Planning for Success
Train for the race so you’re physically ready. If you’re serious about cross country, you’ll need to train every month of the year, even during off-season. In addition to running 5 days a week, cross-train by doing a different sport on the days you do short runs. Additionally, lift weights or do bodyweight exercises at least twice a week to keep your muscles primed. For instance, you might swim, dance, or shoot hoops on the days you do short runs.Tip: Give yourself at least 3 months of training before you expect to bring home a win. However, keep in mind that it may take you much longer to prepare yourself physically for a cross country race.
Create a positive mindset to help you push through the pain. Running a race is hard because your body will start to hurt and the course may get challenging. Staying positive is the best way to keep yourself motivated to finish. Practice staying positive while you’re training for the race by trying the following: Visualize yourself winning the race. Tell yourself you’re a success. Say, “I’m a fast runner,” or “I always finish strong.” Adopt a mantra to keep you going, like “Run strong,” “I’m a winner,” or “Go champ.” Counter your doubts with positive self-talk. Say, “I can do this,” or “I get better with every run.”
Get to know your course before the day of the race. Find out how the course will be marked, and see what the terrain is like. Additionally, look for hills and make a note of where they are in the course. Look over the course map provided in your race packet. Walk the course before race day. Do a training run on the course, if you can. Preview the course using online mapping tools, such as Google Maps. Talk to someone who’s run the course before.
Eat simple carbs the day before your race and for breakfast on race day. Normally, simple carbs aren’t the best foods to include in your diet, as your body burns through them quickly. However, quick energy is exactly what your body needs to finish a long, challenging race. Build your meals around simple carbs on the day before and the morning of your race to make sure your body gets the fuel it needs. Simple carbs include foods like fruit, milk, vegetables, pasta, and bread. You can also find simple carbs in processed foods and desserts, but these foods aren’t the best choice for your body, as they lack nutrients. For instance, on the day before your race, you might eat egg whites with sauteed veggies and a side of fruit for breakfast, a sandwich with fruit for lunch, and spaghetti for dinner. On the morning of your race, you could eat cereal with a chopped banana and milk.
Sleep at least 8 hours the night before your race. You need to be well-rested before a race, so get in bed early. Additionally, use a bedtime routine to calm yourself down, such as reading before bed, turning off screens, and cooling down your room. Ask your friends and family members not to bother you after a certain time, such as 8:00 p.m. That way, you can ease off into sleep without any stress.
Drink 16 fluid ounces (0.47 L) of water the morning of the race. You don’t want to get dehydrated during your race, and it might be hard to replenish your water stores while you’re running. Start sipping on water when you wake up in the morning, and try to drink about 16 fluid ounces (0.47 L) before the race actually starts. In the days leading up to the race, make sure you’re drinking plenty of fluids. It’s also helpful to take sips of water during the race, even if you’re just getting your mouth wet.
Making a Strong Start
Warm up about 30 minutes before the race with a light jog and stretching. Warming up before a race helps you give your best performance and prevents injury. Jog for about 10 minutes to warm up your muscles, then do some light stretches. As part of your warm up, do some dynamic stretches, such as high knees, butt kicks, squats, reverse lunges, and alternating side lunges.Tip: Don’t stretch your muscles while they’re cold, as this can lead to injury. You need to do 5-10 minutes of light cardio before you’re ready to do static stretches.
Start the race at a steady, moderate pace. It’s tempting to sprint out of the starting line so you can secure the lead, but that’s a mistake. Running too fast at the beginning of the race will tire you out sooner, leaving you little energy to finish the race. Instead, pace yourself so you are able to finish the race at a faster pace than the other runners. Don’t let other runners psych you out if they choose to start off fast. Remember, they’re going to burn through all of their energy before the end of the race, so you can always pass them later.
