Cross Country Running Tips

Cross country running is a demanding sport, due to the wide variety of terrain and course conditions you will encounter. It requires a more diverse set of skills than running on the road or on the track. Here are some tips for running cross country:

Build Core Strength

Of course, all runners should have strong core strength. But in cross country, it is particularly important because of all the different adjustments in body position required to compensate for the uneven terrain. It is particularly important when running uphill.

Run Uphill Efficiently

Rather than charging uphill with huge powerful strides, it is much more efficient to use a different technique. Use shorter strides with a quicker turnover, in order to preserve your momentum without slowing down or speeding up. cross country running tips

You should also focus on running tall. If the hill is steep, you will need to lean into it to maintain an upright posture. But don’t bend forward at the waist, which causes the hamstrings and glutes to do extra work in order to compensate. Instead, visualize a string drawing you up from the ankle of your push-off foot, all the way to the crown of your head. Work on building core strength, which will help to keep you upright instead of bending at the waist.

An uphill section of a race is not the time to try to charge forward and put distance on the other runners. Oxygen debt is not pretty, and it does more harm than good. If you really want to put some distance on the competition, save it for the downhill.

Change Gears Smoothly

Hitting the top of the hill does not mean letting up after the hard work of going up the hill. The effort and momentum must be maintained, up over the top, and onto the flat or downhill. You do this by finding a rhythm and focusing on leg turnover, taking care to avoid over-striding. Keep it all together by taking some deep breaths and don’t lose your momentum.

Master The Downhills

Contrary to popular belief, running downhill is not the easiest thing in the world to do. It takes training and practice to master the correct technique. Your goal is to harness gravity and use it to propel you forward, without spending your own energy. In other words, do not go sprinting downhill!

You must train your legs to accomplish a quick turnover while staying relaxed and not expending energy. You must also avoid holding back and braking too much. Let your legs fly while staying in control.

The great advantage to running a good downhill is that you will gain greater distance compared to running a good uphill. This is simply because of the much quicker pace going downhill, as well as the fact that uphill running burns far more energy than downhill. If you do not train to run downhill well, you will be easily out-distanced by someone who has mastered the technique.

Happy Cross Country Running!

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Running Tips | Cross Country Running Tips