What is Cross Country?

Cross County is traditionally a 5 kilometer (3.1 mile) for boys and a 2 Mile race for girls, race over grass, gravel, asphalt, and dirt. Some courses might have more asphalt than grass and vice versa. Some races we run might be slightly shorter or longer. Weekend invitational’s consist of fields from 50-300 runners and are generally divided into different races for boys and girls, as well as varsity, junior varsity, and middle school.

Types of Training

-Distance runs
Longer runs of between 3-8 miles depending on age and ability. These runs are generally done at a moderate pace. The purpose of these runs is to allow student-athletes to get in mileage, which will build their aerobic capacity and muscles while recovering from more intense workouts and races.

-Speed workouts
Speed workouts can vary between pace runs (longer sustained
periods of running slower than race pace), fartleks (alternating periods of race pace or below running and distance run pace), and interval workouts (repeated runs for a defined distance and pace with a defined rest time period). Speed workouts are designed to increase student-athletes’ ability to handle the intensity and paces that they will encounter under race conditions.

-Drills
Drills are done at every practice and before meets. Drills are
designed to improve student-athletes’ running form and efficiency as well as isolate certain muscles for strengthening. Drills include butt-kicks, A-skips, high knees, karacoa, and duck walks.

-Strides
Strides are done after distance runs. They consist of 100-150
springs at 80-90% effort. Strides are done to help in the
development of fast twitch muscles and speed for the end of races.

-Body weights
Body weights will be done 2-3 times a week. Body weights will consist of pushups, crunches, supermans, squats, and plank exercises. These exercises will help to improve upper body and core strength thereby improving running form.

-Core/AB work
Core is a vital part of all sports and exercises. However, it is often one of the most overlooked forms of exercise. I have come to realize that one way proven to help prevent most injuries is to take CORE work seriously. Sometimes it is the easiest part, but it is the little things that can create the big things. We will do Core work nearly each day after workouts or long runs. The stomach muscles are a group of muscles that can be worked each day, and not result in overuse. By using various exercises it is my goal to make it a point to target them daily