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Who I Am...

I am the Head Cross Country and Track and Field Coach at The High School of St. Thomas More in Champaign, Illinois. 

 

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Coaches Notes, Rain and Train
May 3rd 2013, 2:00pm
 

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coachbehm commented on a video Jun 15th 2015, 1:59pm
What a great race. My favorite part is my daughter Derilynn doing a gymnastics flip at the begining of the race. Growing up a track rat.
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Shane Streich runs US #3 time to win Boys 800m - Midwest Distance Classic - Lisle IL - June 13, 2015
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coachbehm
What a great race. My favorite part is my daughter Derilynn doing a gymnastics flip at the begining of the race. Growing up a track rat.
 
coachbehm commented on a blog Mar 26th 2014, 11:44pm
Stuff happens at track meets, one time as a Coach they told the milers 1 more lap, they all took off and racing out the last 200, they get to the finish line and they were told they had one more lap, you could see the expressions on every boys face. Afterward they all had a good laugh about it. Sometimes people make mistakes. It gives us stories to tell.
By Michael Newman [email protected] ...
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coachbehm
Stuff happens at track meets, one time as a Coach they told the milers 1 more lap, they all took off and racing out the last 200, they get to the finish line and they were told they had one more lap, you could see the expressions on every boys face. Afterward they all had a good laugh about it. Sometimes people make mistakes. It gives us stories to tell.
 
coachbehm commented on a video Nov 15th 2013, 11:04pm
Mike, first off thanks so much for all you do for this sport. Not having you in the truck as the spotter ? Really? I think the problem is a lack of sensibility to distance running. My runners have an hour of preparation before a race, it is consistent and we follow that routine before every race. With the girls race in limbo, and the start time of the races unknown I had my runner kinda hanging out waiting to see what was going to happen. I was thinking that they were going to start the girls race and then start the next race an hour from that and just move everything back for the day. At 9:30 they announce the boys race will be at 10:00 and there is only a half an hour before that race. In a Tuesday meet, no problem, we can tempo run it. State Championship? I understand that things happen, anything can go wrong at anytime, but it is how we respond to adversity that makes the difference. What do you do as a coach, have them warm up and the race not start for a couple hours? Have them not warm up and start the race at a proper interval between races?
I felt sorry for the class a girls who had to stand around and wait. Can you imagine getting yourself focused and all the hype for the start of the State Championship, and then it is a half an hour before the gun goes off and you have to stay at the start line the whole time? Cross country is such a mental sport. When things get out of wac it is really tough to get that back. I saw several performances from girls that we're not consistent with the way they ran all year. Did it alter the outcome? Certainly not with st. T, but it may have for other teams. You can say the same thing about the boys class a race too. I think a runner would have made a different decision at both the cross country and track championships. Someone who has runner sensibilities is going to take those things into consideration.
My distance runner at State track ran an 800 in the 4 x 800, a 3200 and a 1600 in around two hours, if we were on the schedule he would have had close to four and a half. Does that change the performance of a distance runner? You bet it does. If My guy would have not gone down in the 1600, We would have gotten Third place.
I understand organizing and putting on a state meet is a huge task, but when decision are made they need to be made within the mindset of what is best for the kids. Maybe get a runner in there somewhere!
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Part 1 - Mike Newman gives his views of what happened at the IHSA State Cross Country Meet last Saturday in Peoria - November 11, 2013
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2 comment(s)
coachbehm
Mike, first off thanks so much for all you do for this sport. Not having you in the truck as the spotter ? Really? I think the problem is a lack of sensibility to distance running. My runners have an hour of preparation before a race, it is consistent and we follow that routine before every race. With the girls race in limbo, and the start time of the races unknown I had my runner kinda hanging out waiting to see what was going to happen. I was thinking that they were going to start the girls race and then start the next race an hour from that and just move everything back for the day. At 9:30 they announce the boys race will be at 10:00 and there is only a half an hour before that race. In a Tuesday meet, no problem, we can tempo run it. State Championship? I understand that things happen, anything can go wrong at anytime, but it is how we respond to adversity that makes the difference. What do you do as a coach, have them warm up and the race not start for a couple hours? Have them not warm up and start the race at a proper interval between races?
I felt sorry for the class a girls who had to stand around and wait. Can you imagine getting yourself focused and all the hype for the start of the State Championship, and then it is a half an hour before the gun goes off and you have to stay at the start line the whole time? Cross country is such a mental sport. When things get out of wac it is really tough to get that back. I saw several performances from girls that we're not consistent with the way they ran all year. Did it alter the outcome? Certainly not with st. T, but it may have for other teams. You can say the same thing about the boys class a race too. I think a runner would have made a different decision at both the cross country and track championships. Someone who has runner sensibilities is going to take those things into consideration.
My distance runner at State track ran an 800 in the 4 x 800, a 3200 and a 1600 in around two hours, if we were on the schedule he would have had close to four and a half. Does that change the performance of a distance runner? You bet it does. If My guy would have not gone down in the 1600, We would have gotten Third place.
I understand organizing and putting on a state meet is a huge task, but when decision are made they need to be made within the mindset of what is best for the kids. Maybe get a runner in there somewhere!
coachbehm
I am crying! That is so funny!
 
