EP13: How a State Champion Distance Coach Builds Complete Athletes with Andy Derks

What does it really take to build a championship distance program — and are miles enough? In this episode, I sit down with Andy Dirks, head cross country coach at Plainfield North, fresh off a state championship, to break down how he develops complete athletes, not just distance runners. We explore the parallels between distance training and speed development, including: Why sprinting still matters for distance athletesHow strength training fits into a championship XC programMoving beyond “ju...