Race days are the days when all of our hard work comes to play.
Kellyn Taylor, photo by Kevin Morris
Those hill days, tempo days, interval days, long days and rest days all come out. That extra energy on the last hill before you begin your kick home, that’s part of what you train for. That last long kick into the finish chute, taking out that one athlete you have not challenged all season is another suprise that comes from all of your hard work!
Dream! Warm up! Race! You are making your own history.
Saturday, November 12, 2016: Race day. Warm up, listen to your coach, race, cool down
Week 12: Here Comes the Big Cross Country Season
The state meets are here for many. Now the focus is on FootLocker, NXN, Border Clash and USATF Club. For college athletes, next weekend is regionals.
Monday : Warm up; 6-mile run; 8×150 yds relaxed strideouts on grass, jogging back to the start after each, no rest between; cool down.
Tuesday: 1-mile warmup; 20-min tempo run, 1-mile cool down. To determine your tempo run pace, add a half-minute to your present mile pace for a 5K. So if you can run 18:30 for a 5K now, that means a 6:00 pace. Add 30 seconds to get your tempo run pace of 6:30 per mile. Recalculate your pace as your fitness improves, about once a month.
Wednesday: Warm up; 6-mile run; 8×150 yds relaxed strideouts on grass, jogging back to the start after each, no rest between; cool down.
Thursday: 1-mile warmup; 8 hill repeats (run 200 yds uphill, turn, jog downhill to the start. Repeat 7 more times, no rests); on the flat at the bottom of the hill, try for 8×150 yds as easy strideouts, jogging back to the start, no rest in between; 1-mile easy cool-down. Or, if a race happens on Thursday and Saturday, finish up with the 10×150 yds and then do your 1-mile easy cool-down.
Friday: Warm up; 6-mile run; 8×150 yds relaxed strideouts on grass, jogging back to the start after each, no rest between; cool down.
Saturday: Race day. Warm up, listen to your coach, race, cool down
Sunday: Easy 11-mile run on grass or dirt with friends.
