Cross country running is a demanding yet rewarding sport that requires a unique blend of endurance, speed, and mental toughness. Many athletes set their sights on achieving personal records (PRs) during races. To make these dreams a reality, cross country runners need to follow a well-structured training plan that focuses on specific techniques.
Here are key training tips for this cross country season to help you prepare effectively when on the road to that PR on race day.
Start With A Solid Training Base
Before you start pushing for speed, it’s crucial to build a strong aerobic foundation. Ideally, runners should be working on base training during the summer leading up to the fall cross country season.
To effectively build a base, gradually increase your weekly mileage and add variety into workouts to include intervals, easy runs, hill repeats, and a long run.
Tips:
- Weekly Mileage: Aim for a consistent weekly mileage that gradually increases by about 10% each week. This allows your body to adapt without risking injury.
- Easy Runs: Incorporate easy runs into your routine. These should be at a comfortable pace, helping to build your aerobic base without overstressing your body.
Speed Work Is A Must
Runners cannot achieve their fastest race time without prioritizing speed in their workouts. Speed training helps increase your running efficiency, meaning the runner can maintain a faster pace over longer distances.
Work on practicing race pace or faster to condition your body to perform as well when it counts. The high-intensity intervals of speed work help the body utilize oxygen more efficiently. This translates to improvements in endurance and stamina during races.
Types of Speed Workouts:
- Intervals: Short bursts of high-intensity running followed by recovery periods. For example, 400-meter repeats at a pace faster than your race pace, with equal or slightly longer rest intervals.
- Fartlek Runs: A mix of speed and endurance, fartlek runs involve alternating periods of fast running with easy jogging. For example, sprint for 30 seconds and then jog for 1 minute, repeating this pattern for 20-30 minutes.
Train On Hills and Terrain
Moving from track to cross country season, runners need to focus on training on courses with elevation changes. Incorporating hills into workouts helps to get the runner accustomed to tackling them on a race day course. Training on hills can also help with endurance, which then leads to having the ability to push the pace to get that race day PR.
It’s also smart to be familiar with the race course so that there are no surprises when competiting. Use the course as a time trial to assess if your time goal is achievable.
- Master the Hills: When practicing running hills, lean slightly forward and shorten your stride on uphill sections. Let gravity help you on the downhills by opening up your stride.
- Adapt to the Course: If possible, familiarize yourself with the course in advance so you know where hills, flat sections, and tricky terrain might be.
Taper Properly
It’s important to taper before a race to make sure you are rested and recovered to perform well on race day. By allowing the body to recover from the fatigue caused by training, tapering before a race helps improve speed and performance. Here’s how tapering can lead to faster race-day performance:
- Reduce Training Intensity: In the week leading up to race day cut back on mileage and intensity. This helps your muscles recover and ensures you feel fresh on race day.
- Focus on Speed Work: Include shorter, faster workouts to maintain speed without fatiguing your legs.
Warm-Up and Stretch
On race day, always properly warm up so that the body is ready to race. This inlcudes a dynamic warm-up to increase heart rate and warm up the muscles. Many runners also go for a lap or light jog for a few minutes.
- Dynamic Warm-Up: Perform dynamic stretches (leg swings, high knees, butt kicks) to activate your muscles and get your blood flowing.
- Strides: Do a few strides (short sprints) at race pace to get your body used to the pace before the gun goes off.
Set a Realistic Pacing Strategy
Strategize for the race with the help of your cross country coach. Hold back at the beginning of the race, and then start to pick up the pace. Reserve some energy for the end to give that final kick.
- Start Smart: Avoid going out too fast. Adrenaline might tempt you to sprint, but starting too fast can lead to burnout. Stick to your planned race pace in the early miles.
- Break the Race into Segments: Mentally divide the race into sections (e.g., first third: settle in, second third: maintain pace, last third: push hard). Focus on one segment at a time.
Push Through Discomfort
Setting a PR takes determination. Runners should not push through pain. However, expect the discomfort that comes with racing fast.
- Embrace the Discomfort: Setting a PR will involve some discomfort and fatigue, especially in the last mile. Train yourself to push through discomfort without slowing down.
- Use the Competition: Stay focused on the runners ahead of you. Gradually work to catch and pass them—it can give you a boost of energy and motivation.
Mental Toughness
Running is as much a mental sport as it is physical. Keep your head in the race, and learn to manage nerves. Use the nerves as fuel to push you to that PR.
- Positive Self-Talk: Use positive affirmations to build confidence (“I’m strong,” “I can do this”). Avoid negative thoughts.
- Run the Mile You’re In: Focus on your current mile and stay present. Thinking about how much distance remains can be overwhelming.
- Visualize Success: Before the race, imagine yourself crossing the finish line strong and setting a PR.
Finish Strong
With the right strategy, runners should have more left in their tank to bring it home strong. Once the finish line is in sight, start to push forward and save that final sprint for the home stretch.
- Kick in the Last Mile: Save some energy for a strong finishing kick. Gradually increase your speed as you approach the last stretch, and sprint all-out in the final 200 meters.
- Visualize the Finish Line: In the final moments, imagine yourself breaking through your PR and pushing harder than you thought possible.