what is the best strategy for a cross-country race?

Answer 1

I assumed you have training sessions on the route under different weather conditions to acclimatise your body before the race. My strategy from the years of running cross country is as follows:

a. Have a good stretching exercise from head to feet, including the abodmen and back muscles.
b. Have a light jog minutes before the race to warm up your body.
c. As you are a serious competitor, get yourself at the front of the pack when lining up.
d. Move off fast but not too fast inorder not to pump out yourself on the first stretch of the route. Close your mouth first and breathe through the nose.
e. Keep your mind occupied by either singing songs over and and over (e.g amazing grace) or concentrate on your breathing rhythm or counting numbers 1 to 100 and repeat. The purpose is not to allow your mind has free time to think of any excuses to slow down.
f. Follow closely behind the front runners to break their running rhythm. It is very irritable to have someone tailing right behind you.
g. Conserve your energy and overtake on uphill. This is a psychology tactics to break other's morale.
h. Always find the hard grounds to step on.
i. Run on the inner curves.
j. If there are puddles after rain, run through the puddles. It is better to get your shoes wet than to get a lump of mud which will affect your whole run.

You have to strictly observe the following:
a. Last food intake 3 hours before the race.
b. Last water intake 1.5 hours before the race. If your mouth or throat is dry, just take light sips. this is to prevent getting stitches during the race. Train yourself to run like a camel.

Any query, check my profile and email me.

Be a smart runner and enjoy your cross country run.

Answer 2

Hello,

Long distance running is a mental battle. I would go out in the beginning of the race at a point that feels like an 80-85% effort (you'll get better at gauging this as you keep running). If you give it all that you have in the beginning, you'll start to slow down when it matters. Another tactic that I like to use is to attack the hills! You can pass so many people on the hills ...make it a game and once you pass them...imagine them on your heels...don't let them pass you! Have fun...XC is a great sport.

- Mike

Answer 3

get out front early this helps in passing the slower runners on narrow courses, then settle in and keep up with the faster runners for as long as possible, save some for the end of the race though so you have enough for a kick and sprint to the finish line, good luck and have fun.

Answer 4

to get there faster than everybody else