Winter could be robust for triathletes, however as BTF X YJ ambassador Katie wright explains, cross-country racing can supply a really perfect and pleasurable (subjective) coaching choice. Over to you Katie!
Throughout the winter months when the wetsuit is gathering mud and the turbo is floating in a puddle of sweat I love to do a cross-country season. Like is perhaps a barely deceptive alternative of phrase!
After the complexity of a triathlon season I’m wanting ahead to the simplicity of cross nation. You place in your spikes, and also you run – as rapidly as you possibly can. That’s it. That’s all there’s to it. It hasn’t modified within the 30 plus years since I first laced up my spikes.
Cross nation is perhaps easy, in precept, however it’s worthwhile to be mentally robust and bodily sturdy. What it lacks in complexity it makes up for in its sheer brutality. Yeah it’s brutal! BUT It’s nice for constructing resilience, it’s worthwhile to dig deep, and also you learn to undergo – which is why (I imagine) it’s implausible winter coaching for triathlon.
Cross Nation is structured equally to plenty of different sports activities. It has a league and championship races – that are unfold out over the winter season. The Cross nation league (like superTri triathlon) is each a person and a crew sport. You run as a person however you additionally rating factors on your crew. On the finish of the season the highest three groups (in every AG) get to rejoice on the rostrum alongside the highest three particular person athletes (in every AG). There aren’t any big cheques being given out and the places are a bit much less glamorous (than SuperTri) but it surely’s tremendous pleasant and there’s tea and cake.
The 24/25 season kicks off with the county championship cross nation relays in late September – which within the South East are held at superb Goodwood – well-known for its motor circuit.
Three runners (in every membership crew) be part of forces to finish the lapped course as rapidly as doable. The successful crew is the crew that crosses the end line first. It’s muddy, the hills are a shock to the system, many legs flip to jelly and lungs really feel like they could explode – however in lower than an hour all of the runners are laying in a heap of heaving legs and arms (by the end line) fascinated with these medals quickly to be awarded, and the tea and cake quickly to be consumed.
Cross nation is a bit like triathlon – it may be horrendous on the time, however you overlook fairly rapidly. As you stare down at that shiny medal you might be already considering that you simply fairly fancy doing all of it once more. Which is fortunate because the league begins a few weeks later again at Goodwood.
In Sussex, our league races happen in some stunning rural places. Every one attempting to disguise the horrors which might be about to unfold.
The weapons fires (sure they nonetheless use a gun in cross nation) there’s the preliminary surge because the runner scramble for place earlier than the one observe first rate in to the woods. Down, down, down you go, however what goes down should come again up, and up, and up it comes, earlier than a sweeping loop of what seemed like a comparatively flat (however isn’t) discipline, previous the beginning and repeat! That’s the race that eases you in to the season! You would possibly get away with path sneakers for this race, I stated would possibly!
THE SESSION: Hills and elevation.
Use the hills to construct energy for the season forward. Push on the uphills let the momentum carry you again down.
2km heat up, RACE, 3-5 hill repeats, 2km calm down.
Glyndebourne was a brand new course final season and it’s utterly distinctive. Lovely opera tries its greatest to distract you from the largest hill I’ve ever been anticipated to run up throughout a cross nation race (it defeated many final season) There are gently flowing streams (of rivals tears) to jump over – which have the potential to change into quick flowing rivers relying on the sort of season we’re having! Street sneakers needn’t apply! Think about roadies rocking as much as a cross Tri race on their TT! Final season I duct taped my spikes on to my toes pre race!
THE SESSION: The lengthy straightforward run with race tempo effort.
Run the course earlier than to recce the route as heat up, RACE, calm down on the route
3 x RACE COURSE (straightforward, quick, straightforward)
Ardingly provides you the chance to return to your youth and play ponies as you trot your manner across the horse race course. It’s in all probability the course with the least elevation however the hills are brief and sharp as you scramble over ditches and thru muddy bogs! Pack your child wipes!
THE SESSION: Velocity endurance session.
1 mile heat up, RACE, 1 mile straightforward, run the course once more FAST, 1 mile calm down.
In January the league takes a month off as its championship season, kicking off with the Sussex Cross Nation Championships in Bexhill. There aren’t any separate masters classes on this occasion so it’s one I’m usually tempted to overlook, it’s additionally usually solely days after we have now welcomed within the new yr and pre the youngsters returning to highschool!
Mid January, although, us masters (over 35 years of age) have our personal Sussex Masters Cross Nation Championships on the stunning South Downs location of Coombe Farm (which additionally hosts a cyclocross race) the beginning and end are nestled properly within the valley surrounded by steep slopes. You’ll be happy you probably did your hill reps!
The month finishes with the South of England Cross Nation Championships at Beckenham Park Place (there are additionally no masters classes, however) in the event you love cross nation it’s worthwhile to do that race! It’s like collaborating in an enormous metropolis highway race however on grass. The usual is fierce, it’s tremendous effectively supported and it’s correct kind 2 enjoyable!
By race 4 we’re deep in winter, mud as much as our knees, fingers we will’t really feel and pink shiny noses. The we could put on spikes or path sneakers discussions of early within the season have dwindled and we’re on the level of survive slightly than thrive! Huge hills, large thrills, large, large vitality!
THE SESSION: Figuring out when it’s greatest to move residence and soar on the turbo coach
Spin these legs out, get the blood pumping to these frozen extremities
The season (for me) will end on the Nationwide Cross Nation Championships at Parliament Hill the house of cross nation. There’s nothing fairly like this race, everybody should expertise this as soon as. Make the highest 200 you’re a legend, the highest 100 – WOW, the highest 10 you might be in all probability a GB runner or Professional Triathlete!
Cross nation is “old skool” it’s been round ceaselessly, but it surely may study lots from newer sports activities like triathlon. Women and men run in several races, usually over completely different distances. There are ongoing dialogue about equalling the distances, and a few county leagues have began to introduce this! Progress I respect takes time, however I strongly imagine that girls are as succesful bodily and subsequently needs to be given the chance to run the identical distances as males. I don’t assume it provides the precise message to younger women if boys are working additional. However placing the politics apart cross nation could be a very pleasurable expertise.
