Cross country training

Peckham

Minds here seem to be shifting towards the cross country season, and am trying to plan my own training for the same.

What is generally considered to be the key elements of good cross country training? Is it the same as 10k training?

I'm looking at a 35-40 mile, 5 day week, and the core elements I'm planning to include each week are:

1) One tempo session - at 10k pace (6:05/mi), doing something like an 8 mile run with 2 mile warm-up, 2 mile pace, 1 mile recovery, 2 mile pace, 1 mile recovery

2) One interval session - fluctuating, but mostly around the 12-16 x 400m (5k pace)...should I mix this up a bit and throw in some 1k?

3) One long run of 13-15 miles

Am I on the right lines?

How about terrain? Does it matter if most of it is done on road/track?

shels4ever

The plan i'm following is a 12 week plan not too much different to a 10k plan. I've the following elements

1. LT runs or Tempo runs
2. Intervals
3. Log run over hills.
4. Easy miles.

For example my intervals are going to progress over about a 12 week period(at week 3 now)

Intervals
12*400m with 200m jog rec X 2 weeks
- 6*800m with 400m jog rec X 2 week
- 5*1000m with 600m jog rec X 2 week
- 4*1200m with 600m jog rec X 2 week
- 3*1600m with 800m jog rec X 2 week

OR

3 x (4x400) at 5k w/ 30sec rest. 5min b/t sets
3x(3x600) at 5k w/ 40sec rest. 5min b/t sets
2x(3x800) at 5k w/ 45sec rest. 5min b/t sets
2x (1000,800,700) at 5k w/ 45sec rest. 5min b/t sets
5x1000 at 5k w/ 60-75sec rest



Quote from Tergat.
Remember one interval workout a week is fine, the other hard day should be CV reps/Long Tempo/LT workout. Fill this with easy runnign and a long run on hills and you will see big improvements.

My long run over hills will take me out around the beach and take in some sand dunes and my max run is going to be 16 miles.
On the Tempos i'll be doing short tempos and long tempo runs in the course of the training plan, so tempo runs from 3-4 miles upto about 8 miles, pace will change depending on distance.


Hope this helps.

Running Bing

Peckham wrote: »

2) One interval session - fluctuating, but mostly around the 12-16 x 400m (5k pace)...should I mix this up a bit and throw in some 1k?

I assume the purpose of those intervals is to improve vo2 max (or your speed at vo2max) Peckham?

I'd say just keep the recoveries short if your only doing 400's and remember that its generally better to do 4x1000m than 10x400m as it takes a while to get up to VO2 max on intervals.

Otherwise pretty similar to what I am planning, tempo session, interval session, a 12-15 mile long run and the rest easy mileage with maybe a bit of fartlek in there.

emerald007

Peckham wrote: »

How about terrain? Does it matter if most of it is done on road/track?

The terrain does matter, your not going to be on a road or track in a cross country race. i'd make sure you get one session of 1 mile intervals on grass with a large hill in it. the hill is key to getting strength into your legs.

BeepBeep67

I don't have my plan yet, but initially it will be in 3 blocks of 4 weeks.
Block 1- build up base base mileage for 3 weeks, step back for a week.
Block 2 - add 1 Tempo session while continuing to build mileage.
Block 3 - add hills.
Intervals won't really come back in until Spring.
When I have the details (end of Aug) I'll post them on my log.