Keep a quick, even pace rather than alternating between a sprint and a jog. At the beginning of the race, you’ll need to manage your energy levels so that you don’t run too fast, which may tire you out too soon. As you progress through the race, you can increase your pace occasionally to pass other runners. However, save your sprint for the end of the race.
Relax your shoulder and face muscles so you don’t waste energy. It’s natural to want to run faster to finish first, but tightening your shoulders and face won't accomplish this goal. In fact, clenching these muscles costs you energy that you could be using for a strong finish. Instead, keep your face and shoulders neutral and relaxed. Check in with yourself when you reach race landmarks and release any tension you're holding in your face or shoulders.
Run with your teammates for encouragement. Sticking close to your teammates can keep you motivated during the race, so try to run as a pack for most of the race. However, don’t slow down your pace if you’re much faster than your teammates. Practice sticking together when you go on practice runs. When in doubt, ask your coach for advice about where you should be running in the pack.
Running Hills
Shorten your stride and use your arms to push yourself up hills. Hills are the most challenging part of a race for many people, but you can use them to your advantage. Take shorter steps, but keep your pace quick as you surge up the hill. Additionally, pump your arms to help drive yourself forward. This will help you keep your speed up on the incline. Don't be afraid of hills because worrying about them will slow you down. Instead, view them as a chance to pass other runners who are struggling up the hill. Keep your back straight as you go up the hill, rather than hunching forward.
Continue running as you crest the hill, rather than letting up. Don't slow up or take a breather when you reach the top of the hill. Instead, power forward over the top of the hill. Then, let the momentum propel you down the hill.Tip: You may encounter other runners who are slowing down at the top of the hill. Use this to your advantage and take this opportunity to pass them.
Speed up as you go down the hill, but maintain control. Once you crest the top of the hill, you can speed up for your descent. Go as fast as you can without losing control of your body and speed. That way you can make up for your slower pace going up the hill and hopefully use the momentum from the hill to gain some ground.Tip: Hills are the only part of the race where you should be varying your pace. It’s okay to go slower up the hills and faster down the hills.
Keep your momentum going when you come off the hill for as long as you can. You’ll likely come off the hill fast, and that’s a great way to gain some ground on the other runners. Let the momentum from your descent continue as you return to the flat surface. Then, fade back into your comfortable, steady pace. Remember not to strain to push yourself forward. If the momentum is fading, let it go and return to a comfortable pace.
Finishing Fast
Pass as many people as you can so you can get out front. If you pace yourself correctly, you should have enough energy to pass your competition as you progress through the race. As the other runners lose their stamina, you can take advantage of their slowed pace to pass them. Pay attention to the people around you. Just as you’re trying to pass people, you’ll have other people attempting to pass you.
Push yourself as hard as you can during the final 1/3 of the race. As you come into the finish, you’ll likely need to work hard to maintain your pace, since your energy levels will be low. Plus, you’ll need to pick up your pace and sprint for the finish line. Don't forget to use your mantra or positive self-talk to keep yourself going through the pain. Don't give up!
Sprint as fast as you can toward the finish line for the last .25 to .5 miles (0.40 to 0.80 km). Sprinting toward the finish line is how you finish strong. Run as fast as you can, keeping your eyes fixed on the finish line. Don't slow down until you've crossed it. It’s best to plan when you’ll begin your sprint, based on how long the race is and how far you can typically sprint. You'll likely want to sprint at least the final .25 miles (0.40 km). However, you can adjust this to fit your personal endurance levels. Usain Bolt Usain Bolt, Olympic Sprinter Focus on finishing strong. "Don’t think about the start of the race, think about the ending."
Cool down with a slow run to flush out the lactic acid in your muscles. One you cross the finish line, you’ll likely want to collapse on the ground. However, doing so will make you very sore the next day. Instead, do a quick cool down to bring down your heart rate and allow your body the chance to flush the lactic acid from your leg muscles. Otherwise, you’ll be very sore the next day. For instance, you might do a light jog for 5 minutes, followed by a 5 minute walk.
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