General Information
Friday, June 14 2019Cal Grizzlies Running Club
Welcome to the NATIONAL CHAMPION California Grizzlies! Our club is open to everyone, from young beginners to accomplished veterans. We compete in both Track (April to August) & Cross-Country (from August to December). And you can join whenever you like (at the beginning of the season, the middle of the season, or even near the end of the season). It's never too late to join!
NATIONAL CHAMPION California Grizzlies were on ABC News (on 12-4-23)!
ABC Sports LINK: https://www.facebook.com/mike.exton.98/videos/1277316749905148
TO BECOME A CALIFORNIA GRIZZLY:
Email me at: CaliforniaRunningCoach@yahoo.com. (But, please do NOT phone me, as I do not respond to phone calls). After you email me, I will send you our practice schedule plus other important information.
—— 2024 PRACTICE LOCATIONS ——
We Have 5 Training Groups & Each Group Runs 3 Times Each Week
(A) Pleasanton
(B) Castro Valley
(C) Fremont
(D) Mountain View
(E) Campbell
RAIN or SHINE! Practices & races are NEVER cancelled because of rain!
— TRACK TEAM MEMBERSHIP FEE —
April to August 1 = $300
May to August 1 = $250
June to August 1 = $200
July to August 1 = $150
2024 Track Meet Schedule
Fri, April 19 = TKA Invitational [only for 4th thru 8th Grades] = Sunnyvale
Fri, April 26 = TKA Invitational [only for 4th thru 8th Grades] = Sunnyvale
Sat & Sun, May 4-5 = T&F Meet in Berkeley
Sat & Sun, May 18-19 = 3M Invitational = Oakland
Sat & Sun, May 25-26 = Tom Moore Youth Classic = Modesto
Sat, June 1 = STS Championship = Sacramento
Sat, June 8 = CCTC Last Chance Meet = Salinas
*Wed & Thur, June 12-13 = Nike MS National Championship = Oregon
*Fri & Sat, June 14-15 = AAU Region 22 Championship = Oakdale
*Fri-Sun, June 21-23 = USATF Pac Assoc Championship ["top 8"] = Modesto
*Fri-Sun, July 5-7 = USATF Region 14 Championship ["top 5"] = Hayward
Sat, July 13 = Trackmania (Elite = top 24 in each group; only 16 in 1500) = Sacramento
??? July 22-28 = USATF Nationals = College Station, TX
July 29-Aug 3 = AAU NATIONAL Junior Olympics = Greensboro, NC
*Our Most Important Track Meets
California Grizzlies J.O. Running Club
— I am a retired public school teacher who has been involved with cross-country and track & field for the last 59 years (since I was 8 years old). Many of my runners have qualified and run in the National Championships. Several boys & girls have made All-American (top 25 in the USA in cross-country and top 8 in track) while 3 runners (Yong-Sung Leal, Chris Dominic, & Ava Padilla) won the Nationals. Yong-Sung & Chris also set National Records as the fastest runners ever in the history of the USA. One runner even raced in the World Championships (in Ireland) when he was only in 11th grade as part of America’s National Under 20 Cross-Country team. I have also coached a California High School State Champion on three different occasions and a 3rd place finisher twice. Altogether, my runners have won 15 national championships and 3 California HS state championships, as well as set 5 NATIONAL age group records. These records and national titles were set in the 800, 1500. 3000, and 5000. And in 2018 nearly 90% of the members of the California Grizzlies Running Club qualified & ran in the USA Junior Olympics Cross-Country NATIONAL Championships.
{National Records: https://www.usatf.org/special-pages/usatf-american-records }
Also, in 2019, we had the best 4th/5th grade cross-country team in California & Nevada (as well as one of the top teams in the nation). Finally, in December of 2019, two of our 5th graders (Gabe Heule & Shaun Mathew) set WORLD records in the 4-mile run. Shaun set the world record for 10-year olds with a time of 25:17 (6:19 per mile) while Gabe set the world record for 11-year olds with a time of 23:58 (5:59 per mile!).
