RunWV is pleased to announce this new feature. We've been in contact with former West Virginia High School track star Kim Nutter. Kim Nutter graduated from Parkersburg High School in 1972 and completed his high school career with PR's of 4:18 for the mile and 9:22 for the two mile.
I'll begin sharing my training starting with my buildup to the 1971 Cross Country season and culminating in the State Cross Country Meet in Morgantown. In May 1971 I had finished 3d in the 880 at the State Meet with a 1:58.0, finishing behind Mile record holder Steve Smith of Huntington High and Roland Flairing of South Charleston (Flairing was a Swedish foreign exchange student and to my knowledge the only exchange student to score in the state meet). The previous evening I had run a 1:59.4 on my leg of the 2mile relay, which we won in 8:05.
As you look at this training please bear in mind that it is ALWAYS better to be undertrained than overtrained. If not otherwise noted, all training was done on the roads. This training is taken directly out of my running log (which was actually nothing more than some lined notebook paper at the time).
Jul 4-Ran 4 miles in the morning easy
Ran 6 miles this evening steady (sub 6:00 pace)
Jul 5-5 miles easy w/Don Kesterson
13 miles steady w/Doug Carder(lots of hills)
Jul 6-5 miles easy in the morning w/Don
5 miles steady this evening w/Don (5:45 pace)
Jul 7-3 miles this am by myself easy
5 miles this afternoon w/Roger Rouiller (quick-5:20 pace)
Jul 8-6 miles this am w/Don Kesterson and Tom Jackson easy
6 miles this evening w/Roger steady
Jul 9-5 miles this am easy w/Tom
3 miles this evening w/Tom hard (5:15)
Jul 10-4 miles easy w/Don this am
3 miles easy this evening by myself. Race tomorrow
Jul 11-Travel to Akron, OH for 4 mile race-ran 20:19 for 2d behind Carl.
8 miles total including warmup/warmdown 71 miles total
Jul 12-5 miles am easy by myself
10 miles this evening w/Rod O'donnell and Roger easy
Jul 13-5 miles this am easy by myself
5 miles this evening w/Don steady
Jul 14-5 miles this am w/Don easy
11 miles this evening w/Rod (hilly)
Jul 15-5 miles this am w/Don easy
11 miles this evening w/Rod and Don (hilly)
Jul 16-5 miles this am w/Tom and Don
10 miles this evening w/Roger (58:00)
Jul 17-5 miles this am w/Don
13 miles this evening w/Roger steady(had bad cramp in my shoulder)
Jul 18-5 miles this am w/Don
11 miles this evening w/Roger (ran hard/felt great)
105 miles total
Jul 19-5 miles this am w/Don and Tom
9 miles this evening w/Roger easy
Jul 20-5 miles this am w/Don and Tom
10 miles this evening with Tom and Roger
Jul 21-5 miles this am w/Tom/Don
10 miles this evening w/Roger steady
Jul 22-5 miles this am w/Don
7 miles this evening by myself hard (5:15)-right ear stopped up and hurt
Jul 23-5 miles this am w/Tom
5 miles this evening easy w/Roger
Jul 24-3 miles this am easy
10 miles hard this evening w/Roger (58:00)
Jul 25-no am run
Ran 8 mile race in Akron (40:48)-10 miles total
89 miles total
Jul 26-5 miles this am by myself easy
6 miles this evening w/Roger (calves sore/legs tight)
Jul 27-5 miles this am w/Tom easy (calves still sore)
10 miles this evening w/Roger and Don (right foot sore)
Jul 28-5 miles this am w/Tom easy
10 miles this evening w/Don and Roger(foot still sore)
Jul 29-5 miles this am in rain w/Tom
11 miles this evening(hilly) w/Rod and Roger
Jul 30-5 miles this am by myself
5 miles this evening steady by myself
Jul 31-no am run
Traveled to Pittsburgh w/Tom for Gold Medal xc camp
4 miles easy in Mt Lebanon, PA
Aug 1-11 miles hard this afternoon on hilly trails-felt great
82 miles total
Aug 2-2 miles this am before breakfast
5 miles hard this afternoon in 27:50
10 miles of fartlek on forest trails this evening
Aug 3-5 miles this am by myself
13 miles this evening steady in rain(felt great)
5 miles tonite easy
Aug 4-2 miles this am before breakfast
10 miles steady fartlek this afternoon
10 miles very easy this evening on trails
Aug 5-2 miles this am before breakfast
