How to Cross-Country Train

Cross-country running is distance running "in the wild," and it is the sport that initiates many high school and college athletes into the sport. Most cross-country competitions occur in the fall and are run on various terrains. This form of running has its own specific training techniques.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Start training for cross-country season at least 6 weeks before the first race or time trial. If you are going out for your school's cross-country team, you will probably have to compete for a spot on the squad with athletes who run year-round.
2. Train with another runner or a group to improve the quality of your workouts. Run most of your workouts at an even pace. If you are breathing too hard to carry on a conversation, you are probably running too fast.
3. Build a base of fitness with your first two weeks of training. Run 2 to 4 miles, 5 days a week. Run mostly on flat surfaces of grass, sand, clay and pine needles. Include one day a week when you do at least half of your run on roads, sidewalks or other paved surfaces, since many cross-country courses include some road mileage.
4. Increase your weekly distance by 10 percent per week beginning with the third week of training. Avoid running more than 6 miles in a single workout during your first 8 weeks. High school cross-country courses range from 3 to 5 km, and college courses from 5 to 10 km.
5. Include one day of speed work during each of the final 3 weeks before the start of your season. While it is possible to do speed work on a track, the cross-country runner's preferred versions of speed training are strides or "fartlek." Strides involve running 4 to 8 repeats of 50 to 100 meters at a speed just below sprinting pace. In a "fartlek" or speed-play workout, members of a team take turns running out ahead of the pack during a workout so that their teammates must try to catch them with spurts of 50 to 200 meters.
6. Add one weekly hill workout to your regimen by the third week of pre-season training. A good hill workout can consist of a moderate-distance run of about 3 miles on a very hilly course, or a 10-minute "hill drill" involving a dozen or so tempo runs up a 50-meter steep incline following an otherwise easy workout. Jog down hills to strengthen your quads.
7. Rest at least one day a week when you train for cross-country running, to avoid injuring yourself from over training. Pay attention to your need for sleep and good nutrition, even if your friends are partying the night before a race.
8. Cut back on hills and speedwork once racing competition begins, especially during any weeks when your team has two meets scheduled.

Tips & Warnings

• Your cross-country coach is often the best source of pre-season training advice. If you are planning to go out for cross-country in the fall, talk to your coach in the spring.