02.17.08 -Racestats.net

I'd see him many times before at various XC meets. He's the coach cruising effortlessly from mile mark to the next mile mark with the boundless energy of a person half his age, all the while shouting encouragement to all of his runners by name.

As a fellow HS Cross Country coach in Oregon, I learned to really appreciate what I saw from Sheldon XC coach Chris Yorges and how he interacted with his athletes. He made running for Sheldon HS look like it must be the experience of a lifetime for his runners and also, by the way, looked like he could still outrun all but just a handful of them.

After exchanging some emails with Chris and getting to know him, it turns out when it comes to running, Chris is that one unique boundless spirit that we, as runners, all aspire to be. So without further fanfare, meet Chris Yorges, XC coach, devoted husband & father, and, as it turns out, highly successful masters runner.

Question: You're one of the top masters runners in the United States with 12 national titles in the 3000m steeplechase. Describe your training schedule and some of the secrets to your long-term success.

Chris Yorges: The greatest secret is the blessing to stay somewhat healthy over the years. I've learned that my body can't do the same volume of track workouts that it used to. I try to have one type of track workout, one tempo run and one long run each week. I also mix in a spin class and workouts on the elliptical for cross-training.

Running and training has to be fun so I try to find new trails for myself as well as others to explore for long runs on Saturdays as well.

Question: You've also been very successful as the XC coach at Eugene's Sheldon HS for the past 8 years. Describe your coaching philosophy. Are there any training methods from your personal running that you have been able to transpose into your program at Sheldon?

CY: We have a mission statement for our program that states that, "The purpose of our program is to provide positive, life impacting experiences for youth." We believe that our programs success stems from the effort to help each other to be our best as individuals as well as athletes. Character comes before running. We expect our athletes to give it their best effort. Success is determined by how much you improve yourself and your level of effort in any given race. Your place in the race is insignificant compared to if you challenged yourself and met that challenge.

We have many individuals that help coach and each brings their unique personality and life experiences to share with our athletes. We see our cross-country team as a family and hope that our ties with each other last long into our lives.

Question: Describe your philosophy on "off-season" training?

To view full article, visit http://www.racestats.net/articles/08yorges0217.htm