Terra Linda Summer Practice

View practice photo gallery HERE

Watch the athlete interviews HERE

We visited with the Terra Linda Trojans of San Rafael, California. Coach Seth Davis has the athletes do an easy run at the Las Gallinas Valley Birding Loop in San Rafael. Coach Davis shares information about his program:

What is your summer practice schedule?

While practice isn’t mandatory over the summer, our experienced athletes train six days a week, and newer runners four to five. We send out a weekly schedule. Athletes have "coached" workouts three days a week, plus a captains’ run where they review season courses. We welcome runners from other schools, because having more runners just makes everyone a little better. Each practice starts with about 15 minutes of warm-up drills, and as the summer progresses, we gradually build in more advanced strength and mobility work.

What are some of the summer highlights?

Our summer highlights kick off with a snag run, borrowed straight from Australia. After a hard run, someone’s grilling breakfast sausages on white bread with ketchup. We do a few of those each summer. We also have a full moon run, and this year, 14 athletes are headed to the Runners’ Workshop in Yosemite. On Mondays, practice starts at 6:30 PM, and we invite not just athletes, but parents as well. Whether they walk, jog, grab coffee, or just hang out, it’s all about creating a sense of community.

What are some of the meets and/or traditions that the athletes are looking forward to in the fall?

No question, the biggest meet of the year for the team is Woodbridge. The whole squad gets excited for the race, and afterward, they’ll do something fun like the beach or Disneyland. We try to bring the entire team and describe it as a rock concert for cross country runners. Another favorite is our full moon run. It’s dark, and it’s all about getting comfortable with discomfort. We start with intervals, ending with the fastest ones, while throwing on all sorts of random things like masks, hats, or capes, anything to make them uncomfortable while getting faster and having fun. We finish with pizza, music, and chocolate milk under the full moon. We also have Clovis to review the state course, and we have a pho lunch. If we’re fortunate enough to make it to state as a team, that’s the ultimate goal. We’re building toward doing well there.

How does Terra Linda build their culture?

Terra Linda builds its culture on three core pillars: positivity, teamwork, and consistency. We create a positive environment through shared experiences, from snag runs to Woodbridge, where everyone belongs regardless of pace. Team is about honoring past athletes while building a future. All our team awards are named after past athletes, and many workouts also honor them. By sharing these stories, we create myths and legends that inspire the current team. Athletes know they are part of a legacy that stretches from the past into the future. Consistency keeps us moving forward with structured training and habits. In the end, they are not just part of today, they are shepherding a tradition that will make them proud in years to come.