Key Workouts for Cross Country Runners

Below are some key endurance and stamina workouts to be used for your cross-country training. I did not include speed workouts, sprint workouts or strides. Hopefully you will find this material useful. Good luck this XC season!

I. The Long Run

The purpose of long runs is simply time on your feet. Keep your heart rate around 70% of maximum. Keep the effort easy and resist the temptation to increase the pace just to get home sooner.

How far should I go for my long run? The best way to answer this question is to take two examples, time and percentage. When running on time, the long run could be anywhere from 1.5 to 2 hours. The distance you cover in this time depends on the pace you run. Since the weekly long run is generally run on Sunday, the day after a race, your pace should be easy to moderate, not fast.

Time Calculator: http://www.scottseverance.us/html/time_calculator.htm

7:00 pace = 13 to 17 miles (ex. 1:30:00 / 0:07:00 = 12.86 or 2:00:00 / 0:07:00 = 17.14)

7:30 pace = 12 to 16 miles (ex. 1:30.00 / 0:07:30 = 12 or 2:00:00 / 0:07:30 = 16)

8:00 pace = 11 to 15 miles (ex. 1:30.00 / 0:08:00 = 11.25 or 2:00:00 / 0:08:00 = 15)

Some people base their long run on the percentage of miles they run for the week. A general rule is that the long run should be around 20% to 25% of the total weekly mileage.

30-mile week = 6 to 7.5 miles (30 x .20 = 6 or 30 x .25 = 7.5)

40-mile week = 8 to 10 miles (40 x .20 = 8 or 40 x .25 = 10)

50-mile week = 10 to 12.5 miles (50 x .20 = 10 or 50 x .25 = 12.5)

60-mile week = 12 to 15 miles (60 x .20 = 12 or 60 x .25 = 15)

70-mile week = 14 to 17.5 miles (70 x .20 = 14 or 70 x .25 = 17.5)

2. Easy Runs

Most of your training is likely to be comprised of easy runs and the purpose is to fully develop your aerobic fitness and then maintain it. Your heart rate is around 75% of maximum though it can reach 80 to 85% near the end of the run. Easy runs last anywhere between 15 minutes and an hour and a half. Again, one of the common mistakes we make is running our easy runs too fast. Keep them steady but don’t get into a pace where your breathing becomes noticeably faster.

You can use your breathing as your guide to how fast you should be running. On easy runs, you should never get out of breath and should be able to carry on a conversation with a training partner. If you get out of your breath, then you are running too fast.

3. Steady State Runs

Steady State running is going at a pace that is between 70-100% of aerobic capacity. This means that you are running faster than a slow jog, but not fast enough to go into an anaerobic state. Other ways to explain it are as fast as you can without feeling your tiredness or breathing increase as the run goes on and as fast as you can without your heart rate going up.

How to find your Steady State - Find a course/road where you can run out and back without a drastic change in terrain (for example, uphill most of the way out and downhill most of the way back). Go out for a 20-minute run at a comfortable pace.

Turn around and run the same course back trying to maintain the pace without any forced effort. If it takes you 25 minutes to come back, it shows you ran out too fast for your condition. If you are back in 15 minutes without increasing your effort, you were not running fast enough to begin with. Keep trying this until you get the feel for your pace and are able to run out and back at the same pace for the 20 minutes. Once you have mastered your Steady State pace, increase the time and/or distance that you go out and try to maintain it on the way back without any forced effort.

There are many ideas of how fast Steady State workouts are run. The best way to run them is to go faster than your usual easy run pace to a point where you are working hard, but staying comfortable. If you are not ready to go by feel, a good way to start Steady State runs without going into an anaerobic state is to stay within the faster end of your current pace range.

Example: 16:00 3-mile runner has a pace range of 6:35 - 7:20 per mile (5:20 pace + 1:15 - 2:00). Start your Steady State run at 6:50 pace and keep that out and back. If it's too easy, move your way down to 6:35 pace, but stay comfortable. Eventually you will find your Steady State pace and will be able to run on feel without a watch.

The runner who keeps their speed within the maximum Steady State will gain the same general aerobic development in far less time than the runner who trains at below the maximum Steady State (the long slow distance principle).

4. Tempo Runs

The tempo run is a workout that can be conducted at any time of the year. Although it is mostly used in training for the longer distances, 10k and up, it can be equally effective for high school cross country 5k and track distances.

