I never ran cross country.What are some great ponters ?

Answer 1

Probably too late, but build a big base. The more you run over the summer (the bigger your base) the faster you will be able to run (the higher your peak). Elite high school boys consistently do 100 mile weeks over the summer. Clearly, you don't need to that much and if you didn't do any, it is too late now.

For in season, make goals. Figure out times or places you want to reach. That can keep you focused. For races, learn pace. You'll run faster overall times if you can keep a constent pace over the entire race. If you go out too quick, you'll die and struggle at the end. But if you go out too slow, you'll have too much left at the end.

Most importantly, have fun. High school cross country teams are often the closest teams in school. Enjoying your teammates will make the practices go easier and make it a great experiance.

Good luck.

Answer 2

The two answers before mine are very good, so I'll just add to them.

Remember that cross-country is a psychological sport too. My coach used to say it was 90% mental. You are not running against a clock, you are running to beat other people, so if you have a good strategy and know your opponents, you can beat them.
Do you you have a good final kick? Maybe you should hang behind the other teams good runners and try to out sprint them at the end.
Can you keep a hard pace? Maybe you should be out front trying to burn out the other teams runners.
There will be lots of trash talk on the course, dont let it get to you. Or learn to give it back. There will also be a lot of blocking and tripping (yes, they're supposed to be illegal, but things happen out in the wooded parts of the track). Listen to the coaches and your teammates about how to deal with it.

Answer 3

The number one thing is don't get frustrated. You can be a great endurance runner, anyone can. Just train yourself. Start out kind of slow, like a mile. If you feel good the move yourself up. You'll be doing great 5k's before you know it. That's another great tip. Do some charity 5k's somewhere near where you live. They really help you see how a race feels like. Make sure you work on hills too. I live in West Virginia and run XC, so we have plenty of those lol. I hope I helped :). God Bless

Answer 4

Try to run with your team captain as much as possible. She will show you all the running routes and will help you to develop your pace because the coach chooses a captain who has already been running for awhile and knows what she is doing.
Make sure you get a good pair of running shoes: if possible, buy them at a store that specializes in runners as they can help you find the correct shoes for you.
Be sure to drink plenty of water and if you can get some Ultima Sports Replenishment drink, that is even better!
When you are first starting your training runs, it is okay to walk some, but try to run as much of the run as you can. Avoid starting out too fast. In your first race, stay with a team mate who seems to run the same pace as you do rather than trying to go after the leaders right away. You will start to get a feel for what you are capable of. Your coach will also watch your run and will make suggestions as to which runners you should stay with.
Don't diet. You are going to get hungrier once you start training and go ahead and eat plenty - just make sure that most of the foods you eat are healthy. Bananas, figs, nuts, pasta, bagels and peanut butter are some great food choices for runners.
Finally have fun! Running cross-country in high school and college provided me with some of the best memories of my life!