The championship season in high school cross country can be a long and drawn out affair in the United States. The time period between state sectional meets and the Footlocker Championship race can last up to eight weeks for some runners. Maintaining fitness, both aerobic and anaerobic, is critical to racing success, yet energy systems…
Aerobic training is the foundation of all cross country programs. The length of the race dictates the energy demand required, and the intensity of the effort establishes the proportion of aerobic to anaerobic energy system contribution. All cross country races of two miles or longer have a greater than 90% aerobic contribution at full effort. …