The purpose of summer training is to prepare your body for the workouts of the fall. In the summer you want to focus on building your endurance and your strength. Entering the season with a strong foundation makes you more likely to stay healthy and fresh all the way through to the end of the season.
What kind of workouts should you do?
- Of course, the most important way to prepare for cross-country is through distance running. Most of this running will be at an aerobic pace, a pace that you can sustain.
- Take one run per week to focus on long, slow distance (LSD). This run may feel slow but should be longer than the others. At least 45 minutes, no more than 75.
- Incorporate some hill running into your workout once a week. This is a great way to build leg strength. Run up, walk down.
- Strength training, when done properly, can help you to prevent injuries and to maintain proper form. The core muscles (abs, obliques, glutes, lower back) are important. Pilates, yoga, stability ball exercises, and weight machines are some ways to get in your strength training 2x/week. Add in sprint drills 2x/week: Power skips, high knees, butt kicks, lunges, etc. (Think circuits.). Make sit-ups and pushups part of your daily warm-up.
- After easy runs, finish up with 4-6 striders short runs to keep your legs moving quickly.
- Cross-training can be a great supplement to your running. Swimming, cycling, soccer, basketball, and lacrosse can all give your heart, lungs, and muscles a workout with a bit of a change of pace.
- A couple of races over the summer can serve as motivators. Preparing for a 4th of July race can help you kick-start your training, for example. If you do race, stick to relatively moderate distances 5K runs are common. Find races at www.coolrunning.com, running shoe stores, local newspapers, and www.active.com.
How much should you do?
Set a mileage goal for the entire summer. ___________
Well, this really depends on your experience, your fitness, and what your body can sustain.
- Newcomers should start off conservatively. Figure out a 3-4 mile course, and try to run it at an easy pace. If you have to walk for a while, do so. Alternate running and walking, but finish the distance. Before you know it, you will be running the whole thing without walking! If you are really new to distance running, aim for a total of 10 miles of running over the first week. Then, increase that total a little bit each week. The first few weeks, you should only run every other day. As your muscles and joints get stronger, you can start running on consecutive days. By the end of August, if you are healthy, aim to be comfortable running 20 miles a week.
- Returning athletes are expected to aim for more distance. If you are a returning athlete but have not been running, start with a 12-mile week and then build from there. If you have been running, keep building from where you are now. Shift your focus to distance rather than speed for now. You can run fast once or twice a week, but most of your work should be at an aerobic pace, with your LSD day at a conversational pace. Well put more emphasis on speed when the season starts.
- Keep track of your workouts how much and how often you run, and what other workouts youve been doing. Write them into the attached calendar. This will help you make sure that you are doing enough but not too much. I will collect in August.
Safety Concerns
- Wear
good running shoes that fit you properly.
The best shoe for one person is not the best shoe for
everyone. If you are not sure, go
to a specialty running store (like
- Sunscreen!
- Always warm up before and cool down after your workout. Stretch both before and after your workout. The pre-run stretch helps prevent injuries. The post-run stretch helps to prevent injuries and increases your flexibility. The same rule applies to cross-training as well. Before strength training, warm up not only with stretching but also with active movement to get your muscles warm and your blood pumping.
- Hydration
is extremely important, especially in the summer. Drink plenty of fluids all day. Drink even before you feel thirsty. If you have a choice, work out before or
after the hottest part of the day.
- Increase your mileage gradually. Even when your muscles and
cardiovascular system are ready to move up, your joints may take a little
longer to strengthen. A good rule
of thumb is to increase your workload 10% a week. (This is also why summer training is so
important it gives your body time to prepare for the stresses of
in-season training.)
- When
possible, run on soft surfaces like grass trails. However, use insect repellent when
running in the woods or in tall grass so as not to catch tick-borne or
mosquito-borne illnesses.
- If you
are injured, be cautious about resuming training too quickly.
- Good
nutrition is also critical. You
will need to make sure that you are replacing the fuel your body is using
for training. Eat a balanced diet,
with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and all the good stuff. Your body needs carbohydrates, proteins,
vitamins, minerals, and even some fats.
Make sure to eat enough.
- Make sure to get enough calcium. You lose it when working out, and energy
drinks like Gatorade do not replace it.
Other Suggestions
- Run together. Especially on those days when you are running long or trying to push the pace, it helps to have somebody with you. Train with teammates, family, other friends.
- Ask questions. Both Mrs. Nilan and Mr. Welch will check email over the summer.
Training Week
These are some suggestions for what a typical training week might look like. You do not need to follow exactly!
Beginner Start of the summer
Sunday Jog a 3-mile course. Mix in some walking if you need to.
Monday Circuit exercises Situps, pushups, lunges, skipping, core work 30 minutes
Tuesday Jog a 3-mile course. Mix in some walking if you need to.
Wednesday Jog a mile. Find a hill. Run up the hill for 45 seconds, walk down. Do this 4 times. Jog a mile to cool down.
Thursday Off
Friday Jog a 3-mile course. Mix in some walking if you need to.
Saturday -- Circuit exercises Situps, pushups, lunges, skipping, core work 30 minutes
Gradually increase what you can do, so that by the end of the summer:
Sunday 45 minutes easy running
Monday 30 minutes of easy running, 30 minutes of circuit exercises
Tuesday 30 minutes of running. Every 5 minutes, go fast for a minute.
Wednesday 30 minutes of circuit exercises
Thursday Off
Friday Jog a mile. Find a hill. Run up the hill for 45 seconds, walk down. Do this 6 times. Jog a mile to cool down.
Saturday Play basketball or soccer, swim or bike, go for a hike.
Returning runner start of summer
Sunday 45 minute run
Monday 30 minute run, 6 striders; 30 minutes of circuits and drills
Tuesday Jog a mile. Find a hill. Run up the hill for 45 seconds, walk down. Do this 6 times. Jog a mile to cool down.
Wednesday Off
Thursday 30 minute run, 6 striders; 30 minutes of circuits and drills
Friday 10 minutes easy, 10 minutes a little harder, 10 comfortably hard
Saturday Play basketball or soccer, swim or bike, go for a hike.
By the end of summer
Sunday 60 minute run
Monday 30-40 minute run, 6 striders; 30 minutes of circuits and drills
Tuesday Jog a mile. Find a hill. Run up the hill for 45 seconds, walk down. Do this 9 times. Jog a mile to cool down.
Wednesday Off
Thursday 30-40 minute run, 6 striders; 30 minutes of circuits and drills
Friday 10 minutes easy, 10 minutes medium, 15 minutes comfortably hard
Saturday Play basketball or soccer, swim or bike, go for a hike.