What to do during a period of no races?

You don't have a lot of time before xc, so you should start to build a base, without worrying to much about actual workouts. Will this be your first year running? How much have you been doing? Run at 5 days per week, if you are just starting, and work up the length of your runs. If you could run 40 mins a day for one week, then the next week, change one of those into 60 min. The next week, increase 2 of your runs to 50 min. Basically, keep building up in that way, till the start of the season, so you go in with plenty aerobic power. Do 8-10 100m strides 2-3 times a week after your runs.

Do 5-8 mins of abs everyday! < This is VERY important.

As for the long offseason, there are multiple options. If you lived in the northern states, I would suggest forgetting about running for the winter months, and forcing yourself into Nordic skiing. It is very beneficial towards you aerobic power...perhaps even more so than running. Ben True Skied, and look how he's ended up, and how successful he was in High School.

If you don't live in a Northern state with the skiing option, then you'll have to gut it out yourself. I'm sure the people on your team, if they are serious, do training runs on the offseason. If they don't throw out the idea for all of you to meet during the offseason at place x at time y.

If you have dedication, this offseason could make you a better runner than if you had a season. Without meets, you are able to run 3 HARD workouts a week, and get into TREMENDOUS shape.

Hope this helped a wee but! Good luck!

Forgot types of workout question. I would suggest doing about a 6 to one distance intervals - speed intervals ratio. So, every month or so, throw in one pure speed workout, and one speed endurance workout. Your 1k, 3k mile, and other endurance based workouts are what you want to focus on.

Start smoking.

Right now I'm running about 20-23 mpw and looking to increase my mileage. What do you think would be a good mileage to build up to?

I'll start doing abs but is 5-8 mins enough?

Unfortunately I can't Nordic ski (even though I live in Canada) so I'll just run by myself.

One more question, what do you mean by a 6 to 1 distance - speed interval ratio?

Thanks. That helped a lot.

dfsf wrote:

Right now I'm running about 20-23 mpw and looking to increase my mileage. What do you think would be a good mileage to build up to?

I'll start doing abs but is 5-8 mins enough?

Unfortunately I can't Nordic ski (even though I live in Canada) so I'll just run by myself.

One more question, what do you mean by a 6 to 1 distance - speed interval ratio?

Thanks. That helped a lot.

6 to 1 distance-speed ratio means that for every 6 long distance intervals you do (1000m, mile repeats, tempo runs) you should do a speed workout (200's, 400's)

I think people are giving you too much...

This is all you need to do:

1. Put on running shoes

2. Open door

3. Go run

How much? Doesn't matter. More is usually better unless you are feeling like trash or sick. My first week of XC practice back in the 1990s I ran 40 miles, that winter I was running 70 a week, that summer 80 a week. Just run. See what feels comfortable. Some days run faster than others. Typically during the summer or winter I would run pretty hard one day, then easier the next. Call this a hard/easy approach. One day either go to a track or better yet just run around your neihborhood. Run a city block all-out, a sprint. Jog the next city block. Sprint the next. Repeat until you feel pretty tired. Call this Block Sprints. One day run very very far. How far? I don't care. Longer than your other runs.

Ok so you have

1. Running most if not all days of the week.

2. Alternate days of running easy with days of running harder

3. One day run very long. This will be tiring.

4. One day go run something very fast.

Alan

I do agree that you shouldn't worry about it now, and just make sure you get the runs in before the season starts, though, are opinions definitely differ in the offseason before outdoor. That is the time you can give yourself a chance to purely focus on training, and move far ahead of your competitors.

Yes, 5-8 min of abs is enough if you so them correctly, with many different types in rapid succession. I would suggest in either 30 second or 60 second interval.

You would want to be at 40-45 by the start off the season, which, if starting in Sept, is in 1 month. If can can get this week up to 28ish, then 34, then 40, then 36, that should be set. (20-23 is no where near enough)

In both the 40 mile week and the 36, or just the last 2 weeks, try to get one of those runs to be a 9-10 miler.

I have no idea what type of program your school has, but I just know you want to put in some long runs before practice, since on our first day, we would always do 12-15.

And you comment about running by yourself: I'm sure you can get people to run with you. I can almost guarantee that you won't get the best out of yourself without some training buddies.

Just my input. Keep us posted on how the season turns out!