3-Time California HS State Champion and National Champion & National Record Holder Yong-Sung Leal, after being informed of Gabe & Shaun's 4-mile world records, replied: "This is great news! Wow—very impressive times. This is so great that you are still finding kids to coach. Honestly, running was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. I take the same discipline that I learned from you and running and I apply those principles to other aspects of my life. I became the person I am with your guidance and from the greatest sport in the world. So glad that these two kids will learn about goal setting and hard work.... Thanks again for keeping in touch with me and even more thanks for your love and guidance growing up through running. God Bless you, coach. Amen!"
Link to newspaper article: https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/04/06/two-los-gatos-middle-schoolers-aim-to-break-world-record-at-great-race/
And now in the spring of 2022, two more world records have been set by California Grizzly runners in the 4-mile. Sixth grader Ava Padilla ran under 26 minutes (averaging about 6:18 per mile for the 4-mile course) to break the world record for 12-year old girls. And seventh grader Gabriel Heule set another world record as he finished the 4-mile course under 23 minutes (averaging about 5:33 per mile) to set a new world record for 13-year old males. Yong-Sung Leal (who has the American High School 5,000 meter record for 10th graders (14:27; 4:38 per mile average for over 3 miles) stated: "Congrats Coach! This is amazing. You’re the best at what you do for these kids. It’s because of you that I was able to accomplish so much with running." UPDATE: Ava ran 4 miles in 23:32 on Oct. 2, 2022 to unofficialy lower her 12-year old world record by about 2 minutes!!! And teammate Charlene Evangelista also unofficially broke the 12-year old world record by finishing slightly behind Ava in 23:41!!! Both of them not only broke the girl's 12-year old world record, but they also broke the girl's 13-year old, 14-year old, & 15-year old world records!!! Plus, they broke the BOYS 12-year old world record as well!!!
Link to TV coverage of 4-mile race announcing the new world records: https://www.facebook.com/losgatosrotary/videos/684811546085239
Link to World Records: www.RoadRacingWorldRecords.com
And now in the summer of 2022, the USATF Junior Olympics National Championships concluded this past weekend. And incredibly, Ava Padilla won not just one event but all three events that she competed in! She won the 800, 1500, & the 3000. And her fellow teammate & friend Charlene Evangelista came in 2nd place in the 3000 (just a 1/2 second behind Ava)! And both Ava & Charlene were a whooping 19 seconds ahead of their nearest competitor (the 3rd place finisher)!!!
To win a national championship is BIG. But to win 3 national championship races is ENORMOUS & rarely ever happens in national track competition. The last time that I remember someone winning all 3 of these particular events was way back in 1998. And that was a boy (Chris Dominic). I can't recall a single time that a girl ever achieved such an INCREDIBLE feat.
Ava & Charlene started off this miraculous weekend at the 2022 Junior Olympics T&F National Championships by first racing in the 3000 meter race early on Saturday morning. But at the end of the race it was Ava coming across 1st in an unbelievable time of 10:25 (11:06 for 2-miles) as she ran 42 seconds faster than her previous USATF race only five weeks earlier to claim her first ever national crown! And Charlene also finished in 10:25 as she was only a half second behind Ava to finish in second place. Charlene's time was about 80 seconds faster than her previous USATF race!!
Ava then ran in the 800 meter final later on Saturday. And she didn't disappoint as she came away with another national crown while crossing the finish line in an astonishing time of 2:16 (a full 12 seconds faster than she ran in her previous USATF meet) and only 3 seconds off the national record for her age group!
But the big question that everyone was asking themselves as the competition resumed on Sunday morning — was — could Ava do it again in the 1500? And sure enough she did! Ava finished in a stunning time of 4:48 (5:07 mile) while beating her previous USATF time by a mind-boggling 19 seconds!!!"
Here is an article that talks about Ava and Charlene: https://www.usatf.org/news/2022/55-national-champions-crowned-on-penultimate-day-o
Here is the 3000 Video: https://youtu.be/yJeFXtsK6Is
800 Video: https://youtu.be/gOBgGYiD3dk
1500 Video: https://youtu.be/XyFtdQ5NmoA
2022 CROSS-COUNTRY — We had the BEST cross-country team (11-12 year old girls division) in all of Northern California, Central California, Nevada, and the rest of the northwestern USA. We placed 1st in the Association Championships, 1st in the Regional Championships, & 4th in the National Championships! Our goal for the 2023 cross-country season is to win the Nationals!!!
