Summer training is the key to your success in Cross Country.  Your summer training should consist of one long run every week, a fartlek or tempo type run, lots of hills (the new section at Robinson Preserve, Green Bridge, Celery Fields, Kay Road, Ringling Bridge, etc.), some easy runs, and regular cross training, including strength training, biking, swimming, yoga, etc.  Summer mileage will be your foundation for the XC season.  It takes 10 weeks to build an aerobic base.  You will enjoy the XC season and have success if you commit to summer training.  If you put in the work, you will start XC on July 28, 2025 in the best shape of your life.

• Keep Track of Your Miles:  Track all summer training from May 25 to July 27. Each coach/team will inform you of how and where to record your miles.
• Training Schedule:  Your training schedule is based on your level (i.e., how many years you have been running on a team):
  • 1st year on team - 200 miles
  • 2nd year on team - 300 miles
  • 3rd year on team - 400 miles
  • 4th year on team - 500 miles
  • SUMMER TRAINING PDF
• If you have any questions about the training schedules, please ask!  For example, on a day that calls for 7 miles, you can split it up and run 4 in the morning then 3 in the evening.  Or you can do a 1 hour fitness class or 1 hour of cycling, swimming, strength training, etc. (equivalent to 4 miles) and run 3 miles to get your 7 total for the day.  You should definitely be cross training in addition to running.  Cross training will help you hit your mileage goals! However, most of your miles should be from running and supplemented with cross training. Generally, practice for other sports do not count as summer mileage but see PDF for details.
• Cross training workouts:  please see cross training tab in the navigation for suggested bike and strength workouts. Cross training is very important to summer training. It's a great way to add to your summer mileage total without the added pounding of running.  Example of how to record your cross training on your training log: 
  • 1 hour of non-impact cardio like biking, elliptical, swimming, fitness classes, etc. = 4 miles of running
  • 30:00 of strength training and core work = 2 miles of running
  • Your goal each week should be: 2 hours of cardio cross training (biking, elliptical, swimming, fitness class, etc.) AND 2 hours total of strength training (lifting heavy weights and core) which will give you an additional 16 miles each week towards your mileage goal. 16 miles of cross training per week is the maximum you can count towards your mileage goals. The rest need to be running miles.
• We need everyone to record summer miles and share that information with your coach by no later than the first day of school. This is to help keep you accountable over the summer, but more importantly, it helps your coaches to train you safely and properly once the season begins.  We need to know what you have done so we can plan your workouts accordingly.  We do not want any injuries! Please check with your coach about where to track your miles. 
• If you reach your summer mileage goal, you will earn a prestigious summer mile club shirt! You must turn in a training log or share your online training log with your coach to be eligible for a shirt.
• For explanation of the summer group training runs, including directions and what time we end so your ride can be there on time, please check our team Google Calendar.
• Please bring your Garmin/watch, water bottle, and large towel or mat to every summer training run, practice, and meet.
• Please run on softer surfaces whenever possible. Grass, trails, dirt, shell, and sand like at Adventure Park and Celery Fields or the rubber mulch like the trails at Robinson Preserve are all better for you to run on than asphalt/road and the absolute worst surface (the hardest) is sidewalk/concrete. You will get stronger and faster by running on softer surfaces because you get less energy return than if you were on hard surface. More importantly, running on softer surfaces helps reduce the pounding on your joints. We are trying to minimize your growing pains which running can make worse, so the less running on hard surface you do, the less likely you will get injured.
• Please make sure you are wearing good, cushioned running shoes to train all summer. If you need help with this, please check the calendar or contact Coach Rae Ann (a Fit Expert for over 19 years) and she will help you determine the best shoe for you. She works at Fleet Feet Sarasota (a run specialty store in downtown Sarasota) and some of her hours there will be posted on the team Google calendar so you can see her to go through the fit process.
• Note: any changes to the summer training sessions that are listed on our Google calendar will be posted on SportsYou. If there is bad weather or some other need for a last minute cancellation, it will be posted on SportsYou so please make sure every athlete and at least one parent from each family is in both the LRHS XC (combined team) and one of the individual teams: LRHS GIRLS XC or LRHS BOYS XC. Contact Coach Rae Ann if you need to be added. Thank you.