Build Your XC TEAM’s Summer Base with Precision

The foundation of a championship Cross Country season is built in the summer, but safe volume progression is not one-size-fits-all. As a coach, individualizing summer schedules for a roster of 30, 50, or 100 athletes is a logistical nightmare. You are often stuck choosing between generic static plans that ignore individual ability or spending hours in spreadsheets calculating custom paces.

The Summer Training Plan Generator bridges the gap between scientific training principles and automation. This tool allows you (or your athletes) to input a recent race result and a starting volume baseline to instantly generate a 10-week, phase-specific training block based on sound training principles that have been proven effective. High temperatures and humidity can wreak havoc on runners. Use my heat adjusted pacing calculator if needed.

Key Features:

• Scientific Pacing: Automatically calculates Easy, Threshold, and Critical Velocity (CV) paces based on current fitness—not goal times.
• Safe Progression: Utilizes a “Step Loading” volume approach (3 weeks build, 1 week cutback) to minimize injury risk while maximizing aerobic development.
• Structured Workouts: Moves beyond “junk miles” by automatically inserting strides, hill repetitions, strength maintenance, and progressive long runs at the appropriate weeks.
• Flexible Units: Whether your philosophy relies on Weekly Mileage or Minutes of Duration, the plan adapts to your coaching style.

Stop guessing. Start building. Use the calculator below to create your roadmap for a championship fall season.

The Importance of Summer Base Building

Summer is for “widening the aerobic base,” not “sharpening the peak.” Coach Lydiard explains this best. This plan prioritizes volume (mileage) over high intensity to prevent September burnout. Be patient and be consistent. Results will follow.

How This Generator Prevents Injury

This calculator uses the “10% Rule” for mileage increases and automatically schedules “Cutback Weeks” every 4th week to allow for physiological adaptation. This concept of slowly adding miles is the only way to prevent early season shin splints and injuries.

Customizing for Freshmen vs. Seniors

Dr. George Sheehan famously said that “every runner is an experiment of one.” An incoming freshman might start at 12 miles/week, while a senior might start at 40. Ask your coach what’s best for you. If you don’t have a coach, err on the side of caution. This tool allows you to input your starting point.

Summer Training Frequently Asked Questions

How many miles should I run during the summer for XC?

There is no “magic number,” but a safe rule of thumb for high schoolers is:
• Freshmen/Beginners: Start at 10–15 miles/week, peak at 25–30.
• Sophomores/Intermediates: Start at 20–25 miles/week, peak at 35–40.
• Varsity/Advanced: Start at 30–35 miles/week, peak at 45–55+.
The goal is to increase volume gradually. Use our generator above to calculate a safe progression based on your current fitness.

Should I do speed workouts in the summer?

Be careful. The summer is primarily for Aerobic Base Building. Hard interval sessions (like 400m repeats) generally shouldn’t start until late summer or the official season begins.

Instead, focus on “invisible speed” like:
• Strides: 4–6 x 100m accelerations after easy runs (2–3 times a week).
• Hill Sprints: Short 8–10 second bursts to build power without lactic fatigue.
• Tempo Runs: Controlled threshold efforts, but only after you have built a mileage base for 4–5 weeks.

What if I miss a week of training due to vacation or sickness?

Do not try to “make up” the missed miles by cramming them into the next week—that is the fastest way to get injured.

If you miss one week, simply repeat the previous week’s mileage before continuing. If you miss two weeks or more, drop your mileage back by 30% and rebuild. Consistency beats intensity every time.

Should I lift weights during cross country summer training?

Yes! Summer is the perfect time to build general strength. Focus on core stability, hips, and glutes to prevent common overuse injuries like shin splints and runner’s knee. You don’t need heavy weights; bodyweight lunges, planks, and single-leg squats are highly effective for distance runners.

About the Coach

Coach Saltmarsh specializes in high school distance running and athlete development. With a focus on data-driven training and consistent progression, this site provides the tools and insights coaches and athletes need to reach their peak performance. This app was built to solve a common problem for coaches: making running math simple, making the progression appropriate, and making summer training individualized and optimized for every runner on your team.

Looking for more training resources? Explore the Training Articles or view Coaching Resources.