We’ve all seen the cross-country team jogging around campus throughout the day. To many students and faculty members, especially those who do not run or are not familiar with cross- country, the constant jogs around campus seem like a mild form of madness.
However, the cross-country training routine is actually extremely regimented and purposeful. The team’s weekly schedule is as follows:
Mondays
Easy run in the early morning (on their own)
Meet in the afternoon for 30 minutes of circuit/lifting routine
Tuesdays
800’s on the grass (four or five miles worth) with three minutes rest between each 800
Wednesdays
Travel to Paris Mountain for a reduced long run eight to ten miles
Thursdays
Easy run in the early morning (on their own)
Meet in the afternoon for 30 minutes of circuit/lifting routine
Fridays
Five to six Mile repeats with 90r on the Furman Golf Course
Saturdays
Short recovery run on their own (pool running, cross training, etc)
Sundays
Travel to Issaqueena Trails for long run (10-18 miles)
If the team has a meet, the routine allows for three days of recovery before the meet. Recovery, on the other hand, does not mean the team stops running. In cross country terms, recovery means the team only trains using relatively easy workouts for the three days prior to the race to disallow for a break in training as well as potential muscle strain or fatigue.
However, as cross country season largely coincides with cold and flu season, the team and coaches can only try to take precautionary measures against illness.
In fact, as a result of the recent bout of illness and the desire for three weeks of solid, uninterrupted training, the team cancelled their Sept. 28 meet.
Unfortunately, the team is not immune to the cold and flu season. They must wait until runners are in full health again to continue their rigorous training schedule.
The next meet, the Gene Mullin Invitational, will occur on Oct. 6 in Greenville, SC. Just a week later, on Oct. 13, the team will compete in NCAA Pre-Nationals in Louisville, KY.