5x1 mile on a gradual uphill dirt road (4:50, 4:50, 4:51, 4:50, 4:50)-tough workout
6 miles easy on trails this evening
Aug 6-2 miles this am before breakfast
7 miles easy this afternoon on trails
12 miles easy this evening w/Tom
Aug 7-last day of camp
hilly 5 mile run hard in 28:25
Trip back to Parkersburg this evening
Aug 8-5 miles this am in Parkersburg w/Don
4 miles this evening easy w/Don
121 miles total
Aug 9-5 miles this am w/Don/Tom
12 miles this evening w/Rod and Roger
Aug 10-5 miles this am w/Tom/Don
10 miles this evening w/Roger(humidity bad)
Aug 11-5 miles this am w/Don and Tom
11 miles this evening w/Rod easy(hilly)
Aug 12-5 miles this am w/Don
10 miles easy this evening w/Roger
Aug 13-5 miles this am w/Tom
10 miles this evening w/Tom hard(felt great)
Aug 14-5 miles this am w/Tom
8 miles this evening steady w/Roger (felt strong)
Aug 15-5 miles this am by myself
3 miles this evening by myself-felt tired
98 miles total
Aug 16-5 miles this am w/Tom/Don
9 miles this evening w/Roger easy
Aug 17-5 miles this am w/Tom and Don
10 miles this evening w/Tom to Jackson Park in Vienna
Aug 18-5 miles this am w/Don
10 miles this evening w/Roger steady (6:45 pace)
Aug 19-5 miles this am w/Tom/Don
5 miles this evening easy by myself
Aug 20-5 miles this am w/Tom and Don
5 miles this evening w/Don easy
Aug 21-5 miles this am w/Tom
5 miles this evening w/Tom easy
Aug 22-5 miles this am by myself
5 miles this evening by myself
84 miles total
Aug 23-5 miles this am w/Tom/Don
5 miles this evening w/Tom/Don easy
Aug 24-Cross Country practice began today-5 miles of fartlek at City Park this am
10 miles w/Jim Lund easy at City Park
Aug 25-5 miles this am w/Tom, Jim and Don
20 minutes of Indian Run at City Park-then 8xhills at Mt Olivet cemetery
Aug 26-5 miles this am w/Tom
6x440 at City Park in 68-5 miles total for workout
Aug 27-no am run
Travel to Morgantown this afternoon-4 miles easy on WVU Golf Course
Run in 24 hour relay tomorrow
This 24 hour relay was run on the WVU track with a 10 man team comprised of several All Americans and AAU National Champions(Carl Hatfield, Don Sauer, Mike Mossor and Paul Talkington). I was the only high school runner on the team and needless to say I was a bit intimidated. I was concerned about holding the team back. As it turned out, I ran the fastest mile of the day(4:32-my first mile of the relay) and ended up having the fastest average (4:52 for 29 miles run). This was a phenomenal run, but I came out of it with a nagging leg injury that turned out to be a stress fracture which continued to bother me off and on until the end of track season. It was a truly dumb move but one in which I should have known better, even as a high school runner.
Aug 28 & 29-24 Hour Relay at WVU
78 miles total
Aug 30-no am run
jogged 4 miles easy at City Park this afternoon
Aug 31-5 miles this am w/Jim
3x1 mile intervals w/5 minutes rest at City Park in 5:05, 5:02 and 4:57
5 miles total
Sep 1-5 miles this am w/Jim
10x440 at City Park in 68-Left leg hurt-5 miles
Sep 2-2 miles this am by myself
6 miles this evening at Park to include 3 mile time trial in 14:54
Sep 3-no am run
ran ladder in practice(220, 440, 660 880-29, 65, 1:35, 2:12)-5 miles total
Sep 4-ran 2.5 mile time trial in 12:06(1st mile in 4:29)
10 miles easy this evening w/Tom
Sep 5-3 miles this am
5 miles this evening (leg still aches)
58 miles total
Sep 6-5 miles this am w/Tom easy
4 miles in practice to include 4x880 in 2:25
Sep 7-no am run
5 miles in practice to include 6x880 under 2:20, then 10xhills at Mt Olivet
Sep 8-5 miles this am w/Tom
ran 12x440's at City Park-all under 70-6 miles total
Sep 9-5 miles this am w/Tom and Jim easy
6 miles in practice to include 3x 1 mile in 4:31, 4:34, and 4:41 (5 min rest)
Ran 8xhills at Mt Olivet after intervals
Sep 10-2 miles this am w/Tom
jogged and loosened up 2 miles for race tomorrow in Charleston
Sep 11-First xc race at Coonskin Park-won race by 40 seconds-team 3d
5 miles total w/up and w/down-felt super strong(leg still hurts)
