Off-Season Training for Cross Country:
This overview of training is the same as I posted last summer. Nothing about the process has changed and it's pretty straightforward. Preparing for fall cross country races means training moderately hard and long for a number of months over the summer, then training a little harder for a few weeks after school starts, and then training even harder for a shorter period of time before we peak for our big meets. With adequate recovery, we'll be really fast when we race in October and November.
Training for cross country races (and getting faster) involves a progression. The body adapts to increased stimuli (running long and running fast) and then gets stronger during the recovery phase. The idea is to begin to develop early in summer the different bioenergetic and biomechanic systems we rely on when we run cross country races in the fall. Because 6K and 10K cross country races are 80%-85% aerobic, mileage, volume and aerobic fitness are the most important elements during the off-season.
These key components make up the off-season cross country training plan:
1. Aerobic Fitness - Mileage, not too hard, to improve endurance and efficiency. Consistency is important.
2. Leg Strength - Hill running to increase the strength of leg muscles, tendons and ligaments and improve form and speed.
3. Core Strength - Resistance exercises designed to strengthen and stabilize the core/trunk/upper body.
4. Nutrition - Pay attention to your diet. Eat healthy, watch your weight and hydrate before and after training runs.
5. Recovery/Sleep - Improvement occurs during the rest phase. If you don't give your body a chance to regenerate between hard workouts you risk injury, illness and burnout.
Notice we do not start running fast intervals until we have developed other systems more fully and until we are ready to start peaking for cross country races. Anaerobic fitness and speed will improve during the fall season. While increases in mileage and training intensity need to be gradual, they also need to happen relatively early in the summer so conditioning can be consistent and productive for the 8-10 weeks before the cross country season starts. Expect a more specific workout schedule to start on June 10. And then start counting miles to get to 1000!
Coach Van Arkel
417-873-7567
This overview of training is the same as I posted last summer. Nothing about the process has changed and it's pretty straightforward. Preparing for fall cross country races means training moderately hard and long for a number of months over the summer, then training a little harder for a few weeks after school starts, and then training even harder for a shorter period of time before we peak for our big meets. With adequate recovery, we'll be really fast when we race in October and November.
Training for cross country races (and getting faster) involves a progression. The body adapts to increased stimuli (running long and running fast) and then gets stronger during the recovery phase. The idea is to begin to develop early in summer the different bioenergetic and biomechanic systems we rely on when we run cross country races in the fall. Because 6K and 10K cross country races are 80%-85% aerobic, mileage, volume and aerobic fitness are the most important elements during the off-season.
These key components make up the off-season cross country training plan:
1. Aerobic Fitness - Mileage, not too hard, to improve endurance and efficiency. Consistency is important.
2. Leg Strength - Hill running to increase the strength of leg muscles, tendons and ligaments and improve form and speed.
3. Core Strength - Resistance exercises designed to strengthen and stabilize the core/trunk/upper body.
4. Nutrition - Pay attention to your diet. Eat healthy, watch your weight and hydrate before and after training runs.
5. Recovery/Sleep - Improvement occurs during the rest phase. If you don't give your body a chance to regenerate between hard workouts you risk injury, illness and burnout.
Notice we do not start running fast intervals until we have developed other systems more fully and until we are ready to start peaking for cross country races. Anaerobic fitness and speed will improve during the fall season. While increases in mileage and training intensity need to be gradual, they also need to happen relatively early in the summer so conditioning can be consistent and productive for the 8-10 weeks before the cross country season starts. Expect a more specific workout schedule to start on June 10. And then start counting miles to get to 1000!
Coach Van Arkel
417-873-7567
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