I went up to Forest Park with three of my guys from the program and enjoyed one of the most beautiful settings for a run you could ever hope for. You would think that on a rainy winter day it would be easy to talk about what a crummy run it was, but just the opposite is true. We ran on Leif Erickson trail which has been written up in national magazines over the years as one of the best urban running venues...and it's not even the best place in Portland to run! But I digress...

As we ran past endless Douglas Firs without a car in sight I felt an overwhelming sense of how truly lucky we are to live here in the Pacific Northwest. An hour's worth of endorphins followed by 24 hours of bliss! :-)

The day got even better as we got confirmation that two of our recruits will be coming to Cascade next year. Look for a press release in the coming days with more details. Until then...happy running!

-Coach Howard

PS...if you're not in Portland and want to see Forest Park with your own eyes check out:
http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/finder/index.cfm?PropertyID=127&action=ViewPark

Cascade Running: Chirstmas Break Base Training

Today was a great day! The day started with a family workout...Daniel, Janet and I all headed out to the gym and lifted weights, rode bikes (on indoor trainers) and Daniel even set a PR for a mile on the treadmill. Then later in the day I got to do a trail run with Brad, Shane and Eric before we went over to the track and ran some 300's. The Christmas carbo load provided some good fuel for the fun....ahhhh, a good day indeed. :-)