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Many college coaches are perplexed with the short amount of time they are able to spend with their athletes during the fall months. Typically, coaches get to work with their sprinters and hurdlers for 6 to 8 hours per week, depending on their conference or other institutional factors. Though this time is limited, it is better than nothing.
The commendable yet wrong idea.
Toward the end of the summer, my inbox is usually flooded with emails from sprint recruits who have decided on running cross country, to get in shape for the indoor season. My initial thought is approval; at least they are staying fit and actively preparing for the year ahead. As a young athlete, I had the same idea and used cross country to jumpstart training for the track season. I did everything “normal” cross country runners did the entire fall. Ahhh… If only I knew what I know now.
Cross country isn’t called cross country for nothing.
If an athlete is on the cross country team at the high school level it’s safe to assume they have to run some 5k races, after all it is indeed called cross country. Besides running longer distances, sprinters are not required to use sprint equipment at practice, such as blocks, sleds or other speed/ resistance gadgets. Most coaches find their top sprinters are not on the varsity cross country squad. Many are simply trying to get in shape and start building an endurance foundation for the indoor season.
I know if I just throw my sprinters in with the distance crew and modify the workouts a bit they will get slower. As I indicated in the title, long slow running builds long slow sprinters. Just throwing sprinters into higher volume regiments will also lead to injuries such as shin splints. In the fall, sprinters can do activities that will prepare them for sprinting while still building a base that will allow them to run some 5k’s. These athletes will not be heading to the cross country state championship, however they should be able to run a 5k from time to time.
The big question.
So how do we get sprinters prepared for the track season in the fall without breaking any rules, avoiding injury and strengthening their physical and mental bodies, making them ready to compete in several 5k races?
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