Monday, May 22, 2006

Off-Season Training Tips

Off-Season Training Tips:

1. Be sure you have good supportive running shoes with plenty of cushioning. You will run many miles over the summer, so you may need to get some new trainers.
2. Get lots of sleep and rest between hard workouts.
3. Stay hydrated. Drink water all day long and drink some kind of sports drink/fruit juice(maybe even chocolate milk) after a run.
4. Run on soft surfaces as much as you can.
5. If you are sore, back off. Don’t run thru sharp pain. Ice those areas that are sore.
6. Do core strength work(crunches, pushups, curls, etc.) at least twice each week.
7. Run hilly courses as often as you can.
8. Follow the hard/easy training cycle. Do recovery runs or cross train between hard runs or long runs.
9. Do a long run(around 90 minutes) at least once a week.
10. Be consistent.

Specific off-season training suggestions will begin in June. Plan for 2 different five week training cycles(June 4 thru July 8 & July 9 thru August 12) with mileage climbing during each five week cycle. We’ll do similar five week training cycles during the cross country season(August 13 thru September 16 & September 17 thru October 21).

Coach Van Arkel(417-873-7567)
xcountry@drury.edu

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Summer Conditioning

Our method of training for cross country is based on principles of adaptation and progression. You must overload a specific physiological function to produce a training effect. Adaptation occurs as you recover from the workload. Progression occurs as you increase intensity and volume over time and add different types of training to the mix. With the right amounts of sharpening and tapering, the end result is outstanding fitness and fast races.

In order to race fast during the cross country season, we will be doing a large amount of hill training, steady-state running and speedwork in September and October. Additionally, we will be running 70 miles(women) to 80 miles(men) a week at the beginning of cross country practice in August and will be doing hard 13 mile runs our first week back. To make the most of these workouts, we must spend the summer months doing the kind of base training necessary to support this hard running. Summer conditioning starts with aerobic mileage and adds hilly runs, strides and strength work. The idea is to increase VO2max and running efficiency during this period. Anerobic development and speed will come later during the cross country season. I guarantee we will be competitive individually and as a team during cross country if we stick to these principles of training.

After a couple weeks of easy recovery running post track season, an increase in weekly mileage and a weekly long run will improve your aerobic capacity. While these increases need to be gradual, they also need to happen early in the summer so aerobic conditioning can be consistent for 8-10 weeks before the season starts.

The more volume you can do during the summer, the better you will be in races in the fall.

I will provide specific training suggestions starting June 4.

Coach Van Arkel

Friday, May 5, 2006

What a great team!

Thank you to all Drury team members for working hard this spring. I expect you to have a summer full of good times and great running, and to contact me if you are hurt or injured.
















First XC Practice: Thursday, August 17 @ 7:00 am (8 miles)

Second Practice: Thursday, August 17 @ 4:oo pm
(Easy run, stretching, strides & strength work)

Bowling & Dinner: Thursday, August 17 @ 6:00 pm

Third Practice: August 18 @ 7:00 am (13 miles)


Insurance and Physical required before the first practice!

Medical forms are on the Drury Athletics web page or click on the link in the right-hand margin.


Tuesday, May 2, 2006

First XC Practice: August 17 @ 7 am




First practice: Thursday, August 17 @ 7:00 am

This site will be regularly updated with info about Drury cross country & track and suggested training schedules.

Coach Van Arkel