January, 2023 — I was selected by Positive Coaching Alliance as one of the top 25 coaches in the nation for 2022.
March, 2023 — Ava Padilla competed in the 2023 USATF Indoor NATIONAL T&F Championships held in Louisville, Kentucky. Ava placed 1st in the 800 in 2:15! And she placed 1st in the 1500 in 4:41 (this is equal to a 5:00 mile)! And she would have won the 3,000 in 10:11! But she was cut off & spiked in the last 100 meters of the race and as a result she was only able to come in 2nd place.
April 29, 2023 — Charlene Evangelista broke the 4-Mile World Record for 12-year old girls in a time of 24:30 on a hilly course! Ava Padilla broke the 4-Mile World Record for 13-year old girls in a time of 23:37 on the same hilly course! And Max Kullar missed the world record for 9-year old boys by just 5 seconds as he finished the hilly 4-mile course in 26:18!
August, 2023 — We had over 20 runners qualify for the National T&F Championships this year! And many of them made All-American (top 8 in the nation)! Ava won the 800 at the Nike National MS Championships & finished the season with a personal record of 2:12 as the fastest American in the country for her age. She also was the fastest 7th grader at the Brooks National MS Championships & had an amazing time of 4:57 for the full mile (4:55 for the 1600; 4:35 for the 1500) to easily finish the season as the fastest American in the country for her age. Other highlights of the 2023 track season: Harish finished in 2nd place in the 2K steeplechase at the USATF National Championships; Rosey finished 3rd in the 3000 & 5th in the 1500 at the AAU National Championships. Charlene finished in 4th place at the Nationals in both the 3000 & the 2K Steeplechase; Dylan came in 7th place at the Nationals in the 1500 race-walk; and our 4x800 relay teams came in 5th place & 7th place at the Nationals (Rosey, Sophie, Dylan, Aarna, Olivia, Saanvi...).
2023 CROSS-COUNTRY — We had the best cross-country team (8 & under boys division; 9-10 boys division; 9-10 girls division; 11-12 girls division; & 13-14 girls division) in all of Northern California, Central California, & Northwestern Nevada. And at the National Championships held on Dec. 2nd (in Tallahassee, Florida) WE WON THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN THE 9-10 BOYS DIVISION!!! And we came in 6th place in the 11-12 girls division at the National meet. Plus, we had 11 boys & girls make ALL-AMERICAN (top 25 in the nation)!
TALLAHASSE, FLORIDA, December 2nd — Despite severe weather, including an almost 2-hour delay due to lighting, the California Grizzles 9/10 boys cross-country team fought through mud, water, and torrential rain to come out on top as National Champions. The team (Maximilian Och, Vihaan Sharma, Max Kullar, Cameron Owsley, Carrick Zhang, and Adithya Nalluri) ran AMAZING!!!
Earning “ALL-AMERICAN” honors among the California Grizzlies were 11 team members: Rosalind Fennelly (7th place), Charlene Evangelista (16th), Zichun Shen (25th), Diya Nalluri (9th), Harish Paschapur (24th), Maximilian Och (6th), Vihaan Sharma (13th), Max Kullar (20th), Cameron Owsley (24th), Carrick Zhang (11th), & Krish Shah (18th).
Monday, Dec. 4, 2023 — the California Grizzlies were on ABC News!
ABC Sports News: https://www.facebook.com/mike.exton.98/videos/1277316749905148
ELIGIBILITY
This running club is *primarily for boys & girls of all abilities from 7 years old to 15 years old who want to become the best runner that they possibly can. All runners should try their best to attend AT LEAST 2 races each month and 1 practice each week. And please try your best NOT to plan any extended vacations (of more than 2 or 3 days) in close proximity to our championship meets. Most of our championship track meets are in June & July (so the best time to plan a summer vacation would be in August). And most of our championship cross-country meets are from the middle of November to about December 10th (so the best time to take a fall/winter vacation would be anytime after December 10th).
