Going the Distance -- A Fernando Braz Coaching Service

GTD Cross-Country Staff

Program Director
Fernando Braz
Go to this page for information about Coach Braz.

Staff
Peter Cirafice
- Peabody High distance coach
- competitive runner and triathlete for over 30 years
- completed 34 marathons (2:39PR)
- completed over 200 triathlons, including 7 Ironmans (4 in Europe, 1 in Canada, and 2 Kona World Championships)
- completed over 100 duathlons (including 3 World Championships in Switzerland)
- PRs include 4:37 mile, 9:47 2 mile, 15:53 5K, 33:09 10K, 73:45 half-marathon, 10:10 Ironman
- expertise in blending nutrition, yoga, cross-training to develop HS athletes

Colette Madore
- Central Catholic cross-country coach; indoor/outdoor distance coach
- competitive runner for over 10 years; completed 9 marathons
- 10 years coaching cross-country; 3 years coaching track

Fred Doyle
Coaching Career
- Swampscott HS - 1976-1982, 1985 Head Coach Boys & Girls XC and Indoor Track
- Coached 7 Boston Globe All-Scholastics in XC and 2 in Track
- Named as Coach of the Lynn Item 25 year Anniversary team
- Clinician for Mass State Track Coaches Learn By Doing Clinics and Coaches Clinics
- Currently coaching at Tewksbury HS
Professional Career
- Nike Inc. - 25 years - last 8 years as Director of Running Commerce
- Saucony, Inc - 8 years - VP of Field Sales & Director of Running Market Development
Running Career
- Olympic Trials Marathon Qualifier, 1980
- Won Great Northern Marathon, U.K., 2:19:34
- Personal Best Times - Mile-4:05.4, 2-Mile-8:46.2, Steeplechase-8:54.2. 5000-14:18.7

Ginny Fournier
- Peabody High track staff and softball coach
- youth sports coach for over 12 years
- healthcare and nutrition consultant for over 27 years
- active runner, skier, and softball player

Dave Smith
- GTD Director

Comprehensive 8-week Program

GTD’s 8-week comprehensive program is for middle school, high school, and collegiate student-athletes who are training for the fall cross-country season.

The program includes training guidelines for 56 days. The first 14 days are off-site, and the next 42 days of daily training include 18 onsite sessions.

Onsite session disciplines include core, circuits, base building, plyometrics, resistance training, threshold work, technique and form, concentration, focus, and racing strategies.

The comprehensive program is 8 weeks of progressive training.
To supplement the onsite sessions, athletes in the comprehensive program receive a week-by-week progressive training outline.

Athletes will train with appropriate peer-level groups.

6-week Onsite Program
The optional 6-week program includes 18 sessions with disciplines that support an athlete’s existing summer training program.

What's it like at an early morning xc conditioning summer session?

Frequently Asked Questions -- and Answers

Question -- Can someone miss time in the program and still participate?
Answer -- Yes. The program has the flexibility and ability to implement conditioning to those who miss onsite sessions. Please tell Coach Braz when you will miss a session so that you receive a conditioning model to stay on track with the program's progressive discipline.

Question -- Will the program continue to offer conditioning during the non-supervised days?
Answer -- The Comprehensive program provides a weekly conditioning guideline that includes off-site training.
Note -- For some athletes, if not many, captain's practices may be on Tuesday and Thursday. If this is the case, the captain's practices will take precedence over the GTD workout for those days.