Cross Country Running Tips No One Talks About

Cross country season: the best time of year. Former D1 college runner gives XC running advice and tips that will help you improve your cross country training to achieve faster times / higher ranks.
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Lehigh XC Race: • THE FASTEST CROSS COUN...
Penn State XC Race: • THE BEST CROSS COUNTRY...
Notre Dame XC Invite: • NOTRE DAME CROSS COUNT...
#CrossCountry #RunningTips #TheAthleteSpecial

[@TheAthleteSpecial]

Thanks again to Harry’s! Click here harrys.com/athletespecial to redeem your Trial Set for just $5!

[@sahu]

One of the best mind games advice I got for XC was if you are running just ahead of someone anytime you make a turn and you are out of sight for a couple of seconds throw in a quick burst 3-5 steps. When your competitor comes around that turn and sees that 1-2 meter lead open to 5-7 meter lead it will be dejecting.

[@georgiapeach9146]

As a person with a race today, thank you

[@sahu]

@@georgiapeach9146 good luck and have fun.

[@georgiapeach9146]

@@sahu Thank you! I ended up PRing!

[@oofbs7608]

got a race today, this helped me a little thanks

[@sahu]

@@oofbs7608 glad it helped.

[@gregoryluna535]

Most high school runners go out too fast and run positive splits. I did alright with conservative starts but there were a few races where I got sucked along with a hot pace and suffered like everybody else.

[@MR-wh5wp]

Agree. I always was towards the back in the first 200m then ended up finishing top 7 at state and went to Nationals. Once you have spiked your heart rate and struggling to breathe in the first 1min, it's hard to come home strong

[@LDS..]

I start more conservative, but a positive split isn’t always bad when you have to get out fast to chase the person you have too. I completely agree though from me seeing freshman on my team run mile PRs for their first mile 😂

[@jackpazin6159]

Most people take the first 200 faster than I can run for an all out 200. I’ve just accepted that and ignore them.

[@evanfopma5083]

​@LDS.. well I might run mile pre for my first mile, but also I rarely run miles and my miles are terrible lol

[@LDS..]

@@evanfopma5083 fair enough, that makes sense

[@brook.53]

My coach always told me to remember that everyone is running in the same elements. Rain, snow, hills, mud, etc., and some people will give up because of that, which is good for you! He also told me, that when you start really hurting at 1.5-2mi, everyone else is also hurting. You have to use these to your advantage

[@LDS..]

I finally got over worrying about pace, and once I did PRs came with it. All you have to do is race, times come when you race well

[@nickname1964]

I started to just race and not worry about time and most of my times this season have been between 16:39 and 17:06 but I haven’t finished lower then 3rd. The only race below a 16:39 was a 16:10 and I got 2nd but it was a really fast course.

[@mattmcqueen1877]

I appreciate this man. I got a meet with 230 schools tomorrow, and it was rated as the toughest course in New Jersey. These points definitively will help me out pre and post race. Thank you.

[@Lucindana07]

How’d it go?

[@Kn0wl3dge]

Holmdel?

[@asianethan487]

The beginning part of holmdel lmao

[@Kn0wl3dge]

@@asianethan487 the roller coasters 👎👎👎

[@dragonan3159]

@@asianethan487 Istg the starting hill feels harder than the actual bowl sometimes

[@emegvf]

I used to feel incredibly sick on game day. I was all jittery and had lots of nerves and it made me feel awful. I would end up performing badly and it upset me. But when I started to realise that the sick feeling I was having was all the adrenaline in my system and it would go away as soon as I started playing, my games started to go a lot better. Like you said it’s your body preparing for war. If you try and shift your mindset from “I don’t feel good so I won’t perform good and I’m super nervous” to “I can feel the adrenaline and I can’t wait to get going so I can channel this feeling somewhere” things will start to go a lot better and you’ll have way more fun.

[@Salsabro.]

my freshman brother ran 17:20 bc of this, thank you so much!! I do 3k's and I am 3rd on the team :D

[@jxqnic3366]

Commenting this the day before my last high school league championship race. This video has quickly become a large part of my prerace rhythm lol.

[@jackruns07]

Watching this 2 days out from a flat course race. Gonna be a nice quick one. Thanks Spencer

[@loganr8277]

Same here 2 days out

[@elise7650]

mine is tomorrow now 😅 good luck!

