cross country

    Posted In: Sprints

        • Participant
          jimmy38 on March 9, 2004 at 2:55 am #8976

          in the fall i do no sports so im thinking about running cross country.now im a long sprinter and jump would doing cross country hurt my sprints?

        • Participant
          trck400mrnnr on March 9, 2004 at 4:56 am #26104

          I feel it helps mine. As long as you keep your form and don't get careless it should help.

        • Member
          rice773 on March 9, 2004 at 7:03 am #26105

          I would recommend doing strides after all of your xc workouts so you don't lose too much speed, and being sure not to run too much mileage so that you stay healthy.

        • Participant
          QUIKAZHELL on March 9, 2004 at 7:04 am #26106

          Possibly if you were a 400-800 runner. But in you case I wouldnt do it. Why not just start training on your own for track and do the RIGHT workouts.

        • Keymaster
          Mike Young on March 9, 2004 at 1:12 pm #26107

          I agree with Quik. You could if you wanted, even run with the XC team on their speed days. It could serve as your intensive or extensive tempo depending upon the length and speed of their runs.

          ELITETRACK Founder

        • Member
          400stud on March 9, 2004 at 7:08 pm #26108

          What's scary is that I have always been against XC for sprinters, yet there's a kid at my school that finished last year at 53 (no XC) and opened up this year at 51.7. I think it may have helped him just a LITTLE bit.

          However, I still feel that if a 400 runner were to take the time spent in XC doing a true sprinter's base, then the results would still be as good and probably greater.

        • Participant
          trck400mrnnr on March 10, 2004 at 5:20 am #26109

          I do xc myself…at first it was only to stay in shape because most of the time, I'm not exactly diligent enough to go run on my own. Besides having a great time with the team and the fact that our coaches are great, I feel it helps greatly with the mental aspect of the sport. I was one of 3 sprinters on the xc team when I started my sophomore year. None of us sprinters were completely into running such distances but once we got going and got into it we realized the competition is as intense as that in sprinting. I was able to use my sprinting ability to blow away the competition at the finish of the races and use it to my advantage powering up the hills. Our sprinter's motto for xc is not to let anyone pass you in the last 600m of the race, no matter what…and so far I have not been passed. Mentally xc has helped me a lot. You realize you can do much more than you think you can. And then going into track you can laugh at the length of a 400m and you don't have any mental issues with the length of the race…its just one lap…

        • Member
          rice773 on March 10, 2004 at 6:09 am #26110

          I agree… it can be extremely boring to train all through the fall without any competition. Even if you are not finishing in the top ten, xc races are more fun than running time trials. Just don't get too wound up in mile repeats and lose your speed, or lose touch with the weight room.

        • Participant
          trck400mrnnr on March 10, 2004 at 7:25 am #26111

          Yeah, may favorite training days were the fast 800 repeats through a local trail where we cross a bridge and hit a steep hill. I loved that hill…everyone else hits it like its a wall…and if you just kick into sprinting form and go you practically fly to the top. I stayed in touch with the weight room too though. With xc and the increase in my strength I feel I am well prepared for this outdoor season…:cool:

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