2025 Fall Cross Country & Racing Program, Mileage, Week 6, Day 4, October 9, 2025, Thursday is Fartlek Day!
Our program will be built around a tempo run with some hills on Tuesday, fartlek on Thursday, race day or repetitions on Saturday, Long run on Sunday and easy days on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. You can juggle around if you need and also consider keeping Saturdays an easy day in weeks you are not racing! Ask your coach before adding anything to your daily training.
Fartlek is “speed play” in Swedish. It was developed by the Swedish National Cross Country coach, Gosta Holmer, who was an Olympian from 1920 in the multi-events. Holmer wanted to use the natural terrain in Sweden to inspire the Swedish cross country team, which was not that good in the 1930s, so Holmer began “Fartlek” workouts. Most elite athletes use Fartlek in their workouts, and it can vary with your experience, fitness and the terrain.
Thursday, October 9, warm-up, 65 minute fartlek workout, start with 10 times one minute hard, with one minute easy, next, 5 x 2 minutes uphill, 2 minute jogging, next with 10 x 30 seconds uphill, with one minute easy, and finish with one time five minutes hard, 5k pace, and then, five minutes easy, finally cooldown.
Always about a kick!
Are you a good kicker? One of my favorite workouts, about once a month during my college career was 200 yard repeats. I did them on a baseball field or soccer pitch on the outside of the field in baseball or two sides on soccer. The idea was to run about 25-40 seconds hard, jog a couple minutes and repeat. I did this up to 20 times, but for high school athletes I would suggest 6-8.
Another trick is to, in all repeats or intervals, increase pace over last 1/3 of distance. I did this all season in Junior year in high school, and it really helped my kick! Perhaps it will help you!
#SummerMileage, #hillrunning, #RunBlogRunSummerMileage, #running, #crosscountry,
Are you ready to race this Fall? Follow our daily training suggestions, and we will help you be ready to race!
If you need a little more cushioning, try the Vomero 18. The Vomero 18 has more cushioning that the Pegasus PLUS. If you like NIKE, I would suggest high schoolers use the NIKE Pegasus PLUS for Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. I would suggest the Vomero 18 for Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I always suggest two pairs of training shoes. Why on Vomero 18? It is a cushioned shoe that feels great and is good on the roads and trails. Learn more on www.nikerunning.com.
If you need a more cushioned shoe, try the Vomero 18 and the Vomero 18 PLUS, for great cushioning, a more sophisticated ride. Check them out at your local NIKE retailer or NIKE running store.
Do you want to be a better cross country runner than you were in the past? Focus and follow our training. It is all about the consistency.
For Great Summer reading! Self Made Olympian by Ron Daws, A Clean Pair of Heels by Murray Halberg, Pre! by Tom Jordan, Quicksilver, The Mercurial Emil Zatopek, by Pat Butcher, The Destiny of Alain Mimoun, by Pat Butcher (a monograph)
Remember, one day at a time!!!! #SummerMileage, #CrossCountry,