[Andy Fawcett]

Hi,

I have a problem with cross country races. I love them but for some reason my form and placing in these races was always way behind my performances on track and road.

My main obstacle is that I live in York which apart from a few gradients here and there is pretty flat.

Secondly I rely on other athletes to get to places where there are hills (such as Bishop Wilton) which only happens once a month or so. My last cross country race was the Yorkshire Champs in 2006 (only raced at all once since then at the Brass Monkey Half Marathon this January) and I was completely owned by people I could and had out-ran in road training sessions.

I know it starts in November through to February-ish but I want to make this cross country season part of my schedule to getting a good Half-Marathon time when I race the Brass Monkey next January, hopefully 1:25-1:30 if I really knuckle down to it. Any hints on how I can train for the muddy bliss of the winter races given my circumstances?

Go steady with me since this week has been my first full training week since 2005!

Andy

[cheriton]

It's a bit of a problem if you can't recreate the conditions for a cross country race .

Not quite sure what to suggest that doesn't involve travelling

Maybe someone else will have a suggestion Andy.

[Andy Fawcett]

Well theres lots of grass fields around where I live, and there is the Knavesmire Race Course in the centre of town that I sometimes train on the outside of. But no (significant) hills within touching distance. It would be a perfect training if cross country routes were all flat but we all know thats not the case. There is a steepish hill a few miles from my house on a main street but its only 100-150m long and on a road surface. Also irritating kids like to hang there drinking cider lol. Don't really want to be doing reps there

[Yorkie]

Hi Andy, do you drive? If you can get there then Kilburn and white horse area might be suitable.

[Andy Fawcett]

Don't have a car at the moment. Ive been getting lifts off club mates to get to places outside York. Thanks for the idea though.

[richardsimkiss]

As Cheriton hints at, ideally you want to try and recreate race conditions, though I wouldn't think terrain will matter much (i.e. hill training on road will be just as just as hill training off-road)

as for suggestions, any access to a treadmill? Not ideal or particularly enjoyable, but it'd help! (assuming it has an incline fucntion, lol).
Find one hill (without cider drinking yoof's) and simply repeat it?
Strength/weight training focusing on the legs?
Plyometric exercises?

Just because you don't have access to hills it shouldn't ruin you're chances of achieving decent results!