The purpose of a tempo run is to build aerobic efficiency. This is the ability to use the fuel in your body in the most efficient way possible so that it lasts as long as possible at the pace you want to run. To achieve this, you must run at a pace that is the fastest you can go with your muscles using only aerobic energy for fuel. The simplest way to determine this pace is to think of it as the fastest pace you can evenly sustain for one hour of running. It should feel comfortably hard. This pace can be anywhere from 30 - 60 seconds slower than your current 5k race pace. Tempo runs are a great way build the strength, stamina and endurance you will need to handle the tough speed sessions and races in your upcoming season.

The time of the tempo run can vary from 15 minutes to 40 minutes. For races 5k or below, 15 to 20 minutes of tempo running is a good workout. It will allow you to focus more on running your races much harder because the distance of the event will not be an issue. For example, if you are a miler who has put in several 20-minute tempo runs during the season, a 4 to 6-minute race is going to feel like nothing. You will notice that you can push harder during the race as well as recover much quicker after the race (which is a benefit if you run more than one event).

The workout:

10 to 15-minute warm-up

15 to 20-minute Tempo Run

10 to 15-minute warm-down

It is important to remember that tempo runs are continuous, you never stop moving. Once your warm-up is over, you get right into the tempo run without stopping. When the tempo run is over, you keep running your warm-down.

As mentioned before, you are to run at a pace that keeps you in an aerobic state. Do not push the pace and start running at race pace, this will defeat the purpose of the workout. With this in mind, the total distance of the workout is not important. It doesn't matter if you covered 4 miles or 6 miles during the tempo run. It is the EFFORT that is important.

5. Fartlek Runs

One of the greatest forms of training ever invented, Fartlek, meaning "speed play" in Swedish, is mainly an aerobic workout that can also utilize the anaerobic systems. Fartlek’s are conducted during continuous runs in which your pace varies for set upon intervals and/or distances. They can be conducted on any type of surface, roads, trails, beaches, the track, etc... I like to break Fartlek’s into three categories: 1) Base Phase, 2) Interval Phase, and 3) Maintenance Phase.

1) Base Phase Fartlek.

The base phase starts out with a period of slow running, followed by a period of slow running with steady state runs, and concludes with the introduction of threshold runs. Fartlek is a type of threshold run that comes toward the end of the base phase. At this point, the purpose of the Fartlek is to introduce the body to faster running while at the same time preparing it for speed sessions in the upcoming cross-country season. The timed intervals are longer at this point and done at a pace a little slower than current 5k race pace. The focus is still on building aerobic strength.

Example:

1.5-mile warm-up

5 x 2' x 3' (5 times 2 minutes hard by 3 minutes easy)

1.5-mile warm-down

After the warm-up, you go right into your first interval of 2 minutes. Once the 2 minutes is over, you run easy for 3 minutes. Once the 3 minutes are up, you start over with the next 2 minutes hard. The total miles for this workout will be anywhere from 6 to 8 miles, depending on your pace. You never stop running until you finish with the 1.5-mile warm-down.

2) Interval Phase Fartlek

There are times during cross country and track when you can't get to a place where there is a set aside area where you know the exact distance. There are also coaches who do not like to use tracks. In either instance, Fartlek can be used to mimic interval training. During such a Fartlek, you will build aerobic strength by continuing to run throughout the workout, while at the same time build on your anaerobic capacity by running the intervals hard, as if you were on a track.

Example:

Each of these workouts should have a 1 to 2-mile warm-up and warm-down.

20 x 20" x 40" (20 times 20 seconds hard by 40 seconds easy)

This Fartlek mimics doing 100-meter sprints

10 x 1' x 1' (10 times 1 minute hard by 1 minute easy)

This Fartlek mimics doing 300 to 400-meter intervals

5 x 2' x 3' (5 times 5 minutes hard by 3 minutes easy)

This Fartlek mimics doing 600 to 800-meter intervals

3) Maintenance Phase Fartlek

After cross country season, the break until track is usually short. There is not much time to put in a base with three phases. In this case, Fartlek is started immediately during the winter base to maintain some of the speed you developed during the cross-country season. The focus at this time of the year is building strength and endurance, so keep the intervals at a steady pace making sure to stay in an aerobic state.

