Reading 57
Cross-Country lessons
Principles from the fall sport apply to any distance--even if you're past school
By Ed Eyestone
Nearly three decades ago, as the Aspen trees turned yellow in Ogden , Utah , I joined the cross-country team at Bonneville High School ,
led by the demanding yet inspiring teacher and coach Neville Peterman. And even though I went on to race other distances, many of Coach
Peterman's cross-country training strategies contributed to my success. Coach Peterman's four core rules apply to all runners seeking to
perform their best.
Train year-round. For Coach Peterman, cross-country was not just a fall sport. If we wanted to be on the team, we had to run all summer
to build endurance. And when winter snow set in, we'd do weight workouts to help strengthen and injury-proof our bodies for the next
cross-country season. Only by training throughout the year could we expect to see consistent improvement.
High school and college runners always have the next season to prepare for, but you can create your own seasons to focus your training
year-round. Pick one major event in the spring and another in the fall, then structure your training around those races.
Do doubles. To increase our mileage base, Coach Peterman encouraged us to run twice on at least half of our training days. We added runs
judiciously, to prevent injury.
To start doing two-a-day workouts, once or twice a week add an easy 30-minute run on a day you're already running. On your double days,
shorten your main run by 10 minutes, thus giving you a net gain of 20 minutes. You can eventually work up to doubling five days a week. Add
or delete double days based on how energized you feel and your training cycle.
Know thy course. Although the course for the state meet was more than an hour away, Coach Peterman always made sure we did at least
a couple of workouts on it. We knew the dimensions of each turn, the distance of each hill, and the location of every sketchy piece of
footing.
Even if you can't train on your eventual racecourse, try to familiarize yourself with it. Course maps and descriptions typically available
online can give you enough specifics so that you can tailor your training to meet the specific race challenges.
Pay attention to details. Coach Peterman always told the story of some hapless potential state champion who lost a chance at the crown
when he tripped on an untied shoelace during a race. Then he would demonstrate tying a shoe and double-knotting the bows. In 30 years of
competitive racing, I've never had a loose shoelace.
Seemingly minor details can have a real impact on performance. For example, if you don't give yourself enough time to get to a race, you
might have to skip your warmup or, even worse, your final stop at the Port-a-John. Even what you wear can make a difference. One year at
the state meet, Coach Peterman had us do our warmup as a team in our regular uniforms. On the starting line, we peeled off our old
uniforms and revealed new uniforms of a totally different color. Coach Peterman knew we'd seem invisible to our rivals and, therefore,
we'd be unbeatable. We went on to win easily. R
Coach Peterman's Whistle Workout
This 3-2-1 fartlek workout--where he'd blast his whistle when it was time to change pace--was a favorite of Coach Peterman's. Try it on
grass with undulating hills.
After an easy two miles, run hard (not all-out) for three minutes. Then run easy for two minutes, followed by two minutes of hard running.
Now run easy for one minute, followed by one minute of hard running. Finally, run easy for three minutes to catch your breath. Start again
with three minutes of hard running. Try three or four sets.