Cross-Country Running Tip #1 : Familiarize Yourself With The Terrain
Running on the streets, you know, solid flat concrete, does not compare to cross-country running.
Running cross-country, at best, the ground you run is dry and uneven. Most of the time however it is wet, slippery and uneven.
To be well prepared for your upcoming cross country races, make sure that you get away from street running often and go into the woods, into the mud and into the puddles. Ideally woods and hilly terrain, but this is of course dependent on where you live.
Cross-Country Running Tip #2 : Familiarize Yourself With The Weather
Cross-country running weather is often... well, not too good. Wet and cold. Getting ready for cross-country running means getting ready for the weather as well.
Are you a runner who postpones the training session as soon as you hear the weatherman thinking about clouds ? Hmm, you really want to be a cross-country runner ? So, get over it and start making sure you are running in bad weather as well.
First of all, it is good to get the experience of bad weather running already in your training and not in your race. Second, I am sure you will find that running in bad weather is not that bad after all. Even when it is really, really cold (below zero temperatures), I find that I'll be sufficiently warm within as much as seven, eight minutes of running. And a bit of rain during the run is not a problem at all.
The only thing I really don't like is running in strong winds. Running into the wind is a nuisance because it affects your breathing. Here in Melbourne we often get strong dessert winds. You know that type of weather that feels like they put a warm blanket over you ? Well, those winds feel like they are slapping hot blankets in your face continuously ! But does that stop me from training when it's windy ? You have got to be kidding me ! I make a point of going for a run, especially then.
And during those sessions I focus on my breath and on dealing with the circumstances. A good run in the wind can really boost my confidence !
Another thing about running in bad weather is that you can do a lot to protect yourself. There is plenty of good running apparel available.
When it comes to apparel, there are three things important in cold weather :
- Layers
- Layers
- Layers
Nothing will insulate you more against the cold, wet weather than layers.
Cross-Country Running Tip #3 : Practice Tempo Changes
In competitive cross-country running you often have to deal with sudden tempo changes. There are often certain parts in the race where you have to take it easy.
Hilly, slippery parts. But when you get to an easier patch, that's where you want to increase your speed. These tempo changes are hard to deal with, especially when during the race the lactic acid in your legs starts accumulating.
In order to prepare for that you need to train for it. Make sure you do tempo runs. These will help you deal better with fast-paced running and will make your body produce less lactic acid.
Secondly, do lots of tempo changes in your running training as well.
Be it in a structured pyramid-run, where you change speed every 5 minutes or so, or be it in a more play-like fartlek session, make sure you practice a lot with tempo changes. And make sure you put in lots of speedy running at the end of your training session when your legs are heavy and painful.
What is that proverb again ? Ah yeah : No Pain, No Gain !
I hope these simple cross-country running tips help you make the most of your cross-country running season. Most importantly, enjoy being out there battling the conditions. After each workout or race, give yourself a pat on the back for being out there.