[@PixieMeat_444]

Mines tomorrow! Good luck let me know how it goes for yall

[@loganr8277]

@@PixieMeat_444 YO I PR'd by 48 seconds with a 15:32 and broke my schools 29 year old record by 5 seconds

[@PixieMeat_444]

@@loganr8277 WOAH! a dude! Good job I just finished racing a few hours ago. I tripped in mud 💀💀 Glad it went well for you though that’s fantastic!!!

[@ethanstauffer9905]

As my coach always says, “last mile, best mile”

[@adamd6767]

Wish I had this content back when I was running XC in high school!

[@ENDURENTZ]

I have a race today lol. Thanks for the tips, you can never learn too much.

[@lcbtcethada3957]

FANTASTIC VIDEO to show young competitors. Thank you 👍

[@InspiNatio]

Spencer, these videos have been very inspirational and you have been a guy that has helped me in many ways, good job and thanks for the great vids

[@TeeBean]

Funnily enough, I am watching this video the day before my cross country race against another school and this got recommended to me. Thanks for the advice!

[@isaacholtan665]

It’s the night before my XC meet I’m a freshman in high school and this I just what I need, Thanks

[@AMostlyFunctionalJess]

About to go into my first cross country season since school (I'm 29, just doing my local county XC league here in the UK) and this was actually really helpful. It'll be very different to the trail and fell racing I'm used to and a 10 year gap means my memories of XC are a bit hazy 😂 Great tips!

[@baileyleonard9777]

As a former xc runner and current xc coach I love this video. I know what I want to say to my athletes but I couldn't put it in words, but I love the way you put things!

[@amadif1793]

Nice video... watching this the night before a race!

[@alaskanboyos1850]

THE GOAT, love these man

[@Sebby-dh3uj]

I have a XC race tomorrow so good timing

[@joshuathompson9346]

I got a big race tomorrow, I’ve been trying all season to get a sub 17:00, I’m at 17:32 right now, and this video makes me feel better.

[@arthurw1096]

I’m running great American xc festival tmr good timing

[@Hyah-td3jd]

Thanks for the tips!

[@lindseycannon3249]

I am watching this the day before my biggest race of the year!

[@trainwellracewell]

Looked like footage from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA. I ran a Masters Club National XC race there in 2014

[@bentprogamingyt]

HOW DID YOU KNOW MY CROSS COUNTRY WAS TOMMOROW! Thanks for the tips on my division cross country!

[@nathansimon08]

This helped alot, i have a highschool race tomorrow in Lyman CT and ive been a bit stressed

[@Raneter]

It’s the morning of my cross country race, been sick recently and my sore throat is coming back but I’m gonna hope that I’m fine

[@thelostandlongforgotten.1287]

watching this before our final race tomorrow, will diffidently use these tips for the race. thanks! Something I've found out (I'm sure many people have done this) but try and keep a rhythm with your breathing, it makes it a lot less stressful when running.

[@Hunter27474]

I’ve learned from my first high school year of cross country is it’s almost all a mental thing

[@charliebell5073]

As a coach for 25 years, I appreciate your experience and the advice you give about the mental side of racing. I wish, however, that you'd said more about preparation - both mental and physical - from the time you arrive at a meet to the time the gun goes off. What you think and do during the course tour and warm-up can be crucial to tuning your mind as well as your body before the start of the race. Perhaps in another video...

[@adelineesmee7191]

I improved my time by 3 minutes, I wasn’t last, and I beat the girl that kept passing me. This was so helpful!!! I appreciate it!

[@EthanElkorr]

I have three xc races this week had one yesterday one tomarrow and one saterday. I love the tips you gave in this video

[@qigong1001]

Good luck!!

[@EthanElkorr]

Thaknks!@@qigong1001

[@KadynBarton]

I signed up for XC at 1 pm today for jh, and here we are.

[@NateGray-mb6fn]

States is this week and had to watch something about XC

[@cartoon9163]

I have a race in 3 days and it's the BIGGEST one all year. Best timing ever!!!

[@simpletruth5224]

Nice job Xcountry, like most sports, is so mental

[@liamwebb9638]

Thank you 🙏

[@lukehughes3963]

I got a race tomorrow thanks

[@waves3793]

Thanks G

[@sabastienvahid2130]

Watching this the day before a big invitational!!!

