Sponsored By
ABOUT THE RUNNING CLUB
Mount Diablo Heat (MDH) is a USATF sanctioned youth club serving athletes ages 7 to 15 in the Tri-Valley area. MDH holds two sessions during the year with USATF certified coaches:
-
Spring Track & Field (mid-February to early June)
-
Fall Cross Country (early August to early December)
TEAM GOALS
-
To provide a structured training program that encourages each athlete to reach their fullest potential.
-
To promote running in a FUN, enjoyable way that translates into lifelong fitness.
-
To prepare our runners to be competitive in high school and college. For most of our athletes, running is their primary sport.
While our training program is adapted to each athlete's age and current fitness, an athlete considering our program should be able to run continuously for 25 minutes and a single mile in 8:00 minutes or less. This is a safety precaution to ensure the entire group can remain together as we train through neighborhoods, foothills, and regional parks.
COACHING PHILOSOPY
A Lifelong Love of Running
Our club is for kids who love to run. We train hard but we also like to have fun while doing so in order to develop a lifelong love of running.
A Supportive Environment
We strive to foster a supportive running community. To this end, we expect our athletes to be engaged and supportive of their team mates.
A Parent's Role
In order of importance, we ask parents to celebrate: participation, commitment, improvement, personal records (PRs) and, if they come, victories. No matter the time or place in a race, we want our athletes to work hard toward their own goals and develop fellowship in a sport that can keep their bodies and brains healthy.
Our Views about Motivation
Running is a difficult sport and motivation to run fast has to come from within. Regardless of your athlete's natural talent, they can only perform their best when they set their own goals.
Athletic Development Timelines
Runners develop and mature at different rates and it's important to let each athlete choose the level of participation they're comfortable with. Allowing athletes to enjoy the sport enables them to reach peak performances on their own timeline.
OUR RUNNING CREDO
The principles that form the basis for our approach include:
-
We believe in our potential to improve by putting in the work.
-
We engage in the process of becoming faster. The outcomes will take care of themselves.
-
Our commitment to practice makes us stronger and faster.
-
Training Stress + RECOVERY = Strong Runners
-
Injury prevention and management is key to long term progression.
-
We are one team and draw on our teammates for strength.