* HIGH SCHOOL runners can also join the California Grizzlies Running Club.
* ADULTS can also join our running club.
TEAM UNIFORM & RUNNING SHOES
Everyone must have a team jersey & team shorts.
Running Shoes — Everyone should have a good pair of running shoes.
You must wear team jersey & shorts at ALL races.
Team Shorts = $20
Team Jersey = $30
I Sell Practice Shoes For Kids (size 5 only) = $35
I Sell The Best Racing Shoes On the Planet (size 3.5 to 10) = $150 (these normally sell for over $300)
If interested in joining our club, please email me at:
CaliforniaRunningCoach@yahoo.com
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FOR AAU
----- Membership runs from September 1st to August 31st and costs $22. -----
Click on this link to get started (and then follow the instructions below):
https://play.aausports.org/joinaau/membershipapplication.aspx
MEMBERSHIP for YOUTH ATHLETES
Sign your child up as an “ATHLETE” (NOT as a non-athlete)
WHAT TYPE OF MEMBERSHIP?
PROGRAM = Youth Program (NOT Adult program)
SPORT = Track and Field (X-Country; Multi-Events)
COVERAGE = Extended (AB)! [Do NOT get “Regular” coverage!!!]
Are you a member of a Club? Click YES, then select “CALIFORNIA GRIZZLIES”
California Grizzlies Club Number: W376WF
(Membership runs from Sept 1 to Aug. 31)
Now complete the membership application!
FINALLY, once you get your child’s Membership Card, print out 2 copies. Give 1 copy to Coach Mike Exton and keep the other copy of the Membership Card & bring to every meet (you may want to keep it in your car at all times) along with a copy of your child's birth certificate.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR JOINING USATF
----- Membership runs from January 1st to December 31st and costs $30. -----
STEP 1 — Register as a member of USATF.
HERE IS THE LINK TO REGISTER AS A MEMBER OF USATF:
https://www.usatf.org/membership/application/index.asp
After you click on the ABOVE link, it will look like the following:
MEMBERSHIP
Welcome To The Sport, The Team, The Journey
USATF brings together athletes, coaches, event directors, community leaders, officials, volunteers, and fans to grow track and field, race walking, and long-distance running. We fuel the connection to our sport and the sense of belonging to one team: Team USATF.
Join Team USATF Today By Becoming A Member
Whether you want to support the team, participate locally, or have Olympic aspirations!
Click here to learn more about how your membership helps.
Need help with your membership? Check out our How-To videos for memberships!
CLICK ON THE ABOVE LINK (“JOIN/RENEW)
NEED MORE HELP? https://usatf.sport80.com/public/wizard/a/941/home
IF you couldn't find the answer you were looking for, then CLICK on “CONTACT SUPPORT” (https://usatf.sport80.com/public/wizard/a/941/home).
In the registration process, make sure that you register as part of the “California Grizzlies” team.
Under "Select a Club Affiliation"
Choose: "California Grizzlies"
Then on the application it will say “Club Number.”
Type in our club number — 8877.
You will now be a California Grizzlies member of USATF. Membership runs from January 1st to December 31st.
After you get your USATF membership number, immediately have your Birth Certificate verified.
STEP 2 — DATE OF BIRTH VERIFICATION POLICY (revised 4-21)
DOCUMENT SUBMISSION DEADLINE
Documents submitted for birthdate verification will be processed within five (5) business days of submission (excluding holidays). It is the responsibility of the registrant to assure submission in a timely manner to meet entry deadlines.
HOW TO SUBMIT DOCUMENTS
Birthdate verification documents must be uploaded through USATF Connect. If you are experiencing trouble uploading these documents, please contact the USATF National Office for assistance. Be advised that birthdate verification documents will not be accepted or uploaded by the National Office. Procedures for uploading these documents in the USATF Connect system must be adhered to and there will be no exceptions. Documents sent to the National Office will be returned and the verification will not be processed.