coachbehm commented on a news article Sep 13th 2013, 1:38pm
Watching Monticello at Cowchip really impressed me. They are tough through the whole line up and look really healthy. St. T is coached so darn well that they will be right there. I wonder what sectional 5 of the top ten school are going to be in? That is going to be a real tough sectional to get out of.
Sept. 11, 2013 — Girls 1A Week No. 1 Poll   ...
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coachbehm
Watching Monticello at Cowchip really impressed me. They are tough through the whole line up and look really healthy. St. T is coached so darn well that they will be right there. I wonder what sectional 5 of the top ten school are going to be in? That is going to be a real tough sectional to get out of.
 
coachbehm commented on a video Sep 13th 2013, 1:32pm
Wow. That is alot. Thanks for all. STM is at Brendan Remington's Fundraiser for Luke's League. Should be a great day. Good luck everyone
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Mike Newman looks at the weekend of action including the First to the Finish Invitational in Peoria. - September 6, 2013
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coachbehm
Wow. That is alot. Thanks for all. STM is at Brendan Remington's Fundraiser for Luke's League. Should be a great day. Good luck everyone
 
coachbehm commented on a news article Aug 21st 2013, 6:19pm
Knowing those guys from Illiana, they should be really tough to beat. Jim Piaskowy does a gret job. Good luck guys.
It is up for grabs for the team title in Boys 2A   ...
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agoodlad
Unfortunately there's a bit of a time constraint being only the third week of the season, which most teams (including the team I'm alumnus of) don't run, but definitely we'll see how it plays out when the season progresses.

I rest my case that we should have been mentioned in the previews, though, based on our sixth place sectional finish, 6 returners, and state qualification in the 4x8. Otherwise I like the rankings overall (good job, Newman!). As great of a statement as that "show yourself by running" statement is, preseason rankings are based on what happened back then, and who the teams gain/lose, not what happens in the regular season.

Seems like your team's legit. as well, and most-likely deserves mention also if you beat us at Peoria. Best of luck to your team!
Anteloperunner909
Calm down, the school that I’m alumni of beat you guys at First to the Finish and Peoria invitational last year. We return all top 7, 5 of which were underclassmen last year and add a sub 4:50/10:50 incoming freshman, we are not mentioned at all either. If you think you are good and deserve being mentioned, then run fast and prove people wrong.
agoodlad
Forgive me for knowingly violating the self-promotion rule, but....Champaign Central!? 6th place Macarthur sectional? 4:35 miler in track? A state 4x8 showing? (pretty cruddy showing being rookies, but we peaked nicely below 8:20 for the qualification) 6 guys coming back who all put sub 17 numbers? We're being major sleeped on!

I know we've had inconsistent seasons and haven't put it together in the past *blushes*, but just being the only team between Sacred Heart, Mt. Vernon, etc. who actually ran a consistent sectional race and finished 6th (okay, by a TON of points but hear me out!) proves that this team has the capabilities to be mentioned.

Not saying we deserve a top 25 shoutout (as a ranker myself, I say we shouldn't), but if you're gonna mention Triad and Normal Community West, you should at least mention Central who btw also has the number one rank in the conference (above both Normal schools!).
coachbehm
Knowing those guys from Illiana, they should be really tough to beat. Jim Piaskowy does a gret job. Good luck guys.
 
coachbehm commented on a blog May 3rd 2013, 3:12pm
k
The past couple of weeks have been wet ones in East Central Illinois.  Most of our meets have been cancelled and our training schedule has been altered.  I like to have the season planned out well in advanced and set aside days of hard t...
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coachbehm
k
 
coachbehm posted a news article May 3rd 2013, 3:11pm
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2012 Illinois High School State Cross Country Championships