Training for indoor track and winter conditioning began on November 18, 2024. It's not too late to join, we have new runners starting all the time.
Spring training will begin on Monday February 24th and run through May 24th. The season culminates in the Albemarle County Middle School Track & Field Championships—Henley is the reigning champion!
Check out our training page for complete information but normally runners meet in the Turf room next to the gym directly after school.
Absolutely. While some Henley students have running experience in other sports or running programs, many have never run before. Some of our strongest competitors never set foot on a track before starting with us!
The only gear you need to get started is a pair of running shoes, a water bottle, and black shorts for competition. The team provides running singlets for all runners and complete uniforms for full time participants (i.e., regularly attend practice and meets).
There are both locker rooms and bathrooms that our runners use at Henley. The best location depends on the time of year and the other activities that are going on—just ask the more seasoned runners for their pro tips and they'll be happy to share!
Dicks Sporting Goods has a reasonable selection of brands and you should be able to find something for less than $99. The team over at Ragged Mountain does an excellent job at fitting local runners. Your interest may lead you to look for different features: cross country may prefer waffle soles (mud is slippery!), track may prefer flatter/lighter shoes, and serious sprinters may consider investing in spikes.
Runners are not required to compete in every meet but competition is an important part of the experience. Full team participation allows us to compete in more events and achieve higher team scores. We encourage all of our runners to compete as soon as they're ready!
Runners will leave afternoon practice from the door near the Turf room. This exit is located behind the school where the buses line up.
In general it's better to run on an empty stomach. We'll normally have some drinks and snacks at the meet. Oranges and other fruits are good choices for pre-race snacks.
Parents are responsible for transportation to and from meets. Coach Mike can generally provide transportation for up to five runners in his van and parents often carpool. If a runner wants to participate in an event but does not have transportation lined up, there is usually someone who can help—just ask.
About a week or two before each meet, a preliminary roster will be developed and shared for each race. Parents should reach out if you do not see your runner's names on the preliminary roster—our intent is to have as many runners compete as we can.
A good rule of thumb is to show up an hour before your runner's first event. Runners absolutely perform better when they have time to warm up and explore the course/environment in a relaxed environment. It's also a lot more fun when the whole team is there to cheer everyone on!
For cross country and outdoor track, we'll have a tent where everyone gets ready. Indoor track meets are more cramped (no tents inside!) but this also means it's not hard to find us. Just keep an eye out for our red and white uniforms with the hornet on the front.
Yes, that's very possible. Team scoring in cross country uses the five fastest runners on each team and it's not uncommon for the 6th or 7th runner to push another team down in the rankings. So, when you have a larger meet with 10-20 teams, runners finishing 30th, 40th, 50th or even later can determine how the entire team places.