Cross-country running is performed both as a sport and for recreation, and relies largely on leg strength as well as lung and heart stamina. Whether preparing for a high school meet or running independently, to persevere to the end of a race, train hard both during the season and off-season. This is done through regular exercise that works the muscles most used while running.
Leg Strength Training
General strength training, especially of your leg muscles, is necessary for cross-country runners to tone muscles used while running. These exercises should specifically target your calves, quadriceps and hamstring muscles through exercises like squats and lunges, as well as through the use of weight machines like a leg press.
When using weights to build leg muscles, focus more on lighter weights with greater reps, instead of trying to max out on lifts with fewer repetitions. Bulking up can slow you down. Perform weight training at least twice a week.
Hip Flexibility
Hip flexibility is also important when training as a cross-country runner in order to improve your running smoothness and stride. To target your hip muscles, ligaments and tendons, perform exercises like straight-leg marches over the sides of hurdles and other hurdle drills like lateral over-and-unders.
Core Strength
Core strength is also essential for cross-country runners to help keep an appropriate running posture and provide strength to the spine while running. Core strengthening exercises can include floor exercises like crunches bicycle kicks or situps, as well as physioball exercises at least four or five times per week in 200 to 400 rep sessions, suggests Chris Morland, the track and field Strength coach
at North Carolina State University.
Stretching
Stretching can benefit cross-country runners both during a competition to boost performance as well as before and after to decrease risks of injury. Stretching is especially important for commonly injured areas, such as ankles and hamstrings. Do not stretch to the point where you feel tension, and hold stretches more than 30 seconds to prevent overstretching or injuring muscles, tendons or ligaments. For an full-body stretch class, consider taking yoga.
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