Running Training Tools
Club Training Schedule
How hard should you run your interval workouts? How can these workouts help you? Heart Rate Training
High School Summer Training Guide
Congratulations the school year and track season are behind you!
- Have you decided to run cross-country for the first time this fall?
- What do you need to due to get ready for your High School Cross Country season?
- What will it take for you to be a better runner?
As with any sport (and just about anything in life) you have to put in the effort in the off-season if you want to improve. You will only get out of this what you are willing to put into it. You must do the mileage to prepare for the season. When you toe the line to start your race, the girl or guy on the other team doesn't care if you walked on the golf course or if you swam at the beach. But they will know by the 2nd mile if you ran during the summer.
There is no “secret training regimen”! This information, and a lot more can be found on various websites is available to anyone. Make your decision NOW that you are willing to run this summer. Set your goals NOW for where you want to be when you line up for your first race…even the Counties and States.
What follows below will give you some guideline on how to approach your summer training. It is not meant to override anything your coaches have asked you to do this summer, it is here for you to use as a training tool. Pass it along to your friends and teammates.
Basic Training Volume – Miles per Week
If you are starting from ZERO set your goal for 50% of this mileage and build up to volume over a 4-week period.
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Find a running partner – It is more fun to run with someone (your parents, brother or sister, teammate). You will motivate each other and keep each other honest.
MALES FEMALES
Grade School 20 miles 20 miles
9 th Grade 30 25
10 th Grade 40 35
11 th Grade 45 35
12 th Grade 45-50 35-40
Training the Right Way
You don't need to run every day, but you should make your runs be quality runs. That does not mean run as hard as you can everyday, in fact that may be the worst thing you could do. Your goal should not be to show up for practice in August able to run at PR. But come to practice strong and healthy for a new season.
Look at your summer training in 2 parts:
Part 1 – The Foundation (June through mid-July)
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Focus on building up to those mileage goals for your age group.
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One of those runs should be longer. Toward the end of your summer Long Runs should be as follows:
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Elementary – 6 miles
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9 th & 10 th Graders – 7-8 Miles
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11 th & 12 th Graders – 8-10 Miles
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At least 2 times per week, AFTER your runs, run 4-6 “striders” about 50 yards (about 2 telephone poles istance)
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“striders” are NOT SPRINTS, but they should be as fast as if you were racing 1 mile.
Part 2 – The Build-Up (July up to your 1 st practice)
• This is when you will start to introduce changing speeds during your runs.
• Long Runs should continue to be at an easier pace.
• At least once a week. During a run change your pace – After warming up at least 1 mile. Alternate between running hard 1 minute / 1minute easy.
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Elementary School - 6 repetitions
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High School – Start at finishing 8, work toward running 12 repetitions.
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Finish the run easy, for at least 1 more mile.
Find a Cross Country course that you know, and test yourself.
• Participate in a 5K race at least 2 times this summer. Change it up, have some fun.
Attention: High School Runners
• The Delaware Running Club will meet at the Tower Hill Track Mondays & Thursdays at 5:30.
Several runners with different levels of abilities. Expect the distance of the runs to be between 5-8 miles.
• Come alone or bring someone else from your team.
• You might find a new friend to run with during the summer.
• Hopefully we will have a few “guest” runners that you can ask questions to help you with your training.
• Bring a water bottle! It gets hot and fluid replacement is necessary for your safety!
• THERE IS NO COST ! (the roads are always open)