Not necessarily in order, but 10 ideas to help you get ready for fall.
10. Sleep-your superpower is sleep; this is where you recover and rebuild.
9. Hydrate-it is obviously hot in summer time; regularly hydrate; also, fresh fruits and vegetables help with hydration.
8. Don’t worry about pace-aside from random days of respite, it will be hot and humid in summer; if you compare your pace to how it was last October, you will be disappointed; you don’t need to run 10 minute mile pace if you can handle 7:30, but your focus in summer is getting fit to prepare for the season.
7.Don’t run much more than what you can handle during the school year or you will peak-If you run 60 mpw in summer, then if you are at 35 during the school year, you will peak the first week of October. If you can handle 60 in season, that is fine. Going back to the 35 mpw example, you can run 45 mpw in summer if you are running 35 during the season, but the focus is consistency.
6. start slow and build up-Focus on yourself and don’t get caught up in “mileage” or other people’s mileage. If you haven’t run for 3 weeks, that is ok, but take your time. It will take one month to get back to full fitness.
5. grass/trail-Try to run on grass and trail as much as possible. This will reduce impact, and also help strengthen you for the terrain you will be racing on…If you twist an ankle, don’t stop. Just hop, jog, or whatever, but as soon as you stop, it will swell. It will hurt for 5-10 minutes, but then it will be fine.
4. cross train if necessary-if running or heat is getting to you, there are other things you can do to maintain fitness. These do not substitute for running, but they will help: Aqua Jogging is probably the best cross training you can do. Cycling is an option.
3. Heat acclimatization-It will take 2-3 weeks to get used to running in the heat. Then once you do, there is always late July which is the worst. Slow down and break up runs if necessary. Humidity is the poor man’s altitude. Get out there and run. Be tough but smart.
2. Consistency/Patience-running 10 miles on Monday and then not running until Friday because you were too tired from your 10 mile run does nothing. A series of 3, 3, 4 is better than a single 10 mile run. You are training your body to handle a particular stress. If you have a crazy day, all you did was overstress your body, and it has to recover. Patience is a virtue. Be patient and focus on your goals in October and November. Every mile helps you get there.
- Make running a priority-You need to get your run in, so it’s not “I can’t run today;” it’s “How can I get my run in today?” If you are going to Hershey Park with your family, you can’t just shrug your shoulders and say “I guess I’m not running today.”
Training ideas
Totally out of shape:Â Try this:
-Run 1 min, walk one min 10 times for one week then increase to 90 seconds on/1 min off, then 2 min on/1 min off for a week
-Have a 1-2 mile loop. Do one loop in the morning and one loop at night
Freshman goal:Â If you are new to running, by the end of the summer, a goal can be to run 25-30 min comfortably
JV Goal
If you have some experience with running, but you’re not ready for top 7 but you’re looking to take the next step, being able to run 40 mins at a comfortable clip is a reasonable goal
Varsity Goal
If you are looking to race at counties and regionals, you should be able to handle 45 minutes 5-6 days a week
State Level Goal
You should be able to run close to an hour comfortably most days of the week
General training guideline
A basic guideline when preparing for the season-you should be running 30 minutes 5 days a week. Anything less than 5 days and you are not training.
Summer XC Meet list
June 28-Centennial HS-7:00 p.m.-Bullseye-5k
July 7-Sweet Air Trail Race-BRRC-7 Miles
Please subscribe for free to the following pages.
YouTube:Â Â https://www.youtube.com/@chasingthestandard
Instagram:Â Â https://www.instagram.com/chasingthestandard/
Facebook:Â Â https://www.facebook.com/chasingthestandard
Summer Reading List
Once A Runner
Endure
The Alchemist