[@ETshorts184]

Thanks Spence

[@GreyDemetrius]

This is before my race❤

[@edwardaustin6410]

Favourite parkrun is of course Chester where I have volunteered 200+ times. Last week I was visiting friends and managed a PB of 20:10 at Clumber Park with an age graded score of 78.84% all with my 60th birthday less than a month away! Great video as always and I’ve never known what the age graded scores meant until I saw this - thanks.

[@Salsabro.]

dam 20:10 as a 60 yr old, also happy birthday!!

[@edwardaustin6410]

@@Salsabro. thanks so much, I then bettered my 5k time to 19:52 just over a week later. First ever sub20 and 60 in a week.

[@paxundpeace9970]

A gel with coffine is often a good kick. Be sure to be used to it in Training.

[@Dylan4MVP]

Pre state meet in 2 days🤙🤙🤙trying to go sub 17. Florida XC

[@marcushilljr8246]

Mannn how you gonna post this video right after my race today

[@Audifan8595]

Nobody will take this advice because it's a whole lifestyle change, but eating a very low or zero carb diet is the true way to fuel the body. I ran XC for seven years in high school, and ate a lot of carbs all the time and especially before races. I was pretty good, nothing sensational but I was consistently third on the team and went to states. However I never felt very good when I raced, I was always hurting, as you say. Ten years later I came back to running after a debilitating chronic illness (so bad I couldn't sit up straight or stand for more than 10 minutes), which I healed from by eating a zero carb diet. So naturally I am running now on a zero carb diet and I am FIERCE. I have only been training again for two months, doing a lot less mileage and a lot less strength/cross training, and I'm already faster than I was in high school. And I feel way way wayyyyy better when I run. I don't get that "hurting" feeling when I run hard. Not to say I don't get tired, but nothing actually hurts, I don't get chest tightness or breathlessness or stitches/cramps or a sudden draining feeling in my body. I have a deep pool of energy I can pull from even when I start to feel tired, and if I ever do need to dial it back like after pushing a steep hill, my recovery is very quick. The truth is that "fat burning," which is the metabolic state of ketosis, is far healthier and more efficient than carb burning. Fat actually gives more than double the amount of energy per gram than carbohydrates, so you can burn less of it for the same energy output, which means your energy reserves last much longer if you're using fat as your fuel source. However the body will only tap into your fat stores when your glucose stores dry up, so you cannot easily access this metabolic state if you are eating carbohydrates, because the body will always use those first. Evidence actually suggests that the "second wind" phenomenon you may get during a long race is actually the body going into the state of ketosis to meet energy demands, and that's why you may feel a sudden burst of strength and speed. Anyway, I figured I'd drop that here for anyone who trawls through comments sections. If you're looking for a way to up your running game, try dropping all carbs and eating only fatty meat (red meat is by far the best), eggs, and dairy if you're not allergic. Many professional athletes eat this way and all of them swear by it just like me.

[@chunkysquirle7633]

Just had my last race of the year 2 days ago. Wish I would have seen this earlier 😢

[@tylersmith2738]

Wait omg that Leigh race was so close to where I live, I was just at Paul Short last weekend

[@user-bg9ii7yb4d]

thank you for this vid I am in my last year of middle school xc and this helps a lot.

[@8bitgdhaxz]

Lets see if this helps before my last cross country race of highschool

[@YoungBloodFishing-te2os]

my race is tomorrow at mundy park its my 4th race in my entire life and hope i can do better than last race with 18min and 13sec

[@milesmalloy372]

Yes bro 10:00 pm before Paul short tomorrow 😂😭

[@blifnorf2793]

You posted this video a day after I got a pr in the 5k, almost good timing but i still have a couple races this season

[@aydenshonk]

Time?

[@blifnorf2793]

@@aydenshonk 17:15

[@aydenshonk]

@@blifnorf2793Nice time, congrats!

[@blifnorf2793]

@@aydenshonkthanks!

[@jasonjiang2876]

The beginning was definitely relatable. I’ve got less than a day for my race. This video was very helpful, thank you!

[@davishallman6331]

Watching this the day before my first adult cross country race

[@adrianaluking8147]

i’m watching it the day of bc i have a night race 🤩

[@Vo2maxProductions]

If you're an "800m guy" like Spence you can handle a fast first 200m-400m (which could be like a 30 sec 200m or a 65 for 400m). "Pure distance guys" without raw anaerobic and raw speed can destroy their race by making the first 60 sec too fast and flooding themselves with lactate. If it's a 5km or 8km xc race you should have plenty of time to pass people. My strategy was always to work the middle or 2nd mile when people slow down/lag and save any "sprint" you have for the finishing kick! When I ran NCAA DI XC Nationals the lead pack split the first 800m in like 2:05 (for a 10km!). I was buried back in like 180th place going out in like 2:15 for the first 800m...but if you are disciplined and well trained you can mow people down in the middle of the race. I wasn't quite All American in XC, but I passed 100 guys during the race.

