Cross country running is considered a team sport by those in the know. Because the scoring of the meet is so tied into the efforts of all seven runners on a team it is imperative that a positive and selfless synergy exists between these runners if the team is to be successful. The coach is…
Archives for distance runner
“Booty Lock” Workouts for Middle Distance Runners
Competitive running events between the 800 meters and 10,000 meters have a strong mix of aerobic and anaerobic energy system contribution. The strongest mix occurs in the middle distance events of the 800 and 1600 meters. In order for a middle distance runner to be truly successful they will have to tolerate both a small…
The Nine Day Cross Country Training Microcycle
Applying the principles of contemporary training theory is an important aspect of coaching cross country runners. In general, training theory applies the laws of the natural world to the science of longer distance running so that coaches do not have to rely on trial and error or anecdotal beliefs in setting up a sequential training…
Aerobic Power Training
Documented training schemes designed to improve aerobic power velocitym (vVO2 max) in distance runners were first described by the Soviet Sports Institute in the 1970’s. Besides the Eastern Bloc countries, one of the athletics organizations to quickly pick up on the training concept was the British Milers Club in the early 1980’s. Frank Horwill and…
Aerobic Power Principles
Aerobic power is considered a good measure of aerobic fitness. Commonly known as VO2 max, it is useful for the running coach to determine what velocity is associated with present day aerobic power development in an athlete at that moment in time. Once the vVO2 max is determined it can be used to structure aerobic…
Aerobic Power Primer
All of the standard distance races including cross country are combined zone races. Combined zone means that energy needed for muscular contractions at race pace is derived from both the aerobic and anaerobic energy systems in combination. Improvement in both the capacity and efficiency of these independent energy systems, and how they work in tandem,…
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…
The Athlete Profile – Part 1
Track coaches use the disciplines of physiology and psychology to develop successful athletes. This can be difficult in part because coaches usually work with large groups of athletes in their training group. The application of unique training and psychological stimuli within the training group is called individualization of training. To do this effectively is critical…
Pros and Cons of Cross Country Summer Training Camps
The summer training period is crucial to the seasonal success of a cross country team. Because athletes have other obligations during the summer months it is not easy to organize training activities that get everybody to practice on the designated days. Many coaches utilize a team cross country summer training camp. In some situations it is easier…
The Curious Case of Lactate
Lactate is produced in the cells of the body on a constant basis. Quick, blink! You just produced lactate in the muscles of your eyelid. Because these sorts of activities produce very small amounts of lactate, the body disposes of it quickly and efficiently by transporting it to the liver where it is filtered…