CROSS COUNTRY - Intramurals
(<<Back to Rules) INTRAMURAL CROSS-COUNTRY TRAINING INFORMATION Four components contribute to an individual’s maximal sustainable pace in distance running: 1. The genetic composition of skeletal muscle cells (i.e., percentage of Slow Twitch and Fast Twitch muscle fibers). 2. A gradual lowering (with proper training) of the aerobic demand to run at any submaximal pace (i.e., greater running economy). 3. An improvement in the oxygen consumption capabilities of the working muscles (more intracellular mitochondria, better blood perfusion, etc.). 4. A gradual improvement in the ability to buffer the effects of increasing acidosis as increased numbers of FT fibers are recruited to manage the work load at higher intensities. One method of training for distance running is basing your training program on the three types of workouts explained below: 1. Aerobic Conditioning: Distance Runs: Long/medium. Primary means of cardiovascular adaptation to running Heart rates 70 to 80% of maximum 2. Anaerobic Conditioning (“Threshold Runs”): 15 to 20 min of medium steady state runs at or near estimated lactate/ventilatory threshold pace. Increasing adaptation should quicken lactate/ventilatory threshold pace. 3. Aerobic Capacity Training (Interval Training): 2 to 8 minutes of fast running at or near estimated VO2max pace. Recovery should be complete or nearly complete to minimize anaerobic inhibition. Can include hill training. Emphasis on maintained good running form throughout. Another important consideration in Cross-country running is to conduct some of your training off the road. The physiological demand of running on an uneven surface increases and it is important to conduct some of your training off the road. A good practice is to conduct your interval training on the cross-country course. The race course for the USNA Intramural Cross Country Program will consists of a two-lap course around Hospital Point (Sherman Field and the softball field). Each loop will be approximately 1-mile in length. The start and finish will be located near the shed on Sherman Field. Workout Descriptions: 1. Aerobic Conditioning: Distance runs, with a slow build-up of mileage, using the 10% rule (do not increase distance more than 10% as you increase distance runs, and do not increase your weekly mileage more than 10%). The bulk of distance run training is from this category. Runs completed at a relatively “easy” pace, 70 to 80% of maximal aerobic pace. 2. Anaerobic Conditioning: A. Warm-up of 5 to 10 minutes of easy running B. The Workout: 1) 8-minutes hard, 5 minutes easy, 8 minutes hard 2) 10 minutes hard, 5 minutes easy, 10 minutes hard 3) 12 minutes hard, 5 minutes easy, 12 minutes hard 4) 15 minutes hard, 5 minutes easy, 15 minutes hard 5) 20 minutes hard 6) 8-minutes hard, 5 minutes easy, 8 minutes hard, 5 minutes easy, 8 minutes hard 7) 10 minutes hard, 5 minutes easy, 10 minutes hard, 5 minutes easy, 10 minutes hard 8) 12 minutes hard, 5 minutes easy, 12 minutes hard, 5 minutes easy, 12 minutes hard 9) 15 minutes hard, 5 minutes easy, 15 minutes hard, 5 minutes easy, 15 minutes hard 10) 20 minutes hard, 5 minutes easy, 20 minutes hard C. Cool Down of 5 to 10 minutes of easy running D. Stretching E. Squats and lunges These workouts are done “comfortably hard.” This is that point where conversation becomes labored, “but if I concentrate on running (and not talking) I can continue for a while”. Ideally these are done right at a persons Anaerobic or Lactate Threshold. On a scale of 0 to 20, these would be about 14 on the scale – between “somewhat hard” and “hard”. Anaerobic conditioning workouts are “effort” type workouts, not necessarily trying to hit a certain pace. 3. Aerobic Capacity: A. Warm-up of 5 to 10 minutes of easy running B. The Workout (perform one workout per week): 1) 8 x 400m (1/4 mile) with 200m jog 2) 4 x 800m (1/2 mile) with 400m jog 3) 3 x 1200m (3 laps on outdoor track) with 600 jog 4) 2 x 1600m (1 mile) with 800m jog 5) 2 x 2000m (5 laps on the outdoor track) with an 800m jog REPEAT SAME WORKOUTS BUT QUICKEN PACE IN SUBSEQUENT WEEKS OR FOR LONGER RACES: 1) 3 x 1200m (3 laps on outdoor track) with 600m jog 2) 2 x 1600m (1 mile) with 800m jog 3) 2 x 2000m (5 laps on outdoor track) with 1000m jog 4) 3 x 1200m (3 laps on outdoor track) with 600m jog 5) 2 x 1600m (1 mile) with 800m jog 6) 2 x 2000m (5 laps on outdoor track) with 1000m jog (Workouts 4, 5 and 6 are done a little faster than 1, 2 and 3) C. 9 X 200m to 300m strides, 3 easy, 3 medium and 3 hard D. Cool Down of 5 to 10 minutes of easy running E. Stretching F. Squats and lunges Workouts longer than 1200 meters should be done at a pace equivalent to your present estimate of a 10K race pace. Interval 1200 meters and shorter should be done at a pace equivalent to your present estimate of a 5K race pace. Aerobic Capacity workouts are timed intervals. Try and run even pace throughout the interval. If you use something similar to the second set of workouts, hopefully the second time you do the 2 x 2000m it will be easier if physiological adaptations are taking place. Anaerobic Conditioning and Aerobic Capacity workouts are very stressful, listen to how the body is reacting. Post running stretching is very important to staying healthy. Sample schedule: See attached schedules for sample workouts. Other Information: Proper diet, nutrition and rest are critical to a successful training program. Proper running shoes are essential to keeping the legs healthy. A stretching routine needs to be incorporated into your overall training program. Set realistic training goals. Draw up two week training schedules, with a skeleton that goes out for the entire semester. Update your schedule as things change. Record workouts in a log, keeping track of daily weight, morning resting pulse, what the workout was, what times you hit if it was an interval workout, and how you felt. Anaerobic Threshold – The point were lactic acid begins to accumulate in the blood. The running speed that this occurs at is the place to conduct Anaerobic Conditioning workouts. This creates physiological adaptations that allow the body to better buffer lactic acid, allowing a person to run at en even faster pace before blood lactate begins to accumulate.
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