[@jakepugh120]

I’ve got cross country on Saturday

[@zackbritton1239]

Have you ever heard the song "White Horse" by Chris Stapleton? If not, I would highly recommend listening to it .

[@pebsiburbger]

Just ran a race and then saw this! 😂

[@xavierrivest1756]

My cross contry is in two days 💪

[@paxundpeace9970]

It is important not to worry to much about the day or night before the race everybody is nervous. Better work on getting in plenty of carbs in the week before. Whole grain pasta with bolognese is great. Get the sleep the week before make sure that this is well.

[@rebelliousracer3249]

Watching the day before my race

[@HdjjfJakjfhs-rf1kr]

U literally called me out immediately in the video haha 😂

[@lilcutt4985]

I am seeing this 2 days before my xc meet lol

[@_quixote]

I tried so much. I run slower in the start but I still place bottom 10. I’m just not good enough for highschool XC. I feel terrible, and inadequate. But I just feel like garbage. I’m so bad. But there’s hope. I can be good at running in my late teens (I’m 17) and early 20s.

[@Calebr2023]

Here a day before the conference meet

[@kiltrokills5527]

W VIDEO BRO! SAVING ME lol

[@Miguelduron7]

I can honestly say that place matters more because you might actually get a pr by placing high enough

[@Macwood94]

A great and simple thing to do halfway through a race is to simply smile. It sounds silly but I tell my athletes to smile and they do visibly go faster afterwards.

[@billybobjoethethird1679]

Night before!

[@benkeefer]

Bruh that’s me too watching it the night before the meet

[@AbessHimself]

I am watching this the day before regionals

[@jaggerbanks6806]

Lol. I am watching this the day before my race.

[@Noah-sm1ze]

Just realized I probably watched you at Nuttycombe without knowing 😂

[@HannahLong856]

I’m watching dis before west regionals (MS Girls) dis is my last race of da season

[@ilankoldun362]

I have my year 6 cross country in 7 days and even though I am a great long distance runner I am very nervous and find it hard to endure the pain whilst running. I am doing 3 kilometers

[@InfinityCuberRS3M]

watched this when it came out, then watched it again day before league finals lol

[@TheAthleteSpecial]

Who's got a race coming up?

[@4milk4life33]

2 week’s 😁

[@Haroon-dz2xk]

2 days away!!!🎉

[@Watson2349]

here, in 4 days

[@albinomayomonkey2544]

Watched this right after my last race of the season😔

[@user-lt7xj9dn4k]

Last race tomorrow

[@Zara_irish4life]

i watched this video the day after my race lol

[@Simply_Rin]

Me my race is next week on Tuesday

[@kiltrokills5527]

Right here one day before the race lol

[@th0rsrag326]

Day of my xc meet

[@Itz_Coop14]

My day before XC RACE

[@williamhutson1082]

Clicked on this the hour after a race

[@reallifepolitics]

Ya the day before😆😆

[@tylermcdow1759]

Literally watching this the day before pre state!!!

[@Mollismydog]

I am watching this before my last meet

[@grootmcflurry]

Im watching it the day of regionals

[@xmaxfam3860]

the night before my race

[@isthatDUDEMAN]

I saw this video 2 days after my district meet 😢

[@davidtuttle8065]

I’m watching the day after my race

[@frozenyoghurt5305]

My race is this Tuesday…. At first I was stressing out a lot, but this video really helped me to calm down. As well as to formulate a better plan. Thank you so much this video was very helpful!

[@uuni5377]

Hey, my race is Tuesday too, where are you racing at? Is it your conference meet?

[@frozenyoghurt5305]

No, it’s Divisionals @@uuni5377

[@frozenyoghurt5305]

Edit: I’m going to regionals this Friday!! I made it :D

[@MrRugbyLeague]

I got 2nd in my cross country without any training it was 4K I’m 15 and going to race against my region idk what to train

[@cmm595]

What's your two mile and 5k PR?

[@michellewelling-to2fs]

Tomorrow is regionals🎉