Been running since beginning of junior year (current senior).
Ran like 18 something in xc last year. Then in outdoor (no indoor) ran 10:38 and 4:50 without winter running. I thought I had some potential so I ran 50mpw this summer injury free with 1-2 tempos per week(easy runs at 7-720 per mile) I come into xc this year thinking this is my year to run well. Ive had 3 races, which I just don't think I've been running to my potential. I haven't even broke 19 yet and a teamate who didnt summer run beat me today. Ive lost to multiple kids by almost a minute this season whom I beat by almost 30 seconds in the 3200 in track. In track I beat people who were running high 17's so I thought I must be able to get somewhere around there.
I really dont know what I am doing wrong this season and I am very frustrated. I really thought I had a shot at states this year but idk at this point. I know its bad to be frustrated and stuff but I just cant figure out whats goin on. Also we got a different coach for xc then track and my track coach is good but idk about the xc one. The coach hasn't really said much helpful unfortunately.
Pretty much to sum it up I don't think my results this season matches my training or track prs.
If anyone could give any suggestions that would be great.
Thanks
Bad in XC compared to track
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tbh idk. but what i will say is stay healthy keep training and whip the kids when track starts.
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Assuming you're a female, have you had your ferritin/iron checked? You increased your training and you might have become deficient in iron in the process. Might be worth checking out.
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Work on hill training and trail running. You may be a very inefficient and poor hill runner. Do 8-10 trail runs on the weekends in place of a long run/race for strength. Hill sprints for proper technique and running efficiency. I know people, myself included, who would "run" up the hill slower than they walked. It was also very taxing despite the slow pace.
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Female? wrote:
Assuming you're a female, have you had your ferritin/iron checked? You increased your training and you might have become deficient in iron in the process. Might be worth checking out.
Doesn't matter if you are female or male. Get your ferritin/iron levels checked ASAP...if they are below 40 ng/ml start taking ferrous sulfate elixir immediately.
Your sudden increase in training and symptoms of early fatigue sound exactly like low iron levels, but you need to be tested to find out.... -
In my opinion a lot of the difference between track/xc is more about the surface you run on than being flat vs. hilly.
Do you find that you do better on cross country courses that are gravel/hard dirt vs. grass? I would recommend trying to do workouts on surfaces like what you will be running on as you need that kind of specificity to run as fast as you are able to for those.
It also takes more core strength to run well in cross. Having a strong core can make it as if you are running on a straight course with solid footing even when you are not.
One other thing - 3200 meters is just straight up shorter than a 5K, so you may be built better for shorter distances. -
Female? wrote:
Assuming you're a female
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Cross Country is there just to get some base work in before track season starts up, so I wouldn't worry about it. Nothing fun about CC races. Gets even worse in college in college when you have the 8k/10k races. Assuming you are a male.
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Carl Wagner wrote:
Cross Country is there just to get some base work in before track season starts up, so I wouldn't worry about it. Nothing fun about CC races. Gets even worse in college in college when you have the 8k/10k races. Assuming you are a male.
Yep, XC isn't a serious pursuit. Harden up and get back to shorter distances. You don't want to be a scrawny long distance runner. -
I also was better at cross country than track or roads.I competed in the World XC Champs twice. Looking at PBs of people around me made it quite obvious to me. I was a better cross country runner. Was it running mechanics, the softer surface, the variation in terrain, a "mental thing"? Back behind me - about 30 spots - a young and inexperienced Mo F. Haha! My chief claim to fame:)
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Big Dik wrote:
Carl Wagner wrote:
Cross Country is there just to get some base work in before track season starts up, so I wouldn't worry about it. Nothing fun about CC races. Gets even worse in college in college when you have the 8k/10k races. Assuming you are a male.
Yep, XC isn't a serious pursuit. Harden up and get back to shorter distances. You don't want to be a scrawny long distance runner.
Exactly. -
It sounds like you did okj in XC last year (18-something is not that much worse than 10:38). So there are a number of reasons you might not be doing better this year: 1) going out too fast, 2) not warming up properly, 3) burn out from the bump in training, 3) some sort of non-mental issue (low iron, mono, etc), 4) some sort of mental issue.
You might well be more suited to track (I was), but that does not explain you drop off. You should be running better than last year, regardless of whether you are beating people who you beat on the track. -
You're overtrained. Take iron supplements. Take a week off.
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runkeller wrote:
Female? wrote:
Assuming you're a female, have you had your ferritin/iron checked? You increased your training and you might have become deficient in iron in the process. Might be worth checking out.
Doesn't matter if you are female or male. Get your ferritin/iron levels checked ASAP...if they are below 40 ng/ml start taking ferrous sulfate elixir immediately.
Your sudden increase in training and symptoms of early fatigue sound exactly like low iron levels, but you need to be tested to find out....
Okay, I will definitely get it checked this week. Thanks. -
Papoose Caboose wrote:
You're overtrained. Take iron supplements. Take a week off.
Okay, I will talk to my coach about it. -
Pretty much im going to figure out what my problem is this week and try to work it out
