Summer XC Training: Week 4 (June 29)

This week we'll include hill repeats in our training. The long run should be at least 70 minutes or more and we still want to run a hilly course once in a while, but also now we'll add a separate hill repeat workout to build leg strength. At least one time during the week find a 100-150m hill and run 6-8 hill repeats at 3K-5K race pace, with an easy jog back down between each repeat. A hill on a road would be fine, but a grassy slope would be great. Total weekly mileage should be about the same as before. Next week we'll try to increase mileage a bit so that by mid-summer we're running 50-60 miles/week.


Sunday Long Run (70 minutes or more)

Monday 5-6 miles

Tuesday 7-8 miles with hill repeats (6 x 150m)

Wednesday 8-9 miles

Thursday 5-6 miles

Friday 7-8 miles

Saturday 5-6 miles or swim/bike w/ strength training


Coach Van Arkel

Summer XC Training: Week 3 (June 22)

This week we'll add a couple of elements to the training. The long run should be longer than one hour and at least one time during the week find a hilly course to run, working the uphills at a slightly faster pace than normal. Other runs can be at a conversational pace. Mileage should be 40-50 miles for this week. Over the 10 week off-season training period during the summer we'll plan to increase mileage gradually, with a goal of at least 60 miles/week during the last half of the summer.

Sunday Long Run (70 minutes or more)

Monday 5-6 miles

Tuesday 7-8 miles with hills

Wednesday 8-9 miles

Thursday 5-6 miles w/ strength training

Friday 7-8 miles

Saturday 5-6 miles or swim/bike w/ strength training


Coach Van Arkel

Summer XC Training: Week 2 (June 15)

For the first two weeks of summer training our goal will be consistent running (at least 6 days/week) with most daily runs up to one hour at a conversational pace. Starting June 22 we'll start thinking about total mileage and by the third week mileage should be at least 40 miles/week or more for both the women and the men.

Sunday Long Run (60 minutes or more)

Monday 5-6 miles

Tuesday 7-8 miles

Wednesday 7-8 miles

Thursday 5-6 miles

Friday 7-8 miles

Saturday 5-6 miles or swim/bike


Coach Van Arkel

Summer Cross Country Training

First Practices/Off-Season Training for Cross Country:

Our first cross country practice will be  Saturday, August 16, at 4:30 pm. All runners must have hard copies of athletic training/insurance/medical forms on file with the athletic trainers (Erin/Summer) and NCAA code of conduct/consent forms signed online with Drury Compliance (Bryan Beatty) before practicing. All incoming freshmen and juniors must get a physical with the Drury Athletic Department physician (Dr. Woods) before practicing. Dr. Woods is on campus most Mondays during the summer and will be available for a brief time on Saturday, August 16, to complete physicals for those runners coming in from out of town. We do not have any special permission from Housing to move in to dorms or College Park early.

After taking a break from track season, we're now ready, beginning June 8, to set up a formal ten week off-season summer training plan to prepare for the cross country season. Plan to spend the next 10 weeks building an aerobic training base for the harder running we will do when cross country season starts at the beginning of the fall semester. We'll do an easy run August 16 as a group, but will do a long run (90 minutes) together the next morning on August 17.

6K and 10K cross country races are 80%-85% aerobic, so mileage, volume and aerobic fitness are the most important elements and are necessary before we add speed work and more intensive running during September and October and November.  For our first week of summer running we don't need to be too concerned with mileage or pace, but we do need to start thinking about consistency and establishing a daily running routine. An easy run every day averaging about 40-50 minutes/day is sufficient for now. We'll add other elements (mileage goals/strength/speed) to our training later and I'll post a meet schedule in a few weeks.

Coach Van Arkel