More than any other high school sport, cross country demands a high level of dedication and a rigorous training schedule. To compete effectively in distance running requires intense physical and mental discipline that, frankly, most people aren't willing to exert.
Students and their parents will find that this discipline will carry over to other aspects of life. For instance, all the senior members of Woodstock's cross country team graduated with honors last year. Two of the high school's top five students were on the cross country team!
For a deeper understanding of the sport, its requirements and its benefits, I recommend a visit to the South Effingham cross country team's Web site. This is a small school at the other end of the state (Region 2-AAA), but they have an excellent attitude (and track record). You may find their general info page especially useful.
The sport
Cross country is a team sport. A team consists of seven distance runners. Most of the races we run will be 5K, or 3.1 miles. (The National Federation of High School Associations' standards for high school cross country competition require races to be between 2.5 kilometers and 5 kilometers.) However, training distances are often much greater.
Scoring in cross country is like scoring in golf: The lowest score wins. As each runner finishes the race, he or she is given a place card while in the chutes. This card is given to the coaches as soon as possible after the race, to be turned in to the judges. The places of the first five athletes for each seven-member team are added together to determine the team score.
It is important for the team to run as close together as possible. For example, a finish of 1, 3, 4, 5 and 83 -- a score of 96 -- will lose to a team finishing 16, 17, 19, 21, 22 -- with a score of 95. In the event of a tie, the sixth runners' places are included to determine the winner.
Basic training
Cross country training will include a variety of workouts, notably endurance and speed. In an endurance training, the goal is to deliver oxygen efficiently to the muscles. Increasing lung capacity is an important part of this training.
This often is accomplished in runs of 30 to 80 minutes, 3 to 4 times per week at an aerobic, talking, comfortable pace. In a year's period, two-thirds of an athlete's training time may be spent in this type of running.
High school runners will gradually increase their mileage base over a period of years. An athlete who may run 20 miles a week in his or her freshman year may put in 40 to 50 miles a week as a senior.
All this running requires proper diet and nutrition. Especially during the cross country season, eat light, easy-to-digest foods. Like many athletes, distance runners frequently focus on carbohydrates, with foods like pasta, especially before a race.
Stay hydrated! During an hour of running, your body can easily lose more than two quarts of fluid. Drink lots and lots of water. Steer clear of milk, carbonated or acidic liquids (like orange juice) prior to or just after running. Here's a good link for more info on fluids.
Proper rest -- including at least 8 hours of sleep a night -- is also essential. The sleep an athlete gets two nights before the race is actually the most critical. In other words, the best sleep for a Saturday race is the sleep obtained Thursday night.
Common terms
PR - This is a runner's "personal record" on a timed course. The
goal is to continually improve a PR.
Chute - The roped off area at the finish line through which the athletes are directed in order to get their place cards.
Place - Where the athlete finished the race relative to all of the other athletes.
Position - Where the athlete finished the race relative to the other athletes on his team.
Invitational - A cross country meet where multiple teams participate.
