Ben True, Edwin Soi, Rieti, Italy, September 8, 2013,
This is a big week for you. Twelve weeks into the program, cross country season is under way. A week into the high school season, racing is starting now, and most of the runners you see are in the same place you are: they did some running this past summer, but are trying to get into the early races, and that can be difficult.
Racing takes time to perfect. The more you race, the more you feel some comfort in racing. High school schedule is crazy, sometimes with two to three races in a week, and that is way too much.
Use those early season races to get into racing shape. Use the races to hone different skills: running up hills, running down hills, finishing hard. Use those races to get ready for the important races.
Saucony RBR/ Fall Cross Country Program, Week Twelve, Complete week
Week 12: The Early Season
High school cross country starts quickly with a couple of races a week, so use those early races to get into shape. Continue to build speed. The races will help get you into race form.
Monday: Warm up; 45-50 minutes easy running; 8×150 yards relaxed strideouts on grass, jogging back to the start after each, no rest between; cool down.
Tuesday: 1-mile warm up, 20-minute 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 and your tempo run pace is 6:30-per-mile.
Wednesday: Warm up; 45-50 minutes easy running; 8×150 yards relaxed strideouts on grass, jogging back to the start after each, no rest between; cool down
Thursday: 1-mile warm up, 8 hill repeats (run 200 yds uphill, turn, jog downhill to start. Repeat seven more times, no rests); on the flat at the bottom of the hill, try for 8×150 yards as easy strikeouts, jogging back to start, no rest between; 1-mile easy cool down.
Or, if a race happens on Thursday and Saturday, finish up with the 10×150 yards and then do your 1-mile easy cool down.Friday: Warm up; 45-50 minutes easy running; 8×150 yards relaxed strideouts on grass, jogging back to the start after each, no rest between; cool down.
Saturday: Easy 30-minute run, or a race of 5K for high schools, 8K for college.
Sunday: Long, easy run, 65Â-70 minutes, on grass or dirt with friends.
#FindYourStrong, #saucony,#SauconyRBRFallCrossCountryProgram
Larry Eder has had a 52-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys. Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."
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