Summer

For the summer, students will begin running on their own after track (roughly the beginning or middle of May), & we will meet together as a team starting the middle of June. A training plan will be posted here. When we meet together, we will meet twice a week from 8 AM to 9 or 10, typically Monday & Wednesday or Tuesday & Thursday.

Year-round runners summer plan     |     New runners summer plan      

New runners have either taken a long break from running or are running for the first time.

Year-round athletes run about half a year. These athletes participate in other sports (i.e. wrestling & track).

Year-round runners run 48+ weeks a year (assuming they are healthy). Typically, these athletes run cross country & track.

Coach Warren breaks the cross country season into 3 phases (similar to Jack Daniels, PhD but combining the 1st & 2nd phases). The plans above are for the first phase.

Students will run on their own for phase 1.

Coach Warren will meet with students starting June 16, 2026. 

Phases:

1. Strength & aerobic [from 5/31/25-6/13/26]

2. Introduce 200s, 400s, & 600s (& stadiums after quality days) in the middle of easy runs, & this ends our really long runs (repeats are run at zone 4) [from 6/15/26 - 8/8/26]

3. Races begin being simulated during this phase. Threshold runs are added during this phase, & long runs become only progression runs & fartleks (zones 2.5 & 3.5) [from 8/10/26- 10/3/26]

4. Race pace & threshold runs [from 10/5/26 - 10/20/26 - 11/7/26]

Principles to Run by:

1. The more consistent you run, the better distance runner you will be.

2. Start by running 2 days a week but build to running 6 days a week. Rest one day each week.

3. Take time off if you need it (even if it's just a day, or a week).

4. 50 lunges 6x a week.

5. 100 air squats after every quality day.

6. At least 4 strides after each easy day (50 m easy, 50 m to get to race pace, 50 m to gradually stop).

7. Never increase more than 10% of your distance, time, or intensity from week-to-week.

8. Run fast when we run fast, but run easy when we run easy.

9. Most of your training should be zone 2 each week.

10. Long run should be 30% of your weekly mileage or less.

11. Eat your weight in grams of protein each day.

12. Eat lots of carbs, particularly whole grains (rice, pasta, fruit, vegetables, etc.)-not just junk sugars.

Zones:

Zone 1 [recovery zone] This is conversational pace (recovery runs) {for me this is 145 bpm or less}.

Zone 2 [aerobic zone] You should still be able to speak in complete sentences in this zone; it should still feel easy (easy, aerobic runs & long runs) {for me this is between 146 & 165 bpm}.

Zone 3 [threshold zone] This is a difficult pace but not race pace. When you finish, you should be tired but still able to say, "I could have run further, & I could have run faster." This is where your body is producing lactic acid. (tempo runs) {for me this is between 166 & 186 bpm}.

Zone 4 [race pace] This is hard. This is maximum effort. (track days) {for me this is above 186 bpm}.

Levels of Pain:

1. Sore: Continue running but listen to your body; you know your body better than anyone else. Rest. Ice. Compress. Elevate. Feel 

2. Mild pain: Take a day or a week off & see if your body heals on its own. Rest. Ice. Compress. Elevate.

3. Hurt: This is a pain that you are not familiar with. This is more than soreness or mild pain. Go see Steve (trainer). Follow Steve's advice.

4. Injured: Go see a doctor. Follow instructions from the doctor.

Upcoming Freshmen can enroll in Health and PE during summer school. Receive the .5 hours PE credit by attending RXC summer workouts. Choose link below.