Three Important Things To Remember:

1) The total time of the Fartlek is not important. Focus on running strong during the hard interval and running very easy during the easy interval. Running faster during the rest to get a fast-overall time is defeating the purpose of the run.

2) The total distance of the run is not important. It doesn't matter how much distance you cover during the Fartlek. This is why they are not generally done on a track. If you are a miles junky and need to record your total distance for the day, just estimate based on pace how far you ran for the workout.

3) The main goal of a Fartlek should be to finish the entire workout. Therefore, it is wise to maintain a steady pace throughout the workout. If you run your first one or two intervals too hard, you will sacrifice the entire workout.

FARTLEK EXAMPLES:

2 x 10' x 5' (2 times 10 minutes hard by 5 minutes easy)

4 x 5' x 3' (4 times 5 minutes hard by 3 minutes easy)

6 x 3' x 2' (6 times 3 minutes hard by 2 minutes easy)

10 x 1' x 1' (10 times 1 minute hard by 1 minute easy)

20 x 20" x 40" (20 times 20 seconds hard by 40 seconds easy)

These are just examples. The amount of times you do the interval and how many you do can be varied to your liking. When you get in better shape, you can decrease the slow interval to allow for less rest, getting a better workout.

6. Progression Runs

A good way to build strength and endurance without any lasting fatigue is the progression run. Progression runs basically start out at a slow, easy pace, and finish at a relatively fast pace.

There are a few ways you can do a progression run. For example purposes, a 16:30 5k runner will be used. A 16:30 5k runner races at 5:20 per mile pace. Therefore, their steady state runs should be around 6:35 to 7:20 pace. Seeing that you want to start your run slow and easy, 7:40 pace is a good place to start. Using the 10 seconds progression run, your workout should look like this:

Mile 1 - 7:40

Mile 2 - 7:30

Mile 3 - 7:20

Mile 4 - 7:10

Mile 5 - 7:00

Mile 6 - 6:50

Mile 7 - 6:40

Mile 8 - 6:30

You can also break your run into a four-part progression:

Mile 1 - 2 - 7:35

Mile 3 - 4 - 7:15

Mile 5 - 6 - 6:55

Mile 7 - 8 - 6:35

A third way you can do your progression run is with a fast finish.

Miles 1 through 7 - 7:20 pace

Mile 8 - 6:30 pace

Notice that each of these progressions do not go below the fast end of the steady state pace. You do not want to go into an anaerobic state during a progression run. Progression runs can be for any distance and the paces can be varied to your liking. These are just examples. The ideal way to do a progression run is by feel. That is, going out slow, without a watch, and gradually building your pace until you are running fast, but controlled.

Progression is also a racing style that is effective for many runners. Some runners have the patience and discipline to go out slower in their races and pick up the pace as they go. Using the 16:30 5k example, most high school runners will race like this:

Mile 1 - 5:00

Mile 2 - 5:25

Mile 3 - 5:35

A progression racer will look like this:

Mile 1 - 5:30

Mile 2 - 5:20

Mile 3 - 5:10

Going out that much slower is hard at the beginning of a race because you are that much further behind everyone. The advantage is that while you are picking up the pace, your competition is slowing down. Who do you think will have the better kick at the end?

7. Hill Repeats

It’s rare that you find a great distance runner who didn’t get fast by training on hills. Kenyans and Ethiopians all train on hills. I find that hill training is one of the best workouts that you can do. It provides great stimulus to the cardiorespiratory system, develops your ability to buffer lactic acid, strengthens the legs, practices leg turnover that matches common race distances like the 5K and 10K yet avoids the pounding that is associated with traditional speedwork. When hills are encountered during races, they pose no threat to you and you can run them better and more efficiently than other runners, both uphill and downhill.

To perform a hill workout, find a hill with a medium slope that takes between 45 and 80 to ascend. Run up at an effort equivalent to your 5-minute and 15-minute race “effort”. Focus on good form with powerful push off and strong-arm swing. Jog down the hill slowly to recover. You can also practice your downhill running technique by running down the hill occasionally at 5K race pace. Keep your body under control and add these descents in gradually as you will undoubtedly be sore afterwards.

While the above Hill Repeats outline the common type of hill workout, I also recommend running on hilly courses often, especially during your base and stamina phases of training.

Frank Shorter once said that hills are speed work in disguise.

Submitted by Coach McMillion (07/27/17)