Archives for Cross Country

September Training for Cross Country Athletes

There is no better time in the cross country season then September.  Fun invitational meets, hard-core training, an already well-formed team, pretty good weather, and still eager runners all make for a very enjoyable month.  For a cross country coach, September training is especially interesting because it is the month of training creativity.  Already past…

Proper Posture in Distance Running

When trying to make cross country runners faster there are no more important variables than proper posture and the characteristics of foot contact on each stride cycle.  Foot contact times vary with pace in running.  Slow paces show longer foot contact patterns, and increases in velocity show consistent decreases in contact times (Figure 1).  …

Cross Country Assessment of the Primary Physical Components

Cross Country Assessment of the Primary Physical Components To improve athletic performance in any sport requires ongoing development of the five primary physical components: speed, endurance, strength, flexibility, and coordination.  Balanced development in these five bio-motor skills is sport specific with the training emphasis on each of the five determined by the demands of the…

Coordination as a Primary Physical Component in Cross Country Running

The first step in designing training programs for cross country runners is visualizing a clear understanding of the physical components needed for success.  Designing distance training schemes without a clear purpose in mind is an inefficient process at best, and at worst is a hodge-podge of this and that from impractical weight room exercises to…

The Healthy Runner Project

Over the last 50 years the training of distance runners has evolved from a process of trial and error testing, to specific event-centered progressions that are deeply based in the scientific method.  Exercise physiologists, cardiologists, and endocrinologists, working with training theorists, have provided a wealth of empirical evidence for coaches to use as a resource…

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