Sep 12-5 miles this evening very easy w/Tom
50 miles total
Sep 13-no am run
ran 10x880's in practice all in 2:25-felt terrible-rainy/cold conditions
my worst workout all season-8 miles total
Sep 14-no am run
ran 10x220's in practice, between 28-30-5 miles total
Sep 15-no am run
ran 5 miles over Core Rd, then 10xhills at Mt Olivet-8 miles total
Sep 16-no am run
ran 5 miles easy on roads today
Sep 17-jogged and loosened up for meet at Huntington tomorrow-leg aches-5 miles
Sep 18-ran 2d xc meet in Huntington(Ritter Park)-won race by 9 secs over Tom-had about a minute lead-got lost and had to ask directions. Team was 1st-leg ached so bad that I didn't think I could run at all-couldn't do any warm up w/team because of the pain. 4 miles
Sep 19-5 miles this am easy w/Tom and Don 40 miles total Sep 20-5 mile loop steady w/Tom, then 10xhills at Mt Olivet-7 miles total Sep 21-ran 4xmile and a half in 7:05, 7:25, 7:30, 7:35 w/5 min rest-felt strong-7 miles Sep 22-6 miles easy w/team Sep 23-ran 3.5 mile time trial in 16:40-5 miles total Sep 24-jogged/loosened up 3 miles for race tomorrow Sep 25-3d meet-Bellaire, OH xc meet-ran 9:31 for 2 miles-won race by 35 secs-team 1st-5 miles Sep 26-5 miles w/Tom and Don easy 38 miles total Sep 27-8 miles easy w/team in practice-felt good Sep 28-5 miles quick w/Tom, then 10xhills at Mt Olivet Sep 29-ran 3xmile and a half intervals-7:20, 7:27 and 7:30-6 miles total Sep 30-jogged/warmed up 2 miles-meet in Morgantown tomorrow Oct 1-ran in WVU invitational-won race by 15 secs-team 6th-felt strong-5 miles Oct 2-ran 5 miles w/team easy on Worthington Golf Course Oct 3-5 miles easy w/Don/Tom 36 miles total Oct 4-8 miles easy w/team Oct 5-5 miles steady w/team then 10xhills at Mt Olivet
Oct 6-ran dual meet against Doddridge County at Worthington-won individual race by 50 secs-shut out Doddridge-4 miles
Oct 7-5 miles easy w/team out Core Rd then 4 220's hard(no time) Oct 8-jogged/warmed up for meet at Coonskin Park tomorrow-3 miles Oct 9-ran in meet at Coonskin Park-team 2d-won individual race by 40 secs-5 miles Oct 10-5 miles easy by myself 35 miles total Oct 11-8 miles easy on roads today w/team Oct 12-3x1 1/2 mile intervals in 7:35, then 10xhills at Mt Olivet-6 miles Oct 13-5 miles in practice easy w/Tom Oct 14-4x440 in 65 w/ 1 min rest-5 miles total Oct 15-jogged/warmed up 2 miles-race in Wheeling tomorrow Oct 16-ran in West Liberty Inv-won race by 12 secs-team was 3d-5 miles Oct 17-5 miles easy w/Tom and Don 36 miles total Oct 18-4 miles hard on roads, then 9xhills at Mt Olivet Oct 19-ran 4x880's in 2:20 and 4x220's in 30-5 miles Oct 20-ran 2x440's in 61, 59 and 1x880 in 2:09-5 miles Oct 21-ran 6x220's in 30-4 miles Oct 22-jogged/warmed up 2 miles-Regional Meet at Wheeling tomorow Oct 23-ran in Regional-fell down at start-won race by 35 secs-team was 1st also-5 miles Oct 24-5 miles easy-felt lousy-legs heavy and tight 30 miles total Oct 25-20 minutes fartlek, then 7xhills at Mt Olivet-5 miles-felt much better today Oct 26-ran 1xmile in 4:45, then 5xhills at Mt Olivet-5 miles Oct 27-ran 4x220s in 30 and 1x880 in 2:10-5 miles Oct 28-4x220 in 29 and 1x440 in 57-4 miles total Oct 29-jogged/warmed up at City Park 2 miles-run in State Meet tomorrow Oct 30-ran in state meet-won individual race by 33 secs-team 2d to Keyser-5 miles Oct 31-10 miles easy w/Tom 36 miles total
Most of my training that Fall was done with Roger Rouiller (a local Parkersburg runner who eventually ran a 2:25 marathon and was a teammate of mine on the West Virginia Track Club team, along with Carl Hatfield, which won the Boston marathon team title in 1974), Tom Jackson, Don Kesterson and Jim Lund (my teammates on Parkersburg's cross country team. We placed 1st, 3d, 8th and 16th in the state meet and seemingly had it won, but our normal 5th man had a bad race and Don Kesterson ran a tremendous race to salvage 2d place-we lost to Keyser by 5 points. More about these outstanding athletes when I share my training for the 1972 track season.