Friday November 17th 2006 Get Off Road

Now as the nights begin to draw in and winter creeps up on us, no I am not starting a novel, I look forward to the cross country season. Cross country has always been my preferred terrain, this goes back to when I was a boy ? x-c, rugby and football, I could come home covered in mud and not get told off by my mum. What does surprise me with x-c is the number of triathletes, road and track runners who don?t run, it?s one of the best ways to build speed endurance. Most races are 8 ? 10k in distance, women about 5 ? 6k (which is too short, women are just as capable of running the same as the men). You are running at race pace over mixed terrain which can sap the legs of energy, you normally have a few hills to contend with so you get a hill workout both up and down, and if you are really lucky it will snow or hail and will freeze your what-not off ? best you forget the last bit. Seriously if you want to improve your running, do the x-c season.

Posted by Lynn Ferris at 12:25 GMT