If a document is illegible it will be invalidated and will not be processed. Invalidated documents will not result in an extension of the submission deadline. No extension will be granted for invalidated documents that require re-submission. The processing period will remain in effect. Birthdate verification documents will remain a permanent part of the member profile and will not require re-submission.
“HOW TO” VIDEO — Explains how to verify Birth Certificate:
https://vimeopro.com/user44435707/usatf-connect-member-tutorials/video/403329154
STEP 3 — Bring your child's USATF membership number with you to EVERY meet (along with a copy of your child's birth certificate).
Additional Information for USATF Junior Olympics:
https://www.pausatf.org/youth/
https://www.pausatf.org/youth/usatf-pacific-youth-cross-country-schedule-with-results/
Contact Information for USATF Junior Olympics:
https://www.pausatf.org/pausatf-contacts/
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RECOMMENDED SHOES for TRAINING & Racing
TOP CHOICE = Altra Escalante 4.0
Men’s = https://www.altrarunning.com/shop/mens-escalante-4-al0a85ne?variationId=330
Women’s = https://www.altrarunning.com/shop/womens-escalante-4-al0a85nf?variationId=342
[Women’s size 5 equals kid’s size 3.5]
SECOND CHOICE = Nike Free Run 2018
Women's = https://www.nike.com/t/free-rn-2018-womens-running-shoes-zE8Je3/942837-001
Men's = https://www.nike.com/t/free-run-2018-mens-road-running-shoes-RRT9elMk/942838-101
RECOMMENDED SHOES for RACES
The Super-Shoes that I sell.
Talk to me at practice about these absolutely amazing running shoes!
HANDICAP RACES: In a Handicap Race the slowest runner starts 1st, the fastest runner starts last, and everyone else starts someone between the slowest runner and the fastest runner. For example, if there are 2 runners in a 2-mile handicap race, and runner A's best 2-mile time is 10:00, and runner B's best 2-mile time is 11:00, then runner B would start 1:00 minute before runner A.
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2023 Cross-Country Race Schedule
Sun, Sept. 24 = Hayward
SAT, Sept. 30 = Pleasanton
SAT, Oct. 7 = Pittsburg (or Fremont?)
Sun, Oct. 15 = Pleasanton
SAT, Oct. 21 = Hayward (or Menlo Park?)
Sun, Oct. 29 = San Ramon
Sun, Nov. 5 = Menlo Park
Sun, Nov. 12 = San Francisco
***Sun, Nov. 19 = ASSOCIATION CHAMPIONSHIP in Cottonwood — This is a very important meet, as we will be trying to win several Association Team championship titles!
***Sun, Nov. 26 = REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP in Fresno — This is also a very important meet, as we will be trying to win several Regional Team championship titles!
***** SAT, Dec. 2 = AAU NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP (Tallahassee, Florida) — This is our most important meet of the year as we will be trying to win multiple National Team championship titles! Our most competitive teams should be in the girls 2009-2010 age division, girls 2011-1012 age division, girls 2013-2014 age division, boys 2013-2014 age division, and boys 2015-2016 age division.
Please try your very best not to schedule any vacations between Nov. 18 – Dec. 9 (since this is when all of our big championship meets occur). Instead, please try your best to schedule all vacations between December 11th & February 1st if at all possible. So, can you travel during Thanksgiving? Of course. It's perfectly fine to travel during Thanksgiving. It's just NOT PREFERRED for those who want to be at their very best for the championship meets held in November.
2024 X-C RACE DISTANCE & AGE DIVISIONS
Group 1 — Born in 2016 or 2017 = 2K (1.25 Miles)
Group 2 — Born in 2014 or 2015 = 3K (1.8 Miles)
Group 3 — Born in 2012 or 2013 = 3K (1.8 Miles)
Group 4 — Born in 2010 or 2011 = 4K (2.5 Miles)
Group 5 — Born in 2008 or 2009 = 5K (3.1 Miles)
Group 6 — Born in 2006 or 2007 = 5K (3.1 Miles)
* At the National Meet there is an additional age division:
Born in 2018 or 2019 = 1K (0.62 Miles)