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From: Paul Shields
Category: Coach
Date: 2/24/99
Time: 1:12:25 AM
Remote Name: 203.38.32.113
Gareth,
There are a couple of things that will help with your cross country performance.
Firstly, like any terrain, the more you train on the terrain the better that you will be in the event. You should try and find some surfaces that mimic the surface (grass, sand, mud etc) and spend some of your time training on these.
You should also mimic the undulation in the surface. Often cross country races are hilly. If so then ensure you have some hills built into your program.
Secondly strength is an important factor in cross country events. You should try and increase the your leg strength. Here are three ways you can do that. Try doing hill repeats intead of a few interval sessions. Hills are a great way to increase strength. Another idea is to do some traing in sand. The resistance in sand (especially beach sand) is good for building strength. Lastly you can do some weights in the gym. This is not the most effective but it can help some people.
Hope the above helps
Regards
Paul
PS
You might note some slow down in your flat performance. Don't worry as long as your cross country is improving
RunCoach - 1998 Index - 1999 Index - Discussions - Calculators - Tips