How to Train for Cross Country: A Year-Round Plan
Next season starts the week after this one ends. How to train for cross country in order: the break, winter base, spring track, summer miles and the season.
Training
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What a Cross Country 5K Tells You About Spring Track
A cross country 5K undersells spring track. Data from 1,608 high school runners shows how to turn a November 5K into realistic 1600 and 3200 goals, and how to adjust for your course.
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Cross Country Postseason Training: What to Do Between Championship Meets
Derryfield Park on October 31. Hopkinton Fairgrounds on November 7. New Englands on November 14. That is the 2026 New…
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Why Your 18:00 Runners Won’t Go Out at Sub-17 5K Pace
You have five guys under 18:00. None of them will go out at sub-17 5K pace. Every team ahead of…
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Count Backward From the Line: When to Run Your Last Hard Workout Before XC Championships.
The short version: peaking for an XC championship. Last hard hill or VO2 session: 10 to 12 days before the…
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The Four-Gear Ladder: A Cross Country Sharpening Workout for October
Our girls ran this workout in four pace groups. I’m sharing full splits from three of our runners, each assigned…
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Threshold Workout for Cross Country: Why 3×6 and 3×8 Minutes Build Better Runners
Every cross country program has a workout it trusts. Ours is a threshold session built on long reps, short steady…
