Run-Down Forums

[Fry the Sailor]

So my next high school cross country season is coming up, and I am amazed where I might just be... the top spot...

I am not fooling with you. Here's what my workout schedule has been looking like
M- 9 miles/7-7:30 pace T-4 miles/sub 6:00 pace W-8 miles/6:40sh pace Th-6 miles/6:05 pace Fr-7 miles 6:30sh pace Sat-1 mile around 5:00+8 miles 7-7:30 pace.

I'm the only returning varsity member who has trained all year... We have some newcomers show promise but their training is nothing like that ^...

Is there anybody out there who can tell me, what its like to be the no 1 guy?

[Dan]

Sounds like you're doing some solid training. Too bad the rest of the team isn't coming along for the ride...

Dan
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[Micah Ward]

What is it like to be the number 1 guy?

My only experience close to that is being the top runner during some military and police fitness tests. It feels pretty good. But stay humble and supportive of those that finish behind you.

I really like the training you are doing. I think we are going to hear some good things from you this season.
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[Double]

Be a leader. Always act in humility, no one likes a smoke blower. The opposition will base strategy against you. Stronger teams will work on breaking you with a pack, weaker teams will have their best guy go mano y mano.

If no one else on your team is capable of working with you (yet), then you need to get those guys to form this mentallity behind you. Cross-country is a guts sport and you need to be smart enough when to respond to a challenge and when to let the posers go.

When you travel to courses your not use to, you need to get your crap together and memorize the course. Every course is different and you need to map your strengths to the course lay out. This is the best time to use visualization in my opinion. View the course, overlay your positions of strength, and then visualize yourself picking it up here or there, laying low on a steep hill, or sprinting to the finish. My strengths were threefold. Capable of handling fast starts, great downhill runner and an exceptional kicker the last 200-300 yards.

Study the competition. Know who you are racing against. You need to establish where you think you should finish before the race. You have to find the guys you will need to be with in the race. Never leave your race at the mile mark because you thought you'd challenge the State 1600 champ. Be smart, because if you are you will beat piles of guys who choose to race stupid. This doesn't mean you never take chances, just take them later in the race when you can't lose 20-30 spots.

It's a long season. Run hard when you have to and run easy when you can. These races are about position, not time, so unless your capable of taking down course records save the time trialing for track season.

Laurel High School XC 76'-78'

[Dan]